A Lesson in Old Style Shaolin Kung Fu with Cui Zhong Wu - Real Shaolin Heritage ep3

In this episode, we finally get to meet up with Josh Viney's teacher, Cui Zhong Wu to have a lesson in applications of Shaolin Kung Fu techniques as well as some principles of the system.
In this series, I visit the Shaolin Temple, and seek out masters of the old styles of Shaolin Kung Fu in Dengfeng and the villages in the surrounding mountains. I'm teaming up with Tomas from Real Shaolin Legacy and Joel from Shaolin Xinyiba, so check out their channels below too.
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[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Get access to extra footage and early access to future episodes over on Patreon now www.patreon.com/monkeystealspeach and visit my shop for the special edition Shaolin T-shirts monkeystealspeach.com/shop/

[@saar1707]

What a great video and a very important one I think. For most people, when we see people practicing Kung Fu, we don't see the purpose or the reason for those but in your video, you can see how you use those movements in a fight in order to hit your opponent or to deflect his attacks! I hope that you can contact @Ranton and ask him to react to the practicing and explanation parts. I've discovered your channel after ive discovered Ranton's and ive got to say that both of you guys channels are my new favorites in a long time! (I hope you two can collaborate in the future and maybe practice together).

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

@@saar1707 that would be very cool if we could do a video together! And thats a cool idea about collaborating, I'll have to message him and propose your suggestion!

[@latribupesca-juanjobartora]

Hi how are you? I am writing to you from Uruguay, South America Do you have an email where I can write to you to ask you a question? From already thank you very much JuanJo

[@FuryoTokkosho]

well at least you guys got ranton talk about monkey steals peach

[@JingyJingJing]

He generously reveals alot of his kung fu essence and principles. This was very insightful. Nice one!

[@DaWeiGongfu]

Cui Zhong Wu is so open and generous with his knowledge. What a great guy! It's really valuable to see his Xiao Hong Quan applications. Thanks!

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Glad you enjoyed it! There’s about an hours worth of footage of him on my Patreon page if you’re interested

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

You’re welcome to, patreon.com/Monkeystealspeach

[@r.gonzalez-arangolopez8420]

I love how passionate and concerned he is about performing techniques correctly. I can tell the master is a purist and that is what's necessary in a world where aesthetics are being emphasized over practicality. The same thing is happening with many martial arts and it is tragic.

[@jacquelinecahill3487]

This is just wonderful 🙏🙏Thank you so much for sharing ! I have such huge respect for the older Masters - this is phenomenal sharing 🙏🙏🙏🙏Thank you again

[@goju-ryukaratedo4086]

Man, i loved this vídeo. I search every day for materials that link to the roots of martial arts. There is precious content in this video

[@DrMARDOC]

For the SHORIN RYU enthusiasts this is part of your CHINTO KATA BUNKAI!!!

[@shorinryu9713]

Would you please elaborate on how and why?

[@entertaichi]

Thanks for sharing! Have an awesome day! Great channel!

[@cristinelgheorghiu5294]

Master Cui is 100% legit Shaolin Kung fu master, one of the very few left around! It's like a Jedi...when he'll be gone there will be none to continue his teachings, or at least not on his level. I had the pleasure of meeting him in 2015,...ha ha..same room inside, sat at the same table and sip a cup of tea, guided there by my kung fu brother(Demitri aka Wei Jin) from Chicago. Master Cui stopped his siesta in a hot afternoon to exchange kung fu ideas and demonstrate his knowledge. He doesn't do Sanda...i wish I'll have the chance to study with him one day!....Great job guys!

[@TheJadekungfu]

Man, watching you train under the sifu remind me of my old days training in the park and rooftops.

[@Nope_writeitlikethat]

Thank you. Such wise words on the basis of martial arts I can rarely hear.

[@Herowebcomics]

This is awesome stuff! And in the background you can hear the next generation of Kung fu students learning! it does not get any better then that!

[@DougSwiftLovesKungFu]

Good video, super cool you got to meet with this guy and get some of his kung fu theory. Pretty legit!

[@AintLifeGrand]

That student has similar movement characteristics as Tyson! Really amazing to see! There is a second Tyson :):) ! He Man....!!!

[@erikschreiber4671]

@@AintLifeGrand Tyson? You mean Mike Tyson?

[@AintLifeGrand]

@@erikschreiber4671No master Hu's Tyson 😁

[@overdrive006]

When your heart has an idea, your brain connects to your body. Love this. TCM point of view and kung fu knowledge this sifu has is inspiring. It seems crazy saying that the heart can have an idea but in modern medicine what he is saying is that your heart and intent or harmony (sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous system) will affect you CNS(central nervous system). And In turn the CNS will command your musculature to the correct place. Thus its important to repeat motions and learn to calm the heart (harmony). Then adds on that to have power you need Qi. There are different types of Qi, (essence Qi, air Qi, etc.) but the one we can fully control is Gu Qi (nutritive Qi). In Modern medicine, you need good nutrition to make ATP so that your cells including your muscles can function properly.

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Ancient Chinese believed the heart was the source of thought, so in modern Mandarin heart and mind are the same word. Same as in English “follow your heart” I guess

[@CNote825]

All these types of teachers need to come to the forefront and teach all their “secrets” to keep TCMA alive!! It dying rapidly due to other arts SHOWING to be effective and TCMA CLAIMING to be effective! These traditional arts need to be stress tested today and refined imo!!!

[@taylorbee4010]

It’s always some guy in a back alley or a shed.

[@HIMfan0805]

wish my teacher clapped when i get something right lol. Great video!

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Me too!

[@blockmasterscott]

I know huh? My master shows his approval by not shaking his head and sighing at me LOL! Even as I type this, I'm picturing him doing that lol.

[@huzhuiwei]

Fantastic - great explanation of taiji techniques too!

[@dorjedriftwood2731]

Really incredible

[@larrydicus7822]

Great teachings

[@kalivr1908]

"Double clouds surrounding peak" seems to operate on a similar principle of the boxing high guard and peekaboo. Or atleast that's what it looks like to me as someone who trains in boxing in union with Arnis

[@moifaacademynewcastle6130]

very nice.

[@redgreenblue12356]

Would love to learn from him. The movements are more traditional, reminds me of Wugulun. Does he accept students??

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

You can find his contact details on Josh Viney's channel, Shaolin Yuzhai. Link should be at the end of this video.

[@AtulSingh-xj6py]

Great,,,,,,,Master

[@yangshen5540]

Love this!!!

[@larrydicus7822]

The only thing in my Shaolin training was I wasn't really shown the application of movements. Just forms after forms training. I only learned the applications were from KZbin many years later.

[@ponnarajashekhar760]

Western teachers are more cheaters than martial men 👍 .

[@kuroryudairyu4567]

Not for fighting but AWESOME and BEAUTIFUL

[@ponnarajashekhar760]

Simply super and irresponsible , thank you .👍

[@seinundzeiten]

If we wished to visit him, how do we contact him?

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Send a message to my Facebook page and I’ll put you in touch

[@zetareticulan321]

10:36 This is the move they used to create eunuchs in Ancient China.

[@zft8287]

wow, i see a standing up keylock hold at 05:48

[@paulwhite2787]

NB! Real Shaolin is anywhere but the temple. Shuang yun,chi xing is fundamental ji Ben gong. I plan to return to jilin next year . Cooking in a restaurant part time.a litte Ba Ji training later. Some great Ba Ji in Dongbei. As well as great food. My dream to record some gong fu teachers and their favorite dishes.

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Sounds like a cool idea. And yes, great Baji in Dongbei and Tianjin! Good mantis up around Harbin and Changchun too

[@michaelterrell5061]

@@MonkeyStealsPeach I have a question. Could you do a video on Sanda and the traditional applications to it?

[@thetruemorg]

3 external harmonies and 3 internal harmonies is so similar to the 6 Harmonies (liuhu) Daoist marriage of heaven and earth Qigong. The more I see these traditional folk forms the more similarities I see within all of the CMA minus all of the wushu stuff. As soon as I get over this layoff I’m going to get on that patrion Because I need to see the rest of this really great content you’re putting out.

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Thanks a lot Morgan! Well the 6 harmonies is pretty pervasive in many styles in northern China. It's interesting that all of the Shaolin teachers I interviewed talked about the exact same theories that make up the core of Xinyi Liuhe as well.

[@thetruemorg]

Monkey: I read your blog post about this and it’s interesting how pervasive a lot of things are with just a little different name. It really seems like if it got the Wushu treatment it became popular but it lost some of the most interesting pieces of the art. Instead of admitting that it’s from a physical culture school version they pretend/present it is from the old lineage where it is very different. I learned both the XaioHong quan and Tombei quan forms from the demo on the video but from a Wushu guy. Totally different I can hardly see the DNA from one to another. It is more like the successful cousin that is morally bankrupt and the unknown cousin that took care of grandma. Great videos

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

I was pretty surprised when I first saw how Josh did the same Shaolin forms I'd seen hundreds of times before. Tongbei, Xiao & Da Hong etc...

[@FuryoTokkosho]

I guess the six harmonies are so pervasive cause its a short instruction for using Qi Power in Martial arts. The three internal harmonies is a short of how to guide Qi into the fists, it basically just becomes obvious if you understand the buddhist five aggregates and know a little chinese, cause they are usually told in pali the language of the buddha, but the chinese eqquivalents match perfectly with two of the aggregates, yet like all in shaolin its usually paired with taoist training methodology, in this case the mechanism of how to move qi. Thats why the external harmonies are so important you need the structure to make the visualization successful. You see a lot of sword finger play in shaolin styles, its no coincidence.

[@FuryoTokkosho]

the six harmonies are basically the core that enables a lot of these supernatural feats like light body, or the rooting that is done by letting qi sink into the ground in order to prevent the body from getting lifted, regularly used it can harden bones without external training and much more. But its hardly usable for anyone without monk training and risky cause it can make the body sick if its not prepared carefully.

[@iamnoman85]

There is an astonishing amount of Naha-te lineage karate in this man's kung fu. I'm seeing echoes of Saifa and seiyunchin, and I'm sure there is more that I missed!

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

This is from Henan province in northern China. There is no relation to Okinawan Karate

[@iamnoman85]

@@MonkeyStealsPeach perhaps not directly, but some of these techniques look remarkably similar to snippets of katathat I practice (at least to me). Are the northern and southern shaolin styles related? Perhaps it is mere coincidence. I am by no means an expert!

[@crdbl123]

@@iamnoman85 Three years late to this conversation, but just wanted to throw in a thought. I also see some Shuri-te and Tomari-te connections. Another commenter pointed out the Chinto/Gangkaku application, I think referring to the opening move of the kata matching the "five flowering hands" technique at 8:40 and the stylized form version of the arm yank+elbow slam at 10:30 reminds me a lot of the "uchi-uke /gedan-uke" combined movement found in Heian Sandan and the Tekki/Naihanchi katas. There's also some Shaolin moves similar to those in Empi/Wansu (the squat gedan uke, the turn-back bow stance gedan uke). Of course this might be "convergent evolution" in martial arts, and it could also be the Crane and Luohan styles have some Shaolin DNA. But after seeing Crane and Luohan styles in various karate origin videos and even @MonkeyStealsPeach + Jesse Enkamp's own series in Fujian, I still wonder if there could be other kung fu influences. Todi Sakugawa, the teacher of Sokon Mastumura, was said to have traveled as an envoy to Beijing, and some kata origins are said to have come from a former imperial guard visiting Okinawa. So I do wonder it's possible some northern style techniques made their way to Okinawa.

[@nabanitaray9772]

I don't want to be disrespectful, but when they do sanda sparring, they don't even try to use these techniques, then what's the point

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

Cui Zhong Wu and his students done do modern sanda

[@markalexandermaron5531]

That is a very good question. My understanding in kungfu is that it gives you a lot of options. Those movement he showed are only options available to you when you are in the right position, right time, right application and have the proper confidence to use the technique. You can set the technique up if it is your favorite. In a fight everything becomes miniscule and subtle that it looks like a basic technique but like he said in the video, you must have the basics down. Then, everything just becomes a variation or a branch out. Hope that sheds light to your question 😁

[@markalexandermaron5531]

To add, kungfu for me is a preprogramming of body movements to the point that it becomes second nature or a simple reaction. Why do they not use it in sanda? Simply because they did not train for it. Different priorities and expression of how they want to fight

[@ChineseWrestlingCeKungFu]

Kung Fu (Taolus) forms are sets of systematized techniques, as a kind of manual, to facilitate the instruction of those who learn the style. In the distant past, both paper and writing were not as easy as today ... so taolus have become an important part of learning development. The forms are conceptual and should not be seen as they appear, every movement within its structure has applications, several applications for the same movement and this goes far beyond sanda as a sport. It was not disrespectful to ask this after all; It's a question from many people. Only by training with a true Kung Fu master, learning a style in all its aspects, to have a broader understanding and a fuller understanding. I really like this channel, do an amazing job and give people the opportunity to know various Chinese wushu lineages!

[@ponnarajashekhar760]

Boy sanda is sport sparring and not self defense counter attack which is deadly , can break bones and dislocate your jaw , do you want to dislocate , if yes then fight me any day anywhere 😁😁😁 👍 .

[@katandmart]

I must have a lot of Qi, I recently started using the Burger King app! These are excellent vids Will.

[@MonkeyStealsPeach]

cheers Mart! I guess you better get working on converting that Burger King Qi into strength then!

[@katandmart]

Monkey Steals Peach practicing my Long Big King fist

[@pulamonna]

快餐的汉堡包 让三内合不好 😜

[@davidbarnwell_virtual_clas6729]

The seven stars looks like Monkey Kung Fu.

[@真人-u3g]

這個師傅有功夫？！

[@kingwizard6000]

Do they spar? If they did they would be a bunch of killers...

[@spiritualwarriorhealer6154]

He Contradicts every modern day rule that fasting' yogi vegan starving soft movements used to create power. Think again?

[@simkoning4648]

I'm sorry for being negative, especially considering all the positive comments below, but as a former kung fu instructor, this is disappointing. This guy clearly doesn't know how to fight. The parries and double punch to the ribs he shows at the start would do nothing and result in him being knocked over. The standing joint locks would rarely work in a fight. Worse, he commits two hands to catch a punch (which is mostly impossible), which would result in a punch to the face. I have to suspect that either the actual applications were forgotten, or it was mostly dancing done by monks with no real applicability. The root of the problem seems to be an over emphasis of forms, drills, performance and a belief in pre-scientific understanding of the body and physics. This problem continues to manifest today with kung fu masters losing badly against sanda fighters, boxers and MMA stylists in public matches.

[@bobemperorofbobkind6004]

Honestly to me most of these movements seem to be some sort of wrestling and not striking, for example the technique demonstrated here looks like a body lock with an outside leg trip