Changquan

[LegLockGuy]

Does anyone know info about this style? I only know that it has a wide variety of kicks, and I believe some acrobatics. CAn anyone tell me more about this Kung Fu style?

 

[Xue Sheng]

Changquan - Long Fist
http://www.answers.com/topic/changquan

I am short on time, more later

 

[Xue Sheng]

Chang Chuan is Long Fist. I use to do Shaolin Long Fist (the Wushu version) but it is not exactly the same at least as far as I understand.

You can have 2 different types of Chang Chuan today a real martial arts version and the Wushu version.

Chang Chuan originated around the time of the Sung Dynasty (960 to 976 AD) so it is old it allegedly originated outside of Shaolin later you have a Shaolin Chang Chuan form.

Many aspects of Chang Chuan have been adopted by other styles, which would explain why I see strikes and punches in styles like Northern Mantis and White crane that are exactly the same as Chang Chuan.

There are a lot of forms in Chang Chuan but in general no set curriculum as to what form you learn first. There are also an awful lot of weapons forms in Chang Chuan as well. In the real martial arts version there are also high kicks and jump kicks but they are more for training than fighting. In fighting Chang Chuan tends only use low kicks that are below the waist.

However due to the way in which Chang Chuan was trained and the spirit of its practitioners it was made into a Wushu sport Kung fu in the late 50s.

If you find a true Chang Chuan CMA school it is a good fighting style that generally involves hard training.

Generally you find the Wushu version which is more acrobatic but still hard workout.

I only trained Shaolin Chang Chuan for a short period of time, one empty handed form and part of one straight sword form. But I am not a fan of cartwheels done with 2 hands, 1 hand or no hands which are all part of the Wushu forms. And I am certainly not a fan of a 1 handed cartwheel while holding a sword so that is when I stopped.

I would very much like to find a true Chang Chuan school but I am beginning to believe I am just getting to old to start it now.

 

[Taijiman]

The first contemporary chang quan wushu form came out around the early 1960's ('61 or '62 I think). At first is was basicaly a nice long form and basic training curriculum based on 5 of the major chang quan styles: Cha Quan (Cha style boxing, sometimes refered to as musslim long fist), Hua Quan (China boxing), Hua Quan (flower boxing), Pao Quan (Cannon boxing), and Hong Quan (Red boxing, an old Shaolin style). Cha Quan from Wang Ziping was used for the overall frame of the style, and probably the biggest influence. At first it was used as a standardized qualifier form for competition. Everyone would do this chang quan form first, and then use their personal traditional styles in the finals. A more complete curriculum did develop eventualy and there's beginer, intermediate, and advanced forms now too. When the cultural revolution hit though, martial arts were banned for the vast majority of the people (military and martial artists used for propoganda purposes being the exceptions). There was little to no traditional or contemporary development in the mainland between '66 and the '76. When the ban was lifted, a lot were afraid to teach application in public, and a lot of athletes were trained without the martial (or traditional) component of wushu. Some did start teaching that stuff again eventualy, but there's still some out there that hide it from the public. Now days though, forms and fighting are pretty well devided in contemporary competitive forms (at least in chang quan, nan quan, and taiji quan). There's a much larger emphasis on "nandu" scoring now: basicaly a scoring system that rewards huge jumps and acrobatic techniques. Kind of like a gymnastic floor routine.

 

[Taijiman]

Some video examples:

This is the third "learning" form from today's official curriculum:

This is "wu bu quan" the first basic form most learn:

This is a current day competition form:

Yuen Wen Qing (a chang quan champion and cha quan specialist) performing the standard competition form ('89-'99) which was based on his individual competition form (which itself was based on an old cha quan form ):

Just thought those could give you a taste of some of the flavors of modern chang quan out there.

 

[Taijiman]

And here's some videos of traditional chang quan styles

Cha Quan (young guy):

Cha Quan (old guy):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOaIi4HB2SM&mode=related&search=

Hong Quan (Xiao Hong Quan):

Mizong Quan (lost track boxing):

Another branch of mizong quan:

Northern Shaolin Tan Tui:

 

[count]

Here is a good example of traditional long fist:

VIDEO OF GRAND MASTER HAN JING TING (performing Tan Tui)

Even though it's a basic form taught mostly for leg strength and basic kick and punch, It has elements of locking and throwing as well.

Chang Chuan is long power. Not power from a long range, but long power from a short range. Any acrobatics come from contemporary wushu versions.

 

[Steel Tiger]

Nice video. I can definitely see elements in that form that have migrated to other styles. One can really see why it often called the "father of gongfu".