Wu dang kung fu
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Wudang Kung Fu (Wudang Gong fu) also known as Wudang Martial Arts,is a collection of martial arts originating from the Wudang mountain in central China. Wudang Kung Fu is internal taoist martial arts,that is different from shaolin kung fu.
The American student is following master learning Wu Dang sword in academy.
Wudang Kung Fu is a special martial arts form that enjoys a parallel position with Shaolin Kung Fu in the Chinese Kung Fu. Therefore comes the popular saying in the North, pay respect to Shaoling Kung Fu; While in the South, give honor to Wudang Kung Fu. Wudang kungfu follows the theories of taoism.Taoist train kung fu for the purpose of healthpreserving,self-defence and pursuit of longevity.
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The master is helping American student practising Wu Dang sword in academy.
A widespread legend has been passed down about Taiji Fist.
In the Chinese Ming Dynasty, there was an outstanding
man named Zhang Sanfeng, who excelled in Martial Arts.
He had an unusual quality to him and looked down upon
on fame and wealth. One year, he had a competition with
a man who was extremely strong. Zhang Sanfeng couldn't
defeat him with external force. In order to defeat the
man, Zhang put all his effort into the research of many
Chinese martial arts. Ultimately, Zhang Sanfeng created
the new Fist. In the second competition, he took the new
fist and used a distinctive technique to defeat his opponent;
namely, he shrewdly used the man's own power to defeat
him. This technique immediately impressed people and gradually,
Taiji Quan became famous along with this story.
It is widely understood that the founder of Wudang Kung Fu was a local Taoist called Zhang Sanfeng. The historical recordings differ much in different books and the following below carries some different information:one is that Zhang Sanfeng was a popular boxing player in Song Dynasty. Also an alchemist in Mount Wudang. Another is that Zhang Sanfeng, a Taoist, was born in Yi State of Liaoing Province. Once in a time stayed in Mount Wudang and much recordings concerning him remained in books in Ming Dynasty.
Other recordings concerning Zhang Sanfeng and his Kung Fu master history may have to be related to Huang Zongxi, who was one famous Chinese thinker and historian in late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. In his books History Files In Song- and Yuan Dynasty, History Files In Ming Dynasty and History Files Of Scholars In Ming Dynasty, he held the view many times that Zhang Sanfeng was a famous Kung Fu master in Song Dynasty,in today Kung Fu circle many martial artists generally regard Zhag Sanfeng as the founder of both Taiji boxing and Wudang Kung Fu in Song Dynasty
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It is a general viewpoint circulating in Kung Fu arena that Taiji boxing originated from inter Kung Fu created by Zhang Sanfeng. One collect book with China State Library called Taiji Masters Lineage has the following messages as Zhang Sanfeng,went to Mount Zhongnan when he was 61 years old. There he chanced to meet one immortal called Dragon Fire who late transferred his knowledge regarding inner alchemy to him after knowing he was a competent practitioner.
Later Zhang Sanfeng traveled a lot to famous resorts in the south and finally settled down in Wudang mountain. Then ordering disciple Qiu Yuanqing to stay in Five Dragon House, Lu Qiuyun in Southen Cave, Liu Guquan in Purple Heaven Palace, Zhang Sanfeng constructed a house in the place where Immortal Encountering Palace now stays. Cultivating true self for as long as nine years, Zhang Sanfeng finally succeeded in achieving Tao. People called him an immortal who can excise unimaginable power to restrain the bad and promote the good, and transform all corporeal things into different forms as the he wished to do. All the universe turns to become one thing staying in his hand waiting for him to deal with.
Later, Zhang Sanfeng taught one set of boxing forms to Zhang Songxi and Zhang Cuisan, which was the very original form of Taiji boxing. Because there are only thirteen forms people called it Thirteen-Form Taiji Boxing. Among these 13 forms, stretching out, stamping, squeezing, chopping downward, picking up, changing place, using elbow, leaning against symbolize separately the eight trigrams, while moving forward, retreating backward, watching to the left, turning to the right and staying in the center indicate separately the five elements. From these specific sayings there came the name of Thirteen-Form Taiji boxing. Based upon the Yin- and Yang-Qi theory and aimed at regulating operation of the inner organs according to five-element theory, TaiChi boxing incorporates many soft movements imitating cats, birds, snakes and monkeys, thus gaining the effects of soothing the inner mental state, harmonize the operation of inner viscera, strengthening the immune system, etc. Taichi boxing developed very quickly among general people and later different branches came out to develop into different forms after long-term evolution. Nowadays, Chen-style, Yang-style, Wu-Style, Sun-style Taichi boxing compete to present themselves.
In fact, Taichi boxing originated from inner alchemy. Such key movement points as lowering Qi into Dantian, squaring shoulder, standing spine upright are just as same as the requirements for inner alchemy.
Chinese people prefer to using former experience and tend to know the lineage for anything in a long run. Yes, under such circumstances, the consecutiveness and unification gained an important position. Yet, in the same time, qualitative changes often gained no enough attention.
Therefore, regardless it is Shaoling School, Wudang School, or it is DaMo, Zhang Sanfeng, people should go to the very root after getting rid of the superficial phenomena. Zhang Sanfeng, the founder of inner Kung Fu, stayed there in history as a flying flag. Just under the direction of this flying flag Wudang Kung Fu began to develop and gradually became rich in contents and looked mysterious from outside after many Kung Fu master hard working and donation. After hundreds years of development, Wudang Kung Fu incorporated much useful nutrition form ancient Kung Fu defence and offence theory, from the theory of I Ching, from the practice of achieving stillness and emptiness widely adopted in inner alchemy, and thus forming its own special features as summarizing the essentials, detouring to reach the core, nourishing Qi, concentrating attention, getting free of any frivolousness and rigidity. Accordingly, Wudang Kung Fu seems more to aspire for the full inner strength, the tremendous harmonization between hardness and softness, the ever-changing position adapted for different circumstances.
Wu dang kung fu
Nowadays, Wudang Taoism Association and other organizations had published more than 30 schools of Wudang boxing forms, 18 schools of Wudang weapon forms, 9 schools inner Qigong practice forms. Among them the popular are as following below:
Wudang Taiyi Five Element Boxing
Wudang Pure-Yang Boxing
Yin Yang Ba Gua Chang
Wudang Sword
Wudang Original Taichi Boxing
Taihe Boxing
Zhaobao Taichi Boxing
Wudang Heavenly-Gate Qigong
Wudang Moon-Watching Qigong
Wudang Southern School
Another source says this about Wudang kung fu Styles:
"The most typical Wudang style is 'Wudang Tayi Wuxing Qinpu' (Grapples and Atacks of Five Pre-elements and The Great One from Wudang mountains), also called 'Wudangquan' (Fist of Wudang Mountains). This style was created by Taoist Zhang Shouxing at the end of XV century. This style has 23 forms, training is separated to training of the steps and training of the hands, there exist 35 methods of using the hands and 18 methods of moving. Style use snake-like moving (S-form moving), force going along the spiral.
Other well-known Wudang styles are:
Kongmenquan. (Fist of the Gate of Emptiness)
Yumenquan. (Fist of the Gate of Fish)
Jiugong Shibatui. (18 legs of 9 Palaces) emphasizes kicking techniques
Udangpai, which also includes 'Wujiquan'. (Fist of Boundlessness)
Yaozi Changquan. (Long Fist of the Hawk)
Yuanzhou Fudiquan. (Fist of Rubbing Monkey, Hidden Near the Ground)
Liubu Sanshou. (Combat Methods of 6 Steps).
Wudang Jian. (Wudang methods of using straight sword). Sword was usual attribute of Taoist monk, was used during religious ceremonies, so it is not strange that sword was also used for fighting."
Wudang Kung Fu is excellent cultural heritage for Chinese people. Nowadays, more and more people get involved in the campaign to treasuring this art form and making efforts to promote its healthy development. Every year, many famous Kung Fu masters, Qigong masters come to ShiYan City to pay respect to Mount Wudang and exchange their experience and skills.
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