Legacy of the Chinese Fighting Masters - Paul Rogers film

[lineofintent]

Here is the preview trailer of the films series featuring the life and teaching of Paul Rogers and his son Coltrane...Paul posts his work here as Ashapaul.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfelJ-mKmqI

For enquiries feel free to email the team at

[email protected]

[jonathan.bluestein]

"Once you're under a teacher's door, you're in. You can't just go into another school. That's just the way it is".

False.

Historically speaking, countless famous teachers in China were disciples of more than one individual. My teacher, late master Zhou Jingxuan, was from Tianjin city as well. He was a disciple of 7 different teachers from the area. Moreover, after my teacher Nitzan spent 5 years with him, he encouraged him to find another Xing Yi teacher and train with that teacher simultaneously, to get a better perspective of the art. My teacher Nitzan was also a disciple under three different teachers from Tianjin - master Zhou, Wu Bingwen (Song style Xing Yi) and a Shuai Jiao master. So the claim above is only true for some teachers.

Other than that, this seems like a wonderful project I will probably purchase the video when it comes out.

[posidon]

Another great film from Alex!
Thank you Alex for the effort. Line of intent really advances and giving all of us that we do not have such teachers of the arts in our countries valuable information.
Stories about teachers and students of the arts are one of my favourite subjects. Congratulations also to Yumi for filming!
A big big thanks again!

With respect
Evangelos

[wushutiger]

"Once you're under a teacher's door, you're in. You can't just go into another school. That's just the way it is".

False.

Historically speaking, countless famous teachers in China were disciples of more than one individual. My teacher, late master Zhou Jingxuan, was from Tianjin city as well. He was a disciple of 7 different teachers from the area. Moreover, after my teacher Nitzan spent 5 years with him, he encouraged him to find another Xing Yi teacher and train with that teacher simultaneously, to get a better perspective of the art. My teacher Nitzan was also a disciple under three different teachers from Tianjin - master Zhou, Wu Bingwen (Song style Xing Yi) and a Shuai Jiao master. So the claim above is only true for some teachers.

Other than that, this seems like a wonderful project I will probably purchase the video when it comes out.

Jonathan, I think that you are taking the comment at direct face value. It is accurate, once you are in the door, you are in the door and you cant just go to another door, without your teachers consent.

So you are also accurate in your comment, as is the original quote.

[Bao]

Seems to be a nice and personal film. The kind of martial art films/documentaries that I like most.

Jonathan, I think that you are taking the comment at direct face value. It is accurate, once you are in the door, you are in the door and you cant just go to another door, without your teachers consent.
So you are also accurate in your comment, as is the original quote.

It's impossible to generalize one way or the other, every situation and every teacher is different. But in general I agree with Jonathan. If you look at any great "master", Yang Luchan, Sun Lutang, Wang Peisheng etc, etc they had all several different teachers. The ones who had only one teacher are the minority. The "masters" were often members of communities or groups of teachers that practiced together and shared their knowledge. Even if you were inside the door you could visit and practice with the friends of the teacher quite freely. Just if you spent your energy cleaning your main teacher's floor and not another teacher's floor you would do alright.

(A tip: put the mail-adddress in the description of the trailer. It goes quite fast in the clip)

[windwalker]

nice film

regarding only one teacher once inside the door.

This is also what I found. If a teacher made it known that you where their student not just someone passing through
the relationship was such that it did not allow for other teachers to be your teacher. One was known as a student of the teacher,
the teacher was known by the student.

This is why it took a while for many to become students

(二) 老師"訪"學生要三年，學生"訪"老師要三年
(Two) The Teacher Needs to “Study” The Student for Three Years; The Student Needs to “Visit” the Teacher for Three Years.
要學拳，必須選擇好的教拳人。 看他對太極拳功夫是否有全面的理解，教練的方法是否正確，教學態度是否良好，對學員是否負責， 等等。
To learn martial arts, you must select a teacher carefully. He or she must have a complete understanding of Taijiquan, can teach correctly, has a good attitude, and willing to take care and work with the students.
老師"訪"(考察)學生(需)要三年; 學生"訪"老師要三年。對對方的人品武德等各方面有了了解以後，再考慮拜師、收徒。
Therefore, a teacher needs to study a prospective student for 3 years, and the student needs to visit the teacher for 3 years. After they can see each other’s personalities and their Wu De (martial virtue), they can then formalize the teacher­student relationship.

汪永泉授楊式太極拳語錄及拳照
Wang Yongquan Writings on Yang Style Tai Chi
Chuan
Translated by Richard Man, [email protected]
http://facebook.com/g roups/I MA. LiteraryTrad ition

I dont know of to many teachers or coaches who wouldn't mind if one was studying under another teaching the same art, why would they show one anything when it might be shown to another teacher teaching the same art? In fact of those that I know if one did, the teacher would stop teaching them they would no longer be welcomed.

[wushutiger]

Bao:

Maybe you misunderstood me. I never intended to say one couldn't study with others, but rather that this was done with the knowledge and consent of your existing teacher first. This is how it is with teachers who follow the older ways today, and for sure with the older generations you mentioned.

[lineofintent]

Thank you all for the great interest in these films.

Re. The comment in the trailer, I'm sure its clear that you would need to watch the film to understand the historical and cultural context .....and that this is the direct experience of someone who has spent the majority of the past two decades in Tianjin with renowned fighters.

If you have different experience that's valid for you, there are many approaches and teaching styles.

[taiwandeutscher]

If you are an indoor, your teacher normally does let you know, when you have reached a certain level. He might send you on to other teachers (he probably knows well) to learn different aspects of the same/other styles. But that happened to me only after 12 yrs with the same teacher, when he retired from active teaching. Maybe different with some highly talented students, but not in our school!
Paul's stuff and talk, I do like a lot!

[Josealb]

Ive always enjoyed Pauls video insights. To have more of that, in depth, honest and personal, is pure gold and worth every penny in my opinion.

Regarding being inside the door, it all depends on context, the period hes talking about, the consent of the teacher, etc. Becoming a "closed door" student is not an end to learning, its a beginning. At that time in china, I highly doubt that at the beginning of very real, honest teaching of lifetime skills, a teacher would be ok with their student learning other stuff from other people at the same time. It just muddles the waters too much. The very least you can do is repay the teaching time with 100% of your dedication.