# White Crane: an Overview Part One



## shifu (May 12, 2006)

*White Crane Principles: an Overview
 By Ron Goninan ~ White Crane Research Institute*

 In Fuzhou crane, we are taught that techniques are just but a manifestation of our fighting principles. Forms are the ways and not the ends. Every drill / forms and 2 man sets are designed to teach the body to behave in a certain manner during a fight. Of course the whole idea is to mimic a crane.

 We have certain principles in our system.

 Let me share 2 here with you.

 1) Fourth door fighting :- I am sure you are familiar with the door/gate concept in kung fu fighting. Wing Chun players are very skilled in hitting 2 doors simultaneously. A vertical punch to the upper door (face) and a low stamp kick to the lower door (shin) is a good example. In Fuzhou crane, we try to take every fight to the fourth door.

 Side stepping footwork is a BIG BIG part of our basic training. You could say we prefer open hand strikes because they are particularly effective moving out to the fourth door. We do not just simply move to the fourth door but hit on the way getting there. Using a low finger slap to the groin moving out is a good example. This technique is called "White Crane Playing Water" or "PaiHe Shi Shui" in Mandarin.

 This idea is kind of like in boxing : you see a high strike to your face, you don't just want to duck or move sidewards. you move and hit at the same time. Alot of our forms make no sense if you don't master the fourth door concept. Forms are meaningless unless you understand the embedded principles.

 No secrets here but simply getting the key to the form is the heart of the matter. The tricky part, as far as I am concerned, is understanding the principles. In Fuzhou crane these are transmitted in poems-like writing. If you don't have a teacher explaining - it is going to be tough.

 2) Breaking bridge :- Any thing your opponent put between you and him is the bridge. He jabs, you could block and counterstrike or you break the hand jabbing. You could do this with your elbow straight up on the oncoming jab for example. Use your other arm to lead his jabbing arm to your lifting elbow. The same applies to Chin-Na or throwing techniques. Opponent seizes your arm, you hit the seizing arm and break his weak spots like fingerjoints, wrists etc ... There are 8 different ways to break arm and 5 way to break a leg.

 1 principle, 1 form is the rule.






*The Shiho Tien Sh-it (Feeding Crane Open's it's Wings) Posture. This encapsulates the White Crane philosophy and involves the signature "Gungshen" or Spirit Shout of the Calling Crane style, exhaling Qi and essential energy, opening the voice and assisting power into the movement. Fujian White Crane, has a wave of expansion from ground - shooting arrow and the Taiji emphasises wave of stretching and compression that precedes wave of expansion - drawing the bow. It is a strong attacking technique which utilises the Crane's Head and Crane's Beak as the primary hand forms. It embodies the quiet yet deadly intention of the Paihepai (Crane-Fist Style) known as Yitu - Chinese "To Kill".*

 White Crane and especially Fuzhou lineage has got a very unique rhythm even compared to the other Southern Fukien styles Kung Fu.

 In White Crane, we study the cranes singing, flying, playing, shaking, and fighting etc etc. Not only external movements mimicry but also internal qualities. When a crane flies, it is not strictly only the flapping movements that we are trying to imitate but more significantly the power generation. The same applies to Shaking Crane.

 The energy that the bird summons to shake itself dry is the study topic and aspiration for these practitioners. There are many exercises designed to loosen the body to acquire this Jin. Most White Crane players would spend hours just doing these exercise. Without the Jin, the techniques are zilch.

 Just like in Tai Chi. the forms and techniques are useless if you dont get the Jin to work it. Master the style. Understand the motivation behind each style. Without intimate understanding, you are shooting blanks.

 Movements are natural and spontaneous, fluids and objective. There is not ballistic force, but the whip-like manifestation of the Jin.
 This is another very accurate statement. Cranes are graceful creatures.

 The founder is a female who studied Northern Lohan Boxing from her father. The patron Saint of White Crane kung fu is a Daoist priest. Add all these together and logically you should get something that spells internal. The whip-like manifestation of Jin is DEFINITIVE White Crane!

 Techniques are launched from all positions without the typical chambering to the sides of the body. The wrists stay relaxed so that a punch could be turn into a finger jab / slapping at any time required. The waist turns the centerline of the body to avoid an upper gate attack and the leading hand slaps into attackers face or groin in a very natural whip like manner.

 The favoured kick is the straight up kick because it could be launched easily without much preparatory chambering. The other would be the stomping kick. Technique after technique in White Crane is about being natural and fluid! Jin training is from long to short.


 The points bai hui (coronarial suture) e hai di (perineous) will be aligned in the extremities of a vertical to that the spinal nerve roots will be free to the maximum response of the reflexes.

 This is very much like in Tai Chi. the Bai hui and Dan Tien stay aligned. The legs are properly rooted. Back leg is usually slightly bent to absorb and return incoming Jin. Power is initiated by the rear leg. The front leg directs this power. Keeping the alignment means optimum transmission of Jin from the rear leg. Any other posture would result in unnecessary dissipation along the way. Most White Crane poems emphasized this very clearly. In Ming He or Whooping Crane, you use different sounds to propel this Jin for different results.

 To push an opponent back or break a rib bone requires different Jin. Using the right Jin for the right job is not guesswork.

 The Sanchin-dachi is too tight and too small in my opinion. The upper body becomes constrained in expressing Jin.

 Body Change/Body Shifting are a fundamental work in the White Crane Fist. Body changes will be used in all techniques and will be as natural as breathing or eating.

 Big body movements are totally essential in White Crane. One of our basic principles is moving to opponents fourth door. This is kind of like side-stepping except that it is done to both the inside and outside of opponent. There is a form that we do that makes no sense if you dont apply this body movement. Again this could be attributed to the fact that the creator is a woman who prefers to steer clear of aggressive incoming force first before counterstriking.

 This is probably the other reason why Sanchin-Dachi doesnt work for me. I let my stances stay more relaxed to facilitate my body shift.

 The hand posture, particularly the use of the fingers, has great emphasis in the White Crane Fist. It is based on this element that the Dim Mak (Kyusho-jutsu) is possible.

 Fingers/palms/wrists/elbows/forearms and the shoulders are just as important as the one-knuckle punch that we do. Beside just Dim Mak, the elbows are used comprehensively in bridge breaking. The one-knuckle is the typical punch precisely because it is more efficient in pressure points attacks.

 Each technique of the Kata/Taolu will be understood after the dynamics of the martial Jin, that is composed by four principles: to bring (Tun, "swallow") and to project (Tu, "spit out"); to raise (Pu, "floating") and to get down (Tim, "sinking").

 In fact all these four principles are usually contained in one line of a poem. Every White Crane style has a more comprehensive set of principles. Finally, is necessary to understand that all secrets and principles of White Crane are in its Forms/Kata/Taolu, but the outmost of all secret is in mastering its internal energy.

 Some basic principles:

 Retain what is coming in, send off what is retreating. Rush in upon loss of hand contact.

 Even when you do not advance, I do not relent.

 Once the opponent moves, he loses his center of gravity.

 Make the first move to gain control. Attack according to timing.

 Precise use of timing is a skill gained through practice.

 A confident attitude and a strong posture gives an advantage over the opponent.

 Being alert and adapting to the situation allows maximum result with the minimum effort.

 The body follows the movements of the hands. The waist and stance move as one.

 Body positioning supports the hands to make proper use of the Centerline.
 The mind and the eyes work simultaneously to guard against the point of attack.

 Face the opponent directly as you move in. Execute three moves together.

 Strike at any posture that is presented. If no posture is presented, strike when you see motion.

 Beware of sneak attacks, leakage attacks and invisible center-breaking attacks.

 Soft and relaxed energy puts the opponent in jeopardy.

 Being firm and confident in trapping and striking reduces risk and allows one hundred successes for one hundred attempts.

 Have confidence and remain cool to dominate the situation.

 Occupy the inner gate to strike deep into opponents defence.

 To win in an instant is a superior achievement.

 Chase the opponents position with cat-like quickness. Attack his posture with bird-like rapidity.

 The Ying/Yang principle must be thoroughly understood.

 White Crane combat theory is limitless in its applications.

 Humbly request guidance from your teacher. Understand the theory of what you are practicing.

 Upon achieving the highest level of proficiency, the application of techniques will vary according to the opponent.

 It is so obvious isnt it? You would expect a White Crane player to move according to the above principles.

 This is by no mean a detailed study of White Crane. I am using this as a starting point.

*More info to come .....*


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## shifu (May 12, 2006)

Fujian (Mandarin) / Fukien (the commonly used Western pronunciation) or Hockien (In Fujian Dialect) is a province in Southern China.Fuzhou (Mandarin) / Foo Chow (the commonly used Western pronunciation) or Hood Chew (In Fuzhou Dialect) is a coastal town in Fujian. Fuzhou is also the capital city of Fujian.


The 2 different spoken dialects are really miles apart. The unlikenesses also extend into other aspects of life. Fuzhou is a minority group in China.

Fukien White Crane is also more frequently known as Yong Chun White Crane or Eng Choon White Crane as spoken in the Fujian dialect. Eng Choon is a place in Fukien, where many believed Fang Chi Niang and her husband concentrated her initial spread of her crane kung Fu skills.



Fuzhou White Crane is a collective term encompassing 4 major streams of White Crane. These are namely:-


      1.Whooping Crane or MingHe in Mandarin
2. Feeding Crane or ShiHe
3. Flying Crane or FeiHe
4. Hibernating or ShuHe

Generally, if you talk to anyone about the founder of White Crane Kung Fu, you are likely to hear:-

 Fang Hui Shi  A Shaolin Lohan Boxer during the Ching Dynasty. The Manchurians were ruling China at that time and many Chinese boxers were grouping and fighting this dominion. The nucleus groups were Shaolin related. There are, according to my research, inconsistent versions of Fangs Lohan. If you read anything out of Taiwan, Fang is likely to be reported as a Northern Shaolin Lohan Boxer. In other parts of Asia, Singapore & Malaysia for instance, he is recorded as a Southern Shaolin Lohan Boxer involved in activist activities. Kuchings (Sarawak) Huang Yi Ing, a renowned MingHe master, held that Fang is Southern Shaolin Boxer. The distinction is essential because of the great dissimilarities in the 2 systems and the influence it wielded over early White Crane Kung Fu development.


 Fang Chi Niang  Daughter of Fang Hui Shi. Was taught her fathers kung fu since a tender age and was roving with him. The widespread story is that she got motivated to invent White Crane Kung Fu after watching cranes in action. Whatever the case, her kung fu background is Shaolin and it stands to reason that her conception must include Shaolin elements.

There are many colorful stories revolving her life and the person she picked to marry  her best student Zheng Shi. This is uncorroborated but they are many folks who thought that Zheng was a Shaolin Tiger boxer previous to learning from Chi Niang.
Like her father, Chi Niang and her husband, were also extremely involved in clandestine activists work. And part of what she did was training everyday folks to fight and this she started in Yong Chun Fukien.


If you look at Fukien White Crane now, it is hard to miss the Shaolin and to a certain extent

The punching is largely the Shaolin twisting punch and in many of their forms, high kicks (chest and head levels) are used.



By and large, the manner of expressing their forms is typically Shaolin.

Fukien White Crane is regarded by many Chinese researchers to be the main seminal force in Southern Kung Fu. Many styles of Southern Kung Fu are thought to be related. Styles such as Wing Chun (Fatshan), Southern Praying Mantis, Southern Phoenix Kung Fu, Ngo Chor and Tai Chor. And if you observe these styles in action, this suggestion is not too implausible. Take for instance, Wing Chun one inchs power punch  this is the exact same attribute pursued by White Crane.



Chi Niang and her husband joined an aggressive underground group called Tien Ti Hui or Heaven and Earth Society to fight the Manchu. Those of you who are familiar with Hong  Kong produced TV Kung fu dramas must know of this society. Many of these are based on Tien Ti Hui and the many kung fu heroes who were member of this group.
Tien Ti Hui was headed by a Northerner by the name of Chen Zing Nam  supposedly an internal kung fu expert. According to some, Chen was from WuDang and others from O-Mei. This is hard to ascertain now. The one sure thing archived records point to is that Chen is from internal boxing style.



And it is after this encounter with Chen that Chi Niangs White Crane took on quite an overhaul.Internal boxing elements were integrated and concepts like 5 elements hand became the order of the day.



Shong or relaxed became a byword of training.



This revamped White Crane is what she taught in Fuzhou in the later part of her life.

In fact, if you visit most Fuzhou Cranes schools, you would find a Taoist Saint picture besides Chi Niangs on the altar table. This is to demonstrate their Taoist or Internal roots.



So to evaluate Fukien and Fuzhou Cranes techniques is literally to compare internal and external style boxing.



Among the 4 major Fuzhou Cranes, personally I find MingHe (which is the crane that I do) the most internal in requisites.



Stance is usually the San Jiao Ma or triangular stance. This is almost the same stance found in many Tai Chi. Jin is, as a rule, launched by the rear leg.



As a side note: I have always argued that Karate Ryu Ro Ku cannot be MingHe Xie Zhong Xian simply because the disparities between the 2 systems are just irreconcilably colossal.

A better way to view Fukien and Fuzhou Cranes side-by-side is to pick a common form, say San Zhan or San Chin, and scrutinize.



Jin is the result of combining hardness (bones) and softness (tendons and qi) accurately. It involves the loosening of muscles, sinking of qi, contracting of tendons, and the extension of bones--all at the same time, and at the moment when they can work together to produce powerful force. As such, it requires a lot of techniques and responsiveness be able to control so many things so fast, and timing has to be very precise. Jin is an essential element of most internal martial arts.

Note that most internal martial arts focus on the training of tendons, as opposed to muscles. Even though tendons might be considered just a special form of muscles by medical professionals, they're vastly different from muscles when it comes to internal martial arts trainings. Many high-level martial artists don't appear to be very muscular due to their focus on tendons' trainings.



HuaBaBu/Babulien is assigned the water element because of the Jin that one is supposed to train when doing this form. Shui Lan or Water Wave Jin is the goal. It is a little like silk cocoon Jin that you find in Chen Tai Chi except that there has more rollingto achieve the desired Jin. 

The exercise that we do after this form goes like this:-

You stretch you right hand to my face area and I ward it of with my right palm - sort of like Wing Chun Hu shao. Immediately I roll my right hand towards your face and you do the exactly the same back to me. Hands are in contact throughout this drill.

And really this is how we fight, touch and go with little pause in between. You see this concept in action in all my forms, pull both palms in (palms inward) and release Jin instantly palms out. Look at my HuaBaBu/Bubulian you will see this action repeated many times rolling Jin. The whole idea is to stay relaxed and using the pulling in to generate the thrusting out reaction.

And this is also how we push, Jin applied in the hind leg to generate the reactive ground Jin that we direct to our hands. This is very effective if you crouch a little and then straighten your body to achieve the upwards thrust lift. A little like in Tai Chi but maybe harder in expression.

Get into the tiger claw push hand position i.e. my right claw touching the outside of your right claw. Usually the exercise is to push horizontally from left to right and vise-versa. In my system, we drop the elbow, with the claw hands still in contact, and using the dropping Jin to create the a sudden upwards palm thrust to the partners face.

I normally drop my partner to the floor with this dropping elbow.

 Punch  both the twisting Eng Choon and the more common phoenix eye punch found in Fuzhou cranes. Even here there are variations. You got the usual straight out phoenix punch sort of like the Wing Chuns vertical punch except that you dip the knuckle at the end of execution. The idea is to hit the ribs or in-between the ribs when you are doing a middle gate punch. The other version is the whipping out delivery found mainly in my crane system. Here the sequence is dropping the elbow and the fist and then lashing out from this lowered position. The energy is mainly generated by twisting of the hips with the body staying relaxed. The descriptive poem is Body like a willow, hands like bullets. Shen Ru Yang Liu, Shou Ru Tan  not standard Hanyu  phonetic.

 Elbow  My system uses the elbow in many bridge smashing techniques. Naturally hard at the tip makes it a good breaking tool. The breaking is done is many ways. I am going to talk about one for illustration  a beginners technique. Against an incoming upper gate attack to your face, you apply a Hu palm deflection with one hand and smash the attackers hand with your other elbow. A good target is the inner side of the arm behind the thumb area  the earth point of the heart meridian. Or the outside behind the little finger  along the small intestine meridian. The Hu palm and elbow in must be timed together. Or if you meet a high sweep kick to your face area, like a Muay Thai kick, you could elbow the instep area of the foot instead of blocking.

 Palm  Comes in many forms. The back palm is a whipping and slapping out weapon.

This is oftentimes aimed at upper gate at the eyes. The idea it to attack east and hit the west Like in Fu-Hoc, you peck the eyes and kick the crotch in one go, we do many such combos.



Warm up  very specific warm up techniques mimicking crane movements like wings flapping etc. These techniques are largely to relax joints and tendons  very essential for the kind of Fa-Jin that we do. An observer once remarked that we look like we are shaking  very true. The dog shaking jin is our aim.



 Forms  Every body does HuaBaBu/Babulien regardless of grades. 5 elements hand training is essential. After which, different level students would break up into smaller groups to do their own forms.



 2 men drills  we have a very complex system of 2 men drills. Depending on levels, drills are added to enhance the mastering of forms. Sort of like bunkai of the forms. The drills are designed with the bunkai in mind.



 Fighting principles drills  this is something that is exclusive in my system. We have 12 different principles of fighting and every principle comes with its own individual drill. Going off-line to your opponents blind spot, both front and back, is the entry principles. First we do the stepping and then stepping and hitting at the same time.



We dont really do iron shirt training per se in Fuzhou Crane.

Chin-Na comes under one of our fighting principles and in White Crane we do a lot of pinching of soft points



We also do a lot of bridge breaking  all along Meridians Channels/Dim Mak points on the arms and legs. So our push-hand looks more like breaking hands. Some older folks call them thunder hands.



Again this is in accordance with another of our fighting principles  When hand meets hand, you got nowhere to go.



 Hard but not rigid, Soft but not weak.



 All movements must flow fluently.



Jin is the result of combining hardness (bones) and softness (tendons and qi) accurately. It involves the loosening of muscles, sinking of qi, contracting of tendons, and the extension of bones--all at the same time, and at the moment when they can work together to produce powerful force. As such, it requires a lot of techniques and responsiveness be able to control so many things so fast, and timing has to be very precise. Jin is an essential element of most internal martial arts. 

Note that most internal martial arts focus on the training of tendons, as opposed to muscles. Even though tendons might be considered just a special form of muscles by medical professionals, they're vastly different from muscles when it comes to internal martial arts trainings. Many high-level martial artists don't appear to be very muscular due to their focus on tendons' trainings.

Understanding Power (Tong Jing),
Following Power (Tzo Jing)
Neutralizing Power (Fa Jing),
Borrowing Power (Tzeh Jing),
Sticking Power (Tzan Lien Jing),
Listening Power (Ting Jing),
Understanding Power (Tong Jing),
Following Power (Tzo Jing),
Neutralizing Power (Fa Jing),
Borrowing Power (Tzeh Jing),
Drawing up Power (Ying Jing),
Uprooting Power (Ti Jing),
Sinking Power (Chen Jing),
Controling Power (Na Jing),
Open- up Power (Kai Jing),
Close up power (Ho Jing),
Deflecting Power (Boh Jing),
Rubbing Power (Chou Jing),
Twisting Power (Jzeh Jing),
Rolling Power (Jen Jing),
Spiral Power (Dzuen Jing),
Cutting Power (Tze Jing),
Cold Power (Nung Jing),
Interrupting Power (Tuan Jing),
Inch Power (Chuen Jing),
Fine Power (Fuen Jing),
Vibrating Bouncing Power (Dow Tiao Jing),
Vibrating Power (Dow So Jing),
Folding Power (Tzo the Jing),
Distance Power (Ling Kong Jing)

1)[FONT=&quot]       [/FONT]Tin Jin, Dong Jin. You have to use a small Jin to test the direction of a large Jin. You listen and understand the direction and amplitude of the opponent's Jin.


2) Zhan Nien Lein Suei. (Contact, stick, and follow)

You contact with your forearm and remain in contact. You shadow the opponent's movement.

3) Hwa and Fa Jin. (neutralization and release Jin at the same time.) Only Tai Ji has this due to Chan Si Jin.

In the Fuzhou cranes version, the poem of this technique talks about Using the knee to clear the path, so the leg can reach the target.

This is a good example of our "ground reaction" jin training in Fuzhou Crane. We 'push" our jin into the ground and "bounce" off using the reaction.

The whole purpose of "Shong" is to tap reaction jin from everywhere - from the ground, from contact with opponent - any part of him.

There are fixed step (Ding Bu) and moving step (Fo Bu) Push hand drills in Tai Ji Quan.

There are single hand (Dan Shou) and both hands (Shuan Shou) drills.

Fixed step single hand; (Ding Bu Dan Shou Twei Shou)

You move your hand in a vertical circle and a horizontal circle with wrists or forearms in contact.

You practice slowly, faster and then at random speed.

In the vertical circle, you sense forward, backward, upward, downward and combined Jin's.

In the horizontal circle, you sense the leftward, rightward, forward, downward and combined Jin's.

You try to feel and sense the opponent's Jin in movement, your own Jin and the interaction from sticking together.

The 3 White Crane kicks

Actually there are more but they are minor kicks found in a one-off manner in certain higher forms. We do 12 forms in total.

1. The most often seen kick is the signature straight up kick in a flicking fashion using the instep for contact. This kick is directed to the groin, the straightened elbow (bridge breaking), underside of opponents incoming kicks and also the face. The last require preparatory move of pulling or pushing opponents face to within range. Variations of this kick are projecting to the sides and in a curved manner to the centerline of the body. The basic form is also found in Hung Gars Single Leg Flying Crane. This is a very important kick in my White Crane. One of our fighting principles is this kick  named mindless kick in the poem. Imagine doing Wing Chun like Chi-Sau and doing this kick. Both from opponents front or moving off-line and training the kick up and between legs from his rear. The idea is to keep opponent very busy in the upper gate zone and doing this kick in a mindless non-telegraphic way. Also used in many 2-gates attack techniques like in Fu-Hoc. The crane-beak to the face and this kick to the groin. This type of expression is hidden and in Chinese terminology  a ghost kick.


2. White Crane Stepping On Snow. This is a very old kick  goes all the way back to the original Shaolin 5 Animals forms. I believe Fang Chi Niang, the founder of White Crane, learned this from her father, a Shaolin Lohan Boxer. Stepping or stomping is the essence here. In my style, this has since become a very faint movement. Using the leading hand to strike and accompanying it with a stomping action is how this kick is embedded in many of our forms. If you have a copy of the old 5 Animals manual, youll find this depicted as White Crane Stepping on snow. Only difference is that the Shaolins version is done with a very high knee lift  not so appropriate for a woman.

3. The third kick is a sliding to the side side-kick without sole losing contact with ground surface. Nothing new here  you find this in numerous Northern and Southern Styles kung fu. Very outstanding in Northern Mantis for instance. Even some Hsing I do this and they call it Swallow skimming Water. In the White Crane that I do, this is repeated many times in my Flying Crane or Long Limb crane component.

The underlining quality of all 3 above is that they are done hidden from plain sight and therefore classified as ghost kicks.

Chang spelled out the principles of White Crane Boxing. It requires the uniting of sinew, spirit, chi, power and strength. The art is based on the circle: everything should accord with roundness.

The biceps (tiger) should rise,

The forearms (dragon) was always rounded,

The rising thighs (leopard) are combines with the claw hand, which has the power
 in to points,

The first two fingers( snake hand) provide .............

White Crane is essentially a soft boxing, but it incorporates the hard as well. In this connection, Chang told me that it was not necessary to wiggle the fingers, as many did, but that the spring power derived from the soft and pliable postures was a prerequisite for success.

The posture requires five points on a line:

Buttocks to heel of rear foot,

Nose and knee

Elbow and toe in front foot

Males knot their sashes on the left and females on the right. The Sifu wear the knot in the centre.

In Fuzhou Ancestral Crane, the males are supposed to salute by placing the left leg in front.
 
However, the original is done with the right in front because the creator was female.


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## mantis (May 12, 2006)

i have not had the chance to finish the entire thing, but read the first part. I wanted to be the first to thank you.

This is exactly the kind of threads i like to read.  
Thanks


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## shifu (May 13, 2006)

Mantis

Thank you for your all too kind words.


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## Gaoguy (May 14, 2006)

Good stuff, Ron.


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## shifu (May 14, 2006)

Gaoguy,

Thank you.


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## 7starmantis (May 15, 2006)

Great post, very informative. These are the kinds of posts I like to see. 
Welcome to MartialTalk, I look forward to reading more of your posts.

7sm


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## shifu (May 15, 2006)

7starmantis,

Thank you for your comments and welcome.


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## 7starmantis (May 22, 2006)

Sounds alot like mantis as far as fighting, only you guys probably stick more with the crane's movements than we do with the mantis. I especially like this part:


			
				shifu said:
			
		

> In Fuzhou crane, we are taught that techniques are just but a manifestation of our fighting principles. Forms are the ways and not the ends. Every drill / forms and 2 man sets are designed to teach the body to behave in a certain manner during a fight. Of course the whole idea is to mimic a crane.


Sounds exactly like my training in 7 star mantis. Very good stuff!

7sm


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## shifu (May 22, 2006)

I guess that at a certian level, all arts are alike. I know little of Mantis but I am guessing it is a very practical and vibrant art!


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## 7starmantis (May 25, 2006)

I may have missed it in the article, so I appologize if I did. Do you guys do much fighting or sparring and if so, how do you go about it?

7sm


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## shifu (May 25, 2006)

7starmantis,

Hi,

To answer, yes we do spariing but is is more related to life-protection than "point sparring". First we start with two-person drills using the actual techniques in as close to actual combat as we can get. We then move on to Partner-Wall-Sparring which involves one standing with their back against a wall and having someone throwing techniques at them starting with hand techniques, then leg techniques and then both hand and leg techniques.

Moving on we also spar using the techniques of the forms.

I hope this answers your questions in some small way.


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## 7starmantis (May 25, 2006)

Yes it does, actually sounds a bit like the way we do it.

7sm


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## shifu (May 26, 2006)

Great. Its interesting to see different arts following a similar path!


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## mantis (May 26, 2006)

7starmantis said:
			
		

> Yes it does, actually sounds a bit like the way we do it.
> 
> 7sm


IMHO Kung fu is the same at a high level.  The flavor differs slightly though 
I have been comparing mantis to eagle claw coming from the cheung shum lineage (starting in chin woo also) they have EVERY technique that we have except eagle claw instead of mantis hook.  It is very interesting how similar they are. I imagine crane would be pretty similar as well.  
If you look at Sigung Lee's books you will see a lot of techniques that are common in more than one KF style but with different flavors.  example is: the double up intercepting hands of mantis.


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## shifu (May 31, 2006)

Thanks for your input and discussions.


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## Jenner (Jun 20, 2006)

Hi Shifu,
           Good post.
Who is your Sifu?

Brian


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## shifu (Jun 20, 2006)

My Technical Master/Advisor/Sifu is Great Master Ruan Dong of Fuzhou, Fujian, China.


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## Jenner (Jun 21, 2006)

Hi Shifu,
I have heard of master Ruan Dong when I was researching some karate. That is fantastic.
How long have you trained with him?

Brian


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## shifu (Jun 21, 2006)

Only recently have we hooked up with Great Master Ruan Dong (May 2005) but the experience has been worth it!!!


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## Jenner (Jun 22, 2006)

Hi
I read your website and i have a question.
Have you ever met Ruan Dong?
What is a technical advisor?
Can you give me a contact number or email address for Ruan Dong?

Brian


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## shifu (Jun 22, 2006)

As stated clearly, I was viewed in May 2005. A Technical Advisor is just that, someone who advises on technical issues such as techniques and forms etc.

I could give you an address/phone number but for what purpose do you want it. Are you truly interested in his teachings? I am sorry but I don't see the connection.

Please tell me something more about yourself. Where are you located? What is your art? What do you know of White Crane? Why are you interested in Great Master Ruan Dong and or White Crane?


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## Jenner (Jun 22, 2006)

Hi,
Hooking up and He viewed me does not state clearly who your teacher is.
If Ruan Dong is your Sifu then say so, dont call him a technical advisor if he is your Sifu that would be disrespectful to him wouldnt it

Maybe it is just me, but, what is a VIEWING?

As for myself I am relatively new to martial arts. I have studied karate for about 5 years and enjoy every minute of it. 
Is it so hard to understand why a karate guy would be interested in Crane style?

Brian


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## shifu (Jun 23, 2006)

He is my Sifu. He saw me and made several rather kind statements, that is he "viewed" my White Crane.

I'll not be drawn into any politics. If you want to discuss White Crane. Moving on ........


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## Jenner (Jun 24, 2006)

Hi,
You mean you learn from video? 
Wow, are you saying Ruan Dong teaches via video correspondence?

And I am not being political, you posted your overview and I asked about it.

Brian


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## Jade Tigress (Jun 24, 2006)

====================
Mod. Note. 
Please, keep the conversation on topic..

-Pamela Piszczek
-MT Moderator-
====================


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## shifu (Jun 24, 2006)

Brian, with respect, the answer is no. 

if I may, where are you located?

You don't know the questionable Jamie Scuffell do you? 

As per the Moderators wishes please keep the discussions on subject.

You can e-mail me privately if you wish:

tsuruken@austarnet.com.au


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## Jenner (Jun 25, 2006)

Hi,
Im not getting political.
Im just looking for a straight answer. 
I asked you who your sifu was and you said that Ruan Dong was your technical advisor. Now thats not a real common term you see in martial arts so I asked you what it meant.
You told me Ruan Dong viewed you, and you hooked up in May 2005.
You have not studied, not trained, but have been viewed by your sifu who advises you technically. 
Have I got that right?
So where did your learn your white crane kung fu?
I am located in NZ.
Never heard of this Jamie Guy.
And as per the Moderators wishes please keep the discussions on subject.
With respect,

Brian


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## shifu (Jun 25, 2006)

Brian,

You seem more interested in me than in White Crane or Great Master Ruan Dong ....   out of your 7 posts on this board, 6 are about me .... I'm flattered to have such attention. If you want more info on me please go here:

http://home.austarnet.com.au/tsuruken/p16.htm

or here:

http://home.austarnet.com.au/tsuruken/p1.htm

or here:

http://home.austarnet.com.au/tsuruken/p47.htm

Or contact me here:

tsuruken@austartnet.com.au

Your sure that you don't know Jamie Scuffell?... you sound like one of his students.

Other than that mate, what about White Crane interests you? ... as this is the subject of the thread.

Where in NZ are you? Do you ever get across to Oz? 

Jade Tigress,

Thanks for your post. I will attempt to keep this conversation on topic


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## MJS (Jun 26, 2006)

Mod. Note. 
Please, keep the conversation on topic. The discussion is on White Crane, *not* any of the other issues currently being discussed. If anyone would like to discuss those issues, please take it off the board and use the email or PM feature.

-Mike Slosek
-MT Supermod


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