Wudang Kung Fu is a special martial arts form that enjoys a parallel position
with Shaolin Kung Fu in the Chinese Kung Fu field. Therefore comes the popular
saying “In the North, pay respect to Shaoling Kung Fu; While in the South, give
honor to Wudang Kung Fu.”
It is widely understood that the founder of Wudang Kung Fu was a local Taoist
called Zhang Sanfeng. The historical recordings differ much in different books
and the following below carries some different information:
- Zhang Sanfeng was a popular boxing player in Song Dynasty. Also an
alchemist in Mount Wudang.
- Zhang Sanfeng, a Taoist, was born in Yi State of Liaoing Province. Once in
a time stayed in Mount Wudang and much recordings concerning him remained in
books in Ming Dynasty,…
These are recordings carried with book Source of Words. It is really a very
complicated problem when in a one book two Zhang Sanfengs came out in different
time, one in Song Dynasty and another in Ming Dynasty. Is it possible that they
meant the same person or did the one in Song Dynasty live a very long life till
Ming Dynasty? Yet, in consideration with the following factors as the same
religion, the same practicing place, the same Kung Fu arts they practiced and
the same fame for themselves, together with traditional Chinese name-giving
customs, the historians in China still cannot give a convincing conclusion as to
the details of Zhang Sanfeng’s personal information.
Other recordings concerning Zhang Sanfeng and his Kung Fu master history may
have to be related to Huang Zongxi, who was one famous Chinese thinker and
historian in late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. In his books History
Files In Song- and Yuan Dynasty, History Files In Ming Dynasty and History Files
Of Scholars In Ming Dynasty, he held the view many times that Zhang Sanfeng was
a famous Kung Fu master in Song Dynasty. One manuscript handed down by Li Yifan--
who was Wu-style Taiji boxing bearer –- also carried such message as “Taiji
boxing originated from Zhang Sanfeng in Song Dynasty.” Therefore, in today’s
Kung Fu circle many martial artists generally regard Zhag Sanfeng as the founder
of both Taiji boxing and Wudang Kung Fu in Song Dynasty.
It is a general viewpoint circulating in Kung Fu arena that Taiji boxing
originated from inter Kung Fu created by Zhang Sanfeng. One collect book with
China State Library called Taiji Masters Lineage has the following messages as
“Sir Zhang Sanfeng, surname Zhang, first name Sanfeng, went to Mount Zhongnan
when he was 61 years old. There he chanced to meet one immortal called Dragon
Fire who late transferred his knowledge regarding inner alchemy to him after
knowing he was a competent practitioner.”
Later Zhang Sanfeng traveled a lot to famous resorts in the south and finally
settled down in Mount Wudang. Then ordering disciple Qiu Yuanqing to stay in
Five Dragon House, Lu Qiuyun in Southen Cave, Liu Guquan in Purple Heaven
Palace, Zhang Sanfeng constructed a house in the place where Immortal
Encountering Palace now stays. Cultivating true self for as long as nine years,
Zhang Sanfeng finally succeeded in achieving Tao. People called him an immortal
who can excise unimaginable power to restrain the bad and promote the good, and
transform all corporeal things into different forms as the he wished to do. All
the universe turns to become one thing staying in his hand waiting for him to
deal with.
Later, Zhang Sanfeng taught one set of boxing forms to Zhang Songxi and Zhang
Cuisan, which was the very original form of Taiji boxing. Because there are only
thirteen forms people called it Thirteen-Form Taiji Boxing. Among these 13
forms, stretching out, stamping, squeezing, chopping downward, picking up,
changing place, using elbow, leaning against symbolize separately the eight
trigrams, while moving forward, retreating backward, watching to the left,
turning to the right and staying in the center indicate separately the five
elements. From these specific sayings there came the name of Thirteen-Form Taiji
boxing. Based upon the Yin- and Yang-Qi theory and aimed at regulating operation
of the inner organs according to five-element theory, TaiChi boxing incorporates
many soft movements imitating cats, birds, snakes and monkeys, thus gaining the
effects of soothing the inner mental state, harmonize the operation of inner
viscera, strengthening the immune system, etc. Taichi boxing developed very
quickly among general people and later different branches came out to develop
into different forms after long-term evolution. Nowadays, Chen-style,
Yang-style, Wu-Style, Sun-style Taichi boxing compete to present themselves.
In fact, Taichi boxing originated from inner alchemy. Such key movement
points as lowering Qi into Dantian, squaring shoulder, standing spine upright
are just as same as the requirements for inner alchemy. Nowadays, people begin
to forget their relationship and often treat Taichi boxing as a separate entity.
That is totally wrong.
Chinese people prefer to using former experience and tend to know the lineage
for anything in a long run. Yes, under such circumstances, the consecutiveness
and unification gained an important position. Yet, in the same time, qualitative
changes often gained no enough attention. Therefore, regardless it is Shaoling
School, Wudang School, or it is DaMo, Zhang Sanfeng, people should go to the
very root after getting rid of the superficial phenomena. Zhang Sanfeng, the
founder of inner Kung Fu, stayed there in history as a flying flag. Just under
the direction of this flying flag Wudang Kung Fu began to develop and gradually
became rich in contents and looked mysterious from outside after many Kung Fu
masters’ hard working and donation. After hundreds years of development, Wudang
Kung Fu incorporated much useful nutrition form ancient Kung Fu defence and
offence theory, from the theory of I Ching, from the practice of achieving
stillness and emptiness widely adopted in inner alchemy, and thus forming its
own special features as summarizing the essentials, detouring to reach the core,
nourishing Qi, concentrating attention, getting free of any frivolousness and
rigidity. Accordingly, Wudang Kung Fu seems more to aspire for the full inner
strength, the tremendous harmonization between hardness and softness, the
ever-changing position adapted for different circumstances.
As of today, Wudang Taoism Association and other organizations had published
more than 30 schools of Wudang boxing forms, 18 schools of Wudang weapon forms,
9 schools inner Qigong practice forms. Among them the popular are as following
below:
- Wudang Taiyi Five Element Boxing
- Wudang Pure-Yang Boxing
- Yin Yang Ba Gua Chang
- Wudang Sword
- Wudang Original Taichi Boxing
- Taihe Boxing
- Zhaobao Taichi Boxing
- Wudang Heavenly-Gate Qigong
- Wudang Moon-Watching Qigong
- Wudang Southern School
- etc.
Another source says this about Wudang Styles:
"The most typical Wudang style is 'Wudang Tayi
Wuxing Qinpu' (Grapples and Atacks of Five Pre-elements and The Great One from
Wudang mountains), also called 'Wudangquan' (Fist of Wudang Mountains). This
style was created by Taoist Zhang Shouxing at the end of XV century. This
style has 23 forms, training is separated to training of the steps and
training of the hands, there exist 35 methods of using the hands and 18
methods of moving. Style use snake-like moving (S-form moving), force going
along the spiral.
Other well-known Wudang styles are:
-
Kongmenquan. (Fist of the Gate of Emptiness)
-
Yumenquan. (Fist of the Gate of Fish)
-
Jiugong Shibatui. (18 legs of 9 Palaces)
emphasizes kicking techniques
-
Udangpai, which also includes 'Wujiquan'.
(Fist of Boundlessness)
-
Yaozi Changquan. (Long Fist of the Hawk)
-
Yuanzhou Fudiquan. (Fist of Rubbing Monkey, Hidden
Near the Ground)
-
Liubu Sanshou. (Combat Methods of 6 Steps).
-
Wudang Jian. (Wudang methods of using straight
sword). Sword was usual attribute of Taoist monk, was used during religious
ceremonies, so it is not strange that sword was also used for fighting."
Wudang Kung Fu is excellent cultural heritage for Chinese people. Nowadays,
more and more people get involved in the campaign to treasuring this art form
and making efforts to promote its healthy development. Every year, many famous
Kung Fu masters, Qigong masters come to ShiYan City to pay respect to Mount
Wudang and exchange their experience and skills.
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