Ancient Wisdom in a Modern Era
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Wudang Kung Fu
Taoist Internal Boxing Style, Zhang Sanfeng
Wudang Mt Kung Fu
Sword ~ Temple ~ Sect
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practices.
Legacy of Zhang Sanfeng
A legendary culture hero, Zhang Sanfeng is credited by modern practitioners as having originated the concepts of neijia (內家); soft, internal martial arts, specifically T'ai Chi Ch'uan, as a result of a Neo-Confucian syncretism of Chán Buddhist Shaolin martial arts with his mastery of Taoist Tao Yin (neigong) principles. It is said that on one occasion Zhang Sanfeng observed a bird attacking a snake on Wudang Mountain and was greatly inspired by the snake's defensive tactics. It remained still and alert in face of the birds onslaught until it made a lunge and fatally bit its attacker. This battle inspired him to create a 72-movement T'ai Chi Ch'uan“set.” He is also associated in legend with the Taoist monasteries at Wudang Mountains in Hubei province.
Huang Zongxi's Epitaph for Wang Zhengnan (1669) gives him credit for the development of a Taoist "internal martial arts" style, as
In current-day China, the martial arts are generally classified into two major groups: Wudang (武当拳) and Shaolin (少林拳). The Chinese word, Wǔdāngquán translates as Wudang fist or Wudang boxing. Whereas Shaolin includes hundreds or thousands of martial art styles, Wudangquan includes only the arts applied with internal power; this typically encompasses Tai chi chuan, Xing-Yi chuan and Bagua zhang, but must also include Baji chuan and Wudang Sword. Although the name Wudang simply distinguishes the skills, theories and applications of the "internal arts" from those of the Shaolin styles, it falsely suggests these arts originated at the Wudang Mountains. The name Wudang comes from a popular Chinese legend which incorrectly purports the genesis of Tai chi chuan and Wudang Sword by an immortal, Taoist hermit named Zhang Sanfeng who lived in the monasteries of Wudang Mountain.
Nèijiā is a more broad term used mistakenly in the West as a synonym for the more specific Wǔdāngquán; while Nèijiā encompasses Aikido and Qi Gong, Wǔdāngquán does not.
Wudang Kung Fu History
China Qing Dynasty
Ancient Wisdom in a Modern Era
Sources: Wikipedia
Republic of China
Around 1912, the third-generation BaGua master Fu Chen Sung was traveling throughout Northern China to meet and learn from the best martial artists when he met Wudang Sword grandmaster Sung Wei-I in Lia Ning Province; Fu learned Sung's Wudang Sword and fighting forms: Lightning Palm and Rocket Fist. Fu joined General Li Jinglin's army in 1920. General Li Jinglin had also met Sung Wei-Yi in the early 1900s while garrisoned in Lia Ning Province, and had
also learned Sung's Wudang Sword techniques.
In 1925, General Zhang Zhi Jiang began to propagate his belief that martial arts should be used to improve the health of the Chinese people. He suggested the creation of a Central Martial Arts Academy (Central Guoshu Institute), and was named Director. General Li Jinglin, retired from his military career, was named Vice-Chairman to the Academy. General Li's kung fu advisor was the famous
The term "nèijiā" and the distinction between internal and external martial arts first appears in Huang Zongxi's 1669 Epitaph for Wang Zhengnan. Stanley Henning proposes that the Epitaph's identification of the internal martial arts with the Taoism indigenous to China and of the external martial arts with the foreign Buddhism of Shaolin—and the Manchu Qing Dynasty to which Huang Zongxi was opposed—was an act of political defiance rather than one of technical classification.
In 1676 Huang Zongxi's son, Huang Baijia, who learned martial arts from Wang Zhengnan, compiled the earliest extant manual of internal martial arts, the Nèijiā quánfǎ.
In the late 1800s, Dong Hai Chuan began teaching Bagua Zhang to a very select group of individuals. The highly-notable Xing-Yi stylist Liu De Kuan was among those who learned this special art from Dong. Liu was a very friendly martial artist who had also learned Tai Chi Chuan from Yang Lu-ch'an. Liu's friendly nature and experience with the three "internal" martial arts created an easy forum for discussion and knowledge-sharing between practitioners of the these arts.
In 1894, an alliance was created with Cheng Tinghua taking the lead and representing Bagua Zhang; Li Cun Yi and Liu Wei Xiang represented Xingyiquan; and although Liu De Kuan practiced all three arts, he represented Tai Chi Chuan. The alliance grouped the three arts under the umbrella of "Neijia," and swore brotherhood among its associates and practitioners. Cheng Ting Hua was shot and killed by German soldiers during the Boxer Rebellion (1900), which likely strengthened the alliance.
Bajiquan master Li Shuwen.
In 1928, Kuomintang generals Zhang Zi Jiang, Fung Zu Ziang and Li Jinglin organized two national martial arts tournaments in Beijing & Nanjing respectively; they did so to screen the best martial artists in order to begin populating the Central Martial Arts Academy. The generals separated the participants of the tournament into Shaolin and Wudang. Wudang participants were recognized as having "internal" skills. These participants were generally practitioners of T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Xíngyìquán and Bāguàzhǎng. All other participants competed under the classification of Shaolin. Thus, Wudangquan came to encompass Tai Chi, Bagua, Xingyi; Baji from Li Shu Wen; and Wudang Sword from Sung Wei-I and Li Jing Lin. Fu Chen Sung won the fighting competition in Beijing, and was named head Bāguàzhǎng instructor for all of China.
Circumspectively, this seems to be the historical point when the name Wudang became the prevalent moniker for the internal martial arts across China. The two major lineages of Wudang Chuan were passed down from Li Jinglin. These lineages went to Fu Chen Sung and Yang Kui-Shan.
Zhang Sanfeng
Zhang Sanfeng Chinese (张三丰) was a semi-mythical Chinese Taoist priest who is believed by some to have achieved immortality, said variously to date from either the late Song Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty or Ming Dynasty. His name is said to have been Zhang Junbao 張君寶 before he became a Taoist.
Zhang was indifferent to fame and wealth. After declining official position and dispatching his property to his clan, he traveled around China to live the life of an ascetic. Zhang spent several years at Hua Mountain before settling in Wu Tang Mountain.
He is not to be confused with later Taoist sect founder who carried the same name and was an exponent of Taoist sexual
opposed to the "external" style of the Buddhist martial arts tradition of Shaolin. Stanley Henning's article, "Ignorance, Legend and Taijiquan" is critical of the myth that Zhang San Feng created Tai Chi Chuan, and asserts that it is very likely that Zhang never existed.
Zhang Sanfeng is also said to have been well versed in Shaolin Gung Fu, an expert in the White Crane and Snake styles of Chinese martial arts, as well as in the use of the Chinese straight sword or jian. According to relatively late (19th century) documents preserved within the Yang and Wu family's archives, the name of Zhang Sanfeng's master was Xu Xuanping (許宣平), said to be a Tang dynasty hermit poet and Taoist Tao Yin expert.
The Tai Chi Chuan families who ascribe the foundation of their art to Zhang traditionally celebrate his birthdate as the 9th day of the 3rd Chinese lunar month
Traditional folktales of Zhang Sanfeng
Much of the written material about him is mythical, contradictory, or otherwise suspect. For instance, he is reported by different people to have been born either in 960, 1247, or in 1279. He has at times been described as being seven-feet tall, with the bones of a crane and the posture of a pine tree, having whiskers shaped like a spear, and being able to cover 1000 li in a day (roughly 580 km or 350 miles). He is reputed to have worn a straw hat, and is usually depicted with one slung on his back, but two villages are reported in the 19th century Wu-yang Gazeteer (Wu-yang hsien-chih) to have believed that his hat was actually a cymbal, which only residents of the villages (famous for manufacturing cymbals) had permission to sound upon meeting him.
Some sources record two Chinese emperors sending missions to Zhang Sanfeng to ask for his advice, although neither mission is reported to have found him.
Owing to his legendary status, his name frequently appears in Chinese novels and Wuxia films of swordsmen as a spiritual teacher and master of martial arts. One of the films is Tai Chi Master starring Jet Li and portrayed by him.
Today, Chinese readers and general public are most acquainted with Jin Yong's version of Zhang Sanfeng, thanks to the popularity of his Wuxia novels. In his book The Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber, Zhang Sanfeng was a former Shaolin disciple in the late Song Dynasty, and born on April 9, 1247 at midnight (Day 9 of month 3 in Chinese calendar). He later left Shaolin Temple and established the Taoist monasteries in Wudang Mountains. In the book he had seven disciples, and was alive at least until the late Yuan Dynasty. According to many regional gazettes, Zhang Sanfeng was seen at the end year of Tianshun reign (1457–1464), having lived for more than 200 years.
Fu Style Wudang Quan
Fu Chen Sung (Fu ZhenSong) worked the rest of his life to develop Fu Style Wudang Fist. The system included exercises, empty hand and weapons sets in Tai Chi, BaGua, Hsing-Yi—and Fu Chen Sung's well-documented, signature forms: Liang-Yi Chuan, Dragon Palm BaGuaZhang and Dragon Palm BaGua Push hands (most of which he created in the 1940s); the famous but extremely rare Wudang Sword techniques were embodied in Fu's progression of Tai Chi Sword, to Seven Star Sword, to Bagua Cyclone Broadsword, and finally, Flying Dragon Bagua Sword forms. In his lifetime, Fu had many notable students, including General Sun Pao Gung and Lin Chao Zhen. Fu's oldest son, Fu Wing Fay (Fu Yong Hui), became Fu's prodigal son.
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Wing Fay grew up among many of the greatest martial artists in the Golden Era of Martial Arts in China. Wing Fay learned well from his father and the other great masters. Wing Fay practiced hard, and began developing Fu Style Wudang Fist even more. Wing Fay had two top students: his son, (Victor) Fu Sheng Long, and Bow Sim Mark (the mother of Donnie Yen).
Wudang Dan Pai
According to T'ai Chi Magazine, volume 29, no. 1, the Yang Kui-Shan lineage of Wudang Dan Pai claims direct descent of Zhang SanFeng. Its 9th generation lineage holder was Sung Wei-I, who was the first non-Taoist to hold the lineage. Sung passed the lineage to Li Jinglin (for the 10th). Li passed the lineage to Yang Kui-Shang (for the 11th), who passed it on to Qian Timing (for the 12th). The current headmaster of Wudang Dan Pai in China is Ma Jie, who learned his techniques from Daoist master Xuan Dan and from Meng Xiao-Feng. Ma Jie's closed door disciples, Chang Wu-Na and Lu Mei-hui (who are also disciples of Qian Timing) are the current masters of the 13th generation. At the time Li Jinglin held the lineage, Li and his contingent were learning BaGuaZhang from Fu Zhen Song; XingYi Quan from Sun Lu Tang; Tai Chi Chuan from Yang ChengFu; Baji Quan from Li Shuwen; and the Wudang Sword techniques had come from Sung Wei-I.
Wudang Taiyi Boxing
According to T'ai Chi Magazine, volume 30, no. 1, Yang Qunli claims Jin Zitao started learning Wudang Taiyi Wuxing Boxing from Li Heling at Wudang Mountain in 1929. The article connotes that from the time of Li's death until the early 1980s, Jin Zitao was the only person alive who had knowledge of the secret martial arts of Wudang Mountain. In 1980, Jin Zitao demonstrated Wudang Taiyi Wuxing Boxing to the National Wushu Viewing and Emulating and Communicating Congress in Taiyuan City, Shanxi Provice. Before that, it had "never been shown before." The article cites Jin's association with "The Institute of Wudang Boxing" and the "Journal of Wudang."
According to KungFu Tai Chi Magazine, Zhong Yun Long went to Wudang Mountain in 1984, and studied under the 13th generation masters, Guo Gaoyi and Wang Kuangde. Zhong became the 14th generation lineage holder of the Wudang SanFeng Sect. The article cites their association with the 'Wudang Taoist Association."
There does not seem to be any connection between Jin Zitao and the Wudang SanFeng Sect except for the fact that they both use the term "Taiyi" as the name of a form. Both lineages claim to be direct descendants of Zhang SanFeng, and claim they learned Wudang martial arts at Wudang Mountain in the 20th century.
Currently, a contingent of Taoist martial art masters claiming lineage to Zhong Yun Long practice and teach Wudang martial arts at Wudang Mountain, which was named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization in 1994. These Taoists practice what they call Wudang Wushu or Wudang Gong Fu, and worship Zhang SanFeng as a deity. The website shows a curriculum of Tai Chi, XingYi, BaGua, QiGong, meditation and LiangYi (Tai Yi Wu Xing Quan), and claims BaGuaZhang originated there. Ironically, these masters and the Fu Family are the only two schools that teach a martial art form called Liang Yi.
Wudang Sword
Wudang Sword is a body of Chinese straight sword (jian) techniques—famous in China—encompassed by the Wudang chuan or internal martial arts.
The oldest reputable accounts of Wudang Sword beginw with Grandmaster Sung Wei-I around the turn of the 20th century. Sung taught Wudang Sword to Li Jing Lin and a few others. He learned the art from a Daoist named Zhang Ye-He who was the 8th generation lineage holder. Sung also learned the martial art of Bagua from the kung fu brother of Dong Haichuan: the creator of Baguazhang.
Disciples of Li Jing Lin who learned the Wudang Sword were Huang Yuan Xiou, Meng Xiao-Feng, who taught current head Grandmaster in China Ma Jie, and Yang Kui-Shan, who taught modern day Grandmaster Qian Timing. Both Ma Jie and Qian Timing taught Chang Wu-Na and Lu Mei-hui, the current masters of the 13th generation. Li Jing Lin also taught his art to many of his friends and colleagues such as Sun Lu Tang and Fu Chen Song. Inside disciples of Fu Chen Song who learned the Wudang Sword were his son, Fu Wing Fay, who taught it to Bow Sim Mark and his children, including Victor ShengLung Fu, Fu WenLung and Fu MeiLan.
Wudang Mountains
The Wudang Mountains (simplified Chinese: 武当山; traditional Chinese: 武當山; pinyin: Wǔdāng Shān), also known as Wu Tang Shan or simply Wudang, are a small mountain range in the northwestern part of Hubei Province of People's Republic of China, just to the south of the city of Shiyan.
Geography of Wudang Mountains
On Chinese maps, the name "Wudangshan" (武当山) is applied both to the entire mountain range (which runs east-west along the southern edge of the Hanshui River valley, crossing several county-level divisions of Shiyan Prefecture-level city), and to the small group of peaks located within Wudangshan Jiedao of the Danjiangkou County-level City of the Shiyan Prefecture-level city. It is the latter specific area which is known as a Taoist center.
Modern maps show the elevation of the highest of the peaks in the Wudang Shan "proper" as 1612 meters; however, the entire Wudangshan range has somewhat higher elevations elsewhere. Some consider the Wudang Mountains to be a "branch" of the Daba Mountains range, which is a major mountain system of the western Hubei, Shaanxi, Chongqing and Sichuan.
History of Wudang Mountain
In years past, the mountains of Wudang were known for the many Taoist monasteries to be found there, monasteries which became known as an academic centre for the research, teaching and practice of meditation, Chinese martial arts, traditional Chinese medicine, Taoist agriculture practices and related arts. As early as the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 AD), the mountain attracted the Emperor's attention. During the Tang Dynasty (618–907), the first site of worship—the Five Dragon Temple—was constructed. Some of the monasteries were damaged during and after the Cultural Revolution of 1966–1976, but the Wudang mountains have lately become increasingly popular with tourists from elsewhere in China and abroad due to their scenic location and historical interest. The monasteries and buildings were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. The palaces and temples in Wudang, which was built as an organized complex during the Ming Dynasty (14th–17th centuries), contains Taoist buildings from as early as the 7th century. It represents the highest standards of Chinese art and architecture over a period of nearly 1,000 years. Noted temples include the Golden Hall, Nanyan Temple and the Purple Cloud Temple.
On January 19, 2003, the 600-year-old Yuzhengong Palace at the Wudang Mountains was accidentally burned down by an employee of a martial arts school. A fire broke out in the hall, reducing the three rooms that covered 200 square metres to ashes. A gold-plated statue of Zhang Sanfeng, which was usually housed in Yuzhengong, was moved to another building just before the fire, and so escaped destruction in the inferno.
Wudang Sect
The Wudang Sect is a fictional Chinese martial arts sect featured in several works of wuxia fiction. It is one of the most famous and highly-recognised orthodox and righteous sects in the jianghu. Its home base is in the Wudang Mountains. Wudang and Shaolin are often hailed by pugilists in the jianghu as the leaders of all orthodox sects.
The Wudang Sect is featured most prominently in Jin Yong's The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber and The Smiling, Proud Wanderer as one of the leading orthodox sects in the jianghu alongside Shaolin. Liang Yusheng's works also portray Wudang as the leader of all orthodox sects. Its members are mostly Taoist priests who practise Taoism apart from martial arts. However, unlike the Buddhist monks from Shaolin, they are allowed to marry and have children. In some wuxia stories, Wudang has female disciples as well.
History of Wudang Sect
The sect is founded in the early Yuan Dynasty by Zhang Sanfeng. Zhang's original given name is "Junbao" and he is formerly a student of Jueyuan from the Shaolin Sect. Zhang Sanfeng accepts seven youths as his first disciples, who later become the "Seven Heroes of Wudang". The seven disciples are responsible for Wudang's subsequent expansion and for leading it to its status as a leading orthodox sect in the jianghu.
In The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, possibly set during the Ming Dynasty, Wudang has become one of the two leading sects in the jianghu alongside Shaolin and both play significant roles in upholding justice and keeping the peace in the jianghu. It is led by Taoist Chongxu. In Baifa Monü Zhuan, set towards the end of the Ming Dynasty, the sect is led by Taoist Ziyang.
The Wudang sect in Martial arts
Wudang's martial arts have their origins in those of the Shaolin Sect, although they are based on Taoism rather than Buddhism. Its martial arts revolve around the Taiji, which includes "Taiji Fist", "Taiji Swordplay" etc. They also focus on the use of "soft" and gentle techniques to overcome opponents' use of brute strength and force. Wudang's "inner energy" skills and Qinggong are also amongst the leading ones in the jianghu.
Due to the strong Taoist influence, Wudang members also spend their time on making elixirs and special medicines to improve their health and inner energy. The practices adopted by Wudang members are also believed to hold the key to longevity or even immortality.[original research?]
List of fictional Wudang martial arts
Foundation skills
Shiduanjin (十段錦)
Thirty-two Styles Long Fist (三十二勢長拳)
Wudang Long Fist (武當長拳)
Wudang Heart Sutra (武當心法)
Eight Trigrams Soaring Dragon Palm (八卦遊龍掌)
Armed combat styles
Divine Gate Thirteen Swords (神門十三劍)
Heaven-relying Dragon-Slaying Skill (倚天屠龍功)
Mystical Saber Style (玄虛刀法)
Heaven and Earth as One (天地同壽)
Soft Snow Swordplay (柔雲劍法)
Turning Finger Soft Swordplay (繞指柔劍)
Taiji Swordplay (太極劍)
Unarmed combat styles
Wuji Mystical Skill Fist (無極玄功拳)
Dianxue Shou (點穴手)
Heaven-Shaking Iron Palm (震天鐵掌)
Taiji Fist (太極拳)
Returning Wind Palm (迴風掌)
Great Tablet-smashing Hand (大摔碑手)
Silky Palm (綿掌)
Tiger Claw Ending Hand (虎爪絕戶手)
Tiger Claw Hand (虎爪手)
Stained Clothes Eighteen Falls (沾衣十八跌)
Qinggong
Cloud-Ascending Ladder (梯雲縱)
Formations
Zhenwu Seven Sections Formation (真武七截陣)
Zhenwu Sword Formation (真武劍陣)
Inner energy skills
Wudang Nine Yang Skill (武當九陽功)
Pure Yang Wuji Skill (純陽無極功)
