I often asked Grandmaster Shum Leung (full name Shum Yee Leung – Cen Yu Liang, 岑譽亮 – 1937-2025), about the lineage of our Wu Shi Taiji Quan (吳氏太极拳) – Wu Style Taiji Quan. I was never able to get anything more than “I leaned from my Sifu.” During my years of publishing the Wu Gong…
During an interview with Master Di Guoyong, he mentioned four Major Masters of the late Qing Dynasty. I tried to pursue this subject with Master Di but did not get much information beyond confirming the names of these Four Masters. They are listed here based on the year of birth: Dong Haichuan (董海川, 1797-1882), Yang…
The Shuang Gou (雙鉤) – Double Hooks, or Twin Hooks, also known as Hu Tou Shuang Gou (虎頭雙鉤) – Tiger Head Double Hooks, is one of the exotic traditional weapons of Chinese martial arts The hook sword is said to have originated from the ancient Ge (戈) or Dagger-Axe Halberd, which was a large-scale military weapon…
Many Long Fist styles use Tan Tui, commonly translated as Springing Leg, as the gateway, or Men Hu (門戶), in the Northern Long Fist Styles of Gong Fu, to building a foundation for more advanced training. The subject of this post is the Shi Er Lu Tan Tui (十二路潭腿) – 12 Rows Springing Leg, and…
Wang Wu (王五,1844-1900), whose given name was Wang Zhengyi (王正誼), was born in Cangzhou, the famous martial arts town in what was at the time Zhili (直隸), and what is present-day Hebei (河北) province. Note: Zhili means“ directly ruled.” This was the administrative region ruled by the imperial court during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing…
In the early 1980s, during a visit to New York City, I went to lunch with Master William C.C. Chen at a restaurant in Chinatown. When I poured tea for Master Chen, he tapped his index and middle fingers on the table. Since I had never seen the gesture before, I wondered about its meaning….
I have been studying and practicing Ying Zhao Fan Zi (鷹爪翻子) for more than 40 years. My journey in the style began first with Sifu Benson Lee and later continued with Grandmaster Shum Yee Leung (岑譽亮, 1933-2025) – Cen Yuliang in Pinyin. Grandmaster Shum called his school Ying Jow Pai (鷹爪派), Eagle Claw System, and…
Liuhe Bafa (六合八法), or Six Harmonies Eight Methods, is an abbreviated name for the style passed down by Wu Yihui, who referred to the art as Hua Yue Xin Yi Liu He Ba Fa Quan (華岳心意六合八法拳). In English, this translates as the Heart/Mind Six Harmonies Eight Methods from Hua Mountain Style. Today, especially in the…
Chou Si (抽絲) – Drawing Silk, was first mentioned in the classic by Wang Zongyue (王宗岳) “Taiji Quan Xing Gong Xin Jie – Explanation of the Practice of Taijiquan.” Drawing Silk has been widely used by Yang Style Taiji Quan masters while guiding their students’ practice. Thus, it is imperative to understand its true meaning…
All traditional Chinese martial arts systems contain foundational skills that form the core of the art. In Baji Quan, these basic skills are honed through the practice of Jin Gang Ba Shi. Jin Gang is often translated as Buddha Warrior Attendant (see the post on Jin Gang in Chinese Martial Arts). Origins of Jin Gang…
The posts on this Blog reflect the knowledge I have received from my teachers, and the volumes of information I have accumulated while doing research and conducting interviews with many masters, during the years of publishing the Wu Gong Journal and the Journal of Chinese Martial Arts. All the material published on this Blog is copyrighted. — Nick Scrima
