mao's shaolin bodyguard

[oasis]

question for the history buffs...zhang li peng states that shi xuyu, as mao's bodyguard, probably had a major influence on mao's decision to forbid traditional wushu. is there any other information on this figure?

[GeneChing]

I've heard this tale a few times before, but have been unable to trace it. There were a lot of major Chinese Generals and Shi Xuyu is a monk name, probably not what he went under in military life, especially not under Mao. There was a General Zheng Xuyu, but that's as much as I know so far. I'm still chipping at this...

[David Jamieson]

It was the nei gong that was most feared.

Hard to strike force a populace that pwns in h2h.
You know, what with the shaolin big on empowering everyone who sought it out with diligence. That's just dangerous for any government commie or otherwise.

[xiao]

I found this on doc's site

"The most dizzy career was made by Xu Shiyou (monk's name Youniang). He entered a Communist party, became a Head of Guanzhou's military district and fellow-campaigner of Mao Jiedong.

Information about him can be found even in the book of Li Zhisui "The private life of Chairman Mao" (Random House, New York, 1994)."

[r.(shaolin)]

According to Dr. Li Zhisui (Li was Mao Zedong's personal physician) Xu Shiyou was born in 1905 and passed away in 1985. He joined the Communist party in 1927. Because of poverty he was put into Shaolin to become a monk when only a child and apparently stayed for 8 years. I'm wondering aloud who his martial arts teacher was at Shaolin.
Xu came from a family of peasants and was never educated. He never learned to read until he joined Red Army. He is discribed by Li, who knew him personally, as "a coarse and ignorant man." Li mentions that Wang Dongxing, the director of Mao's bodyguards and a bodyguard himself, said that "Xu Shiyou could take on twenty men singlehanded and beat them all." So no doubt he was a formidable man.

r.

[WanderingMonk]

I'm wondering aloud who his martial arts teacher was at Shaolin.
r.

贞绪和尚

I got this off a mainland forum a year ago. the forum had shutdown, but here is some highlight.

you probably can get your own copy by google these excerpt.



为此，笔者专程前往少林寺，同几位高僧一番畅谈，疑团才算得到了排除。原来，当年许世友将军——永祥大师， 同另一位法名德根的僧人，一连八年同师习武，友谊至深。德根大师九岁那年，天遭大旱，五谷不收，父母几经周 折才把他送进少林寺，做佛门杂役。当他哭哭啼啼被送进童行僧棚时，有位法名永祥的沙弥，走来给他亲切的安慰 。言谈中德根知道了，这位难友比他大一岁、是河南、湖北两省交界的大别山区的人（在现在河南省背后县境内） 。两年前，因父母养活不了他们兄妹七人，才在逃荒的路上把他（指永祥）送进了少林寺做杂役。进寺之后，就整 天为师父们端茶送水，铺床叠被，扫地抹桌，有时事情干不好，免了要受师父的责备。但有一条使他高兴，就是师 父天天教他学拳练武，虽然苦些，但觉得这就有了盼头儿。只要有朝一日，把师父的浑身武艺学到手，就一定会挣 来出头之日。德根有了这位好心的师兄作伴儿，也就安下心来。（永祥、德根不是一辈数，因他们都跟当时名僧贞 绪和尚习武，所以，他俩就师兄师弟相称。）

从此，两人在少林寺内一起待奉师父和当家各尚，一起同时练武学艺，吃饭同一只菜碗，睡眠同一条薄被，朝夕相 处，形影不离，结成了知心好友。永祥睡觉枕的那块石头，德根大师一直保存到他圆寂之时。它不仅被永祥枕得油 光发亮，还是他习练“金钟罩”的砧石，每晚他要用头“咚咚咚”地在石枕上撞上一阵子，才能安然 入睡。

平时，只要一有功夫，永祥就领德根同师兄师弟们，一起按照师父的安排去习练武功、站桩、摔棍、跑滑板、跑立 砖，练插沙，练空功、练运气，练贴壁，练空打梅花铜桩等等。就祥练功，刻苦认真，不怕流血、流汗。撰，他功 底深夺取，臂力过人，刀、枪、剑、棍，十八般武艺样样纯熟。只要他不带练功“重身”，寺内丈余高的围墙，几 步开外就可飞跑而上；九间九檩千佛大殿，他手抓屋檐的椽头，一口气可顺转三圈；窜墙、越脊、飞檐走壁，轻来 轻去不叫瓦碎；跳下时，能在空中翻三个筋斗轻轻落地；飞马身边过，他能手抓马尾飞身而上；只要运足气，对着 尺二见方三寸来厚的大方砖，转身一掌，相距寸余，砖就碎裂；双手向后一背，从尺宽厚的青石条上踏过，一步一 块，可一连踩折数条；……他的功夫在师兄弟当中，总是高人一筹。他对德根来说，既是至心的师兄、好友，又是 忠诚的辅导教师。
师兄师弟们在练“吊臂”、“贴壁”时，三年没满，永祥已能手攀屋梁，悬空吊起睡觉，或嵌在墙壁中的木桩上过 夜进，德根还不能坚持燃烧一柱香的时间。在练两手插沙的排缸前，永祥伸手“嚓”的一声，手插盐炒铁砂子已进 深尺余，德根却手插豌豆的功夫还不到家。永祥常劝他“强忍疼痛，用力苦练，只要练得满手长出老茧来，就什么 都不怕了”。

一次，几个师兄弟从白马寺回来，跑了一百多里路程，天快黑时，才到了圜辕关下，还有十多里步步登高的十八盘 山路，师兄师弟们深怕一步走慢，误了师父晚课前的点卯。这时，小腿上的铁沙袋，又好象专门与人作对，越来越 觉沉重，上山确实困难。当时永祥大师每条腿上已绑到十五斤重，德根还不到七斤，而他却不听永祥劝阻，私自解 下了沙袋。哪知，刚解沙袋头重脚轻，走在路上尽栽筋斗，上山路窄，又坎坎坷坷更难行走。永祥抓起沙袋，又给 德根绑了上去，挽起德根的胳臂，就一口气拉上了十八盘。

回到寺里后，不知哪位师兄把德根解沙袋的事告诉了师父，师父发怒就惩罚德根跪香。早已混身酸疼难忍的德根， 面前两步开外的那柱火香，这时，竟象专门与他作对一样，燃烧极缓。二更鼓响了，那柱香还没烧够一半，砖楞已 早陷进两个膝盖内，疼入骨髓。德根头上正在冒汗，永祥看师父已经睡熟，便悄悄走来拔起火香折扔了大半，把剩 下的一点点火头儿又插进香炉。不多一会儿，火香就烧光了，他带着如刀剜的双腿，回到了僧棚。当冰冷的身躯， 躺进被永祥暖热了的被窝时，一双亲切轻柔的手，抚摩着他那双膝上的伤痕时，德根的眼泪象涌泉似 地淌了下来。

当年寺内养了不少练武用的高头大马，那根两米多高的拴马石桩上，蹲着一只抱仙桃的石猴。马缰绳又必须拴在那 个石猴的腿上。有一段时间，永祥每次练武回来，拴马时就为难，因师父在他小腿上才绑上的铁沙袋太重，个子矮 、跳不高、拴不上去。一次永祥连跳几次，还没把马缰拴牢，便上了火，飞起一脚，就趄拴马桩踢去。这一脚，不 仅把拴马桩踢歪了，还把石桩根部踢碎了一个脚窝。为了此事，师父发怒，也罚永祥跪香，德根也悄悄跑去学着永 祥的方法，依样画葫芦，减少了永祥的痛苦。

[herb ox]

So, I wanted to know what that said... so I did a translation with google. It gave me the following results. The characters remaining, I imagine, are either names or characters that didn't translate.

WanderingMonk - would you be so kind as to fill in the gaps here? I don't quite understand the German connection.

BEGIN TRANSLATION

Therefore, the author specially goes to Shaolin Temple, speaks freely about with several eminent monks one, the suspicion only then was considered as removes. Originally, same year General Xu Shiyou - forever auspicious master, with another name in religion Germany root Buddhist priest, as soon as links eight years practices military with the teacher, the friendship to is deep. The German root master nine year old of that year, the day suffers the great drought, the grain does not receive, the parents several pass through the troubles only then deliver him Shaolin Temple, is the Buddhism janitor. When he cries without stopping delivers the child the good monk awning, has name in religion forever auspicious sand makes up, walks gives him kind comfort. The conversation China and Germany root knew, this fellow-sufferer his is bigger than one year old, is Henan, the Hubei two provinces borders Dabie Mountains's person (behind the now Henan Province county within the boundaries). Two years ago, because the parents did not support their brother younger sister seven people, only then in fled on the road (will point to auspicious forever) him delivers Shaolin Temple does the janitor. After enters the Buddhist temple, all day serves tea for the master workers supplies water, 铺床 folds the quilt, sweeps wipes the table, sometimes the matter does not well, exempted must receive master worker's blame. But has one causes him to be happy, is the master worker daily teaches him studies the fist practices martial arts, although painstakingly, but thinks this had the expectation. So long as the some day, learns master worker's whole body skill in wushu the hand, certainly can struggle to get free raises one's head the date. The German root had this good intention fellow apprentices acts as companion, also installed the heart comes. (Forever will be auspicious, the German root is not one generation number, because they all practiced with at that time famous monk loyal 绪 buddhist priest military, therefore, those two 师弟 were symmetric on fellow apprentices.) From this time on, two people together treated in Shaolin Temple present the master worker and manage a household each still, together simultaneously practice martial arts the scholarship, the eating identical food bowl, the sleep identical strip thin quilt, was constantly together, always is together, forms the intimate good friend. Forever auspicious will sleep pillow that stone, the German root master continuously preserves him died time. It not only 油光 will shine by forever the auspicious pillow, or he 习练 " gold 钟罩 " 砧 the stone, each will be late he must have a specific use " thump 咚 " hits above the period of time on the stone pillow, only then will be able safely to go to sleep. Usually, so long as as soon as has the time, forever auspicious will get Germany the root with the fellow apprentices 师弟, together will defer to master worker's arrangement 习练 Wugong, the station pile, falls the stick, runs the slide, runs stands the brick, will practice inserts the sand, will practice the spatial meritorious, practices the luck, will practice pastes the wall, will practice spatially hits plum blossom copper pile and so on. Auspicious exercises martial arts, assiduous is earnest, does not fear bleeds, the perspiration. Writes, his foundation of basic skills deeply captures, the strength of arm is excellent, the knife, the gun, the sword, the stick, 18 skill in wushu are every kind skillful. So long as he does not bring to exercise martial arts " is heavy ", in the Buddhist temple the ten feet surplus surrounding fence, several about step may run swiftly above; Nine nine purlin thousand Buddha main hall, his hand grasps the eaves 椽 the head, one tone may 顺转 three; Flees the wall, the Vietnamese keel, flies up to the eaves and walls, 轻来轻去 is not called the tile to be garrulous; When jumps, can in airborne turn three somersaults gently falls to the ground; Flies the horse side, his expert stresses the horse's tail diving posture above; So long as transports the foot is mad, treats the ruler two square three inches comes the thick big square brick, turns around one palm, is distanced the inch extra, brick on disruption; Both hands to the latter back, tread from the ruler generous blue stone strip, one step of at the same place, but the first company steps on booklet several; His time in the middle the fellow apprentices, always is 高人 as soon as plans. He said to the German root, not only is the sincere and truthful heart fellow apprentices, good friend, also is the loyal counselling teacher. The fellow apprentices 师弟 in practice when " the lazy arm ", " pastes the wall ", three years, forever auspicious expert has not completely climbed room Liang, hanging hangs sleeps, or inlays in the wall on the wooden stake passes the night, the German root cannot persist burns one column fragrant time. In practices two inserts the sand in front of the platoon cylinder, forever auspicious will put out a hand " " one, the hand will insert 盐炒 the hard sand already depth of a house ruler extra, the German root actually hand will insert the pea the time is not proficient. Forever auspicious often will urge him " strongly to endure the ache, will make an effort to train hard, so long as will practice completely has lots of pull the callus comes, anything doesn't fear ". Once, several fellow apprentices had come back from the Baima Temple, run more than 100 miles traveled distances, when the day quick was black, only then arrives 圜 shaft closes, but also had more than 10 miles step by step 登高 18 mountain roads, the fellow apprentices 师弟 is very afraid one step walks slowly, harmed master worker 晚课 front call the roll. By now, on calf hard sandbag, also resembles specially opposes with the person, sense is more and more heavy, above the mountain is truly difficult. At that time on auspicious master each leg will forever have tied up to 15 catties heavy, the German root also seven catties, but he actually will not listen forever auspicious to advise against, secretly loosens the sandbag. Who would have thought, just solved the sandbag bow heavy foot is light, walks on the road 栽筋斗, above the mountain road was narrow, also rough was more difficult to walk. Forever auspicious will grasp the sandbag, also gave Germany the root ties up, pulled the German root the arm, the one tone drew in 18. Returns to in the Buddhist temple after, does not know which fellow apprentices did tell the master worker the German root solution sandbag matter, the master worker get angry punish the German root kneel the fragrance. Already from head to foot aches the hard to endure German root, in front of two step of about that column fire is fragrant, by now, unexpectedly looked like specially opposes with him same, burning extremely slow. Two 更鼓 sounds, that column was fragrant has not burnt suffices one half, the brick 楞 has early fallen in two knees, hurts into the marrow. On German root is sweating, forever auspicious will look the master worker already slept soundly, then quietly walked pulls out cooks meals the fragrant booklet throws most, one spot flame which was left over inserts again the incense burner. More than 1 meetings sons, the fire fragrant did not burn down, he brought like the knife 剜 double leg, returned to the monk awning. When the ice-cold stature, will lie down by forever the auspicious 暖热 bedding, when one pair of kind gentle hand, caressed lovingly on his pair of knee scar, the German root tear likely bubbling spring resembled drips down. Same year in the Buddhist temple raised many practiced martial arts with the big tall horse, on that more than two meter high 拴马 stone marker, squatted the stone monkey which one held Xiantao. The horse reins rope must tie up again in on that stone monkey's leg. Some one period of time, forever auspicious each time will practice martial arts, 拴马 when will be awkward, because the master worker the hard sandbag which only then will tie up on his calf is too heavy, the stature will be short, jumps is not high, does not tie up. One forever auspicious combination several, but also has not tied up the horse reins the jail, then got up the fire, flew one foot, 趄 tied up the hitching post kicks. This foot, not only tied up the hitching post kicks crookedly, but also kicked the stone marker root breaks to pieces one foot nest. For this matter, the master worker gets angry, also will punish forever auspicious kneels the fragrance, the German root also quietly runs studies forever the auspicious method, 依样 the picture bottle gourd, will reduce forever the auspicious pain.

END

[WanderingMonk]

author goes to shaolin to find out about Xu shi you's past.

found a monk who knew Xu, the monk's dharma name in the order was de gen ("de gen", root of good deeds, which machine translation translated as germany root, hahhaaa. de is also used to form the chinese word for germany, representing the "de" sound of "deutchland") de gen and Xu were good buddy. trained under the same teacher for eight years.

goes in a bit how de gen came to shaolin. basically, famine forced the family to give him up, shaolin took him in as a child labor to sweep the floor. De gen was taken to where the under-age "monks" are kept and that's where he met Xu ("yong le", forever auspicious, it is a passable translation between friends). Xu comfort de gen and xu tells about how his family fell on hard time and gave him up. ... xu is a year older ... doing the job of bring tea and making beds, cleaning floors, if he screw up, get chews out....

only thing that makes xu happy is everyday his teacher teach him some kung-fu. althoug it is hard, he hope his teacher pass all the fighting skills onto him [xu]. so, one day, he can make a name for himself. De gen and xu became friends. buddhist lineage wise they are under different master, but b/c they trained their kung-fu under the same teacher, they refer to each other as kung-fu brothers.

...
xu's pillow was a big rock, de gen still keeps it, xu used to hit his head against it several time to train iron head before going to sleep each night [warning: don't try this at home, kids.....]


xu leads a group during training. .. stance work, pole shaking, running, .., finger conditions (stabbing sands), ..., wooden dummy work, kung-fu is gained through blood and sweats....

develop strong gong-li, learn 18 traditional weapons. learn lightness kung-fu by carrying heavy weights on body. go over wall easily [runing up the wall, running start, step on the wall with one foot, push off and get a small hop to go over the rest of the wall, these wall are about 5 feet] .. [going over the rest of his skills, I am not going to translate in detail], wall crawling, stone breaking, etc.

during a training session, long march with ankle weights, de gen took the weights off. his body didn't adjust fast enough and he fell while walking up the trail. xu put the weight back on de gen and helped him up the rest of the way. another student told the instructor how de gen cheated by taking off the weight. de gen was punished and collapsed at 2 AM from holding stance waiting for the incense to burn out. xu helped de gen out by cutting the incense down to the last bit and re-light it. with the last bit burned off, xu took de gen back to their dorm.

xu later got in trouble because he couldn't finish a task of leaping off a stone monkey and tying the rope from the stone monkey onto a pole because he was too short and too much ankle weight was put on him. he got mad and kicked the stone monkey and broke its leg. so, xu ended up doing stance late at night waiting for the incense to burn out. de gen sneaked in and repeated what xu did, break the incense until the last bit and light it again. when the last bit burn out [chinese incense comes with a small wood stick, so when it burn out it leaves a small burn mark on the wooden stick, their taecher inspect that mark to verify if the incense burned completely through], de gen carryed xu back to the dorm.

end of excerpt.

[herb ox]

whew!


Thanks W.Monk!

[GeneChing]

De Gen comes up a lot as one of Shaolin's more significant masters of the last generation. He taught Zhu Tianxi (Buddhist name: Xing Zhen), a laymen disciple that is on our Shaolin 2000 video. I did an article on GM Zhu, When Mountains Meet-San Francisco Hosts Shaolin Kungfu 2000, in our notorious SEX issue (July 2000).

[hanguolaohu]

quote by Wandering Monk, found through google cache at emptyflower

" on the martial art side, there's a photo of Xu shaking hand of Sha Guo Zheng in one of china's meseum. Xu decided to test Sha's skill and reach in to grab Sha's ribs. Sha contracted his ribs and xu couldn't get his fingers in. the two old fellas smiled and a picture was taken. this was on a china's ma doc. "

To Wandering Monk- What "china's ma doc" are you referring to?

To Gene- I believe the name in the Zhang Lipeng article was not spelled in proper pinyin. The name should be "Xu Shiyou", not "Shi Xuyu". So that was not his monk name, as his family name was "Xu" and not Shijiamouni "Shi".

To everyone- pics of Xu Shiyou- http://english.pladaily.com.cn/speci...res/sj/xsy.htm

Hanguo Laohu

[GeneChing]

Yes, I beleive you are right about the name. As for De Gen, I'm thinking he was also Liang Yiquan's master. He was a big gun at Shaolin during that time. There was a legendary research expedition to Shaolin Temple in '59 - the first 'real' attempt to record and document traditional Shaolin Kung Fu by Chinese National Physical Culture and Sports Commission. De Gen was the one chosen to represent Shaolin with Xiaohong and Dahong.

And bEfore you ask me, hanguolaohu, that footage was lost in the CR.

[WanderingMonk]

quote by Wandering Monk, found through google cache at emptyflower

" on the martial art side, there's a photo of Xu shaking hand of Sha Guo Zheng in one of china's meseum. Xu decided to test Sha's skill and reach in to grab Sha's ribs. Sha contracted his ribs and xu couldn't get his fingers in. the two old fellas smiled and a picture was taken. this was on a china's ma doc. "

To Wandering Monk- What "china's ma doc" are you referring to?

To Gene- I believe the name in the Zhang Lipeng article was not spelled in proper pinyin. The name should be "Xu Shiyou", not "Shi Xuyu". So that was not his monk name, as his family name was "Xu" and not Shijiamouni "Shi".

Hanguo Laohu

holy .....

you actually found stuff that i post in other forum. better be more careful about what I post

Okay, guangzhou tv channel produced a 30 or was it 40 episode cma documentary on various chinese martial arts. there was a two part episode on Sha family internal art which I gathered that little nugget of fact.

[GeneChing]

There's a lot more information on Xu Shiyou on the web now. Amazing the difference that 12 years can make in terms of research.

32 years after admiral Xu Shiyou's death, his wife left
2017-07-04 10:18:11 42 ℃

Admiral Xu Shiyou's wife, Tian Pu, died in Beijing in June 30th at the age of 93.



Tian Puceng served as Minister of the Ministry of letters and visits of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, Vice Minister of the Political Department of the former Nanjing military region, and deputy political commissar of a scientific research institute of the original engineering corps.

Tian Pusheng and his children from simple funeral, on the morning of July 6th, in 301 Hospital, West hospital hall Tian Pu comrades farewell farewell ceremony.



Tian Pu formerly known as Tian Minglan, participated in the revolution in 1939, at the age of 15, she entered the Eight Route Army, first as a detachment of the five workers in the clothing factory, after work in the propaganda team.
Introduced in 1941, he met with the commander of the Jiaodong military area command.

At that time, US: "you only ask the references about her situation, my situation you have to say?" The introducer said: "in your case more? Jiaodong has long been known to all." Xu Shiyou said: "I mean age, people are a little girl, I'm a milord!" The introducer smiled and asked: "you do not often say that freedom of marriage?"

After the two met, Tian Pu made a pair of "military shoes" to Xu Shiyou, Xu Shiyou gave Tian Pu a bullet head. He said: "I have nothing, only this small bullet, to you as a souvenir.". This is Wanyuan defending wartime, the enemy into my shoulder, and I used the tip of the knife to cut the flesh, it pulled out. So many years, always with me." This special gift, Tian Pu have been treasured, into tokens unusual.

In 1943, Shandong million brother after the victory, Tian Pu and Shiyou wedding. This year, 38 year old Tian Pu Shiyou, 19 years old.

The wedding is very simple, not the festive firecrackers, no relatives and friends congratulated, some just a bag of candy, a cup of tea, and a bunch of friends comrades. But the wedding was legendary. At the wedding, Xu Shiyou performed a Shaolin boxing and his acrobatic marksmanship on the spot.

The wedding, the bride walked in front of us, smiled and said: "ODA, you come to me as a assistant!" Then, he put the wedding place to transfer to the outside of the site, the guests offer flowers into three bundles, were placed in the bride's shoulder and two heads, and comforted the bride: "do not be afraid, do not move, we open our eyes to the guests, to help add to the fun."

Field nodded. Xu Shiyou left the bride five or six paces, pointing out the bride with "carbine, horn, horn, trumpet" three shots, flowers are falling from the bride's head and shoulders.

"The performance is bad. Please give me your opinion."." Xu Shiyou laughed and put into bokeqiang waist.



During the liberation war, Tian Pu served as secretary of life for Xu Shiyou. At that time, they had two children, and the family was burdened with the whole tribe. Xu Shiyou has always had a sense of guilt. But Tian said: "war is the business of the people, raising children is our private affair, personal affairs should be obeyed."."

In 1953, Xu Shiyou was sent to North Korea by Mao Zedong. On the eve of the expedition, Tian Pu was about to give birth. As a soldier's wife, Tian Pu had no complaints. She only asked her husband affectionately to take a name for the coming child. Xu Shiyou forthright said, a girl called "America", a boy called "aid". Send out the general Dayton dinner, Tian Pu added four dishes, a pot of wine Moutai. Seeing the wine, Xu Shiyou smiled. When Xu Shiyou made a small triumph, is 3 years old.

Tian Pu Shiyou and produced 6 children, 2 men and 4 women, the eldest son of Xu Guang, the two son of Xu Jianjun, the three son of the eldest daughter Xu Chao; Xu Li, two daughter Xu mulberry, three daughter Xu Hua, four daughters named Tian Xiaobing (Xu Jinjian). Xu Shiyou once said, "Tian Pu is a faithful companion in my life."." "Still be a couple in the afterlife."."



After Xu Shiyou's death, Tian Pu wrote an article of recollection. She said in the text: "it was in the flames of the war of resistance against Japan that we met.". Remember the first time I saw you in the five brigade in Jiaodong, I was awed by you. But many of your heroic stories have inspired me. After dozens of years, you become my teacher."

In October 22, 1985, Xu Shiyou died of illness at the age of 80.

After the death of Xu Shiyou, Tian Pu according to his wishes, his "ten years", "the Red Army in my sixteen years in Shandong" and other relevant articles compiled into "Memoirs of Xu Shiyou", published by the people's Liberation Army press. Tian Pu also organized the writing and production team, Xu Shiyou childhood as the main line, filmed the next episode of TV series "juvenile Xu Shiyou.".
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