Splashing Hands from Northern Shaolin temple or Southern?

[Keboh]

Hi all, can someone help me clear up a question?
I study Shaolin Splashing Hands, the system taught to the temple guards at the Shaolin Temple.
I'm just trying to find out if it was for the guards at the Northern temple or the Southern one?
I had heard it was Northern, but now I'm not so certain. For one thing, it has very little kicking, but lots of handwork. Is this a hallmark of Southern styles?
Also, I believe that the style was taught by Ark Y Wong in the USA, and he's associated with Southern Shaolin as far as I am aware. Much obliged.

[sanjuro_ronin]

I though that "splashing hands" was created by Tiny whatshisname, who taught it to McNeil (SP?)

[B-Rad]

Same here, I thought it was a new(ish) system.

[SouthernTiger]

As near as I can tell from talking with different people and the various forums that Splashing Hands has been discussed on the origins are probley along these lines:

1) Tiny learned an authentic Chinese martial art from the Retired general in Taiwan.

2)This curriculum only included the 30 drill "forms" and the four corners form.

3)Tiny went to LA and studied under Ark Wong where he incorporated the other forms (animal forms, small cross, etc.)

Now as to the style tracing its origins to Shaolin, this is somewhat unlikely. Not impossible but unlikely.

However as to your question, Keboh, the legend is that it indeed descends from the Northern temple. As to the "southern hands, northern feet", this is a broad generalization that has many exceptions.

-Blake

[Keboh]

1) Tiny learned an authentic Chinese martial art from the Retired general in Taiwan.

2)This curriculum only included the 30 drill "forms" and the four corners form.

3)Tiny went to LA and studied under Ark Wong where he incorporated the other forms (animal forms, small cross, etc.)

That's interesting, and it does kinda make sense. So you are saying that Splashing Hands is a mixture of the Taiwan General art + Ng Ga Kuen?

That would explain why the four corners form looks quite different from the other forms including the animal forms.

So in effect, is it fair to say Splashing Hands is a combination of Northern and Southern martial arts? Northern from Taiwan and Southern from Ark Wong.

[Jim Anestasi]

Tiny Lafiti took a few private lesson from G.M.Ark Y.Wong in the 60's.Grand Master Wong did not teach him Splashing hand!,His style was a mixture of Kenpo Karate & some other styles.This rumor was started years ago about G.M.Wong teaching him splashing hands,It never happened.There is more about this if you use the search forum.
Sifu Jim

[doug maverick]

lafiti thats the guy sifu james mcneil started learning from i think not sure but i think probably where the splashing hands thing comes from.

[SouthernTiger]

Tiny Lafiti took a few private lesson from G.M.Ark Y.Wong in the 60's.Grand Master Wong did not teach him Splashing hand!,His style was a mixture of Kenpo Karate & some other styles.This rumor was started years ago about G.M.Wong teaching him splashing hands,It never happened.There is more about this if you use the search forum.
Sifu Jim

Hello Sifu Jim,

No one is suggesting (on this thread anyway) that Tiny Lefiti learned Splashing Hands from Ark Wong. It seems quite apparent that he learned the animal sets and small cross and combo forms from him.

Tiny then added Splashing Hands movements to those forms that he learned from Ark Wong.

As to "His style was a mixture of Kenpo Karate & some other styles", I disagree. But, who trully knows?

-Blake

[Keboh]

Tiny Lafiti took a few private lesson from G.M.Ark Y.Wong in the 60's.Grand Master Wong did not teach him Splashing hand!,His style was a mixture of Kenpo Karate & some other styles.This rumor was started years ago about G.M.Wong teaching him splashing hands,It never happened.There is more about this if you use the search forum.
Sifu Jim

I will be very disappointed if this is true .... I have been under the impression I was doing a shaolin art. I certainly haven't been paying all this time to learn kenpo karate.

[chrislomas]

According to Seming Ma, Huame was helped improve what he had learned in Taiwan by Ark Yue Wong, who approved of his actions.

[SIFU RON]

I remember when Tiny showed up at Ark Wong's. Tiny was a likeable guy.

His M/A was very good, it was, he was what we would call today,a mixed Martial Arts. Ark Wong added to his knowledge. Ark Wong was happy to teach Tiny just as he was happy to teach anyone that had the right attitude.

The sad part about being dead is, you can't speak here (on the planet) to anyone.

People can say most anything, just as they do about Tiny, Ralph Shun, or Ark Wong, they aren't here anymore,

This is the main reason Sifu Jim and I have "come out of the woodwork" so people can actually talk with us. We aren't claiming to be the Grandmaster's or the chosen one's of Ark Wong's Kung Fu or the Inheritor's of the Style.

There is no one inheritor of Ark Wong's Kung Fu, . Jim Anestasi and I are the elders of Ark Wong's Kung Fu. There plenty of Ego's flying around though.

Do not be ashamed of anything you learn or have learned from Tiny. He knew a great deal of Ark Wong's Kung Fu and M/A Styles. A great Kung Fu person.

Be proud.

Sifu Ron

[Danny Eckart]

I don't know anything about it but I did see that on Doug Wong's website his Bio kind hints at splashing hands as being Mok Ga.
http://www.whitelotuskungfu.com/about-masterwong.html

Just thought I'd throw that in for you guys.

Danny

[chrislomas]

Sifu Ron and Sifu Jim, I have been following the other thread, I love hearing about Ark Yue Wong, who is greatly respected by us Splashing Hands players. It is great to hear from his early students. The animal forms of the Splashing Hands style are clearly Ng Ga Kuen forms altered to the Splashing Hands 'alphabet'.

You may be interested to know on Sifu Lefiti's death Sifu McNeil (my teacher) then continued his study with Ralph Shun (before going into Hsing I etc.), I have learnt alot comparing both ways of doing the forms.

Best Chris

[SIFU RON]

Thank you Chris,

nicely put. Yes I am aware of James, Tiny , and Ralph , they were very close. They shared good Kung Fu together. Ralph also taught them weapons. All of them and yourself have been touched by Ark Wong's Kung Fu in one way or another.

Thats what Jim and I are looking for. If you have visited us on our forum, next, time, talk to us, and register if you like.

Http://wahquekungfu.proboards100.com/index,cgi

By chance , do you remember one of Ralph Shun's students by the name of Rick Zanotti ?

Best to you,

Sifu Ron and Sifu Jim

[SIFU RON]

I don't know anything about it but I did see that on Doug Wong's website his Bio kind hints at splashing hands as being Mok Ga.
http://www.whitelotuskungfu.com/about-masterwong.html

Just thought I'd throw that in for you guys.

Danny

Douglas knows a great deal about Ark Wong, fact is he knows most everyone.
I run into him every once in a while. Douglas, Carrie, and his children do a remarkable job of teaching M/A, helping people, and share with everone.