the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Really enjoy this interview. Although I've been visiting since 88 and later living in China I've never been to either Shaolin or Wudang because much of what's said in this interview I've previously heard from many others too, but maybe some day I go for a visit, I would think in wintertime those places are less crowded and tourist focused?...... Interesting story about Shi Dejian being bested by his Dongbei friend, was his friend into GongFu/wuxing tongbeiquan? a style "big" up in the north east, or was he planely a western style boxer?

Interesting interviews. Thanks.

Trick wrote: I would think in wintertime those places are less crowded and tourist focused?.

Shaolin is completely dedicated to tourism. You would be disappointed any time of the year.

Great anecdotes about Shaolin and Wudang! I think that taiyiwuxingquan is legitimate, but on the other hand - Jin Zitao only spent 2 years or so learning it. Was that enough to master and preserve the style? How long did his students practice as well? (If one spent 2 years studying baguazhang really hard, would that be enough to master and preserve it for further generations?)

Perhaps it is a bit like taekkyon in Korea, which also only survived via one person, in non-ideal circumstances.

That whole question about how long it takes is a tricky one. With the right student (talented, physically coordinated) and the right teacher, a person could learn *a lot* of a system within 2 years, especially if they had no job and were training every day. In the case of Taiyi Wuxing Quan, I think the art we see today is probably a reduced / limited subset of the full art - but not necessarily that much worse for all that.

Thank You,
very interesting , particularly for fox like me, who never been in China.
Jarek`s site directed me to the eF years ago, btw.

nicklinjm wrote:That whole question about how long it takes is a tricky one. With the right student (talented, physically coordinated) and the right teacher, a person could learn *a lot* of a system within 2 years, especially if they had no job and were training every day. In the case of Taiyi Wuxing Quan, I think the art we see today is probably a reduced / limited subset of the full art - but not necessarily that much worse for all that.

I agree that it depends! Jin Zitao could very well have mastered the system - and he seemed to have high-level skills. I am not sure how it went after that, but it is still great that the art exists still. Wonderful to be able to see a bit of what old Wudang arts might have been like.

For the people that have been following this: part 5 of the interview series with Jarek Szymanski is now up!

Link here: http://wulinmingshi.com/2018/06/27/interview-with-jarek-szymanski-part-5/

Thanks, another interesting part, many insights that I myself recognize

Sorry for the long gap guys - part 6 of the interview is now up: http://wulinmingshi.com/2018/08/28/interview-with-jarek-szymanski-part-6/

This time we cover a bit more about Jarek's Wudang visits, his studies of Shi style bagua, and also the big 1993 Yongnian pushing hands competition.

Great interview (portion) as always. I loved the various accounts of the old days, and of old teachers.

I think a lot of people confuse "a set/form" (or even a few sets) with "the art/style".

This is very common these days of course, with many masters (and "masters") giving seminars where they teach 'one set/form' to students who then proceed teaching a couple of similarly learned sets as 'a style', but it has been very much true ever since the Republican era.

I think that's the case also for TYWXQ

YM

nicklinjm wrote:That whole question about how long it takes is a tricky one. With the right student (talented, physically coordinated) and the right teacher, a person could learn *a lot* of a system within 2 years, especially if they had no job and were training every day. In the case of Taiyi Wuxing Quan, I think the art we see today is probably a reduced / limited subset of the full art - but not necessarily that much worse for all that.

I am curious if Mr. Szymanski continues practicing or maybe even teaching Xinyiliuhequan- does anybody have informations on this?
Thank you.

Jarek lives, works, and trains in Shanghai, lol!
Sometimes he has problems with the firewall, but he will be back, for sure!

Back? ...to the Internet, his webpage, RSF ?

Sure Jarek will chime in soon, but AFAIK he still practices XYLH but does not teach anyone.