Is Shaolin-Do for real?

[Shaolin Wookie]

The Tai Chi in SD intrigues me because it's NOTHING like any Tai Chi I've seen anywhere before. Again, this doesn't necessarily make it a bad thing, but it's interesting that it's totally different. I have learned various applications from it and enjoy practicing it but I feel as though it isn't "authentic" as such. It's definitely good to do though during my "recovery days" or as a good warmup/cool down exercise and just something to kind of settle down and relax your mind once in a while. And yeah, the only Tai Chi school within driving distance of me is that New Age crap you mentioned so I think the SD wins over that one, LOL!

I.

The Tai Chi in SD is literally Cheng Man Ching's 37 posture form (shotgunned in 2 places [hanging lotus/cloud hands]) and Chen Zheng Lei's 18 posture Chen form, for starters. The SD applications are generally pretty simple (from what I remember). Tai Chi is basically slow Longfist. I know that's a simplification, but if you've done Longfist for decades, you know this to be pretty true. The applications in SD's Tai Chi are elementary, and often unrealistic (take "single whip" as a backhand slap and then a palm push--lol--when in reality it's closer to the way SD teaches chin-na hip throws). Get what you can out of it, and definitely avoid the new age crap. But you can improve your form even with video instruction. I remember starting THERE--with video instruction to fix my form's mechanics. Luckily, I've crossed paths with many talented Tai Chi practitioners (traditional Yang, Chen, and Sangfeng Pai) whose lessons always pushed my mechanics even further. I have my own judgments about Cheng Man Ching's lineage--they almost all practice as if they too were midgets (the master was a tiny guy, so his own edits to the Yang long form tended to stress his natural advantages of a low center of gravity that doesn't require much movement to get lower); and they perform it as if they too were rather lacking in a certain "long-limbed" athleticism.

I also greatly enjoy Cheng Man Ching's book (13 treatises). The man was a scholar. His written instructions/reflections for practice can really hyper-focus your study for improvement. The man goes on for pages regarding the proper alignment of your wrists in the first motion of the form. LOL.

[Shaolin Wookie]

Here is a video by a Choy Li Fut sifu demonstrating a back hand slap from his system. It is almost identical to the move we were taught in the 2nd white crane form at brown belt. I don’t think I’ve seen another system do this move so close to Shaolin do. It kinda makes a point I’ve believed for awhile. The core material and the movements can trace their roots to Shaolin. Even though the arrangement of form movements themselves are different. I have found other connections as well. Anyway. Have a great holiday.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=-npsZsn1grc&feature=share

You can find that same slap all throughout CMA. I do a similar sequence, from back palm to forward palm in Xuan Wu Quan.[1:10] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0unfFnqianI

I've seen this slap firsthand in 3 different styles, minimum.

[bodhi warrior]

You can find that same slap all throughout CMA. I do a similar sequence, from back palm to forward palm in Xuan Wu Quan.[1:10] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0unfFnqianI

I've seen this slap firsthand in 3 different styles, minimum.

Further illustrating the point I was trying to make.

[shen ku]

Further illustrating the point I was trying to make.

Still going????

[PalmStriker]

yes it is. You can call me Mr. 20000 Post Dusty Road Guy.

[Old Man]

For those involved in SD many years ago, do you remember what year Hiang came back with his 7th degree and do you remember any stories regarding how he obtained it?

[shen ku]

Interesting question, I would like to know

[Old Man]

Hiang site says he obtained his 7th degree just before his teacher died in 1978. Funny, his teacher die in 1975…….

[bodhi warrior]

Here lies Hiang teacher who die in 1975

Great find!

[OldandUsed]

If memory serves, the story at the time was that Dr. Ie had passed and Hiang was tested by a committee of the Elder students. I could be remembering wrong.

[Old Man]

If memory serves, the story at the time was that Dr. Ie had passed and Hiang was tested by a committee of the Elder students. I could be remembering wrong.

Per Hiang’s own website “ Liu Su Peng also conducted advanced weapons training with Master Thè with the chain and fire whips, and throwing daggers. Master Liu Su Peng promoted Master Thè to his seventh degree rank just prior to Master Liu's death in 1978.”