Chang Family Boxing, Xiao Luohan, Qinglong Chuhai Quan, and Xiao Hong Quan by Master Gao Siji
Chang Jia Quan, Xiao Luohan Quan, Qing Long Chu Hai Quan & Xiao Hong Quan
Performed by master Gao Siji of Renli Village, Xinyang county, Zhengzhou Prefecture, Henan province.
The son of famous 7th generation master Gao Qinglian AKA Gao Laohu Old Tiger Gao, Gao Siji is now considered one of the senior living masters of Chang Jia Quan.
This video shows a very detailed version of the Chang Family Xiao Luohan set showing very old looking postures matching closely to those seen in older Chang Family manuals as well as a breakdown of the Green Dragon Exits Sea Luohan and Xiao Hong Quan forms.
Chang Naizhou learned Shaolin Luohan boxing from his teacher Yan Shengdao in Luoyang. The Chang system includes several Luohan Sets including both Da and Xiao Luohan forms and QingLong ChuHai Quan. It also includes other Shaolin sets such as Da Hong Quan and Pao Quan.
The Chang Jia Quan system was created by Cháng Nǎi Zhōu of the Zhengzhou area of Henan province in the early/mid 1700's. Chang Naizhou was known for his mastery of not just the highest levels of martial arts but also his knowledge of the Confucian classics, Medicine, Neigong, and Buddhist and Taoist scriptures and practices.
Since childhood Chang Naizhou studied martial arts diligently seeking out the best teachers he could find. Eventually after gaining a profound knowledge of the martial arts as well as medicine, philosophy, and Neigong, he created his own unique system.
He also left a very large amount of writings detailing not just forms but also the philosophical underpinnings of his art, as well as the first practical, detailed accounts of the use of Neigong and medical theory in martial arts. A select portion of these writings have been translated into English.
His writings are thought to have been very influential in the development of Taiji Quan.
Henan Village Chang family Xiao Luohan
Cháng Jiā Quán, Xiǎo Luóhàn Quán
Chang Family Boxings Small Luohan Boxing
Chang Family Xiao Luohan form practiced in rural Henan village.
Although rare today Chang style was once highly respected being called one of the Three Big Names in Henan boxing (along with Shaolin and the legendary I'll find out later style). Chang Family Boxing used to be very popular in the Zhengzhou area of Henan up until the mid 1900's.
The Chang family system includes several Shaolin forms. This is not surprising seeing how close he lived to the temple. Several researchers have theorized that he learned Shaolin Luohan boxingfrom his teacher Yan Shengdao in Luoyang. The Chang system includes several Luo han Sets including both Da and Xiao Luohan forms and QingLong ChuHai Quan. It also includes other Shaolin sets such as Da Hong Quan and Pao Quan.
The Chang Jia Quan system was created by Cháng Nǎi Zhōu of the Zhengzhou area of Henan province in the early/mid 1700's. Chang Naizhou was known for his mastery of not just the highest levels of martial arts but also his knowledge of the Confucian classics, Medicine, Neigong, and Buddhist and Taoist scriptures and practices.
Since childhood Chang Naizhou studied martial arts diligently seeking out the best teachers he could find. Eventually after gaining a profound knowledge of the martial arts as well as medicine, philosophy, and Neigong, he created his own unique system.
He also left a very large amount of writings detailing not just forms but also the philosophical underpinnings of his art, as well as the first practical, detailed accounts of the use of Neigong and medical theory in martial arts. A select portion of these writings have been translated into English.
His writings are thought to have been very influential in the development of Taiji Quan.
The Chang family system includes several Shaolin forms. This is not surprising seeing how close he lived to the temple. Several researchers have theorized that he learned Shaolin Luohan boxingfrom his teacher Yan Shengdao in Luoyang. The Chang system includes several Luo han Sets including both Da and Xiao Luohan forms and QingLong ChuHai Quan. It also includes other Shaolin sets such as Da Hong Quan and Pao Quan.
The Chang Jia Quan system was created by Cháng Nǎi Zhōu of the Zhengzhou area of Henan province in the early/mid 1700's. Chang Naizhou was known for his mastery of not just the highest levels of martial arts but also his knowledge of the Confucian classics, Medicine, Neigong, and Buddhist and Taoist scriptures and practices.
Since childhood Chang Naizhou studied martial arts diligently seeking out the best teachers he could find. Eventually after gaining a profound knowledge of the martial arts as well as medicine, philosophy, and Neigong, he created his own unique system.
He also left a very large amount of writings detailing not just forms but also the philosophical underpinnings of his art, as well as the first practical, detailed accounts of the use of Neigong and medical theory in martial arts. A select portion of these writings have been translated into English.
His writings are thought to have been very influential in the development of Taiji Quan.
Fuzhou Ru Jia Quan Confucian Boxing system
Ru Jia Quan
Confucian Family Boxing
Video for the inclusion of Ru Jia Quan as one of Fuzhou's official Intangible Cultural Heritages.
This tape includes footage of both the present inheritor Pan Liteng and his teacher master Tu Jiqing.
Ru Jia Quan is a rare system practiced in the Fuzhou city area.
The style it's self is divided into four sections consisting of Ru Fa Confcuian Scholar's Methods, Ji Fa Rooster Methods, Gou Fa Dog Methods, and Yu Fa Fish Methods
The known history of the style traces back to the Qing/ Republican transition period when army cook Chen Peiguan was stationed with division in the Guan Di Shrine in Quanzhou.
While there he would practice boxing in the Shrine hall when ever no one was around.
The shrine's Miaozhu (ritual functionary in charge of incense and other duties) happened to see him there often at practice.
Seeing Chen's enthusiasm, effort, and good foundation he decided to pass on the secret boxing methods that had been practiced at the shrine.
This system was called Ru Jia Quan Scholar's Boxing and consisted of 4 distinct methods of boxing each with their own forms, special skills and training regimen. These were Gou Fa Dog Methods, Ji Fa Rooster Methods, Yu Fa Fish Methods and Ru Fa Scholar's Methods.
Chen stayed at the shrine and mastered each of these methods before retiring from the army and returning to his native home in Fuzhou.
There he settled in the Old Drumtower District of Fuzhou city and met a young man named He Guohua who was already an extremely skilled boxer and master of another secretly passed system known to only a small group of workers at the local Qing Xiang Incense factory and shop.
This style of Luohan Boxing was for this reason known as Xiangdian Quan and the time of his meeting this young man roughly corresponds to the period in which it first began to be taught openly.
He Guohua would go on to become a famous boxer in Fuzhou locally known as Fei Lai Shi Flying Master and would teach the Incense Shop Boxing style to many students.
He would occasionally show or impart some Rujia Quan skills and his methods of Boxing came to be known as Xiang Dian Men with the various Rujia methods called as Xiang Dian Ji Fa, Xiangdian Gou Fa, etc.
However with exception of occasionally teaching a Xiangdian student some basic skills or a set of Ru Jia Quan movements as part of their Xiandian training, he only passed the complete independent Ru Jia Quan style onto one student.
This student was master Tu Jiqing who also came to be known as one of Fuzhou's great boxers and taught the Xiangdian style to many students. But like his teacher's before him he only passed on the style to a single inheritor, master Pan Liteng.
Both Xiangdian Quan and Rujia Quan are now listed as intangible cultural heritage of Fuzhou city.
Today master Pan Liteng has begun to openly accept students in both the Xiangdian and Rujia Quan systems and is currently teaching Rujia Quan to a group of local youngsters who he has officially accepted as disciples in the Rujia Quan style.
He holds his classes in Rujia Quan on the grounds of the Fuzhou's ancient Wen Miao (Confucian Temple) located in the Old Drumtower District.
The oral mythology of this style traces its origins back to the Ming dynasty when a group of four scholars from Fujian and Guangdong traveled together to take the Imperial Exams.
After arriving at the capitol all four of them failed the examinations in the first round.
Having become close while traveling together they decided that, while they were obviously not destined to become high ranking officials, they would travel the country and learn together.
While touring the country they visited many of the famed ancient temples.
In one of these temples they found that the monks there were inheritors of the 7 methods of divine boxing passed down by the 8 women who had studied under the immortal goddess Li Shan Lao Mu* Ancient Mother of Mt. Li during the Tang dynasty.
The 7 methods consisted of of Scholar, Crane, Fish, Chicken, Monkey, Dog and Ox.
Taking inspiration from Confucius's teachings that both scholarly and martial knowledge were needed by a learned man, they decided to try their hands at martial arts.
Each of them mastered one of the methods (Dog, Rooster, Fish, and Scholar) at the monastery and later they combined their knowledge, founding the Rujia style.
2015 Chinese Bridge Summer Camp in Guangxi, China
2015 Chinese Bridge Summer Camp for U.S. High School Students
Location: Guangxi, China
Duration: 3 Weeks
Chinese Bridge Summer Camp for Secondary School Students is an annual Chinese language and culture experiencing activity sponsored by Hanban with the cooperation of the Confucius Institutes over the world. The program aims at enhancing Sino foreign youth exchanges, deepening secondary school students’ understanding of and personal experience with Chinese language and culture, and stimulating their passion for learning Chinese.
Chinese Bridge Summer Camp for Secondary School Students provides students with Chinese language, culture classes (such as paper cutting, calligraphy, ink and wash painting, tea ceremony, and martial arts), rich and varied activities (get together with Chinese students, home-stay experiences, etc.) and cultural experiencing activities.
In summer 2015, over 30 students from San Diego County High Schools participated in the program.
For more information about how you can participate for future Chinese Bridge programs, send an email to cisdsu@gmail.com titled Chinese Bridge Summer Camp information
Chang Family Boxing, Cannon Fist
Chang Jia Pao Quan, Chang Family Cannon Fist
Performed by master Gao Siji of Renli Village, Xinyang county, Zhengzhou Prefecture, Henan province.
The son of famous 7th generation master Gao Qinglian AKA Gao Laohu Old Tiger Gao, Gao Siji is now considered one of the senior living masters of Chang Jia Quan.
This video from 1985 shows the Cannon Fist form of the Chang Jia Quan system. This rather long form is not commonly seen. It is part of the Shaolin heritage of the style along with sets such as Da and Xiao Luohan, Qinglong Chu Hai Quan, and Da Hong Quan.
Chang Family Boxing methods The Chang Jia Quan system was created by Cháng Nǎi Zhōu of the Zhengzhou area of Henan province in the early/mid 1700's. Chang Naizhou was known for his mastery of not just the highest levels of martial arts but also his knowledge of the Confucian classics, Medicine, Neigong, and Buddhist and Taoist scriptures and practices. Since childhood Chang Naizhou studied martial arts diligently seeking out the best teachers he could find. Eventually after gaining a profound knowledge of the martial arts as well as military tactics, medicine, philosophy, and Neigong, he created his own unique system. Through it's history Chang Family Boxing has been involved with the military and was used to train local militia and provincial military units at many points throughout the Qing dynasty up through the Republican Era. Chang Naizhou also left a very large amount of writings detailing not just forms but also the philosophical underpinnings of his art, as well as some of the first practical, detailed accounts of the use of Neigong and medical theory in martial arts. A select portion of these writings have been translated into English. His writings are thought to have been very influential in the development of Taiji Quan. During the late Qing dynasty and Republican Era, Chang Family Boxing was considered one of the Three Famous Names of Henan martial arts along with Shaolin Temple Boxing and Chen Family Taiji Quan. However Chang Family practitioners remained conservative and with the loss of local militia and a decrease in interest in boxing by local youth the art became less and less common over the past century. Today the Chang Family Boxing style has been ranked as an national level intangible cultural heritage of China, and efforts are being made to preserve the system. The number of publications on the style as well as it's having been featured in a number of new sources and promotional videos as well as the creation of groups dedicated to it's study have led to a resurgence of interest in the style. Recently a number of teachers of this system in Henan province have begun to open schools.
Chang Family Boxing news feature
News segments from Henan featuring local teachers of the Chang Family Boxing system.
Chang Family Boxing methods
The Chang Jia Quan system was created by Cháng Nǎi Zhōu of the Zhengzhou area of Henan province in the early/mid 1700's. Chang Naizhou was known for his mastery of not just the highest levels of martial arts but also his knowledge of the Confucian classics, Medicine, Neigong, and Buddhist and Taoist scriptures and practices.
Since childhood Chang Naizhou studied martial arts diligently seeking out the best teachers he could find. Eventually after gaining a profound knowledge of the martial arts as well as military tactics, medicine, philosophy, and Neigong, he created his own unique system.
Through it's history Chang Family Boxing has been involved with the military and was used to train local militia and provincial military units at many points throughout the Qing dynasty up through the Republican Era.
Chang Naizhou also left a very large amount of writings detailing not just forms but also the philosophical underpinnings of his art, as well as some of the first practical, detailed accounts of the use of Neigong and medical theory in martial arts. A select portion of these writings have been translated into English.
His writings are thought to have been very influential in the development of Taiji Quan.
During the late Qing dynasty and Republican Era, Chang Family Boxing was considered one of the Three Famous Names of Henan martial arts along with Shaolin Temple Boxing and Chen Family Taiji Quan.
However Chang Family practitioners remained conservative and the art was not publicly taught leading to it's having become less and less common over the past century.
Today the Chang Family Boxing style has been ranked as an national level intangible cultural heritage of China, and efforts are being made to preserve the system
Chang Family Xiao Luohan Quan
Cháng Jiā Quán, Xiǎo Luóhàn Quán
Chang Family Boxings Small Luohan Boxing
The Chang family system includes several Shaolin forms. This is not surprising seeing how close he lived to the temple. Several researchers have theorized that he learned Shaolin Luohan boxing from his teacher Yan Shengdao in Luoyang. The Chang system includes several Luo han Sets including both Da and Xiao Luohan forms and QingLong ChuHai Quan. It also includes other Shaolin sets such as Da Hong Quan and Pao Quan.
The Chang Jia Quan system was created by Cháng Nǎi Zhōu of the Zhengzhou area of Henan province in the early/mid 1700's. Chang Naizhou was known for his mastery of not just the highest levels of martial arts but also his knowledge of the Confucian classics, Medicine, Neigong, and Buddhist and Taoist scriptures and practices.
Since childhood Chang Naizhou studied martial arts diligently seeking out the best teachers he could find. Eventually after gaining a profound knowledge of the martial arts as well as medicine, philosophy, and Neigong, he created his own unique system.
He also left a very large amount of writings detailing not just forms but also the philosophical underpinnings of his art, as well as the first practical, detailed accounts of the use of Neigong and medical theory in martial arts. A select portion of these writings have been translated into English.
His writings are thought to have been very influential in the development of Taiji Quan.
Long Zun Quan, Southern Dragon Boxing, Ningde prefecture, Fujian
Lóng Zūn Quán,
Dragon Respecting Boxing
According to tradition this style was brought south by a Shaolin monk from Kaifeng during the late 1600's. After that it was transmitted within the Southern Shaolin Temple for for a few generations. After the destruction of the Southern Shaolin Temple it was transmitted by the Iron Bead Monk to a number of people in a few small villages in Gutian county, Ningde prefecture. Today this style is widely spread in many small villages in both Ningde and Fuzhou prefectures as well as in Xianyou county in Putian prefecture.
With the age of the style and the wide area it is spread across there are now many different schools of Long Zhuang / Long Zun often having very different forms and appearances.
The style it's self has also been mixed with other older methods in many areas forming the basis of many regional arts such as Ningde Long Hu Zhuang Dragon Tiger Stake and Long He Zhuang Dragon Crane Stake as well as being the core of many unique family and village arts across northern and central Fujian.
This video it's self shows a form of Long Zun which is notably different from the older methods.
Hui people | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Hui people
00:01:54 1 Definition
00:02:02 1.1 Ancestry
00:04:09 1.2 Genetics
00:05:04 1.3 Huihui, and Hui
00:09:41 1.4 Related terms
00:13:44 1.4.1 Zhongyuan ren
00:14:44 1.4.2 Pusuman
00:15:16 1.4.3 Muslim Chinese
00:16:13 1.5 In other countries
00:16:22 1.5.1 Dungan
00:19:10 1.5.2 Panthay
00:19:47 1.6 Official
00:20:14 1.7 Non-Muslims
00:22:30 2 History
00:22:39 2.1 Origins
00:24:56 2.1.1 Converted Han
00:27:04 2.2 Tang dynasty
00:27:50 2.3 Song dynasty
00:29:24 2.4 Yuan Dynasty
00:30:40 2.5 Ming Dynasty
00:34:41 2.6 Qing Dynasty
00:35:33 2.6.1 Muslim revolts
00:40:44 2.6.2 Religious allowances
00:41:52 2.7 Republic of China
00:50:06 2.8 Current situation
00:53:14 2.8.1 Tensions between Hui and Uyghurs
00:55:40 2.8.2 Tibetan-Muslim sectarian violence
00:57:14 2.9 Sects of Islam
00:58:14 3 Relations with other religions
00:59:38 4 Culture
00:59:47 4.1 Sects
00:59:55 4.2 Mosques
01:00:23 4.3 Foot binding
01:00:59 4.4 Cultural practices
01:02:30 4.5 Names
01:03:21 4.5.1 Surnames
01:03:57 4.6 Literature
01:04:50 4.7 Language
01:05:35 4.8 Marriage
01:06:08 4.8.1 Outside marriage
01:09:16 4.9 Education
01:10:10 4.10 Military service
01:15:15 4.11 Politics
01:16:27 5 Outside mainland China
01:18:23 6 Ethnic tensions
01:21:04 7 Notable Hui people
01:26:08 8 Related group names
01:26:30 9 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
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- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
The Hui people (Chinese: 回族; pinyin: Huízú; Wade–Giles: Hui2tsu2, Xiao'erjing: خُوِذُو; Dungan: Хуэйзў, Xuejzw) are an East Asian ethnoreligious group predominantly composed of Han Chinese adherents of the Muslim faith found throughout China, mainly in the northwestern provinces of the country and the Zhongyuan region. According to the 2011 census, China is home to approximately 10.5 million Hui people, the majority of whom are Chinese-speaking practitioners of Islam, though some may practise other religions. The 110,000 Dungan people of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are also considered part of the Hui ethnicity.
Their culture has distinct differences that developed from the practice of Islam. For example, as Muslims, they follow Islamic dietary laws and reject the consumption of pork, the most common meat consumed in China, and have given rise to their own variation of Chinese cuisine. Traditional Hui clothing differs from that of the Han primarily in that some men wear white caps (taqiyah) and some women wear headscarves, as is the case in many Islamic cultures. However, since the industrialization and modernization of China, most of the young Hui people wear the same clothes as mainstream fashion trends.
The Hui people are one of 56 ethnic groups recognized by China. The government defines the Hui people to include all historically Muslim communities not included in China's other ethnic groups. The Hui predominantly speak Chinese, while maintaining some Persian and Arabic phrases. In fact, the Hui ethnic group is unique among Chinese ethnic minorities in that it associates with no non-Sinitic language.The Hui people are more concentrated in Northwestern China (Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang), but communities exist across the country, e.g. Beijing,Xi'an Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Hainan and Yunnan.
Chang Family Boxing 24 Big Postures
Chang Family Boxing, Twenty Four Big Postures
The twenty four postures are the core of Chang Jia Quan. In Chang Naizhou's original method the 24 postures are practiced in multiple variations. This video shows the main 24 postures set, as practiced within the Chang family lineage of Chang Family Boxing, being demonstrated by 9th generation inheritor Chang Mingjia.
The Chang Jia Quan system was created by Cháng Nǎi Zhōu of the Zhengzhou area of Henan province in the early/mid 1700's. Chang Naizhou was known for his mastery of not just the highest levels of martial arts but also his knowledge of the Confucian classics, Medicine, Neigong, and Buddhist and Taoist scriptures and practices.
Since childhood Chang Naizhou studied martial arts diligently seeking out the best teachers he could find. Eventually after gaining a profound knowledge of the martial arts as well as military tactics, medicine, philosophy, and Neigong, he created his own unique system.
Through it's history Chang Family Boxing has been involved with the military and was used to train local militia and provincial military units at many points throughout the Qing dynasty up through the Republican Era.
Chang Naizhou also left a very large amount of writings detailing not just forms but also the philosophical underpinnings of his art, as well as some of the first practical, detailed accounts of the use of Neigong and medical theory in martial arts. A select portion of these writings have been translated into English.
His writings are thought to have been very influential in the development of Taiji Quan boxing theory.
During the late Qing dynasty and Republican Era, Chang Family Boxing was considered one of the Three Famous Names of Henan martial arts along with Shaolin Temple Boxing and Chen Family Taiji Quan.
However Chang Family practitioners remained conservative and the art was not publicly taught leading to it's having become less and less common over the past century.
Today the Chang Family Boxing style has been ranked as an national level intangible cultural heritage of China, and efforts are being made to preserve the system
Ancient Chinese coinage
Ancient Chinese coinage includes some of the earliest known coins. These coins, used as early as the Spring and Autumn period, took the form of imitations of the cowrie shells that were used in ceremonial exchanges. The Spring and Autumn period also saw the introduction of the first metal coins; however, they were not initially round, instead being either knife shaped or spade shaped. Round metal coins with a round, and then later square hole in the center were first introduced around 350 BC. The beginning of the Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty to unify China, saw the introduction of a standardised coinage for the whole Empire. Subsequent dynasties produced variations on these round coins throughout the imperial period. At first, distribution of the coinage was limited to use around the capital city district but by the beginning of the Han Dynasty, coins were widely used for such as when paying tax, salaries and fines.
Ancient Chinese coins are markedly different from coins produced in the west. Chinese coins were manufactured by being cast in molds, whereas western coins were typically cut and hammered or, in later times, milled. Chinese coins were usually made from mixtures of metals such copper, tin and lead, from bronze, brass or iron: precious metals like gold and silver were uncommonly used. The ratios and purity of the coin metals varied considerably. Most Chinese coins were produced with a square hole in the middle. This was used to allow collections of coins to be threaded on a square rod so that the rough edges could be filed smooth, and then threaded on strings for ease of handling.
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Article text available under CC-BY-SA
Creative Commons image source in video
Traditional Liancheng Quan Boxing and Weapons forms
Liancheng Quan Boxing and weapons recorded in Longyan prefecture, Fujian province in the mid 1980's
Liancheng Quan / Getian Huang Jia Quan is practiced by the Hakka people in Longyan prefecture, Southern Fujian.
The art originates from the Huang family of Getian Village in Longyan prefecture's Liancheng county.
According to the oral traditions of Liancheng Quan, there was a man of the Huang clan of Getian village in Liancheng county
who became very close friends with a minor prefectural level official from the Patrol and Inspection office* from the Zhang family of Kaifeng. Eventually he ended up marrying Zhang's fourth daughter.
Here the story splits into two versions, in both versions Zhang's term of office ends and he decides to return to his hometown in Henan.
According to one version of the story this took place in the Song dynasty with his term ending around 988-989, in this versions the man asks his friend / son in law to escort him back to his home near Shaoshi mountain.
The other version of the story places this event in the year 1385, and in this version he asks his teenage grandson (the son of his friend from the Huang clan and his fourth daughter) to accompany him back.
At this point the stories again converge with him using his influence and family connections to get the young member of the Huang clan accepted as a layman disciple to learn martial arts at the Shaolin monastery located nearby on mt.Shaoshi.
There he becomes the student of three monks named Cai, Dong and Sun, each of which specializes in a certain area of skills (upper, middle, and lower basin fighting methods).
After 3 years of study at Shaolin he decides to return to his hometown in Fujian. There he teaches the methods he had learned from his three teachers at the Shaolin temple, the Huang Family Shaolin Boxing methods are passed on in the Huang clan of Getian village for several centuries.
In the year 1660 Huang Sihuan of Getian village travels to the Ningbo area of Zhejiang to conduct trade as a merchant.
There he becomes friends with Huang Baijia who is a local master of both local Shaolin methods as well as the the Wudang Neijia Quan system. Huang Baijia introduces him to his teacher Wang Zhengnan.The three men become close friends and for the next several years spent much of their free time together practicing and comparing martial arts methods late into the night.
Eventually Huang Sihuan created his own system by combining the Huang Family Shaolin Boxing passed down in his family with the Ningbo Neijia Quan system of Wang Zhengnan.
Around this period he also had his own Guandao forged which he would practice with every day. The Guandao weighs around 200lbs and was passed down within the Huang family of Getian village.
Of his descendants only one was able to freely practice forms with the blade. This was his 8th generation descendant Huang Zhaoyi. Huang Zhaoyi worked as a salt trader and would walk down into the lowlands and would climb the trails back into the mountains carrying 300lbs of salt bales on his back.
Liancheng Quan is still practiced among the Hakka people in Liancheng county and neighboring counties of Longyan, as well as some areas of Guangdong near the Longyan border.
*This office was created in the Song dynasty and lasted till the end of the Qing dynasty. They were sent to observe and oversee Border areas. That is the remote areas of the empire with generally low population densities usually populated by ethnic minorities. These areas were not necessarily on the physical borders of the Chinese empire and could include places like Liancheng county which was a remote mountain area of southern Fujian primarily populated with small villages of Hakka and She people.
Henan
Henan (Chinese: 河南; pinyin: Hénán; Wade–Giles: Ho-nan) is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is 豫 (yù), named after Yuzhou (豫州; Yùzhōu), a Han Dynasty state (zhou) that included parts of Henan. Although the name of the province (河南) means south of the river, approximately a quarter of the province lies north of the Yellow River, also known as the Huang He.
Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (中州) which literally means central plains or midland, although the name is also applied to the entirety of China proper. Henan is the birthplace of Chinese civilization with over 5,000 years of history, and remained China's cultural, economical, and political center until approximately 1,000 years ago. Numerous heritages have been left behind including the ruins of Shang Dynasty capital city Yin and the Shaolin Temple. Four of the Eight Great Ancient Capitals of China, Luoyang, Anyang, Kaifeng, and Zhengzhou are located in Henan.
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Hebei | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Hebei
00:01:27 1 History
00:07:41 2 Geography
00:08:58 2.1 Climate
00:09:33 3 Administrative divisions
00:10:16 3.1 Urban areas
00:10:25 4 Politics
00:10:58 5 Economy
00:12:41 5.1 Economic and technological development zones
00:12:58 6 Demographics
00:14:17 6.1 Religion
00:16:26 7 Culture
00:18:11 8 Notable individuals
00:18:47 9 Media
00:18:59 10 Transportation
00:21:11 11 Tourism
00:23:32 12 Sports
00:24:06 13 Education
00:27:18 14 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Hebei (河北; formerly romanised as Hopeh) is a province of China in the North China region. The modern province was established in 1911 as Zhili Province or Chihli Province. Its one-character abbreviation is 冀 (Jì), named after Ji Province, a Han dynasty province (zhou) that included what is now southern Hebei. The name Hebei literally means north of the river, referring to its location entirely to the north of the Yellow River.The modern province Chili Province was formed in 1911 after the central government dissolved the central governed area of Chihli, which means Directly Ruled (by the Imperial Court) until it was renamed as Hebei in 1928.
Beijing and Tianjin Municipalities, which border each other, were carved out of Hebei. The province borders Liaoning to the northeast, Inner Mongolia to the north, Shanxi to the west, Henan to the south, and Shandong to the southeast. Bohai Bay of the Yellow Sea is to the east. A small part of Hebei, Sanhe Exclave, consisting of Sanhe, Dachang Hui Autonomous County, and Xianghe County, an exclave disjointed from the rest of the province, is wedged between the municipalities of Beijing and Tianjin.
A common alternate name for Hebei is Yānzhào (燕趙), after the state of Yan and state of Zhao that existed here during the Warring States period of early Chinese history.
Shaobei Quan's Breaking & Seizing Arts
Shǎoběi shíbā pò ShaoBei 18 Breaks
Shǎo běi shíbā ná ShaoBei 18 Seizes
Qīshí'èr pò ná fǎ 1-2, 3-4 road 72 Breaking and Seizing Methods
The Po-Na (Breaking-Seizing) methods of ShaoBei Quan originate from the Teachings of Yuan dynasty Shaolin monk Hong-Yi. HongYi was a member of the Linji sect of Chan Buddhism and was forced to leave the temple when Abbot Xueting Fuyu expelled all non Caodong monks from Shaolin.
He traveled to Mt. Wutai in Shaanxi province and settled in the WuLang Miao (Five Officials Shrine). Wutai Shan had long been known as a center of martial practice who's importance was only recently beginning to be matched by Shaolin.
HongYi Spent 10 years at the WuLang shrine developing the methods had learned. The end result was the Po-Na skills, including Po-Na theory and songs, Po-Na training and conditioning methods, and the Shiba Po18 Breaks, Shiba Na18 Seizes, and the QishiEr Po Na Fa 72 Breaking and Seizing Methods forms, which are now an important part of ShaoBei Quan.
The monk Hong-Yi had a close friend with whom he would play chess. It was this man's son who would eventually learn the entire Po-Na system from Hong-Yi. Later he also became a monk of the Linji sect and passed the system on to his successors in the Linji lineage.
Po-Na Fa can be thought of as an ancient battlefield version of what would later become known as Qin-Na. Po-Na Fa differs from Qin-Na in that it focuses more on limb destruction than on control.
Shao Bei Quan is composed of several ancient styles of martial arts which were combined over time, finally coming together in it's current form in the mid Qing dynasty.
The fighting methods of the system are generally broken into four categories Duan Da (Short Striking), Chang Quan (Long Fist), Po Na (Breaking & Seizing), and Qiao Dun Shu Gong (Skillful evasion methods) (Methods of evading attacks and capture attempts and group fighting strategies). Within these four categories there are many sub-divisions. They also include many other types of ancient training methods rarely seen today such as, extensive conditioning and special skill methods, Nei Gong methods, and Clever skills which include use of varied training apparatus such as poles, ropes, nets, bridges, chains, stakes, etc. These are often setup in obstacle course fashion and used in a variety of ways for conditioning, locomotion, and combat training with and without weapons.
Shao Bei is often referred to as a Shaolin style (or more accuratelly just Buddhist temple boxing) however it's earliest components come from martial practitioners of the Linji sect. The earliest methods are attributed to a 3rd generation lay disciple of the linji sect living at the end of the Tang dynasty and are referred to as the Duan Da Loose Methods. Other methods came from various other places, including several more monks from the Linji sect in various temples.
The other main source was Shaolin methods (The Linji monk who created the Po Na methods came from Shaolin before going to Wutai Shan after Xueting Fuyu's expulsion of non Caodong monks) (Also methods from Bai Yufeng were later used by another monk in Jiangsu when formulating the Dian Gang Quan / Pointing Hard Boxing, methods).
The Rou Hua Quan forms trace back to a late Ming/Early Qing Dynasty monk in Shandong who combined Zhang Songshi's Wudang Neijia Quan Methods with Shaolin methods.
In the mid Qing dynasty most of these methods were inherited by a monk of the Linji sect who had been collecting the various martial arts and training methods created at Shaolin and other monasteries.
He passed these on to his Buddhist disciple who created the Ba Bu Duan Da (Eight Section Short Striking) sets. He was friends with two other masters who exchanged their techniques with him. One was the inheritor of the Po Na methods created in the early Yuan by the Linji sect Shaolin monk on Wuati Shan. The other was the inheritor of the Rou Hua Quan (Soft Transformation Boxing) created by the monk in Shandong who combined Zhang Songxi's Neijia with Shaolin methods.
All of these methods were passed through six generations of monks before being inherited by Zhao Guolun who passed them on to Zhang Rongshi who began to teach the style openly in the 1960's.
* As a general rule I tend to use the history as told by practitioners of the style when no other research into the history of the style exists, and / or when the given history has not been disproved by research or common sense.
Song dynasty | Wikipedia audio article
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Song dynasty
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
The Song dynasty (Chinese: 宋朝; pinyin: Sòng cháo; 960–1279) was an era of Chinese history that began in 960 and continued until 1279. It was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of Later Zhou, ending the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The Song often came into conflict with the contemporary Liao and Western Xia dynasties in the north and was conquered by the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Song government was the first in world history to issue banknotes or true paper money nationally and the first Chinese government to establish a permanent standing navy. This dynasty also saw the first known use of gunpowder, as well as the first discernment of true north using a compass.
The Song dynasty is divided into two distinct periods, Northern and Southern. During the Northern Song (Chinese: 北宋; 960–1127), the Song capital was in the northern city of Bianjing (now Kaifeng) and the dynasty controlled most of what is now Eastern China. The Southern Song (Chinese: 南宋; 1127–1279) refers to the period after the Song lost control of its northern half to the Jurchen Jin dynasty in the Jin–Song Wars. During this time, the Song court retreated south of the Yangtze and established its capital at Lin'an (now Hangzhou). Although the Song dynasty had lost control of the traditional birthplace of Chinese civilization along the Yellow River, the Song economy was still strong, as the Southern Song Empire contained a large population and productive agricultural land. The Southern Song dynasty considerably bolstered its naval strength to defend its waters and land borders and to conduct maritime missions abroad. To repel the Jin, and later the Mongols, the Song developed revolutionary new military technology augmented by the use of gunpowder. In 1234, the Jin dynasty was conquered by the Mongols, who took control of northern China, maintaining uneasy relations with the Southern Song. Möngke Khan, the fourth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, died in 1259 while besieging the city of Chongqing. His younger brother Kublai Khan was proclaimed the new Great Khan, though his claim was only partially recognized by the Mongols in the west. In 1271, Kublai Khan was proclaimed the Emperor of China. After two decades of sporadic warfare, Kublai Khan's armies conquered the Song dynasty in 1279. The Mongol invasion led to a reunification under the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368).The population of China doubled in size during the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries. This growth was made possible by expanded rice cultivation in central and southern Song, the use of early-ripening rice from south-east and southern Asia, and the production of widespread food surpluses. The Northern Song census recorded 20 million households, double of the Han and Tang dynasties. It is estimated that the Northern Song had a population of some 120 million people, and 200 million by the time of the Ming dynasty. This dramatic increase of population fomented an economic revolution in pre-modern China. The expansion of the population, growth of cities, and the emergence of a national economy led to the gradual withdrawal of the central government from direct involvement in economic affairs. The lower gentry assumed a larger role in grassroots administration and local affairs. Appointed officials in county and provincial centers relied upon the scholarly gentry for their services, sponsorship, and local supervision.
Social life during the Song was vibrant. Citizens gathered to view and trade precious artworks, the populace intermingled at public festivals and private clubs, and cities had lively entertainment quarters. The spread of literature and knowledge was enhanced by the rapid expansion of woodblock printing and the 11th-century invention of movable-type printing. Technology, science, philosophy, mathematics, and engineering flourished over the course of the Song. Philosopher ...
Han dynasty | Wikipedia audio article
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Han dynasty
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
The Han dynasty (; Chinese: 漢朝; pinyin: Hàn cháo) was the second imperial dynasty of China (206 BC–220 AD), preceded by the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD). Spanning over four centuries, the Han period is considered a golden age in Chinese history. To this day, China's majority ethnic group refers to themselves as the Han Chinese and the Chinese script is referred to as Han characters. It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han, and briefly interrupted by the Xin dynasty (9–23 AD) of the former regent Wang Mang. This interregnum separates the Han dynasty into two periods: the Western Han or Former Han (206 BC–9 AD) and the Eastern Han or Later Han (25–220 AD).
The emperor was at the pinnacle of Han society. He presided over the Han government but shared power with both the nobility and appointed ministers who came largely from the scholarly gentry class. The Han Empire was divided into areas directly controlled by the central government using an innovation inherited from the Qin known as commanderies, and a number of semi-autonomous kingdoms. These kingdoms gradually lost all vestiges of their independence, particularly following the Rebellion of the Seven States. From the reign of Emperor Wu (r. 141–87 BC) onward, the Chinese court officially sponsored Confucianism in education and court politics, synthesized with the cosmology of later scholars such as Dong Zhongshu. This policy endured until the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1911 AD.
The Han dynasty saw an age of economic prosperity and witnessed a significant growth of the money economy first established during the Zhou dynasty (c. 1050–256 BC). The coinage issued by the central government mint in 119 BC remained the standard coinage of China until the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD). The period saw a number of limited institutional innovations. To finance its military campaigns and the settlement of newly conquered frontier territories, the Han government nationalized the private salt and iron industries in 117 BC, but these government monopolies were repealed during the Eastern Han dynasty. Science and technology during the Han period saw significant advances, including the process of papermaking, the nautical steering ship rudder, the use of negative numbers in mathematics, the raised-relief map, the hydraulic-powered armillary sphere for astronomy, and a seismometer for measuring earthquakes employing an inverted pendulum.
The Xiongnu, a nomadic steppe confederation, defeated the Han in 200 BC and forced the Han to submit as a de facto inferior and vassal partner, but continued their military raids on the Han borders. Emperor Wu launched several military campaigns against them. The ultimate Han victory in these wars eventually forced the Xiongnu to accept vassal status as Han tributaries. These campaigns expanded Han sovereignty into the Tarim Basin of Central Asia, divided the Xiongnu into two separate confederations, and helped establish the vast trade network known as the Silk Road, which reached as far as the Mediterranean world. The territories north of Han's borders were quickly overrun by the nomadic Xianbei confederation. Emperor Wu also launched successful military expeditions in the south, annexing Nanyue in 111 BC and Dian in 109 BC, and in the Korean Peninsula where the Xuantu and Lelang Commanderies were established in 108 BC. After 92 AD, the palace eunuchs increasingly involved themselves in court politics, engaging in violent power struggles between the various consort clans of the empresses and empresses dowager, causing the Han's ultimate downfall. Imperial authority was also seriously challenged by large Daoist religious societies which instigated the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Five Pecks of Rice Rebellion. Following the death of Emperor Ling (r. 168–189 AD), the palace eu ...
Jixia Village Tiger Boxing
Jixia village is located in Gantang countryside, Pingnan county, Ningde prefecture, Fujian province.
Huzun Quan has been practiced in Jixia village since at least the mid 18th century. However the exact period it started is not known.
It is often said that general Gan Guobao practiced this art as a child in the village. While he was known for his martial arts skills as well as his tiger paintings, this contradicts the traditions that Hu Zun Quan was taught to the Gan clan by Zheng Yuanhui who is alternately said to be the child or successor of either Zheng Li of the Yongchun white crane school or (much more likely) of Zheng Dengguang of the Yongtai Hu Zun Quan school.
Either way this would mean that at the earliest it would not have arrived in the village until after Gan Guobao was already a skilled martial artists and famous general.
There is another version which says that Gan Guobao brought Zheng Yuanhui in order to have him teach his martial arts to his children, grandchildren and other villagers.
Although it is more likely that Hu Zun Quan did not arrive until after his period.
Either way it is clear that the village has a long martial tradition and that martial arts were a daily part of village life even before the arrival of Hu Zun Quan in the village.
Jixia is an ancient mountain village which was founded by the Gan family.
During the early Qing dynasty it was home to the famous military general Gan Guo Bao ,who passed the imperial military exams in 1729 at the age of 20, and became known for his knowledge and skills in military tactics which made him one of the Qing's greatest generals.
He is also known by the people of the areas he fought in and looked after such as Fujian, Guangdong, and Taiwan as a righteous official who tried to help the local people and for his many selfless acts such as donating his entire years personal salary for relief supplies during a drought.
Besides his fame as a military figure and his skills in archery, horsemanship, he was also a great artist and is probably the most famous as the greatest painter of tiger pictures in Chinese history.
The village was founded by Gan Xikuang in the Ming dynasty (1437).
Howeve Gan family mythology passed down in the village claims that the area was part of the Gan Kingdom who's ruling family took the Gan name and were Feudal lords under the Xia dynasty ruling the area over 4000 years ago. Their branch of the Gan family claims descent from Gan Pan, senior minister of Shang Wudi, founder of the Shang dynasty.
Gan Pan was named because his father, the great doctor of the Shang royal family, dreamed that the gods gave him a stone basin (Pan) to bath in and cleanse himself. That night his mother gave birth to him, so he was named Gan Pan (basin).
(lineage mythology is usually created to make a family seem as illustrious as possible)
Jixia village is a protected ancient city which contains many Ming and Qing dynasty structures.
Because it was located in the mountains it was built to be defended from bandits.
The village is surrounded by a pounded earth wall with a main gate tower dating to 1467 and all approaches from any direction to the village are visible.
Like many old villages the houses are built closely together to create narrow alleyways with many easily defensible choke points.
The village is built on a river which divides it in two and is crossed by two ancient covered bridges, one of which dates to 1702 and the other is of similar age.
The riverside it's self built up with stone walls coming directly upwards out of the water. These are topped by long covered walkways backed by building which form a solid wall behind them.
There are several temples to different gods dating back to the 16th century as well as the Gan family temple dating to 1810.
The estate of Gan Guo Bao is also preserved inside the village as well as the vermillion plaque painted with a gold character 福 Fu (good fortune, happiness, luck, also the Fu in Fujian) which was painted and presented to him by emperor Qianlong in 1769.
SHUTDOWNS OF HOUSE CHURCHES CONTINUE
Read more:
Churches that are not directly controlled by the Chinese Communist Party are facing extinction as the number of closed down places of worship and arrested preachers continue to grow.
Alarmed about the fate of house churches, hundreds of Chinese pastors signed a declaration in late August, stating that the new Regulations of Religious Affairs amount to persecution of Christianity and vowing to resist it. Since then, the declaration has been signed by 439 pastors, and Chinese churches abroad have launched a campaign against the religious persecutions in mainland China
Despite the protests, churches across China continue to be shut down, and their pastors are being arrested. We have now received more such reports from Henan, Heilongjiang, and Hubei provinces.
Henan | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Henan
00:02:08 1 History
00:02:52 1.1 Ancient Era
00:05:13 1.2 Imperial Era
00:09:27 1.3 Modern Era
00:12:53 2 Geography
00:15:10 2.1 Climate
00:15:52 3 Administrative divisions
00:16:44 3.1 Urban areas
00:16:53 4 Demographics
00:18:51 4.1 Religions
00:20:13 5 Politics
00:20:49 6 Economy
00:24:24 7 Transportation
00:25:21 8 Culture
00:26:43 9 Tourism
00:28:38 10 Colleges and universities
00:30:44 11 Notable individuals
00:35:18 12 Sports teams
00:35:43 13 See also
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
You can find other Wikipedia audio articles too at:
You can upload your own Wikipedia articles through:
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Henan (河南; formerly romanised as Honan) is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (中州) which literally means central plain land or midland, although the name is also applied to the entirety of China proper. Henan is the birthplace of Chinese civilization with over 3,000 years of recorded history, and remained China's cultural, economical, and political center until approximately 1,000 years ago.
Henan province is a home to a large number of heritage sites which have been left behind including the ruins of Shang dynasty capital city Yin and the Shaolin Temple. Four of the Eight Great Ancient Capitals of China, Luoyang, Anyang, Kaifeng, and Zhengzhou are located in Henan. The practice of Tai Chi also began in Chen Jia Gou Village (Chen style), as did the later Yang and Wu styles.Although the name of the province (河南) means south of the [Yellow] river, approximately a quarter of the province lies north of the Yellow River, also known as the Huang He. With an area of 167,000 km2 (64,479 sq mi), Henan covers a large part of the fertile and densely populated North China Plain. Its neighbouring provinces are Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Anhui and Hubei. Henan is China's third most populous province with a population of over 94 million. If it were a country by itself, Henan would be the 14th most populous country in the world, ahead of Egypt and Vietnam.
Henan is the 5th largest provincial economy of China and the largest among inland provinces. However, per capita GDP is low compared to other eastern and central provinces.
Henan is considered to be one of the less developed areas in China. The economy continues to grow based on aluminum and coal prices, as well as agriculture, heavy industry, tourism, and retail, and hightech industries and service sector is underdeveloped and is concentrated around Zhengzhou and Luoyang.