Shizu Cai Yuming, the founder of Shaolin Wuzu Yuming Heyang Pai
The Five Ancestors Fist (a.k.a Five Ancestors He Yang Fist) is one of the seven great fists of Fujian province. It is one of the most popular fist styles of Min Nan region (south of the Min River). There are many different sayings about the Five Ancestors Fist, two of which are the most controversial:
(1) Five Ancestors Fist is the name of the combination of these five fist styles: White Crane (Bai He), Monkey (Hou), Arhat (Luo Han), Bodhidarma (Da Zun) and Great Ancestor (Tai Zu).
(2) Five Ancestors Fist is the result of the rearrangement and reorganization by Cai Yu Ming of the aforementioned 5 fist styles plus the addition of the Mysterious Female Fist (which Cai learned later on) to form a new fist style which has distinct features that are different from the original five fists.
The above two statements are both correct. However, we must still differentiate between the two because the contents are not entirely the same. One states that it is the term of the combined fist forms. The other states that it is the result of the refinement of the 5 combined fist styles to make a new fist style. This new style became a traditional martial art from Min Nan that has spread throughout South East Asia.
Five Ancestors Fist is also known as Five Ancestors He Yang Fist, named after the master He Yang. The basic rule of discipline is: Cultivation of the body and character is the foundation of being successful in learning the art, therefore they are cultivated simultaneously.
The founder of Five Ancestors Fist is Cai Yu Ming of Quanzhou city, Fujian Province. He was born during the Qing dynasty in 1853 and died in 1910. Cai had a love for martial arts since he was a child, and begged his father to let him be a disciple of a martial arts master. His father taught him: "To learn the art of the fist, one must learn good character. To strive for good character, cultivating the body is the foundation." His father then extensively hired many martial masters to train young Cai. Due to his intelligence and profound ability to comprehend, he excelled very quickly. By the age of 18, he had already mastered what he learned, and was already spreading the long-standing 5 styles of martial arts throughout Min Nan:
1. Great Ancestor Fist (Tai Zu Quan)
2. Arhat Fist (Luo Han Quan)
3. Bodhidarma Fist (Da Zun Quan)
4. Monkey Fist (Hou Quan)
5. Crane Fist (He Quan)
He studied these fist styles for 20 years. He also traveled throughout Northern and Southern China in search of teachers and friends. During the process of exchanging information with others through friendly challenges, he met and became the disciple of Dao Tai's (an official) wife, and of Master He Yang of Shandong. Under them he studied the Northern styles of martial arts.
He drew from the essences of various styles and schools (sects) of martial arts that he had been studying his whole life, discarding the techniques he thought to be unnecessary while keeping what he considered to be more important and enhancing them. This is how he created a new fist style, and became the founder of Five Ancestors He Yang Fist (in honor of Master He Yang). People would often praise: "The punch is powerful like a magic dragon playing with water, the kick is nimble like a fierce tiger crossing the mountain."
Cai Yu Ming spent a few decades studying martial arts with the utmost discipline, practicing regularly and exploring the special characteristics of the different schools (styles). In the process of his carrying out trials of strength, his martial skill indeed became outstanding. His style possessed the arts of the Southern fist and the Northern kick (nan quan bei tui). Finally, after meticulously compiling, editing and reorganizing what everything he learned, he has come up with a new fist style. However, Cai Yu Ming still continued to use "Five Ancestors Fist" when referring to the new style instead of calling it "Cai Family Fist" or "Yu Ming Fist" in praise of himself. Therefore, the general designation of "Five Ancestors Fist" indicates that the new fist style did not break away from its origin at all -- the five original fist styles.
Those who learn and practise the art know that "practice makes perfect". The body has 36 bone joints and 72 bone sockets which play an important part in the use of strength and breathing. Each has its special role and must not be confused. Talking about the five extremities; the top of the head should be level and upright, the torso should be perpendicular, the teeth should be held open like the cockerel crowing, the voice should roar like a tiger's, the mouth should be open like that of the God of Learning Kui Sing, eyes bright like the fish's eyes, the tongue should be held to the roof of the mouth, nose like the lion's, ear should be sensitive to the whisper of the wind, and eyes look in all directions. The arm has 3 joints for the use of strength: the wrist, the elbow and the shoulder. The hand moves at the wrist like the dragon playing with water and the tiger washing its claws, the shoulder should slope down and the elbows held close to the body. Inside the body should be tense like iron, but the outside should relax and be soft like wool. The body should move freely like a wheel and the abdomen should be like a steel wall. In front lift ihe bladder and the hypogastrium, and hold out the chest. Behind, the buttocks should sink, the waist muscle should be strained and the coccyx should point straight down. Stability is thus established and mobility is achieved.
(1) Five Ancestors Fist is the name of the combination of these five fist styles: White Crane (Bai He), Monkey (Hou), Arhat (Luo Han), Bodhidarma (Da Zun) and Great Ancestor (Tai Zu).
(2) Five Ancestors Fist is the result of the rearrangement and reorganization by Cai Yu Ming of the aforementioned 5 fist styles plus the addition of the Mysterious Female Fist (which Cai learned later on) to form a new fist style which has distinct features that are different from the original five fists.
The above two statements are both correct. However, we must still differentiate between the two because the contents are not entirely the same. One states that it is the term of the combined fist forms. The other states that it is the result of the refinement of the 5 combined fist styles to make a new fist style. This new style became a traditional martial art from Min Nan that has spread throughout South East Asia.
Five Ancestors Fist is also known as Five Ancestors He Yang Fist, named after the master He Yang. The basic rule of discipline is: Cultivation of the body and character is the foundation of being successful in learning the art, therefore they are cultivated simultaneously.
The founder of Five Ancestors Fist is Cai Yu Ming of Quanzhou city, Fujian Province. He was born during the Qing dynasty in 1853 and died in 1910. Cai had a love for martial arts since he was a child, and begged his father to let him be a disciple of a martial arts master. His father taught him: "To learn the art of the fist, one must learn good character. To strive for good character, cultivating the body is the foundation." His father then extensively hired many martial masters to train young Cai. Due to his intelligence and profound ability to comprehend, he excelled very quickly. By the age of 18, he had already mastered what he learned, and was already spreading the long-standing 5 styles of martial arts throughout Min Nan:
1. Great Ancestor Fist (Tai Zu Quan)
2. Arhat Fist (Luo Han Quan)
3. Bodhidarma Fist (Da Zun Quan)
4. Monkey Fist (Hou Quan)
5. Crane Fist (He Quan)
He studied these fist styles for 20 years. He also traveled throughout Northern and Southern China in search of teachers and friends. During the process of exchanging information with others through friendly challenges, he met and became the disciple of Dao Tai's (an official) wife, and of Master He Yang of Shandong. Under them he studied the Northern styles of martial arts.
He drew from the essences of various styles and schools (sects) of martial arts that he had been studying his whole life, discarding the techniques he thought to be unnecessary while keeping what he considered to be more important and enhancing them. This is how he created a new fist style, and became the founder of Five Ancestors He Yang Fist (in honor of Master He Yang). People would often praise: "The punch is powerful like a magic dragon playing with water, the kick is nimble like a fierce tiger crossing the mountain."
Cai Yu Ming spent a few decades studying martial arts with the utmost discipline, practicing regularly and exploring the special characteristics of the different schools (styles). In the process of his carrying out trials of strength, his martial skill indeed became outstanding. His style possessed the arts of the Southern fist and the Northern kick (nan quan bei tui). Finally, after meticulously compiling, editing and reorganizing what everything he learned, he has come up with a new fist style. However, Cai Yu Ming still continued to use "Five Ancestors Fist" when referring to the new style instead of calling it "Cai Family Fist" or "Yu Ming Fist" in praise of himself. Therefore, the general designation of "Five Ancestors Fist" indicates that the new fist style did not break away from its origin at all -- the five original fist styles.
Those who learn and practise the art know that "practice makes perfect". The body has 36 bone joints and 72 bone sockets which play an important part in the use of strength and breathing. Each has its special role and must not be confused. Talking about the five extremities; the top of the head should be level and upright, the torso should be perpendicular, the teeth should be held open like the cockerel crowing, the voice should roar like a tiger's, the mouth should be open like that of the God of Learning Kui Sing, eyes bright like the fish's eyes, the tongue should be held to the roof of the mouth, nose like the lion's, ear should be sensitive to the whisper of the wind, and eyes look in all directions. The arm has 3 joints for the use of strength: the wrist, the elbow and the shoulder. The hand moves at the wrist like the dragon playing with water and the tiger washing its claws, the shoulder should slope down and the elbows held close to the body. Inside the body should be tense like iron, but the outside should relax and be soft like wool. The body should move freely like a wheel and the abdomen should be like a steel wall. In front lift ihe bladder and the hypogastrium, and hold out the chest. Behind, the buttocks should sink, the waist muscle should be strained and the coccyx should point straight down. Stability is thus established and mobility is achieved.
The leg has also 3 joints for the execution of strength: the ankle, the knee and the hip. The front muscles are tensed upwards, and the rear muscles are tensed down, the hip joint should be held in and the knee should be kept open. With the five fingers held together and the centre of the palm tensed inwards, the posture will be in equilibrium and every step will produce a root in the ground. Such a position is like a steel wall and movements will follow what is desired by the mind.
In actual frontal combat, there is the left and the right. Frontal attack must be broken from the side, and attack from the side must be broken from the front. If a "bridge" has been established, cross the "bridge". If there is no bridge try and establish one. When a man is lured across the bridge, destroy the "bridge". If, you know yourself, you win, otherwise you lose.
Every step has an answer. lf you are prepared to give way, do not raise your hand. lf you raise your hand, do not give way. In an emergency, do not treat the situation like child's play. Movements should be like lightning and strength should be executed like a chopper cutting vegetables. To be strong and brave is not as good as soft and yielding. To show your prowess is not as good as benevolence and politeness. Only is the teaching of ancient sages which should be followed by all.
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