Parts of the program involve dangerous acts which should not be imitated.
The Baji Fist originated from Cangzhou of Hebei Province and
is famous for its Fist and spear techniques.
In modern history,
The bodyguards of Emperor Puyi, Mao Ze-dong
and Chiang Kai-shek were all practitioners of the Baji Fist.
In this episode, martial artists Jozev and Byron Pang
will travel to Cangzhou and Taiwan
to experience the might of the Baji Fist
on both sides of the Formosa Strait.
In order to learn more about the origins of the Baji Fist,
martial artist Byron Pang has come to Cangzhou of Hebei Province.
This region has long been the home of various disciplines of Wushu, including
Baji Fist, Tongbei Fist, Pigua Fist,
Liuhe Fist and Taizu Fist are amongst the 53 styles practised here.
My master is a Westerner.
He took me to the UK for a month when I was 18.
I was wondering why foreigners worshipped Chinese Kung Fu so much
while people in Hong Kong have lost interest in it.
Being Chinese, I hope to continue learning different types of martial arts
and to combine the best parts of each to create a new style
to pass down to others.
Master Ye Guang-tai
is the Secretary General of the Wu Zhong Baji Fist Research Centre of China.
He has dedicated much effort into researching the Baji Fist and is also
responsible for constructing the monuments commemorating masters of generations past.
In the last century or so, traditional martial arts
have been passed down by civilian martial arts veterans
who have been contributing to their craft without asking for anything in return.
Personally, I think that traditional martial arts
is beyond rescue. It needs to be resuscitated.
Otherwise it'll become a lost art.
Sink your shoulders and elbows
Sink your shoulders. Relax.
Relax the shoulders and let the elbows drop.
This is the Elbow Thrust in Horse Stance
You should be in the Bow and Arrow Stance here.
Most practitioners of the Baji Fist regard Wu Zhong as the style's founder.
Wu is of Hui descent and began teaching
this powerful but simple martial art in Cangzhou
with his daughter, Wu Rong, in the Qing Dynasty during the Qianlong Emperor's reign.
Unlike modern martial arts, the traditional ways aren't limited by things such as
weight, class and areas that you're not allowed to hit.
The traditional Baji Fist is all about hitting where you're most afraid of being hit.
Hit me.
I'm fine. I wasn't standing firmly enough.
I hit you, blocked you and then hit you again.
- That's all there is to it. - Yes.
- It all happens very quickly. - Understood.
When you practice it regularly,
this is it.
Add this.
Grab the arm.
Try hitting me first.
I've got you already. That's all there is to it.
If I hit you, you'll try to block.
So you do this.
And then this.
One, two, three.
This is a very practical
traditional martial arts.
Not something you'd find in modern martial arts.
It makes good use of body mechanics,
like co-ordinating the arms and legs to attack
What if I can't grab hold of your arm after you hit me?
You pinch this joint here.
- You see? - Yes...
I tuck my elbows in and use my body weight
to counter the force from your arm.
- Right? - Yes.
- Do you feel it? - I do.
He's attacking me from angles that I can't see.
At the same time, I've already been hit elsewhere.
There's no way to dodge.
- No escape. - Yes.
You can't run away.
Apart from Fist techniques,
the Baji Fist masters of past generations were also spear experts.
Li Shu-wen, the fifth generation successor,
was even called the "Spear God" in the early years of the Republic of China.
Master Lin Song-xian from Taiwan
is Li's grand-disciple.
Martial artist Jozev has come to learn
some basic techniques on wielding the "King of All Weapons" from him today.
- It's made from carbon fibre? - Yes.
The Fist techniques were actually derived from the spear techniques.
So if there are flaws in your Fist techniques,
you can correct them by practising with the spear.
Your thrust needs to be more horizontal.
When you thrust outwards, it's not just to the side,
but also to the front.
Press forward
stay close to the shaft of his spear.
- Combine offence and defence. - Yes.
Block, thrust and retract.
Don't lift, keep it horizontal.
It's quite a lot of fun!
There are a lot of small details.
The slightest difference in angles can determine victory and defeat.
Stay close and listen to the spears.
Listen to how they're winding around each other.
I can feel Master Lin's reaction
to every single action I make,
nullifying my attacks instantly.
He's only relying on the feel of the spears,
listening to them just like how he taught me to.
When you're using a long weapon, there's not much room for retreat.
Your opponent's advance can cover the distance
much easier than if you were using a sword or broadsword.
So it's relatively easy for him to come after me.
If I can't keep up, he'll be all over me.
I totally understand why the spear is the "King of All Weapons".
You can see your true self
when you're sparring against someone.
Your inner fears and doubts
surface when you're put in danger
It's an opportunity to face your true self
and to see your own shortcomings.
I consider it as a type of training.
In order to let Byron Pang experience the power of the Baji Fist,
Master Ye Guang-tai has organised
a practice and sparring session especially for him
before he leaves Cangzhou.
Closing in, striking, shoving, checking,
bashing, jolting, charging and striking
are the fundamentals of the Baji Fist
Close in on your opponent.
Seize him instantly.
Practice checking with your shoulder first.
This is one of the methods of checking, the Forward Check.
Also called the Chest Check.
Begin!
Stop!
OK, stop!
Both our mouths are bleeding!
You can attack using the strike, hit, whack or grapple.
Right now you're only using the whack.
You're just using brute strength against each other, not technique.
You have no intention of fighting.
You have no intention of fighting. You didn't use these moves.
None whatsoever. You didn't even try checking with your shoulders.
This is why we need to learn from each other and practise sparring more in the future.
That's the only way to gain experience, right?
Not bad, not bad at all...
This master is awesome!
He has quick reflexes and superb technique.
Not bad. His offence is quite good.
Thank you. You're too kind.
I'd like to learn more from you.
Same here, my brother.
When we return, our martial artists will cross the Taiwan Strait
in search of the legacy of Liu Yun-qiao, a celebrated Baji Fist grandmaster.
Fifth generation Baji Fist grandmaster Li Shu-wen
was invited to the home of Beiyang General, Liu Zhi-yi,
to teach his son martial arts during the early years of the Republic of China.
The master, already over 50 at the time,
probably didn't imagine that the eight year-old boy standing before him
would plant the roots of his craft
on an island to the south-east of China
and spread it to foreign shores.
This disciple was Liu Yun-qiao, the Chief Martial Arts Instructor of Bodyguards
for four Taiwanese Presidents.
This is the Longshan Temple Night Market.
They sell lots of food and trinkets here.
Let's sit here.
Pull up a seat.
Pig's trotters.
How many times have you been to Taiwan?
I think this is my fourth time. I don't come here often.
I came for the book fair because of my publishing job before.
Do you come here often?
I lived here for a year when I was working on a movie.
- I think Taiwanese are very welcoming. - Yes.
They have a very strong sense of culture.
You can see the cultures from different regions of ancient China
coming together here
from all the street food they sell.
There's Sichuan, Shanghai and Zhejiang cuisine.
A really wide variety.
It's the same with martial arts.
Due to political reasons,
many traditional styles have been preserved here
It's kind of the same with Hong Kong.
Yes, it's sort of similar.
I've had a few spear lessons in Hong Kong
and that was actually passed over from Taiwan.
I hope to learn more about its core theories
on this "field trip".
After learning the Baji Fist
and sparring with a few masters in Cangzhou,
I'd like to see how the style has evolved here.
Also, Liu Yun-qiao is a legend himself.
So finding out about how he lived and how skilled a fighter he was
will be very meaningful too.
Liu Yun-qiao was born to a prestigious family in Cangzhou of Hebei Province.
He began practising martial arts at the age of five as he wanted to become physically strong.
Apart from the Baji Fist,
he was also adept in styles such as the Praying Mantis,
Eight Trigram Palm and Kunwu Sword.
In 1937, when Japan invaded China,
Liu Yun-qiao was enlisted into the army to serve his country.
The Chinese Civil War came soon after
and he retreated to Taiwan with the National Revolutionary Army in 1949.
General Kong Ling-sheng, who is 94 this year,
enrolled into Whampoa Military Academy in the same year as Liu Yun-qiao.
In 1968, when he became the Chief of the Presidential Palace Guard,
he referred his martial art -competent classmate to Chiang Kai-shek.
Liu Yun-qiao was an extremely skilled martial artist.
Our guards were great fighters too,
but we were no match for him.
You couldn't fight as well as he did.
From then on, Liu Yun-qiao became
the Chief Martial Arts Instructor of Bodyguards for the four Taiwanese Presidents.
He introduced the Baji Fist into the Taiwanese military training programme
and it is still part of the regime today.
Bend your knees and relax the body.
Jin Li-yan is amongst the first generation of instructors
trained by Liu Yun-qiao back in the time.
Like this. You'll need to use this.
Cannon Fist, Winding Fist.
The White Crane Spreads its Wings.
The Baji Fist philosophy lies in
loyalty and courage, using your body as a shield.
Sacrificing oneself, and heading for danger.
There are hardly any defensive moves.
They're mostly attacks.
As a bodyguard,
you cannot retreat when the Emperor, President or Head of State is being assaulted.
The Baji Fist only allows you to move forward.
You hit me here.
I come right back at you with the first blow.
It's very quick.
After the first attack, you strike again.
One punch, then another.
Grab his hair, knee him.
Followed by a downward strike.
He's really fast! I couldn't see what he was doing.
He locked me here with his elbow
and then the other elbow came at me simultaneously.
He pulled me down after two punches
and then hit me again like this.
The set of movements were executed smoothly,
and they were very simple and direct as well.
Do you recall this move from your practice earlier?
That's what you saw just now. That same move.
One, two, three.
The knee
and downward strike. Exactly the same.
This is what it looks like if you do it quickly.
- Yes. - You see?
He's pinned me down. I can't move.
Pin his body down by the ribs, like this.
Drag him out,
throw him on the ground and knock him out.
- Pull right after hitting. - Correct.
His moves look even better than mine!
No... no... no, you taught me well.
You should stay here in Taiwan.
I'll come back to learn from you again someday.
Apart from training the military,
Liu Yun-qiao also began promoting Wushu amongst civilians.
The renowned Taiwanese martial artist Xu Ji
heard about him and went to sought him out,
becoming one of Liu Yun-qiao's first Baji Fist disciples.
This used to be a marketplace, it's now derelict.
It was behind the cinema which used to be here.
There were about four to six of us.
We started practising here
with our master for four hours each day.
What did we practise? Just the basics, nothing else.
Punching, kicking... Those are musts.
The Baji Fist has no routines,
only single actions. This is what the Baji Stance looks like.
You can practise qi control in this stance
by breathing with your diaphragm.
Another important aspect is your will.
You need to channel it to your lower body
then to your back and hips.
Your knees are here, not in front.
And down to your feet as well.
- Relax the entire body? - Yes.
Relax everything, sink down.
Like a pyramid.
You need to pay attention to every single detail.
Yes, that's right. Sit down.
When your leg gets sore, change to the other side and repeat the exercise.
He's very open-minded when it comes to martial arts.
At one stage, after years of practice,
he taught me to hit softly.
That's not to say slowly or softly,
but a blend of power and mellowness, not just brute strength.
I didn't get it, I tried so hard...
In the end,
he called a cab and took me to his friend,
Master Du Yu-ze, so that I could learn Tai Chi from him.
With this liberal view,
Liu Yun-qiao published the "Wu Tang Magazine" in 1971,
chronicling the quintessence of different martial art styles therein.
He also went on to establish the Wu Tan Martial Arts Development Centre,
heavily promoting Wushu amongst various Taiwanese tertiary institutions.
Since then, the Baji Fist has become widespread in the country.
In addition to being taught in the Chinese Kung Fu clubs of over 30 tertiary institutions,
it has also become part of the Martial Arts Department's curriculum at universities.
Coach Ye Qi-li of the Baji Fist Association
is someone who had a first taste of
Liu Yun-qiao's craft when he attended university.
He has been zealously advocating spear practice in recent years
in hopes of returning the Baji Fist back to its roots.
I'm telling you that the prerequisite for martial arts is weapons,
not your bare Fists.
Most of the content In Qi Ji-guang's "Scriptures of Boxing"
suggests that the Fist is useless in war.
It's only good for exercise.
Every famous Baji Fist master earned his or her reputation with the spear.
Hence the saying "The spear leads the way to greatness."
I practise the spear.
So what makes a genuine Baji Fist master?
He or she isn't proud of his or her ability in executing Baji Fist techniques.
What should they pride themselves on?
Spear techniques.
We began going back to the spear
about four, five years ago.
In order to remain as close to tradition as possible,
the size of the spears used here and the materials they are made of
were taken directly from "Shoubi Lu" written by Wu Shu,
a renowned martial artist in early Qing Dynasty.
They've been made according to the specifications in "Shoubi Lu".
This is how long they're supposed to be, and we do regular maintenance.
We've tried many types of timber.
This one is very robust
so we ordered about 150 spears,
but only 80 of them made the cut.
What did you practise before?
The Small Baji routine.
- And... - What about the spear?
Only a little bit.
As this wooden spear is a lot heavier than the carbon fibre one he used in Hong Kong,
Jozev has found that he needed to
re-learn even the most basic of techniques, such as the thrust.
Don't divert any power to the legs.
Your legs should be relaxed.
You won't have enough upper body power if you divert energy to your legs.
- When I thrust... - That's not necessary.
If this is enough, there's no need to do that.
The more power you put into it, the less damage you do.
Conversely, the more relaxed you are, the more powerful your attack.
Watch how I'm doing the thrust.
Watch how my legs are moving.
- Very relaxed. - Saves your strength!
Just take it easy.
OK, very good!
It's very different from what I've learnt and practised before.
Karate relies on stances a lot.
But the problem is
when it's for real, you can't fight like this.
Twist your upper body. Twist.
There's no power.
Why?
- There's a problem here. - Yes!
Thrust at me... again... and again...
Good job.
Yes! You'll find that it's a lot smoother.
Relax a little bit more.
Yes, excellent.
Watch the hand at the back. Yes.
Relax. Relax that hand at the back.
You have a lot of power, but it's not reaching my spear.
Why is that?
What do they say about the spear?
It should fly like an arrow.
Like it's being fired from a bow. Very quick.
How should it be withdrawn?
Like a thread.
It should wind its way back.
The "Spear God", Li Shu-wen, can pull out a bunch of straw
and turn it into a string after thrusting it in.
Exerting power and twisting are different things.
This is how you thrust.
What does that mean?
You need to be nimble. And what else?
Big movements.
So when you're holding the spear,
you should be doing this the whole time... Twist.
Your hand should only be moving like this when you're withdrawing.
OK. That's alright.
Yes.
Strike.
Look at me. Keep it close to the body.
Thrusting is easy,
but withdrawing is another matter.
It's very difficult to control.
I haven't quite got my head around it yet.
When I'm fighting against thin air, I look like I really know my stuff.
But when I'm practising with an opponent,
all my flaws are revealed.
It's the same with many styles of martial arts.
After the break, our two martial artists will get a first-hand experience
of the training regime at the Wu Tan Martial Arts Development Centre.
With its headquarters based in Taiwan,
Wu Tan has gone on to establish chapters all over the world
in order to continue promoting Liu Yun-qiao's craft.
The most traditional of training methods
are still used here in Taipei.
Martial artists Byron Pang and Jozev
have come today to learn from its current Chairman, Lin Zhong-xi.
You need to swing your hip out.
Swing out, and then push back.
Do it slowly. Don't rush.
Otherwise you'll injure yourself.
When we're training,
apart from doing drills like we just did,
we also make use of auxiliary equipment.
This bench is an essential piece of equipment.
Strike down with your palm naturally,
using your waist. Then smack down with the back of your hand.
This is pai (striking with the palm), this is shuai (striking with the back of the hand).
So I do the pai, followed by the shuai.
You can strike the heart,
here, or here.
Don't use any force...
When you're passing down culture
it needs to remain true to its roots.
You have to preserve what was originally there.
If you don't do that,
you'll lose the original form within a few generations.
It's like a living antique.
Antiques inside the Forbidden City can be left there for thousands of years,
but Wushu is something that is alive.
- And again... - I can't any more!
I'm going to break them.
That was for strengthening the fingers.
You need power in your fingers and your grip,
but it's different from the Hung Gar style.
You need to stay relaxed most of the time,
and when you're in close, execute an attack with your fingers.
Exert force as soon as you make contact.
Right now, they're practising
while squatting very low.
It allows them to pace, change their footing and let out bursts of power.
This training method is the traditional one
as passed down by Master Liu Yun-qiao.
- As authentic as it can get. - Yes.
The stance is parallel to the ground, and then you bring your leg back first
before stepping forward to make an attack.
The body is very close to the ground at all times.
Apart from improving balance,
it's also a lot of work on the thighs!
It's foundation work.
When I practised Southern Kung Fu styles or Karate,
the centre of gravity needed to be low as well,
but the legs were wider apart so it was more comfortable.
Here, it's narrow and low
which makes it really different.
Apart from long-established training methods,
Wu Tan has also kept the age-old tradition of
carrying out induction ceremonies.
The ceremony has several meanings.
Through this traditional ceremony,
the concepts of the authority of the master
and the obligations of the student are reinforced.
Byron Pang also sparred with one of the disciples here
in a match which emphasised the importance of martial arts ethics.
Remember to hit gently and stay away from the vital parts.
Listen to my commands. When I say stop, stop. OK?
Ready. Begin!
He's being nice and holding back.
He pinned my foot down and I couldn't move,
but he didn't attack me.
OK!
Back to your places. Bow!
Great job! Give yourselves a hand.
By looking at their lower bodies,
you can see that a lot of short-range kicks and low kicks were used.
They both used quite a few low kicks.
Overall, they used standard Chinese Kung Fu techniques.
They both did pretty well
because they remembered to hold back in between attacks.
It's not competing to death. That's what we call ethics.
The spear is approximately 10 feet in length.
It was a weapon used in formations in ancient times.
Wielding the spear requires accurate technique.
A certain period of training is required
in order to put one's skills to practical use.
Jozev has come back to learn more
from Coach Ye Qi-li today
in hopes of an opportunity to experience a spear spar first-hand.
When you withdraw, you must take your opponent's spear with you.
The body stays three feet behind.
Use this force to knock down on his spear.
What will that stop him from doing? Retracting.
There's no power.
How can I explain it to you?
Take a break, take a break!
Whether you're using your Fists or the spear,
it's very easy to put all your power here
which is why your movements are slow.
Also, what happens to your energy?
A lot of it gets wasted.
OK, strike at my spear.
I didn't move. Why is that?
Am I all tensed up?
No.
Come again.
Try and put the spear close to the body.
OK, strike.
Good, I felt something there.
Good. OK.
Correct. Great job!
In addition to basic techniques,
courage is also an essential quality in practising any style of martial arts.
You have to face me head-on to stand a chance.
Just take the hit.
Right.
Not bad.
That's all that happens when you get hit. What are you afraid of?
And the spear's fake too.
Don't be afraid! Just take the hit.
Only then will you be able to react,
because you won't be nervous.
Correct. Very good!
Keep going.
Keep practising and you'll get me for sure.
There's only one thing to work on for the spear.
It's courage.
How can it be practised? By being tolerant.
Letting your opponent finish his thrust to the very end and making body contact
before pushing it aside instantly.
Only that kind of power can stop him or her from retaliation.
My front arm has basically been hit everywhere.
It's like how the "Outlaws of the Marsh" (a martial arts novel) says
you'll know how many times you've been hit if you dip the spear tip with some powder.
Go for his knee!
Go for his leg! Get him!
Yes, nice one!
Go for his leg!
Despite being a little jittery,
Jozev dons the new armour created by the Baji Fist Association,
which is still under development,
in preparation for his first spear spar.
Spears in position. Ready.
Begin!
Please put your hand up if you get hit.
That's a hit! Three points.
OK? Begin!
That's a hit! Three points.
That's a hit! One point.
Scraping past doesn't count. It has to be a clean hit to the head.
Begin!
The spear spar scoring system operates on point deductions.
Three points are deducted for every strike to a vital body part
and one point for all other areas.
The first person to have 10 points deducted loses.
That's a hit! Three points. Ready.
A knock doesn't count.
Ready. Begin!
That's a hit! Don't hit the neck. You got him in the neck.
OK? Begin!
Three points.
OK, time's up!
Put your spears down.
Alright. Stop. Bow!
I'm still a bit high from the adrenaline rush.
I felt that I still wasn't relaxed enough,
so sometimes
I couldn't pull back after executing a move.
We can extend to 120% for practices.
A little bit further forward than normal.
When you're using it for real, extend to 80% the normal length.
This is what we call "Conservation".
How can we get to that level?
By keeping the spear in your hands for 10 years.
According to Wu Shu,
not everyone can learn how to wield the spear.
Only people with wisdom can.
You can keep writing novels.
Write about the spear in your next one.
When we return, our two martial artists
will face the ultimate trial in their Baji Fist quest.
The Kung Fu Practitioners have undergone proper training here.
Parts of the program involve dangerous acts which should not be imitated.
In 1992, Liu Yun-qiao passed away.
The Taiwanese media reported the tragedy extensively.
Nearly 3,000 disciples from his former military unit came to pay their respects.
It was one of the most glorious moments
that the martial arts world has ever known.
His craft continues to be passed down
by various groups of
Baji Fist practitioners in Taiwan,
and even abroad.
Grandmaster Liu told me that
when he first laid eyes on me,
he knew I'd be making a living from teaching martial arts.
That's why he said he needed to teach me well.
Otherwise, he'd be letting my parents down.
Master Liu said that because I'm Japanese,
I have to open a school when I return home
and set up the Japanese Branch of Wu Tan.
They're treasures in
ancient Chinese history and culture.
It's not that easy to master.
This history is expansive.
I've only just begun scratching the surface,
just getting the first taste.
I want to, and need to, seek further.
The Fist has many forms, hence one must seek out its transformations.
Whatever you're practising,
be it martial arts
or soccer,
what's your main goal?
To find these transformations.
You need to fend off the first attack,
that's the most important one.
But you also have to be aware of the possibility of a follow-up attack.
There's no problem with defending,
but you need to stayed relaxed. That's the only way you can retaliate.
Yes, make your first attack.
OK, great job!
Couldn't get past the first attack.
When you're practising with Fists or short-range weapons,
your physical attributes can make up for your lack in skill.
But with weapons like the spear,
technique is more important than speed and power.
You won't even be able to attack someone
older or slower than you
if they have good technique.
I messed up my first attack...
Just as the master said, wielding this weapon
requires skill and wisdom.
After these last few days of practice,
Jozev is being put to the ultimate test.
We're getting ready for a spear spar.
Hopefully I'll be able to bring out some kind of technique.
I'm not going to think about winning or losing, or whether I look bad.
I'll be satisfied if I can just use a little of what the master has taught me.
The goal is to avoid getting hit as much as possible and find openings to attack.
OK, pick up your spear.
Ready. Begin!
That's a hit! Be careful.
Hit to the body, three points.
Start!
That's a hit!
Wow! That was a heavy blow!
The special thing about the spear is that
you can keep your opponent in check while you attack
He didn't have any openings at all.
OK. Ready. Begin!
That's a hit! Three points.
That's a hit! Three points. Not bad.
Ready.
A hit to the arm, one point.
Ready. Begin!
That's a hit! Three points.
Begin!
That's a hit! One point.
Ready. Begin!
That's a hit!
OK, let's stop there.
It's OK. It just scraped past.
Alright, let's call it quits.
He just got prodded in the throat.
If the spear head was attached, his throat would've been punctured
and he would've become a martyr!
Are you OK? - I'm OK!
This man right here has been practising under my watch for two days.
His performance today was quite good.
He's in pretty good shape.
The spear is not an easy weapon to wield.
These people here have been practising for more than three years,
so to be able to spar with it within such a short time is quite impressive.
Very courageous.
Thank you for your teachings!
At least I hit him once.
I still couldn't use what I've learnt.
That was a first-hand experience of the power of this long and heavy weapon.
My opponent didn't need to move much.
He was just striking on the spot.
Yet the force felt like a bullet being fired from a gun.
The impact was like...
In order to put what he has learnt in Cangzhou and Taiwan to practice,
Byron Pang asked a senior training partner, Ah Ho,
to take part in a Thai Boxing match upon his return to Hong Kong.
After practising the Baji Fist,
I'd like to try using some of its techniques in a real fight.
Although I'm far from being competent,
I'm going to give it a shot today no matter what.
Ah Yuen is agile and has good technique.
He's also quite explosive.
He's incorporating the Baji Fist into the fight,
so I'm interested in seeing what's so special about this style.
I haven't been learning the Baji Fist for long.
It was only for a few weeks.
I'm still an amateur, so I'm afraid of putting the style to shame...
I wanted to try the Double Punch,
which involves turning your body and executing a punch up close
right after the first attack.
You need to be within arm's length.
You wouldn't be able to do it further than that.
I still haven't used the Baji to its fullest.
Those close-range attack and defence techniques.
So there's still a lot for me to learn.
It wasn't so bad! He was very quick.
And there were a lot of feints.
I couldn't tell what he was going to do at times.
The path that the Fist followed was very short and straight,
so it was very easy to get hit if I didn't pay close attention.
If I hadn't experienced the Baji Fist for myself,
I would've mistaken it for Tai Chi.
I would've thought that Baji stood for "Eight Forms of Tai Chi."
But that wasn't the case. A lot of grappling and attacking is involved.
There are also many practical moves.
It was an uplifting experience.
It was like going back to university to study in another faculty.
The entire journey was an eye-opener.
There are Baji Fist masters in Taiwan,
Mainland China, Hong Kong,
as well as other parts of the world.
They all have their own styles and interpretations.
I hope that not only the Baji Fist,
but also other styles of Wushu, will continue to be passed down,
uniting Chinese culture.
I spent most of my time here in Taiwan
learning how to wield the spear from Coach Ye Qi-li.
He shared his tips and thoughts on martial arts with me.
He gives me a very different feeling
from all the other martial arts teachers that I know,
especially those who teach Chinese Kung Fu.
He sees himself as a coach,
whose responsibility is to pass the craft down onto other people.
He doesn't need their veneration
and even wishes for them to transcend him.
I think this kind of mentality is what the current Chinese Kung Fu scene really needs.
Attention!
Bow!
Thank you Grandmaster!
You need the state of mind to exceed your teacher
by learning everything he has to offer.
That's the only way to make the craft flourish.
These brothers in their 20s and 30s
could very well become the next "Spear God".
My chances are pretty slim though. Why?
I'm already in my 50s. I don't know how much longer I can last.
I might still not get to that level if I'm given another 10 years.
They still have lots of time.
So what if they become better than me?
So what if they transcend Li Shu-wen?
It's no big deal!
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