Showing posts with label Masters of Martial Arts. Show all posts

‘Departed Warriors’ – the xingyiquan of Li Zhongxuan

I recently came across an excellent book on xingyiquan called “Departed Warriors” (called ‘Shiqu de Wulin’ in chinese). The book contains the recollections of one man, Li Zhongxuan (now deceased), who had the good fortune to study under three disciples of Li Cunyi: Shang Yunxiang, Xue Dian and Tang Weilu. The book, organised by Xu Haofeng, contains Li’s recollections of studying under his three masters as well as his thoughts on the practice of xingyiquan. I have translated below a part of one chapter from his book:

五台雨雪恨难消 (part 1)

‘Tang-chuan’ xingyiquan refers to the xingyi passed down by Tang Weilu. He was known as ‘Tang xiao hou’ (little monkey Tang) echoing the nickname of Sun Lutang, who was also nicknamed ‘Sun the monkey’ – in both cases, the nicknames refer to their ability to scale walls. Amongst xingyi boxers the two men were known as the ‘two lus’, derived from the ‘lu’ part of their names, but also homophonous with the chinese for ‘2 deer’, referencing both men’s ability to walk three or four hundred li (1 li = 500m) in a night.

Whenever M Tang visited Beijing, so as to not attract unwanted attention, he did so at night. He would sleep in Ninghe (near Tianjin) during the day, set off at 7pm, and by daybreak the next day would have reached Beijing, having had to slip past several tax office checkpoints along the way. Li Cunyi gave Tang Weilu the ‘xingyi name’ of Tang Jianxun – the meaning of the name was to commemorate Tang’s exploits. Li Cunyi appreciated Tang’s fighting ability – it wasn’t just because of his speed that Tang was mentioned in the same breath as Sun Lutang. Everyone back then knew M Tang’s fighting skills were a cut above.

: Famed xingyi master Li Cunyi

M Tang always gave the impression of being languid – he would always be carrying a teapot, if left to his own devices he could easily spend a whole day sauntering around town, his teapot in hand. But he was very resolute in that he would willingly accept any challenges that came his way. He once defeated a famed master who had founded his own style, yet would not allow us to tell anyone – this was M Tang’s Wu De (martial morality). It’s exactly because M Tang was satisfied with the quiet life that his xingyi preserves more of the ‘flavour’ of Li Cunyi. Readers interested in the xingyi taught by Li Cunyi at the Tianjin Guo Shu Guan can use M Tang’s xingyi as a reference point.

M Li Cunyi’s book on xingyi begins with the phrases “Only xingyi is most skilled at defeating the enemy and obtaining victory.” Later, in an interview with a journalist, he stated “A practitioner of wushu strengthens his body; a practitioner of guoshu defends his home and country; xingyiquan can be called guoshu”. These two statements led to a misunderstanding, as other martial artists thought that M Li was trying to position xingyiquan as the ‘national art’ (guoshu). And so many people came to challenge him, saying “M Li, is my art wushu or guoshu?” M Li knew that explanations were useless and simply accepted all the challenges. The wulin (martial arts community) in the old days was like that, the slightest slip of the tongue could land you in big trouble.

M Li Cunyi was a man of noble-character who became embroiled in senseless disputes in his old age. It was lucky that he maintained his reputation intact in that he was not defeated. But still, for a man of his years to have to meet challenges every day must have vexed him sorely.

So what exactly did M Li mean by “only xingyi is skilled”? The answer can be found in old xingyi manuals: “The martial artists of the world need to be able to see to accomplish anything; thus, by day they can just about attain victory. But how can they cope at night if they are confronted by the enemy? Only xingyiquan can deal with attacks at night, by relying on ‘feel’ and reacting to the slightest touch.”

The essence of xingyi is not practicing your vision or hearing, but rather this physical response.

My shixiong under Shang Yunxiang, Shan Guangqin, told me that you could talk or walk around M Shang while he was sleeping, no problem. But the moment you focused your attention on him, he would wake up. It sounds far-fetched, but this kind of awareness is a necessary product of extended training in xingyi.

: The ‘Iron-foot Buddha’, Shang Yunxiang

The ‘xing’[form] in xingyi refers to everything external, whilst the ‘yi’ [intent] refers to everything internal, thus xingyiquan can be understood as ‘training everything’. The ‘Xingyi 5 Element Classic’ also echoes M Shang’s approach, it’s about sensitivity. In addition, xingyi’s ‘reacting to the slightest touch’ is unconscious, automatic.

One time, M Tang had gotten lost in thought whilst teaching his disciples. One of them, wanting to test out M Tang’s gongfu, suddenly launched a punch at him. M Tang managed to press the student to the ground, all the while still in a bit of a daze. This student was very happy when he pulled himself off the ground, for he thought that he had found out M Tang’s real gongfu.

M Tang, on the other hand, from then on stopped teaching that disciple, saying “So-and-so has already surpassed me.” Actually, this was his way of ‘disowning’ that disciple. There needs to be sincerity between teacher and student. The kind of person who still has an attitude of ’stealing the art’ whilst studying under you is not to be taught. Even if such a person learns martial arts, they will only bring harm upon themselves and others.

Even after M Tang had passed away, this person still called themselves M Tang’s disciple. Times are different now, the younger generation cannot be held responsible for the actions of their elders. In order to avoid embarrassing this person’s students, I have deliberately omitted his name.

Xingyiquan (Form and intention boxing) is also known as Xingyiquan (moving intention boxing). The grandmaster of our branch was Liu Qilan, who was known for his shenfa (body method), was praised as ‘Long Xing Sou Gu’ (dragon shape searching for bones). The later generations from this branch, Li Cunyi, Shang Yunxiang and Tang Weilu were all known for their gongfu in the legs (tuigong) and shenfa. To retreat whilst fighting Li Cunyi was a big mistake; as soon as you tried to retreat he would be upon you and knock you down.

Gongfu in the legs comes from zhan zhuang and [xingyi] walking. Tang Weilu specially emphasised walking to his disciples. In the morning we would walk 5 km with our hands clasped behind our backs, either loosening up our backbones or with a bit of martial intent. Sometimes we would omit the ‘yi’ of xingyiquan and say that we were learning ‘xing quan’ [moving boxing] with M Tang.

M Tang’s trademark weapons were the judge’s pens (pan guan bi). In xingyi, judge’s pens are basically double spears, initially arms-length with rounded tips. After the practitioner has become familiar with their use, the pens used become shorter, about the length of a forearm. I had a pair of bronze pens specially made; at that kind of weight, there’s no need to hit vital points, wherever you hit the opponent he will go down.

: Normal judge’s pens (pan guan bi)

The double spears require more finesse than the double broadsword; because of the vivid descriptions in pingshu [traditional chinese storytelling], I was very enthusiastic in training the double spear.

One time, when M Tang was visiting Beijing, he saw me practicing the judge’s pens and lost his temper, saying “You were supposed to learn sword from M Shang! If you learn boxing but not sword from M Shang, you will have come to Beijing for nothing!” M Tang also said, anyone can pick up a staff and fight people with it, but most people would be at a loss to know what to do with a straight sword.

My name in Shang Yunxiang’s school was Li Yixia, which was chosen according to the ‘codex of names’ left behind by Liu Qilan; the generation after me all had the character ‘zhi’ [志, ambition] in their xingyi names. In the Shang tradition, learning the jian was a ceremonious affair. Every morning we would have to kow tow to the sword, as the hilt of the sword represents one’s teacher, hence the saying “To have the sword there is like having one’s teacher there”.

In gripping the sword, the little finger must be slightly hooked, out of respect for one’s teacher. In actual fact there is a reason to this hooking of little finger, namely that [in TCM] the little finger is connected to the eyes, if the little finger is continually hooked it can damage your eyesight. Some people experience loss of acuity after practicing xingyi, this is caused by ‘hooking’ the little finger too tightly. This kind of thing is what led to the saying ‘practicing xingyi invites bad luck [zhao xie]“; this saying is actually nonsense, the problems experienced by people after practicing xingyi are because they have not been taught in detail, and go against their own physiology.

The Tang school of xingyi traditionally had good relations with the Yanqing school [Yanqing quan being another name for Mizong, or 'lost-track' boxing], a relationship which had started with Li Cunyi. There was an old Yanqing master, a good friend of Li Cunyi, who was good at ‘tie dang gong’ [iron crotch skill] and liked to demonstrate this skill at the local public baths. Unfortunately, this master attracted the attention of a group of young men who started harassing him with slingshots. Having no disciples of his own to assist him, he passed a message onto M Tang asking for help.

In order to further my training, M Tang sent me to deal with it. Because I knew I was going up against slingshots, I packed a pair of judge’s pens into me knapsack. On the way to the bathhouse, I was waylaid by 3 muggers. I said “My bag is full of gold ingots, let’s go into this copse, and I’ll give you a share.”

They were shocked, but still followed me into the copse. The moment I took out the judge’s pens, they turned tail and fled. Maybe they thought I intended to kill them – all of this stuff was just youthful hijinks. In those days, M Tang’s reputation was a strong deterrent. I invited these guys to talk it out. At first, seeing that I was young, tried to browbeat me and just talked endlessly. Frustrated, I slapped the table (breaking a teapot in the process), at which they immediately promised that they wouldn’t harass Li cunyi’s friend any more. The truth is, they were afraid of M Tang.

Before I went out there, M Tang had said to me, “Don’t fight, try to reason with them.” I thought, if they were reasonable they wouldn’t have harassed an old man, that kind of person is not at home to reason.

That night, I stayed over at this Yanqing master’s house. He was very chatty, and we eventually got to talking about Xue Dian.

: Xue Dian’s 12 animals, taken from David Devere’s excellent website, www.emptyflower.com

He said that Xue Dian was one of Li Cunyi’s later disciples who Li was proud of, but who unexpectedly lost to his shixiong, Fu Changrong. The two of them suddenly crossed hands on the upper floor of a restaurant. With a ‘returning body palm’ [hui shen zhang], Xue Dian was knocked down the stairs. After he reached the bottom, Xue quickly stood up and, without a word, walked off. No-one knew where he had gone.

When Li Cunyi passed away, his friends came to pay their respects. Those who had come from afar would stay for 3-5 days. At the request of the Guo Shu Guan students, they would often perform their gongfu after dinner. One of them in particular, an extremely tall man, stunned the audience with his phenomenal speed. He announced himself as one of M Li’s disciples, causing one of the Guo Shu Guan students to say ”Our shifu never taught this”, to which he said: “I am Xue Dian.” Immediately subsequent to this, he issued a public challenge to Fu Changrong.

Finding the work ethic of Chen Fake (part 1)

A young Chen Fake Chen Fake is considered by many as the greatest Taijiquan master of the century. Born as “Fusheng” in the village of Chenjiaguo, in Henan Province, China, Master Chen grew up to become an extraordinary martial artist and teacher through persistant practice, respect for his family background (ancestors all masterful in Taijiquan), and love of the artform.

From reading about Chen Fake, through the words of his disciple, the late Hong Junsheng (and my teacher Chen “Joseph” Zhonghua), I’ve developed a deep admiration for the man and for his accomplishments as an artist and teacher. If one was to sum up in the man in terms of his gift of Taijiquan, these two characteristics must be mentioned,

Firstly, it was with the dent of hardwork and preserverence that harvested this amazing gongfu skill. Secondly, Master Chen never withheld anything from his teaching. His students asked and they were given an answer. In most cases, a detailed understanding. Withholding anything is strictly for the ego.

Lesson 1: Work, Work, Work

Part 1 is dedicated to that which is most important. To accomplish anything in life, we must put forth effort…never an aimless attempt… but a steady, direct and focused study of that which we feel we must accomplish. The word “work” being just another of those four-letter words that, for many, initiate a conditioned response of dread… is just the first problem of many. Our first direction should be to make work into something else. For me, when I’m teaching, studying, or training in Taijiquan or fencing…I’m “play”ing. So, in essence, hardwork might best be called hardplaying. The only criteria one must follow (after this change in vernacular) should a change in “how we play.” Whether we are playing the piano, ice skating, or doing a martial art form we should look to our actions a heavenly experience and never anything reminiscent of a chore. Embrace your bliss with your entire being and you’ll be surprised at the growth and jubilance (I may have just made that word up, but from “jubilant”) that follows.

Those with anything to add or comment on… please please please.

Zhang Xiang San "Taiwan's Six Harmony Praying Mantis Master"

Taiwan's Six Harmony Praying Mantis Master

Zhang Xian San (aka Zhang Yi Xi) studied from Ding Zi Cheng. He was among many top Kung Fu experts to migrate to Taiwan during the war in China. In Chang Kai Shek's Taiwan he taught his major art, Six Harmony Praying Mantis (Liu He Tang Lang). He was also a Kung Fu brother of Liu Yun Chiao and encouraged him to teach openly. Both men respected each other and Liu would recommend people to Zhang if they showed interest in Liu He Mantis.Zhang also talked some Seven Star Mantis. Zhang also wrote a number of books on his art many of which are now highly sought after.

Ding Zi Cheng's method of instruction was progressive (though in some ways a throwback to authentic traditional teaching) and influenced Zhang's method of instruction all the way down to his disciples such as Boris Shi. Deng would introduce movements and concepts from the form to be studied separately. After the student had practiced and mastered this application Deng would show another. Finally, with numerous skills acquired, Deng would teach the whole form.

Liu He Tang Lng is itself one of the most sophisticated version of Mantis boxing. Some have even said that it is essentially Liu He or Six Hrmony Boxing with the mantis thrown in as a flavor. Certainly some of the outward aspects of the style are quite different from what most people regard as typical Mantis hands. The hook hand, for instance, is not seen in the style. There is far less emphasis on either hopping (Mei Hua) or stomping (Seven Star) though practitoners of Liu He often start with some Long Arm training followed b Seven Star (often Zhai Yao) and then are introduced to Liu He. Movements are isolated, related to the forms, then isolated again with a gradual refinement process that includes trying to apply the movements in cooperative and non-cooperative means.

Books by Zhang Xing San:

Zi Mu Liang Huan Quan

Qi Xing Tang Lang Quan

GM Liu Yun Qiao Baji Movements Video download

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Liu Yun Chiao (1909 - 1992)

Grandmaster Liu
Yun Chiao

This world famous martial artist started as a weak boy in Cang County, HeBei province, China. Liu Yun Chiao, destined to leave his country and to become an internationally renown Kung Fu instructor, started as a youth in such poor straits that his father hired the service of a Kung Fu instructor just to see if he could be brought back to health. Young Liu's first teacher was named Chang Yao Ting and he taught the boy such unusual styles as Tai Tzu Chang Chuan (The First Emperor of the Sung Dynasty's Long Fist) and Mi Zong (The Lost Track Style). Liu gradually regained his health and showed a marked interest in Kung Fu. So his father hired the services of a very famous master, Li Shu Wen. This master was known as an expert in two styles: BaJi and PiGua, both beatiful and powerful forms of martial arts. The first was based on the energies of the Bear and the Tiger, the latter on the Snake and the Eagle. Li's method was good but torturously difficult. The young Liu spent his first year in nothing but training stances.

Grandmaster Liu
Yun Chiao performing BaJi.

Li Shu Wen was already in his sixties when he taught young Liu, who was to become Li's last real disciple. But Liu gained the benefit of all Li's advanced knowledge and theories. Then Liu continued his study to include Six Harmony Praying Mantis (from Ding Zi Cheng) and BaGua Palms (from General Gong Bao Tian).

Liu entered the army and fought against the Japanese invasion starting in 1937 and for eight more years. He then moved to Taiwan and became commander of the airborn troops there along with other military positions. He also became the head training officer for all of Chiang Kai Shek's bodyguards. While thus engaged he taught many students in Taiwan and organzied the association known as Wu Tan which has produced many graduates. Liu Yun Chiao's students include many of great fame such as
Adam Hsu, Su Yu Chang, Tony Yang and Jason Tsou.

Grandmaster Liu Yun Chiao (black) with his mantis teacher on his right.

THE THEORY OF KYU-SHIN-DO, WHAT IT IS, OR, MORE PRECISELY, WHAT IT ISN'T!

Kyu = Desire – Yearn – Sphere – Circle – Search – Study.
Shin = Heart – New – Spirit – True – To be true to ones self.
Do = Way or Path , a way of life or self discipline.

I honestly believe that Kyu-Shin-Do has lost its true path in Britain and has become many things to many people. Kenshiro Abbe Sensei came to Britain in 1955 at the invitation of the London Judo Society ( LJS ). He considered the Judo that he saw to be too concerned with strength, also too physical and hard. It was his intent to introduce his theory of Kyu-Shin-Do to the British Judoka. They in turn found it hard to understand that if they followed his teaching of Kyu-Shin-Do Judo which he himself had studied from as early as 1940 their own Judo skills would become stronger by technique rather than strength. Abbe Sensei would often say when speaking of KyuShinDo that “one must have the right mind “. On one occasion he lined up 31 Judoka dan grades, he walked along the line and informed each Judoka what technique he would use, and whether it would be left of right handed. Abbe Sensei then proceeded to throw each and every single one of the 31 students just as he had said. It is worth being reminded that Abbe Sensei was 40 years of age at that time.

In 1937 Kenshiro Abbe Sensei fought the great Japanese Judo legend Masahiko Kimura, Abbe Sensei beat Kimura and that was Kimura’s only defeat. Kimura Sensei said of Abbe Sensei after his defeat “It was as if I was fighting a shadow and trying to catch the wind”

My good friend Gerry Gyngell Sensei said to me on this subject of KyuShinDo “ I believe it is as much about mental attitude as it is technique. I also believe that one can only learn by example and this ( I think ) is why so many failed to understand his teachings as they only looked at the physical and not the mental side of what Abbe Sensei was teaching.
Yes . . . the techniques had to be performed correctly . . .
Yes . . . it is not about how strong physically you are . . .
More importantly it is not about winning and losing, but about the balance of nature and the attitude of one to another.
I know this may start to seem that I am bringing in religion to the subject, In a way Budo is a religion but without the worship of a Greater Being etc. You Henry, are fond of Sensei’s saying “ no matter what your pretence, you are what you are and nothing more!” I also believe that Abbe Sensei practiced the old philosophy of "To thine ownself be true".
This is in my opinion a big part of what KyuShinDo is . . .
All nature is a circle, so all correct movement is circular and by blending ( adapting ones technique ) with an opposing movement in an honest and open way the result will be harmony of thought and action . . .
Gerry Gyngell Sensei was a member of Abbe Sensei’s Olympic squad 1964. Three time the Welsh Judo Champion. Also worked in Abbe Sensei’s London office for the British Judo Council…

I would suggest that the true intention of Abbe Sensei was to teach his students that they too could be as smooth and elusive as a shadow rather than a brick wall.

Since the passing of Kenshiro Abbe in 1985 there have been so many that now claim to have known him, and to be great personal friends Abbe Sensei. There are now so many, but the worst of these characters is the late George Mayo and sadly his present day followers. Mr Mayo himself shamelessly claimed “ I am the founder of KyuShinDo “ he also later claimed that he `helped` Abbe Sensei to develop Kyu-Shin-Do . . . These claims are totally fraudulent and an insult the the memory of a great Budo Master.

I now see the name ` Kyu-Shin-Do ` attached to so many things in the martial arts that I now believe many consider the term to be a ` really good ` sounding Japanese name without a dollop of the concept of understanding of its true meaning.

From 1957 I attended almost every public Budo demonstration that Abbe Sensei ever took part in. He did on some occasions demonstrate Karate, yet to my knowledge and my associates he never taught Karate other than to teach us how to kick and punch. NEVER ONCE did he ever refer to Karate as “KyuShinDo Karate “ and he never ever taught KyuShinDo Karate . . .

Abbe Sensei invited Harada Sensei to Britain in 1963 to teach Karate for the British Karate Council ( BKC ) Harada Sensei taught Shotokai Karate…

The same applies to KyuShinDo Aikido. Kenshiro Abbe Sensei introduced Aikido to Britain in 1955 and as a direct student from 1957 I never ever heard the word KyuShinDo used in the teaching or study of Aikido. I do believe that when people use and abuse the name of “ Kyu-Shin-Do “ there is a deliberate attempt to imply a connection or relationship to Kenshiro Abbe Sensei.

It a sad fact that Abbe Sensei was unhappy that so few Judoka were able to understand the teachings and principles of KyuShinDo even though they were receiving his personal tuition. Gyngell Sensei stated “I also believe that one can only learn by example !! “ So how would all these KyuShinDo groups ``really `` understand the meaning of KyuShinDo? If one places KyuShinDo in the Google browser there are thousands of sites using the name.

MASTER OF MASTERS Hatsumi Sensei Ninja Magazine, Oct 1985

MASTER OF MASTERS
Hatsumi Sensei Ninja Magazine, Oct 1985

(I know there are many errors contained here. I have not corrected them, instead I posted the article as it was published . . . Merlyn)

It is with much respect and admiration that we welcome the literary and philosophical contributions of Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi to our magazine. Dr. Hatsumi, as many of you know by now, is the 34th Soke (Grandmaster) of Togakureryu ninjutsu, the title having been passed down to him from his master, the late Toshitsugu Takamatsu, 33rd Soke. What many people are not aware of, however, is that the venerable Takamatsu also bequeathed his prize student the authority and position of headmaster in seven other martial arts:

14th Soke of Kumogakure ryu ninpo (originally founded by Heinaizaemon Ienaga Iga (a.k.a. Kumogakure Hoshi)
17th Soke of Takagi yoshin ryu jutaijutsu, originally founded by Oriuemon Shigenobu Takagi
18th Soke of Gikan ryu koppojutsu, originally founded by Sonyu Hangan Gikanbo, lord of Kawachi
18th Soke of Koto ryu koppojutsu, originally founded by Sandayu Momochi
26th Soke of Shinden fudo ryu dakentaijutsu, originally founded by Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru
28th Soke of Kukishin ryu happo hikenjustu, originally founded by Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru
28th Soke of Gyokko ryu koshijutsu, originally founded by Hakuunsai Tozawa.
34th Soke of Togakure ryu ninjutsu, by the way, was originally founded by Daisuke Togakure.

Titles alone, of course, do not describe the man entirely, and only barely touch upon the universal approach to life that he so eloquently embodies. A deeper insight may be had by reading his own preface in his widely?acclaimed book, NINJUTSU: HISTORY AND TRADITION (Unique Publications). Soke Hatsumi states:

I believe that ninpo, the higher order of ninjutsu, should be offered to the world as a guiding influence for all martial artists. The physical and spiritual survival methods eventually immortalized by Japan's ninja were in fact one of the sources of Japanese martial arts. Without complete and total training in all aspects of the combative arts, today's martial artist can not hope to progress any further than, mere proficiency in the limited set of muscular skills that make up his or her training system. Personal enlightenment can only come about through total immersion in the martial tradition as a way of living.

By experiencing the confrontation of danger, the transcendence of fear or injury or death, and a working knowledge of individual personal powers and limitations, the practitioner of ninjutsu can gain strength and invincibility that permit enjoyment of the flowers moving in the wind, appreciation of the love of others, and contentment with the presence of peace in society. The attainment of this enlightenment is characterized by the development of the jihi no kokoro, or "benevolent heart". Stronger than love itself, the benevolent heart is capable of encompassing all that constitutes universal justice and all that finds expression in the unfolding of the universal scheme. Born of the insight attained from repeated exposure to the very brink between life and death, ninpo's benevolent heart is the key to finding harmony and understanding in the realms of the spiritual and natural material worlds.

After so many generations of obscurity in the' shadowy recesses of history, the life philosophy of the ninja_ is now once again emerging, because once again, it is the time in human destiny in which ninpo is needed. May peace prevail so that mankind may continue to grow arid evolve into the next great plateau.

So many testimonials have been written about Dr. Hatsumi that, to list just a portion of them would entail the addition of countless pages to the magazine or warrant a special edition devoted to that subject alone. Barring that enterprise for the moment, we can happily accommodate the words of Yoshiteru Otani. Learning that his friend and teacher for 25 years was embarking on a series of articles for Ninja Magazine, Mr. Otani, 9th Dan, Jigen-Ryu, Founder and President of New York Iaikai acknowledged that:

"In the martial arts history of Japan, we have produced only a handful of major grandmasters. . . " citing Ueshiba Morihei Sensei of Aikido fame and Mikune Kyuzo Sensei, 10th Dan of Judo, as two from the modern era. "Standing with them," Mr. Otani asserts, "is Hatsumi Sensei, a real genius in his time, a modern ninja without equal."

"His dedication to the art of ninjutsu and his devotion to his profession as a chiropractic doctor creates an example of a man who has harmonized body and spirit."

Mr. Otani considers him " . . . not only the greatest martial artist alive, he is also a master of kindness and spirit. During my 45 years of study in martial arts and 30 years as a teacher, I have not met a man like him in any country. I know that by reading his artitles your readers will learn by his instruction and be inspired by his spirit.

" We, the editors, have no doubt that that will be the case. Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi is a treasure of information whose wealth can be shared by all. In this, the first of what we hope will be many articles, Dr. Hatsumi briefly discusses his reasons for speaking to us from Japan, his birthplace and current residence.

The worldwide ninja movement is upon us. Because of this, many people have decided to call themselves' "ninja". Many (others) claim to know what ninjutsu is. Under these circumstances I must explain the reason for my taking up a pen to write about this art.

Today, the pen is stronger than the sword. I am living in the modern world, so as the only true ninja alive today, I must fight with my pen, not my sword, to introduce this 900 year old tradition of ninpo to those who are truly interested in the ancient art of the ninja.

The introduction of the ninja movement in the West, as I see it, is~moving in the wrong direction. Why? Because ninjutsu was originally taught in a secret manner, and this secrecy was kept and observed for many years.. Ninjutsu was not exposed. (Yet), those who never learned ninpo, those who just read books, for example, started to practice even though they had very wrong conceptions. It is therefore often thought that ninjutsu is used for assassinations and other evil purposes, and that those who practice it live in a `dark world'. Too many people believe that that is what a ninja is because that is the way it is being introduced.

Being a real ninja means living a good life, a life under the sun - a special place in the sun; to love people, to understand nature and animals, and to love the universe. This type of love I speak of must have a kind of balance in it: It is not only give and take, it is also give and return. The mind of a ninja is a mind of mercy, a mind of God. It is a state of mind that must be kept in order to live a straight, moral life.

Looking for the meaning of life, one man can discover the order of the universe. To discover the truth, to achieve. a higher spiritual state, that is the true meaning of ninja..
NINJA HACHIMON:
NINJA NO KIAI: (This involves an explosive expression of spirit and energy to others and to oneself.)
NINJA NO TAIJUTSU:(Involves the study and practice of body techniques.)
NINJA NO KEMPO: (This is the study of sword techniques.)
NINJA NO SOOJUTSU: (This is the study of methods volving the spear or lance.)
NINJA NO SHURIKEN: (This is the art of throwing knives, darts and star?shaped weapons.)
NINJA NO KAJUTSU: (Involves the use of fire.)
NINJA NO UGEI: (This is the art of deception and disguises.)
NINJA NO KYOMON: (This is the study of religion, philosophy, meditation, history, mathematics, chemistry, physics and psychology.

Since ancient times, study of the arts and sciences were as important to martial arts as the study of self defense techniques. Ninja no kyomon, the study of all aspects of religion, medicine, mathematics and other disciplines are necessary, for correct judgment and selfunderstanding.

This has been a simple introduction to Hachimon, the basics of ninpo. In the following issues, I will go into greater detail concerning this very special martial art and way of life: What we call ninjutsu.

The story about Sin She Lo Siauw Gok

SinShe LO SIAUW GOK was born in Semarang (Indonesia) on 09.12.1931 as a son of the, in whole south-east Asia, famous SinShe Lo Ban Teng and his wife Go Bin Nio. He was given birth as second son of altogether 12 children. Before his father died in 1958 he imparted his complete knowledge of the fighting art and the medicine to him.
He then took over the famous "Rumah Obat" (house of the medicine) in Jakarta, which was conducted by his father, and proceeded to run the school of fighting art of his father in which he already was active since 1954. The name of the school and the fame of the fighting art of master Lo Siauw Gok reached till Berlin. So I decided to fly to Indonesia in 1981 and to try to study from SinShe Lo Siauw Gok.
At first I was taken to the bus station, called Ban Teng, but later on, with the help of a friend, when I finally met SinShe Lo, he wanted to know everything about me and of course he wanted me to show him my attainments. When I showed him my techniques, declining he said: Ach, ShanTung.
SinShe Lo Siauw Gok had 27 master-students and I was very grateful to him for accepting me as his 28th and also his last student. In the course of the years he introduced me to many of them (now, most of them are well-known masters of the fighting art themselves), among them the fight coach of the Indonesian army.

Lo Siauw Gok wasn't only a respected healer of the traditional Chinese medicine (SinShe) but also a respected master of the Chinese fighting art (Quan Fa) like his father and teacher. I knew him as a sensitive, patient teacher, always paying attention on precision, who very concentrated pursued and corrected my movements during the lessons. Only after rendering optimal performances, he rewarded me with a content smile. Although at first we only could talk in a language-mixture of Indonesian, Chinese, Dutch and English, he patiently has explained all techniques to me till he noticed that I have really understood. He did not simply showed me the techniques but also explained the backgrounds and the application to me.

Lo Siauw Gok taught me to work with the TjioSo and to harden the arms with the method NgoKie and the legs with the method KongKa. During NgoKie and KongKa exercises with him, I could always only envyingly fully admire his strong arms and his very hard shins, because I had nothing to put against that.
He showed me the execution of correct, hard and fast blows which bring the maximum energy into the technique by correct movement of the body, and also how to receive a blow correctly. SinShe Lo showed me the right application of the Sok as well as the exercise TjingTjio TanKie, right breathing LayKang (to reach and provide Qi).
He introduced me to the cutting techniques (Siang) and showed me the importance of exact timing. Lo Siauw Gok had not only taught me the techniques mentioned in the story of his father, but he also begun to introduce me with the art of the Chinese medicine. Among other things he taught me to produce the medicine TieTa YaoGin.
He made a master of the Ho Yang Pay of me, but unfortunately, he could not instruct me with the complete HoYang Pay.
That he gave me the name LOAHIM was a very great honor for me and I am very proud of it.

We always sat together after the training and drank tea and if we didn't speak about the fighting art, he was very much interested in my reports about Europe and quite especially about Berlin, which at that time was still divided.
Whether after the private lessons or after the common lessons, together with his Chinese students, he liked very much to joke and he laughed very often. He also enjoyed to eat good food. He hasn't only introduced me with the local but also with the Chinese kitchen. Very often he organized banquet similar meals at which many of his current and also former students and almost always all family members were present.
Some years later my master planned intensive seminars which he carried out together with other masters of the Ho Yang Pay (as well students of him as of his father) and he allowed me to bring my students. At the end of these seminars and sometimes also in between he organized excursions at which we always laughed much and had good food. How you may look up in the story of his father, he wasn't only a well-known and very much respected personality in whole Indonesia but also in south-east Asia.
Even I, as a student of Lo Siauw Gok, was received respectfully in FuJian in 1995 during a meeting of the NanShaoLin WuZuQuan and got distinguished at the end of the exchange and the demonstrations for my performances with a signed sword.

Lo Siauw Gok died at the age of 59 years in Jakarta (Indonesia) on 03.07.1991. His mortal remains became incinerated on 07.07.1991 and in a following Sea-funeral his ashes were ceded into the Sea.

His death came for all of us very surprising and unfortunately much too early and means a very painful loss for us. He was more than only an excellent, famous master of the fighting art and SinShe for me, he was my Chinese father and I miss him very much.

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Many members of the family Lo have very good skills in the fighting art.
As well the daughter (A Swan), a successful business woman, fighting art and fitness-teacher for women and youth, with her husband (A Kim) who is a successful and famous fighting athlete, as also the two sons of SinShe Lo Siauw Gok (A Seng and A Lun) have reported to continue with the heir in the tradition of the Ho Yang Pay in Indonesia.

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http://hokkian-siauwlim.de/LSGgb.html

The story about Sin She Lo Ban Teng

Pek Bin Kim Kong (The angel with the white face)

SinShe Lo Ban Teng died at the age of 72 years in Jakarta (Indonesia) on 27.07.1958. His body became incinerated on 01.08.1958 in Muara Karang (Java). He wasn't only a respected healer of the Chinese medicine (SinShe) but also a confessed and respected master of the Chinese fighting art (KunThao). He was always honest, straight and sometimes hard to everybody, identical whether poor or rich. This story not only reports about his strong points but also about his weaknesses and the interested reader will find out, which of these events are possible. Thanks belong as well to SinShe Lo Boen Lioe, a nephew of Lo Ban Teng from Kongsi-Besar, to Thio Tjing Tjo from Angke (district of Jakarta), a close friend, as to the inheritors, who made the material available and had given the permission for the publication.

In 1885 Lo Ka Liong moved from Eng Teng (Hok Kian) with his wife and two daughters to Tjio Bee (province Hok Kian, China) and opened the arrack shop Kim Oen Hap in the district of Tang Oa Bee Kee. He was a simple, modest man who did not like to argue and who was just lucky to be in this town. On 01.06.2437 (1886) his wife gave birth to a healthy son, they called him Ban Teng and he became all the devotion. As a child, Ban Teng caused a lot of worry to his parents. He was impudent and not easy to be controlled. The school made little delight to him, he rather wanted to play than to study. In spite of all art of persuasion and threats, after three years of school he wanted to quit. At that time he had to help the father in the business. The local people from Tjio Bee were very much distrustful about strangers and they also felt this about Ka Liong and his family. Ban Teng was often annoyed and slogged by the children of the town. He always came out as winner in the single combat because he was simply stronger. During the day he wanted to go out of the house reluctantly, since he feared the attacks of the children. He wanted to take revenge, but his father however tried to change his mind.
One day the neighbours attacked the business and destroyed the arrack vessels. Ka Liong was about to give up. Ban Teng was furious and angry because he could not do anything. He decided to learn fighting at the age of 14. After two years of lessons in Tjio Bee however he had no success. He was still slogged. He was not discouraged however and went on practising. Ka Liong was very worried about the development of his son. When Ban Teng was approximately 17 years old, his father sent him to Lo Ban Keng, a cousin, to Semarang (Indonesia). After 7 months he returned to China, because he did not like it over there. The inhabitants of Tjio Bee disturb Ka Liong more frequently, which in Ban Teng strengthens the wish to study the fighting art.
To distract Ban Teng from these ideas, at the age of 19, his father made him marry a girl from Eng Teng, named Lie Hong Lan. Together they have a daughter, Lo Lee Hwa. Ban Teng practises every day in the fighting art and with the customers of the business he speaks about nothing else. His mother and also his father died in succession in his 23rd year of life. He kept on running the business, Kim Oen Hap, of his father. Since his marriage was childless except for Lee Hwa, he adopts a boy and gives him the name Siauw Eng.
One day a customer tells him of a master who can reputedly jump on houses because he has practised with wooden sandals to which he always had tied stones. He increased the size of the stones. He advises Ban Teng to practise this also. Ban Teng goes down town to a stonecutter and orders a pair of shoes made of stone with a weight of 5 kg each. The stonecutter is wondering about the unusual order and asks: "what do you need shoes from stone for?", Ban Teng answers irritated: "I want to practise the high jump". The stonecutter begins to laugh and it seems as if he never wants to stop. Ban Teng who in the meantime gets furious, wonders: "what's so funny, are you laughing about me?". The old man calms down slowly and points at the street where two men carrying long poles about the shoulder to whose ends respectively hang large baskets in which they transported garbage. If you think that these men can fly when they put down their burden, you are stupid, the stonecutter said.
Ban Teng feels attacked and wants to demand the old stonecutter to a fight. He takes Ban Teng to a side room and fetches a stone from under the bed, with a build in handle (Tjio So) which weighs approx. 25 kg. Ban Teng takes this for a test of strength and presses the stone a couple of times in the air. However the old man only shakes his head and says: "only empty energy, wasted power". The stonecutter takes the stone with ease, as if it hadn't any weight and throws it in the air. The stone circles the horizontal axis once. When it comes back down, the old, gaunt man catches it exactly at the handle without either trembling or loosing balance.

Ban Teng is convinced that the old man who has just taught him a lesson must be a master of the fighting art. Ban Teng later learns that he was no less a man than Yoe Tjoen Gan, one of the five best students of Tjoa Giok Beng from Tjoan Tjiu, master of the Siauw Lim Ho Yang Pay. The next day Ban Teng went again to ask the stonecutter to accept him as his student, however he was declined. Ban Teng did not give up and this went on for one year; but the old stonecutter was adamant, till the business decreased and Tjoen Gan had to give up. Ban Teng offers him to live at his place, however he declines. Anyway, after several vain attempts, Tjoen Gan gives way and moves into the house of Ban Teng and his family. To reward him for this, he shows him techniques of his art. Ban Teng kneels in front of the old man and showed him Pay Koei. Ever since the old stonecutter lived with him. He gets the best room and a servant. Ban Teng practises daily and speaks much with his teacher about the fighting art. He neglects business and family and he gets into quarrel about this with his wife. He gathers friends and acquaintance and they practice together in a Bu Kwan. Every student pays 12 Kouw of which he gives his teacher 2 Kouw daily. One day, when Ban Teng was a little late and Tjoen Gan conducts the exercises alone, some students doubt about the abilities of the old man. Since he doesn't look half as strong as Ban Teng, the four largest and strongest students want to practise Ngo Kie with him, but however, no one can even keep up twice against him. They had the feeling to beat against an extremely rough joist with sharp edges.
With an employee who works in his arrack shop of which Ban Teng knows that he also deals with fighting arts, Ban Teng wants to compete, however he is subject to him. A day Ban Teng has to go to Amoy and Tjoen Gan asks him to greet a con-student (Su Heng) of him who lives there and the name is Goei In Lam (also called: Panther, who defeats the sky). Ban Teng is introducing himself as a student of Tjoen Gan and bringing the greetings he asks him if he would check his techniques. While Ban Teng shows him his techniques, In Lam shakes his head but says nothing. In Lam gives Ban Teng a message for Tjoen Gan at his departure, saying that he shall come to Amoy as soon as possible, because In Lam wants to speak to him absolutely. When Tjoen Gan reads the message, his features change to a gotten face. As soon as possible he travels to Amoy getting the rebukes from In Lam. Tjoen Gan had to listen to the reproach, that although he always has received all support, he hasn't taught right and not seriously his hardworking, interested and quick learning student Ban Teng and that he shall teach him all he knows, if he doesn't want to harm the good name of Ho Yang Pay.
Tjoen Gan returns to Tjio Bee and instructs Ban Teng in HoYang Pay completely. The correct technique of the blow, the correct movement of the body to produce the most power into the techniques (like a chicken cleans his feathers from dust), how to receive a blow and to move arm and leg correctly at the same time. Ban Teng understands the essence of the Ho Yang Pay.
Three months later Ban Teng fights with his employee again and he defeats him this time. With two movements he throws him against a barrel full of excrements. He demands his opponents from the youth one after another for a fight and wins. At that time the name Lo Ban Teng becomes famous in Tjio Bee and the residents are pondered hostile opposite him but they were afraid of him.
Ban Teng is 27 years old and his technique is still not quite perfect when his teacher and master Tjoen Gan dies. Shortly before his death, he handed over a belt and 2 books to his student. The belt which accompanied him always on his migrations, a book about medicine and one about the Ho Yang Pay. Ban Teng furnished him a worthy ceremony. He mourns very much about the painful loss and if he should have a son, he wants to call him Yoe in honour of his master. Goei In Lam as well as Liem Kioe Djie and Ong Tjian Pwee two other masters of the Ho Yang Pay are very much impressed by the behaviour Ban Teng was showing to his master. They often go to see him and enlarge his knowledge and dexterities.
Liem Kioe Djie is expert in hand and arm techniques, particularly for hard and fast blows executed together with a body movement bringing the energy in direction of arm and fist, as well as in medicine (specially healing inner wounds by intense blows (Siang) and broken bones or dislocations). Ong Tjian Pwee (also called Ong Tiauw Gan) expert in leg techniques has a very hard shin and the hardest kick. His favourite technique is Tjeng Hong Kui Tie (a mild wind sweeps the earth). He is also expert in Bong Meh (pulse diagnosis), he treats different inner and outer illnesses teething troubles, woman illnesses and illnesses related to a particular age.
Goei In Lam is expert in the cutting techniques, in exact timing as well as in Lay Kang (breathing technique, providing inner energy).
Liem Thian In, son of Kioe Djie and Ban Teng are equal strong. He is young, large, firm, has a violent voice and is a master of the fighting art. No-one can defeat the other, therefore Thian In asks his father not to show everything to Ban Teng about Ho Yang Pay and he responds: "if not to him, to whom else"?
At the age of 29, Ban Teng receives the permission to open a house of medicine and becomes Sin She. He gives up the arrack business in favour of the healing- and the fighting art and fast attains local celebrity, because he can cure many people fast.

A day Ban Teng hears that Heng Goan Say, the teacher and leader of several fighting schools in EngTeng, is in Tjio Bee and speaks bad about the Ho Yang Pay. He is famous for his lightning kick. He announces that the opponent will spit blood after only one kick and who doesn't believe it shall try it. Ban Teng reaches Goan Say with 12 Kouw and a visiting card. He says he wants to become his student, however he wants to see his technique before. Hearing the name Ban Teng, Goan Say retreats respectfully, but nevertheless he admits in a fight.
During the fight Ban Teng suddenly is attacked by the son from behind with a firm punch. However with a sudden sidestep Ban Teng executes the technique Kee Bo Tjeng Sit with which he breaks the arm of the attacker. Goan Say attacks once more with lightning kicks. Ban Teng however can evade each of these firm kicks.
Goan Say changes his tactic and attacks Ban Teng with a fast and powerful punch towards his chest. Ban Teng defends himself with the technique In Thien Shou and with a firm kick under the shoulder Goan Say collapses yelling. Lo Ban Teng leaves his visiting card, takes his 12 Kouw and goes. Goan Say grabbed his stuff, went back to his village and never again said something against the Ho Yang Pay.

One day Ban Teng hears that a Koyo seller tells that he had knocked down Goei In Lam. Ban Teng becomes furious and goes to see him. The salesmen is just demonstrating his abilities in a crowd when Ban Teng asks him whether it is correct, that he claims to have defeated Goei In Lam. When the salesmen recognizes Ban Teng he is frightened and denies it. Ban Teng calls him a liar and wants to fight with him. He wants to defeat him with three techniques but the salesmen already gave up after two techniques (Kao Ta and Siang Pee). Ban Teng takes the weapons of the salesmen and brings them to In Lam to Amoy. Goei laughs warmly when he hears what has happened. Ban Teng lets the salesmen know, that he can collect his weapons from Goei In Lam in Amoy.
When he gets there ashamedly, In Lam pretends he doesn't know what had happened. Goei In Lam shames the salesmen still more by telling him that Ban Teng is still green and inexperienced. The salesmen asks for his weapons and disappears.

A quality of Lo Ban Teng was always, to help or defend others if necessary. One day Lim Kiang, a training comrade from Tang Bwee, tells him that he had quarrel with a teacher of the Yao Tjong Pay. Ban Teng accompanies his friend.
A fight shall take place in the temple Yo Thiu Bio in which a stage was set up already. When Lim Kiang and Ban Teng arrive, the supporters of the Yao Tjong Pay were already present. However for their surprise many of them were armed with guns. The teacher of the Yao Tjong Pay is very much surprised when he recognized Ban Teng, he fears that Ban Teng wants to interfere in the fight. Ban Teng recognizes that this quarrel is not just any trifle. The crowd is very outraged and he fears riots in view of the guns but thinks that the fight shall take place since a stage is already built up. The local police suddenly appears, forbids the fight and lets dismantle the stage.

Lo Ban Teng became always more famous and acquires always more respect in Tjio Bee, Eng Teng, Amoy, Tang Bwee and Tjoan Tjiu and he gets the title Pek Bin Kim Kong (the angel with the white face) of Ho Yang Pay.
No other fighting art teacher dares without permission of Ban Teng to teach and no Koyo salesman dares to sell or to practise at one of these places. He is respected in circles of the Ho Yang Pay.
In the meantime his abilities had progressed so much that he could be a good match for his teachers.

Ban Teng as a young man however still has faults and weaknesses. He is wild, often spends the nights in the entertainments district, so contacts to persons of the sub-world don't stay away. His habits one day involved him in a rather funny event. An acquaintance of Ban Teng has quarrel with a rich man from Tjio Bee because he deals with his wife. The rich man learns of a meeting of his wife with this man at a pleasure place.
Since he knows that the man is a fighting art expert, he takes two hand grenades, goes to the rendezvous and requires that his wife immediately shall come with him or else he would throw the shells. The present had panic-stricken fear, only one remained cool. Ban Teng gets up of his seat, he approaches quietly and request the man: "please throw the shell". The man goes some steps back, takes the shells highly and threatens to drop them if he comes closer. With the words: "well drop them, go ahead, make it fast" Ban Teng approaches. The man turns around and leaves the place head over heels.
Ban Teng laughs loudly, the friend comes relieved shaking his head and wonders why he is so crazy asking what he would have done if he had dropped the shells. Ban Teng laughs and explains his behaviour to him that rich people generally fear dying and all of them laughed.

It would lead too far for this story to follow every step Lo Ban Teng made in China. As long as he was in south China, he couldn't find any opponent who could beat him. He has found and defeated all fighting experts who gave themselves airs and spoke badly of him or of the Ho Yang Pay.

1927 in his 41 year of life Ban Teng gets an invitation from Jo Kian Ting, a Chinese resident of Indonesia, to come to Semarang. Since he knew that Ban Teng doesn't have any opponent in south China, he wanted to arrange a fight between Ban Teng and a Coloured which organizes in Indonesia events to demonstrate his powers and to criticize the Chinese fighting art, for what Jo was very much annoyed about.
Ban Teng intended to go to Indonesia to show his cousin, Lo Ban Keng, who took him for useless earlier, that he is very respected now. Lo Boen Lioe (a nephew of Ban Teng) at that time lived already in Tjirebon, Indonesia. He taught there fighting art and his fame reached beyond Semarang.
Lo Ban Teng comes together with Lim Tjoei Kang to Indonesia, who later on gets famous in fighting art. Lim Tjoei Kang is student of Sim Jang Tek which is very respected as SinShe and fighting art teacher in Singapore. The school however is conducted by his daughter. Although it is not easy for Sim to let Tjoei Kang go together with Ban Teng nevertheless and because Ban Teng says that, since he doesn't have any sons, he likes to pass his abilities on to Tjoei Kang and Boen Lioe. Ban Teng did not want to remain for long in Indonesia and bring back Tjoei Kang soon. In addition he still needed a partner for his training because he doesn't know anybody in Semarang and Boen Lioe lives in Tjirebon.
The arrival of Ban Teng in Semarang and the rumour, that possibly a fight with the Coloured will take place, causes excitement with the Chinese. Jo immediately starts with the preparations and the stage construction. Since the government refuses the permission however the fight had to be cancelled.

Lo Ban Teng intended to remain in Indonesia not more than 8 months. He likes to return to China. Acquaintance and people Ban Teng helped to get healthy, ask him to stay in Semarang. He remains, opened a medicine house and practises there as Sin She. In his spare time he practices with Tjoei Kang.
After a short time in Semarang he gets to know a very kind, soft, good looking young woman with good manners, named Go Bin Nio. Ban Teng feels attracted by her. By arrangement of relatives and friends the wedding took place soon and she became the second Mrs Lo. A son gets born after a year. They call him Siauw Hong. Ban Teng is very happy but also a little worried because he thinks that he can not train his son correctly since he is already so old.
Ban Teng also remembers the promises which he gave to the died Yoe Tjoen Gan that he always wants to bring this child up in his meaning.
The second son, Lo Siauw Gok is given birth in 1931 to whom Ban Teng has bequeathed his complete abilities of the fighting art and the knowledge about the medicine.

In the same year Lo Ban Teng organizes a Tjing Pie Say, a feast at which much fighting art is shown. This message worries the Chinese population, because in Chinese tradition the one who organizes something like this, is courageous and ready to proof his abilities no matter against whom. Lo Ban Teng wants to state, whether there are other capable masters of the fighting art at Java.
Lo Boen Lioe, Lim Tjoei Kang and Tan Hoei Liong as well as Eng Bu Kwan (a student of Lo Boen Lioe and Tan Hoei Liong) are also present. The events take place in Semarang, Solo and Jogja and are well frequented.
Also posters were stuck for these events, with the contents: Tjing Pie Pek Bak Pay (green nose, white eyebrows), Bwee Pa, Tju Li Lay ( if you like to try, please come on up), Kia Sia Em Tang Lay ( if you fear to die, better don't come), Pa Sie Ka Tie Tay (if you get hit fatally, look after your own burial). These impudent and provocative posters did not find any consents with the fighting art experts living at Java at that time.
They even had anonymous letters in consequence in which Lo Ban Teng was threatened that if he doesn't keep his mouth shut, he will be send to China with a kick.
Lo Ban Teng reacted with an indication in Chinese newspapers in which he asked the authors let himself be seen in public with him.
On these Barongsay events Lo Boen Lioe showed his abilities with a particular weapon, the Siang Gan (also known as Poan Koan Pit), which looks like a pencil, pointed with his short, pentagonal shaft. Sin She Lim Tjoei Kang demonstrated the energy Lay Kang by lying down on his back weighted with four sacks of rice on which still stood five persons swinging triangular flags with which they wrote Giok Beng into the air, the name of the Grand Master of the Ho Yang Pay.
Sin She Tan Hoei Liong demonstrated his power, by having his stomach beaten with a large Chinese stone (Siang Tjio) (this stone later became his gravestone). In addition he swallowed a sword, which came back out only with the power of his breath (Lay Kang).
SinShe Lo Ban Teng held lectures on the essence of the Chinese fighting art of which Tat Mo Tiouw Soe and Thio Sam Hong are considered as the founders. Furthermore he gave demonstrations over training methods and their results as well as about the energy of the body-shaking in which he led animals as example.
Because of the high costs of the event and that the aim wasn't reached, to find out whether there are any good masters of the fighting art, the events were cancelled uncompleted.

At that time the first wife of Lo Ban Teng heard that her husband in Indonesia have got infatuated of a beautiful woman in China. This news was even still exaggerated by being said that he lives a slippery way of life with his second wife, that he live in luxury, would have a car and if he wanted to send money to his first wife, his second wife would impede.
Insecure by this and because Lo Ban Teng hasn't sent any money for a long time, his first wife decides to travel to Indonesia together with the adopted son Lo Siauw Eng, her daughter Lo Lee Hwa and their husband, to free Lo Ban Teng from the claws of this woman. Lo Ban Teng who had already enough sorrows together with the difficulties with the Barongsay events and because of the anonymous insults, feared to be insulted by his wife coming from China.
When his first wife (Lie Hong Lan) wants to return to China with her children again she invites the second woman (Go Bin Nio ), to come to China with her. So Ban Teng goes back to China with both women, the two little children, Siauw Hong and Siauw Gok furthermore Siauw Eng, Lee Hwa and her husband. The Indonesian mother-in-law asks Ban Teng not to let the two children in China but to bring them back to Indonesia again.

When Ban Teng arrived China he went straight to the grave of Yoe Tjoen Gan with his family. He introduced his son (Siauw Hong) to his deceased teacher, whom he dedicated to him.
After approx. seven months, Ban Teng wants to return to Indonesia again with his second wife and the two children. Since the two women in the meantime get on well, Mrs Lie asks Mrs Go to let one of the children stay with her as her old-age provision and also for another possible meeting. (The wish for another reunion though should not be fulfilled up to the death of his first wife). It is difficult for Mrs Go to decide which of the two children shall remain in China. Ban Teng and she decide to let Siauw Gok there. Mrs Lie was glad about the decision.
Shortly before the departure Siauw Gok gets ill and the medications cannot help him. After that, they decided to let Siauw Hong in China. Strange is that when the ship leaves the port Siauw Gok gets healthy again. Lo Ban Teng shook the head, Hoa Say (this is how he called his master Yoe Tjoen Gan) apparently didn't want him.

The marriage with Mrs Go didn't bring out less than 12 children, not counted Lee Hwa and Siauw Eng.
The children are Siauw Hong (born 1930) and Siauw Gok (born 1931). Afterwards came Siauw Bok (born 1934) he likes music and dance. Siauw Tiauw (born 1934) becomes a master of table tennis, who is well known among the athletes also in the foreign countries. All of them were born in Semarang. In 1938 family Lo moved, together with Lo Boen Lioe from Semarang to Kongsi Besar (district of Jakarta). In the same year a daughter, Siauw Loan, got born, she studied in China. Siauw Gim (also a daughter) got born in 1939. When Japan attacked Indonesia in 1941 family Lo moved to Solo, at first into the house of Sin She Lim Tjoei Kang, later into an own one. At that time Mrs Lo was pregnant again, this pregnancy lasted for 12 months. While the Japanese army came into the country, Siauw Tjoen got born. Because of the unusual duration the pregnancy Ban Teng called him to Gek But (stubborn) and because he had a protuberant forehead as child he was called Ong Nga. In 1943 the daughter Siauw Ling and in 1947 the daughter Siauw Tjiok were given birth, in 1949 the son Siauw Tjioe, 1952 the daughter Siauw Koan and in 1955 as twelfth child, Siauw Njo, also a daughter. Some children of the family Lo have good knowledge of the fighting art. Lee Hwa, the daughter of Ban Teng in China, got instructed since she was 14, when Sin She Lo was 34 years old. She was very talented and learned very fast. As a child, she had a plait (Tauw Tjang) and her blow was so hard, that her plait would deal around her own forehead like a whip. Sin She Lo often said about Lee Hwa, that although she is a woman, her blows are harder than the ones of Siauw Gok. People who know how hard the blow of Siauw Gok is, can imagine how hard a blow of Lee Hwa must have been.

It is told that at a street party in Tjio Bee to which also many people came from other towns. Many young people came not only because of the celebration but also because of the many pretty girls. When the young men saw the pretty Lee Hwa which only came for this feast in company of her mother they got courageous and made indecent remarks. Lee Hwa stayed cool, however when the young men became more courageously and one even tried to touch her chest, with a lightning blow she beat against his ribs that made him fall down moaning. Lee Hwa kept on going as if nothing happened. A young man (Tjiok Kim Gwan) watched the event from the top floor of a house. He was glad about the way it ended and felt so very attracted of Lee Hwa, that he asked for her hand and they got married later.

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The heirs of the HO YANG PAY

The fighting art was passed on to the children of the died Lo Ban Teng and additional the knowledge of the medicine, to his son Lo Siauw Gok. He ran the business from the father of the Chinese medicine and because of his abilities in the fighting art, he took the heir of the Ho Yang Pay in Indonesia. But Siauw Gok had almost failed there because in his youth he did not practice enough to master the fighting art. He rather played with his friends around the house. In school he fought frequently but most of the time he got beat and the friends teased him saying that as son of a master of the fighting art, he knows nothing at all and he started to practise more seriously in the 17. year of life to the delight of his father.

At that time SinShe Lo was already 60 years old and because he wanted to teach everything to Siauw Gok as fast as possible, he gave him a hard time. This way at first he reached the opposite. Instead of getting better, Siauw Gok became more mindless and his father became always more impatient and swore at him always more. This went on, that one day Siauw Gok even considered to stop to practise with his father and to continue somewhere else.
The family also reproached him, that he does not want to learn correctly. That he becomes always worse and that he is a useless tramp, who if the father dies, will probably become a beggar. These hard reproaches opened the eyes of Siauw Gok and strengthen his will to learn the fighting art and the Chinese medicine in despite of the insults of his father.

Within the first two years Siauw Gok merely became instructed in the bases of the Ho Yang Pay. Of prime importance he got taught to breathe right (Lay Kang). In addition to this he studied the exercise Tjing Tjio Tan Kie, also Kao Ta and Tjeng Tjeng (with the left and with the right), how one develops a hard blow as well as the ability to bear the hard blow of an opponent. Furthermore the feeling for speed and timing, the ability to move arm and leg simultaneously, to throw Tjio So and to toughen up the arms with the method Ngo Kie.

In the meantime Lo Siauw Gok who made good progress in the fighting art and had control of the Chinese medicine that he was able to cure illnesses went to Bandung in 1952. There he opened a Toko Obat however since he wasn't very successful, he went back to Jakarta in 1954 and helped since then in the Toko Obat of his father in Djelakeng.

Besides Siauw Gok also Siauw Tjoen had great abilities in the fighting art. He was already rather tall when he was 17 years old. He was very stubborn and Sin She Lo was often furious with him. But Siauw Tjoen also was the child who dared to talk casually with the father. The other children respected the father so very much, that they dared not to come too near if they weren't called. A day Siauw Tjoen should prepare medicine, however he tried to back out by pretending to have much to work for the school. Although his father scolded him very much Siauw Tjoen knew how to calm him down again.

During conversations, Sin She Lo frequently had with his children and friends, he could speak for hours about his experiences with the fighting art and he answered all questions.
Somebody wanted to know whether it is true that masters of the fighting art can not have children. He answered that he has many children. Whether one shall urinate before the morning training he affirmed obviously and added, that it is important not to eat much before the training.
A friend wanted to know, whether it possible to practise Kiu Sien (move in the testicles) and Tiap Kut (organize the bones in sitting). Sin She Lo laughed and explained that there was a master of the fighting art in China which had a student that shot his nerves because he asked so much, one day his teacher told him he shall practise Kiu Sien and Tiap Kut. If he can do it well, no-one can get too close to him. The student was very interested but simultaneously irritated. He never suspected that he has got on his nerves that the teacher wanted his death; because with the testicles inside, a man almost dies and to organize the bones correctly, one only can do at a skeleton.
Sin She Lo was asked if a man can jump on a roof how it often occurs in the stories. He explained, that a man without aid, no matter how intensive he practises, cannot jump higher than his own body size. Only living beings, with the knees turned to behind like cats, dogs, antelopes, grasshopper crickets etc. can skip repeatedly their own body size. Whoever claims he can jump on a roof, lies. If it was so easy, he could earn money with it. He could sell tickets and with two or three jumps he could be a rich man.
An acquaintance of Sin She Lo asked the question whether it is true that a fighting art teacher, who is really good, cannot get hit at the Twi Tju (training) and if he gets hit, that one can say that he still isn't good. Sin She Lo answered that every teacher who teaches his student really seriously and gives him the opportunity to attack him, that it can happen to get hit. The difference is that by his experience the blow doesn't arrive so hard. Most teachers don't like it to get hit during the training. They don't give their students any opportunity of this. Every time if the student tries to attack, the teacher anticipates him and with the time the student gets anxious and loses his self-confidence, so that he advances no more. There is always the possibility to receive a blow, whether at the Twi Tju or at the actual fight. Therefore we must practise Lay Kang. Then receiving a blow will no longer be so hard. In boxing there is not any master, who never received a punch. The difference lies in the temper of the blow and the one with the harder blow wins.
As somebody wondered, whether it is meaningful to master Thiam Hwee Kin (beat on the veins, that the opponent grow stiff), SinShe Lo replied laughing if it was really so simple one could beat a rich man on his veins with Thiam, that he cannot move and take his money away from him. This doesn't work like that. There are several weak places at the human body like the throat the joints, the tendons etc. and if one gets hit at these places, one can feel very weakly no matter how strong this place was hit. If we try to meet these places, one will be able to meet them only by chance. He explains further, that after a blow on these specific points to particular times, according to Chinese medicine teaching, it will have heavy consequences in the blood circulation of the man. However one cannot pay attention to the time and line up his blows after this during a fight. Because if it is not exactly the time, the desired effect can not be reached and as said already it isn't easy to meet these part of the bodies.
Sin She Lo also explained, that it isn't true that somebody can fight incessantly for hours and that it is not correct either that somebody can run as fast as a horse. Also that the art of the Hwi Heng Sut (to make the body light) doesn't exist.
On the question whether it is possible to train the fingers that they get so strong to make holes in a wall, he answered, you can never train the fingers of the people to make holes in a hard wall. The fingers can be invigorated but the fingernails would always break very painfully. Some of these examples describe exactly how the teaching of the Chinese fighting art is thought-out. Sin She Lo always told the truth about the fighting art to withdraw misunderstandings from circulation, by classifying the stories, like jumping on roofs, beating on veins etc., as untrue. But he also said, that one have to master the knowledge of the Chinese fighting arts to be successful in this art.

He listed the following at this: 1. determination/fearlessness, 2. intelligence, 3. a hard punch, 4. energy, to receive a hard blow of the opponent, 5. speed and a sharp eye, 6. good timing (to anticipate the opponent), 7. to assess distance exactly, whether the blow can reach the body of the opponent (Tji Li), 8. sharp senses to know on time where the opponent will move arms or legs (Kui), 9. tranquillity/calmness 10. self-confidence.

During his whole life Sin She Lo permanently deepened his knowledge in the fighting art. He also watched the habits of domestic animals. He watched exactly their movements at the fight, the behaviour at attack and defence. Some of his techniques had their origin in the movements of the animals (e.g. shaking the body during the blow ). The manner of receiving a blow by toughening up the body or pulling it together. By tensing the tendons, it is comparable with the reactions of animals if they are attacked suddenly. He demonstrated how roosters, cats or dogs (at an attack) shout and tenses the body. He checked the Lay Kang of Siauw Gok again and again by pushing him from behind to see whether the reaction was carried out correct.

Besides Lo Boen Lioe and Lim Tjoei Kang, SinShe Lo had accepted still other students in Indonesia. He trained Tan Tjoen Siang during the Japanese occupation, for which he was very grateful to Sin She Lo. He helped with the wedding of Lo Siauw Gok like a brother and provided his car. He set up an altar for the ashes when Sin She Lo died and contributed much to the smooth course of the ceremony.
Another student was Lie Kim Bie, but because Sin She Lo already could not see so well at that time (1955), Lo Siauw Gok trained Lie Kim Bie further for six months.
In 1955 the eyes of Sin She Lo became always weaker and he got cataract which he had operated in a hospital in Jogja in 1957. A year after he came back, he got a bad illness which also had to be operated. When he was dismissed after 46 days staying in the hospital, physically he was very much weakened. He got another illness at which he died on 27.07.1958 in the age of 72 years. During the cremation of Sin She Lo once again they had to put on more wood because the body still had not become ashes, everybody wondered whether this is because of the powerful trained body during all the years, which should be submitted to the fire.

Source : http://hokkian-siauwlim.de/LBTgb.html

Li Shu Wen

One of the only images
known to exist of the
undefeatable Li Shu Wen

Born in 1864, Li Shu Wen, first studied martial arts from Jian Dian Sheng (b. 1785) of Mong Village, home of Bajiquan. He then traveled to Luo Village and studied Piguazhang with Huang Si Hai.

Li was more than just a student. His martial arts were of the highest caliber. This was attested to by the fact that he was never defeated in his life. His spear technique became so powerful that he was known as the "God of the Spear." Born in Zhang Sha Village, he was a native of the famous Cang County, homeland of some of the best Kung Fu in all of China; both geographically AND historically. Gifted with incredible power it was said that he almost never had to strike an opponent twice. He attracted many students who were already formidable martial artists.

Li Shu Wen was not a "nice person." He took on challenges his whole life often boasting to the challenger the movement that would end his life. Even Li's final days was a matter of dispute. Li was challenged to a fight with spears by a much younger man. Though over seventy Li took on the challenge and dispatched his opponent. Furious the fallen boxer's family conspired and had Li poisoned. This was the end of the famous fighter. On the other hand Li was known for impassioned dedication to his art. Every chance he got he practiced his favorite weapon, the Great Spear. His lineage to this day still retains the unusual practice of this weapon.

A great teacher produces great students. Many of those who studied with Li Shu Wen became important in the history of martial arts. Four of his students from Luo Tong Village were Han Hua Chen, Ma Ying Tu, Ma Fong Tzu and Zhou Shu De. These four introduced a form of BaJi Quan to the Central Martial Academy in Nanjing, a very important organziation at the time dedicated to "modernizing" martial technique and education. This was during the struggling Republican period.

Other disciples include warlords such as Li Jin Lin (a famous swordsman), Ren Guo Dong, Zhang Xiang Wu, Na Yu Kuen, Liu Hu Chen and Liu Xu Dong. Li's first real disciple, Huo Dian Ge, became the bodyguard and teacher of Fu Yi, China's Last Emperor. Other people in the BaJi family became the bodyguards of Chiang Kai Shek, and Mao Tse Dong. So, even though these political opponents had deep distaste for one another, they understood the advantage of hiring protectors from the BaJi style also known as the Bodyguard Boxing.