(reproduced from https://shaolin.org/general/legends-of-southern-shaolin/legends52.html)
HOONG HEI KHOON AND THE TRIPLE STRETCH SET
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Category Archives: Kung Fu Sets
DISTRACTING WITH THE HANDS AND KICKING WITH THE LEG
(reproduced from https://shaolin.org/general/legends-of-southern-shaolin/legends44.html)
Chaquan, a northern kungfu style
Luk Ah Choy, the old man who was the owner of the shop, and Cheah Pak were drinking wine, enjoying delicious dishes and conversing like old friends. They talked about heaven and earth (i.e. talked about causal things) until late at night, until most of other people were asleep.
Luk Ah Choy learned that the old owner was called Chan Chun Fook.
“That’s a lovely pipe, Uncle Fook” Luk Ah Choy commented, pointing to the pipe the old owner was smoking with.
“Every night after work, I would spend an hour or so smoking my pipe,” Chan Chun Fook said. “Cheah Pak is different,” the old owner referring to his cook. “He’s young. Every night he practices his kungfu.”
“I practice my kungfu diligently,” Cheah Pak added, “but I am no where compared to our warrior here.”
They were dining inside the shop, but suddenly a group of about ten persons in black dresses and all wearing masks appeared. They jumped in from open windows and were carrying weapons, like sabres and staffs.
“We’re here to take your money,” the leader who was holding a pair of sabres in his hands, said loudly to the dinners in the shop. “Quickly place on the table all you have, or else we shall chop you into pieces.” His voice was like thunder. A few remaining customers who were still having their meals were terrified.
Luk Ah Choy reached for his iron drakes and ducks, secret weapons he carried in a small bag on his body. In an instant, he sent the flying iron pills at the robbers. He had learned the secret weapons from a master, so his aim was very accurate. He hit the hands of the robbers holding their weapons. Their weapons dropped on the floor, and they were holding their hands in pain. Some of them were groaning on the ground.
But the leader used his two sabres to deflect the flying iron pills. He was shocked to see all his remaining gang members wounded. For a few seconds he did not know what to say.
Cheah Pak stood up and addressed the leader. “Since you have come, you may not like to leave empty-handed. I’ll give you a gift. I’ll test your kungfu so that the next time you will know not just walk into a shop to rob. But I don’t have any weapons with me, and you are holding double sabres.”
The leader replied, “Who are you? What’s your name?”
“I’m a cook here, and my name is Cheah Pak. What is yours?”
The gang leader took off his mask, and replied, “I do not change my name while sitting, or change my name while traveling. (This was a common saying in Chinese to emphasize that one never changed his name.) I am called Ma Hoi Sing.”
Seeing that Cheah Pak did not have any weapon, Ma Hoi Sing placed his two sabres on a table, and said, “I can fight you unarmed.”
Cheah Pak and Ma Hoi Sing chose a space near the door with no tables around. They each adopted a poise pattern. Cheah Pak stood at a lift-stance with his arms apart, in a pattern called “Beggar Asking for Food.” It looked open and inviting, but a skillful martial artist could respond effectively when an opponent attacked.
Ma Hoi Sing stood in a left bow-arrow stance with his left hand in front of his right hand, guarding his body. This was a common pattern used by northern style martial artists. True enough as northern kungfu styles were known for their agility, Ma Hoi Sing moved in swiftly with a right punch in a right bow-arrow stance.
Cheah Pak retreated his front right leg, warded off the thrust punch with his left hand, moved his left leg forward in a bow-arrow stance and struck out his right fist, in a pattern known as “Black Tiger Steals Heart”. His punch was full of power.
Ma Hoi Sing pulled back his right bow-arrow stance into a right lift-leg stance, still with his right leg in front but avoided the full force of Cheah Pak’s punch. Simultaneously he changed his right punch into a hook-hand by holding his five fingers together like a crane-beak, and hooked away the punch. Immediately be moved forward his right leg into a bow-arrow stance, and struck the opponent’s face with his left palm.
The two combatants exchanged many encounters. For a time it was uncertain who would be the winner.
From a side by observing Ma Hoi Sing’s movements, Luk Ah Choy was quite certain that he was a northern kungfu exponent, especially when he used a pair of sabres. A southern kungfu exponent would only use one sabre.
(Kungfu was generally divided into northern styles and southern styles. Northern styles were centred around the Shaolin Monastery at Henan in the north, and included kungfu styles like Chaquan, Huaquan, Hongquan, Tantui, Eagle Claw, and Praying Mantis. Taijiquan, Xingyiquan and Baguazhang were also considered as northern styles. Southern styles were centred around the Shaolin Monastery in Fujian in the south, and included the five family styles of Hoong, Lau, Choy, Li and Mok, as well as Wing Choon and Choy-Li-Fatt.)
After many exchanges, Ma Hoi Sing used his left palm to strike at Cheah Pak’s face. Cheah Pak warded off with his left hand. Immediately Ma Hoi Sing struck the opponent’s face with his right palm. Cheah Pak warded off the attack with his right hand. But the two palm strikes were feign moves to distract the opponent. Instantly Ma Hoi Sing opened Cheah Pak’s defending hands, and kicked up his right leg at Cheah Pak’s chest, so fast that Cheah Pak could not avoid, and fell back a few feet. He hit an empty chair, then fell to the floor.
Ma Hoi Sing attained his intention that he forgot his appearance (i.e. he was glad he attained his intention of defeating Cheah Pak that his conduct and appearance became bizarre). He turned round to look at Luk Ah Choy.
“Just now your secret weapons disarmed by brothers, though I could deflect them. Using secret weapons is not honorable,” he said.
“Coming in with masks and in black dresses to rob is also not honorable,” Luk Ah Choy replied.
For a short while, words failed him. Then he asked, “Would you like to exchange a few moves with me?”
“As you have asked, I shall oblige,” answered Luk Ah Choy.
Wong Kiew Kit
15th January 2018, Sungai Petani
LINKS
Overview
FIVE-ANIMAL SET OF SHAOLIN
(reproduced from https://shaolin.org/general/legends-of-southern-shaolin/legends43.html)
Application of Shaolin Five-Animal Set between Dimitri and Sifu Leo
The evening sun was sinking in the west on a cold day. The sky was spread with colorful clouds. Luk Ah Choy faced wind and dust on a government road. He was concerned that when night descended, he had no inn to stay in.
Suddenly he noticed amidst some trees a small shed. He also observed on a wall an advertisement that read “Welcome businessmen and other passers-byes along this passage way.”
Luk Ah Choy hurried along and saw a few sheds, with their back facing a village. He was attracted that all the furniture was made of bamboo — bamboo doors, bamboo curtains, bamboo tables, bamboo chairs — which gave him a special sense of romance.
Besides the sheds there were some ancient birch trees, with their roots floating above the soil. The evening shade was thick like a cover, and when gentle breeze blew, saplings dropping from branches drifted amiably in the air. Seeing this lovely scene, Luk Ah Choy felt pleasant in his heart.
Luh Ah Choy entered an eating-house. A young boy in his teen came smiling forward. Luk Ah Choy ordered chicken and wine.
After some time, an old man placed a plate of fried chicken and a pot of wine on a table. Luk Ah Choy was hungry. He enjoyed the chicken and wine.
When some wine had gone into his stomach, Luk Ah Choy exhibited his warrior’s spirit. He went outside, rabbit rose and sparrow descended, and practiced a Shaolin set. When he had completed his set, he heard some people praising from behind. He turned back and found the old man and his workers.
Luk Ah Choy said, “This low person here did not know the presence of various dignified persons. If I have made mistakes, I beg your pardon.”
The old man smilingly said, “Warrior does not have to be courteous. Just now you allow us, wild people in the hills, to open our eyes. I just wonder what kungfu set you performed just now.”
“I performed Shaolin Five-Animal Set. It is a secret of Shaolin. This low person had the teaching of a high monk. Unfortunately my heart is dull and my techniques foolish, burdensome to enter the eyes of the initiated.”
A man from amongst the workers stepped forward, greeting in hands, and said, “I am very fortunate to have a chance to see a secret teaching of Shaolin. But I still don’t understand what warrior just mentioned. What are the techniques of the Shaolin five animals, and what are the differences. I hope warrior can enlighten me.”
The person who spoke was Cheah Pak. His chest and shoulders were wide, his waist narrow and legs long. At one glance, one would know he had practiced martial art.
Luk Ah Choy answered, “As elder brother has asked, how dare I not follow? The Shaolin five animals are dragon, snake, tiger, leopard and crane.
“Dragon form trains spirit. Martial artists have their chi (or vital energy) accumulated at their dan tian (or energy fields). Extending their limbs or bending their body, their heart and their hands and legs mutually co-ordinate, like a spiritual dragon traveling in clouds, changing and modifying beyond expectation.
“Snake form trains energy. Its application needs to be soft and harmonious. Firstly, use the technique of ‘Stabilizing Golden Bridge’ (performed at the Horse-Riding Stance with both outstretched arms with the index finger of each hand pointing skyward, and the other fingers bent at the second joints) to lead energy to flow to the finger tips, making the ten fingers like iron like steel.
“Tiger form trains bones (i.e. internal force). Waist and body as well as stances and footwork movement are both firm and agile, like tiger claws charging, catching, pressing and waiting. Short hands (i.e. close techniques) defend the body. Its force is at the waist, stance and footwork, and bridges (i.e. forearms).
“Leopard form trains strength. The moving forward and backward, jumping and avoiding must be alive and agile. Striking with fists depends on shooting, piercing, charging, pressing, testing and other techniques.
“Crane form trains essence. Attainment depends on one word, ‘quiescence’. Being quiescent applies to anchoring, sideways, striking, slanting, and taking. When moving forward, one is like flying to strike water. When moving back, one is like spirit realizing and intention deceiving. It employs quiescence to secure victory.”
Cheah Pak did not move, but said, “These words are very attractive for hearing. But the height or shortness of kungfu cannot be verified by words. Although I do not have any skill, I am willing to exchange a few techniques with warrior, and seek teaching for a few sets of martial techniques.”
Luk Ah Choy replied, “You want to verify the application of Shaolin Five-Animal Set. But I am just a guest passing this way. If one out of a million, in hands and legs (i.e. kungfu), if I lose my hand (i.e. make a mistake), everyone will not be comfortable.”
Before the sound of the sentence ended, Cheah Pak moved forward and thrust out his punch. Luk Ah Choy “leaned” his arm against Cheak Pak’s arm, wanting to find out the strength of Cheah Pak.
(This was known as “asking bridge” in our school.)
Cheah Pak felt his arm being pressed on. He slipped away and attacked Luk Ah Choy’s face with a pattern called “White Tiger Presents Palm”. Luk Ah Choy knew that one who could slip away and counter, instead of stubbornly matched strength, was good at kungfu.
Luk Ah Choy warded off the top attack, and struck the front leg of Cheah Pak. Cheah Pak retreated his front leg, turned his body around and slapped on Luk Ah Choy’s face with a pattern known as “Devil King Waves Fan”.
Luk Ah Choy squatted down to avoid the top attack, and simultaneously swept at Cheah Pak’s legs using a pattern called “Iron Leg Sweeps Hall”.
Cheah Pak jumped away to avoid the sweeping leg. Luk Ah Choy stood up and adopted a poise pattern, with his right tiger-claw forward, his left hand kept at the waist in a fist, and stood at a right lift-leg stance.
(This pattern was called “Single Tiger Emerges from Cave” in our school.)
This was exactly a pattern from the Shaolin Five-Animal Set. Luk Ah Choy employed the tiger form. Amongst the many techniques in the tiger-form was the single tiger-claw. A marvelous use of the single tiger-claw was to tempt an opponent to attack.
Cheah Pak rushed forward with another right punch. When the punch was near, Luk Ah Choy gripped the punching arm with his right tiger-claw, and with his left hand gave the opponent a gently push. Cheak Pak fell back a few feet.
Luk Ah Choy ran forward and helped Cheah Pak up, saying, “My friend, my hand is a bit heavy. I hope you haven’t hurt any tendons or bones.”
Cheah Pak jumped up, brushed off the dust from his body, and replied, “The gate of Shaolin does not have any false warriors. Today I have received the teaching. Thank you very much for letting mercy flow from your hands. I have increased my seeing and knowledge.
“I don’t have anything to thank you. Tonight, I shall enter the kitchen and make a few tasty dishes. We shall really celebrate. What do you think of that?”
The old man, who had been watching the happening all the while, came forward and said, “Warrior, please take a seat. Wine and dishes will soon arrive.”
Luk Ah Choy said, “I’m afraid I don’t deserve this.”
The old man waved his hand and said, “A happy day is better than a thousand years. You and me should not differentiate as host or guest. We open our cavities and drink heartily (i.e. we drink wine without any care). Once we are drunk, we can forget all worries.”
Wong Kiew Kit
15th January 2018, Sungai Petani
LINKS
Overview
USING EAGLE CLAW TO KILL A CRUEL ROBBER
(reproduced from https://shaolin.org/general/legends-of-southern-shaolin/legends34.html)
While gripping Sifu Mark’s left elbow, Grandmaster Wong drove a fist into Sifu Mark’s heart
Li Chooi Peng paid her cousin sister, Wang Wei Lin, a visit. One of the reasons was to meet the villain, Leong Fa Yun. But Leong Fa Yun was not at home when she visited, so she spent much of the time with her cousin sister to talk about old times.
However, when Li Chooi Peng was about to leave, Leong Fa Yun returned home. Indeed streets were narrow for those who had grudges (which meant that those who had grudges often met).
“Wei Lin,” Leong Fa Yun asked, “who is this lady?”
“She is a relative of my mother, Miss Li Chooi Peng.”
“Ah, the famous Miss Li Chooi Peng. I’ve heard about your fame in the lion dance on New Year day,” Leong Fa Yun said.
Li Chooi Peng had a look at him. His face was wide, and his cheek bones high. He was smiling, but Li Chooi Peng could see vengeance in his eyes. He kept staring at Li Chooi Peng, without moving his eyes away.
“Miss Li,” he said, “the seat is not warm yet, and you are in a hurry to leave.”
“I’ve been here for a long time. If I don’t leave now, my mother will be worried.”
When Leong Fa Yun had returned to his room, he paced about with his hands behind his back.
“This Li Chooi Peng is not only pretty like a flower,” he thought to himself, “she is also a martial artist. Her blood and energy must be abundant and vibrant. Now I just want to use the blood of a strong woman, to strengthen the body and cheer the heart of myself and my men.”
So he went to ask Wang Wei Lin. She said, “Chooi Peng lost her father when she was small. She and her mother live together. But they are not poor like my family. They open a sundry shop, dependent on their own effort, and have warmth and are not hungry.”
Leong Fa Yun was pleased. He thought to himself, “If I use a lot of money to tempt her mother, she will be in my hands. “
So the next morning, he went with some servants carrying expensive gifts to Li Chooi Peng’s house. At that time, Li Chooi Peng was having breakfast with her mother, and they heard a knock on their door.
When Madame Lau opened the door, she had a shock.
“I’ve all the time admire your daughter, Miss Li Chooi Peng. Her wisdom is higher that that of an ordinary person, her character is high and admirable, so I was thinking of uniting with her for a hundred years. I have bought some humble gifts for you.”
“You just married my niece, Wang Wei Lin,” Madame Lau said.
“That’s the reason why I am here,” Leong Fa Yun explained. “I was thinking that a wife would not be happy when her husband married another woman. But Wei Lin and Miss Li are cousins, and she often speaks very highly of Miss Li. They spent time together when they were small, now they can spend time together in my house. I am sure Wei Lin will be happy.”
Li Chooi Peng was furious. She came out from her room and confronted Leong Fa Yun. “If you want to marry me, you must ask my two sisters.”
Leong Fa Yun was surprised. “Do you have two sisters?”
Li Chooi Peng rolled up her sleeves and showed her two fists. “Here are my two sisters.”
Leong Fa Yun became angry. “Little bitch. You use your two fists to frighten me? If I don’t show you some skills, you will not know how high is a mountain and how far is some water.”
Li Chooi Peng moved forward to execute a punch at Leong Fa Yun. Leong Fa Yun quickly warded off the punch. The two persons then fought on the street.
Li Chooi Peng understood kungfu philosophy well. She changed her attack to defence, to watch the opponent’s movements, but she was ready to strike back when an opportunity arose.
Leong Fa Yun did not know Li Chooi Peng’s intention. He thought to himself, “She is a small girl. No matter how good her art is, her stamina does not last as long as that of a man. If I attack her vigorously, she will be defeated.”
So he moved forward and struck Li Chooi Peng’s head with his right palm. She quickly dodged to avoid the attack. Immediately he swept at Li Chooi Peng with his left hand, using the pattern “Whirlwind Sweeps Leaves”. Li Chooi Peng moved back to avoid the sweeping hand. Then Leong Fa Yun kicked out his right leg at Li Chooi Peng’s body. Li Chooi Peng gently threaded it away with her right palm.
The two persons exchanged many encounters, with Leong Fa Yun attacking and Li Chooi Peng avoiding. Leong Fa Yun thought that Li Chooi Peng was quite helpless, knowing just to avoid without counter-attacking. Leong Fa Yun moved in with a right thrust punch. This time Li Chooi Peng anticipated his attack. She moved gently to a side to avoid the punch, then using her two eagle-claws gripped his right striking arm at his elbow and wrist at a time when the arm was fully extended, using Combat Sequence 8 which was called “Pai Pou Hang” or “Side-Step Move”. Leong Fa Yun gave a loud yell as he felt the sharp pain at his arm.
Still holding the opponent’s right elbow with her left eagle-claw, Li Chooi Peng executed a right thrust punch at Leong Fa Yun’s heart, using the pattern “Black Tiger Steals Heart”. Leong Fa Yun fell back a few steps on the street, dead.
His servants who came with expensive gifts were stunned. They dropped the gifts and ran for life.
Wong Kiew Kit
13th January 2018, Sungai Petani
LINKS
Overview
FRAGRANT FOX — A NOVELETTE ON SHAOLIN KUNGFU PART 3
(reproduced from http://shaolin.org/general/fragrant-fox/fragrant-fox03.html)
This novelette, still unpublished, was written about 40 years ago by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit in the 1980s. Those attending the Valentine Kungfu Courses 2018 on the Shaolin Pakua Set will find the novelette particularly interesting as there are accounts of combat sequences from the Pakua Set.
AN OPALESCENT PEARL IN A DARK NIGHT
A traditional Chinese woman from https://www.ancienthistorylists.com/china-history/top-10-ancient-chinese-clothing-popular-in-ancient-china/
As Yang looked round, Miss Hu sailed in from the door like a blossoming flower drifting in the air, with a delicate waft of jasmine scent floating in with her. Hiss Hu, the only daughter of the Prime Minister, was as beautiful as she was demure. Some admirers des¬cribed her as the autumn moon at its brightest, some as an opalescent pearl in a dark night, others as poetry and music in their best combination.
And all agreed that no one could refuse doing her favours — not because she was the Prime Minister’s daughter, but because whenever she requested help (and this only on very rare occasions) her eyes spoke in such a pitiful but captivating manner that never failed to bring out the chivalry in man. Indeed, there were countless people ready to line up in the street, waiting to bang their heads against the wall, if only Miss Hu asked them to.
In Miss Hu, Yang Shao Ming saw the first girl he ever loved, the girl who was equally demure, who would blush at his mere presence. But was it love or a pass¬ing affection, a passing fancy common to all excitable, hot-blooded youths. Whatever it was, this demure girl had remained vividly in his memory. But she was only a dream, a vision whom he could only relive fondly in reminisc¬ence, for he did not even know her, did not even know her name, and now there was no where he could find her.
“I hope you can help me, Sifu Yang,” Miss Hu pleaded in her bewitching, appealing way.
“How am I to help you?” Yang asked. He noticed a film of tears at Miss Hu’s sparkling eyes.
“My jade-plum is stolen!” she replied demurely.
“The jade-plum!” Yang exclaimed, jerking himself up to the present reality. “The jade-plum that your father gave you as your twentieth birthday present! The jade-plum that is as big as a real plum and is worth the treasure of the whole city?”
“When I woke up this morning, I found my closet forced open. I was shocked, as my jade-plum was kept inside. True enough, when I checked the contents, I found everything intact, except my most treasured jade-plum.” Miss Hu began to sob.
Since time immemorial men have suspected the most deadly weapon of a woman is her tears. There is also a Chinese saying that the most valiant of heroes could not escape the wiles of a beautiful lady. There was no doubt about Miss Hu’s beauty. Now she employed her tears. So even a quick-minded kungfu expert like Yang could not tell whether her tears were due to wiles or genuine affliction.
“I would be very thankful if you can recover my jade-plum, Sifu Yang. You know how much that jade-plum means to me.”
“How are you going to thank me?” Yang inquired rather intelligently.
Miss Hu blinked her eyes and thought for a moment. “I’ll buy you three barrels of the best wine.” She suddenly cheered up. “I’m sure that’s what a man wants.”
Yang wondered whether she knew what a man wanted. Poor girl. How innocent, how naive!
“Perhaps you’ll like to come to my chamber,” she continued shyly, “to examine the situation yourselves.”
This time Yang Shao Ming was shocked. Even Commissioner Chin, who had been quiet all this while, looked surprised. A lady’s chamber was her very private place. But now she was asking them to visit her chamber.
I’d better don’t harbour imaginative ideas, Yang reminded himself. Of course we had to visit her chamber. How else could we examine the environment where the crime occurred?
LINKS
Fragrant Fox — Overview
FRAGRANT FOX — A NOVELETTE ON SHAOLIN KUNGFU PART 2
(reproduced from http://shaolin.org/general/fragrant-fox/fragrant-fox02.html)
This novelette, still unpublished, was written about 40 years ago by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit in the 1980s. Those attending the Valentine Kungfu Courses 2018 on the Shaolin Pakua Set will find the novelette particularly interesting as there are accounts of combat sequences from the Pakua Set.
THE PERFECT DETECTIVE
The swordsmen, picture taken from https://croppedanddubbed.wordpress.com/2014/07/08/swordsman-of-all-swordsmen-pre-kung-fu-joseph-kuo-classic-from-1968/
Commissioner Chin’s career in the Imperial Bureau of Criminal Investigation had been so outstandingly successful that people called him the Perfect Detective. Like Yang Shao Ming, he was also good at kungfu.
Any police officer, if he wanted to survive, had to be proficient in the martial arts, for although this period of Chinese history during the Ming Dynasty was comparatively peaceful and prosperous, big time criminals were generally skillful fighters. Indeed to a great extent it was because of his kungfu excellence as much as his efficiency in preventing and solving crimes that the public enjoyed peaceful times.
Nevertheless, the Commissioner was even better known for his fine taste. Everything about him was the best: he wore the best clothes, ate the best food, drank the best wine, had the best-looking women, and mixed with the best friends. Even his officers and his investigation methods were the best. In fact people were convinced that Commissioner Chin was the personification of success.
What can worry Commissioner Chin? Yang wondered to himself. Just what on earth can worry this man whose support includes the highest ministers of the Emperor, whose friends comprise of the best kungfu experts in China, and whose efficiency spells fear as well as reverence throughout the whole underworld of crime?
Yang hoped Chin would reveal his worries, but the more he hoped, the more Chin seemed to have forgotten about this irresistible curiosity which he appeared to have accidentally caused Yang to suffer.
Yang looked across the table at the Police Commissioner. His earlier sulky look had disappeared from his face. Commissioner Chin even seemed to be smiling to himself, being oblivious to the troubled thoughts in Yang’s head, and oblivious to everything around him. He took a sip of his fragrant wine, sat back and rinsed the wine gently and artfully in his mouth, and with eyes closed, obviously enjoying its lingering aroma.
Can the cause of his worries be Fragrant Fox? Yang reasoned to himself. He realized he could stand it no longer.
“Have you any news of Fragrant Fox?” he eventually asked, almost foolishly.
“She has given me enough trouble, this Fox,” Chin replied wrathfully. It was amazing how quickly his earlier complacent disposition turned into anger. “I’ll soon have her caught.” But in a moment, the Commissioner reverted to his nonchalant mood, as if totally involved in the appreciation of his wine.
Yang could understand Chin’s exasperation, even for a moment. Although this Fragrant Fox was actually not a criminal — she never robbed nor killed — yet she must have caused this Chief Investigator of the Empire more trouble than the most notorious criminals. Since the widely-talked-about appearance of this highly amorous Fox some months ago, many people had begun to doubt the validity of the Perfect Detective’s reputation.
“It’s just incredible,” Yang said, “that even those whom she made love to, and who enjoyed her love so much, could not know who she actually is!”
“Fragrant Fox is not only a kungfu expert, she is also excellent in make-up techniques,” Chin explained, still in his leisurely mood. “Her variety of disguises is such that even if she were your neighbour, you might not know it!”
“Perhaps she is a very ugly woman. She has to wear different masks to hide her face,” Yang jested.
“She is extremely beautiful and charming,” Chin objected, then sighed, as if regretting that had she been a less insatiable lover, he might have married her.
“How do you know? Have you seen her actual face?”
Yang’s abrupt questions aroused the Commissioner from his dreamy state, but he managed to reply calmly, “I have sufficient evidence at present to pin-point a certain suspect.”
“Who is this suspect?”
“I won’t tell you now so as not to prejudice your investigation.”
“My investigation? So you are again asking me to do your investigation!” Yang protested.
“I hope you won’t refuse to help,” came a melodious, timely reply from behind.
LINKS
FRAGRANT FOX — A NOVELETTE ON SHAOLIN KUNGFU PART 1
(reproduced from http://shaolin.org/general/fragrant-fox/fragrant-fox01.html)
This novelette, still unpublished, was written about 40 years ago by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit in the 1980s. Those attending the Valentine Kungfu Courses 2018 on the Shaolin Pakua Set will find the novelette particularly interesting as there are accounts of combat sequences from the Pakua Set.
PERSIAN SCARLET
Chinese wine
As Yang Shao Ming entered the reception chamber, Commissioner Chin was already waiting. The room was spacious and luxurious, with expensive paintings on walls and precious porcelains vases on artistically carved selves. Everything about the room was delicate and exquisite, just like the Commissioner himself.
The Commissioner, in his early thirties, was comfortably seated at a table, laid over with a fine, red silk table-cloth, and on the table were delicious food and excellent wine. Yang Shao Ming could easily tell the superb quality of the wine by its gentle, fragrant aroma.
Commissioner Chin was alone. Even his bodyguards and the pretty maidens who habitually surrounded and pampered him were conspicuously absent.
“My dear Yang,” the Commissioner said as his young friend entered, “fine food and wine wait on our appetite.”
“I suppose you’re going to ask favours from me again.” Yang smiled but was straight to the point without any pretensions, as he eyed the delicious food and excellent wine on the table. “They say the best way to a person’s favour is through his stomach!”
“Let’s enjoy this Persian Scarlet,” Chin replied as he poured a cupful of the best quality wine for his friend. “You can’t buy such wine with any amount of money. The King of Persia sent three barrels to our Emperor as tribute, and His Majesty is so graceful and generous to give me one.”
“And you’re so graceful and generous to let me share it.”
“What is a barrel of wine compared with the company of good friends. I must say that even if I had achieved nothing in this short life, I would leave this world without any regrets because I have you as a good friend.”
That was quite true. Any one of Yang’s friends would agree that was true. Yang Shao Ming was only in his late twenties, but he was so skillful in martial arts that many people considered him one of the best kungfu exponents the famous Shaolin Monastery had ever produced. But, of course, it was not merely because of his Shaolin kungfu that his friends adored him.
“You certainly have achieved a lot in life, my dear Commissioner, and you certainly understand the pleasures of life.”
“Unfortunately I am not drinking for my own pleasure this very moment!” The Commissioner frowned. And he said this so naturally and spontaneously that his friend was not sure whether he was joking.
But Yang Shao Ming retorted in jest, “Ha, ha! As if you’re drinking for my pleasure then!”
“Three cupfuls to drown my worries,” Chin sighed as he gobbled down his first cupful of scarlet wine.
Yang almost burst out laughing.
“You should know my worries, my two pertinent worries,” Chin said with half closed eyes.
Yang could not laugh now. He wanted to know the two pertinent worries, yet he dared not ask. He knew too well that as soon as he foolishly opened his mouth, Chin would talk him into doing favours again. He had done enough favours for the Commissioner in solving crimes, and this time Yang was determined not to be used again. He sat back, like his friend, half closing his eyes, and tried to enjoy the succulent Persian wine.
Wine, Songs and Women: these were the pleasures of men – at least of most men. But now Yang did not find the wine pleasurable. Two pertinent worries? Yang thought.
LINKS
FIERCE TIGER SPEEDS THROUGH VALLEY
(reproduced from http://shaolin.org/shaolin/kungfu-sets/fierce-tiger.html)
“Fierce Tiger Speeds through Valley” is the second combat application set of Shaolin Kungfu in our school. It comprises of basic Combat Sequences 5 to 8, and helps to extend the repertoire of kungfu techniques of Shaolin Kungfu students.
5. Fierce Tiger Speeds Through Valley
6. Dark Dragon Draws Water
7. Chop the Hua Mountain
8. Horizontally Sweep A Thousand Armies
锰虎过笭拳 Fierce Tiger Speeds through Valley from Wong Kiew Kit on Vimeo.
LOHAN ASKS THE WAY 2009
(reproduced from http://shaolin.org/shaolin/kungfu-sets/lohan-ask-way.html)
“Lohan Asks the Way” is the first Shaolin basic kungfu set learnt in our school. It comprises of four hand strikes and their defences.
羅漢問路拳 Lohan Asks the Way from Wong Kiew Kit on Vimeo.
Please click on the picture above to view the video here, or click on the caption to view the video at Vimeo.
BLACK TIGER STEALS HEART
(reproduced from http://shaolin.org/shaolin/kungfu-sets/black-tiger/video01.html)
This is the first combat-application set of Shaolin Kungfu in Shaolin Wahnam, and is composed of the following four combat sequences:
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Black Tiger Steals Heart
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Poisonous Snake Shoots Venom
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Precious Duck Swims through Lotus
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Hand a Golden Star at a Corner
Shaolin Wahnam Kuala Lumpur 