The Boxer Rebellion

[Dim Wit Mak]

Years ago I read that the "Boxers" of 1900 fame entered the famous rebellion having many kung fu styles. Some didn't know any kung fu, and there was an attempt by the leaders to take some of the most direct and easiest to learn techiniques from many different styles and teach this as a new system. In the article, the style that was formed was given a name, but I don't remember what it was. Can anyone enlighten me as to what it was called, and if it is still taught and practiced? Thanks in advance.

[Shaolinlueb]

hmm i would like some more info on this too. anyone?

[Dim Wit Mak]

Shaolinlueb: I know the article was in the magazine which is the rival to the one that sponsors this forum, but I can't find it anywhere.

[Mr Punch]

Wing Chump. It's practised everywhere...

but not in my school of course...

I don't have one!

[IronFist]

I thought the boxer rebellion was when all those kung fu guys got owned by guns?

[SifuAbel]

Uh, not that simple. It was a brutal fight that they eventually lost. And, it was more than one battle on more than one day.

[Dim Wit Mak]

If the history books are to be believed (and I'm not sure that is true), one of the biggest lies of this historical event was where the leaders told the rank and file that magical talismans would protect them from gunfire. I have read that these leaders even had their homies fire blanks at them to "prove" their claims.

I don't suppose this was any different than the lies that were told to sailors during World War II about the effectiveness of the "shark repellent" they were issued. I understand that the powers that be knew it was about as effective as Gillette shaving cream, but it gave the sailors some peace of mind before Jaws had them for lunch. I guess all of us have to be aware to keep from being a gullible chump.

[Mr Punch]

Well I've never heard of a shark eating Gillette shaving foam.


Apart from the amulet thing, the boxers were no heros either. Most of them were just bands of rapists, bandits and gangsters wandering the country trying to jump on the anti-British rule bandwagon and tricking some people into joining them on that pretext before more lies and extortion. Bit like the Bush administration and the War on Terror (uh-oh, there goes this thread! ) or, er, many modern MA 'teachers'.

[MasterKiller]

http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/CHING/BOXER.HTM

The Boxers, or "The Righteous and Harmonious Fists," were a religious society that had originally rebelled against the imperial government in Shantung in 1898. They practiced an animistic magic of rituals and spells which they believed made them impervious to bullets and pain. The Boxers believed that the expulsion of foreign devils would magically renew Chinese society and begin a new golden age. Much of their discontent, however, was focussed on the economic scarcity of the 1890's. They were a passionate and confident group, full of contempt for authority and violent emotions.

[Ren Blade]

It sounds like the White Lotus Clan from Once Upon A Time In China 2. Is that what these group of characters from the movie were based upon, the boxers of the rebellion or "The Righteous and Harmonious Fists"?

[MasterKiller]

Originally posted by Ren Blade
It sounds like the White Lotus Clan from Once Upon A Time In China 2. Is that what these group of characters from the movie were based upon, the boxers of the rebellion or "The Righteous and Harmonious Fists"?

The White Lotus would again make an appearance in the 1890s. A branch sect called the I Ho Ch’uan (Fists in the Name of Harmony and Justice) began a serious anti- foreigner rebellion in response to the humiliations suffered by China at the hands of European and American powers. The Europeans would later call this band of rebels the Boxers.

http://www.ibiblio.org/chinesehistor...s/c11sa03.html

[apoweyn]

Originally posted by Ren Blade
It sounds like the White Lotus Clan from Once Upon A Time In China 2. Is that what these group of characters from the movie were based upon, the boxers of the rebellion or "The Righteous and Harmonious Fists"?

Yep. And as I understand it (which is a big disclaimer) Wong Fei Hung was opposed to the foreign occupation of China, but believed that the secret societies were making the problem worse rather than better. Could be wrong about that though.

I don't think the boxers had a particular brand of fu though, Dim Wit Mak. I don't think style had a whole lot to do with it really. It had more to do with the "magical" amulets and wards. Convincing an uneducated populace that they would be protected if they rose up and fought back. I think it had more to do with control than with style.

And whether you believe the history books or no, one thing is clear. They lost. That's not a slight against individual brave Chinese though. It's simply that they were outclassed.

Again, though, I'm no historian.


Stuart B.

[MasterKiller]

Originally posted by apoweyn
It's simply that they were outclassed.

They lost, but I don't think they were outclassed. I find it hard to assign 'class' to a group of countries that intentionally created a nation of drug addicts and murdered 200,000 people in the name of colonialism.

[apoweyn]

Originally posted by MasterKiller
They lost, but I don't think they were outclassed. I find it hard to assign 'class' to a group of countries that intentionally created a nation of drug addicts and murdered 200,000 people in the name of colonialism.

For crying out loud, Masterkiller. Don't make me pull the dictionary quote trick. You know as well as I do that that's not what "outclassed" means. Semantic arguments make the baby Jesus cry.

Pedantry aside, I agree wholeheartedly with your point. Indenturing one nation (India) to produce narcotics to hook another nation on (China) just so you'll have something to trade for what they've got is low class.


Stuart B.

[red5angel]

yeah Ap, just because your parents are british doesn't mean you get to stomp all over the other people of the world an dtheir rights. You can' t just imply that Indians are a lower class then the brits, just cause their skin is different or they aren't edumacated like the brits. Jeeze, the elitism flying around this forum is insane!