SEVEN-STAR, DRAGON STRENGTH, WUDANG AND DRAGON FORM
Dragon Strength
Question
What is the difference between the Seven Star, the Dragon Strength, the Wudang and the Dragon Set?.
Anton Schmick
Answer
A good way to compare the difference among the four sets, namely Seven-Star, Dragon Strength, Wudang Taijiquan and Dragon Set, which I presume is the Dragon Form Set, is to use the four fundamental dimensions of a kungfu set, i.e. form, force, application and philosophy.
Regarding form, Dragon Strength is Southern Shaolin, whereas all the other three sets are Northern Shaolin. It is worthy of note that Wudang Taijiquan is a modern name. Initially it was just called Shaolin Kungfu, and to differentiate it from the Shaolin Kungfu practiced at the Shaolin Monastery in Henan, which was called Henan Shaolin, it was called Wudang Shaolin.
It is also worthy of note that we are often known as a school that practices Southern Shaolin Kungfu because in the early years, Southern Shaolin constituted our training material. But now there is a lot of Northern Shaolin in our school.
Most people think of Southern Shaolin as a style with a lot of fist techniques, and Northern Shaolin with a lot of kicks, expressed in the saying, “nan quan bei tui” or “southern fist, northern kick”. This expression is well represented in the first two categories of wushu, namely “Chang Quan” and “Nan Quan”, or “Long Fist” which is Northern Shaolin, and “Southern Fist”, which is Southern Shaolin. The other five wushu categories are “Dao Shu” or “Sabre Techniques”, “Jian Shu” or “Sword Techniques”, “Gun Shu” or Staff Techniques”, “Jiang Shu” or “Spear Techniques”, and “Taijiquan” or Tai Chi Chuan.
But, contrary to popular belief, there are also many Northern Shaolin sets where kicks are not prominent. In the three Northern Shaolin sets above, kicks are prominent in Seven-Star, but not in Wudang Taijiquan and Dragon Form.
What many people do not realize is that Southern Shaolin represents the latest development of Shaolin Kungfu. In Dragon Strength, force training and combat application, the two pillars in kungfu training, are incorporated into the set, whereas in Seven-Star, Wudang Taijiquan and Dragon Form, the three sets comprise only of combat application.
Hence, practitioners who practice Dragon Strength can develop internal force, whereas practitioners of the three other sets have to practice supplementary force training methods. This is probably the reason why today those who practice Southern Shaolin for a long time have internal force, though they themselves may not realise it, and those who practice Northern Shaolin and internal arts like Taijiquan, Baguaquan and Xingyiquan for a long time still do not have internal force.
This situation applies to most other kungfu practitioners. Our students are different. Because all our training is triple cultivation, by practicing just the sets and without supplementary force training methods (which does not mean that they are not useful as an addition), our students can develop quite a lot of internal force. Practitioners of Taijiquan and other internal arts are supposed to have this result, but because they do not know the underlying philosophy and do not have the necessary skills, they do not have internal force irrespective of how long they may have practiced.
Relatively, the internal force in Seven-Star, Wudang Taijiquan and Dragon Force is flowing, whereas that in Dragon Strength is consolidated. This is mainly because of the session of “ta chong” or “force training on stance” at the beginning of Dragon Strength.
Due to the magic of chi flow and the great advantage of breadth and depth, our students can practice any additional force training methods. But most other practitioners do not have this benefit. They may cancel their force if they practice opposite methods.
For example, if they practice Seven-Star but add triple-stretch force training, or if they practice Dragon Strength but add lifting water force training, their result will be detrimental because they use opposing methods that cancel each other. But if our students do the same things, their result will be enhanced. Other people may find it hard to believe, and some may be angry. As I have often said, that is their business, but I am stating the truth.
In our school all the four sets can be applied in any type of combat, including by small-sized exponents against big-sized opponents, or reversely by the strong against the weak. This is because we can adapt our style to existing combat situations. More significantly, our practice of these sets will also enable us to enrich our daily life.
These wonderful benefits, however, may not be applicable to most other practitioners. Most of them do not know the combat application of the sets, except perhaps some simple and obvious ones in Dragon Form. Most of them would not be able to enrich their daily life with these sets.
Relatively, Seven-Star is most suitable for the small-sized and weaker opponents against the bigger-sized and stronger opponents. In daily life, Seven-Star practitioners can also apply the same principles with appropriate actions in situations where they are physically, economically or socially weaker.
Dragon Strength is the most suitable when opponents are of equal or inferior size and strength. In daily life Dragon Strength experts can apply the same principles in situations where they are in superior positions.
I suddenly had a realization why the Dragon-Strength Set was suitable for the superior against the inferior. It is because the training of the Dragon Strength Set makes you superior to your opponent, even when you are smaller in size.
This is achieved in making you more powerful and faster, particularly with the training of dragon-force and dragon-speed. As a result of practicing the Dragon Strength Set, you will be more powerful and faster in combat as well as in daily life.
Would Dragon Strength be a disadvantage if your opponent is more powerful and faster than you, like meeting a high-level master in combat or a highly effective person in daily life? No. the serving movement of Dragon Strength will help you to minimize your de-facto inferiority.
The philosophy of Seven-Star is for the small and weak against the big and strong. Its special features are the organ-seeking kick, the seven-star jump and the seven-star grip.
Would a big-sized exponent be at a disadvantage when compared to one who is small-sized. If all other things were equal, it would be a disadvantage because a big-sized person would not be as agile. But other things are not equal. If the big-size person is equally agile, it would not be a disadvantage.
On the other hand, irrespective of an exponent’s size, using muscular strength would be a disadvantage. The Seven-Star Set works well when flowing force is used.
All the other three sets take the form and spirit of the dragon. A prominent feature of the dragon form is swerving movement. A prominent feature of the dragon spirit is presence of mind. Hence, regarding philosophy, a special feature of Seven-Star is agility, whereas that of the three other sets is serving movement.
All these four sets are marvellous. If a practitioner has a chance to learn even only one of these sets, it is a marvellous opportunity. Of course, it is not just learning their outward form, but also their force training, application for both combat and non-combat purposes, and their philosophy.
Wudang Taijiquan
The above discussion is reproduced from the thread 10 Questions on the famous and legendary Seven-Star Set (七星拳)
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