From: Carsten Jorgensen Date: Fri, 22 May 1998 16:59:16 +0200 Subject: the_dojang: Muyedobo T'ongji In the original internet spirit of sharing information I decided to post my wife's and mine translation of the "Muye" even though it's a basic translation with lots of mistakes. Anyway, with all those silly letters on Hwarang Do I have to write I'll never have enough time to scan and post it on the net anyway. I've the intro, I think Andrew pretty much covered the history already. You should remember though that the "24 martial arts" some people refer to means sword, spear, military horseback riding etc, not unarmed MA. This chapter on Kwonbop (or Chuanfa in Chinese or Kempo in Chinese) is the only one. Since Taekkyon was a game, not a MA, naturally it is not mentioned. Some techniques it's possible to recognize with the pictures (armbar etc), others "seven star punch" etc. I have no idea what is. But many of the techniques have names that are used in modern Chinese MA so... I'm looking forward to reading the complete translation (Andrew :-) Carsten hwarang@usa.net - ----------- MUYEDOBO T'ONGJI VOL.4 Fist Technique (Kwonbop - Kempo - Chuanfa) According to Qi Ji-guang, fist-techniques are not techniques to be used in battle. However, the training of the hands and legs form the base for the dexterous use of the limbs and the body (in weapon techniques). Mao Yuan-yi says: "You have to know how to draw before you can teach the 8 techniques of calligraphy" (Muyedobo's note: the eight different ways to lead the brush and the eight different strokes) and you have to put on the saddle before you can ride in gallop. In similar fashion, unarmed martial art is the base for the use of weapons. According to Mu P'yon, someone who has a "skilled fist" (is good at unarmed martial art) has good coordination. Even when he is moving sideways, moving up, going forward, standing, walking or even lying down he'll have a defence like a wall and he is also able to attack. Therefore, the people who know unarmed martial art, have a certain strength in their fist, but when they are using it, it is not ONE fixed strength but it can be applied or changed as the opportunity present itself. When it is transformed, there is no fixed strength but the actual power must not be lost. Paragraph missing (lots of names and Chinese history) Since the T'ang and Sung dynasties there have been two types of techniques, the first is called Wei Cha (external) and the second, Nei Cha (internal). The external is also called Shaolin. The Shaolin temple was located on Hsiao Shih Mountain in T=E9ng F=E9ng district. Jih-chi-lu (kor: Il-chi-rok) says that, early in the T'ang dynasty, the crown prince requested 13 monks for their help and that the monks earned merits. This was the beginning of the Shaolin troops being recruited to the army. One of the meritorious Shaolin monks during the Kachong period, Y=FAeh K'ung, was awarded with the title "Do Duk Man P'yo" (kor.) - Military Governor. He died in the battle at Songjiang when China was defending herself against the Japanese attackers. Just as the external systems are famous because of Shaolin, the internal systems are famous because of Chang Sung Ch'i. Master Sung Ch'i had 13 famous disciples. These techniques originated from Chang Sang F=E9ng of the Sung dynasty. Chang Sang F=E9ng was a Wudang Dansu (Muyedobo's note: a person who practices Taoism). It is also known that the Tang Chi province had a Wudang army. Using his special techniques it was possible for Chang Sang F=E9ng to kill more than a hundred enemies alone. The internal systems became famous with Chang Sang F=E9ng and his followers and the internal styles spread to the Su Ming Mountains at Lin Po Fu until the Mingka Ch=F3ng period. But Chang S=F3ng Ch'i was the most famous of the internal masters. According to records at Lin Po Fu, when Shaolin stylists were fighting, they emphasized attacking by hard and rigorous movements. Therefore they sometimes became careless and their defence could be penetrated by other people. But when S=F3ng Ch'i (the Wudang master) was defending, he would normally first defend himself until he had no choice but to fight. But when he stroke he did not miss. The people who would try to attack him did not have a chance to penetrate his defence but Song Ch'i could hit them. That is why the internal styles are better for fighting. The way the Wudang fighters attack people is usually through the pressure points. There are different types of points: fainting, mute, killing points and ??. Depending on the attack, if they used a light or a heavy tab, the person would die, faint, go mute or ?? but there was no hairloss or any other sign of having being attacked. This was the secret of Wudang. It has always been known that the Wudang had five words as their moral teaching. They used "respect", "strict", "straight", "diligent" and "intimate". They only taught these words to the people who used the pressure points and not to anyone outside the group of disciples. But these five words were not used for fighting but like praying. They used these words just like the warrior families used the words "humanity", "trust", "intelligence", "bravery" and "strict". (5 pages not translated) Introduction: China's basic 24 spear techniques and 32 basic fist techniques can be changed in hundreds of different ways according to circumstances. Sometimes the techniques are connected to each other, but all the techniques need not necessarily be connected in nonstop continuation. According to Mao Yuan-yi, the Korean sword-techniques can be divided into slashing, stabbing and striking. And in our country when two persons practicing sword they are always training facing each other. Sword-techniques are, according to Mao, practiced like fist techniques. (Unarmed techniques can also be divided into basic groups of techniques and should often be practiced by two people standing opposite each other.) Su Pu says: Usually two people will be facing each other. The first person would be doing the Horse Stance and the other is doing the Single Whip Stance. The first person does the Seven Star and the second would be doing the Riding Dragon. All these are natural poses for attack and defence. This type of techniques are repeated and repeated until they become one whole set of techniques. They have lost the original meaning. They practitioners does a certain kind of pose and then do another kind of pose. From head to tail it makes up one whole form. Besides, both persons can do the same form together like a shadow following each other. And at the end of the form the two persons would be like twins fighting against themselves. After long time practice it becomes a form. (Two lines not translated) FIST-TECHNIQUE SCROLL (5 pages not translated) FIST-FIGHTING NOTES 491: Two persons use both their hands to press against their waist, beginning from a horse stance, right hand hit left shoulder, revolve, pull the elbow, left hand hit opponents right arm, breaking the elbow. 492: Moving forward, lifting up the leg doing the Bait Posture ( ). Right foot kick right hand, left foot kick left hand, right foot kick right hand, then follow by ( ) posture, turn to the left, left hand hit right foot. 493: Continue with 'Seven-Star Fist' technique ( ) - left and right hands does a 'washing movement' at level four high, (probably similar to "Ving Chun" style punching), right hand and left leg go forward with a 'stab'. 494: Immediately do 'Inverted Insertion' technique ( ), lift left and right hands up high, look back and turn the body, take a quick step to the back while right hand press on the right armpit. 495: Continue with 'Pull Single Whip' technique ( ), jump one step forward, right hand hit right hip and follow with 'Crouching Tiger' technique ( ), moving forward and sit, turn around, up again and immediately do the `Bait' technique ( ). 496: Doing 'Down Insertion' technique ( ), bend around to the left, right hand (and) left foot a single hit, immediately with 'Over Head Cannon' technique ( ), left hand defend in front and right hand block at the forehead. 497: Continue with 'Flag Drum' technique ( ), left and right hand doing a 'washing movement'. Then do 'middle four level' technique, right hand and left leg moving one stab to the back, continue with 'Inverted Insertion' technique( ) moving forward. 498: Turn around and do 'Inverted Riding Dragon' technique ( ) open up left and right hand do the 'Pull Single Whip' technique ( ) forward, follow with 'Hiding' technique ( ), sitting down with legs stretched out in straight line, stand up and do 'Lifting leg Bait' posture ( ), follow with 'Down Insertion' technique, 'Over Head Cannon' technique ( ), then 'Flag-Drum' technique ( ), 'Four Level Height' technique ( ), 'Inverted Insertion' technique ( ), then moving one quick step with 'Pull Single Whip' technique ( ). 499: Follow with 'Five Flowers Wind Around the Body' technique ( ) with right hand, right leg turn around at the right side. 500: Two persons standing up facing each other doing 'Wild Goose Wing at the side of body' technique ( ), 'Encroach Upon Tiger' technique ( ), both hand open and close, left and right seeking each other. 501: First person doing 'Lifting Leg Bait' posture ( ),left leg kick and right leg kick to drive forward, second person doing 'Battle-Axe?' technique ( ). Left hand cover/protect while moving back with 'Wild Goose Wing at Side' technique ( ), 'Encroach Upon Tiger' technique ( ) mutual turn around; second person immediately does 'Lifting Leg Bait' posture forward (while?) first person does 'Battle Axe?' technique ( ) backward. Both persons then do the 'Wild Goose Wing at Side' technique, 'Encroach upon Tiger' technique, (mutual stand, turn around and return). 502: First person move forward with a 'Crouching Tiger' technique, second person does a 'seizing' technique jumping and swinging, then 'Crouching Tiger' technique, first person also does a 'seizing' technique and jumps. 503: Both persons immediately does 'Throwing Stand' technique, left and right hand hit right instep, then do 'Picking Elbow' technique. ( ). 504: First person uses his right hand to seize the second person's left shoulder, second person, using his right hand, moves under first person's right armpit and grab" seize over first person's neck. Follow with seizing first persons left shoulder, each of them using their back, hook left hand. First person carry second person on the back, lift up horizontal and throw invertedly (throw over). Second person spins like a spinning wheel, touches the ground and stand up in an instant. Second person carry first person and repeats first persons technique. (Yet more pages not translated) ------------------------------