Shaolin Liu He Gun

[Sima Rong]

My shifu says that he'd like to teach me Liu He Gun in the future after I'm more adept at Yinshou Gun. Is it related to the Shaolin Liu He Quan unarmed forms , which also appear to be pair forms? Or is it called that because there is a relationship to Xinyi Liu He Quan weapons technique? Or is it because of the philosophical concept of Liu He (which is part of Shaolin fundamentals right?) and that there is no close relationship to these arts?
Anyway, it's a pair form for gun, which is great because it would help me understand the application of some of the movements better.

[Blacktiger]

Here is some Liu He Gun for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwLaK...layer_embedded

[Sima Rong]

Thanks for that link, Blacktiger. That is a great staff form, and it is obvious he is aware of the application of all the movements he is using. I'm not sure if it's Songshan Shaolin Liuhe Gun though.

This is the traditional Shaolin Liuhe Staff pair form right?

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

There doesn't seem to be any power in this performance though.

[LFJ]

There are several two-person empty-hand and weapon sets named Liuhe in Shaolin. In this case, Liuhe doesn't have anything to do with "Six Harmonies" but means "Six Rounds" which refers to the format rather than the style.

In these sets the pair comes together to "fight" and then splits apart and pauses, then comes back for another "round" with new movements. The are six such rounds, hence the name.

These two-person "Liuhe" sets can be from different subsystems in Shaolin, making their content quite different. Only the structure of the sets are the same in having "six rounds".

[LFJ]

This is the traditional Shaolin Liuhe Staff pair form right?

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

There doesn't seem to be any power in this performance though.

It's not "the" Shaolin Liuhegun, as there are several. But you can see in this video the "Six Rounds" I was explaining above.

In this set, they end each round pausing in gongbu with their sticks crossed. You can count six rounds here.

[Sima Rong]

Thanks for that information LFJ! These sets would be good for distancing, footwork, and understanding the application of the movements against another person, I suppose.
When I did Nippon Shorinji Kempo, we used to make up pair forms to practice our techniques in combination for performance and training. These rounds (oh! 合 as in 回合 right?) sound somewhat similar to the way we did things, where we would take turns to attack and defend, in something akin to a fight scene.

[LFJ]

These rounds (oh! 合 as in 回合 right?) sound somewhat similar to the way we did things, where we would take turns to attack and defend, in something akin to a fight scene.

Yes, exactly, 回合. Usually each round trades off the aggressive side, but does a different sequence of attacks.