History

History of Ving Tsun Kung Fu

The common legend as told by Ip Man involves the young woman Yim Wing Chun (Wing Chun literally means forever springtime or praising spring) at the time after the destruction of the Southern Shaolin and its associated temples by the Qing government. After Wing Chun rebuffs the local warlord's marriage offer, he says he'll rescind his proposal if she can beat him in a martial art match. She asks a Buddhist nun- Ng Mui, who was one of the Shaolin Sect survivors, to teach her boxing; this still nameless style enables Yim Wing Chun to defeat the warlord. She thereafter marries Leung Bac-Chou and teaches him the style, which he names after her.

Since the system was developed during the Shaolin and Ming resistance to the Qing Dynasty many legends about the creator of Wing Chun were spread to confuse the enemy, including the story of Yim Wing Chun. This perhaps explains why no one has been able to accurately determine the creator or creators of Wing Chun.

Yip Man was well respected by other martial arts instructors in Foshan and Hong Kong. He was the first person to teach Wing Chun to a wider public. The style he taught was renamed Ving Tsun based on the sound in Chinese. After his death, many of his students formed separate schools.

Yip Man was well-known for having a very quick wit and an acid tongue. His teaching style, along with the very direct nature of the art and its despising of superfluous talk, infuses the art with a certain edginess. This is probably why Ving Tsun is well-known for being split into many factions.

A notable student of Yip Man was Leung Ting. Leung Ting formed the IWTA or International Wing Tsun Association and taught an American student named Jeff Webb. Sifu Jeff Webb earned the rank of 5th degree level Master under Leung Ting and was the Head Instructor for IWTA North America for many years. Master Sifu Jeff Webb left the IWTA to formulate his own theories and innovations on the style and started the NVTO National Ving Tsun Organization which has had great success. Sifu Scott Tarbell earned the rank of 4th degree Instructor in the NVTO under his former teacher, Sifu Jeff Webb.  In 2023 Sifu Scott Tarbell broke ties with the NVTO and Siffu Jeff Webb in order to formulate Wuxia Ving Tsun Kung Fu, which integrates concepts from Sifu Scott's understanding of many martial arts.

 History of Traditional Yang Style Taijiquan

To understand the emergence of tai chi, it is important to understand Chinese  history, which can be traced back more than seven thousand years to a time when China was considered the center of Asia.  Initially developing along the banks of the Yellow River, their culture spread far wide throughout Asia.  China was known as a Central Kingdom, and to neighboring countries, it was culturally advanced, as well as being proficient in martial arts.  There were often battles with local tribes and wild animals, and with these battles developed an understanding and proficiency in effective techniques, which were passed down from generation to generation. They would watch carefully wild animals fighting, and they believed animals possessed natural talents and skills for fighting.  Many of their strikes, kicks, blocks are based on the tiger, the eagle, the crane and the snake.  The relationship between animal survival and human fighting has become part of the Chinese culture. With many battles within neighboring countries and local tribes, it was important to the Chinese to keep these martial arts skills secret.  At this point in time, the term ‘tai chi’ had not yet been coined.  However, it was understood that to compete and survive in this harsh culture of battles, each martial art style needed to have four basic techniques:

• kicking

• hand striking

• joint locking

• wrestling      

The earliest known references to tai chi date from the T’ang Dynasty (618-960 AD), where movement patterns were practiced by recluses who had retired to the Chinese mountain regions.  As with many events in history, facts and myth are intermingled and it is difficult to be specific with dates. 

Historical records state that Zhang Sanfeng (Chang San Feng) ( (1279-1368) studied under a Taoist recluse living in northwest China.  Zhang Sanfeng is credited with developing a Wudang Sect in Wudang Mountain in the early Ming Dynasty (1368) and gradually had a large following. After years of the study of Taoism, he made a great contribution to promoting Taoist theory. He also developed a number of bare hand martial arts which gave rise to ‘tai chi’. Zhang Sanfeng followed the tai chi process which leads the student from body to mind to spirit and eventually back to the ‘Great Void’ to merge with the cosmos.  He studied in the Wudang Shan, a mountain held sacred by Taoists.  

Zhang Sanfeng spent nine years studying nature and discovered the martial potential of yielding (rather than continuous attacking) while watching a snake and bird fight.  He saw in their movements continuous attacking and yielding, with neither action dominating. This is how the concept of Tai Chi was formed. It is the conquering of the unyielding with yielding and coping with all motions by remaining motionless. This encounter is often shown in artistic forms as the ‘Crane and the Snake’.  This realization began the cultivation of energy through qigong or ‘soft’ fighting.

From 17th Century, many ‘modern’ styles of Tai Chi can trace their lineage to tai chi families of the Wudang region. These families include  Chen, Yang, Wu, Wu (Hao) and Sun. These five different schools (or families) taught their own style of ‘tai chi chuan’ to family members. It was a very closed community of learning ‘family secrets’. The Chen school was well established by 1800s, but only members of the Chen family could be students.  However, a poor worker in the household spied on these sessions and became an excellent fighter – so much so, that he was welcomed into the Chen family.  His name was Yang.  Chen style is known for its dynamic and physically challenging style.  Yang developed his own style to suit the limitations of the Emperor’s courtiers who had no martial arts training.  Therefore, Yang style is more gentle and flowing.  Wu, a student of Yang, also developed his own style, incorporating features of both Chen and Yang. the Sun family of tai chi is the youngest of the tai chi styles.

In the early 20th century the health benefits of tai chi became well known and it took on a new role as a preventative medicine or wellness exercise. In 1956 the Chinese government sponsored the Chinese Sports Committee, which commissioned several tai chi masters to create a short form, to keep their citizens healthy.  This form is known as Beijing 24, or 24 Form Yang style and is much simpler to learn and practice than the 108 Long Form, on which it is based. 

Tai Chi Chuan (T'ai chi ch'uan), literally means Supreme Ultimate Fist and was originally taught as a martial art and longevity exercise. The principles of tai chi are based on Taoism, the ancient Chinese philosophy which believes that there is a natural balance in all things and we should live in spiritual and physical harmony with nature.  In the 21st century, there are many different short forms, styles and hybrid styles of tai chi, all of them beneficial to the physical, mental and spiritual well being of practitioners.

History of Sanshou Kickboxing

Sanshou's competitive history is rooted in barehanded elevated arena or Lei Tai fights in which no rules were observed. However, Sanshou as a competitive event developed in the military as these bouts were commonly held between the soldiers to test and practice barehanded martial skills, ability and techniques. Rules were developed and the use of protective gloves etc. was adopted. It was originally used by the Kuomintang at the first modern military academy in Whampoa in the 1920s.  Later it was also adopted as a method by the People's Liberation Army of China. Sanshou's curriculum was developed with reference to traditional Chinese martial arts. This general Wushu Sanshou curriculum varies in its different forms, as the Chinese government developed a version for civilians for self-defense and as a sport.

History of YMAA Shaolin White Crane and Northern Long Fist Kung Fu

HISTORY OF THE SOUTHERN WHITE CRANE STYLE

The information which follows has been condensed and summarized by Mr. Alex Kiesel of YMAA Andover, MA from the book Shaolin White Crane (1996) by Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming, YMAA Publications.

It is believed that White Crane was one of the five original ‘animal’ systems practiced at the Shaolin Temple and that it may already have existed by the time the monk Da Mo arrived from India in the 6th century. Later, during the 17th century, a woman named Fang Qi-Niang combined her White Crane heritage, passed down from her father, with movements she witnessed while observing the behavior of cranes in the river near her home. This was the beginning of the Southern White Crane system, which now includes four major divisions: Ancestral Crane, Eating Crane, Shouting Crane and Flying Crane. It is Ancestral Crane that Master Yang-Jwing Ming learned as a youth from his Master, Cheng Gin-Zao.

Characteristics of the Southern White Crane Style White Crane is one of the hundreds of Chinese martial arts styles, and White Crane itself can be divided into numerous schools, each with its own special characteristics and emphasis in training. However, the root of all White Crane styles remains the same. The White Crane learned and taught by Master Yang, Zong He Chuan, is considered the original Southern White Crane system.

Zong He Chuan translates as ‘Ancestral Crane Fist.’ The system is also known as ‘ Trembling Crane’, ‘Sleeping Crane’ or ‘Jumping Crane’. Each of these names describes a characteristic of the style. The Jin or martial power of Zong He Chuan derives from a shaking or trembling of the body that imitates the shaking off of water by a bird or animal. The legs are firmly rooted and the power is generated from the waist. ‘Sleeping’ may refer to the idea that the Crane practitioner is motionless until the opponent moves, at which time s/he physically explodes into defense while maintaining mental and spiritual calm. ‘Jumping’ refers to the jumping movements used in strategic footwork and escape.

White Crane is primarily a defensive system that specializes in the short range. Kicks are low and hands are used extensively in techniques that derive from the shape and movements of the Crane’s wings or beak. The Crane is known for its dignity and calm appearance but also for the viciousness with which it defends itself.

White Crane practitioners also train in the use of weapons, including staff, double sticks, sai, saber, double dagger, spear and numerous other long and short weapons. Training in White Crane demands a conditioned body in order to withstand the great power that can be generated bythe shaking Jin and the specialized whipping and arcing motions of the chest and spine. Without proper and progressive conditioning it is easy to damage the joints and internal organs in practice. Also, in order to reach the higher levels, the pupil must study and practice White Crane Qigong (cultivation of internal energy). For these reasons, only the most elementary of White Crane techniques and forms are taught in the first few years of YMAA training.

White Crane is a very deep and specialized style, and it is not possible to do it justice in a short summary. If you are interested in the theory, philosophy, history and methods of White Crane training, please reference the book Shaolin White Crane by Dr. Yang Jwing Ming for more information.

History of Shaolin Long Fist:

The core of Northern Long Fist was developed in the 10th century by Zhao Kuang Yin, the founding emperor of the Song Dynasty, who owed much of his empire building to Shaolin Kung Fu. This original style was called Taiju Chang Chuan which means the Long Fist style. During the early part of the 20th century when the Shaolin Temple was still active, two great martial organisations arose, encompassing many of the great styles, which developed from the Shaolin and other systems. One was the Chin Woo Association (1909), and the other was the Nanking Kou Su Institute (1926) (the term ‘Kuo Su’ means ‘national martial technique’). The Nanking Kuo Su Institute drew from the knowledge of a large number of respected Masters, including Chin Woo members, overcoming Martial Arts politics and age-old prejudices to discuss and explore the best techniques from among the many divisions. From this synthesis arose the style commonly known as Northern Long Fist.

Master Han Ching -Tan ( 1903 – 1976) studied Long Fist as a first generation pupil of the Nanking Kuo Shu Institute. He, in turn, taught Master Li Mao-Ching, who also studied Northern Praying Mantis, Chinese Wrestling and Sun Bin Chuan. Master Li passed on his knowledge to a number of pupils including Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming, who still visited and hosted Master Li on a regular basis.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LONG FIST SYSTEM

In Chinese Martial Arts there is a saying, ‘Northern leg, Southern fist’ which refers to the belief that, historically, the martial artists of the North specialised in kicking due to their longer and stronger legs, whereas the people of the South, being smaller and stockier, specialised in the use of hand techniques. Long Fist, being a Northern style, emphasises the use of the legs. The style contains a wide variety of stationary, moving , spinning and jumping kicks. Not all of these are for practical use, but practice of the full range develops tremendous strength, flexibility and agility. Long range punches are employed, but the hands are used primarily for blocking and parrying. In YMAA training, techniques of Shaolin Chin Na and the White Crane style are trained for close-range fighting.

Stances in Long Fist are wide and low, allowing for a long range of movement and great stability and strength. Strategically, offense and defense are considered equally important. In some Long Fist styles ‘the best defense is a strong offence’, and in this case the practitioner launches a pre-emptive attack so aggressive that the opponent doesn’t have the opportunity to attack. The Long Fist fighter likes to keep the opponent at middle-to-long range distance to facilitate the use of kicks, and since kicks are of such importance, speed is crucial since it takes longer to execute a kick from long range.
Many weapons are trained in the Long Fist system including Staff, Sword, Sabre, and Spear and others

History of BJJ / Submission Wrestling 

BJJ / Submission Wrestling came to international prominence in the martial arts community in the early 1990s, when Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert Royce Gracie won the first, second and fourth Ultimate Fighting Championships, which at the time were single elimination martial arts tournaments. Royce fought against often much larger opponents who were practicing other styles, including boxing, shoot-fighting, muay thai, karate, wrestling, judo and tae kwon do. It has since become a staple art for many MMA fighters and is largely credited for bringing widespread attention to the importance of ground fighting. Sport Grappling tournaments continue to grow in popularity worldwide and have given rise to no-gi submission grappling tournaments, such as the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship.

Submission wrestling (also known as submission fighting, submission grappling, sport grappling, or simply as no-gi is a general term for martial arts and combat sports that focus on clinch and ground fighting with the aim of obtaining a submission through the use of submission holds. The term "submission wrestling" usually refers only to the form of competition and training that does not use a gi, or "combat kimono", of the sort often worn with belts that establish rank by color, though some may use the loose trousers of such a uniform, without the jacket.

The sport of submission wrestling brings together techniques from folk wrestling (Catch wrestling a.k.a. catch-as-catch-can), Judo, Greco-Roman wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, jujutsu (of the traditional form),Shuai Jiao, and Sambo.

Submission fighting as an element of a larger sport setting is very common in mixed martial arts, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, catch wrestling, and others. They are also known for using submission techniques normally banned in other arts or competitions such as heel hooks, toe holds, wrist and finger locks.

Submission Wrestling promotes the concept that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend against a bigger, stronger assailant by using leverage and proper technique, taking the fight to the ground – most notably by applying joint-locks and chokeholds to defeat the other person.

History of Qinna (Chin Na)

All martial arts contain qinna techniques in some degree. The southern Chinese martial arts have more developed qinna techniques than northern Chinese martial systems. The southern martial arts have much more prevalent reliance on hand techniques which causes the practitioner to be in closer range to their opponent. There are over 700 qinna traditional techniques found in all martial arts. In the Non-Temple White Crane style there are 150-200 qinna techniques alone. Along with Fujian White Crane, styles such as Northern Eagle Claw (Ying Jow Pai) and Tiger Claw (Fu Jow Pai) have qinna as their martial focus and tend to rely on these advanced techniques.

While techniques of qinna are trained to some degree by most martial arts worldwide, many Chinese martial arts are famous for their specialization in such applications. Styles such as Eagle Claw (Ying zhua quán), which includes 108 qinna techniques, Praying Mantis (Tánglángquán), the Tiger Claw techniques of Hung Gar, and Shuai Jiao are well known examples.

There is quite a bit of overlap between qinna theory and technique with the branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine known as tui na as well as the use of offensive and defensive qigong as an adjunct of qinna training in some styles.