A real school should be a forum where individuals learn to give up what is most wanted for what is most needed.  For us, what is most needed is  an unbroken line of attention matched by an unbroken line of force. In traditional methods to stop conflict is not as important as how a conflict is dealt with; to reconcile opposition and create new continuing lines of innovation is the ideal. The teachers responsibility is to pull the best effort from the students and keep them safe at the same time. This requires enough skill from the teacher to give the students freedom to make mistakes and  take chances without being beaten down or injured. A good teacher with proper skill should be able to say to their students, “Do your best! I promise not to hurt you and if I get hurt in the process I will not blame you.”

Kung Fu has a  pragmatic methodology that is experiential by nature. Without experiential verification there can be only words, postures and pretty movements. A good teacher should be open about exchanging with the students not only through showing but through physical contact. This can be as simple as checking the rooted mobility of a student or moving on to various levels of free practice. The free empty hands sparring and/or weapons practice may be competitive but self examination is the true intent. Traditional schools should avoid excessive amounts of heavy protective equipment because they allow people to be clumsy, aggressive and stupid. We should develop fluidity and make adjustments in the degree of force we use. That’s what real skill is. It is one thing to keep yourself safe at the cost of another person. A skillful practitioner should be able to keep himself and the other safe. The degree of the skill the practitioners possess dictates the level of intensity of the interaction between them. The more skill the practitioners have the less protective equipment they should need.

The skill of the practitioner is in direct relation to  the responsibility given in a traditional school. The structure is similar to an extended family. In order for the family to flourish there must be mutual assistance and a shared common goal. The first and most important goal of practice should be an impartial self examination leading to a deeper understanding. To do this we need to remove all the internal dialogue that infests itself into every waking moment. Intense physical practice along with calm breath can be very efficient for quieting the mind. The form and function of a traditional school is an intense physical method requiring a response to spontaneous changes along an unbroken line of direction, force and attention. This is right on the edge  where we are most awake and alive. Once a person has tasted the essence of this profound yet fleeting experience there is no turning back. We want to go deeper and for this to happen we must invest in the unknown. In doing so we know that failure is just around the corner. This is what is meant by investing in failure, holding on to the essence of the unbroken line until it breaks.  Our success is in the duration of time we maintain the unbroken line. This is not fighting in the ordinary sense because a real fight should last only a short time and it is not particularly enjoyable. What we want to do is maintain that razors edge as long as possible. To live right on the edge of happiness is a worthy goal.

The term gou as a technique in Seven Star and Plum Flower Praying Mantis is generally connected with the signature hand position practitioners refer to this as the Praying Mantis hand. It is also called the Intercepting hand or tiao shou. The hand extends out and the fingers drape downwards in a kind of hooking position as in the following illustrationss.

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This is not a grabbing maneuver. The intent is not to hang on the opponent to keep them from moving away but to break an opponents timing and alter their avenue of escape. When the opponent reaches out with and attack of some sort the response is to extend, intercept and hook along the line of force that has already been given.

One of the misconceptions regarding the hooking method is that in the praying mantis system is the idea that tiao shou or the signature praying mantis hand is required for it to work. In the beginning of practicing this method it may be true that this is only way to do guo. The main reason is because in the beginning we can only understand this as principle of technique rather than a principle of force. In the pure essence of all practices if we have the ability to intercept, adhere and follow a force then a physical latching maneuver is more of crutch than a necessity. In other words the use of the tiao shou technique when performing guo is useful but not required. This hooking energy can be done quite well without the use of the hand at all. The less encumbered we are by the physical mechanics of a method the more easily we can respond with immediacy to a force we encounter. The following illustration give one example of just a condition.

When examining any technique or methodology of practice we must always keep in mine that in the end it comes down to how we respond to and generate forces.

The Four linking necessities

In traditional Chinese martial arts there are categories for each aspect in Kung-Fu training. One of the methods used for this training can be called the ‘four linking necessities’. They are as follows: Lien Li- Practice principles, Lien Zi- Practice structure, Lien Ji- Practice opportunity and Lien Chi- Practice chi.

The ‘four linking necessities’ can assist the practitioner in conceptualizing important aspects of their training. What is interesting about them is that even though they are used in martial practice their application can be applied to any real discipline.

(1) Lien Li -As practitioners we need a clear understanding and practical knowledge of the principles of our practice. Ask yourselves why we are doing a particular action and what purpose the action leads to. We must continually practice in accordance with the principles we are given taking into consideration that our understanding of them evolves as we refine ourselves and our abilities

(2) Lien Zi- These principles must be rooted and linked to a solid foundation. This foundation constitutes the practitioners structure. Our ability to understand the principles of our practice has a direct relationship with our ability to follow them. Our ability to follow them is directly related to a clear structure. If we fail to establish the proper foundation, no principle can ever take root.

(3) Lien Ji- When the principles are linked to a good foundation the practitioners have the skill. What is needed through experience is the ability to link the skills with the opportunities created when opposing forces are encountered. The fluidity of mind and body come together so that we interact spontaneously to our environment.

(4) Lien Chi- The practitioners develop fluidity in the ability to seize opportunities by having a calm and steady ‘chi’ (our cultivated life energy). The way we control ‘chi’ directly relates to how we generate forces in our lives. This also assists in clarity of our ability to respond to the environment.

In truth, the ‘four linking necessities’ assist in establishing clarity in our approach to work in any field of endeavor. What we may find interesting is that as traditional practitioners of Chinese martial arts the more we can apply these methods to our daily life the deeper our understanding of the art becomes. This is what the old masters meant when they said “ Practice all the time. Make your art your life and your life your art.” Consistency of practice over long period of time creates clarity of purpose imbued within a deep abiding respect for the humane struggle.

For those persons who are not martial artists, apply the ‘four necessities’ to what you choose as your work-art. This can be cooking, dancing, business, writing. The list can be endless. The important thing is to practice. A tool is only useful when it is used. So here is a tool. Use it!

Scott Ripke is chief instructor of the Green Forest Temple

5901 Freedom Blvd. Aptos, Ca (831) 688-6934

www.Greenforesttemple.org

Gun, Zuan, Zheng, Gou- Rolling, Drilling, Striving, Encircling

This terminology is borrowed from the Ba Qua system as an assist in explaining the idea of silk reeling energy. All methods of force generation come from the spiralling structure of the silk reeling method. These words are used as a reference for variations of Jin (force), which flow sequentially from the inside to the outside door of the body. The illustrations below will hopefully help as a visual representation for the right arm and hand movement.

Gun (rolling) implies the circling motion of the arms and shoulders.

Zuan (drilling) is a turning and forward motion constituting a drilling movement with the arms.

Zheng (striving) refers to extending the arm to its’ farthest extreme.

Gou (encircling) implies an embracing movement across the front of the chest. These are the four basic arm movements, which make up ‘nei chan si jing’ ( inside silk reeling energy) structure.

The four energies (Gun, Zuan, Zheng, Gou,) are not simply a sequence of arm movements, but rather an extension of what the body has created. In the ideal sense this group of energies can and do exist without the arms moving at all.

In order to have a better understanding of this it helps to introduce another related principle that also is borrowed from Ba Qua system.

Rise to Drill, Fall to Overturn- PiZuan DiFan

To rise refers to the unbroken arcing line of force. The force is derived from the energy of the earth and is released through the waist and midsection (dan tain). The chest and back should be engaged with the spine in proper alignment (upright), in order to generate force properly. This rising principle is related to ‘striving’.

To drill refers to a relentless penetrating energy. This force is like a bird of prey, which folds its’ wing back to dive like bullet into the forest after its’ quarry.

To fall is smooth flowing force, which permeates the postures the way water finds the pathways to all things. This energy has a settling, enveloping quality. This principle is connected to encircling.

To overturn refers to the circulating force that is constantly in action in and around us. This includes the front, back, left, right, upward, downward, inside and outside. The force turns continuously like a wheel in all directions. This creates a condition, in which nothing is penetrable. This principle is related to ‘rolling’.

Although principle has a relationship to overturning, drilling, striving and encircling, it has a far more encompassing relationship to all of the body’s movement. This means it applies to the arm movements whether they move inside out or outside in as in the illustration below.

This principle applies to the arms, legs, hips, pelvic area, spine, waist and back and all the major joints. Whenever we refer to using the body as a unified structure to generate force the spirally forces of silk reeling energy must be deeply understood.

HE (CLOSE)- This means to close a particular thing. We can close a door for example. In martial arts we are closing a particular space in the body. The areas of the body, which this involves, are the back (upper and lower), midsection, chest, hips, spine and joints of the skeletal structure. There are many kinds of energy, which can require a closing principle.

ZHANG (GROW, EXPAND)-

This is a soft and extended energy. It is considered completely Yang. There are many kinds of Jing involved when connecting with an opponent for which Zhang plays the role of big brother. When you do Growing Jing, your hands relentlessly and insidiously keep approaching the opponent. When you encounter resistance instead of forcing your way in you evade and coil around obstacles, neutralizing any forward motion form the opponent.

CHEN (SINK)-

This refers to rooted heaviness, which is consolidated in the seat of the Qua (hips). The whole body can develop a soft yet extremely dynamic weight. A practitioner with good sinking energy is very hard to uproot. This is not a stagnant heaviness. The idea is to be able to shift fluidly where needed while maintaining a lightness at the top of the head and uprightness in the upper torso. When a skilled practitioner touches an opponent the feeling of a heavy pressure should unmistakable. In addition to having ones’ own heaviness the practitioner can transmit it to another. This energy in combination with others can create a formidable tool not only in martial arts, but also as a first step towards a rooted mobility.
One does not need to do traditional Kung Fu to develop these skills and there are great advantages to having a dynamic form of mobility that is organic and in harmony with our physical environment. The issues of strength, alignment and balance can be enhanced and deepened as we become older. This, in turn, enriches our lives so we can experience the profound beauty of conscious movement in modern day society.

1. The practitioner draws the energy up from the root of the pelvic, through the back, up the spine and drills forward along the centerline, intercepting and dissolving the oncoming force (Zuan).

2. The practitioner continues by pressing forward and slightly downward (An), distending the back equally in relation to the forward momentum.

3. The opposing arm then covers over the top and wards off, catching the root of the opponent (Zhang). After the opponent’s root is caught, the arm continues to circle outward while matching this with a downward sinking force (Chen) in one fluid movement, dispersing and disrupting the opponent’s force.

ZUAN-(DRILL) AN- (PRESS) ZHANG-(CHEN) GROW-(SINK)

When we practice punching there are particular principles to take into consideration. In addition to what has already been presented previously there are two terms which are required for mobility in relation to the qua. One of these terms relates to sinking the hip and pelvis. When referring to this the term ‘zou qua’(seat the hip) is used. We choose to drop the entire qua or pelvic region as a single unit or in the case of punching dropping one side, left or right, in order to assist in generating force to the other side. We also use zou qua to assist in creating a rebounding force on the same side that has been dropped. In order for one side the properly drop the opposite side must empty the weight. To empty one side we use the term ‘yi xu’ one (side) empty. Conceptually this is like a ball bouncing from one side of the qua to the other, from the left hip to the right hip. Whether or not we drop the qau as single unit or drop one side while we empty the other we must maintain our central equilibrium.

Going to a deeper level

There is an advanced level of practice to generate force for punching. This is not recommended as a beginning method. The principles of ‘yi xu’ (one side empty) and ‘zou qau’ ( sit hip) in relationship to ones central equilibrium must be clearly understood and verifiable before moving on. This is introduced as a method to move towards a deeper understanding of conceptually raising our level of practice. The following is a description of how circular energy applies to punching.
Chan si jin and punching
Your energy rolls along the arm circling horizontally and energetically from the upper area of the qua and generating the force which spreads downwards and outwards through the knees and feet and exponentially towards to the fists. It starts generating as a small circle from the qua (hips and pelvic) and moves outwards to a larger circle at the base towards the knee region to execute the force. This is essentially an energy generating form of practice. The first circle begins at the qua and then will generates deeper and wider as we execute additional techniques. Always pay attention to the elbow. Without the elbow you cannot properly interact with an opponent without causing a leak in your structure. Always drop the elbow.understanding that it is related and connected to the qua. This falls under the same principle as san jie, or three parts. The elbow, shoulder and qua, are three connected parts. By generating a horizontal circle from the qua, shoulder and elbow will respond accordingly. As the technique is executed further outward towards extremities then the circle will expand outwards exponentially lower in addition to higher. As the fist moves out further from the center of the circle that is generated from the qua, the body responds by sinking deeper.

For this reason all previous aspects of structure have to be understood. You need a strong connection to your central equilibrium. You have to understand ‘chen and zheng’ (sinking and growing). This is necessary so that went we touch the opponent we respond properly in relation to the force that they give us. When someone touches us, we must feel that the energy comes to us in a spiraling manor. All energy is based on spiraling movements or (chan si jing).
Bong (warding off) energy is our intercepting energy; the first energy we use when we touch an opponent. From there we grow outwards. That means we impose our energy out towards the opponent as we sink our body downwards using the same principal of circling, smaller at the qua and then deeper and wider as it spreads out towards the knee and lower extremities. The energy circles also in the extremities of the arms and hands. Ideally the minute we touch an opponent a multiple series of circular forms of energy are involved. With one touch simultaneously multiple energies are generated. This is the six harmony way. Energy should never be terminated or broken in six harmony practice. So the rule is the moment one makes contact there is an unbroken line that moves in a series of spiraling forces. This is the nine-linked chain, which refers to various fundamental connections of the joints of the human body. When one link is affected the entire chain is affected as an unbroken line of force. This sometimes is not entirely understood when talking about the idea circular forces. When grand master Zhang XiangSan would touch an opponent it would be a straight line, which is to say that the circles were so refined and invisible that the minute he touched you the attack was direct and overpowering. The numerous aspects of continual circular forces would be indistinguishable. The idea of even seeing it from the standpoint of a circle is too late, the action has already occurred and the movement appears to be a single unbroken, straight, direct line of force. So if he were to do a movement such as pifeng (split and seal), which is generally considered a splitting wide arcing movement, it would be done in a fashion that appeared to go up and then drop down, BANG!!! like an explosion.

By Scott Ripke

There is a saying in traditional martial arts regarding the older generation of masters. When asked about technique the master might respond,” I do not teach technique. I teach stepping. “ This was not what most students learned in the general school population. Stepping was considered the most important part of all technique and the master would hold back these principles so as to maintain the upper hand when he was challenged by one of his students. Usually only the oldest and most trusted of students were given this information. Today one of the main weaknesses of martial practice is the lack of knowledge regarding the proper footwork and stepping. The following is a brief examination and explanation of the principles of stepping from a Chinese martial arts point of view.

The first place to start when discussing the principles of stepping is the study of the act of walking. We take it for granted because we already know how. We do it unconsciously. This is where we invariably miss an important opportunity. The way we walk dictates the foundation of any movement we perform and for this reason we are obligated to examine it.

In traditional Chinese martial arts the chi (the life force circulating through us) should reside in the lower dantain, (the area about three inches below the belly button). This includes the lower back area from the kidneys to the tailbone.

The pelvis is essentially the carriage of our body and we ideally should sit comfortably in it as if seated in a swing. Our spine and head should be upright and uplifted as if it were the chain from which the swing hangs. The lower back area needs to be heavy as is aligns to the pelvis and the pelvis itself should be conceptually the heaviest part of the body. When walking we should pay close attention to where the energy moves. For a majority of people the energy consolidates in the head and chest areas. One of the ways to check oneself in this regard is through balance. When the energy is high we generally use our eyes for balance. Visual equilibrium is connected to the inner ear. If we lose our sense of equilibrium through our sight and/or inner ear damage we can regain it by sinking the chi to the dantian. The energy that moves through our body needs to be generated from our root. The lower dantain establishes where the root center of our body is. This is the area from which the initial force of any movement must begin. The legs swing naturally from the pelvic area and the feet have weightiness to them. When the feet are heavy our bodies will naturally allow their weight to carry the momentum of the step. When the pelvis is heavy the equilibrium of the step can be stabilized. In Chinese martial arts we call this natural stepping. It is considered an important practice and a special secret of the old masters.

When people ask me what I teach in my school I tell them the styles; Long Fist, Praying Mantis, TaiChi. More importantly, I teach using Six Harmonies principles and methods. Paul Eng, one of my first teachers, has poetry related to this on the back cover of one of his books. It is reprinted here as an example of one way this idea has been transmitted from generation to generation.

Heaven has three things of importance;

Sun, Moon, Stars.

Earth has three things of importance;

Fire, Water, Wind.

Man has three things of importance;

Energy, Chi, Spirit.

Through out history, no true martial artist has missed these three steps:

To train energy until it melts into chi;

To train chi until it melts into spirit.

This is the Kung-Fu way.

The purpose of Six Harmonies is to establish the conditions needed for conscious movement. In order to understand what those conditions are we need to understand what is required to function harmoniously.

There are physical (external) and energetic (internal) aspects. The three internal aspects of the Six Harmonies are: Essences or Jing, refers to the ‘energy’ we given at birth, Air/Breath or Chi, refers to our birth energy that we have cultivated through intention and Spirit or Shen, is Chi that is refined or streamlined towards a specific point. This can mean to generate a great deal of force for an important task that can be physical nature or it can be directed towards a higher spiritual awakening.

These internal aspects are directly related to the physical body. The body is the vehicle by which these energies are cultivated. These subtle and dynamic forces assist in the health and transformation of the physical body. There are various methods used to explain the working dynamics between the physical and internal relationship. When explaining the three external portions of the six harmonies it is important to make a distinct connection to the three internal.

The three external aspects of Six Harmonies are: Hands or ‘Shou’, the first physical appendages that we use to make sense of our environment. What we grasp with the hands are things we want to understand, the same way a young child constantly grabs at any available object. For this reason the hands are related to the essences. Eyes or ‘Yan’, constitute the conceptual vision of the environment we inhabit. We touch something and we develop a picture of it. We become attracted to the things we touch. This attraction leads our awareness towards the substance of our experience. To transform essences into chi one needs a clear conceptual understanding before an intention can be established. The eyes lead to the intention of ones’ desire.

That intention leads the chi. Therefore the eyes and the chi are connected. Body ot ‘Shen’‘, is the last because once the hands and eyes become active the body will follow. In this way the spirit and the body are together. The idea of Six Harmonies is a tool for how we approach our daily affairs. It can be used by anyone with a little guidance from a competent practitioner.

Liu He Tang Lang or Six Harmonies Praying Mantis is one of the youngest of the Praying Mantis schools. It is popular in the Zhao Yaun and Huang Xian regains of ShangDong province. Other styles such as Plum Flower (meihautanglang)

and Seven Star (qixingtanglang) are considered primarily hard with some softness within them. Liuhetanglang a soft style based on internal or (niejia) systems of practice. When the term soft or (song) is used it refers to specific kind of energy with softness on the outside and hardness imbedded within like a needle in cotton. It is actually a refined hybrid of two styles, Six Harmony Fist (liuhechuan) and Seven Star Praying Mantis (qixingtanglang).

Seven Star Praying Mantis is also a hybrid with it own distinguished history and today is one of the most widely practiced styles of Chinese martial art with Wong Long as the founder. According to Zhang XiangSans’ book “ Liu He Tang Lang Chaun” the lineage for Six Harmonies Praying Mantis can be traced from Wang Long, with no other clear direct lineage until a very eccentric person named Wei San appears some time in the mid 1800’s. He only says that his lineage is from Wong Long but never mentions his teachers’ name. Wei San taught Lin ShiChun who was an accomplished Six Harmony Fist practitioner. Lin ShiChun is credited for the development of Six Harmony Praying Mantis as it is taught today.

Lin Shichun taught Ding ZiCheng who was from one of the wealthiest families in HuangXian County. Ding ZiCheng also acquired significant knowledge from the bodyguards he hired for his families’ numerous of pawnshops. Six Harmony Praying Mantis must have gone through refinement through his understanding. Because of this fact this style is a very mature and refined method of practice. From the outside it does not appear to be very complicated. To view it only on the outward simplicity is overlooking one of the most refined and effective martial arts in existence today.

Ding ZiCheng had many students but few who carried on the Six Harmony methods. In Taiwan, Zhang XiangSan carried on the lineage. Zhang XiangSan did not have many students and very few who learned Six Harmony Praying Mantis and carried on the style. In the United States Shih BorRang (Boris Shih) is the lineage holder. Any person who knows Zhang XiangSans’ branch has studied with Adam Hsu, who now lives in Taiwan, or Boris Shih. Boris Shih has the most thoroughly taught practitioners in the United States today.

Boris studied with Zhang XiangSan for over seven years. Zhang XiangSan was a stocky dignified gentleman in his early seventies when Boris began studying him. He did not fit the profile of the martial heroes and he made no attempt to impress people with his skill. He was a true hidden treasure, being one of the highest-level practitioners of his time hidden in plain sight. Thanks to persons like BorRang Shih, who had the foresight and discipline to learn this art while Zhang was still alive and then to carry it on to a new generation of practitioners, Liuhetanglang is alive and well. Today this rare branch of a great style is in hands of a few practitioners who are committed to carrying it on into the future.

Scott Ripke is chief instructor of the Green Forest Temple

He began learning Six Harmony Praying Mantis from Borong (Boris) Shi while they were classmates with Adam Hsu in 1989 and they maintain a relationship to this day.