Plum is experiencing a plentiful Spring this year, starting with the reappearance of Sifu Bow Sim Mark’s early works; then the masterful new edition on White Crane from GM Lee and Master Bernard; and now the long-awaited second volume of Shifu Wing Lam’s compendium on Northern Shaolin (Bak Sil Lum). Although there is much here […]
1
2021
30
2019
The Faces and Fists of Wong Jack Man
Since posting the sad announcement at the beginning of this year, of Sifu Wong Jack Man’s death, we’ve had the opportunity to speak to and hear from several of his students, each with his own story. For instance we—along with, apparently, many other people—did not know that Wong Sifu practiced the additional styles of Xing […]
3
2019
(Almost) Hot Off the Press
The Spring 2019 issue of Kung Fu Tai Chi magazine is dedicated to Shaolin, and will feature, among many other fine articles, a new piece on Long Fist Secrets Revealed by Plum’s director, Sifu Ted Mancuso. We received our advanced copies, but if you would like a copy for yourself they will be available soon […]
2
2019
The Passing of Wong Jackman
We are sad to announce the passing of Northern Shaolin Sifu Wong Jack Man. Known long before his famous fight with Bruce Lee, Wong Sifu had become a major proponent of Bak Sil Lum, Iron Body, and Golden Bell skills. With the death last year of Kwong Wing Lam, Gu Ru Zhang’s lineage has lost […]
3
2018
New Bak Sil Lum (Bei Shaolin) DVDs
Bak Sil Lum (or Bak Siu Lim) is the Cantonese pronunciation of Bei Shaolin, or Northern Shaolin style. It is recognized by experts as an extension of the real Shaolin Heritage. Its most famous exponent was Gu Ru Zhang, known as a master of Iron Palm (striking arts) and Golden Bell (body conditioning arts). In […]
9
2016
A Walk in the Young Forest: Northern Shaolin vol. 1
This is the first volume, by Sifu Wing Lam, of a proposed series on Northern Shaolin containing history and development of the art. It outlines the shape of that branch associated with Iron Palm master Gu Ru Zhang. In the background section there are a lot of stories and facts about the temple and some […]
2
2016
Two Very Different Books in English
These two different books show a pair of positive paths for martial arts: Warrior Guards the Mountain, and Lien Bu Chuan. On the one side, the technical aspects and descriptions have matured to a degree where, in Lien Bu Chuan, they really convey a lot of instructional fine points. On the other hand are books […]
5
2014
16
2007
Springy Training
This is nothing new to Kung Fu in general but, when you are struggling through a foundational form like this, you don’t know that. You just think it’s torturous.
24
2007
Ted Mancuso
Head Instructor at the Santa Cruz Academy of Martial Arts, Ted Mancuso, has been teaching for over forty years.