Important Announcement from CCK TCPM - Open Letter to Mr. Lam Wing Kit ...

[mantis108]

I was contacted by Galen who was informed by the Chuk-Kai Tai Chi Mantis Mantis Chinese Boxing Gymnasium Alumni Association (Alumni Association) that they have issued an open letter to Mr. Lam Wing Kit and Ms. Ying Fun Fong about a recent publication of a book which mislead and incorrectly identified as Chiu Chuk Kai Tai Chi Praying Mantis (CCK TCPM). Mr. Lam Wing Kit is or at no time was a student of the late Grandmaster Chiu Chuk Kai. No student of the late Grandmaster Chiu has officially taught or practiced with Mr. Lam or Ms. Ying. The information contained in the recent publication by Mr. Lam and Ms. YingDOES NOT correctly represent CCK TCPM. The Alumni Association is considering legal action. Here is an open letter which was posted by another CCK TCPM student in HK on behalf of the Alumni Association, and Grandmaster Chiu's Son Chiu Han Luen:

公開聲明
聲明團體: 竹溪太極螳螂同學會(以下簡稱本會)
群威太極螳螂國術健身院

竹溪太極螳螂同學會及群威太極螳螂國術健身院就林永傑先生及應芬芳女士出版”
太極螳螂拳譜上下卷之事,發出以下公開聲明:


最近在市面上出現一本由應傑出版社有限公司出版,由林永傑先生及應芬芳女士合編”
太極螳螂拳譜上下卷(以下簡稱為該書),感到十分驚訝及憤怒,林先生和應女士並非
太極螳螂門弟子,以一個門外漢編寫竹溪太極螳螂門(以下簡稱本門)拳術,內容錯漏
百出,嚴重歪曲本門武學,有誤導讀者及武術愛好者,而林先生和應女士的目的是別有
用心.

(1) 林永傑先生及應芬芳女士並非趙竹溪宗師門下弟子或再傳弟子,所以並沒有任何
資格代表本門著書立說.
(據本會及群威太極螳螂國術健身院記錄,並沒有林永傑先生及應芬芳女士任何資料
,所以証明林先生及應女士並非本門傳人.)

(2) 該書提及本門又名太極梅花螳螂,完全是誤導讀者及武術愛好者
(本門自趙竹溪宗師由山東煙台南傳,輾轉執教於澳門,越南及香港凡六十年,一直號
稱”太極螳螂”本門稱號由師祖孫元昌正式定名,一脈相承之今.而趙師自少於智藏
寺隨清泉大師及覺東大師習”少林太祖門”其後再遇張萬秋道長傳太極摩雲掌,趙師
以轉益多師精神,博采眾長,自成一格,為發揚”太極螳螂門”作出畢生貢獻由於門下
弟子眾多,傳人遍及世界各地,故亦稱為”竹溪太極螳螂門”以茲識別.

(3) 該書的拳譜是由林永傑先生及應芬芳女士自我創作,並非本門拳譜
(林先生及應女士是抄襲北螳螂黃漢勛編制拳譜的方法來創作,套用成本門的拳譜.除
拳譜外馬步名稱也錯漏百出,用的都是北螳螂名稱)

(4) 該書示範者也並非本門弟子,從招式形態,身法,手法皆與本門有所出入,而且相
差甚距,而拆門解義也是林先生及應女士自行虛構創作,與本門留傳拆解方法完全兩
個版本.
(在示範者動作上可以看到是模仿本門動作,但身法,招式形態,手法,一些細緻動作是
欠缺的,而風格上基本上不是本門演繹的風格)

鑒於林永傑先生及應芬芳女士合編”太極螳螂拳譜上下卷, 內容錯漏百出,嚴重歪曲
本門武學,有損本門聲譽之行為,本會及群威太極螳螂國術健身院保留一切追究責任
及權利,所有海內外竹溪太極螳螂門人,一同聲討,義不容辭,堅決維護本門聲譽.
特此聲明 ,並敬告武林各界,以正視聽

竹溪太極螳螂同學會
主席 : 黃亮群
趙竹溪宗師哲嗣 趙漢麟

Due to the pending legal action, I will not translate the letter in English. Instead, I will layout some key points in another post. Thank you for your kind attention and your understanding of this grave matter.

Sincerely,

Robert Hui (Mantis108)

PS sorry about the smilie. I think I clicked the wrong one.

[mantis108]

These are just key points.

1) Mr. Lam and Ms. Ying are not students or grandstudents of the late GM Chiu. They are not qualified to respresent CCK TCPM. There is no exsiting record of any affiliation of them with the Alumni Association or Kwong Kwan Wei Tai Chi Praying Mantis association.

2) The book Tai Chi Praying Mantis Boxing Manuscripts vol. 1 and vol. 2 (rough translation of the book title only not official) erroneously mention that CCK TCPM also known as Taiji Meihwa Tanglang. This is misleading the general piublic. The unique experience that the late GM Chiu had is largely reflected in the style and material of CCK TCPM and this can not be confused.

3) The so called Boxing Manuscripts in the book is a fabrication of Mr. Lam and Ms. Ying. It used the naming method of Wong Han Fun of Northern Praying Mantis. It is not the CCK TCPM convention to use such naming method. The naming of the stances, etc... in the book does not correctly represent the movements or postures of our style.

4) The person who demonstrated the postures is not affiliated with CCK TCPM; therefore, the flavour and style of this so call manuscripts are totally different from our style. The applications illustrated are also not from the teachings of the late GM Chiu. They would be the fabrications of the Mr. Lam and Ms. Ying.

5) The Alumni Association is shocked and angered by this publication which totally distorted the style and late GM Chiu's teaching that it is considering legal action against Mr. Lam and Ms. Ying.

Mantis108

[Ou Ji]

Ok, so it's official. There's nowhere to go in CMA to avoid politics and BS.

Sigh *brushes the dust off and rolls out yoga mat*

[-N-]

Ok, so it's official. There's nowhere to go in CMA to avoid politics and BS.

Sigh *brushes the dust off and rolls out yoga mat*

That's why sometimes it's better just to go to your backyard and practice by yourself. Oh wait, you kicked yourself out of your own system.... nevermind.

N.

p.s. So was your yoga master like some famous Indian dude or something?

[-N-]

Ok, so it's official. There's nowhere to go in CMA to avoid politics and BS.

Well, at least Mantis politics could KTFO Wing Chun politics.... maybe.

N.

[Ou Ji]

p.s. So was your yoga master like some famous Indian dude or something?

My yoga master has the REAL yoga. I'd show you but I'm not allowed.

[mantis108]

I am merely doing a service and duty to my fellow CCK TCPM community and may be to those who are interested to seek proper instructions from those who have actually studied and practiced the style. This coming from my mentor who brought me into the style and those people that I have trained and met during my training in the HK Kwoon, I have no reason to refuse their request.

Personally, I rather be left alone on this since I know Mr. Lam personally. I know where, when, what, and who Mr. Lam might have possibly got the information from. In fact, when Galen called me he said "Your buddy Lam Wing Kit... " which I also clarified with hm. BTW, Galen had met him also. But they don't see eye to eye on things. According to Galen, the book is not the only one thing that Lam has capitalized from CCK TCPM.

I have foreseen the situation that someone who has no official affiliation will eventually profit from the style and I have voiced my concerns to our people in HK. There are a whole host of things that could have been done to prevent things like this. But no one paid much attention to me. Anyway, I feel sorry that it has come to this point.

The situation would have been totally different if Lam has gone through the proper channels and observes the protocols that tradition requires IMHO.

All I can say is the "Ren Zai Jiang Hu" (men in rivers and lakes). BTW, watch the movie "Mission" by Johnny Tu. You might understand somewhat where I am at (not that I am a gang member or such things just similar in senario).

Regards

Mantis108

[Ou Ji]

I don't mean to make lite of a serious situation but CMA in general is getting pretty da mn ridiculous these days. Too many:

secrets
flakes
frauds
egos
prestige
love of money

and not enough:

openness
sharing
helping
giving
honesty

The first list seems to be human nature while the second list are virtues most of us strive for, especially the MA peeps. So what happened to CMA along the way?

[mantis108]

If anyone feels like collecting misinformation, then by all means. It's a free world after all. I wish that the HK group had printed a book or two for comparsion if you ask me.

I personally think that it is important to issue a caveat emptor in this case. When I teach, I will always emphasize on what is from GM Chiu and what is from others whom I have learned from (ie Galen, Roger, Kevin, etc..) and what is personal experiences and preferences. I have taught a few professionals (soldiers, police, corrections, bouncers, etc). Most of them prefers GM Chiu's stuff. So...

Mantis108

[-N-]

Hi Robert,

No offense from any of my wisecracks I hope.

It is unfortunate that these kinds of things happen. Only those directly involved know the real story. Everybody else has just impressions.

I'm sorry that you got dragged into this kind of stuff.

best wishes,
N.

[mantis108]

Thanks for the best wishes. I totally understand the humor and you meant no ill intention.

For better or for worst, we are part of our Kung Fu family and sometimes we just have to be supportive as sons. I am sure most of you would understand.

Warm regards

Robert

[-N-]

I don't mean to make lite of a serious situation but CMA in general is getting pretty da mn ridiculous these days. Too many:

secrets
flakes
frauds
egos
prestige
love of money

and not enough:

openness
sharing
helping
giving
honesty

The first list seems to be human nature while the second list are virtues most of us strive for, especially the MA peeps. So what happened to CMA along the way?

What happens is that when people do these:

openness
sharing
helping
giving
honesty

A whole bunch of other people take advantage and do these:

secrets
flakes
frauds
egos
prestige
love of money

N.

[-N-]

he said "Your buddy Lam Wing Kit... " which I also clarified with him.

Haha, some of us have been there before.

BTW, watch the movie "Mission" by Johnny Tu. You might understand somewhat where I am at

The IMDB is your friend

Ok, Robert == Curtis

That sucks.

N.

[-N-]

Btw, in light of several recent post topics, I think it would be very nice if we all declared the month of October to be International Kung Fu Politics Month. Any topics relating to issues of legitimacy etc will be posted in October, and only in October. That will leave us with the other 11 months of the year for technical discussions. That is, of course, if your lineage approves.

But first we need to create an organization...

N.

[K.Brazier]

Hi Robert,
Sorry to hear about the new history.

Why don't you write the book?
You have all the qualifications and skill.

Just think...if you took half your writing time and devoted it to a book you could finish in no time.
Of course I'll help anyway possible.

Kevin