Shaolin Kung Fu Martial Arts

Essence Of Monkey

Monkey in Chinese arts is known to have at least been around during the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.). This style was recorded by an official and named Dancing Boxing as it was under influence of wine when performed. It mimicked the creature and had its playful antics. Later, the surgeon Hua Tuo (190A.D.-240A.D.) created a system of health exercises known as the Five Animals Frolic Play. In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) two separate books were published on actual monkey styles of kung fu that were practiced, especially at temples, so the religious, hence Buddhist, aspects and flavor would have began to play a part to later see the evolution of Shaolin versions of the boxing style. The main aspects of falling, acrobatic, ground fighting were constantly given to monkey influence. By the end of the Ching Dynasty (1644-1911) monkey boxing was well known in multiple styles like Choy Li Fut and Wu Wun Chuan.

There are many styles and lineages of monkey that give credence to mythological histories of where the monkey style came form. Here is one commonly known.

Since that time of its creation, monkey has become a widely used style in many systems of martial arts in China and around the world. The following list shows how vast the monkey style has been distributed.

Tai Shing Pek Kwar - The name of the art means "Monkey Axe Fist." Grandmaster Chan Sau Chung is the leading authority on this style. Tai Shing kung fu originated with founder Kau Sze who then taught it to Kan Tak Hoi who later combined it with Pek Kwar kung fu to form Tai Shing Pek Kwar kung fu. Kan Tak Hoi later taught it to the current head, Grandmaster Chan Sau Chung. As with all monkey styles, Tai Shing Pek Kwar  has ground techniques and fighting but also upper body and stance techniques. One of the greatest assets of monkey style kung fu is it diversity to attack from almost any position, lying or standing. The art also has various types of the actual monkey. There is the: tall monkey, stone monkey, lost monkey, wooden monkey and of course the drunken monkey. The drunken monkey is not only the most difficult monkey technique to master but also the most unpredictable and by extension the most deadly in combat and so tends to be the last of the five techniques to be taught. On the other hand the lost monkey while still being very difficult, is the easiest to learn and master and so tends to be taught first. The inset at the top of this page shows a very young Chan Sau Chung standing beside the now deceased Sigung Kan Tak Hoi Great Grandmaster of Tai Shing Pek Kwar Kungfu. The one to the right shows him during a demonstration.

• Wu Shu-Since the repression of martial arts training in China, when the communist government felt the Shaolin temple posed a risk, the martial arts taught in China and at the Shaolin temple have been turned into non combative and sports like performances. The art taught is for exercise and to give the viewing public something to watch, as it is very colorful and acrobatic. This created an art that possessed no combative application and hence no chance of a public assault against the government from learning it. Wu shu in modern day is used in tournaments often as it gives the artists a greater chance to win a trophy because it is very flashy. This does not mean it is a martial art but a form of kung fu that in the past was used for the public to learn so they didn't learn actual kung fu! Wu shu monkey is very acrobatic and flashy. The student usually has no clue on how to apply it. It is actually an art and made for exercise and public demo. Although there is much self-discipline to be learned form studying this art form it is not to be confused with combat styles.

• Vietnamese Monkey-Strong stable low stances and one of the more powerful styles. Their style has multiple forms based on the 5 elements as in the style Nga Mi Son Phat Gia Quyen (Buddha martial arts). This style comes form the Mountains of Vietnam and only since this century.

• Northern Style-Has many jumping and rolling techniques. Has Yoga like postures and very similar to Tai Shing and requires a great amount of flexibility.

• Southern Style-Unlike the northern version, this consists of more groundwork, nimble footwork and facial expression. Many hand techniques as opposed to kicking in the northern.

• Fujian White Ape-Resembles the northern cousin but has no rolling or groundwork. Very limited in monkey like appearance.

• Hsing-I monkey-This is a technique form of monkey and not as much of a complete system. The Hsing-I martial art of internal combat includes 12 animals and monkey is one of them.

• White Ape Tung Pi-This style emphasizes the back muscles in strong swinging movements, similar to ape body motions. Has common approaches as Hsing-I. The legs kick low and there are roll throughs for ground attacks.

• Maoshan Tai Chia Monkey-System taught by late monkey master Lum Tai Yong. Uses the usual monkey movements and rhythms but it is more similar to the movements of the trance like tribal dances involving possessions of monkey spirits and God. Very frantic and uncontrolled like a wild animal this system is not a normally found style.

• Tao-Do Hou Chuan-System of monkey fighting created by Suhfu Richard Dean. Combines 3 monkey styles: Iron Monkey, Crafty Monkey, and Drunken Monkey. Very complex system with many forms and weapons. It is a combination of northern and southern styles plus acrobatic wu shu.

• Hou Erh Chuan-Young Monkey Boxing. Founded by Ch'ang Yao-Hsien of Hopeh Province. Thought to have created it after fighting a big white ape that later gave him secrets to his style.

• Penjak Silat-Indonesia's approach to monkey has 2 versions. Most Penjak Systems, as within the Pukulan Cimande Pusaka taught by Pendekar William Sanders, the monkey is a mimicking style. The form has other animals in it since the monkey mocks in nature. The other style, as taught by William De Thouars, is what you normally witness in monkey styles with ground fighting, rolling, open palm slaps, and jumping hopping motions. The other aspect in Thouars' approach is that the monkey flavor can be added to any system of martial arts by using the comical and frolicking motions to offset the body positioning and attacking.

• Basic monkey Kung Fu / Hou Quan (Monkey Boxing)-The basic monkey kung fu is where one should look to see "what" monkey kung fu is all about. The art will have groundwork, rolling, off setting combat flow with odd footwork, open & closed hand techniques, and many other techniques. Monkey is also seen as having much character in the expression of the practitioner. Aside from other kung fu forms monkey also uses cheap shots and less overpowering the opponent.

• Sun Wu K'ung-The system of monkey boxing named after the legendary Sun Wu Kung character in the Chinese novel Journey to the West by famed Chinese writer Wu Cheng En.

• Lee Shao Hau style of Northern Monkey Kung Fu-The lineage style of Lee Shao Hau and is called Angry Monkey Fist-"Nau Hau Chuan." It is still practiced through Suhfu Tolson and his successors Suhfu Cicco & Suhfu Belfiore who trained with him in Ohio and focuses totally on combat and fighting. It uses quick shots to vital areas, especially the groin and eyes, and finishing with footwork. The practitioner must be able to go low almost lying down to jumping techniques to completely throw off the attacker's ability to get a sense of balance. Many attacks are thrown at odd angles such as kicking from the ground to the head. The system also consists of hand form "Angry Monkey Comes out of the Cave," spear, double dagger, choppers (butcher's cleavers), and monkey ring. This gives a traditional flavor of weapons once used but now used to also teach a greater sense of balance and dexterity.

What does the monkey kung fu system consist of? The approach to monkey kung fu has its own flavor and mechanics because of having such a reliance of groundwork and not allowing positioning to deter from its effectiveness. I will look at upper body attacks, leg attacks, groundwork, and angles of attack in the Nau Hau Chuan system.

Upper Body Attacks

Leg Attacks

Monkeys are famous for their legs being used as a second set of hands. This also applies to the kung fu style. The les must be trained to be as agile and quick as the hands, so that you have four weapons immediately available for attacking or defending. From close of distance quarters, a monkey stylist should be able to kick any direction. This technique is called the four hands method. A poking kick (with the toe pointed forward) is usually used to hit soft vital areas, like the groin, throat, or inside the knee. But, a slapping instep or knee is also used. This allows any distance to be perfect for attacking and also surprising then opponent thinks they've stolen your ability with closing the gap.

Groundwork

Many times kung fu is thought to lack ground fighting or the ability to attack from that supposed prone helpless position. When fighting, the monkey stylist uses their legs and hands constantly bombarding the opponent at any angle. You roll onto their body and then use elbows attacks and then grabbing their arms or legs to twist and break whatever comes close enough to. Choking the opponent with your legs while still hitting them with the hands simply overwhelms them to be defeated.

Attacking from crouched a position is another aspect. From what looks like a crouched balled up position, as when a monkey's rear is pressed in a sitting position and knees brought to the chest, you learn to walk and attack from this awkward attack form. Most never train to have someone attack their groin while still moving at them from a waist high stance. Again, we gain the advantage and surprise. This also sets up for roll throughs hitting the knees or bringing an ax kick overhead for their face. While lying on your back, one should be able to kick straight up 90 degrees form the floor. This adds flexibility and power to normal standing kicks but also the advantage of using any position for attack.

Angles of Attack

As already mentioned, the monkey attacks from any position. Drills are used to have students lying on their backs, rolling, jumping, attacking off of a tree truck in the yard or sitting in a chair. The agility and quick reflexes become more and more malleable depending on the situation. The kicks or hand slaps should be from any body position. One could dodge to the left in a low stance and still kick upward to the face and then drop to a crouching stance to punch the knee. An attack formula called high/low represents attacking high and then dropping low to throw off their opponent's ability to predict where the next strike will even come from. The flow of the monkey stylists attacks enter from spaces thought protected. Attacks also move into jumping on the opponent, but this is very dangerous and only done by advanced students. The body weight and incoming attacks move onto the opponent forcing them down or allowing us a mounted position, while still attacking. This also grants and psychological advantage to the opponent realizing that no matter what they do this monkey will be all over me and that is enough sometimes.

As one can see the monkey style is very complex but effective. The Nau Hau Chuan hand form "Angry Monkey Comes Out of the Cave" shows these exact moves from the floor or jumping, so that students learn how to torque the body for power. The addition of weapons simply adds to the wide range of approaches and strengthening or deepening the dexterity of the student further. Forms are considered only half of the formula and constant practice with hands on combat reaction drills gives the student a really sense of how to apply what they've learned. Most schools teach sparring with pads to create a sense of combat but the Nau Hao system has no pads. It is not for the faint of heart as sparring can be playful as well as painful many days. But, students learn a real sense of what their bodies have to do to fight as if their life depended on it. Instructors in this style do not take sparring lightly for the training of these reflexes prepares the student for real life or death self-defense. This sparring later becomes even more intense as weapons are added in this mix creating even more stress but hard fought evolutions and ability in the students finishing the teachings.

Taken with only modifications to the Tai Shing Pek Kwar information, from a Cyberkwoon Article