White Crane. A comic book/graphic novel written by Zanna Vaughan-Davies and illustrated by Santiago Espina.
WHITE CRANE BOXING – THE LEGEND
There are many versions of the story of how the White Crane system
of Chinese boxing came into being, but all have similar themes...
of Chinese boxing came into being, but all have similar themes...
As told in Robert Smith's
Chinese Boxing – Masters and Methods
Fang Ch'i Niang, the daughter of Fang Shih Yu of Fukien, a teacher of a
soft method of Shaolin, was expert in that method and in stick fighting 200 years ago [when told in early 20th century – Zanna]. One morning while she was combing her hair, a white crane came to rest just outside her window. She playfully poked at him with her stick, but he used his wings to divert the attack, causing her to drop the stick. Angered, she picked up another stick and with all her skill launched another attack.
This time the crane broke her stick in two pieces.
Astounded, she implored the white crane spirit to come and guide her boxing. At this the crane made a noise (imitated to this day by White Crane boxers). Next day the crane in the guise of an old man came to
teach her. Under his tutelage she mastered the method after a long period.
Her servant, Chen Li Shu, learned the method from her for several years, after which he returned to his home town to teach the villagers so that a threat by bandits could be quashed. Chen taught his first class
of twenty eight students, and they later came to be called the 'Twenty Eight Heroes' for their success in ridding the place of bandits. Each of the twenty eight got copies of a secret work.
One of the twenty eight, surnamed Li, escaped to Taiwan during the Manchu troubles. At which point the White Crane movement became a full-fledged secret society replete with recognition signals.
soft method of Shaolin, was expert in that method and in stick fighting 200 years ago [when told in early 20th century – Zanna]. One morning while she was combing her hair, a white crane came to rest just outside her window. She playfully poked at him with her stick, but he used his wings to divert the attack, causing her to drop the stick. Angered, she picked up another stick and with all her skill launched another attack.
This time the crane broke her stick in two pieces.
Astounded, she implored the white crane spirit to come and guide her boxing. At this the crane made a noise (imitated to this day by White Crane boxers). Next day the crane in the guise of an old man came to
teach her. Under his tutelage she mastered the method after a long period.
Her servant, Chen Li Shu, learned the method from her for several years, after which he returned to his home town to teach the villagers so that a threat by bandits could be quashed. Chen taught his first class
of twenty eight students, and they later came to be called the 'Twenty Eight Heroes' for their success in ridding the place of bandits. Each of the twenty eight got copies of a secret work.
One of the twenty eight, surnamed Li, escaped to Taiwan during the Manchu troubles. At which point the White Crane movement became a full-fledged secret society replete with recognition signals.
As told by www.whitecranemartialarts.co.uk
About 350 years ago in the turbulent period straddling the Ming & Ching dynasties, there lived a Shaolin practitioner called Fang Zhang Guan. It is said he lived in what is now the Xia Pu county of the Ning De district of the Fujian province in South East China. Although considered a Shaolin master, Fang was attacked & severely beaten by a band of brigands, eventually dying from the assault. Fang had a daughter called Fang Chi Liang whom he had been teaching Kung Fu. She was devastated at her father’s death & swore revenge. She realised, however, that her Kung Fu skills were not up to the task. Shaolin was predominantly a hard style & as a female, small in stature, she knew that she would be unable to make this work against larger, stronger opponents.
While pondering this problem, it is said that she was disturbed by a large Crane that screeched & landed close to her. Fang tried to beat it away using a long pole, but the Crane fended off her attacks easily using the agility of its feet & wings & the swiftness of its counter attacks using its beak. Fang was amazed by the Cranes grace & relaxed speed. She began to formulate a Kung Fu style based on the Cranes use of evasion & counter attack.
It is said Fang took three years to create White Crane style & after this period of intense training she was able to get revenge for her father’s death. However, she was appalled at what she had done & retired to the Yong Chun district to live a life of seclusion & perfect her skills in Kung Fu.However, word spread about this little girl & her revolutionary Kung Fu style. Many people sought her out for tuition or even to challenge her. It is said she never lost a challenge match & her reputation grew tremendously.
While pondering this problem, it is said that she was disturbed by a large Crane that screeched & landed close to her. Fang tried to beat it away using a long pole, but the Crane fended off her attacks easily using the agility of its feet & wings & the swiftness of its counter attacks using its beak. Fang was amazed by the Cranes grace & relaxed speed. She began to formulate a Kung Fu style based on the Cranes use of evasion & counter attack.
It is said Fang took three years to create White Crane style & after this period of intense training she was able to get revenge for her father’s death. However, she was appalled at what she had done & retired to the Yong Chun district to live a life of seclusion & perfect her skills in Kung Fu.However, word spread about this little girl & her revolutionary Kung Fu style. Many people sought her out for tuition or even to challenge her. It is said she never lost a challenge match & her reputation grew tremendously.
