Shaolin Five Shape - Eight Method Boxing

[Victor]

Many years ago in the states there was a magazine that lasted for not quite two years, 'Wushu Martial Arts of China'.

It was focused on Chinese arts, and most of the articles involved people from China. I think the publisher also was involved in selling a large series of Chinese MA videos from a Chinese project to record their arts

One series they published that fascinated me was by Qin Qingfeng, a complete description of Shaolin Five-Shape Eight-Method Boxing. I have sections 1 - 5, never found 6, and sections 7 - 11 of the form. They stopped publishing before issue 12 so I never saw the ending, but as section 11 went up to form 96 if I had to bet money there were likely to be 108 sections.

The article said the author trianed under his father Qin Tieying and at age 10 began this form's study. It also said he is the only one who knows the whole exercise today.

The Shaolin 5-shape, 8-method boxing is said to be created by Bai Yufeng, master of Shaolin school, in the middle of the 17th century.

"The 5 shapes refer to movements resembling those of the tiger, dragon, leopard, snake and crane. These different kinds of movements are designed to exercise your spirit, bones, strength, qi and essence of light respectively."

"The 8 methods used in this style of boxing include internal qigong, meditation, dynamic exercise, hand techniques, leg techniques, grapling, torso-and-ffot work and vocal work."

1. "Internal qigong: This includes breathing exercises in sitting and other positions of the tiger, leopard, snake, and crane styles."

2. "Meditation: this is done in fifve different stances to make mental preparations for vigorous combat.

3. "Dynamic exercises: This is to develop the strength of different parts of the body, including the legs, waist, arms, palms, fingers and eyes. Exercises may be done on wooden stakes, or with the help of targets or punching bags."

4.''Hand techniques; This includes different kinds of offensive moves such as knocking, cutting, beating, inch fisting, thrusting, sweeping, uppercuts and knuckle punching; and defensive moves such as upper parry, prssing, inward parry, blocking, patting, intercepting, inviting and dodging."

5."Leg techniques: These include the snap kick, heel kick, side-blcoking kick, sole kick, kneeing, sidekick and so on.'

6."Grappling: This includes various kinds of techniques used for catching, or holding the opponent by the hand, elbow, wrist, neck shoulder and waist, knee or ankle in a hand to hand fight."

7."Torso-and-foot work: this is concerned with the correct positioning of different parts of the body during martial arts practice. A variety of footwork is involved, including the horse riding stance, bow stance, side stance, empty stance, t-stance and crouch stance."

8."Vocal work: This calls for the utterance of different sounds during exercise of combat, such as mu, na, hy, he, ha, hei, si and ha. These sounds are to be uttered in coordination with breathing. As a rule, you inhale when stepping back, executing a gentle movement or gathering energy; and exhale when stepping forward, executing a vigorous movement, or bursting into explosive force."

The range of techniques in the form is interesting, the descriptions of the techniques quite detailed, more so than almost anything outside of Tai Chi Chaun that i've seen attempted for forms.

The stances aren't too deep, there are interesting pull back double shoulder high tiger claws very reminiscent of Eagle Claw's.

I've always found the form terribly interesting. It involves quick shifts of 180 degrees for a technqiue and then another 180 degree shift back, lots of palm strikes and elbow strikes, low level stomps, etc.

Has anyone seen this before or know more about it?

Thanks,

[Eric Ling]

Hi Victor,

This is the form I spoke about in the 5 Animals thread.

It was later compiled and sold as a book.

And you know what, I got a copy and it is in the US hahahaha.

With my student Chas (Seeker in this forum).

Chas, go through the books I left behind. Written in Chinese so you probably can’t read the title.

Anyway, it is an A4 size book with a Chinese Sifu wearing traditional white kung fu costume on the cover. The cover has green border. If you find it, could you make a copy for Victor? Thanks.

Interestingly, a CD series I bought later – “Real Shaolin Kung Fu” includes this form done by Honan Shaolin Monks.

Superbly delivered but looks a little Wu-Shu to me.

Love the form still because it is a “rare” 5 Animals Northern Form.

The Crane section is all long-range focus and I like the way the whole body is used to express the Crane.

[Victor]

Hi Eric,

First, where is the 5 animals thread you mention, I haven't found it, yet.

I the the shape of the techniques the photo's present too. Even though I just have the photo's the text with it is so extensive that I often fee I can understand what is happening.

It certainly would be a challenge to learn and it gives me the feel that it is a complete system in its own right.

You mentioned its rare. I ran into someone on the nets back in 2001 (a copy of his email is in the binder), a Goju stylist from Virginia, who was studying the form.

The only person I had heard of who was doing so. If I can find him I'll try and see if I can get any information about his studies.

Thanks,

[Eric Ling]

Hi Victor,

Sorry it is not a "5 Animals" thread per se.

We were talking 5 animals in the Siao Lim Koon thread and that is where I mentioned this form.

The Virginia practitioner, if you locate him, could you invite him here.

I would love to hear from him. Based on what I know, this form is hardly done outside China and was “released” in the last 10-20 years or so.

The snake portion is another intriguing component. Most times when you hear snake, you think cobra. Fast spitting-like techniques typically using finger spears.

In the book, the snake is more the python. This brings to mind “Python Bak Kua” – more grappling and twirling. And for some reasons, Northern snakes are usually this.