Madam Fu Shu Yun

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Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby Steve James on Mon Jun 17, 2013 9:50 am

I was going to post this in the thread about martial arts and martial skill. But, it'd derail the conversation, so here's someone at around 76 years of age doing a sword form. Call her a martial or not, as you will, but try to match her gongfu.

http://www.internalartsinternational.co ... u-shu-yun/
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Re: Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby Gringorn on Mon Jun 17, 2013 12:28 pm

That was true poetry in motion. Truly impressive and inspirational!
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Re: Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby Ian C. Kuzushi on Mon Jun 17, 2013 12:32 pm

That's it! I quit...

But seriously, that was truly inspirational. Thanks, Steve.
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Re: Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby Dmitri on Mon Jun 17, 2013 12:38 pm

But... but... how would she fair against them gypsies, huh? HUH?!? ;D
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Re: Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby Steve James on Mon Jun 17, 2013 12:39 pm

With her sword or without ;)
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Re: Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby Bob on Mon Jun 17, 2013 12:49 pm

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Re: Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby Steve James on Mon Jun 17, 2013 1:06 pm

Why she might be so good, if you think so.
About Fu Shu Yun
An Interview with Fu Shu Yun – The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health & Fitness

Fu Shu Yun was born in 1916 in Tianjin. She began training in martial arts in junior high school, training everyday with the other students. Her skill developed quickly and soon she was called upon to give demonstrations at sports festivals in Northern China. Later in 1931 she applied and was accepted by the prestigious Nanjing Central Kuoshu Academy.

At the Central Academy, training began early in the morning. The first months of training consisted of basic exercises and Horse Stance (Ma Bu) training. Then students learned simple forms such as Lian Bu Chuan (Linking Steps Fist) and Tan Tui (Spring Legs). These forms emphasized the legs and kicking techniques. Then students learned Da Long Chuan and Xiao Long Chuanwhich were used to teach various Shaolin techniques, as well as Chang Chuan (Long Fist).

The Central academy invited some of the great martial artists of that time to teach. Fu Shu-Yun was therefore able to study Shaolin Tai Ji Quan with Ma Yung Shen. Yang Style Tai Ji Quan with Yang Cheng Fu and Wu Style Tai Ji with Wu Jian Chuan. Wu Yin-Hua, a personal student of Sun Lu-Tang, taught Sun Style Tai Ji. Bagua-Tai, was taught by its creator, Wu Jun-Shan. This synthesized form, which mixed Tai Ji and Ba Gua together, was learned by only a few people. Fu Shu Yun is believed to be the only person in Taiwan who learned it.

The students learned Xing Yi Quan from Huang Bo-Nian, a famous Xing Yi master who had learned directly from the legendary Li Cun-Yi. Then they studied the Ba Gua Zhang of Sun Lu Tang and Wu Jun Shan. Fu Shu Yun and her fellow students were also exposed to weapons training in the four basic weapons: staff (gun), sword (jian), saber (dao) and spear (qiang).

After graduating in 1934, Miss Fu was invited to stay on at the school as an instructor. Two years later in 1936, she participated in a major martial arts competition in Shanghai and was selected to go to the Olympic games as a member of the Republic of China’s Martial Arts team. The team of nine people traveled to the Berlin Olympics to demonstrate Chinese martial arts in front of Adolph Hitler and the German people. The European audiences had never seen Chinese martial arts and were impressed and astonished. These were the same Olympics in which the American athlete Jesse Owens took four gold medals.

Later Fu Shu Yun taught martial arts and worked as a nurse during the Sino-Japanese War. During the Chinese Civil War, she escaped from mainland China and went to Taiwan, with her husband Meng Zhao Xun who was also expert in the Black Tiger Shaolin and Tong Bei Quan. In Taiwan she taught martial arts at schools and universities, and served as judge in martial arts competitions. She and her husband also co-starred in martial arts movies, including the film Sunset in the Forbidden City.

Later in her seventies, Fu Shu Yun or “Madame Fu,” as she was often called, visited the United States. I met her at that time and asked her to teach Xing Yi and Ba Gua to a group of students that I had organized. Madame Fu was impressive. Although standing little more than five feet tall, with a mane of snow white hair, she emanated a fierce power when performing Xing Yi. She personally led every movement and exercise of a two hour class that exhausted half of the participants as they performed the five elements up and down in lines for the entire class. During the warm-ups, her flexibility was evident when she swung her knee up to touch her nose with her leg straight. Her Ba Gua was simple, direct and precise and she improved my basic skills in both arts. Fu Shu Yun also taught me the basics of the jian, the Chinese sword. It was inspiring to work with someone who had such breadth of training, deep knowledge of Chinese martial arts and physical prowess.

I remember her telling me that it was hard to really teach me and the others in my group because, being in our thirties, we were already too old to learn properly – her standard, of course, being that of the Nanjing Academy. I found her honesty refreshing rather than disheartening and just tried harder. One night we stood talking on the street when a drunk passerby stepped into the middle of our conversation. I saw the fire come up in her eyes as she subtly moved into a ready position. I quickly stepped in front of her, put my arm around the man’s shoulders and walked him away from her by telling him a joke. My fear was that she was actually going to hit him, which on the crowded street would have been quite the scene!

Fu Shu Yun was one of the martial arts greats of our time. I wish I studied with her more. Her death leaves us all poorer.

http://www.internalartsinternational.co ... u-shu-yun/
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Re: Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby Ian C. Kuzushi on Mon Jun 17, 2013 2:47 pm

Quite the list of teachers...
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Re: Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby Wanderingdragon on Mon Jun 17, 2013 3:02 pm

Dmitri wrote:But... but... how would she fair against them gypsies, huh? HUH?!? ;D


A statement that suggests again, on this forum, many have no idea what to look for in the pictures. The tip of the sword is the soul of her feet, if you cannot see her connection to her center you will not see the skill she displays. Why read high level books and discuss high concepts of you don't understand the pictures.
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Re: Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby Dmitri on Mon Jun 17, 2013 3:10 pm

While I'm happy to hear that you know exactly "what to look for in the pictures", you've missed my point and sarcasm entirely. and along the way assumed some things I didn't even hint on, in my post.

That said -- as utterly ridiculous as this question may be, but since you seem to actually take this seriously, let me ask: do you actually think she would (in some bizarro world, where an engagement like that might be possible) last longer than 10-15 seconds against one of those gypsy boxers in an all-out fight?
Last edited by Dmitri on Mon Jun 17, 2013 3:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby Steve James on Mon Jun 17, 2013 3:24 pm

I think Dmitri was joshing, and I don't think a hand to hand "one on one" would have ever happened between Madam Fu and a BKB guy. I do think that if there's any elderly lady who could defend herself, it would have been she. Well, I'd say the same for Wu Ying-hua as well. And, seriously, give them both jians and I'm not sure there would even be a contest :)

Afa how she looks, well, her form is textbook, literally. It's possible to take snapshots of her form and make a manual. She was a breathing encyclopedia.
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Re: Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby Steve James on Mon Jun 17, 2013 3:29 pm

Oh, btw, I don't know many 5 foot tall, 110 pound young male martial artists who would beat one of the gypsy guys on those terms. (I know that wasn't the point you were making Dmitri).
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Re: Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby Wanderingdragon on Mon Jun 17, 2013 4:17 pm

I did miss the sarcasm, or maybe I just thought it was uncalled for. I do take it seriously because to understand proper movement at this level would be to make fighting the gypsy boys like a Saturday in the park, and that's what's fun about what we do, IF we know how to do what we do. With the level of discussion over the past couple of weeks, having some excellent examples of true fighting posted, you would think maybe the experience really is not here. Azerbaijian veers into a discussion of legality, Hagood fight falls into a discussion of Wude, and my gypsy brawlers, well they're just that, brawlers, BKB bout, the champs past. So I tip my hat to those who are actually getting hit and learning how not to.
Oh! And to answer your question, I think she might gut em like fish, especially in the bizarro world ;D
Last edited by Wanderingdragon on Mon Jun 17, 2013 4:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby taiwandeutscher on Mon Jun 17, 2013 6:05 pm

One of my few regrets. Was invited to study with her in early 80s, but didn't know nothing and said that I rest on sundays, lol.
Would she be a real martial artist?
Of course, atleast in my view!
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Re: Madam Fu Shu Yun

Postby kenneth fish on Mon Jun 17, 2013 7:42 pm

I knew Madame Fu quite well, although I was on better terms with her husband, Meng Zhaoxun. He was a very high level teacher of Tong Bei and Shandong Black Tiger. Madame Fu was quite a trip - she was not young, but could do jibengong better than most teenagers (I remember her squatting down, embracing her knees, and hopping across the length of the courtyard of their house).

She could use her skills. An anecdote: An American martial artist was going around from teacher to teacher, sometimes remaining with the teachers for as much as several weeks. He was a big guy, about 5'10". He seemed to think that the way to endear himself to teachers and get instruction was to challenge them, the idea being that if they beat him they would have the privilege of teaching him. He got knocked about quite a bit, and plunked down a sizable chunk of change for instruction with some of these teachers. He would always move on rather quickly. He came to visit Madame Fu, and after going on about how wonderful he was, asked her to push hands. Within a few moves he tried to muscle her. The first time he got pushed onto his butt. The second time he was thrown onto his face. He took offense, and stalked off.

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