Lost Arts?

[PJO]

I've often come across martial arts articles that say something like "so and so up until now was believed to be a lost art..." I'd like to know everyones opinion on "lost arts" Do you believe there may be martial arts out there that only a handful of people know? Or do you think every martial art out there is just a branch of an already well known MA. Another question, if someone claims to teach something no one else has is he a nut or could it be possible he has learned a "lost art" Any comments?

[TjD]

that darn lost art of civility, where the heck did that go?


as to real lost arts... no clue, dont know enough about them;

however i would like to know what my style used to be like back in the day, and see how its progressed and see the changes that were lost


awe well

peace
trav

[rubthebuddha]

ask the chinese governemnt a few decades back.

yes, some styles were "lost," as many masters of those arts either fled to avoid persecution, were imprisoned as enemies of the state, or just flat out nixed.

and yes, some of those masters resurfaced. if they were dead, they were reburied. if they were still living, they maybe went and taught again, perhaps in hong kong, taiwan or vancouver b.c.

it's pretty common, but i'd estimate that most of it is crap. what's worse is that so many westerners give the story of, "i'm the closed-door disciple of this long-lost teacher," or some trash like that. even better? "my master spend the last 10 years of his life as a hermit living with tigers, so his tiger-style is better than all."

great. so the guy can chase down zebras and ****.

but i'm rambling. yes, PJO, it happens, but i would seriously doubt the majority of people who use the long-lost tale as some sort of mystical story to impress. tigers and antelope don't attack you in the city. people do. so study with someone who actually trained with plenty of people (who, as a student themselves, trained with people, ad infinitum), and leave that mystical stuff to george lucas.

[rubthebuddha]

oh, and if he sports a mullet and wifebeater, yet claims to be the direct descendent of musashi or someone just as godly, put your checkbook back in your pocket and get back in your car.

[Shadow Dragon]

There are some "lost" arts , bassically it means that no known lineage holders exists or no known reputed practicioner exists.

Than there are also a lot of Arts like some Tai Chis styles that are only becoming known now as People starting to do research into their History and Lineages.
Or Styles that were assumed to belong to a known style now can show the the are a individual style in their own right.

And than there are the truly "lost styles" that only exist in Histories & Stories.

And finally are the rediscovered "lost" styles that are practiced/learned from old Manuals by some new Masters.
And often I would say those are a bit questionable.

But IMO I think most of those lost styles will most probably be a variant of another style that survived, or became extinct due to other reasons.
Peace.

[Dark Knight]

"But IMO I think most of those lost styles will most probably be a variant of another style that survived, or became extinct due to other reasons. "

I agree, the lost styles are varients of something else, and another came from it.

I know many people today who claim to have created their own style. But they have a small student base and the style will die out with them. this has been going on for hundreds of years.

As far as information lost, there are only so many ways to punch kick and throw, Im sure that precious information did not get lost.

[Paul]

PJO- Unfortunately the made up art that you study hasn't been lost.

those video clips on your website were the funniest thing I've seen in ages. LMAO!!!! B!tchslap bonanza. hahaha

[Brad]

The thug's pretty funny...

[PJO]

I was asking about the term "lost art" in martial arts in general and not refering to my art. If my Dashifu made up Sheng Hun than it would only make me respect him more because he would have to be a genius to have made up such a beautiful and intricate art. I can only say it so many times, "You cannot judge something from a brief glance." I could take a single clip from any art and point out things that make it crap. This would only be from my biased opinion and lack of knowledge about the philosophies of that art. The only way I could make a true judgement would be to experience it myself.

[Paul]

which philosophies of the art am I missing ? the one(s) about flailing your arms around like a girl, while being off balance and jumping around?

[PJO]

Paul, do you have a website? Maybe I can make some snap judgement on your art as a whole based solely on some pictures or better yet clips if you have any.

[wushu chik]

Well, here we are again PJO. Change your hand techniques from punches, to the "animal" hand techniques that you guys have done and you have KENPO! An offshoot of Tracy! If you don't know who Tracy is, ask your teacher! He knows him well! Tracy knows him!

~Wen~

[dezhen2001]

Wen and Paul: here we go again...

I think like RTB said that many people nowadays like to say that they have a monopoly on some 'lost art' - to make them unique and seem spectacular. Pretty much for marketing purposes... But i do think that there are styles that are pretty rare and not so much in the public eye. Heck even something like Xing Yi Quan isn't as well known as Shaolin

People add their own personal interpretation to anything that they do, that's why it can be said that everyone is doing their own style anyway imo - no need to break away and 'create' your own, as you already are

At the end of the day, i think there are only so many ways that the general human body can move (a head, 2 arms, 2 legs...), so there are many similarities in the systems we have today, and of course there will have been in the past as well. That doesn't mean that they crossover however...

As for the 'lost styles' learned from manuals, scrolls or whatever, i would say that's a bit questionable to say the least. It's just like learning from a book you by from a shop

david


--- for some reason it's not letting me post. this is my 3rd attempt...

[Brad]

Lost arts or the advertisement of,"we're the only school in the world teaching this art" are usually just lies used by people for bringing in buisness, often(but not allways) because the art just can't stand up on it's own. Although there are very rare systems or branches of styles which may have only a couple legit sources like Liu He Ba Fa, etc.

Another question, if someone claims to teach something no one else has is he a nut or could it be possible he has learned a "lost art" Any comments?

usually a nut. allthough I do know of one person who teaches a style no one else has(as far as I know), but it's an old familly style, and as far as I know, he's fairly well respected among traditional teachers here.

[Brad]

And a little off topic but... why put vid clips on a site that don't paint the art in a positive light? And putting a backwards ball cap on a little(r) guy with gray hair does not make a very convincing mugger, lol. Good art or not... those are some aweful clips! He needs new ones.