Animal observation and imitation is an ancient and honored part of Kung Fu history. Many styles have at least some imitative technique. The Chinese have long learned from and been enlightened by their relationship to Nature. In the many centuries of Kung Fu's refinement, many styles have incorporated and "smoothed over" animals actions so that, in some cases, they are present but barely visible. In the styles listed here they are quite evident, not only the actions but the characteristic postures and expressions of these animal-totems.

SC243 TaiYi Five Posture Daoist Boxing     with VCD
by Wu Sheng
English/Chinese text, illustrations and
accompanying VCD showing exercises also with minimal English/Chinese narration.
$18.95

The TaiYi Daoist Boxing style was developed in the Mt. Laoshan branch of Daoism. It is structured in two parts: Five Element Boxing and Five Animal Boxing. These integrate the boxing movements and health benefits. Among its forefathers is Zhang San Feng the legendary creator of Tai Chi Chuan. Though the movements are of the same Five Animals: Tiger, Dragon, Snake, Crane and Leopard; the movements and some of the theory differ. Dragon helps master “air” or qi and intent. Tiger helps sinews. Snake masters qi and vital energy. Crane is relaxed and sensitive. Leopard has fierce, determined energy which seems to come from the bones. The movements are much more relaxed than Shaolin with other forms that are almost entirely energetic. A different approach to many of these concepts.
80 pages, English/Chinese text, illustrations and accompanying VCD showing exercises also with minimal English/Chinese narration.

OUT OF STOCK ...but we expect more! Please place me on your WANT LIST for this item. And look for our new upgraded site, making want tags like this a thing of the past.

TC 203 Dragon Fist Rubbing Bridge
Lung Ying Mor Kiu
by Chow Fook & C S Tang
$27.95, Traditional Chinese Characters and English, 255 Pages Hardbound,

This is a rare book on the Southern Style of Dragon Style Fist. Some of this is in ENGLISH, most notably the instructions accompanying the form, and an incomplete introduction to Chow Fook. Among other sections those in Chinese cover: lineage, history of the Dragon Style, Key points and characteristics of the style, Details of the form Lung Ying Mor Kiu and information on the Founder and Lam Yiu Kwai, famous boxer. The co-author is C. S. Tang, a noted Bagua practitioner and student of Liu JingRu.

Back in stock!
KS036 The Spirit of the Five Animals
Tak Wah Eng
$19.95, 168 pages, Photographs, softbound

This is a nicely done text with five form sections one for each of the classic Shaolin five animals. Also included, discussions of Tak Wah Eng's contributions to the martial arts by numerous teachers and also student testimonials, warm ups, basic stances and of course the five separate, short animal forms Sifu Tak has developed.

Back again! KD016 Dragon Form Fist
Leo Chu & Francis Au
$14.95, 64 pages, Chinese (traditional) /English

A number of these great little books started to come out in the BLE
(Bruce Lee Era).Then they became unavailable for a long time. Now PLUM is bringing them back. This form, possibly from a branch of Choy Li Fut, we called a Southern
Style Dragon Fist but it is really more a "middle" boxing. This book has the following: 64 pages,
Large photos of the Dragon form, small photos at the bottom of applications
for the movements, Chinese and English facing text and a picture
of the author playing with the famous Shek Kin at the back. Though it looks like a paste up job from a Kung Fu magazine article; this
is one of those fun, learn-a-form-in-an-afternoon type books.
But neat.

See other forms and DVDs of Dragon Boxing

Quantity   

 

OUT OF STOCK ...but we expect more! Please place me on your WANT LIST for this item. And look for our new upgraded site, making want tags like this a thing of the past.

KG001 The Great Sage Monkey Kung Fu System
Edited by James I. Wong
Chinese (traditional) /English
$12.95, 64 pages,

This little book is probably the first thing in English written on Ta Sheng Pi Gua Men or the Great Sage Split and Deflect Fighting. Even though it says "volume one" we don't recall any others forthcoming. Ta Sheng developed out of that great style Pi Gua. The text contains two forms, the Plum Blossom Fist and the MiZong or Lost Track Fist. While the photos are not great by modern printing standards the demonstration of the set by a very limber Mr. Roland Shipman is well done. There is also a front piece on the style by the rather scholarly James Wong. Summation? This is the most authentic representation of traditional Monkey Boxing among our English language books. Historical side note: This book is from Koinonia in Stockton, California one of the first independent martial arts publishers in the U.S. and headed by the dedicated practitioner Leo Fong. Koinonia stood as an early inspiration for publishers like yours truly.

KD012 Drunken Monkey
Boxing Form & Applications
by Leung Ting & Chiu Chung Yat
$16.95, English 162 pages,

Written by the famous Leung Ting, a student of Yip Man. We used to mention Drunken Monkey boxing in our classes at which time the students would chuckle. Little did they know we were absolutely serious. This form represents one of the qualities in Monkey Fist. Others include Stone Monkey and Wooden Monkey. According to Leung Ting this form is short and simple. There is much usage demonstrated by So Hon Sang a well known movie stunt double. Learnable with interesting applications. In English with Chinese name postures.

KS017 Shaolin 10 Animal Form
by Kwan Tak Hing & Leung Ting
$ 19.95,

English, 208 pages, softbound,

Printed in Hong Kong this book shows the form and skills of the Southern Shaolin Ten Animals. This is shown by noted Kung Fu movie actor and martial enthusiast Kwan Tak Hing. Mr. Kwan is a famous movie actor from the longest series of Kung Fu films ever made, those devoted to Wong Fei Hong the master of the Tiger/Crane style. He initially received his training from Southern master, Sun Pak.

This is a well done book produced with the help of Leung Ting, noted Wing Chun teacher. The movements of this Southern Style form include ground rolling and many sophisticated hand actions. Each animal is shown with some application and introductory comments on the nature of the different style:

Dragon Tiger Snake Leopard Crane

Lion Elephant Horse Monkey Bear

Not as common as its Northern cousin, Southern Shaolin Fist is a key style in those styles of Kung Fu such as Fut Gar, Choy Lee Fut and Hung Fist. This is a good introduction to one of the best known forms.

It's Back!
KS040 The Striking Snake Maneuvers
H. C. Chao
$14.95, 64 pages, Photographs, softbound,

The snake has five tactics: Hitting, Winding, Ambushing, Evading and Darting. Hitting is to strike rapidly and relatively lightly. Winding means to stay close and contouring to the opponent. Ambushing entails hitting from hidden places. Evading means to escape by dissolving instead of resisting. Darting means to strikes from unusual angles and rapidly, without mercy. The actual demonstrator of this book is Chu Shao Chi, favorite student of Du Han Chang. This short text has so-so photos. It demonstrates a short set with each section having a form picture and one picture for the application. A fairly simple Snake set, this one could definitely be learned with a bit of effort. Snake is a rare style and few people nowadays see its original traditional version instead of the contemporary "performance" variation.