PICTURE SERIES OF FLOWING WATER STAFF
Sifu Emiko Hsuen performing the Flowing Water Staff
The “Ho Family Flowing Water Staff” was a legacy of the Ho family, taught only to family members. It was passed down by a famous Southern Shaolin master, whose real name was lost but who was well known by his nickname “Lan Tou Ho”, which means Ho with a Sore Head, because he seemed to have a perpetual sore on his forehead.
Sifu Ho Fatt Nam first taught it to some selected disciples outside the Ho family. Sifu Wong was one of the few privileged to learn it. The Flowing Water Staff Set (Lau Shuei Khuan), together with Fifth Son Pakua Staff Set (Ng Long Pa Kua Khuan), Six and a Half Point Staff Set (Luk Tim Poon Khuan) and Poisonous Snake Bar the Way Staff Set )Took Seai Lan Lou Khuan) were known in martial art circles in South China as the four great staff sets.
The Flowing Water Staff Set is not spectacular to watch, but is deadly effective for fighting. It is called “Flowing Water” after the expression “Yow kiew kiew seong kor, mo kiew shun shuei lau”, which means “Where there is a bridge; go along the bridge, if there is no bridge, let the water flow.” This expression contains the secrets of this deadly staff set.
(Editorial Note: The Chinese transcriptions in this webpage are in Cantonese pronunciation, Cantonese being the main dialect spoken by Shaolin masters in South China.)
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| 1 Ready Position | 2 Dragon and Tiger Appear |
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| 3 Open Mountain Chop Rock (1) | 4 Open Mountain Chop Rock (2) |
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| 5 Poisonous Snake Bakes in Mist | 6 Yellow Dragon Emerges from Cave |
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| 7 Fierce Tiger Crouches on Ground | 8 Flick Spear on Ground |
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| 9 Yellow Dragon Emerges from Cave | 10 Dark Dragon Wags Tail |
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| 11 Immortal Plays Flute | 12 Yellow Dragon Emerges from Cave |
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| 13 Grand Lord Goes Fishing (1) | 14 Grand Lord Goes Fishing (2) |
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| 15 Yellow Dragon Emerges from Cave (1) | 16 Yellow Dragon Emerges from Cave (2) |
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| 17 Single Chop Hua Mountain | 18 Yellow Dragon Emerges from Cave |
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| 19 Return Horse Thrust Spear | 20 High Mountain Flow Water |
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| 21 Iron Gate Close Lock | 22 Horizontally Sweep Thousand Armies |
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| 23 Yellow Dragon Emerges from Cave | 24 General Waves Flap |
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| 25 Shark Monk Flicks Spear | 26 Immortal Sweeps Floor |
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| 27 Separate Grass Seek Snake | 28 Phoenix Looks at Sun |
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| 31 Poisonous Snake Bakes in Mist | 32 Yellow Dragon Emerges from Cave |
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| 33 Whirlwind Sweeps Leaves (1) | 34 Whirlwind Sweeps Leaves (2) |
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| 35 Whirlwind Sweeps Leaves (3) | 36 Whirlwind Sweeps Leaves (4) |
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| 37 Whirlwind Sweeps Leaves (5) | 38 Jade Belt Around Waist (1) |
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| 39 Jade Belt Around Waist (2) | 40 Jade Belt Around Waist (3) |
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| 41 Jade Belt Around Waist (4) | 42 Jade Belt Around Waist (5) |
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| 43 Jade Belt Around Waist (6) | 44 High Mountain Flow Water (2) |
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| 45 High Mountain Flow Water (2) | 46 Carry Spear at Back (1) |
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| 47 Carry Spear at Back (2) | 48 Single Hand Shoot Spear |
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| 49 Treasure on Ground | 50 Fisherman Hits Net |
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| 51 Dragon and Tiger Appear | 52 Finishing Position |
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