Plum Blossom Boxing

[Nataraya]

Plum Blossom Boxing is a rather interesting Boxing system with roots that experienced the Ming dynasty. I can add a long line of ancestors, but they are names not directly explaining a lot to the average reader. So, I will present a part of the lineage starting with a third generation practitioner who was an important person in rebellion, his name: Feng Keshan. He was the leader of Tien Li Sha or the “Cult of the Heavenly Order”. Feng Keshan was active around the 18th year of Emperor Jia Qung.
The art is known as Mei Quan/ Mui Kuen or even better of Mei Hua Quan/ Mui Fa Kuen. A very high level art, in which I like to refer to the words the great Qang Xiangzhai (Yi Chuan) not in his books. He said; there are two systems I have a GREAT respect for, out of all the styles/ systems I fight with. The two systems are; Fujian White Crane and Mui Fa Boxing.

Feng Ke Shan brought down the art of Yang Bing, to another important rebellion leader Zhao Sanduo. But in the meantime the art was spread over to area’s such as Shantung, Henan, Hubei, etc.

The curriculum did spread in time but the old forms are known as:

Ng Sai Mui Fa Chong: Five formations of the Plum Flower Stakes,
Ng Sai Tou: Five formation Head,
Mui Fa Lo Ga; Old Mui Fa Boxing,
Ba Fang Pu: Eight Direction Steps,
Ba Feng San Sau: Eight direction fighting,

Many systems and styles extracted – or were fascinated by – this Boxing. In our Nam Siu Lam Hung Ga Kuen system, we have several forms from this branch such as; Mui Fa Cheung (spear), Mui Fa Kuen (solo form), Mui Fa Kwan ( Eight Feet stick), Mui Fa Ji Mo Do (butterfly swords, known as the Four Monks), Mui Fa Giem (sword),…….

If you hear/ read something about such a Boxing art, then you will have a direction to continue to search.

Warm regards,

Evert.

[Eric Ling]

Evert,

Did come across some Mei Hua materials but they look "Pak Pai" to me.

Are we talking the same Mei Hua here? Long hands and long footworks usually zigzagging and very extensive chin-na and counter chin-na play?

I know that Mei Hua is a subset in many Southern styles - regardless of origin.

In White Crane, there is even a Mei Hua He style.

And if I am not wrong, Yang Jwing Ming has a "Mei Hua He" form in his "Zhong He".

Interesting, I should start going through my archives and see what I come up with............

[Nataraya]

I found the information remarkable, and worth to share. Most of the schools stick with a "National" flower aspect, that symbolizes....... Others refer to the Five Pedals of the Five important religions in China. With my old thread about Secret soceities and role in martial arts I was hoping that more feedback would have come. That should be an ideal time to launch more styles with strong relations to White Lotus Cult, etceteras.......

You will receive next week a DVD from me and on it you will find Mui Fa Crane and Mui Fa Tiger Boxing. Very interesting stuff. Plum Blossom Boxing is an old system, integrated in many styles. Its presentations are so wide, people even know anymore. The turnings in Hakka Boxing resents the Five steps. As I told in a previous thread Mui Fa Sau as done in Fu Hoc, but also one of the originators of Lung Ying (Hakka) was specialized in Mui Fa Sau (see curriculum of Wong Kwong).

Just like Gee Sham Sim Si played an important role in Southern Martial Arts, Yang Bing should have played an important role in Northern and Southern martial arts, but only his name is forgotten. Instead of that the Mui Fa symbol became widespread, both in skill as in name.

I agree wholeheartedly that such a thread is incomplete without the lovely pictures of you. In 1995 I gave a seminar on the Mui Fa Kuen in Holland, for the Wushu Federation. Two days to cover a small form, an 'iceberg' I said to the participants. What you see is not what you get, fasicinating.

Warm regards,

Evert.

[Eric Ling]

And let's not forget Taiwan............

Mei Hua is the National Flower.

There is even a song written in Taiwan about Mei Hua.

And the entire song talks about how hardy Mei Hua are.

Not afraid of ice, snow, wind or rain................

[Nataraya]

Mui Fa Kuen is a set as done in Hung Kuen too,especially in the Lam Sai Wing branch. Although we are also doing (some) Wong Fei Hung Kuen forms, our Mui Fa Kuen is rather different, both in posture as well as in flavor.
In the seventies Sifu John leong did publish a book about this form:




In it the form that most Hung Kuen schools do follow. Tze Hou was asking questions about this form. To give the reader an impression about some techniques, I scanned some postures.



Master John Leong is teaching in Seattle, USA. One of his students teaching is Cayce Justus.

[*Note: Recently I did refer to his homepage regarding the poster of Ten Poison Hands].

Warm regards,

Evert.

[essence]

Good day Evert.

Today, I had my lesson at Kong Chow. As the Sifu there wanted to have an idea of where I am at, he asked me to demonstrate my forms for him.

Naturally, I did both the Lohan and Mui Fa Kuen. Their comment was that the Mui Fa Kuen I did is definitely Hung in flavour with hints of Choy Lay Fut. What do you think of this comment?

I am very interested in the Mui Fa Kuen that you do as well, and am very curious as to why different lineages adopted different parts of Plum Blossom Boxing to be integrated into their style? Was my Mui Fa Kuen added by GM LSW or GM Chan Hon Chung?

Warmest regards,
Tze Hou

[Nataraya]

Tze Hou,

I will keep your question very short here, the rest can be eventually explained by PM.

Lam Sai Wing did not choose a successor after his death. Maybe you can imagine what hapened with such a great grandmaster with many students. In the fifties a group did come together, amongst them your Sigung Chan. This group had succesful meetings and workouts, and this resulted in a slight different program. That's why not all Hung Kuen branches have the same curriculum,.........in Hong Kong. I say this explicit because you already experience that Hong Kong Hung Kuen is different then that of Mainland, Singapore and other village systems of Hung Ga Kuen.

Example: Tang Fung lineage of Hung Kuen have different forms then Lam Sai Wing branch. Yee Chi Wai resides currenttly in Toisan to re-plant Hung Kuen in Kwantung province. A lot to find on the Net and the several forums. My advise, don't spend too much time on these things, not worth the time!

Warm regards,

Evert.

[essence]

Good day Evert.

I am getting a clearer picture of the situation now. Perhaps we could discuss this more some other time?

Warmest regards,
Tze Hou

[Hungfist]

Nataraya said:

Tze Hou,

I will keep your question very short here, the rest can be eventually explained by PM.

Lam Sai Wing did not choose a successor after his death. Maybe you can imagine what hapened with such a great grandmaster with many students. In the fifties a group did come together, amongst them your Sigung Chan. This group had succesful meetings and workouts, and this resulted in a slight different program. That's why not all Hung Kuen branches have the same curriculum,.........in Hong Kong. I say this explicit because you already experience that Hong Kong Hung Kuen is different then that of Mainland, Singapore and other village systems of Hung Ga Kuen.

Example: Tang Fung lineage of Hung Kuen have different forms then Lam Sai Wing branch. Yee Chi Wai resides currenttly in Toisan to re-plant Hung Kuen in Kwantung province. A lot to find on the Net and the several forums. My advise, don't spend too much time on these things, not worth the time!

Warm regards,

Evert.

The Hung Kuen I study under taught us that Lam Sai Wing adopted Lam Cho. My Sigung Bucksam Kong learned directly from Lam Cho. It is known that in the Hung Kuen system - some of the branches disagree with the ways that lineage is described. The negative energy that it propagates -IMO- flys in the face of the yin/yang harmony that comes with the true study of Gongfu. I am not saying this to be negative - it is simply a fact. I have great respect for anyone who takes the time and effort required to follow the trail to Gongfu mastery (a place I am very far from - seems to me that the more you learn the less you know).

Evert said to me once "I love the art and play it as pure as possible." I can't state how much I AGREE with his point of view. In a perfect world - all people would respect others and harmony would reign. All I can do is make my own contribution to this. I have never met most of the people who participate on this board, I do have respect for the members here. Eric, Evert and others have shown a much deeper meaning of CMA than I have and I have truly learned many, many things from my interactions on this board.

Oh yea - I learned both Siu Mui Far Kuen and Siu Mui Far Kuen Doi Dar.

Peace and harmony to all ~

[Nataraya]

I am very pleased to have another practitioner in our middle practicing Iron Ox Boxing (Dit Ngau, a Hakka Style). I noticed that this system do have a Siu Mui Fa and Daai Mui Fa Kuen in its curriculum. Fascinating, can you explore us if it follows strongly the Sam Bo Gin line?

Even more interesting is the form Sei Moon, a form that is well known in Crane Boxing systems too. As told in previous threads, the names of forms can be used to trace the historical lines of development. Sean, what can you tell us about this?

Warm regards,

Evert.

[Firehawk]

I have a Southern Mantis book on Iron Ox Southern Mantis and emailed a sifu in England a few times about Iron Ox Southern Mantis i have notes on it in my files somewhere , i think the Sifu was named Edward Barrious .

[diligentmantis]

Hi firehawk. I was just on the phone to edward , Ill be seeing him this weekend. Dit Ngau is still alive and kicking in uk. We are at the monent putting a dvd together on dit ngau , but in the mean time i will put some photos on then you can see the difference in stance , hand positions and forms..


regards Sean

Firehawk said:

I have a Southern Mantis book on Iron Ox Southern Mantis and emailed a sifu in England a few times about Iron Ox Southern Mantis i have notes on it in my files somewhere , i think the Sifu was named Edward Barrious .

[Firehawk]

Hi Diligent Mantis , I have not thought about Iron Ox Southern Mantis for a long time .

[Hungfist]

diligentmantis said:

... We are at the monent putting a dvd together on dit ngau ...
regards Sean

I would be interested in seeing something like this, will this DVD be generally available?

Thanks