The search continues – White Crane 2.
May 22, 2008
This is perhaps the most important White Crane lesson from all my teachers, mentors and seniors – “If you don’t whip, you are not doing White Crane”.
A friend recently likens this whipping to “throwing a wet towel to hit a target” – not far from the truth.
So for those who touched hands with me during my US trip, here’s a Crane clip from Taiwan which you will find very obvious whipping throughout – much like how I do my Crane….
White Crane – The search continues….
May 20, 2008
Getting a bit sluggish in updating this blog? Well, not really; just so much follow-ups after the US trip.
Also I’ve been calling on some of the Kuching masters to talk about more projects especially those being discussed during the US trip. For starter, Ted (Plum Pub) spoke about a possible visit to these parts for a research trip.
And with some of my students, possibly, visiting sometime this year, I want to put together a small gathering ……an east west pow-wow session of sort….
Now back to the trail of the Crane, I found this fascinating performance of a “Monkey-Crane” hybrid done in Taiwan.
Well, again, I have not witness the Taiwan’s version but many years ago there was a “Monkey-Crane” style taught in Malaysia.
That, I had the good fortune of observing up-close one time, many years ago.
The clip comes from an “International Crane Convention” DVD – Ted is selling these in his site www.plumpub.com
“Accidental” Tourist.
May 15, 2008
Ooookay, besides teaching Kung Fu and meeting for potential business alliances, I did spent time behaving just like any tourist.
Visiting tourist attractions and other landmarks, savoring local foods and drinks, I also went around shopping for souvenirs for folks back in Sarawak.
With 20 plus colleagues in the company, I got to be careful not to miss out anyone and still be mindful of “budget”.
On top of that, I also picked out some buck knives for some of the masters here in Kuching; the really sharp cut-to-the-bones kind. These were packed in my checked-in luggage and I went through all the airports without hassle…
Did get myself a small little money-clip that has a folded tiny itsy-bitsy knife (more like a nail file) on the side.
When I flew through Hong Kong International on the way back, the metal-detector picked it up and they confiscated it!
To rub salt into the “small” wound, the airport security told me to come back some other time to pick it up – within 14 days – DUH!
And folks, if you are flying into the US, please go get some “TSA Recognized Baggage Locks” .
That way, if “Transportation Security” wants to inspect your checked-in luggage, they use their master-key and not break open your locks.
Also carry as little with you as possible when you go thru’ the metal detectors or do what I did; strip until you only got pant and shirt on……..everything else goes through the conveyor belt scanner.
If you got gold teeth fillings – Good Luck!
Fuzhou White Crane USA – who & where ?
May 14, 2008
Chas Fisher, Seattle. (on the right of photo)
Wayne Hinton, Denver Colorado.
Chad Osterlund (white shirt), Colorado.
James Stacy , Colorado.
Stacy, Colorado.
Richard Dean, Colorado.
Russ Smith, Tampa Florida.
In the midst of constructing a website to feature Fuzhou/Fukien White Crane from China, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia.
And this site will also include folks in the US who are linked to Fuzhou White Crane. Above are some of the people who are currently training and teaching my line of Fuzhou Ancestral and Whooping Crane…..
Back to normal.
May 13, 2008
Okay, it has been about a week since I got back from the US; my body is re-tuned to Sarawak rhythm, I am going through all the pics I shot in the States and uploading them….
Starting with this set taken in Seattle; you’ll see shots taken in “Gasworks Park” – the place where we spent 2 days flapping our hands behaving like cranes….
You’ll also see some pics taken downtown Seattle; around the “Experience Music Project” where they had a “Jimi Hendrix” exhibition.
On display is a guitar that the late Hendrix, a Seattlean, totaled .
And I did the “tourist” thing; got myself a Jimi t-shirt and a set of coasters featuring “Pink Floyd” LP covers.
It was a beautiful sunny spring day when Chas and I did the EMP thing and after about an hour in the project, we went out and did another Seattle’s thing – sit in the sun and sip coffee……
Fuzhou White Crane USA.
May 12, 2008
One of the prime reasons for my visit to the US is to work with my students there to ensure that Fuzhou Crane is propagated appropriately; I taught Saolim, Tai Zu and White Crane when I was stationed there some 8 years ago.
Besides streamlining and standardizing the curriculum, we also figured out ways to keep communication loop efficient.
I am in Singapore/Malaysia and now I got students/friends teaching White Crane in Seattle, Colorado and Florida. On top of that, another of my students, James Stacy, is asking for permission to set up White Crane schools in Arkansas and Oklahoma…
Looks like I will be visiting the US quite a bit from now on to keep passing on more Fuzhou Crane.
All this is only doable because my Sihing has approved to spread to the art to the West and with only the 2 of us in the family, it’s important for me to seek his endorsement in all that I do.
Chas, my senior student, has indicated that he will be visiting Malaysia towards the end of this year and I am trying to get all my students to make the same trip.
Not only to pick up more White Crane but also to get my Sihing to conduct a “pai si” ceremony…
Ya ya I know this is nothing more than a ceremony but this is something that I want to keep intact….I went through a “pai si” ritual with all my teachers……
Here’s my Sihing again doing our “4 doors” form
Working hard for my money…..
May 7, 2008
Training in Seattle “Gasworks” Park.
Training to take better pics with my digicam…
NMIA – Not Missing In Action!
May 7, 2008
Russ, Gene Ching, myself and Gigi Oh outside their office/warehouse in Fremont….. never seen so much MA products concentrated in one site ……
Russ talking to Ted and Debbie/PlumPub. Pardon the poor quality – had my flash turned off for this shot in a restaurant – I am in the mirror.
Hahahaha, anxious friends started calling/emailing asking “Are you okay?”, “Missing in action?” and “Have you decided to not come back after visiting California?” and blah blah blah ……..
Nope…. After a week in Seattle, I headed out to San Francisco where I am scheduled to meet Ted Mancuso/Debbie Shayne of Plum Publications. This is prearranged to take place in Santa Cruz where Ted and Debbie are based.
Then it’s on to another meeting with Gene Ching and Gigi Oh – Kung Fu/Tai Chi Magazine. These folks are in Fremont, about an hour away from Santa Cruz.
My buddy/partner Russ is also involved in these meetings.
So after a day of lazing in Santa Cruz and with no computer equipment with me, I found it hard to do any updating. So I took the day to discover the town, first the beach broadwalk and later a very fascinating part of town where all species of folks hang out; Harley tribes, street performers, folks picketing and the “Billabong” / “QuickSilver” surfing amphibious homo sapiens…..boy I was busy just watching this colorful display of a slice of Americana…
Russ totally disagrees, of course; this is California and California is California he mumbled, making like no sense to this Singapore boy……
The meetings went extremely well with both PlumPub and Kung Fu Magazine with understandings to work together to promote the work that we are doing in Asia.
More details will be released in later updates but for now, I just want to say that “PlumPub” will be the main distributor of our products and MA articles from us will start appearing in Kung Fu Magazine.
Errrhhh, after I sleep off the jet lag and pay a few visits to my good friend, Mr. Carlsberg….naturally….
Many trees - 1 Forest/ 天下武林是一家 