Where are all the Monkey Styles?
Most of the old timers know that I am fascinated by the old Tai Tzu style of the Emperor Zhao Kuang Yin. Its a root style that many of the northern arts evolved from. Over the years, thanks to a great deal of help from researchers on this forum, i was able to find and learn 8 formal routines connected to Zhao Kuang Yin and his Tai Tzu Chang Quan style. Most were built by Shaolin based on loose techniques he taught them.
Then there is the Monkey style associated with Zhao Kuang Yin. I never really found much on the art, other than it is sometimes called Six Stance Monkey Fist. I believe this is a confusion with the "Six Stance Fist" style listed in the Qi Jiguang manual that precedes it. Someone forgot to put a comma between the two. I have never found anyone who actually knows the style though.
So here I am now, wondering about Monkey Fist in general, and wondering where I can find good examples of the really old Monkey fighting styles. Of course, I am looking for applications as much, or even more, than the forms.
I keep finding this guy:
https://warriorneigong.com/monkey-fi...or-qigong-set/
But other than talking about how awesome and authentic his Monkey style is, theres precious little out there showing any of it, or discussing exactly what it is or how it fits into the history and over all picture of the various Monkey Kung Fu styles.
Then you have Tai Shing...which looks like a newer style and not related to the ancient Monkey that would be associated with Zhao Kuang Yin, or even from a related time period. There seems to be a huge controversy about who knows it, and who doesnt, but teaches some kind of random yoga as if they did know it..(made it up and doesnt know it). I'd like to stay away from that one. Lots on it out there.
My question:
"Does anyone practice an authentic Monkey fighting style? Would you care to share what you know about it? Any video links to usage and what the forms look like?"
Gotta plug some MartialArtSmart.com Monkey stuff to keep the lights on here...
Good to have you back RD(P) :cool:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/05...g?v=1633527524
Monkey Kung Fu Series
I know this doesn't answer your inquiry but the 2001 MARCH/APRIL cover story I did on Chan Sau Chung is my off the cuff reference.
Monkey King
Chan Sau Chung's Journey to the West
http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/images/mzine/2001-2.jpg
That is an ongoing debate between their respective camps...
... but we put him on the cover. ;)
I wouldn't say it's 'lost'
I hear a lot of claims of lost styles but really it's the researcher not delving deep enough. I mean, I'm sure plenty of stuff never got passed down but there's probably a reason - it may have been too impractical to remain vital or too cumbersome to learn to be perpetuated. But to me, it's pining for the good old days, which may never have really been that good, ya know?
But on to Monkey. Monkey is a huge category, not just from the imitative schools of Kung Fu like tiger, dragon, or drunken. There's also the Monkey King legend that elevates it to a divine allusion and takes it into operatic performance. This makes it difficult to box into a single concept. Luohan is a good comparison because it is also an allusion to the divine and magical that is used as an allegory throughout Kung Fu in many different ways.
A simple comparison is Northern mantis v Southern mantis. These styles are very different but both are mantis. You can see the mantis imitated and interpreted in both. Same holds true for monkey. While there isn't a north v south division, compare say Shaolinsi monkey staff to Hung Gar monkey staff and you'll see what I mean.
As for the Ape v Monkey terminology, well, that's trickier. Monkey = hou 猴. This is the most common as in Houquan (monkey fist). Hou can also mean ape. Other terms for ape are yuan 猿 and ju 狙. Note the similarities in the characters - they all begin with the same left-side radical. Offhand I can't remember seeing those terms used in Kung Fu very much, perhaps in some quanpu, but I'm can't read Chinese unaided so I might easily miss this. Keep in mind that few Chinese were literate until the communists expanded national education, so it's common to find 'misspellings' in original sources.
I nibbled at sorting this very topic once, but didn't get very far as monkey is not a style that I practice so it doesn't hold my interest. I think I was grappling with this same question you pose, RDP, for some article or something. Perhaps someone more conversant in Chinese can pick up this point and illuminate both of us further.
