Zhang Sanfeng's sword form II

Using my usual rough translation style [please DO NOT expect word-for-word translations from me] I have finally taken the first Taijiquan related article that I posted back in 2004 and given it a Chinese to English translation.

The article is actually pretty interesting as the name Wudang Six Section Sword Form [武當六路劍法] bears an uncanny resemblance to the Yangs' Old Six Section Hand Form name [老六路], which is also reputed to be passed down from the legendary Zhang Sanfeng.

張三豐劍法 傳重現江湖

記者石開明／綜合報導

失傳多年的張三豐創的武當六路劍法，最近傳出在天津現身。演練這套劍法的老人說，他現在打算將這套劍法與畫藝結合，獨樹一派新畫風。

Zhang Sanfeng's "Wudang Six Section Sword Form" that had until recently been considered lost, has re-appeared in Tianjin China. The old guy who demonstrates this form said that he plans to take the sword form and combine it with his painting skills to create a new art style.

天津青年報報導，這位精神矍鑠的老人凝神靜氣，手中一口寶劍隨著一抖，劍式輕靈而出。洋洋洒洒之間，身隨劍變，劍隨身走，劍式或刺、或劈，身形或轉、或移，劍招中透出非凡的氣勢。在一套令人眼花繚亂的劍招穩穩收勢後，老人氣不喘，面不改色。七分鐘內老人的劍招至少使出一百多式，其間閃展騰挪、躥蹦跳繞的高難度動作不下一半。

The Tianjin Youth Press reported that the old guy appears energetic and calm whilst practicing the sword. The sword follows his every move and turn demonstrating some exceptional postures and stances. After the amazing demonstration of swordsmanship the old guy showed no sign of breathlessness or tiredness. The old guy completes more than one hundred individual styles in less than seven minutes, demonstrating various high level skills such as jumps and kicks.

這名老人叫王恩盛，看起來年約七十，但實際年齡卻是八十三歲。老人說，別人都不信他已八十三，但他確實是這個歲數。

The old guy's name is Wang Ensheng, he looks around seventy years old, but is actually eighty three. He says that it is common for people to mistakenly believe he is much younger that his real age of eighty three years old.

老人說，他的這套劍術就是失傳多年的武當丹派六路劍法，現在的武當山道士練的這套劍術，還是從他們幾個師兄弟學的。他的老師是這套劍法的第十一代傳人，到他們師兄弟是第十二代。上個世紀八年代武術盛行時，他與幾個師兄弟將這套劍法整理出版，引起武當山道士的注意。這套劍法原本在武當山失傳，武當山的道士找到他們，請他們上山傳藝，才使這套劍法重回武當。

The old guy said that this sword form is the actual Wudang Danpai Six Section Sword Form that had, until recently, been considered lost, but now even Daoists from Wudang Mountains study the sword skills from himself and his disciples. The old guy and his disciples are the twelfth generation in the lineage, his master was the eleventh. During the 1980s they published a book which attracted the attention of the Wudang Daoist monks and they consequently invited them up into the mountains to teach - at last the sword style has returned to its roots.

王恩盛是天津市文史館館員，他說，這套劍法出自中國古代武術傳奇人物張三豐之手，是武當劍術的重要支派之一。因為這套武當劍法屬於單線相傳，經歷六百年的時光後，能夠知道而且全套演練的人微乎其微，幾乎失傳。

Wang Ensheng who works in Tianjin's Museum of Cultural History says that the style is passed down from the legendary Daoist alchemist and martial artist Zhang Sanfeng, and is one of the important sword styles from Wudang Mountains. Although this sword style has been around for more than six hundred years, it was almost lost because of its single line lineage and actual practitioners being few and far between.

王恩盛表示，當年張三豐創立這套劍法後，一直被武當派視為鎮山寶之一，非師父親傳弟子不能相傳。當年的這套劍法「殺」性太大，與人比武時，也不能輕易使用。如果不是第十代傳人、武術大師李景林思想開放，將這套劍法傳授給多名弟子，這套劍法今天可能就看不到了。

Wang Ensheng pointed out that after Zhang Sanfeng created this sword style it was kept as a secret transmission, and because the sword style is lethal in actual use, the practice of it was never taken lightly. If it wasn't for the tenth generation master Li Jinglin's decision to teach more openly, then it's likely that the it would be impossible to see this sword style today.

王恩盛還是天津第一代漫畫畫家，從事連環畫創作用腦過度，患了嚴重的失眠症。因緣際會，他學得了武當丹派劍術全套單練劍法一百卅二式，包括起勢、收勢在內，共分為六路，王恩盛用了兩年時間將全部劍法了熟於心，並且幾十年來刻苦練習，從未間斷。

Wang Ensheng is also a first generation cartoonist who unfortunately suffers with eyesight problems caused by over work. He decided to learn the one hundred and thirty two style sword form and spent two years practicing and familiarizing himself with the subtleties of it, and has now spent more than ten years of continuous practice to achieve some level of perfection.

Source =【2003/12/26 聯合報】 ＠ http://udn.com

Post Typhoon Krosa

Once a typhoon has passed in Taiwan the weather always seems to cool down [at least in Taichung]. Especially after Typhoon Krosa the weather is now particularly cool with a nice breeze blowing in the evenings, which is a boon for training. At last I can now practice without being bathed in running sticky sweat.

Back in the UK we look forward to the Summers, because they are a relief from the long cold and dark Winter months. But here we [or at least I] look forward to the Winter months for some relief from the sticky extreme heat of the Summer.

Extreme weather is not conducive to good Taijiquan practice I have discovered.

Recently I've been working on Deep Squat stances and have found how weak and pathetically unstable my legs and waist [thighs, lower back and groin area] are. I used to think my legs were pretty strong from training variations of the Horse Riding stance, but the Deep Squat, now that is another story!

But as with all leg training we have to be wary of knee damage caused by incorrect alignment and over stressing the muscles, tendons and joints. Slow incremental development is key to avoiding knee damage, and make sure that the joint alignment and posture are correct. Having said that my right knee has sustained damage from some where [I suspect from years of stiff, bad posture in Snake Creeps Down], but I hope that it will heal a little as the muscles surrounding the knee strengthen and become more elastic.

Oh, how I wish I was young again and could start all this training with a nice new, flexible body, instead of a creaking and stiff old[ish] one.

The blog is back

Due to popular demand this blog is back online. But I have taken out some of the very old blogs that now seem to be not relevant to my current studies and practice, or simply not correct. The blogs will concentrate on my Taijiquan related experience here in Taiwan, until I return to the UK.