Several Things on Shaolin Gongfu...

[emre]

I looked it up, that ranking system is used for contemporary Wushu. Not a ringing endorsement, really.

Anyone can learn Wushu Bagua and Xingyi forms and teach them, lots of former Wushu competitors are teaching nowadays.

I have a fairly complete chart of Bagua lineages, and this guy isn't on it, none of the Wushu gold medalists are.

[xing_jian108]

I didn't say he did Ba Gua. But you are right. I noticed he did some Wu Shu forms at his school which made me wonder. But anyway, I can't doubt his fighting ability. And looking at his hands you can tell he trained. I don't know. But he's not Chinese anyway. I don't know his lineage. All I know is what I saw and it can't be denied.

A mi tuo Fo
-Xing Jian

[zachsan]

"wushu" is just chinese for martial art. i wouldn't read too much into it.

[mortal]

I highly doubt this guy took any kind of test in front of any government officials. lolo

They award those rankings for political reasons. Do you really think he took some test in front of the chinese elders or something. lol

Those rankings don't mean you are a great fighter. Or even a good fighter it just mean you have mastered the wushu comp forms.

When they say wushu that is exactly what it is. The chinese government does not sanction kungfu for fighting. That ranking is for wushu people.

[zachsan]

well that discussion belongs to a different thread. but what i mean is, go by what you see before you go by what it's called. if you would describe the techniques you saw as flowery or ineffective, well, go by that.

[xing_jian108]

His movements weren't flowery and weren't ineffective I would say. I noticed some of his forms were traditional Shao Lin forms, but others were from modern Wu Shu. But they weren't done like modern Wu Shu guys. They seemed like traditionalized. They had more stances and more technique than running around with flowery arms. Though they were cleary the same form as the modern Wu Shu form. And they weren't the common competition forms. They were beginner forms at Wu Shu schools in China. So I don't know if he got it from them and traditionalized the forms. Or it was originally a traditional form that was taken and Wu Shufied into a beginner form for the Wu Shu guys.

Also his site said he is a 9th duan in Korea and China. So it seems he was tested in Korea as well. And that's a whole nother place with a whole nother government. I don't know. But I don't care about that. Like Zach said, go by what you see. And I saw a very skilled grandmaster, no doubt. The rank means nothing. I don't care how he got it. But he is indeed skilled.

A mi tuo Fo
-Xing Jian

[agreenknight]

Rune is a norse martial art involving the spear, axe, and stave, or staff. It has breathing techniques.

Modern fencing, I think is alot like wushu, compared to what it used to be. I saw a picture of an old text where the sword man was pushing the guys leg out. But I study, what I can where I'm at. Modern, fencing uses electronic swords, which I think is an improvement. I guy, who used to train at the school I go to, studyied it and he was really good with his spear hands.

Personally, I don't like belts itself but I like the tests. Let me explain. True there may be people who are better than a higher belt, but is fighting ability the only mark of a martial artist? Perhaps, it's better to be able to talk out of a situation then use your fists. What I like about the tests, is usually, to get to a certain rank they had to go through so many. Another good thing about belts, is it motivates you to learn more. Like a teacher might hold you back to you get better at something.

The downside of rank, is that sometimes people do get a big head. Those that are one belt higher than you or more may not want to listen to you because they are a higher belt. But overall, I like it. But as I have heard, a the journey really begins at blackbelt. Because that's when you have all the tools.

[agreenknight]

Oh, yeah, now I remember, I think I heard Taikwondo, was ment to be for knocking someone off a horse. Perhaps you could knock someone off a motorcycle. Hmm, interesting.

I once saw a book, on western fighting techniques. It was interesting. One thing though is not alot of legs, although like boxers do believe in leg power. I do some boxing stuff, I hit the barbell bag, then do a backfist or a hammer. For example, take muhammad ali, he was really good at changing guards. I also do some stuff with the double ended bags, and a weighted bag.

[Uwe]

Duan

Since quite a few here have discussed the Duan ratings, the following might be interesting for you: The whole duan issue started in around 2000. Like some of you stated, some people went for it, some people did not.

However, here is a little gem for you all (Doc, you will love this one). Its the 2003 one.


Training Course of the Chinese Wushu Duan System for Overseas Practitioners
(General Regulations)

The Chinese Wushu Duan System is a system which evaluates overall the wushu practitioners¡¯ technical levels stipulated and implemented by the Chinese Wushu Association. To further popularize and promote Wushu worldwide and help improve wushu¡¯s theoretical and practical levels, the Chinese Wushu Association will hold the ¡°Training Course of Chinese Wushu Duan System for Overseas Practitioners¡± irregularly.

I. The Chinese Wushu Duan System
1. Preliminary Qualification of Duan
2. Elementary Duan: 1st Duan, 2nd Duan and 3rd Duan
3. Intermediate Duan: 4th Duan, 5th Duan, 6th Duan
4. Advanced Duan: 7th Duan, 8th Duan and 9th Duan

II. Requirements for the Applicants:
Those overseas Chinese and overseas practitioners who love Chinese wushu and have practiced wushu for over two years can apply for this training course.

III. Contents of the Course:
1. Technical contents of elementary duan: 1st ¨C 3rd Duan: Taijiquan, Changquan, Nanquan and Sanda.
2. Technical contents of intermediate duan: 4th ¨C 6th Duan: Taijiquan, Changquan and Nanquan.
3. Wushu moral accomplishments and basic wushu theory.

IV. Examination Method:
1. Evaluating wushu ethics: evaluate the practitioners¡¯ performance in wushu ethics during the training course.
2. Examination content:
¢Ù Theoretical Examination:
a. Elementary Duan: Basic concept of wushu ethics and performance of wushu protocol.
b. Intermediate Duan: Basic concept of wushu ethics, performance of wushu protocol and basic wushu theory.
c. Advanced Duan: Basic concept of wushu ethics, performance of wushu protocol and basic wushu theory; 10 minutes speech on an academic subject of wushu and 5 minutes reply in argument.
d. If any applicants have independently written or led in writing of academic theses on wushu and whose theses have been selected into the International and China National wushu Research Seminar organized by the Wushu Branch of the China Sports Science Society, they will be eligible for theoretic examination for recent two years (They will be exempted from the theoretic examination).
¢Ú Technical Examination:
a. Elementary and Intermediate Duan: The content of examination is determined according to the level of the applicant. For example, in case the applicant applies for the 3rd Duan, the examination will cover the bare hand and weapon routines required for the 3rd Duan (The applicant can perform an optional long routine of his own choice).
b. Advanced Duan: One routine chosen from the Duan content and perform an optional long routine of his own choice.
3. Identification of qualification: The panel of this course will appraise the qualifications of the applicant who applies for a Duan, including the applicant¡¯s experiences of practicing wushu, wushu accomplishments and wushu theoretical achievement.
4. Conferment of Duan: The applicants who pass the appraisal of wushu moral, examinations in skills and theories, and the qualification identifications above, will be conferred a Duan concerned.

¢ô. Requirements for Applying Duan:
In accordance to the stipulations of the Chinese Wushu Duan System, the overseas applicants shall meet the following requirements:
1. Those who observe Chinese wushu ethics and have systematically practiced wushu for at least two years can apply for the Preliminary Qualification Duan.
2. Those who observe Chinese wushu ethics and have systematically practiced wushu for at least three years can apply for 1st ¨C 3rd Duan.
3. Those wushu experts who pay attention to Chinese wushu ethics and have overall mastered one style of Quanshu; those teachers and coaches who have been engaged in teaching wushu overseas for at least 5 years and have originally obtained elementary title of professional post of wushu in China, e.g. Grade one Warrior Athlete and above and pass the examination can apply for 4th ¨C 6th Duan.
4. Those successors who lay stress on Chinese wushu ethics and have systematically mastered one style of Quanshu; those teachers and coaches who have been engaged in teaching wushu overseas for at least 10 years and have originally obtained advanced title of professional post of wushu in China, e.g. Warrior Hero Athlete or famous wushu athletes (champion of individual event at the China national wushu competitions); those who achieve some theoretical accomplishments and make great contribution for the wushu development in China and pass the examination can apply for 7th ¨C 9th Duan.

¢õ. Expenses:
1. Application fee: US$50.00 per person, paid with other fees upon arrival.
2. Board, lodging and training fees: US$ 70.00 per person per day (including board, lodging, training, local sightseeing, and training venue). In case anyone demands a single room, additional US$20.00 will be charged).
3. Charges for conferment of ranking: Those who obtain the ranking after passing the examinations and appraisals shall be charged for the evaluation concerned (including evaluation, certificate, subsidiary certificate and badges). The standards are as the following:
i. Preliminary Qualification: US$ 20.00
ii. 1st Duan: US$ 50.00
iii. 2nd Duan: US$ 80.00
iv. 3rd Duan: US$ 110.00
v. 4th Duan: US$ 140.00
vi. 5th Duan: US$ 170.00
vii. 6th Duan: US$ 200.00
viii. 7th Duan: US$ 240.00
ix. 8th Duan: US$ 280.00
x. 9th Duan: US$ 320.00

¢ö. Application Procedure:
Please fill in the application return receipt form, application form for Duan and mail them back to the following address:
Scientific Research Department, Chinese Wushu Association, 1, Anding Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101,The People¡¯s Republic of China.
Contact: Kang Gewu, Li Xiaojie
Tel: 010-64947202
Fax: 010-64927457
Web: www.wushu.com.cn/keyan
Email: wushuxue@sina.com

Note:
1. For detailed criteria please refer to ¡°The Chinese Wushu Duan System¡±.
2. The Training Course for Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan regions will be notified at a later date.
3. Japanese wushu practitioners may participate in the Course, but they are not permitted to participate in the examination.
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Uwe

[agreenknight]

I was wondering, if it would be possible to reverse engineer wushu forms. For example, Doc, noticed that there are more steps in the traditional forms, and less palm heels.

[mortal]

Just study a traditional style.

[xing_jian108]

It said Japanese Wu Shu. And Chinese Wu Shu. Must just mean martial arts. Traditional.

But did I read correctly? It said you should have practiced martial arts for at least 2 years to apply? That means you can go for a Duan after only two years?

[agreenknight]

I came across this last night, looks interesting.

http://www.the-exiles.org/index.htm

[dogchow108]

hold on...did it mean that a practitioner of wushu that is japanese or a practitioner of japanese martial arts is not allowed to participate in the examinations?

when will the chinese stop referring to taiwan as a province...

[doc]

Time to start offering duan's in "Prayer Services" from the University of Las Vegas Holy Sacraments and Offerings.

Steve, start making the certificates. We're gonna make some money, lol