Wudang Kung Fu?

[David Jamieson]

LOL - yeah, and it's talked about in a lot of movies - but you ever notice you don't see any serious discussions about Wudang Kung fu? We talk about the three "internals", but they're not the realz Wudang. Nobody talks about it... maybe it's like Fight Club.

maybe a lot of it was recently recreated based on what was already known?

[lkfmdc]

I only know one thing

wudang clan aint nuthin ta fuck with

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEOC9El3q70

[RenDaHai]

I spent some time there...

The place is in the process of becoming very commercial. Most of the commercial schools there practice Radically Jazzed up old forms, then various styles of XingYi, ba gua and Taiji. And a series of techniques which look like a combination of Taiji, Xingyi and Bagua.

There are some sects which practice in a more traditional manner, but they are different to each other. I don't Think there is any one style which you could say is definitive Wudang. For example in SHaolin you could Say Hong Quan is definitive.

HOw does it differ? Many of the essential principles are identical. Both styles use a combination of Xu and Shi technique (empty and solid). In my experience Wudang focuses more on Xu, empty techniques and Shaolin focuses more on Shi, solid techniques. Many techniqes are shared between the two however and it depends on the practicioner. YOu could do shaolin and make it like wudang and vice versa.

When I was there I practised one skill in particular. Song Xia Gong. YOu stand still and someone punches you repeatedly all over the body and head. You give way to their strike but only use the force they give you. I.e you don't deliberately move your muscles you let the force of their strike move you. However, you stay solid around the center and spring back to position. You don't give way so much that you compromise structure. It was fun. My teacher was so relaxed I could push my hand so far into his stomach I could touch his spine!

[Howard]

Wudang, Shaolin & Emei are not styles but rather broad characterisations. Whatever has been bundled as that today are but new inventions.

[MightyB]

My teacher was so relaxed I could push my hand so far into his stomach I could touch his spine!

This is probably interesting to see yet it's kind of gross at the same time.

[MightyB]

HOw does it differ? Many of the essential principles are identical. Both styles use a combination of Xu and Shi technique (empty and solid). In my experience Wudang focuses more on Xu, empty techniques and Shaolin focuses more on Shi, solid techniques. Many techniqes are shared between the two however and it depends on the practicioner. YOu could do shaolin and make it like wudang and vice versa.

Good post - I'm still not 100% clear on it though. So it's more of an interpretation of how to apply and develop force?

[RenDaHai]

Good post - I'm still not 100% clear on it though. So it's more of an interpretation of how to apply and develop force?

Yes, exactly. It is also part of the strategy.

When I say Xu 'Empty' I mean that the technique is not committed. It can change at any moment. It uses no force or energy so is not easily captured or taken advantage of. Once it decides on its shape it can use power, but it is weak and slow. But If it fails it costs nothing and leaves you guarded.

When I say Shi 'Solid, real' I mean committed. It is very fast and very powerful. However if it fails it wastes energy and leaves you in a compromised position and can be easily used against you.

So the two methods are the classic struggle between risk and reward.

Generally, and it depends on the practicioner, Shaolin relies on generating power throughout the whole movement and favours bold committed techniques. As such it likes to take the initiative. Wudang styles tend to be less decisive, using techniques which can change easily, waiting for the opponent to defeat themselves as it were.

Interestingly in my experience the opposite is true of the footwork in the two styles. Shaolin favours a dynamic Xubu, where as Wudang tends to stand firm. But I don't have enough experience with Wudang to make a definite observation of its stance work.

Both styles contain the full range of technique and it depends on the individual.

When I was in Wudang I used my Shaolin to spar against one of the coaches. He was excellent and I couldn't get through his guard at all at first. How can I describe it? When he attacked it was like trying to block when someone throws a bucket of water over you. However I found If I attacked his stance it would force his hands into a solid position, allowing me to penetrate.

[bawang]

wudang mountain has over 200 temples. theres no such thing as wudang style.

[Juan Alvarez]

Wudang Gongfu, one important school of Chinese Martial Arts has a very long history. Wudang Gongfu, incorporating ways to stay healthy and prolong the lifespan as well as collecting the skills to fight, is not only a special school of Martial Arts, but also a whole system of Martial Arts theory.

Wudang Gongfu, as a culture, takes root in the fertile soil of thousand-year long Chinese civilization, containing profound Chinese philosophical theories, combined twith the raditional notions of Taiji, Yinyang, Five-element, Eight-diagram into boxing theories, boxing skills, exercise and attack policies, tantamount to studying the laws of life activities. So we can say that Wudang Gongfu is the crystallization of Wudang Taoism in the process of studying life.

It is said that Zhang-Sanfeng, the founder of Wudang Boxing, was self-cultivating in Wudang Mountains, when he witnessed a fight between a magpie and a snake. That the magpie was flying up and down to attack and the snake was shaking its body and raising its head to fight back gave him inspiration and understanding of the Taiji theory so that proceeded to create Wudang Internal Kungfu.

The original legend of Wudang Gongfu, and the pose of the snake in the fighting have visually demonstrated the gist of Wudang Gongfu: to overcome the strong in a gentle way and to win by striking only after the enemy had struck. To ascertain one's position and then defeat the enemy.

After many boxing masters enrichment and development, Wudang Gongfu has many derivatived schools and kinds, such as, Taiji boxing, Form-and-will boxing, and Eight-diagram Palm; and Taiji Sword; Lightening Gongfu, Hard Gongfu, feats and variations of Qigong. From then on, Wudang Gongfu has walked out of the deep mountains and become an important school of Chinese Martial Arts. There are many schools of Wudang Gongfu today, but the Sect of Zhang Sanfeng remains the one that has inherited Wudang Gongfu in the most complete way. Priest Zhong Yunlong is the 14th-generation master of the Sanfeng Sect and Priest Chen Shixing is one of his most outstanding formal disciples.

http://www.daoistkungfu.com

What a beautiful fantasy. Brought a tear to my eyes.

[Darthlawyer]

I only know one thing

wudang clan aint nuthin ta fuck with

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEOC9El3q70

I've been on Facebook too much... I tried to "like" this post.

[GeneChing]

Bare-chested Wudang disciples practice kung fu in the snow
( chinadaily.com.cn )
Updated: 2013-01-17

A Taoist master from the Wudang Mountains in Hubei province, Zhong Yunlong, recently revealed some photos of his disciples practicing their martial arts routine one snowy day. They are students at the Sanfeng Academy where Zhong, a 14th generation master of the Sanfeng school, teaches. He made the photos public on Jan 1. They were taken on Dec 26, 2012.

The students in the photos – bare-chested with their hair in buns – moved on palings or played with swords and spears in black trousers and white shoes. Their motions were elegant and well-composed. Zhong Yunlong said that it is common for a kung fu artist to wear an unlined coat when practicing in winter. After class that day, in the snow, several students practiced what they learned on their own without their shirts. "In those early days, the students showered with cold well water after practice in the Purple Heaven Palace," said Zhong.

Zhong Yunlong said that the extensiveness and profundity of Wudang kung fu lies in its long lasting practice. Every kung fu artist needs to go through basic training, including daily leg stretches, splits, backward bows and somersaults. They must also exercise by hopping, frog-jumping, waddling, creeping, squatting and doing sit-ups and push-ups. The artists would make enormous progress in physical strength after a period of practice like this. As a result, it is not difficult for them to practice kung fu in such cold weather.

I know I will have arrived when I can send my disciples out into the snow for a photo shoot and then take all the credit.

[mawali]

Not a fan but I like their revisionist historical references!

When I first heard about them I was somewhat skeptical only because they named all their systems after original family styles then added the Wudang nomenclature to it. It is one thing to name your art Wudang taijiquan then next day offer another form called Wudang Zhaobao taiji! Definately is suspicious to say the least but some of their style leaders do happen to show some visible level of skill in general tuishou so a good tool of investment providing it is cheaper, or if one is enthralled by WUDANG name, as that may be worth an extra 200 buckaroos!

[Scott R. Brown]

As if working in the snow is difficult!

It's hard to train at altitude.

[David Jamieson]

wudang mountain has over 200 temples. theres no such thing as wudang style.

Yes there is, it's called co-opted shaolin with long hair and a topknot.

[David Jamieson]

As if working in the snow is difficult!

It's hard to train at altitude.

True. It is really difficult to train at altitude. I've tried. You cash in your chips in about 1/4 of the time it would take you at SL or around it.