SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
JUNE 2020 PART 3
"Striking Tiger Poise" to counter any kicks in Wahnam Taijiquan Combat Sequence 6
Question 1
I will renew my practice of the 12 Wahnam Taijichuan combat sequences after having taken a break to learn the Cotton Palm Set.
— John, Ireland
Answer
The 12 Wahnam Taijiquan combat sequences are wonderful. When you know them well, even when you know just two combat sequences well, and apply them, you can easily defeat Muay Thai fighters or any combatants.
You can first fight with mediocre Muay Thai fighters just to improve your skills of fighting. Gradually you can increase the levels of your opponents.
The 12 Wahnam Taijiquan combat sequences cover all forms of attack. Masters have classified all attacks into four main groups, namely striking, kicking, felling and chin-na (which is a special way of gripping).
Most martial arts, which are actually martial sports governed by safety rules, are incomplete. You cannot, for example, hit a boxer below his belt or behind his back. You cannot catch the leg of a Taekwondo exponent.
Hence, one needs to cross-train, i.e. train in many other martial arts, if he wants to be combat efficient. But he forgets that they are actually sports governed by safety rules.
In kungfu, any genuine types of kungfu, you don't have to cross-train. There are also no safety rules. If you are proficient in the 12 Wahnam Taijiquan combat sequences, you can handle any combatants.
Question 2
Sifu, do I have an imprint from past-lives which effects my family relationships? I have always felt alone in my family-life growing up and also in the outside world. I don't know how to break my isolation.
How do we guard against the subconscious? While endeavouring always to have good thoughts, how do we avoid getting pulled in some direction by events materializing from thoughts which may not be beneficial?
Answer
Everyone has imprints from past lives. The imprints may surface when you are in a deep state of mind. But always have good thoughts, like enjoying yourself with your family.
Karma can be changed. Because of past karma, you may have a bad family relationship. But think of the good and happy times with your family. Thoughts are very important. They are the most important factor in deciding karma, the other two are speech and deeds.
It is not difficult to change your karma. If you feel lonely of your solitary existence, think of your happy family, and think of the girl you will meet, whom you must make her happy.
There is no need to guard against the subconscious. The subconscious may surface usually when you least expect it. But always have good thoughts -- for yourself and other people. When you have good thoughts, events that are not beneficial will just not happen.
For example, if you meet someone who is sick, think that he will get well. If he gets worse, think that it is his karma, which may eventually work well for him.
Many chi kung and kungfu masters, for example, were sick before, but being sick eventually led them to become masters. A good example was the Venerable Hai Deng, who was the teacher of Sifu Yan Xin, whom I consider the greatest chi kung master alive today. The Venerable Hai Deng was so sick as a child that his parents named him "Wu Bin", which means "No Illness".
The main purpose of "Sai Ping Ma" or the Horse-riding Stance is to develop internal force and mental clarity
Question 3
Regarding girls, I think after some introspective analysis, I was afraid of rejection for whatever reasons.
Answer
You have many benefits that others merely dream about. You have good health and vitality, and when you are old, you will have longevity. Sick people, especially those suffering from so-called incurable diseases, will give anything for good health.
When I was younger, at between 20 and 30, an auntie gave me some good advice. She said that girls could be easily won over. Actually, even in Western societies, girls have far less chance than boys to meet their partners. If you persist in your endeavour, which must of course be honorable, you will certainly win the girl you like.
The auntie advised that despite initial failures one must persist in his action if he wanted to succeed. Despite many years, I still remember her words. She advised that one must be "mien pei hou" which is in Cantonese Chinese, and which literally means "face-skin-thick", and can be translated as "thick-skinned" in English.
My auntie is one of the most beautiful women I have seen. I don't know about her romance, but her husband is not what I would say handsome. He must have "mien-pei-hou" during his courting.
Question 4
A Wing Chun Kung Fu master from Hong Kong said many things that I found upsetting. Of course, out of politeness I did not mention anything to him at the time in order not to disturb his seminar which I attended.
He took many opportunities to disparage arts from Southern Shaolin (for example Hung Gar and Choy Lee Fut), while simultaneously saying that Wing Chun is superior to these other Southern Shaolin arts.
— Mohammed, England
Answer
You may notice that I favour "Wing Choon" instead of "Wing Chun". It is a matter of opinion, and most people use "Wing Chun".
I prefer "Wing Choon" to "Wing Chun" because "Chun" is more likely to be mispronounced to rhyme with "son", whereas "Choon" is pronounced to rhyme with "soon".
I believe it is silly to disparage Southern Shaolin because Wing Choon came from Southern Shaolin. The full name of Wing Choon Kungfu is Shaolin Wing Choon Kungfu.
An old picture showing Lion Dance at Wing Choon Patriarch Choe Hoong Choe's house, by courtesy of Dimitri
Question 5
He said that the Wing Chun stance is superior to the Southern Shaolin "Sai Ping Ma" or horse stance. He said that the southern horse stance is too low and impractical for use in a real life fight situation, whereas the Wing Chun stance is more upright and therefore more practical.
Answer
The Horse-Riding Stance, or "Sai Ping Ma", is not for fighting. It is mainly used to develop internal force and mental clarity. Obviously the master knows little about developing internal force and mental clarity with the Horse-Riding Stance.
However, in specific conditions the Horse-Riding Stance may be used for fighting.
Question 6
He said that Wing Chun principles are based on proven scientific principles whereas Southern Shaolin is not.
Answer
All kungfu principles are based on proven scientific principles. If they are not based on proven scientific principles, they would have been eliminated long ago.
Kungfu evolved from actual fighting. If a person does not know its principles, it only means he does not know. Certainly it is not because the principles are not scientific proven.
Actually kungfu occurred long before science. There are many things in kungfu that science has not proven. For example, in Shaolin Wahnam just by flicking our fingers a few times, we can develop a lot of internal force. Modern science does not believe in internal force; it still believes in mass and motion, i.e. the bigger the mass, or the faster the motion, the more force it has.
But we in Shaolin Wahnam know that internal force contributes much to our daily living. We know from direct experience.
The Wing Choon King Leong Chan fought his way out of an ambush using a soft-whip
Question 7
He said that Wing Chun practitioners face their opponents face on, which is superior. Whereas Southern Shaolin exponents face their opponents side on, which is inferior.
Answer
It is naive to think that facing their opponents face on is superior to facing their opponents side on. I remember that many years ago, which I disagree, some Taekwondo masters asked their students to face their opponents side on, which to them was superior.
Whether to face the opponents face on or side on depends on numerous factors, which I believe the Wing Choon master does not know. There are patterns in Wing Choon Kungfu where a practitioner faces his opponents side on, for example in "bong sau" or guard-hand, "chiet cheong" or chop-palm, and "pak sau" or "slap palm".
Question 8
He said that Southern Shaolin practitioners attempt to make money from unsuspecting members of the public by performing lion dance. He said that Wing Chun does not waste time with Lion Dance. They do not like Lion Dance as it's only for vanity and showing off and making money.
Answer
Many principles from Lion Dance can be applied to kungfu. For example, a Lion, while being majestic, is also very careful. It tests pillars and thresholds before entering a hall or a room. This is particularly helpful when many combatants exchange blows generously.
A Lion shares his treasure with the public. This is helpful when many kungfu practitioners practice kungfu not for fighting but as a hobby.
Lion Dance is not only agile but also demanding. It is excellent for training internal force.
Many years ago I taught Lion Dance at the Wing Choon School of Patriarch Choe Hoong Choy.
Question 9
He said that Southern Shaolin has too many weapons which are only to please spectators and not of practical use, whereas Wing Chun only has two weapons and they are not for show but rather are practical in use.
Answer
The Wing Choon Kungfu he practices has only two weapons, but the Wing Choon Kungfu we practice in our school, Shaolin Wahnam, has many weapons, like the spear, the sabre, the trident, the kungfu bench, and the Guan Dao.
The master probably does not know that Leong Chan, known as Wing Choon King during his time, fought his way out of an ambush with a soft-whip.
If you have any questions, please e-mail them to Grandmaster Wong via his Secretary at stating your name, country and e-mail address.
LINKS
Selected Reading
- 12 Taijiquan Combat Sequences
- Wing Choon Kungfu and Wooden Dummy
- Accepting a Gift with Laughter
- Fierce Tiger Speeds through Valley
- Mesa Verde of Colorado