In general, there is still very little detailed information in English even on the more common Chinese martial arts traditions, particularly in the areas of history and inner workings. It should therefore come as no surprise that where the Tibetan martial arts are concerned there have only been a few small attempts. This is therefore the first work in English to attempt to completely address this tradition. It was a very difficult task because we had to overcome both the obstacles that stand in the way of works on every Chinese martial art and those specifically associated with the Tibetan martial arts.
Since martial artists were seldom the intellectual elite in China and many regional and government records are either lost or unavailable, the only record of any system's origin is often the oral legend told from Sifu to student over the years. Unfortunately, there are generally several versions of each legend and accounts vary from individual to individual.
When attempting to document the history of Tibetan martial arts (i.e. those who developed from the system which was known as Lion's Roar) there are even more problems. First and foremost is the Chinese disregard for anything not Chinese. Despite the fact that the tradition existed for ten generations in Tibet prior to Sing Lung's arrival in Guangdong province in 1865, almost nothing is said about the style of Lion's Roar prior to this date. It must also be remembered that the Chinese often regard the three systems we know today as Maht Jong Lama Pai (Esoteric Principle Lama Style), Haap Ga Kyuhn/Hop Gar Kuen (Knight Family Style) and Baahk Hok Pai/Pak Hok Pai (White Crane Style) as a foreign tradition and remember when they were the official methods of the foreign imperial court (the Manchurians).
Another problem we faced when writing this book was the general uncooperativeness of the Chinese teachers involved in the styles in question. All three of the current systems are, on the surface, very close in composition and appearance. Few of the teachers we know were willing to define each style or discuss the breaks in Lion's Roar that caused the three styles in the first place. We personally became to believe these problems are rooted in the recent involvement of certain associations and societies with the Tibetan tradition.
Perhaps all these problems are the very reason why these systems have remained so mysterious to even the Chinese. Despite the fact the names Lama Pai, Hop Gar and Pak hok are well known and respected, very few people know anything concrete about them. They are perhaps unique because there is little detailed information concerning the system, even in Chinese! While many styles are unknown to Westerners, one can generally find books written in Chinese concerning them. Most, if not all, of the books about the Tibetan martial arts are no longer in print and difficult to acquire.
Because these systems are so rare and have been so closely guarded by those who practice it there have been many misunderstandings and abuses. In recent years there have been a number of individuals, none of them authorized representatives, who have taken it upon themselves to chronicle the history and represent the tradion. Unfortunately, these individuals' histories have been inaccurate or simply incorrect and many misconceptions have been spread to the general public.
A vast majority of this book is based upon and contains translations of a document known as the Lama Ching (Classic of Tibetan Martial Arts) which was written by Sing Lung Lo Jung during his stay at the Green Cloud Monastery in Guangdong province. The Lama Ching discusses the history of the tradition, its advanced theories, and the composition of the style at the time. Today, there a few fragmentary versions of this book know to exist outside the Green Cloud Monastery. One copy is in the possession of Master Chan Tai-San.
Discussions concerning the development of the Lion's Roar tradition after this period, particularly the founding of the many differnet lineages, utilized several resources. First and foremost were the opinions presented by Master Chan Tai-San. Secondly, the authors considered other written sources including articles and books written by both the Hong Kong White Crane Athletic Association and the International White Crane Federation. Finally, the authors came to their own personal conclusions based upon their own observations.
Please note, some of the information and opinions contained in this book may be considered highly controversial. However, the authors stands by their research and the information contained in this book.
Tibetan or Chinese martial arts?
There has been a debate among martial art historians for some time as to whether or not Lion's Roar and its offspring, are in fact "Tibetan" martial arts. This argument is based primarily on two logical observations. First and foremost, the martial arts that exist in what is modern Tibet in most respects do not resemble the school as preserved in China. Some of the long swinging motions are present but in general Tibetan martial arts are much closer to Indian traditions. While some of this apparent disparity is due to Chinese influences in the last hundred years, it is indeed a valid point.
The second consideration, directly related to the first, is the fact that they in many ways resemble systems that are associated with northern China. The long range swinging motions (but not those small circle techniques which are very much a specialization of the "Tibetan" tradition) of Lama Pai can be found in systems such as Pek Gwa Myuhn. Many of the kicking techniques also resemble northern systems.
Fortunately, this debate can be put to rest quite quickly if one examines more closely the history of Lion's Roar. Ah Dat-Ta, the founder of Lion's Roar, is described as both ethnically Chinese (i.e. Han) and as living in what is now the province of Qinghai, situated in north western China, next to modern day Tibet. There is also reason to believe Sing Lung Lo Jung, the Buddhist monk who brought Lion's Roar to Guangdong, was raised and trained in Qinghai. To understand the significance of this one has to know a little about the history of the region.
Qinghai has only recently been considered "Chinese". For many generations, the province has been inhabited by Tibetans, Mongolians, Manchurians and a wide variety of minorities. Thus, Lion's Roar represented the vast tradition of Western Chinese martial arts. It represented the martial arts practiced in Tibet but also the martial arts practiced in Qinghai, Outer Mongolia, inner Mongolia, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Xinjiang provinces. It represented the martial arts of Tibetans, Mongolians, Manchurians, Ethnic Han Chinese and a wide variety of minorities.
Furthermore, attempts to determine the impact of strictly Tibetan martial arts upon the Lion's Roar system thus far have suffered from a lack of detailed information on the Tibetan tradition. A country that has remained remote and isolated for centuries and with a similarly long tradition of secrecy, Tibetan martial arts were never as visible or available as those of other countries. Of course, the situation has been further complicated by the invasions by both Nationalist and Communist China and the programs to eradicate all Tibetan culture. Understandably, the political turmoil and need to survive have put the study of martial arts low on the list of priorities.
Among most Tibetan people, the martial arts have all but disappeared. The blade, in a variety of forms, remains a popular weapon but is no longer approached with the technical methodology associated with other Asian martial arts or even Western fencing. This is probably due in no small part to the number of Tibetan warriors summarily executed by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) during the early fifties. What knowledge they possessed had no chance to be passed on.
However, it should come as no surprise that the same community that was able to preserve Buddhist teachings long lost in both India and China was also able to preserve its nation's martial arts. There is considerable evidence that the practice of martial arts continues among the Tibetan Buddhist monks. Unfortunately, they have been less than cooperative with sharing information with the rest of the world.
The vast majority of Tibetan Buddhist monks flatly deny the existence of any martial art within the monastic community. Fortunately for us, they are betrayed by a select few who not only acknowledge their existence but have provided a few details as well. While most of those who do discuss martial arts claim they themselves have not practiced them, they reveal that these arts are strongly influenced by the vast yogic and meditative tradition. In this respect, they share much in common with the Chinese "internal arts" such as Taiji, Hsing-I and Bagua.
The most substantive piece of information the author has concerning the Tibetan martial arts was provided by an acquaintance. This person, because of unique and peculiar circumstances, had a rare opportunity to view the techniques practiced by the bodyguards of the Dalai Lama. The demonstration was short and without explanation but the person had an extensive background and formulated an opinion. They told the author that it appeared very much like the martial arts still practiced in India, not a surprising revelation considering the influence India has had over Tibet.
The Indian martial arts tradition has a long and proud history dating back well before the birth of the Buddha. Its great classical epics, Rig Veda, Ramayana and Mahabharata, describe boxing, wrestling and virtually all forms of combat with weapons. The warrior caste had its own well developed martial art form which was sometimes referred to as Vajramukti, literally "thunderbolt fist". It consisted of grappling, boxing, gymnastics, weaponry and the study of vital point striking. It is known that the Buddha received similar instruction beginning at age seven. Among the rest of the population, two forms of combat flourished.
Wrestling remains the national sport of both India and Pakistan. In the past, wrestling took on many forms, including forms in which striking was employed, and was embraced by all ethnicities and religions. It enjoyed a particular popularity in the 13th and 14th century and during this period Muslim wrestlers introduced more extensive and complex ground work. The two principle exercises used by Indian wrestlers, the squat and the cat stretch, are both fundamental exercises in the Lion's Roar tradition as well.
The second form of martial arts practiced among the people is perhaps even more directly related to the Lion's Roar tradition. Still relatively unknown outside of southern India, Kalaripayit embraces unarmed combat, stick fighting, combat with a variety of bladed weapons and a surprisingly complex system of vital point striking known as "marma adi". Its unarmed combat is most relevant to the Lion's Roar tradition.
Kalaripayit uses a relatively high but stable stance and employs strikes and blocks in which the arms are fully extended from the body. The movements are circular, often using sweeping motions to deflect and create openings. Great emphasis is also placed upon evading and footwork is an essential part of the system. On the inside, the system embraces joint locks, throws and pins. As we shall see, it has much in common with the Lion's Roar tradition.
Back to main page
next chapter