Articles

REQUIEM FOR A TAI CHI BODYGUARD
Cheng Tin-hung (1930 – May 7, 2005)

His appearance was unprepossessing when first I met him in his Mongkok flat in October 1975. With his belly hanging over his shorts, his cigarette dangling in the corner of his mouth as he talked, with his flip flops, string vest and unshaven mien, he didn’t look the part of a top level Tai Chi master or indeed a top level anything else. Yet he was also a voracious reader of history and philosophy and a writer of many books on Tai Chi Chuan, an amateur geomancer and fortune-teller, who changed his name of Cheng Ngar-man to the more propitious Cheng Tin-hung.

He first made his name in the 50s, a time when many Hong Kong residents took up Tai Chi as a cure for TB. Gentle Tai Chi people practicing in the parks were being bullied by external martial artists, so they would ask his help and he would go and do some Tai Chi bullying of his own.

Grand Master Cheng Tin Hung
1931-2005

Ian Cameron's memories of Grandmastger Cheng Tin-hung.

Review of A Brief History of QI

A review of this book by Zhang Yu Huan & Ken Rose.

 

Martial Arts and The Police
Combat July 1992

Islington Police Station, would not be my first choice as a venue for a fun filled Friday evening, nor would its fine officers necessarily be my first choice as boon companions for the aforesaid fun filled Friday evening. I was there to identify one of my students whom they had arrested. The name hadn't rung a bell with me over the phone so I said that I would go to identify him. The alternative was that he would be charged, though it wasn't clear what with.

No Substitute For Skill?
Combat October 1992

A lot of modern martial artists would consider technical skill to be the most important quality. In America some tournaments have now done away entirely with objective assessment of skill such as awarding points for successful strikes or throws and instead require the judges to rate each competitor as belonging to one of five levels. For example someone rated as very advanced would receive an "AA" rating of between 9.00 and 10.00 points, while someone rated a beginner would receive a "C" rating of between 6.00 and 6.99 points.

What's in a Name?
Combat November 1992

Two years ago in a karaoke bar in Taipei, Nigel Sutton and Vincent Jones led the members of the British Tai Chi team in a chorus of "there's only one Dan Docherty". Although I appreciated the sentiments expressed, I had however, to inform them that I knew of at least three other Dan Docherty's; one of them being my father, that one of the others also practiced Tai Chi Chuan, while the third DD (whom I have never met) also advertises in Combat. This has resulted in the past in my father cashing my winning premium bond vouchers and in my being presented with bills and invoices about which I know nothing.

Land Of The Litigant
Combat January 1993

The good, the bad and the distinctly weird; this is America. This was the US National Chinese Martial Arts Championships in Orlando, Florida, home of Disneyworld.

Tai Chi Question Time
Combat May 1993

Most readers' questions were about where to find Tai Chi instruction. The problem is that although there are now Tai Chi clubs in most major cities, the level of ability and the approach of the teachers varies enormously. I've replied to these letters individually and if they require more information they are welcome to contact me or one of the Tai Chi Union for Great Britain regional officers whose numbers are listed in Combat's Clubs Directory.
In addition, I'm attempting to address this problem myself by running seminars with a teacher training element in London and Manchester and also abroad.
Now to reply through Combat to some readers whose letters raised matters of wider interest.

Is History Bunk?
Combat June 1993

Well, Henry Ford thought so and looking at some of the articles and books that masquerade as martial arts history, he may well have been right. History is important for martial artists as it tells us where we have come from, and from this we can hopefully deduce where we are now and where we will be going in the future.

Who's Pushing?
Combat November 1993

Pushing hands is a direct translation of the Chinese term Tui Shou. This is a misleading and unhelpful name for a wide variety of training drills which we use in Tai Chi Chuan. Pushing hands is a stupid name because most of these drills involve considerably more than pushing and the techniques used are not always restricted to hand movements. But until someone thinks of a better name, we're stuck with this one. Or are we?

My Point Exactly
Combat December 1993

Call it what you will, Dim Mak, pressure points, Atemi Waza, death touch, Tuite; it's out there now; it's hot, it's sexy and it's making some people a whole lot of money. Well what is Dim Mak? Is it effective? Can anyone do it? Is it Tai Chi?

Terminology and Jargon - Part 1
Combat January 1994

Terminology is simply names or special terms used in our area of study.
Jargon originally referred to the chattering noises of small animals and by extension gibberish. More usually jargon is used to refer to the idioms and special vocabulary used by a particular group or profession. It is not uncommon for such jargon to be both obscure and pretentious.

Terminology and Jargon - Part 2
Combat February 1994

Let's now deal with jargon. As martial artists we have our own arcane and bizarre language which has various dialects depending on the art practiced. There are a number of defences we can make of our use of jargon.

True To Form
Combat March 1994

They did say that the goodness that results from hardness consists of righteousness, being straight, decisive, severe, firm, determined and resolute; to this I'd add honesty. On the flip side, the evils resulting from hardness include ruthlessness, intolerance, force, and violence; to this I'd add rudeness.

The Seminar
Combat April 1994

What is or what should be a seminar ? What, if anything, makes it different from a normal training session ?

The Long Game
Combat June 1994

They call soccer "the beautiful game". Of course there are many types of games, but in many respects martial arts is the most complex of them all. It is a game of violence, of pain and of beauty, but not in equal measure. A volatile game that can trick you, seduce you and even destroy you. It's an old game and it'll still be there after these ramblings of mine are forgotten. I call it the long game.

Funny Money
Combat August 1994

They often say, unknowingly misquoting the Good Book, that money is the root of all evil. This is manifestly untrue and what the Good Book really says is that the love of money is the root of all evil, though I don't believe that this is strictly true either.

Made in Taiwan
Combat September 1994

Huang Jifu, Vice Chairman of the BCCMA, was the team leader. Dick Watson and I were the coaches and a squad of 20 from my association, from Nigel Sutton's Zhong Ding Association and from Dicks Long Fei Association went with us to Taiwan for the 2nd Chung Hua Cup International Tal Chi Chuan Tournament in Taiwan.

Not My Style
Combat February 1995

Recently I've read in the martial arts press a couple of articles on styles of Tai Chi Chuan. I have been told by certain instructors that what certain people were doing was either not Tai Chi Chuan or was bad Tai Chi Chuan.

My Learned Friends
Combat April 1995

Each of is is supposed to be unique, but each of us also has certain experiences and characteristics in common with other sentient beings. For example I once lived in the same road as Cardinal Winning of Scotland and some thirteen years ago enjoyed a gin and tonic with him in the red light area of Hong Kong - don't ask, it's a long story.

Quack, Quack
Combat May 1995

Both my parents are doctors, so from an early age I was the recipient of whatever pill, injection or potion that came on the market. This has given me a uniquely jaundiced view of the dark science of medicine and the shamans who practice it. The hands that heal are of value in a great number of instances, but in a number of others are either of little value or are even dangerous.

Huang Jifu (1934-1995)
Combat July 1995

Terrible news. On the morning of Wednesday, May 3rd, Mr. Huang Jifu, Vice Chairman of the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts, collapsed and died in Malden, Surrey.

Demonstratively So
Combat August 1995

We all do demonstrations. We all think demonstrations are important. But why ? What should a demonstration consist of ? In doing a demonstration what are we trying to achieve ? Is a demonstration the best way to achieve this result ?

Combat Queries
Combat December 1995

Once again it's time to answer reader's queries. But first I'd like to deal with a question from one of the participants at the recent Combat Seminars in Birmingham. The gentleman concerned is a practitioner of Escrima among other arts and he told me that often after a hard training session he finds it hard to sleep and he asked if I could suggest a solution.

Bai Shi
Combat January/February 1996

So what is Bai Shi ? In the context of Chinese martial arts it is a ceremony with ritual elements conducted by a master in which one or more students "Enter the Door" and become disciples.

On Being a Master
Combat April 1996

The term ‘master’ derives from the Latin root ‘magister’ meaning teacher or ruler; and by extension, it means a person of consummate skill in some area of activity, as opposed to a mere journeyman.  It can also mean someone who inspires devotion or reverence on the part of his followers.  However, a person can be all or any of these things and yet fail to be a good teacher. There is only one measure of a good teacher; does s/he produce good students?

Students
Combat May 1996

The word 'student has a latin root In the verb 'studere', meaning to be eager or diligent and by extension, to study. A student may just be someone engaged in the study of a particular subject, or s/he may be devoted to learning. Study itself Includes suggestions of examining, analyslng, thinking, interest and purpose. Yet how many students of Tal Chi Chuan practise with this attitude?

Chinese Philosophy and Tai Chi Chuan
Combat September 1996

Before looking at the Tai Chi symbol and Yin Yang theory it is helpful to examine Chinese concepts of the Universe. The basic Chinese cosmology traced from c.1000 BC and developed by succeeding philosophers and schools of philosophy.

The Water Margin
Combat May 1998

So it has come to pass. On Friday July 18th, I went with three students to Newport at the invitation of Paul Brewer to encounter his master, Dr. Shen Hong-xun. We arrived when the course had already started. We entered an upstairs hall where Dr. Shen was seated on a podium behind a table, facing his audience; also seated there on his right was a Caucasian gentleman and on his left, Jan Willem Van Overdam, from Holland.

Inspiration
Combat November 1998

Someone, I can't remember who, said to me recently that every teacher needed to give inspiration to their students. I accept this responsibility readily, but where is the poor teacher to find inspiration? Although for more than 20 years I have only followed one master and only practiced one method, I have had many sources of inspiration.

Meditation
Combat March/April 1999

Meditation is or can be "steady or close meditative reflection: continued application of the mind." Or, " a private devotion or spiritual exercise consisting in deep continued reflection on a religious theme." Or, a "spoken or written discourse treated in a contemplative manner and intended to express its author's reflections or to guide others in contemplation." ( Webster's Third New International Dictionary).

Sober as a Judge
Combat August 1999

This is about geniuses and judges, two categories which in the martial arts at least are not mutually exclusive.

Kick School
Combat October 1999

Let me explain the Cantonese expression "Tek Gwoon " (in Mandarin, "Tie Guan"). Tek means kick; Gwoon is hall or in this context (martial arts) school. Tek Gwoon, or Kick School is where an individual or group goes to another school to make or at least offer some form of physical challenge. Kick School is not just visiting another school to spar, to do Tui Shou or Chi Sau; it is not a game. Kick School is a matter of honour and often a matter of dishonour. Women are usually too sensible to believe in such matters; it's a male thing.

Old Boys
Combat November 1999

I've been attending the Rencontres Jasnieres Tai Chi camp in the Loire Valley in France, man and boy since 1991. It's a place where you can meet Tai Chi Chuan students and teachers from all over Europe and further afield. It's even a place where you can make friends.

Shaolin and Wudang
Combat September/October 2000

The dog and the stingray tasted real good and it was great to climb Wudang Mountain again in the company of three fellow Scots (Ronnie & Elspeth Robinson, and Ian Cameron) and two refined French ladies (Anya Meot and Pascale Deguen), but maybe the highpoint was your correspondent and said colleagues on the back of our motorcycles roaring up the drive of the Southern Shaolin Monastery rucksacks on the backs and holding on in fear and trepidation.

Shuai Jiao, Die Pu and Qin Na
Combat December 2000

If you want to claim you practice Chinese martial arts, three terms you should understand are Shuai Jiao, Die Pu and Qin Na. All three of these skills are part of the repertoire of San Shou techniques used in Tai Chi Chuan and other Chinese martial arts; they are not separate arts in themselves, but can be seen as a useful way to group and analyse techniques. This is rather complex because many Tai Chi techniques such as Raise Hands Step Up have multiple aplications and can be combined with others to make even more. Thus, one technique with its different applications could legitimately be classified as belonging to Shuai Jiao, Die Pu and Qin Na.

We Are Not Amused
Combat January 2001

I’ve just finished reading Robert W. Smith’s new book, “MARTIAL MUSINGS: A Portrayal of Martial Arts in The 20^th Century” (Via Media Publishing Co., 1999, ISBN 1-893765-00-8). For those of you who haven’t heard of him, Smith is an old buffer now (born in 1926, in Iowa) who has practiced martial arts for more than 50 years and best known for his writings on Chinese martial arts.

Karmic Connection
Combat May 2001

I was talking with Xin Ran recently about Yuan Fen, which means the appointed lot by which people are brought together, or a predestined relationship. By itself, Yuan cause/connection/ relationship, while Fen is a share/duty or to divide/distinguish, so I guess you can have both either or neither at any one time with any person/ persons and thing/ things. I guess it’s as crucial a factor between teacher and student in the Chinese martial arts as between man and woman and all the other permutations. Karma is similar, essentially causes which produce effects in another stage, time and / or place of existence.

Errant Knights Part I
Combat June 2001

In the Chinese tradition, as in Europe and Japan, people travelled on foot or horseback and for self protection would either have an armed escort or carry arms themselves, which before the advent of firearms usually included some type of bladed weapon. In Chinese martial arts there are two main types of bladed weapon. The Dao is any single-edged bladed weapon, which could range from meat cleavers to broadswords/sabres, to halberd type weapons such as the Guan dao. The Jian is a double-edged bladed weapon which also can vary in length.

Errant Knights Part II
Combat November 2001

Chinese are prisoners of their history and culture more so than we are in the West. In Confucian tradition, social superiors such as teachers are only to be obeyed, not questioned, so there are many unspoken assumptions. This holds true of weapon training. In many Chinese styles where applications are taught it is on the basis of empty hands against empty hands, sword against sword, spear against spear, sabre/broadsword against staff or sabre/broadsword.

Errant Knights Part III
Combat March 2002

I will now deal with the 3 classical Chinese martial arts weapons individually.

Errant Knights Part IV
Combat April 2002

THE QIANG
The second classical Chinese martial arts weapon used in Tai Chi Chuan is the Qiang or spear, and a spear is really a staff with a metal head stuck on at least one end for stabbing, cutting and / or hooking depending on the type of head used. Of course the origin lies in the pointed sticks used for fighting and hunting by our forefathers and some, especially the lighter versions, were also used as javelins; the drawback being that as well as throwing away your weapon, it could also be used against you by its intended target. I have not come across reference in modern Chinese martial arts practice to the throwing of spears and I suspect this was almost exclusively a military use of the weapon.

Errant Knights Part V
Combat June 2002

THE JIAN
Let us now consider what was considered the most subtle of Chinese martial arts weapons, the Jian, or double-edged sword. The character for sword sounds the same and is similar except for the radical for the character Jian, meaning to examine (with a view to avoiding possible danger). The spirit of the Jian is that of the dragon, being enigmatic and versatile, able to coil and uncoil, soar and plunge. It is important that we become one with the sword and that is then the dragon, not the sword alone.

Errant Knights Part VI
Combat August 2002

Let us deal now with the names of sword techniques. Logically speaking, if we are doing the form outdoors at daybreak, we should start off facing West, with the rising sun at our backs, as fairly early on we have "Golden Needle Pointing South" on the left-hand side. The poetic nature of certain of the cultural references in the names of techniques helps us to remember the sequence and to understand better the eponymous technique.

Bio-Dynamic Tai Chi Chuan
Combat November 2002

Ellen, Chris and I must have tried around twenty different Vouvrays at a degustation in the Cave of M. Huet, who produced them all using “Methode Bio-dynamique”. This method was developed by the Austro-Hungarian social philosopher and spiritualist, Rudolph Steiner (1861-1925), who was the founder of anthroposophy, a spiritual and, to a degree occult, doctrine, which tried to understand the world by looking at the nature of man rather than that of God. Bio-dynamics is concerned with the dynamic relationship between organisms and their environment.

Tradition
Combat August 2003

In my country there is a great regard for history and tradition. In 2001, I went with Pamela Teubig from Bremen, Claire Sheehy from Dublin and Torben Rif from Denmark to revisit Wudang Mountain and the Northern Shaolin Temple at Songshan.

Martial Codes, Martial Rules, Martial Ways
Combat August/September/December 2004

The paradox is that while the code of Bai Shi emphasises that Tai Chi Chuan comes from Taoism, you may consider that its emphasis on respect for the teachers and more senior members of the school and on correct behaviour are straight from Confucianism as is the ritual ceremony of initiation. In fact similar but often more complex codes and rituals can be found in many Taoist sects.

China Syndrome
Tai Chi Chuan & Internal Arts, Winter 2006/7

Trip to Zhengzhou World Wushu Championship, Chen village, Shaolin temple organised by Faye Yip and reported by Dan.

You’re a Cult!
Tai Chi Chuan & Internal Arts, Winter 2006/7 and Spring 2007

A review of Chinese Sects, heterodox millenarian & syncretic and Chinese internal arts.

Dan Docherty: Tai Chi Gladiator

This is the first part of the interview in Fighting Arts International, which introduced Dan Docherty in the UK.

A Master Calls: The Dan Docherty Interview: Part Two

This is the second part of the interview in Fighting Arts International, which introduced Dan Docherty in the UK. Covering the visit to Dan's class by Master Chu King-hung

Mr. Bad Example

I'm very well acquainted with the seven deadly sins. I keep a busy schedule trying to fit them in. I'm proud to be a glutton and I don't have time for sloth. I'm greedy and I'm angry and I don't care who I cross.

Enemies Mine?

My teacher warned me too. He told me that, as a Tai Chi instructor, I would have two kinds of enemy; external and internal. Of these the deadlier are the internal ones, because they are close. Some are sleepers and don't surface for years. Others are more obvious, making small incursions at first, but gradually growing in daring.

Tai Chi For Health

I decided to write on this subject after chatting to one of my students, Dr. Mike Webb, who is a medical researcher. While helping me to research some material for my forthcoming book on the Tai Chi Chuan Classics, Mike came across some interesting studies on exercise in general and Tai Chi Chuan in particular and their effect on the body. I should add that I have certain reservations about some of the Tai Chi related studies, but I'll bring this up later.

Tai Chi Self Defense For Ladies

Tai Chi Chuan, like most Chinese martial arts, combines elements of striking, grappling and the use of traditional weapons. It also emphasises evasion, footwork and strategy. The combination of all these elements make it an ideal martial art for ladies.

Knowledge Of A Lifetime

In the martial arts world, money is a difficult subject. If you charge too little, the common perception of students is that you are not very good. If you charge a lot, the common perception is that you are too greedy.

99 Souvlaki

As a martial artist, I derive much pleasure and food for thought from reading books on both history and philosophy, particularly Chinese history and philosophy.

Secrets and Lies

The ability to understand and to apply new information depends on the knowledge, experience and innate physical and mental powers of the individual. Knowledge begets knowledge - sometimes. As practitioners of Chinese martial arts, we have to have secrets - our "inside the door training". For secrets to be secrets, there must be a possibility for those who don't know them to become members of the chosen few and to learn them one by one.

Epiphany

I wouldn’t have hit the youth in the kidneys on the underground platform if Ronan hadn’t been there.  I had little choice and no time to think, I had to be in the moment and hurt him with a static Tai Chi Nei Kung technique that I had never used in that way before. An epiphany.

Big Brother

The Yi Jing contains many apt phrases, for this article I choose, "It will be advantageous to meet with the great man" which appears in the commentaries and/or judgements on four hexagram and There will be advantage in crossing the great streamŠ which appears in the judgements and the commentaries on half a dozen hexagrams.

The Fighter's Body

I was given a review copy of this book and it took a considerable time to read and even longer to get round to writing this review. Mr. Christensen, whom I never had the pleasure of meeting, is an ex policeman from Portland Oregon with almost 40 years martial arts experience. Wim is a friend of mine, who works as a personal trainer and martial arts instructor from Belgium; he has competed successfully in Chinese full contact fighting and has coached the Belgian team since 2001.

The Taijiquan Classics

This book passes two crucial tests. It is better than other books on the subject and it tells us a few things we didn’t know before.
The author, Barbara Davis, is also editor of the quarterly “Taijiquan Journal” and practices Cheng Man-ching style.

 

TAl KIC KUNG FU AND INNER POTENTIALITY

This article from "Secrets of Kung Fu" was written by Cheng Tin-Hung. And discusses Tai Chi Chuan.

SELF-DEFENCE PRINCIPLE OF TAl-CHI CH'UAN

This article from "Secrets of Kung Fu" was written by Cheng Tin-Hung. And goes into some detail of the self defence approach of Tai Chi chuan.

A YUGOSLAV JOURNALIST COMES TO HONG KONG IN SEARCH OF KUNG FU

This article from "Secrets of Kung Fu" describing the experiences of a Yugoslavian journalist in his search for Kung Fu including his meeting with Cheng Tin-Hung.

A DOZEN STYLES IN HONG KONG ARE PREPARING FOR THE FOUNDING OF THE GENERAL ASSOCIATION OF KUNG FU

This article from "Secrets of Kung Fu" is on the founding of the General Association of Kung Fu of Hong Kong.

THE GENERAL ASSOCIATION OF KUNG FU OF HONG KONG A CHARITY MARTIAL ARTS BODY

This article from "Secrets of Kung Fu" covers a charity event held by the General Association of Kung Fu. With some impressive pictures from the martial arts displays.

 

Don't Rub it In

Doctor Luce Condamine (who oftentimes reminds me of “Minnie the Minx” or is it “Minnie the Moocher”?) recently gave me a copy of the October 2004 issue 5 of the French martial arts magazine “Dragon” in which she was featured, teaching Tai Chi Chuan to children. There was also an interview of 79 year old Yang Zhen-duo, 4th generation master of Yang family Tai Chi Chuan and son of Yang Cheng-fu. Usually these old boys give fairly anodyne answers to sycophantic questions, or so I thought.

Seven Treasures of Taijiquan (review)

This book was published by the editor, Mr. Licht, as a limited edition (1000 copies in English and the same in German) in 2001. The seven treasures of the title are the five major Tai Chi Chuan Classics, a work by Cheng Man-ching and a Taoistic parable on the concept of Wu Wei. All the works are presented in Chinese with an English translation and Mr. Licht was aided in his task by an unnamed sinologist.

Scholar Boxer (review)

If anyone deserves the sobriquet “scholar boxer” it is Marnix Wells himself, who is a career sinologist based at the SOAS in London. I was first introduced to him by the late Danny Connor. Despite his scholarly nature Marnix has for many years been competing enthusiastically on the UK internal martial arts scene both in forms and pushing hands often against men half his age and is also a Chinese opera enthusiast.

What isn't Qigong

The 2001 National Qigong Gathering (“Moving into wholeness; the transformational power of Qigong) took place at the Omega Institurte in Rhinebeck, upstate New York from October 4-8. I was invited along as TCUGB representative on the Taijiquan & Qigong Federation for Europe (TCFE) by Jim MacRitchie, Qigong author and old pal of Ronnie Robinson.

Chen Pan-Ling's Original Tai Chi Chuan Textbook (review)

Chen Pan-ling (1891-1967) is one of those mysterious figures of the Chinese internal arts made legendary in the Western world through the writings of Robert W. Smith, who refers to him, in the foreword of this first English translation of Chen's textbook, as "perhaps the most knowledgeable person in the world on the principles, rationale and practice of Chinese boxing at the time of his death".

T'ai-Chi Spirit and Essence (review)

Reading this tome I began to wish that I felt as sure about anything as Beverley seems to be about everything.She says that by the early centuries of the Christian era exercises of unarmed combat "the heritage of all cultured Chinese" became known as kung-fu. It is not so.

Metamorphosis

Prague still retains some of the mystery and Old Worlde flavour of the days of Franz Kafka (some crazy guy; “Metamorphosis” has the all time great opening line where the protagonist wakes up to find he has turned into a giant bug; we’ve all been there, right?) and Hasek (anarchist and creator of  “The Good Soldier Svejk”) and this was the venue of the 4th European Forum & Congress. TCUGB  instructors selected to teach at the Forum included our esteemed editor, Eva & Karel Koskuba, and me, while members Peter Ballam (with friends) participated in the workshops.

Chinese Swordsmanship (review)

I have not had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Rodell personally though in 1990 I sam him perform most creditably in Taiwan at the Chung Wah Cup International Pushing Hands Tournament and subsequently have heard of him through his chief Russian student, my friend Mr. Albert Yefimov.

Tai Chi Secrets (review)

This is the latest offering from Dr. Yang Jwing-ming and his YMAA Publication Centre. Dr. Yang is a publishing phenomenon who has single-handedly produced a huge number of writings on Chinese martial arts and Qi Gong. He is particularly noted for his skill in White Crane Boxing and is on the seminar circuit in Europe and the USA. I don’t know him personally, but I saw him demonstrating Tai Chi in America back in 1992.