Fujian White Crane


Fujian White Crane, also known as White Crane Boxing is a Southern Chinese martial art that originated in Yongchun County, Fujian province. According to oral tradition, the style was developed by Fang Qiniang, a female martial artist. It is associated with traditional fighting techniques, including long range, but is most similar to close-quarter or hand-to-hand combat. It is most recognizable by the way the fighter imitates a bird's pecking or flapping of wings. While some white crane styles make use of traditional weapons, others have discontinued the use of weaponry.
Fujian White Crane descends in part from Shaolin Boxing and imitates characteristics of the white crane. This system is separate though related to Lohan Quan. The entire system of fighting was developed from observing the crane's movements, methods of attack and spirit, and may have evolved from the southern Shaolin animal styles.
There is no singular Fujian White Crane system. Multiple branches are collectively referred to as Fujian White Crane, including Sleeping, Whooping, Feeding, Flying and Jumping Crane styles based on imitative characteristics of their techniques. This group does not include Tibetan White Crane, which developed independently in western and southern China.

Features and characteristics

The Fujian White Crane is a half-hard, half-soft style of Nanquan. It is a short-ranged fighting style where hand strikes are performed by imitating the crane's beak, with moves executed in conjunction with the movements of the practitioner's spine.
Techniques delivered with legs are limited, but include defensive kicking and sweep techniques. The style has a strict moral code to ensure the students do not use its techniques for malicious purposes.
For purpose of self-defense, this form uses various body parts and weapons, as well as movements that are coordinated, flexible and strong.
Fujian White Crane places emphasis on evading the enemy attack, to bait the aggressor to open themselves for practitioner's own attacks. Many of the style's movements are targeted towards vulnerable body parts, such as the temple and throat.

History

The legend of the white crane

Fang Zhonggong, father of style founder Qiniang, was one of the monks of the "Southern Shaolin Monastery", that is mentioned in many Nanquan legends. He was expert in the "18-fist boxing of the Lo Han". Upon the destruction of the monastery, Fang and other monks fled to Fujian province, in a neighboring county to Yongchun. There, he would have a daughter, Qiniang. As Qiniang was growing up, Zhonggong would teach his martial arts knowledge to her.
After her mother's death, Qiniang moved to Yongchun County, Fujian province, where many cranes live. After having moved there, she subsequently hears that her father has been killed in a duel, trying to protect his daughter's honor. This prompted Qiniang to seek revenge, but she had to improve her martial arts skills, if she was to fight the one who killed his father.
One day, while Qiniang was doing her chores, a crane landed nearby. Qiniang tried to scare the bird off using a stick and the skills she had learned from her father, but whatever she did, the crane would counter. Qiniang tried to hit the crane on the head, but the bird moved its head out of the way and blocked the stick with its wings. Qiniang tried to hit the crane's wings, but the crane stepped to the side and blocked the stick with its claws. Qiniang tried to poke the crane's body, but the crane dodged backwards and struck the stick with its beak. From then on, Qiniang carefully studied the crane's movements.
There are many versions of this legend. It is said that this incident was a dream of her doing her chores instead of doing it for real and only after waking up, she started revising her theories In other accounts, the crane does not block a stick, but evades and counters it. The point of the style is to emphasize evasion and attack an opponent's vulnerabilities instead of using physical strength.
Regardless, this crane encounter inspired Qiniang to combine the crane's movements with techniques learned from her father, ultimately creating the White Crane Style.
Since it was created by a woman, White Crane fighting elements are especially popular in women's self-defense training because the movements do not require great strength. They more closely imitate the delicate pecking motion associated with this fighting style.

Documented history

During the Shunzhi period of the Qing Dynasty lived Fang Zhong, a practitioner of Southern Chinese martial arts from Funing Prefecture, Fujian. Fang Zhong was from a wealthy family and renowned for excellent fighting skills, having trained with well-known martial arts masters. Fang Zhong lost his wife in his early years, who had given birth to only one daughter, Fang Qiniang, and Fang Zhong taught his skills to her. According to the traditions of the Lee family branch of Flying Crane, Qiniang was born in the mid-17th century.
Fang Zhong and Fang Qiniang have held various aliases. Fang Zhong is a survivor from the end of the Ming Dynasty and had participated in anti-Qing and Fuming activities, having connections to Hongmen associates. Both have used pseudonyms to avoid being caught by the Qing government due to their anti-Qing activities. "Fangzhang" and "Fangzhang" are believed to be the same person, and "Fangzhangguang" should also be "Fangzhang". "Fang Chung Gong", is a transcript of voice transmission. Fang Zhong also adopted the name "Fang Hui Shi" after defeat of anti-Qing forces.
One day, Qiniang saw a huge crane and attacked it with a stick. As she was unable to defeat it, she realized the crane had come to teach her, and developed her own unique techniques from the experience. Qiniang would modify her father's Nanquan techniques in the way that would serve as basis for what is now known as Fujian White Crane Kung Fu.
She had four principal students who later developed four main branches of Fujian White Crane: Eating, Crying, Sleeping, and Flying. Many systems evolved from each of the four original types of White Crane.
Zeng Si from Yongchun, married Qiniang and had two sons. Zeng Si and Qiniang returned to the Gu family's ancestral hall in Hou Temple, Rulin Village, Wulijie Town, Yongchun County to teach martial arts. Yongchun County is adjacent to Kinmen, which is the threshold for Taiwan. At the ancestral hall there are paintings of White Crane Taoist and Zeng Si revered as the first teacher of White Crane.
In the Flying Crane tradition, Fang Qiniang never married, had children or a husband. Rather, she retired in Baihe An and taught martial arts.
According to the Yong Chun Bai He tradition, the Ong Gong Shr Wushuguan was established in the town of Yongchun, prefecture of Quanzhou, Fujian province, when its founders were taught by Fang Qiniang during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor of the Ming dynasty.
Pingyang White Crane was created by Fāng Qī Niáng during Shunzhi period during the Qing dynasty. During Jiaqing period, this kongfu spread to Pingyang city. Yongchun-style White Crane was created by Fāng Qī Niáng during KangXi period during the Qing dynasty.
Li Wenmao, an opera performer and leader of the 1854-1856 Red Turban Rebellion in Foshan, is said to have practiced the Yǒngchūn style of White Crane.
The Xu Xi Dao style of White Crane as taught by Chen Zhuozhen was derived from Zhong-Ho 'Springing Crane', and was developed in Taiwan by Huang Laoyang in the 1950s.

Branches and schools

ChinesePinyinMinnan
Sleeping Crane Fist宿鶴拳SùhèquánSiok4 Hoh8 Kun5also known as Ancestral Crane
Crying Crane Fist鳴鶴拳MínghèquánBeng5 Hoh8 Kun5also known as Calling, Whooping, or Shouting Crane
Eating Crane Fist食鹤拳ShíhèquánChiah8 Hoh8 Kun5also known as Feeding or Morning Crane
Flying Crane Fist飛鶴拳FēihèquánHui1 Hoh8 Kun5aka Fei Hok Kuen
Shaking Crane Fist縱鶴拳ZònghèquánChiong3 Hoh8 Kun5also known as Jumping Crane, as well as Jun Hok Kuen

Yongchun White Crane in China

The lineage of The Weng Gong Ci Gym in Yongchun County is:
  • 方掌光 - Fang Zhang Guang
  • 方七娘 - Fang Qi Niang
  • 曾四 - Zeng Si
  • 潘賢 - Pan Xian
  • 潘堆金 - Pan Dui Jin
  • 潘賽玉 - Pan Sai Yu, 潘敦池 - Pan Dun Chi, 潘大任 - Pan Da Ren
  • 潘深恩 - Pan Shen En, 潘月照 - Pan Yue Zhao
  • 潘利秋 - Pan Li Qiu
  • 潘貞團 - Pan Zhen Tuan
  • 潘孝德 - Pan Xiao De
  • 潘成廟 - Pan Cheng Miao
  • 潘瓊琪 - Pan Qiong Qi

    Eating/Feeding Crane in Taiwan

The lineage of Feeding Crane in Taiwan is:
  • 方七娘 - Fang Qiniang
  • 曾四叔 - Zeng Sichu
  • 鄭禮叔 - Zheng LiShu
  • 蔡忠叔 - Cai Zhongshu
  • 蔡公頸 - Cai Gongjing
  • 林德順 - Lin Deshun
  • 劉故 - Liu Gu
  • 劉銀山 - Liu Yinshan
  • 劉長益 - Liu Zhangyi

    Sleeping Crane

Lin Chuanwu, originally from Chengmen in the Fuzhou area, studied this sub-style from the monk Jue Qing for 5 years at the Shimen temple.

Calling/Whooping Crane in China

At the end of the Qing Dynasty, Lin Shixian, an expert in Yongchun Baihequan, went to Fuzhou to teach his martial art. Among his disciples was Pan Yuba, who passed it on to others. Pan Yuba had also learned Luohanquan. By the time this style was learned by Xie Zhongxiang in Changle, Fuzhou, it had undergone many changes and was called Minghequan.

Lineage

  • Lin Shi Xian
  • Pan Yu Ba
  • Xi Zong Xiang
  • Lin Zhen Lan - Chen Shi Ding - Huang Xing Xian
  • Lin Jan Hua, Zheng Hui Sheng -Ruan Dong
  • Lin Yuan Dun - Zheng Xian Qi

    Jumping/Shaking Crane in Taiwan

  • Fang Qi Niang
  • Zheng Li
  • Zheng Cong
  • Li Seng
  • Fang Shi Peng
  • Fang Yong Cang
  • Lin Guo Zhong
  • Huang Xing Xian
  • Zheng Xian Qi
  • Huang Yi Xiong