Toisan Kung Fu

[buddhapalm]

Can anyone refer me to or recommend any old time Kung Fu practitioners from Toisan who were practicing before 1950.

Preferably teachers who were practicing in the 1940's that may have known Ma Kin Fung, Dea Bak Do, Chan Tai San.

Any teachers that were from "Bak Sar" or "Salm Bak" villages would be great too.

I am trying to piece together some historical puzzles, and anyone that was a well known player at that time may have information about my Sigung Dea Bak Do. I am trying to trace his martial roots.

If I can find these old timers, perhaps they can share some information with me about my Sigung.

Any help would be most appreciated.

Kindest Regards

Buddhapalm
teleka@pacbell.net

[buddhapalm]

Hi all,
I am trying to trace a Southern master from Canton 1930's. His nickname was Ng Gung (5th Grandfather ??). He taught in Toisan area in Ma Village in the 1920's period. His style was a system of Fut Gar (not of Harlan Lee's branch).

Has anyone heard of him, or know of his Fut Gar lineage specifically from him ?

Any contibutions would be most greatly appreciated.

Kindest Regards

Buddhapalm

[WinterPalm]

I figured I would make a new thread regarding my video so as to not clutter the actual thread and make Fu Pow angry!

DJ,
Nothing in the set has changed. Just a different version. I originally learned the first version and then Sifu showed me the one posted above which is less than half the set and is the advanced version. It breaks down like this: 1.) You learn the set in a first version. 2.) Then an advanced version. 3.) Then you learn the last version. This is for a number of Toisan Black Tiger Sets. This is done because of the difficulity of the advanced versions of the sets makes they quite difficult to grasp at first.
When I learned the advanced version it took some time to get used to many different concepts not to mention the ambidextrous nature of the advanced version. If you look at the clip of the Iron Rings on the site the advanced version is way different. As far as I know there are advanced versions of Gung Lik Kuen and Da Kuen which I've revisited to relearn.

Sifu has also been only teaching the advanced versions of the sets for a number of years now...imagine having several versions of the same set in your head!

Anyway, in terms of modifications to sets; I think that if someone is a master or otherwise recognized skilled practioner of a system, then the modifications, if any, they make, are their decision and should be respected...I mean these systems were all made by people and people will modify them to their needs. But when Sifu shows me a movement he prefers done a different way, he will show me the movement the way he learned it and how he likes to do it. There is a big difference between slight changes and complete overhauling and/or being uneducated or trained enough to make such a judgement. Besides, forms contain the knowledge, and each person who applies the forms is going to be doing it in a different way with a different emphasis but I see the core of the sets not changing nor needing it regardless of style... That's just my opinion and I would like to hear what you guys have to say.

[David Jamieson]

ok, sure.

No i agree, a sifu can do whatever he likes with the kungfu he teaches so long as it delivers the results.

I learned three different ways to do the gung lik kuen set. Not really huge differences.

What's interesting in the staff set you show there is the shortness of it, and you can see that it is pretty different from the one i show. It's not really the same anymore although it has elements of sameness in the pattern.

The reversing of the side while stepping across is similar to the same move in the kwan dao set, and your returning of the staff to the right hand is the same move i learned in a spear form, but i've seen it in staff sets too. The style shows though as I remember it. There's footwork that is also found in the broadsword set such as the steal a step and thrust.

the start and finish are different because of the new formal bow with the gwa sows and twist steps and the opening is more like the kwan dao opening with the hui ke salute.

it was interesting to watch. thanks for sharing.

[WinterPalm]

I'm not so sure about a teacher doing whatever he likes. Sifu has told me that if he changed the sets then his Sifu would have something serious to say about it. So, they are the same just three different versions and the final one contains the Toisan Black Tiger ending.
The version posted there is less than half the set. Personally, the sets you practice over and over and over again. No reason to change what is there. But when I practice techniques on a bag or with a partner or in the air from a fighting perspective, the extrapolation if you will, then the techniques look different; much like the way Sifu shows the application of the techniques. So, the sets have a specific purpose and that is development of mind/body/spirit.

[David Jamieson]

agreed, textbook techniques vary dependent on how you are able to generate force with your own body using the shape as a guide, distancing, motion, etc etc.

You come to fit the form and it fits you and it's essence is carried same same from one to the next. extrapolating is key and probably the most interesting aspect, at least for me, in studying martial arts.

takes a while to pick apart a form, even a small one, and drill the crap out of what you find in there that you can make use of.

[GeneChing]

Toisanese Kung Fu: The Crane from a Different Mother
By Peter Pena

FALL 2018