Ohio Wu Tan(g) A New Generation

[Bob]

Well, I guess I am in semi-retirement---its a new generation! I guess I'll just shuffle down to the beach, play a little taiji, and think about the old days. LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIU1TW6L ... re=related



A little something different from the Hall of Fame Tournament [not Wu Tan(g) material]:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WfhbJhCwnE&NR=1

[kreese]

Wow. That was beautiful. Thanks, Bob!

[Bob]

Thanks Kreese, they are really good kids but when I look back into the 80s, no youtube, damn the world has changed! LOL

[Andy_S]

Bob:

Who's the banana eater?

Shag me if that was not some sweet gongfu.

[Bob]

Andy_S:

I don't know the performer. I am the guy doing the announcing. It's not my preferred style. Years ago, I was at John Ng's Four Season school in Lexington, KY and they taught, I think, a combination called Drunkin Monkey. John was quite adept at it but it never appealed to me. I stuck with the Yang's taijiquan under Tom Phillips. Kids seem to love this.

I also have seen Drunkin Praying Mantis---just not my cup of tea or ummh cup of wu liang ye! LOL

The younger students videos are something I would never have dreamed of but the times are a changing! Part disappointment but also part admiration for their creativity. I tend to fall more toward the traditionalist end.

I think I would like to leave the martial arts world without leaving any tracks behind. Lately that has become more and more appealing. LOL

[SPJ]

Nice to know young people are having fun both in the states and Taiwan from Wu Tan related teachers.

I like the pics on the great walls? and in front of CKS memorial park. I was in high school, they built the first phase of the park. I like to walk along the walls with Ming style architecture.

I heard that the walls were taken down by ex President Chen. The park was renamed freedom or liberty square.

anyway, lots of groups practice CMA since the day one the park was open.

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Yes, there are a lot tumbling on the ground. Monkey style is always fun to watch and do. Monkey staff is an instant crowd drawing in any place including of any open square in front of the temples.

In addition to CKS memorial park, Dr. Sun Yat Sen memorial park was and still is always crowded with people doing tai chi, mantis, ba gua every morning.

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as new waves pushing away the old waves--

We still can have fun of doing some sort of CMA as we moving toward senior ville.

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granted my day job and kids really take up most of my time.

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a little bit of practice still beats nothing at all.

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[SPJ]

the reason that monkey staff always drew the largest crowd--

the legend of the monkey king Sun Wu Kong.

it is a monkey from a stone that was energized by the sun and the moon, one day, the stone turned into a monkey with golden hairs.

no weapon may harm him since he is made of stone.

He broke a lot of weapons, eventually reclaimed the golden staff from the east sea.

the staff only listens to its owner which is the great saint Da Shen Sun.

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my brothers would always yell MONKEY STAFF!!!

we all ran like crazy to take a close look

those were the kids days in the 60's in Taiwan.

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[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPfYApv7gzU

great saint (sun wu kong) pi gua from HK.

[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2NCQJqD ... re=related

monkey staff in long beach, 1991.

[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XCZ980B ... re=related

monkey staff in UC Berkeley 2005.

[Craig]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPfYApv7gzU

great saint (sun wu kong) pi gua from HK.

is that the wu song cuff form from 0.39 - 0.44?

[Muirarama]

Very cool that Wu Tan has taken root like that - the gym looks good from what I could see in the background. I wish they would have put the name Liu YunQiao in, though. I hope they know some of the history and the crazy bloody stories about their grand (grand?) master. Ha ha, and as a guy kind of straddling the generation gap (raised on MTV, old enough to be apalled by it now) here's my musical critique: the Kill Bill soundtrack is too overplayed; it's lost the electricity of the first time you heard it in the theater when the Crazy 88 were walking slow-motion down that wooden corridor and you just knew you were about to see the gnarliest battle possible. For an edgy RZA/WUTANG soundtrack, they should check out the Liquid Swords album . . . anybody know what I'm talking about?

[mixjourneyman]

. anybody know what I'm talking about?

Honestly, no. I have no idea what the fuck your talking about...

[Bob]

Muiarama:

I really would prefer them to know about Liu Yun Qiao beyond the "Dai Li" exploits.

I like what Guo Laoshi has on his website:

http://www.bajimen.com/

LiuYunQiao, born in Cang county of Heibei province of China. Studied family's Taizu Long Fist since youth, and studied MiZongQuan from his grandfather's bodyguard ZhangYaoTing. When he was 9 years old, his father hired the famous BaJiQuan master LiShuWen, both to be his bodyguard and to instruct him in martial arts. In the decade that follows, he was able to fully learn the best of Li's arts such as BaJiQuan, PiGuaZhang, lance, staff ... etc. When matured, he followed Li and visited martial artists in ShanDong. Later, he also studied under the famous LiuHe Mantis master DingZiCheng in the Huang county in ShanDong, and the famous BaGuaZhang master GongBaoTian in YanTai. Grandmaster Liu studied tirelessly in life, and held no inhibitions regarding style differences.

He was brought up in the period of warring factions in China, and participated in the anti-Japanese war and the Chinese civil war. He joined the military in his youth, risked his life and was wounded many times. After arriving at Taiwan in his middle ages, he took the responsibility of promoting Chinese martial art upon himself. He took the position of the Main Instructor of martial arts for the presidential bodyguards; Created the Wutan magazine to foster interests in the arts, as well as creating the Wutan martial art training classes to instruct the youth, contributed immensely to the growth of Chinese martial arts.

Grandmaster Liu is equality capable in both literature arts and martial arts. His bold and beautiful calligraphy fully conveys a martial artist's brave and chivalrous personality, and was much admired by his contemporaries. Grandmaster Liu lived a life with the highest moral conduct, and is a fine role model for us all.

Ever wonder why Liu's calligraphy signature was "One Who Laughs at the Dust [Red Dust]? Has nothing to do with having enemies bleed and bite the dust. LOL
As with most Chinese heros, politics embraces all.

Just a few fun rhetorical questions not to be taken personally.
Have you ever wondered by Guomindang adopted baji as it's system for the bodyguards of the Presidential Palace? The invincibility of baji? Chases the ghosts and demons away?

In reaction to Mao Zedong's use of baji?

I often wonder, in his older age, how Liu felt about the exploits. I wonder if regret played any role in his reflections on the art.

A few thoughts, maybe an article someday. LOL

[Franklin]

i believe the first monkey performer in the first post is a student of Paulie Zink
you can tell from his bow


Franklin