The Fury of Nature in the Tiger Kung Fu

[ChangWuJi]

"Animals have been a symbolic and literal source of self-defense, martial arts, and combat throughout history. Martial artists have formed many impressive and dangerous styles from the movements and spirit of these creatures. Mantis, crane, even mystical creatures such as the Dragon have all been characterized in some form of movement and then fighting. One such animal is the tiger, nature's embodiment of violence and a beast of terror to the hunted. It has no qualms about fighting just as the namesake it has been developed from and the various systems of "tiger" combat match this ferocity.

 

The tiger has been a system of combat in many cultures from the Chinese to the Islanders as in the Indonesian influence. The Shaolin style focuses on strengthening the muscles and bone for total power through. A vast array of styles have tiger influence, Karate, Pencak Silat, Kempo but the principles and spirit of the tiger has the same influence into any art it represents.

 

The "Shaolin style" has been around at least since the 6th century and has evolved into many variations and applications depending on the Instructors approach. There have been pictures shown in healer's drawings of specific exercises with the tiger's movements as part of their routine. The tiger of today is extremely useful as self-defense beyond the beauty of the movements of the forms. Students are taught a method that sets up their whole body for performing tiger as the creature of legends. Body conditioning, forms, techniques, and weapons are all apart of the system. The tiger's tenacity sets the stage for fighting and approach to what is exactly tiger, anything that is viscous and damaging.

 

SELF DEFENSE

 

Self-defense is explained as a way to defend yourself in situations that are not of your choosing. This is a perfect match for this system, as it is set up to defend against any and all that enter the student's domain, which is simply their person. Groin, eyes, knees, etc, nothing is forgotten that is debilitating. Students attack what can stop and take an opponent out the quickest. This also stops serious tiger practitioners from entering any "tournament" fighting matches. Points do not matter in self-defense only the pain and real damage you cause to escape usually lethal situations.

 

Once an attack is launched at a tiger stylist the table immediately turns in the defenders position. Students are trained from the beginning to let only minimal attacks through and then they focus and lowering that number to one. They then train to be able to launch attacks at the slightest hint of reaction from an assailant. Self-defense must also be approached and learned psychologically as students do not fight unless necessary. Tigers only hunt and defend themselves, they do not fight for ego or pride. This is why self-defense can become so powerful when needed, because it does not rely on showy techniques but those that definitely stop and debilitate an attacker. From this the mind is put into another state of consciousness as life or death comes to the front not simply showing off or fainting egotistical illusions that you're not afraid. You simply react and use your own power to stop any further harm.

 

CONDITIONING

 

Methods are used at various intervals and levels to prepare the students body for the aspects and training of the tiger system. The first is the claws or "claw" position used in the hands for the tiger style. Used for striking and then raking the damaged is doubled in every technique. This is done by hand drills and they in turn compound in their weight and intensity. One such drill is a jar filled with various weight of sand or water and the student picks it up only with the fingers and then the weight is increased as the student advances. This also builds the forearm and finger strength that helps in grappling and pressure point strikes. Combined with deeper stances and full body use of torque and jing one develops enough power to defend against any size opponent.

 

Another method used by many styles is iron skin/body conditioning. One method is to begin with heavy tension and breathing exercises. This strengthens all the tendons and muscles in the frame. From there, the students go through a set of 2-person body pounding drills, which hardened the whole skeletal structure. Then breathing forms/techniques completely coordinate the whole person's body and breathe to start the final phase. The energy built up is strong enough to protect the student and they begin the hardest part of the training, which is a type of masochistic body pounding drills. They began with the 2-person drills but continue into wood sticks, large shafts, and then even metal rods. The body is so strong and tensed that a single block or blow can be the only one needed to eliminate any opponent.

 

These drills are for advanced students and even incorporate external/internal iron palm training. Combined with the iron body, there is not one expecting individual to know the hard learned lesson of challenging a Tiger stylist. Why this is so effective is that you can still look like a small-framed woman that has no power in your body (to an unsuspecting assailant) and then explode using your whole muscular and skeletal frame plus all the hidden tendons and sinews to be more than a match for them!

 

FORMS

 

Forms also play a major role in the beauty and preparation of the student. They are animal and cat like but also incorporate techniques that will work with the tiger style. Nothing is left out that is useful. There are claws, knees, elbows, rakes, tearing anything to defend one's self. Being petite and dainty is not the tiger forms approach. Forms are done in a fashion to show the manipulation of the power of the student, rising and lower the center of weight to prepare for various approaches and balances of the body. Not many defensive or receding movements are needed as the system wishes a quick and simple demise of any situation the stylist is in. Beyond the defensive aspect, there are many techniques also in the forms such as balance, speed differences, and multiple targets.

 

TECHNIQUES

 

Techniques are straight to the point and devastating. The kicks are mostly aimed at the lower targets such as knees and groin. This is quicker and stops the student from attacking areas that aren't debilitating. Low kicks also help in the foundation and stances during the fight.

 

Techniques vary as much as the student's bodies as they are trained to use every part of their body for attacks. From elbows, claws, forearm strikes to kicks, sweeps and knees. This allows a consistent flow in combat. When a strike might close off an area then the next body part flows into the gap left open for an attack.

 

Grappling and pressure points are far from out of the system. Since a greater amount of open hand strikes are used, this allows the grappling and throws easily into a next technique. Pressure points are also hit in a way that the fingers can then sink into the area needed for extra pain and effect. Remember that in the wild tigers often fight from their backs and roll around on the ground so they are as easily able to attack from that position that might be considered lost to a tiger practitioner.

 

The most evident technique is the tiger styled claw, which is a combination of a palm strike followed by finger raking and clenching. This is why the brute strength of the student is not as important, since a correct strike can cause massive pain to anyone being hit. This usually focuses on eye, throat, groin and any spot that skin can be torn at or open organs exist. Spots that are also pressure points can lead to dropping larger attackers with one hit. As the palm causes a cavity shock the fingers then squeeze and damage the outer tissue and hence pressure points lying there.

 

WEAPONS

 

As with many styles, weapons become either passed through tradition or added due to many circumstances. Instructors find and adapt all the weapons they can to increase their understanding of movement and also honor tradition in the process. Through training with different instructor, weapons can come to be apart of a tiger system, yet they began or where originals of another. This is true of many systems but time and secrecy has covered this history up.

 

They could range from the eclectic Kwan Do to the practical staff. Practical weapons are more of a tiger namesake and use since its ferocity would lean towards those items usable in street defense and then continue to train the student in the ancient more traditional weapons offered by each instructor. One often seen weapon is a Tiger Fork, like a three pronged trident. The use of such heavy weapon training would be to compliment the stance and body strength even further then the normal tiger style training. Since Tiger is originally one of the main forms of kung fu taught at Shaolin, it would be more than likely that most instructors would have at least half a dozen weapons to teach and those being a mixture in variety.

 

As most styles of martial arts stem from China, the tiger style discussed is more prevalent in Chinese systems. Though the "tiger" of other arts is still linked in many aspects to the Chinese style, its spirit and power have transcended the evolution of other versions beyond kung fu. Penjak Silat, Kung Fu, and even some Karate styles all have the power and tenacity of the tiger integrated in some fashion. From techniques to stances mocking the crouched and powerful presence of the tiger, any art using the animal all share some quality that gives the great cat the respect it earns in nature."

[GoldDragon]

The History Of Bak Fu Pai

 

( White Tiger Kung Fu)

 

Kung Fu's history, much like that of China's is often ambiguous and filled with gaps. These gaps are the result of numerous wars, natural disasters, and governments bent on rewriting China's history. As a result, much of China's past has been lost. Western culture, until very recently, has had little interest in eastern history, and therefore most of the history of China that we have and almost all of the history of Kung Fu has been preserved by an oral tradition, that remains even today prevalent throughout Eastern cultures. This oral tradition, while stepped in myth, is derived from stories based on facts. Our picture of Kung-Fu's history is also based on myths, legends, and facts, all intricately woven together. To separate stories from actual events, myth from fact, can not be done now, for we know so little of what really happened so long ago. As for the White Tiger System, written records date back several thousands of years (some still on the preserved silk that used cuttlefish ink).

 

Much of what we do know of Chinese martial art history comes from the Honan Shil Lum Temple. The Honan province has been the reputed center of Chinese Boxing activity since 500 AD. We know that an Indian monk, named Bodhidharma, introduced the people of the Honan province to meditative, respiratory, and defensive techniques. These techniques, over time evolved and flourished in Buddhist, and later Taoist monasteries, eventually developing into many separate styles. Chinese religion was a very powerful force, and with many monks single minded dedication, meditation, medicine, and self defense was transformed, refined, and perfected. It is important to note that much of what we call Kung Fu today, is the product of over one thousand years of study and change.

 

China's political past was written by the victors. Dynasties rose and fell over its long history. One of the most well known Chinese dynasties was the Ming Dynasty. In the 17th century the Ming Dynasty fell to foreign invaders. The new dynasty was called this Ching (Qin) dynasty. The Emperor of the Qin Dynasty knew that monks had been instrumental in the aiding the overthrow of previous governments. Therefor, the Qin Emperor garnered for support within China's monasteries, using spies, money, and murder where necessary. The thought of foreign rule was unacceptable to many people. Rebellion against the Qin was a constant drain on the government's resources. An air of paranoia grew as more and more, rebellions grew. It was this paranoia, coupled with resentment that caused the Emperor to react by eliminating his internal threats. Many hundreds temples were either killed to a man, or burned, under the pretense of harboring rebellious monks. One such temple was the Fukien Province Shil Lum Temple. This temple had gathered a reputation for producing some of China's most skilled martial artists. It was renowned for the skill of its monks. Legend has it that one of its monks had been dismissed for failing to jump high enough to light a lantern. The banished monk lusted for revenge and gained admittance to the Emperors court, where he then falsely confessed that the monks of Fukien Province were planning a rebellion.

 

The Emperor, out of fear of rebellion, decided that the monastery should be burned to the ground, with no one surviving. The soldiers carried out the Emperor's orders and burned the monastery to the ground. They could not however, stop and kill all of those who fled the fire. Of those who escaped four master monks, and a master nun managed to gain safety. Their names were Jee Shin Shim Shee, Ng Mui, Fung Doe Duk, Bak Mae, and Mew Hing.

 

These monks and nun fled to the southwestern province of Szechwan and sought sanctuary in the Emei mountain monasteries. Two of the monks, Bak Mae and Fong Doe Duk settled in the Doaist Kwong Wai temple. They shed their Buddhist roots and adopted the Doaist tradition, in an effort to remain hidden from the Emperor. For two years Fong Doe Duk traveled through the mountains and nearby deserts gathering knowledge from the nomadic tribes. Over time four of the five escapees developed their own systems of Kung Fu. Jee Shin Shim Shee helped develop the northern Shil Lum style of Kung Fu. Ng Mui developed the Plum Flower system. Bak Mae developed the White Eyebrow system, and Fong Doe Duk developed Bak Fu Pai (White Tiger).

 

Fong Doe Duk was well liked by the villagers surrounding the monastery. His skills in both Kung Fu, and in herbal medicines earned him the name Jung Shee meaning "accomplished one" or grandmaster. In the late 1600's Fong Doe Duk taught had taught but a few people his art. It is said that on his deathbed Fong Doe Duk passed his title and knowledge to Doo Tin Yin, with the instructions that Doo Tin Yin must teach the art and pass it from generation to generation. And so it has been passed from the late 1600's to today one generation at a time. Doo Wai is the 6th generation Grandmaster and direct descendant of Doo Tin Yin. Along with Grandmaster Doo Wai, his disciple, Jung Shee Joel Rizzo, continues to teach the tradition that has endured for over 300 years. Only recently has the Grandmaster allowed Bak Fu Pai to be taught to the public