Shaolin Kung Fu emperor's long-range form (太祖长拳: taizu chang quan)
by monk De Yang
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- combat strategy:
this style teaches soft fighting, specially against groups of opponents. its main tactics are:
tactic 29 of 36 - "to catch one, let him off (欲擒故纵)": when the opponent forces hardly, don't oppose, but follow softly.
tactic 30 of 36 - "let one climb to the roof, then remove the ladder (上屋抽梯)": let the opponent end his move softly, you then attack hardly.
tactic 31 of 36 - "kill with a borrowed knife (借刀杀人)": use opponent's own move against himself.
tactic 32 of 36 - "lure the tiger leave the den (调虎离山)": lead the opponent to follow your will. for example, to lead him to a direction, force him to the opposite, he naturally opposes your force, and so follows your will.
against a group of opponents, lure the individuals leave the group, to keep distance, do soft short-range retreats and hard long-range attacks, and try to sweep multiple opponents at the same time.
these involve a harmony of 'soft & hard' short- and long-range moves.
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- history:
Song dynasty (960-1279):
Zhao Kuangyin (赵匡胤), the first emperor of the Song dynasty, had previously studied at Shaolin temple in his youth for a short period. after becoming the emperor, in 961 AD, he commissioned monk Fuju (福居), the chief of martial monks of Shaolin temple, to improve and standardize Shaolin kung fu styles. Fuju invited famous martial experts from various areas and Zhao Kuangyin also sent the famous army generals into the gathering. after a few years of work, they combined their knowledge with Shaolin kung fu and compiled the best styles they could. the first style they compiled was Zhao Kuangyin's main martial style, which was later named the 'grand emperor's long style (taizu chang quan)' in his honor. older Shaolin styles and these new styles were officially recorded into a book named 'Shaolin kung fu manual (少林拳谱)' which was kept in the library of Shaolin temple and updated generation after generation.
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- note: there are various other forms and styles named 'taizu quan' or 'chang quan' in Chinese kung fu, and they are historically and technically different from Shaolin chang quan. these are just different styles with similar names.
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