Northern Shaolin Kung Fu?

I am currently learning Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, but I never hear mention of it anywhere (on the web, books, nowhere!). Does anybody else take this art? Is it a recognised art? HELP!

Yeah, it's a pretty major style. There are at least seven major styles in this grouping, and several offshoots that have major grouping of styles all it's own.

Try searching again, tons of info out there on this stuff. I'd supply links, but I gotta go.

I take it that you are referring to the Hong style of northern shaolin. That is the most popular here in the states. Sifu Kwl, Johnny so, Lai Hung, Wong Jack Man, Dou Wanchun teach it. Did you start learning #6 first? Then followed by #7? If so then that is the Hong style of northern shaolin. Some others are Lohan, lost track, cha kuen, wa kuen (really acrobatic and tough physical training), fa kuen, pao kuen. You can visit www.wle.com for information on the style. They won't say " HONG KUEN" because they claim to teach "Shaolin" as in what the monks practice.

Hi-

There are five major branches of Northern Kung Fu. As word said they are :Wah, Cha, Fah, Pao and Hong.

"Hong" is associated to and interchangeable with "Sil Lum".
If you were to say "I practice Hong Kuen Kung Fu" then you can also say that you practice Bak Sil Lum.

The others Wah Kuen, Pao Kuen, Cha Kuen and Fah Kuen (kuen=Chuan=fist) are not as closely associated with the Shaolin systems although each definitely contains definitive "shaolin" flavour in them somewhere. Also, the others that are not "Hong" or "Sil Lum" (if you will) have lost many of the teachings over the years and the Bak Sil Lum is considered the most complete system of them all.

Also, the #6 form (Tun Ta or Quick Strike) is not the first form practiced from this system. It is the third usually. The first sets of the Bak Sil Lum system are Lien Bo Chuan or Linked Stepping Fist followed buy Tan Tui (Tam Toy) or Springing Leg.

Lien Bo introduces the beginning student to ...well, stepping and punching like the name says and Tam Toy (Tan Tui) introduces the beginner to a few of the Northern style kicks as well as plenty of other stuff.

The core sets of North Shaolin make up teh other ten empty hand sets and there are also weapons in the system.
Any Kung Fu system that teaches complete weaponry will teach the student bladed weapons , usually a broadsword first, staff (which is generally the first weapon a kf student will learn although sometimes it is broadsword first then staff). After these, a student may learn an unusual weapon but the regimen is bladed, staff, double blades, flexible weapons. From these four "types" of weapons a student can make use of even the simplest thing they find and use it as a weapon.


peace

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Kung Lek


[This message has been edited by Kung Lek (edited 08-08-2000).]

i might just be stupid but i thought there was only one shaolin temple not a southern and a northen

Thanks for the help, guys, but at my studio there is no mention of the many facets of Shaolin Kung Fu...would it be wise to ask my teacher what the exact style is?

yes. if he doesnt tell you atleast what style then theres something wrong

To clarify something:

The connection of Cha (Zha in Mandarin) system to Shaolin is not truly correct.

Zha system made up of Zha Quan, Hua Quan, Pao Quan, Hong Quan, and Tan Tui (Shr Lu Tan Tui) is closely associated with the Hui ethnic group (not Han) and is also seen referred to as Islamic Long Fist at times. It is a strongly Mosem based art with few tangible connections to Shaolin.

While there may be similarities and some connections, these are due to martial artists over the years training with different teachers and such. The Zha system is first and foremost a Hui/Islamic based art. People such as Wang Ziping are major exponents of the style in the last 100 years.

There are 10 original forms in Bei Shaolin. Tam Tui is not Shaolin and is merely used to develop basics in beginners.

1.Hoi Mun (entering the gate)
2.Liang Po (following step)
3.Cho Ma (riding horse)
4.Ch'un Sum (penetrating heart)
5.Mo Ngai (martial practice)
6.Tun Ta (close fighting)
7.Mui Fa (plum flower)
8.Pat Po (eight steps)
9.Lien Huan (connecting circles)
10.Sik Fat (the method)

There is a 16 set version to include other direct Shaolin derivatives like Chutsing Peng Pu, Cha Chuan, etc.

hey hows it goin ..ok heres the thing - at my school( Wing Lung Kung Fu Tai Chi Association),we learn "Northern Shaolin" before learning any Shang Tung Ying Jow. The school teaches "Northern Shaolin", Shang Tung Ying Jow Pai, Tai Shing Pek Kwa, and Yang Tai Chi Chuan. After Learning "Northern Shaolin", then you start learning eaither Eagle Claw or Monkey(depending on which one you would be better at. ok now im supposedly learning the bak siu lum.the first "bak siu lum" form that they teach at the school is "small plum blossom" , the 2nd,which i am learning now, is called "youth fist". and i think that the 6th form that we learn at the school is "chang chuan". im pretty confused. can anyone try to unconfuse me? My sifu learned bak siu lam from Lung Kai Ming, eagle claw from Leung Lee Fu, and monkey from Chan Sau Chung, ...so i would think hes pretty legit,right? but if im learning northern shaolin,whats with all these forms and also the order theyre in and everything?? has anyone even heard of the "youth fist" form? and i thought Chang Chuan( 6th form at the school) was alot more than just a form! please HELP!!!! thanks
- Danny

no help?

Hi-

WLD- I think that you may be learning the contemporary longfist curriculum.

Youth fist is associated with modern wu shu.
Can it be that you are training wu shu for flexibility and then moving to the traditional styles?

this is a path that is becoming quite normal in the cma's.

peace

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Kung Lek