Originally Posted by
kal
Strange that Robert W. Smith doesn't really same to rate Chang Tung Sheng as highly as Choicoine and Allen do. In Smith's book Chinese Boxing: Masters and Methods he doesn't seem to think all that much of shuai chiao. He writes how he believes it is inferior to judo and claims that he was consistently able to beat Chang's students using his judo. He does admit though that Chang, being a Muslim (which I didn't know), was extremely disciplined. He goes on to say that he was a good fighter, but that he does not regret passing up the opportunity to train under him in order to follow Cheng Man Ching. The impression Smith gives is of a competent teacher and fighter, but not anywhere near the same legendary image you get from other sources.
Oh please give me a break! Smith is okay but he barely penetrated the circle of military martial artists in Taiwan. Chang Tung Sheng was a member of the Dai Li, secret police as were a number of others. There job was to assisinate Japanese and Communist members. They were feared.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dai_Li
http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/9763.html
Among the Chinese of Taiwan, CMC was better known for his painting and poetry than for his Taijiquan. He was Madam Chiang Kaishek, the President's wife's (Jiang Jieshi) teacher.
"Its better to build bridges rather than dig holes but occasionally you have to dig a few holes to build the foundation of a strong bridge."
"Traditional Northern Chinese Martial Arts are all Sons of the Same Mother," Liu Yun Qiao