Animal Imitation Boxing

As traditional Wu Shu came under the sway of social conditions and political theory, as entertainment and pleasing tourists began to influence and affect the structure of centuries old regimens; some styles of course leant themselve to the new theatricality. One of these divisions is what has collectively been called Imitative Boxing. In many of these forms presented the basic structure of traditional Wu Shu has not been changed that much since it was imitative anyway. What the new designers did was to concentrate and sometimes over emphasize the specific "flavor" of each style. Some times information is actually lost in this but in general most of the content has been maintained, at least in most of the following cases.

Instructor: XIE HUAI CHENG and associates.

Note we've also added some animal imitation from other sections to make finding them easier. We have left out any animal imitation style which is a large group onto itself, such as the Praying Mantis and Xing Yi 12 Shapes.

Click pictures.

SC144   Eagle Claw Kung Fu
Chinese and English, with VCD of the form
$18.95

Eagle Claw Boxing is a famous and beautiful form of Chinese Kung Fu. Here is a great combination for learning with a book in both English and Chinese and a VCD (video compact disk) showing the entire performance routine of this exciting style. The book explains basic stances, hand movements, leg techniques, balances and jumps. It shows a learnable practice form concentrating on the Eagle's powerful claw hand, gliding actions, jumps and distinctive maneuvers. The instruction is simple and clear enough that someone with an intermediate knowledge of martial arts should be able to figure out this energetic and dramatic form. It has an introductory section showing basics Shaolin drills.

"It's a particular kind of boxing (Quan) that was created from the eagle's behavior and the peculiarities of its hunting, while combined with the skills in Wushu. Its main peculiarities are its abundant way of clawing: grasp, clasp, pinch and grapple; turning over; .... It commands you hands to punch out and claw back, hurt the tendon and the bone, dot the point and hold the  (opponent's) breath, turn your body over agile, spirit like an eagle."

VCD#1605 Southern Snake Boxing
About an hour, VCD pricing Chinese/English

With a limber spine and some fast striking motions Yang Yang demonstrates the movements and the flexibility of Snake Boxing. Some contemporary esthetics have crept in, but here is a form which gives the basic structure of the Snake style of Kung Fu with its emphasis on Snake head, darting fangs, coiling body and twisting tail. Much of the work is done on the ground in a kneeling stance. Special emphasis goes centers on the use of a flexible wrist. Yang Yang also demonstates the snake conditioning exercises against an iron ball with movements to strengthen slapping and finger poking. Applications are also shown to get an idea of the Snake's way.

VCD#1606 Southern Tiger Boxing
About an hour, VCD pricing Chinese/English

One of the longer forms in this series with a special accent on ground moves, some running actions, strong punches and deep elbow techniques. This would not probably classify as a particular Tiger Boxing set but more as a compilation of many Tiger actions. Fast paced and somewhat involved but with each action definite and distinct if learning is an issue. Conditioning for this style is shown with a Chi Kung set specific to the Boxing, catching tossed items back and forth, thrusting fingers into sand, etc. Applications are strong and simple and Yang Wei himself demonstrates these favored Tiger actions.

VCD#1607 Eagle Boxing
About an hour, VCD pricing Chinese/English

The Eagle here is a little more conservative than his Northern fellows. There are a few jump kicks and ground kneels but, in general, this set focuses on the ripping attacks and could even be confused with a Southern Tiger except for the wide flowing movements and the different use of the hand. Rahter than thrusting the hand conditioning actions concentrate on grasping as, for instance, the iron ball, sandbags, river sand, corckery jar and striking against a tree. The applications of the Eagle fist follow the same line with actions geared toward catching, throwing and locking.

VCD#1608 Lion Boxing
About an hour, VCD pricing Chinese/English

The Lion Boxing uses characteristics like mane shaking, pouncing, carrying its head, grasping and other distinctive movements. The set starts with a roaring yell recalling the old Buddhist term for enlightenment, the "Lion's Roar." The moves are energetic and larger than those of the tiger with some special postures and a waving action of the back. Training methods include a Chi Kung (Qigong) set with rasping sounds and"Lion Playing with Ball" exercises based on a large ball. Applications try to stay within the spirit of the animal especially utilizing double hand attacks and responses.

VCD#1596 Fish Boxing
About an hour, VCD pricing Chinese/English

A very interesting style and not what you might think. Imagine a cross between crane and snake. The body moves a lot in an undulating pattern. The hands are kept primarily loose with the fingers and wrists utilized as weapons. As with all this series the form is shown in entirely then breakdowns, training and then usage. The training shows, among other methods, a series of actions where you brush your hands along tree branches (a method similar to an old Tiaji exercise we know). The performer is young and there's a definite impression that the performers in the series are generic practitioners who are learning enough to demonstrate the form. Applications give some simple ideas of the style in action.

VCD# 1597 Leopard Boxing
About an hour, VCD pricing
Chinese/English

VCD#1602 Rooster Boxing
About an hour, VCD pricing Chinese/English

Imagine, if you can, praying mantis crossed with crane style. Most of the movements of this rare form of Kung Fu use a specialized hand position very similar to the mantis claw. Practice methods include striking sand, slapping sand bags and using a heavy ball for skills. The set, while probably based on a traditional regimen contains a few very contemporary jumps and turns. The energy, as we said, combines the loose shaking power of crane along with the fast pecking strikes similar to mantis. Applications shown.

VCD#1599 Dragon Boxing
About an hour, VCD pricing Chinese/English

People should remember that there is a difference between the Dragon Style of Ng Mui's creation and the generic Shaolin Dragon style which was most typically represented in the early Southern Shaolin and preserved in the animal play of the Hung Style. This is Shaolin Dragon with emphasis on the Dragon Head Fist (the first knuckle punch), the Dragon Claw Palm, and the elbow strike. Training methods shown are sand bucket thrust and claw, iron palm bag and wrapped tree trunk with elbow strikes and Dragon Head punches. Applications are from the form but, given the stature of the practitioner, are a little better than most of the other disks in this series.

VCD#1604 Duck Boxing
About an hour, VCD pricing Chinese/English

With its chest puffed out and the waddling actions of a loose back, duck boxing shows the essentially traditional format of this well known but seldom seen style. Training Methods peculiar to the style and applications from the form are also shown. The form is of medium length and, after an initial demonstration, is shown broken down and explained. Training methods and applications shown.

VCD#1598 Dog Boxing
About an hour, VCD pricing Chinese/English

Dog boxing, generally associated with Fukien Shaolin always eoncompasses groundfighting techniques. Though we suspect a bit of "contemporary" additives the generals movements here are essentially traditional with sweeps, leg locks, ground flowers, kneeling techniques and other ground oriented actions. Training methods and some applications from the set are shown.

VCD#1460 Duck Boxing
About an hour, VCD pricing Chinese/English

This is a rather impressive demonstration of the Duck Boxing which is actually a style of Kung Fu. The set itself has been restructured and expanded to give the performance quality of a contemporary Wushu form. But the essentials such as the Duck style strange bent legged walk, the puffed out chest, the hand flapping movements are indeed from the style of this name. This man is a gold medalist on the mainland and rightly so. Good skills. Shown by Bai Yong, a national gold medal winner.

VCD#1079 Imitation Fist TIGER
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese Only

The first thing one should realize is that this is NORTHERN Tiger Boxing, not all that common. The movements indeed have the correct flavor. There is some jumping, somewhat exaggerated stances and many movements in the Northern style that makes them look like Pi Gua or Tong Bei arm whipping. An intermediate length set with ripping claws and long steps.

VCD#1080 Imitation Fist EAGLE Claw
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese Only

Eagle Claw has wide sweeping moves and some powerful and difficult kicks such as the Butterfly and strong Tornados. This is similar to classical Ying Jow Eagle Claw styles with true Long Arm motions but it is obviously from a different school. Surprisingly firm motions such as triple punching with claws. Little Chin Nah movement noticeable. Less graceful than, say Lily Lau's style, but traditional Northern Fist nonetheless. Yang Jie demonstrates.

VCD#1081 Imitation Fist CHICKEN Fist
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese Only

There is actual arm (or should we say wing) flapping in this form. The only other practitioner of Chicken Fist we have been familiar with was the venerable Ark Yuey Wong who also taught Rat style. Wong was a true pioneer in bringing Kung Fu to the West. Besides being surprisingy acrobatic (ground sweep kicks, single leg presses, jump kicks and so on) there is a definite emphasis on spear hand double arm motions as though Chicken wings. A difficult and demanding form regardless of name.

VCD#1082 Imitation Fist DUCK Fist
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese Only

Xie's performance shows all the classic traits of Duck Fist. These include some high jump double kicks (the form starts with double jumps touching toes in the air), waving Duck walk, head bobbing, arm flapping, arm coiling, circling walking and some rather complicated arm actions. Authentic and rare. Not an easy set.

VCD#1083 Imitation Fist LOCUST Boxing
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese Only

The Locust fist makes a specialty of off angles and seemingly awkward moves such as aerial back kicks. There is a slight resemblance to Praying Mantis with its basic hand formation being the two finger spear hand held in Mantis bent fashion. Light body movements abound with some odd jump kicks and some one legged lowers. A very odd set with a number of linear roads and sequences of kicking and stabbing actions.

VCD#1084 Imitation Fist FROG Fist
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese Only

The first thing you will notice about Frog Boxing is the strange and distinctive lying down position on all fours with the knees to the sides. Not to be attempted it you wear a truss. Much flipping and dive rolling. This is an authentic form though certainly not as popular as, say, Tiger Boxing. Ground work with scissor kicks. Teacher Xie Huai Cheng has been doing this for a long time. His performance is more than acrobatic and truly imitative.

VCD#1085 Imitation Fist MONKEY Boxing
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese Only

There are many levels of Monkey Boxing and few of them are satisfactory beyond the goal of performance. Shifu Xie is an old hand at imitative boxing and his monkey is charming but actually contains some of the strategy of the style such as quick reversals, instantaneous height changes, East/West striking. There is also much scratching and monkey walking, rear in the air, along with other characteristic motions but none of them detracts from the boxing technique.

VCD#1086 Imitation Fist TURTLE Boxing
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese Only

A Bie is actually a "soft shelled turtle." This form starts right from the get go with the image of the turtle swimming and breaking the surface of the waters. Flipper techniques no less, some unusual ground fighting, some actions of the turtle on its back. Turtle boxing is indeed a traditional technique but has never been common. A charming and definitely different performance.

VCD#1087 Imitation Style DRUNKEN Fist #1
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese Only

Readers of this site will know that we have little patience with "theatrical" fists like so many drunken style forms. This performance is of a higher quality with more martial and therefore more difficult interpretation. Not so much posing and more actions that require some degree of strength and flexibility. If you are going to try Drunken Fist you could do worse. Bian Yan Bin demonstrates.

VCD#1088 Imitation Style DRUNKEN Fist #2
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese Only

This second form has more of a contemporary feel with some truly difficult kicks and poses. Still, a strong performance with some firm actions. Less interesting over all than #1 but the difficult movements are indeed more difficult than Road #1. Very extended arms, ground inching like a worm, kip ups. Yang Jie demonstrates.

VCD#1089 Imitation Style DRUNKEN Staff
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese Only

Wild and wooly action as a drunken monk staggers his way through this Contemporary WuShu form. Some surprising twists and turns especially using the staff as a prop and counter balance. A few very difficult spinning kicks and balance movements. Active and fun. Bian Yan Bin demonstrates.

VCD#1090 Imitation Style MONKEY Saber
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese Only

This is a long, Contemporary set requiring much nimbleness, rolling, imitative behavior and familiarity with the saber. The basic saber actions are essentially correct and rather cleverly combined with distinctive Monkey actions. This is at least an intermediate set. Li Cheng Lang demonstrates.

VCD#1091 Imitation Style WHITE APE Fist
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese Only

White Ape is to the simian fists what Long Arm is to Kung Fu. The actions are wide and long with much whipping and slicing. Pi Gua has a branch known as White Ape and conversely this White Ape (also known as Long Arm Ape) looks like Pi Gua Zhang. Fast footwork with occasionally short fists but mostly long sweeping actions and arching kicks.

VCD#1092 Imitation Style DRAGON Fist
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese Only

Very appropriately this series started with Tiger and ends with Dragon boxing. Why appropriate? Tiger is the Yin of Kung Fu and Dragon is the Yang. But also, when we speak of imitative boxing we must remember that Dragon is imitation of a creature existing only in the mind. Swirling, twisting, arms outstretched and coiling, the Dragon form is much like Ba Gua in that its follows the Mind's most salient feature: its ability to change constantly.

By Li YuZhong WuShu champion
One of the most expressive Monkey Fists we've seen. A champion performance whether or not you like animal styles. An acrobatic performance with everything from back flips and ground rolls to legs flower on the ground. From the performance standpoint the demonstrator is quite good with expressive, very fast motions in very simian actions right down to the eating of the fleas. A fast fist to say the least. Not only a demonstration and breakdown but basics of the peculiar monkey fist such as fist and leg actions shown separately.

VCD#499 LongFist style MONKEY Staff
About 1 Hour, VCD pricing Chinese/English

By Li YuZhong WuShu champion
Here is Monkey Fist is its glory with teacher Li YuZhong showing championship skill with the monkey's favorite weapon - the staff. What can we say. There is a tradition of "imitative" styles in martial arts which has become progressively more entertainment and theatrically oriented as time goes by. On the other hand you would need a heart of steel to not be charmed and entertained by this lively and beautifully performed set. If you like the agility, mischievousness and humor of the Monkey Fist this is one of the better representatives of the style and the possibilities of the art. Tumbling, rolling, balancing, falling, bumping along the ground. Agility required.

VCD#671 Qing Cheng Style MONKEY Boxing
Double VCD , VCD pricing Chinese Only

Want a challenging and very expressive Monkey Fist? Want to scratch yourself, roll on the ground, and stagger drunkenly like an inebriated simian? Then we've got a VCD for you. Only problem is that the camera work for the master shot shifts angles but this long and very wild form is taught in sections which fit together if you pay attention. Nor for the faint of heart. Not Contemporary Wushu but as expressive.
This is a Double VCD.

VCD#281 Chang Family style MONKEY Stick
Triple VCD About 2 Hours, VCD pricing Chinese Only

Chang-style Monkey Club simulates the actions of monkeys and calls back the Journey to the West and the wonderful but mischievous Kung Wu Song. As in most Monkey sticks, it is a short usage with emphasis on changing ends and simulation's attack and defense. Movements are quick, uncommitted and smooth.
A Triple VCD.