SHAOLIN style Weapons

There are many weapons in the Shaolin arsenal. People practice and compete with these, especially gravitating toward the flashy and crowd pleasing. But we often forget that these weapons have actually be tried and found useful. In this series of VCDs, Shaolin expert and monk, Shi De Biao, shows what he has learned and explored with a more traditional and serious approach to what, for many, has become a form of juggling. With his classical instruction De Biao has developed some of the following information himself.

Demonstrator: Shi De Biao, 31st generation inheritor from the Temple, student of Su Si.

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DVD #11146 Shaolin Hidden Weapons

A historical re-enactment of a dying skills. "Hidden weapons" is an authentic and well documented aspect of Kung Fu training. Here Shi De Biao throws everything but the kitchen sink at the targets: darts, needles, nails, scissors, pipes, kitchen choppers, axes, ring daggers, rocks, steel balls, chopsticks, the meteor, needles, throwing knives, kitchen cleavers and just about every weapon you've heard of in regard to Kung Fu training. Some interesting footage of his younger days shows some skills in Chinese courtyards and some wilder stunts like jumping off building while performing aerial cartwheels. The skills are real though the highest level is probably lost right now. But everything here is real and, frankly, dangerous and fun - or is that saying the same thing? By the end you figure anything that can be thrown is a potential weapon, which is, in the hands of an expert, true.

Double DVD

DVD #11147 Shaolin 9 Section Whip

The 9 Section Whip is a soft weapon that has metal segments. This is not about a whip form but how to use a whip. All the major rolls and breakdowns are given which, truth to tell, is all there is to the steel whip form. There's even a little use of the weapon striking objects at the end. De Biao's skill, in terms of Kung Fu usage, may not be at the highest level but it is still stories above those prancing around with 2 ounce whips. You can tell by the sound there's intent and meaning to this weapon which is, frankly, often so much baton twirling.

DVD #11148 Shaolin Rope Dart

While it may have been at one time, De Biao's skills with the Rope Dart are not equal, in our opinion, to his ability with the sectional whip. However everything here is realistic and well shown. Yes, the meteor head touches the ground occasionally but his casual approach is actually far more interesting and informative than the "canned" stuff generally seen. There's something to be said, when speaking of dangerous "soft" weapons and don't fool yourself that they aren't - to showing just how slowly and with how much control one can practice.