Brief Biographies of the Masters In the later part of Qing Dynasty, Liu Shijun (刘仕俊, 1840-1910), a prominent Chinese martial arts master from Xiong County in what is now Hebei Province, was proficient in Yue Shi San Shou (岳氏散手) – Yue Style Free Hands, which he learned from two monks. He was renowned for his…
Before exploring Yue Fei’s martial arts training and background, it is important to begin with the mythology prevalent in Chinese culture that associates people and events with deities, immortals, and famous Chinese figures both real and legendary. I use the word “mythology” because some figures who are associated with certain martial arts styles are transmitted…
When we look at the movements of Mizong Luohan (迷蹤羅漢), Cha Quan (查拳), Ying Zhao Fan Zi (鷹爪翻子) and other Northern Gong Fu styles, we see certain outward commonalities but fail to interpret the intrinsic qualities that foster a higher level of skill. Due to their explosive nature, these styles are wrongly categorized as External….
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…
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…
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
