Meihua Lu

[mooyingmantis]

CFT,

Thank you! Your translations are much more polished. I appreciate the corrections!

[CFT]

You're most welcome.

I could have been a mantid (7*). My old club taught that & Wing Chun at the same session/training space. Given my previous training I opted for the WC. We used to regularly spar the mantids end of class. Very different and a good experience for us all. They had fast footwork, in-and-out. Lots of level changes.

[mooyingmantis]

Here is the last section of the quanpu:

Fourth Road

下 步 翻 车
xià bù fān chē
Lower Step, Wheeling

进 步 辘 辘 捶
jìn bù lù lù chuí
Advancing Step, Windlass Strike

左 右 引 针
zuǒ yòu yǐn zhēn
Left & Right Pull Needle

左 擒 右 蹬 踊
zuǒ qín yòu dèng yǒng
Left Capture, Right Tread Step

雙 分 雙 闭
shuāng fēn shuāng bì
Double Seals, Double Close

雙 封 剁 子 脚
shuāng fēng duò zǐ jiǎo
Double Seal, Small Chop Kick

侧 身 鴛 鴦 腳
cè shēn yuān yang jiǎo
Incline Body, Mandarin Duck Kick

螳 螂 雙 封 手
táng láng shuāng fēng shǒu
Praying Mantis Double Seal Hands

[mooyingmantis]

Here are the three hair restraining techniques taught in Meihua Lu:

Movement Five
霸 王 去 摘 盔
bà wáng qù zhāi kuī
Overlord Takes Helmet

Capture the opponent's lead right hand with your lead right hook hand grab. Now swing your left hand up and in from the outer gate and grab the back of the opponent's head by the hair. Immdeiately twist the opponent's head so that his face is directed upward and lift your left knee to attack his lower ribs.

Movement Six
擒 髮 挫 嘴 巴
qín fà cuò zui bā
Capture Hair & Break Mouth

This is a continuation of the above technique. After striking the lower ribs with the left knee, maintain the hair grab while dropping into a left kneeling stance. As the opponent is falling strike the opponent's jaw with the right palm heel.

Movement Twenty-nine
粘 手 入 手 擒 身 旁
nián shou rù shou qín shēn páng
Sticky Hand, Entering Hand & Capture Body to the Side

This move is set up with the technique "White Crane Reveals Wings to Strike Both Sides". After a right waist chop from a left Hill Climbing step, slide the right foot up behind the left foot and execute a left seal and a right yang palm strike to the left side of the opponent's face.
Then step the right foot forward while executing a right hook hand, left seal and a right hair grab. Pull the opponent downward by the hair so that the opponent's head impacts the ground to the right of the forward right foot.

[mooyingmantis]

Will (Xiaoyao) posted this video of a student of Master Zhou Zhendong performing the Taiji Tanglangquan version of Meihua Lu:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wykTcY8tigg

[alextse4]

Originally Posted by Tainan Mantis

I thought you had ZHang Bingdou's book. I don't know where it is available, maybe on some book site. I noticed it has once again been reissued last time I was in CHina. I didn't buy it though.

I think this is your book.

[mooyingmantis]

Alex,

Yes, that is the book. After Kevin mentioned it I was able to find the two volume set on-line and purchased them.

[YouKnowWho]

Here are my simple questions:

- Why does a beginner need to learn this form?
- What does this form offer that other forms don't?
- Will this form make me to grow "tall", or it will make me to grow "fat"?
- ...

[mooyingmantis]

Originally Posted by YouKnowWho

Here are my simple questions:

- Why does a beginner need to learn this form?
- What does this form offer that other forms don't?
- Will this form make me to grow "tall", or it will make me to grow "fat"?
- ...

Good questions!

Originally Posted by YouKnowWho

Why does a beginner need to learn this form?

This is a form that I believe could be taught at any level. However, if you wanted to introduce a beginner to some of the most vicious moves of tanglangquan, this form is a good choice. It has punching, eye-gouging, hair pulling, kicking, kneeing, joint-locking and throwing. It has principles like: 虛 實 - xū shí, 剛 柔 - gāng róu (hard-soft) and 陰 陽 - yīn yáng (passive-active).

Originally Posted by YouKnowWho

What does this form offer that other forms don't?

It is not a matter of what it has that other forms do not have. Meihua Lu draws concepts and techniques from important forms like : Xiao Beng Bu, the Fanche series, Duo Gang and the Zhai Yao series. Though it is a small form (38 moves give or take depending on the family of Mantis) it has a lot of depth.

Originally Posted by YouKnowWho

Will this form make me to grow "tall", or it will make me to grow "fat"?

Not really sure what this means. But if you mean, "Is it just another form to pile onto the heap?" No!

If I could only preserve one short form that I felt had the principles to teach my students to fight, it would be this form.

[YouKnowWho]

Originally Posted by mooyingmantis

Not really sure what this means. But if you mean, "Is it just another form to pile onto the heap?" No!

If I could only preserve one short form that I felt had the principles to teach my students to fight, it would be this form.

All mantis forms are good for combat. That was not what I mean. For example, the

- Beng Bu form is good for "speed" (beginner level).
- Ran Jia form is good for "body pull/push limbs" (intermediate level).
- Zhai Yao form is good for "summary" (advance level).

Not sure which level this form should be placed. Also not sure this form is a "must learn" form.

[xiao yao]

I think this forms works in a similar way to zhai yao; as a kind of condensation

is ran jia a misspelling of luan jie? otherwise ive never heard of it?

the most important forms are bengbu, luan jie & ba zhou

[YouKnowWho]

Originally Posted by xiao yao

I think this forms works in a similar way to zhai yao; as a kind of condensation

is ran jia a misspelling of luan jie? otherwise ive never heard of it?

the most important forms are bengbu, luan jie & ba zhou

"乱接(luan jie)" is the correct name.

[mooyingmantis]

Originally Posted by xiao yao

I think this forms works in a similar way to zhai yao; as a kind of condensation

Agree!

If I were to try and condense the theme of meihua lu as YouKnowWho does with beng bu, luanjie and zhai yao, I would say the theme is "viciousness in fighting". Though I would love to have been able to hear Jiang Hualong and Song Zide's commentary on why the form was developed as it was.

Originally Posted by xiao yao

the most important forms are bengbu, luan jie & ba zhou

I think it depends on the family of mantis. Each of those forms vary greatly from family to family. Da Beng Bu or Xiao Beng Bu? Luanjie of Taiji Tanglangquan has little in common with Hong Kong Seven Star Lanjie.

I think Zhao Yao Yi Lu is a more common denominator among the typical mantis families. Though that form varies a bit too. Especially in Babu Tanglangquan.