Eric Ling has posted some beautiful versions od sanzhan-saamjien/sanchin. I especially am fond of the Fujien Young Chun Bai-Hei -Fukien Wing Chun Bak-Hok.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_N6Y...elated&search=
as this set also maps out the first few hand drills I was taught in SPM.
BTW-in our line of Jook Lum SPM, they refer to the set as Sam Bo Ging-Three Step Power.
Getting back to the sounds-I have learned several samchiens-first being in Kyokushin-Kai, second in Okinawan Gojuryu-similar, yet different. The Kyokushin was more vocal, more gutteral, less refined IMHO, yet served its purpose. It got us pumped, psyched, and we took hard shots to the body,all of which prepared us for the hard contact,bare-knuckle sparring that follows. Mas Oyama learned from Gogen ("The Cat")Yamaguchi, who also taught Peter Urban. Urban's USA Goju's sanchin was even more exaggerrated, but you could see the common root-Yamaguchi. Gogen, translates as "Rough" due to his hardcore training. Probably it was he who inspired Mas Oyama to meditate under waterfalls and go through harsh training.
The Okinawan Gojuryu, was quiet, more precise,and much more explanation of the packing of the breath,drawing up of the pernium, and "breathing off the top of your breath"-meaning, exhalation always left a reserve, which remained packed. This is similar to the Ngo Cho Kune and Fukien Bak Hok that I've seen. There is also a version of Ngor Mei P'ai Samjien Kuen that looks like a cross between both.
The breathing in Sam Bo Ging is more similar to the Okinawan version. It is said that if you were to have powder on your upper lip-say, from a donut, your breath shouldn't disturb it. This version was developed no doubt,by Police Officers.
As far as the sounds are concerned, I was taught that the sounds are to teach the student the proper way to breathe in order to release tensions placed upon the internal organs. Also, different sounds will vibrate in different areas of the body. We resonate. If you place the palms of your hands on your heart and stomach, then vibrate,"hmmmmmm" from high to low pitch, you will actually feel the vibrations move within tyour body from high to low. Higher tones resonate higher in the body, lower tones vibrate lower. Just as in SCUBA, or Lifesaving, when you breathe high in your chest, you float up on the surface, when you breathe from the dan tien, you will float vertically suspended in the water.
Likewise, when you need to sink and root, you will use a lower,deeper "Hah" sound in the dantien, and when you need a quick strike, or a jump, you will vibrate higher with a "Hite" sound, or similar.
It isn't rocket science, and too many people like to write and talk volumes on the subject, linking it to all sorts of five element theory, six healing sounds, etc.
Speaking of six sounds-there is another entire different six sounds noi-gung that is not based upon the organs but on the chakras. Many of these sounds are connected to emotional states and are used to release, or build this energy within the body. I am still working on this connection so I am afraid I am not qualified to write on this subject.