From Shaolin Temple to Bruce Lee - 100 Kungfu Styles of the Past Millenium

by Martha Burr and Gene Ching

As the Millenium turns, there is both a sense of promise and one of history. So for this issue we feel it is only fitting to take the long view, and celebrate the incredible diversity of the Chinese martial arts as it has developed over the past thousand years. However, to really give the big picture we had to back even further since for us, symbolically, kungfu is so well framed between Shaolin and Bruce Lee.

This was a mammoth undertaking and we don't claim to have arrived at a perfect history. So many origins of the styles are shrouded in legend, conflicting accounts and questionable history that for us to claim empiricism would be absurd. Nevertheless, these legends and multiple accounts are part of the history of kungfu, so we have tried our best to present and represent them as such as they appear.

We've arranged the 100 styles in chronological order according to when we found their first actual documentation. Since many of the origins are sketchy, this approach seemed to be the most fair. It also presented quite a challenge to our chronology, since some of the styles are attributed to mythical deities and many styles are undocumented in their origins. However, this chronological perspective was the most fruitful because the development of Chinese martial arts does tell a story. Within it, China's legendary warriors and rulers appear through the centuries of war and peace -- the first emperor of the Song dynasty, Taizu, the mighty general Yue Fei, the Shaolin rebel Gan Fengchi, and the most aggressive emperor of the Qing dynasty, Qianlong, to name a few. These heroes had a tremendous impact on China's history and inspired the evolution of its treasured martial arts.

Terms are also another sticky area. For the most part we try not to be too rigid about terminology, to keep it reader friendly. For instance, most people in the West use the Cantonese term Wing Chun, rather than the Mandarin Yongchun Quan, so we presented the more commonly used names first, as we deemed appropriate. When available, we give the Mandarin term, the Cantonese, the English literal translation, and the Chinese characters. Some Chinese words have different characters that wind up spelled the same in Mandarin Pinyin. This has caused great confusion with many previous English researchers. As always, using the character is the most accurate reference.

Other terms are translated directly, such as quan, (fist) and jia (family.) In English, fist is commonly substituted by "style." So is the suffix boxing. Americans also frequently use the suffix kungfu, more colloquially, and sometimes school, when referring to a style. Mostly we left the different terms as a matter of editorial choice to avoid redundancy.

Poised at the year 2000, we do not look at this piece as any kind of final word on 100 styles of kungfu, but rather a starting place. The lack of available facts also makes some of our entries uneven. However, we hope this will spur the other historians out there to help us collect more information, and eventually bring more and more kungfu history to light. We enjoin you, our readers, to write to us and help us correct our errors and add to our accounts (and let us know what styles we may have missed). Later this year we will print a Postscript to this article out of your responses, which our readers can use as an appendix to this collection. (Please list your sources, and if you can include a copy of photos or illustrations).

So without further ado, we now present you with 100 Chinese martial arts. As their practitioners, we all bear the honor and the responsibility to bring them into the next millenium - and keep them there.

From Shaolin to Bruce Lee - 100 Kungfu Styles of the Millenium

(introduction)

1. Shaolin Kungfu -- Shaolin kungfu originated in the Shaolin Temple on Mt. Songshan at Dengfeng in Henan Province. This temple was originally built for the Indian Buddhist monk Ba Tuo by Emperor Wen Di of the Liu Song period in 495. Later in 527, it became highly significant with the arrival of the Indian monk Bodhidharma (a.k.a. Ta Mo) who meditated in a cave on Wu Ru peak behind the temple for nine straight years. Following this meditation, Ta Mo conceived of Shaolin kungfu and Chan Buddhism, which would later be renamed Zen when it spread to Japan. Further legends even attribute the creation of tea to Ta Mo, which allegedly sprang from his discarded eyelids, cut off in disgust when he accidently fell asleep. Tamo created kungfu in order to strengthen the bodies of the monks for prolonged meditation. His initial contribution consisted of two forms of qigong and one fighting form, yijinjing (muscle tendon change) xisuijing (marrow washing) and lohan shibashou (18 hand methods of the lohan). Accordingly, Shaolin kungfu encompasses both internal and external methods. It also has a vast array of weapons. Shaolin is considered to be the birthplace of kungfu and many non-Chinese styles trace their roots to it as well. While fighting styles have existed for much longer, it is Ta Mo's contribution that is cited as the first true martial art. He elevated combat skills to be much more profound than just fighting. Following Ta Mo, kungfu became a vehicle for spiritual transformation. Over its long history, Shaolin Temple has created and influenced many martial arts. It became a research academy and martial resource, where traditional methods were cultivated and new concepts were constantly infused, and remains so to this day. The nature of Chan Buddhism permits Shaolin kungfu to constantly evolve to meet the needs of the times. Its ability to stay in the moment has been the source of its tremendous longevity. In essence, all styles aspire to Shaolin spirit, to find peace and self-actualization through the disciplines of war.

2. Shuai Jiao (throw horn) - Shuai Jiao traces its roots to a primordial combat style called Jiao Di (literally "horn hit") attributed to the mythic Yellow Emperor Huangdi. Ancient books and drawing document wrestlers wearing helmets with horns during contests, which is the origin of the horn in the name. Over the dynasties, this style underwent multiple name changes and variations, but the spirit remained the same, so it can justifiably stake a claim as one of the oldest styles of kungfu. Renowned for their expertise in this wrestling art, Mongolians will hold contests as part of their cultural festivals. In 1928, under the Republic of China, the Guoshu Institute of Nanjing standardized these contests under the name Shuai Jiao. Today, it has gained worldwide acceptance as a popular combat sport and an effective method of self-defense.

3. Wudang Quan - Wudang Mountain in Hubei province is famous for Taoism. Like Shaolin's Song Mountain, it is home to a wide range of martial arts. According to one legend, it is the birthplace of Taijiquan and attributes it to founder Zhang San Feng. Accordingly, there is a unique style of Zhang San Feng taijiquan practiced here. The other internal arts of Bagua and Xingyi are popular as well, and Wudang is most famous for it straight sword. Even though it was originally a weapon, many Taoists have changed the way they use sword so it is more of a training aid than a tool for killing. They do not emphasize the external combat techniques. Instead they use it as an instrument to focus their energies and cultivate their internal power. The mind is focused on one's center and the energy is projected through the tip of the sword. The mind fluidly directs the sword. Beyond the internal styles, there are also external forms of kungfu practiced at Wudang, however it is their internal arts that have won them the highest regard. Because Wudang Quan requires peace, quiet and calmness, this style is not really popular in the big cities. This is one reason why authentic Wudang Quan is rarely seen. Although styles of Wu Dang are martial arts, they do not concentrate entirely on fighting, and more emphasis is placed upon longevity, improving health and strengthening the body. 220

4. Fan Zhu Quan - According to legend, this style was rooted in the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BCE). This is probably because it comes from the Fan people, a Chinese minority tribe who have one of the oldest cultures of China. Unique to this style is a heavy emphasis on elbow attacks. The hand and arm are used primarily for defense. Accordingly, this is close distance combat, with little emphasis upon leg techniques or jumping. It has a 3-5 step fighting range. 770 BCE

5. Miao Quan - The Miao minority from Guanxi province traces the roots of this style to a period before the Emperors and associates it with a primordial combat style called Jiao Di (literally horn hit - Jiao means horn, see Shuai Jiao). The Miao believe their ancestral ruler was Si Yao, who was defeated by the first Emperor Huangdi (221-210 BCE) when China was initially unified. According to this legend, Si Yao created the five original weapons, Ge (dagger-axe), Mao (lance), Ji (halberd), Lu (arrow) and Jian (sword). This style is very combative since all of its techniques are based upon war and hunting. It is similar to many Southern styles of kungfu in that it is very powerful and has low, immovable stances. It also has powerful Fa Jing that makes an audible sound, as in Chen style taiji. Today, its most renowned exponent is Liang Wai Ling, who has combined his ancestral Miao lineage with the techniques of Hong Quan and Hou Quan to create Gui Bei Miao Quan (Gui from Guilin province, Northern Miao fist).

6. Hou Quan - Hou Quan, or Monkey Fist, can be traced back to the Han dynasty and is recorded in the Mi Hou Wu dance performed at the Emperor's court. During the Ming dynasty Song Taizu describes 32 forms of longfist and six steps of Monkey fist, indicating that it was widely practiced at that time. Hou Quan has both Northern and Southern Monkey styles. The Northern utilizes small, compact movements with powerful, damaging short-range techniques. The Southern Monkey also emphasizes short, continuous movements, and is effective for close combat. Both styles employ a lot of light jumping and imitation of the monkey's characteristic movement and expression. The modern monkey style is very vivid, and includes more jumping, aerial techniques, and tumbling.

7. Emei Quan - Emei Mountain is one of the four major Buddhist mountains (the others are Wutai, Putuo and Jiuhua). It is also one of the major martial mountains, just behind Song Mountain (Shaolin) and Wudang Mountain. Just like those other mountains, a wide range of kungfu has descended from this venerated sacred place. As the mountain is renowned for its wildlife, Emei Quan is famous for its animal styles, particularly monkey style, and its unique Southern styles. Emei Quan is characterized by low stable stances with little hopping. Jumps are executed very lightly and quickly. Its movements are very diverse. Many of its most lethal techniques are derived from the wrist. 600

8. Yao Quan - The Yao minority of Guanxi province attributes this style to an ancient deity of their culture known as Pan Wang. Its origin has been estimated around the Sui/Tang Dynasty period. During the Ming Dynasty, there are records of a powerful female master of this style named Yuan Tan Liang. At that time, this style was known as Man Yao Quan (barbarian Yao fist). In 1847, Lei Zai Ji organized a meeting of the top exponents of this style to improve the techniques. Because the Yao are mountain people, they typically had very strong legs and powerful grips from climbing. Accordingly, this style emphasizes these attributes. Beyond hand forms, this style practices large broadsword, axe, staff and guandao (general's lance). Lion and Tiger dancing are also a large part of this curriculum. 618ish

9. Hua Quan (China-style boxing) - This style is believed to have originated in Jining of Shandong Province. It is said that during the Kaiyuan reign of the Tang dynasty (713-741) a Mount Hua knight named Cai Mao killed his enemy of a noble family of Chang'an, and went to hide in Jining. Cai Mao excelled at combat and swordplay. About 400 years later Cai's offspring, Cai Tai and Cai Gang, were also proficient at combat and often competed in local and national wushu contests. They developed their style in to the present-day Hua Quan. Cai Wanzhi of Jining, during the Jiaqing reign of the Ming dynasty (1522-1566), further developed Hua Quan and wrote a book The Secrets of Hua Quan. He based his book on the traditional philosophy of combining spirit, breath and ego. Cai Guiqin, grandson of one of the few remaining martial artists of Caixing, was born during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing dynasty (1877) and was fond of wushu as a child. He learned martial arts from his grandfather and after his death, was forced by poverty to move away from Caixing to a district outside the southern gate of the city wall of Jining. There he met with Ding Yushan, a well-known expert in Shandong Province for his mastery of Hua Quan. Cai studied with Ding for three years, and he later became a contemporary Hua Quan master during the late Qing dynasty. In the 1897 Cai Guiqin traveled in the south of China where he met and discussed martial arts with Qiu Jin, a woman revolutionary from Shaoxing in Zhejiang province, in Shanghai in 1906. In 1920 Cai Guiqin met with Dr. Sun Yat-sen before going to teach wushu to government officials in the headquarters of the Republic in Guangzhou. After the death of Sun, Cai went on traveling before settling in Shanghai for the rest of his life. Hua Quan was spread as he traveled through Hubei, Jiangxi, Hunan and Henan provinces. 720

10. Zhuang Quan - The Zhuang minority tribe has the greatest population of any minority, over 15 million, with 90 percent residing in Guanxi, and the rest in Yunnan. They trace their kungfu to 777 during an unstable period of the Tang dynasty. During this period China suffered invasions from the Border States of Tibet and Yunnan, and the Tang dynasty never fully recovered. The Zhuang staged their own revolution named Du Lau Qi Yi, and recorded in cave paintings in southwest Guanxi. These paintings display early renditions of Zhuang Quan armed fighters and horsemen. Until the Song Dynasty, their fighting style was called Nan Man Quan (Southern barbarian fist). This style has a wide arsenal of weapons, including broadsword, straight sword, spear, bow, blowguns and throwing darts. Its character is very powerful and hard. It is a close range combat style that and focuses only on methods of killing. Shouts to channel the qi are in the Zhuang language.

The Big Dragon with the Magic Fists

China's Great Grandmaster Cai Longyun
by Gigi Oh and Gene Ching

November 13th, 1943, the Phillip Coliseum in Shanghai: The first-ever public match between Chinese and Western fighters is packed to the rafters and the arena is going absolutely nuts. Sitting in the front row is a crowd of non-Chinese, mocking the Chinese martial arts. They are eager to see the Chinese humiliated in the ring and taunt their fighters with jeers and catcalls. The Chinese are worried. Can their venerated fighting arts withstand the bullying of these monstrously-huge foreigners?

As the matches begin, a huge 25-year-old internationally-renowned Russian fighter named Marceau Love squares off against a skinny, unknown 14-year-old Chinese boy. The Russian's gargantuan frame makes his white towel look like a napkin. He enters the ring with the carefree attitude of a seasoned fighter, calmly draping his menacing black-gloved meat hooks over the corner ropes. The boy, Cai Yunlong, is far from the picture of a professional. He is dressed in common grey athletic shorts and tiny training kid gloves, and the same white towel looks like a beach towel on him. "Might as well throw it in now, kid," the foreigners laugh hysterically. The Chinese are really worried now. They hate to lose face like this.

Round One
At the sound of the bell, the referee waves both fighters to the center of the ring. Despite being on Chinese soil, not one of the referees or judges is Chinese. As they stand toe-to-toe, Cai immediately punches the Russian's left ear. The crowd bursts into laughter. This little boy doesn't even know the rules. It's the opening handshake, not time to start fighting yet.

The embarrassment quickly passes and the fight starts for real. Cai begins defensively, dodging punches and searching for weaknesses. The Russian attacks with an aggressive left straight punch. Cai turns left, and unleashes a left to the Russian's face. The Russian backpedals to avoid more punches, but Cai strikes the Russian's left leg with a right hook kick, and Love falls. Love gets up. Just as he gets his hands up, Cai closes and kicks him on the left side of the chin, flipping Love into the air. Again, Love falls. Again Love gets up. This time Cai delivers a kick to the right side of Love's chin, and again Love flips through the air to the mat. The ref steps in and gives Love time to recover. Love retaliates with a barrage of head punches. Cai retreats, pivots 360 degrees, and surprises Love with a left kick to the right side of his face. Once more, Love falls. Cai claims the first round.

Round Two
Love is clearly shaken, so he opens with a vicious combination of hooks and punches. He drives Cai into the turnbuckles. Cai can't counterattack. He can only block. The audience is shouting madly. Cai suddenly ducks under Love's right jab and gets behind him. Love tries to turn but is met with a left back fist that sends him reeling into the ropes. Cai opens up on Love, but the ref breaks them up and brings them back to the center of the ring.

Cai feints with a left to the head. Love leans to evade and counters with a right, but Cai sets up a right kick to Love's head. Love drops his head to escape the kick. Cai shifts to a reverse sweep and again Love is lying on the mat.

Again, Love gets up. He attacks with a left to the head. Cai blocks with his left elbow and delivers another right kick to Love's head. Love is in the same trap as before. He anticipates the sweep; he jumps. Cai changes it up with a right front kick to the stomach, catching Love in mid air and sending him hurtling to the canvas once more.

Now, Love is very slow to rise. Cai attacks with a jumping front kick, but Love catches it and throws Cai. Cai uses the Russian's momentum to flip completely over and land on his feet, unharmed. The audience - Chinese and non-Chinese alike - goes wild at this amazing display of skill. Now everyone is cheering for the skinny teenager.

Round Three
Love enters the ring defeated. His swagger is gone. The best he can do is block. Cai is pumped up, fighting stronger and faster than in the earlier rounds. In the future, spectators will look back on this fight and compare Cai's fists to shooting stars and his kicks to thunder. Cai throws a left kick just under Love's ear. Love tries to evade by leaning left and turns into a powerful right jab, followed by a knock-out punch to his abs. Love goes down for the count. The whole audience leaps and shouts, tossing their hats in the air and applauding young Cai.

Within five minutes, or two-and-a-half rounds, Cai Longyun knocked the Russian kick boxer down thirteen times. Each was a blow of confidence for the Chinese people. Young Cai won the hearts of the Chinese that day, forever earning the nickname "Sheng Quan Da Long" (literally "spirit fist of the big dragon" but commonly translated as "big dragon with the magic fists").

The Dragon who Knocked Out Foreigners
Today, over six decades after that historic fight, Cai Yunlong is a retired professor of the Shanghai Physical College and one of the most renowned living masters of all China. In the living room of his modest apartment, only two small black-and-white fight pictures adorn the wall. "All my other pictures and souvenirs were lost during the Cultural Revolution," reflects Cai wistfully in Mandarin. "You know, in the 1940's, many foreigners looked down on Chinese martial arts. It was labeled as ‘flowery fists and embroidered legs.' They didn't think we could take a hit from a western boxer. In general, the Chinese were called ‘the sick men of Asia.' The foreign boxers publicly challenged Chinese martial artists. Master Wang Ziping and my father, Cai Guiqing, chose eight of us students to enter the competition."

Those fights were not divided into weight classes. Matches were selected by random drawing. It was three two-minute rounds, with a one-minute break in between. Fighters could use hands and legs to strike above the waist and to the head. Only hooks and sweeps were allowed below the waist; heel kicks and side kicks were prohibited. It was a gloved fight. A landed punch or kick earned one point; a take-down earned three. Fighters had a ten-count to get up or they forfeited the match. "The results of 1943 fight were that Chinese won five bouts, drew one, and lost two," recounts Cai. "We should have won all eight fights but referees were all foreigners and the rules were set by them as well. After they counted the ‘points,' we lost two and had the one draw. I knew my only guarantee of winning was to knock out my opponent. My punches are fast, ruthless, heavy and accurate." Of Cai's two remaining photos, the one on the left is from the second fight. "Three years later - 1946 - they set up another fight between me and the world heavyweight champion "Black Lion" Luther. I won both fights by knock outs."

The Birth of a Dragon
Cai Yunlong was born in 1928 in Shanghai, China. His father, Cai Guiqing, was a well-known martial arts master, a philosopher and an educator. His family came from Shandong Jinling where martial arts are woven into the fabric of daily life. Hua Quan, Cha Quan and Hong Quan are popular styles here. Cai began learning from his father at age four. At that time, his dad was teaching in the Shanghai Martial Arts Club and Jing Wu Association. "I started training with kicks, back and waist stretches like bridge bending, pressing leg stretches, stances and so on," recalls Cai. "Later I learned Hua Quan, Shaolin, Xingyi and Taiji." His father was very strict and focused on the basics. "My father would make me stand in horse stance, often holding weights, for at least half an hour before a break. Two hundred to three hundred kicks were the minimum requirement." If Cai didn't perform perfectly, his father would beat him with a stick until it became perfect. "At that time, I couldn't understand my father's approach - it was wang zi cheng long ("to look at a child becoming a dragon"). I even doubted if he was my real father and thought about running away from home many times. I was only stopped by my mother's love." But it was this strict discipline that forged a mighty warrior. His father often inspired him with stories of Chinese revolutionaries like Sun Yatsen who the elder Cai had met and followed to Guangzhou. He also told his son of Qiu Jin who fought with her life for democracy. The walls of their home were covered with portraits of martial heroes like Yue Fei, Qi Jiguang, Shi Kefa, Xue Rengui and others. Cai was taught to be proud of his Chinese heritage and was often guided by the ancient Chinese saying, "shi nian mo yi jian" ("it takes ten years to polish one sword"). It took ten years of training to prepare Cai for his first challenge match against that Russian fighter.

Despite his celebrated victories, Cai's career followed the scholarly path over the martial one. "I did not start as a professional martial artist," confessed Cai. "From 1946 to 1959, I was an educator. I've taught language, mathematics, history and geography in various schools. I started as an elementary school teacher. Gradually I was promoted to director, vice-principal and then principal. After the communists took over China, I worked for labor worker's education. In 1959, I was the principal of Shanghai Fifteenth Labor School in Chang Ling district. It was an extra-curricular school for labor workers. That same year, China had its first National Athletics Tournament. I was chosen to be a judge for the martial art division. In 1960, the Shanghai Physical College established Wushu Water Department (Wushu Shui Shangxi often abbreviated as Wu shui xi). The Wushu division included Chinese martial arts, weight-lifting, boxing, fencing, and Chinese wrestling (shuai jiao). In the water division, swimming was the main subject. I was transferred by the Government to take in charge of the wushu division. This was the beginning of my professional wushu career." Cai served as the Director of Wushu and the co-head of the department.

The Dragon as a Scholar Warrior
Being a professor served Cai well. He epitomized the Chinese way known as neng wen neng wu ("scholar" and "martial" in one). Beginning in 1952, Cai would publish over 100 articles on the martial arts in journals and magazines. His outstanding publications include: Wushu's Origin and it's Development, Research of Wushu's movements, Wushu: My Point of View, Wushu's Internal and External Research, Chinese Balance Beam Exercise: Plum Flower Post, and The Study of Chinese Swords' History. He also published several books including: Wushu Basic Training, Hua Quan, Straight Swords, Shaolin Temple Fist and Staff and others. Westerners are probably most familiar with the Chinese Kung-Fu Series books that Cai authored, since they were some of the earlier translated works from Mainland China. These include The Eighteen Arhat Methods of Shaolin Kungfu, Wu Song Breaks Manacles, and Zuijiuquan: A Drunkard's Boxing. During 1957 and 1958, he was twice borrowed by Chinese National Physical Culture and Sport Commission to help the research and development of modern wushu. Alongside other researchers, he helped to compile some of the most seminal works on the sport, including Long Fist Exercises, Simplified Taiji Sword, Glossary for Wushu Basic Movements, Beginning, intermediate and advanced Zhang Quan, Straight Swordplay, Broadsword-play, Spear-play, Staff-play, Twin Straight Swords, and more. These books became the basic primers for modern wushu; they set the standard. Additionally, he was chief editor of the first edition of Rules and Regulations for Wushu Competition Routines. This was the first real step in the development of an even playing field for modern wushu competition. In order to include the southern arts, Cai and two other researchers traveled to Guangzhou and Wenzhou to meet with different southern style masters and discuss the potential for regulations for nanquan. After working for three straight days without sleep, he established nanquan for competition. Cai became one of the chief architects behind modern wushu, but he never lost sight of the traditional art.

In 1959, he joined four other leading researchers in the martial arts field for a pilgrimage to the Songshan Shaolin Temple. Professor Cai, Li Menghua, Mao Bohao and Wang Zizhang traveled together in hopes of deepening the understanding of traditional Shaolin martial arts. In Zhengzhou, they documented one of Shaolin's most noted martial monks of that generation, Shi Degen. Degen demonstrated Xiaohong Quan and Dahong Quan, two of the mainstays of traditional Shaolin Kung Fu. That research was archived in the Wushu Division of the Chinese National Physical Culture and Sports Commission, but just like Cai's pictures and souvenirs, they were lost during the Cultural Revolution. Shi Degen passed away years ago, so the loss is even more tragic. Soon after the Cultural Revolution, Cai continued to be an instrumental figure in the growth and development of modern wushu. He was the chief editor of the National Physical Wushu Textbook three times. He also was the chief editor and consultant for International Wushu Coach Training Material and International Wushu Referee Training Material.

The Dragon as a Wushu Professor
To many westerners, traditional kung fu and modern wushu are mutually exclusive, so Cai's outstanding work in both fields comes as a bit of a conundrum. But Cai is very aware of the distinction and believes that both have their role. "Usually in martial arts of China, we have two categories," explains Cai. "One is to be a professional who goes to tournaments and exhibitions. Then there are the traditional groups, or ones that train for knowledge. Nowadays, the government puts the entire spotlight on the professionals. But these amateur martial artists need an opportunity and stage to show their skills. These people train at home or in clubs, but don't get the recognition that the professionals get. I think that both should be developed."

On the flip side, Cai remains a staunch supporter of the current standards of wushu that he helped engineer. "If we don't promote competition wushu, then that would be bad too. For instance, there are six main styles of taiji. Without a competition wushu, and a recognized standard taiji, you would be giving out too many awards. You have to realize that we already have to split competitors into divisions based on age, sex, and style. If you add different divisions within each style, it would get too confusing and you would have too many winners. Part of what makes traditional martial arts so special is that there are so many variations and styles. But this can hurt competition wushu and the chance for wushu to become a world sport. With the Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, it was important to standardize wushu to try to get it into the games."

Cai elaborates on how competition has affected the way martial arts are taught today. "Now in the Shanghai Physical College, there are six wushu professors and ten to twenty candidates. It is important for the candidates to study by the technique and the theory. Some people know taolu (form chinese). Some people only know sanda (fighting). Surely, if you know both, it is ideal, but from the competition point of view, you only choose one. Today, Ph.D. classes require more theory, so usually the candidate will only emphasize one area, usually something they have chosen themselves. But from individual preference, you might only choose one too. If someone practices Taijiquan, their purpose might be for better health, and then they don't really ever need to learn how to fight."

Cai demonstrates a fast movement of Taijiquan to make his point. "If someone practices taiji like this, then other people will say it is not good taiji." Cai then demonstrates a more typical slow taiji movement. "When you practice taiji, you have to be slow. If it is not slow, they won't call it Taijiquan. You are practicing jing (power). However, when you want to strike someone, if you move too slowly, you will never hit them. You have to react fast to hit your target. But if you always practice very slowly, how can you suddenly speed it up during a combat situation? If you really want to be an expert at martial arts, you must learn taolu and sanda. If you only want to train for health or only for fighting, then you only need to concentrate in one area."

The Fighting Dragon
The most common criticism of modern wushu taolu is that it cannot be used for fighting. As a fighter and a wushu pioneer, Cai addresses the issue. "The combat applications from taolu are usually too complicated to use in any real-life combat situation. Practical applications should be very fast and direct. My martial arts skills have been passed down through my family. We only had a few kicks: heel kick, inside and outside crescent, front kick, side kick, hook and sweep. The punches were straight punches and hooks - that's all. Today, taolu has so many varieties of punches and kicks like palm strikes, spear palms, spring kicks, jump kicks, reverse arch kicks, high front sweep kicks, high back sweep kicks, and so on."

"The training I received from my father was different. We trained more for reactions. For instance, a cue was given like a left hand signal equals a right punch, and the punch had to be there - very fast. It was the same for any punch or kick. Nowadays, I feel that students' reaction times are slower. They might wait for one, two, or three counts, which is too slow. Also in taolu, the posture requirements for horse stance, bow stance or empty stance are quite high. The position of your body is extremely important. But when you are in real combat, you can't be too worried about getting into a perfect horse stance. For example, when you execute a straight punch in taolu, you must also have a good bow stance. But in combat, you cannot wait to get into a good bow stance and then punch. You must just punch. You have no time to set up perfect footwork. In taolu, you get points deducted when you don't form a perfect palm. A typical palm is made by bending the thumb and tucking it tightly next to the edge of the palm while keeping the other four fingers straight and tightly together. In combat, it is unimportant to have perfect palm."

"It helps to think of it like poetry and regular conversation. Poetry has a meter. It has a rhythm to it, as well as beautiful words. In daily conversation, you don't need any of this to make a point. Taolu is just like a five-word poem and it has its requirements, just like poems. Is that useful? Maybe, but it will never be useful to a combat situation on the street when others are trying to take advantage of you."

Three Pearls of the Dragon
As a final comment and parting shot, Cai reveals his three keys to real fighting. "My father taught me three important fighting tactics. First is bu zhao bu jia (no incursions, no blocks). When your opponent punches at you, don't use your hand or elbow to block because the block will delay your counterattack. If the smallest moment is lost, it will give your opponent time to recover and attack you again. You should move and duck to avoid the punch as you simultaneously counterattack. Second is zhe rou fen qiang (don't duck too early). Duck at the split second when your opponent's fist is almost touching your flesh. In this way, your opponent's punch is fully delivered. He thinks he's got you and has no opportunity to redirect his energy. Third is tie shen kao da (strike by sticking to your opponent's body). Stick close to your opponent's body, eliminating the space between you and your opponent which can jam your opponent's strike. When your opponent moves backward to make room to attack, you seize the opportunity and attack first."