|
It was Tee Ley who brought the Tiger-Crane style to high renown
throughout China. He was a master of the iron palm technique (see
end note) although he only trained his right hand. It was said that
whatever he gripped in this hand he could turn to dust.
In years gone by, it was the custom of China for Kung Fu masters
to challenge each other to fight. Such fights were held on raised
platforms called Lei Tais. There were no rules - it was an all out
fight. Tee Ley was famous for fighting many Lei Tais, usually killing
his opponent. Wherever a Lei Tai was being held, he would travel
there. Eventually he had defeated all challengers - no one remained
who dared to confront him. He was acknowledged as the champion of
Southern China. Since he was getting older, he retired from fighting
and became a shoe maker.
Some time after Tee Ley had retired, the champion fighter of Northern
China challenged him to find which was best: the Northern style
of fighting, which uses many high kicks and long range hand techniques,
or the Southern style, which uses a strong stance, close range hand
techniques and emphasizes blocking. Tee Ley refused the challenge
as he had retired from fighting and stopped training. The northern
champion would not give up, however, and kept threatening Tee Ley.
Eventually, Tee Ley decided that he must act, so he travelled north
to take up the challenge. He made careful preparations for a quick
escape, since he knew that if he beat their champion, the northern
Chinese would want to take revenge: he had a boat waiting, ready
to take him back to the south.
Tee Ley sought out his opponent and took up the challenge. The
two champions fought on a Lei Tai. Tee Ley fought using his Tiger-Crane
style and his deadly iron palm. The northern champion was no match
for him and soon lay dead at his feet. Tee Ley had to escape quickly
through the commotion, but was lucky enough to make it back to his
boat. He sailed back to Southern China to a hero's welcome.
News of what had happened soon spread throughout China. Tee Ley
became very famous and so did the style of Kung Fu with which he
fought - the Tiger-Crane combination.
This is the story of how the Tiger-Crane combination became famous.
Note on the Training of The Iron Palm Technique:
Iron palm training is intended to harden the hand, thus enabling
the practitioner to deliver more devastating blows. Masters of the
iron palm technique are often famous for their breaking demonstrations.
There are different variations on the iron palm training, some concentrating
purely on external strength, while others are more internal. Many
martial artists toughen their hands to some extent, but few go to
the extremes of training. Those that do often train only one hand.
In its extreme form, training of the iron palm may involve ramming
the straight fingers into a wok full of iron filings, which are
heated strongly over a burner. This training results in incredibly
strong hands, but can cause long term damage such as arthritis.
This is why few people now train this way.
Current UK lineage Master for the Tiger-Crane Kung Fu style in the
Nam Yang Association, Master Iain Armstrong, demonstrates how to
break a brick using only his fingertips
Master Ang Lian Huat, the founder of Nam Yang Association trained
in the iron palm. Club members no longer perform the more extreme
levels of this training, but do toughen their hands, arms and legs
with such items as sand bags, bundles of bamboo and iron/brass poles.
This type of training should never be performed without the guidance
of a good instructor or without the proper medicine.
Use of the correct medicine is vital in all forms of Chinese body
conditioning. The formulae for medicines are often jealously guarded
secrets of the masters, passed on only when they are nearing their
end. The medicine used by Nam Yang is known only by Master Tan Soh
Tin. It contains twenty-two different ingredients obtained from
a Chinese herbalist and two special ingredients. Bottles of medicine
can be supplied by instructors.
|
Related pages:
|
|
|
|
