Wudang Kung Fu
Wudang Kung Fu is one special internal martial
arts form in China and enjoys the parallel position with Shaolin
Kung Fu in Chinese Kung Fu field. Therefore comes the popular saying
“In the north respects paid to Shaoling Kung Fu; yet in the
south honor should be given to Wudang Kung Fu.”
It is widely heard that the founder of Wudang Kung Fu was a local
Taoist called Zhang Sanfeng. The historical recordings differ much
in different books and the following below carries some different
information:
1. Zhang Sanfeng was a popular boxing player in Song Dynasty. Also
an alchemist in Mount Wudang. 2. Zhang Sanfeng, a Taoist, was born
in Yi State of Liaoing Province. Once in a time  stayed
in Mount Wudang and much recordings concerning him remained in books
in Ming Dynasty,… These are recordings carried with book Source
of Words. It is really a very complicated problem when in a one
book two Zhang Sanfengs came out in different time, one in Song
Dynasty and another in Ming Dynasty. Is it possible that they meant
the same person or did the one in Song Dynasty live a very long
life till Ming Dynasty? Yet, in consideration with the following
factors as the same religion, the same practicing place, the same
Kung Fu arts they practiced and the same fame for themselves, together
with traditional Chinese name-giving customs, the historians in
China still cannot give a convincing conclusion as to the details
of Zhang Sanfeng’s personal information.
Other recordings concerning Zhang Sanfeng and his Kung Fu master
history may have to be related to Huang Zongxi, who was one famous
Chinese thinker and historian in late Ming Dynasty and early Qing
Dynasty. In his books History Files In Song- and Yuan Dynasty, History
Files In Ming Dynasty and History Files Of Scholars In Ming Dynasty,
he held the view many times that Zhang Sanfeng was a famous Kung
Fu master in Song Dynasty. One manuscript handed down by Li Yifan--
who was Wu-style Taiji boxing bearer –- also carried such
message as “Taiji boxing originated from Zhang Sanfeng in
Song Dynasty.” Therefore, in today’s Kung Fu circle
many martial artists generally regard Zhag Sanfeng as the founder
of both Taiji boxing and Wudang Kung Fu in Song Dynasty.
It is a general viewpoint circulating in Kung Fu arena that Taiji
boxing originated from inter Kung Fu created by Zhang Sanfeng. One
collect book with China State Library called Taiji Masters Lineage
has the following messages as “Sir Zhang Sanfeng, surname
Zhang, first name Sanfeng, went to Mount Zhongnan when he was 61
years old. There he chanced to meet one immortal called Dragon Fire
who late transferred his knowledge regarding inner alchemy to him
after knowing he was a competent practitioner.”
Later Zhang Sanfeng traveled a lot to famous resorts in the south
and finally settled down in Mount Wudang. Then ordering disciple
Qiu Yuanqing to stay in Five Dragon House, Lu Qiuyun in  Southen
Cave, Liu Guquan in Purple Heaven Palace, Zhang Sanfeng constructed
a house in the place where Immortal Encountering Palace now stays.
Cultivating true self for as long as nine years, Zhang Sanfeng finally
succeeded in achieving Tao. People called him an immortal who can
excise unimaginable power to restrain the bad and promote the good,
and transform all corporeal things into different forms as the he
wished to do. All the universe turns to become one thing staying
in his hand waiting for him to deal with.
Later, Zhang Sanfeng taught one set of boxing forms to Zhang Songxi
and Zhang Cuisan, which was the very original form of Taiji boxing.
Because there are only thirteen forms people called it Thirteen-Form
Taiji Boxing. Among these 13 forms, stretching out, stamping, squeezing,
chopping downward, picking up, changing place, using elbow, leaning
against symbolize separately the eight trigrams, while moving forward,
retreating backward, watching to the left, turning to the right
and staying in the center indicate separately the five elements.
From these specific sayings there came the name of Thirteen-Form
Taiji boxing. Based upon the Yin- and Yang-Qi theory and aimed at
regulating operation of the inner organs according to five-element
theory, TaiChi boxing incorporates many soft movements imitating
cats, birds, snakes and monkeys, thus gaining the effects of soothing
the inner mental state, harmonize the operation of inner viscera,
strengthening the immune system, etc. Taichi boxing developed very
quickly among general people and later different branches came out
to develop into different forms after long-term evolution. Nowadays,
Chen-style, Yang-style, Wu-Style, Sun-style Taichi boxing compete
to present themselves.
In fact, Taichi boxing originated from inner alchemy. Such key movement
points as lowering Qi into Dantian, squaring shoulder, standing
spine upright are just as same as the requirements for inner alchemy.
Nowadays, people begin to forget their relationship and often treat
Taichi boxing as a separate entity. That is totally wrong.
Chinese people prefer to using former experience and tend to know
the lineage for anything in a long run. Yes, under such circumstances,
the consecutiveness and unification gained an important position.
Yet, in the same time, qualitative changes often gained no enough
attention. Therefore, regardless it is Shaoling School, Wudang School,
or it is DaMo, Zhang Sanfeng, people should go to the very root
after getting rid of the superficial phenomena. Zhang Sanfeng, the
founder of inner Kung Fu, stayed there in history as a flying flag.
Just under the direction of this flying flag Wudang Kung Fu began
to develop and gradually became rich in contents and looked mysterious
from outside after many Kung Fu masters’ hard working and
donation. After hundreds years of development, Wudang Kung Fu incorporated
much useful nutrition form ancient Kung Fu defence and offence theory,
from the theory of I Ching, from the practice of achieving stillness
and emptiness widely adopted in inner alchemy, and thus forming
its own special features as summarizing the essentials, detouring
to reach the core,  nourishing
Qi, concentrating attention, getting free of any frivolousness and
rigidity. Accordingly, Wudang Kung Fu seems more to aspire for the
full inner strength, the tremendous harmonization between hardness
and softness, the ever-changing position adapted for different circumstances.
As of today, Wudang Taoism Association and other organizations had
published more than 30 schools of Wudang boxing forms, 18 schools
of Wudang weapon forms, 9 schools inner Qigong practice forms. Among
them the popular are as following below: Wudang Taiyi Five Element
Boxing, Wudang Pure-Yang Boxing, Yin Yang Ba Gua Chang, Wudang Sword,
Wudang Original Taichi Boxing, Taihe Boxing, Zhaobao Taichi Boxing,
Wudang Heavenly-Gate Qigong, Wudang Moon-Watching Qigong, Wudang
Southern School, etc.
Wudanf Kung Fu is excellent cultural heritage for Chinese people.
Nowadays, more and more people get involved in the campaign to treasuring
this art form and making efforts to promote its healthy development.
Every year, many famous Kung Fu masters, Qigong masters come to
ShiYan City to pay respect to Mount Wudang and exchange their experience
and skills.
Wudang Taoist Kung Fu Academy
Purple Heaven Palace
Mount Wudang Scenery Zone
ShiYan City, Hubei Province, China 442714
Tel: 0086-138-405-97760 (foreign)
Tel: (0)-138-405-97760 (domestic)
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