Lam Sai Wing. The Iron Thread. Foreword
FOREWORD FROM THE BOOK: LAM SAI WING. IRON THREAD. SOUTHERN SHAOLIN HUNG GAR KUNG FU CLASSICS SERIES (HONG KONG, 1957)
Tid Sin, or the Iron Thread, is one of the Fighting Arts(1) inherited from Tid Kiu Sam(2). It is a perfect training system aiming at setting into motion body's extremities and the whole body and thanks to it to improve blood circulation and the circulation of the internal energy Qi. Bones, muscles and sinews are subjects of outer strengthened, the internal organs and the spirit Shen are subjects of internal strengthened. Therefore, the Spirit and Health are improved. A physically weak man becomes a strong one. Besides, those who practice this method of Qigong can prevent from falling ill with many diseases and live a long life. That's why this method is unsurpassed one among all the methods of Qigong.
The founder of the Iron Thread Qi Gong school is Tid Kiu Sam. In his time he was called one of "Guangdong Ten Tigers". He is a well-known and esteemed master among Kung Fu followers. Tid Kiu Sam, a favorite disciple of Shaolin monk Jue Yin, was famous for his mastery, he had no rivals equal to him. He was on friendly terms with Chen Yi and Xiu Yi Ji, monks from the Haichuang Temple(3). Tid Kiu Sam taught his disciples Cai Zan, Qu Zhu, Wu Xiguan, Ma Zhi Tien, Ling Fu Chen, Shi Yu Liang and some others. Some time later Ling Fu Chen taught Wong Fei Hung his skills and the latter Wong Fei Hung taught Lam Sai Wing. Lam had about 10 000 disciples(4), but only a few inherited this secret method of Qi Gong - Hu Li Feng, Pang Ji Yi, Wei Shao Bo, Su Jian Shen, Wong Ji Wen, Zhang Zhu Xiang and my tutor Zhu Yu Zhai, all in all seven men. By now(5) my tutor Zhu Yu Zhai passed his skill in the Iron Thread to his son Zhu Jia Yui and his disciples - Hu Zhen Yan (died), Lo Ji Yi, Tan Xing, Cheng Yun Sin (missed during the war), Zhung Wei Ming, me and some others.
The Iron Thread is based on twelve secret methods for "arms-bridges"(6), each of them corresponds to a certain principle. Those are Gong Kiu - hardness, steadfastness; Yao Kiu - suppleness, softness; Bik Kiu (Crowding Bridge) - constraint; Jik Kiu - straightening; Fun Kiu - separation; Ding Kiu - steadiness; Chuen Kiu - quickness, brevity; Tai Kiu - lifting; Lau Kiu - restraining; Wan Kiu - movement, motion; Jai Kiu - suppression; Deing Kiu - change. Besides, it is necessary to keep in mind several factors. Using Qi, or vital strength of Spirit, one should be able to increase his physical strength, pay special attention to strengthening his waist and kidneys(7). Exhalation is done with shouts, it is the external manifestation of such emotions as joy, anger, sorrow and gaiety.
Those are the essentials that make this method of Qigong different from other kinds of Pugilistic Arts. I think that the most difficult thing in acquiring The Iron Thread (Tid Sin) is to control your breath and to regulate Qi, to utter sounds and to use the internal strength. At the same time the above mentioned points are key factors for successful training. A wrong practice can be useless or even harmful. Each kind of Qigong has its own method of training and its own secrets. This book just gives the most complete and visual guidance for correct training in Tid Sin. It is indispensable for all who like Qi Gong and Kung Fu.
From my own experience I know that the most impressing thing in Iron Thread (Tid Sin) Qigong is that the physical strength of those who train themselves can be increased by nine times. It is hard to believe for those who did not practice this method. Of course, the benefit of Tid Sin lies not only in bigger physical strength. The most important thing is robust health and longer life.
Li Shi Hui
Hong Kong, the summer of Din You Year (1957)
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Translator's notes:
(1) According to the modern classification the method Tid Sin belongs to a branch of "hard", or fighting Qi Gong. However, the division of the Fighting Arts into Qi Gong and Kung Fu is rather conventional in character, it appeared only in the XX century as the result of the Western approach to the study of specific oriental phenomenon. Traditionally, Qigong, or work with the internal energy, was studied in China in the mainstream of general fighting practice, it did not form a separate branch. Therefore, the author of this article uses Chinese terms Quan Shu (literally "Fist Art") and Quan Fa (literally "Fist Technique") in relation to Tid Sin in their original wide meaning. In our translation we substituted them for "Qigong", a more narrow term that can be understood by a modern reader.
(2) Tid Kiu Sam is translated as "Iron Bridge III", it is a nickname of the great master whose real name was lost in history. He lived at the end of XVIIIth - the beginning of XIXth century and had superhuman strength, hence his nickname. He could supposedly to raise up six big men with one hand and carry them more than a hundred steps without changing his countenance (Zhu Yu Zhai. Short Biography of Master Tie Qian San).
(3) The Haichuang Monastery is situated not far from Guangzhou (Canton), the administrative center of Guangdong province. As a wide-spread legend says, after the famous monastery of Southern Shaolin was burnt to ashes (supposedly in 30-th of the XVIII century) monks who escaped spread in China "like stars in the sky". Few of them found refuge at the Haichuang Monastery where they started to teach monks, and later on laymen, the Fighting Arts. This monastery is the cradle of the most famous Kung Fu styles of the Southern China — Hung Gar Kuen, Fo Kuen, Li Gar and some others.
(4) At the beginning of the XX century Lam Sai Wing founded WU BEN TANG ("The Hall of Fundamental Study") in Guangzhou (Canton) where he taught the Fighting Art. In the 20-th of the XX century Master Lam together with his closest disciples (Zhu Yu Zhai, Zhang Shi Biao, Li Shi Hui, and others) moved to Hong Kong where he taught fighting styles of Kung Fu - Hung Gar Kuen and Fo Kuen. In his life he had more than 10 000 disciples, but he taught Tid Sin, the most secret part of training, only to a narrow circle of the closest disciples. In his declining years, being anxious about the preservation of this invaluable treasure for posterity, he wrote the book that is offered to your attention.
(5) The article was written in 1957.
(6) The term Kiu ("bridge") in the Hung Gar style means a forearm. There are 12 techniques where Kiu "bridges" are used. Those techniques were inherited from the Kung Fu school of the Southern Shaolin. They are also called "Hung's 12 bridges".
(7) In accordance with postulates of the Chinese traditional medicine the kidneys are a receptacle of inherent vital energy Yuan Qi and a strong and flexible waist is a prerequisite for successful practice in the Fighting Arts.
CANONICAL BOOKS BY LEGENDARY GRANDMASTER LAM SAI WING (1860 - 1943)
Lam Sai Wing. Taming the Tiger (工字伏虎拳)
The book scrutinizes an old canonical form (the Tao) of the Southern Shaolin Kung Fu, the Gung Gee Fook Fu.
According to the legend, the founder of the Hung Gar style, Hung Hei Goon studied this form under the tutorship of Southern Shaolin best fighter, a Master of the Tiger Style abbot Gee Sin Sim Si.
The Quintessence of Southern Shaolin Kung Fu - classical Fighting Methods from the book GUNG GEE FOOK FU KUEN:
"The claws of a Black Tiger"
"A fierce Tiger hiding in a cleft"
"The Bull strikes with its horn, makes a turn and breaches the sky"
"The arm of the Golden Dragon"
"To tear out a Phoenix's eye"
"The Tiger striking with its tail"
"The two Dragons steal pearls"
"The Snake raises up its head"
"The Celestial Dragon wags its tail"
"The Golden Dragon carries gifts in its claws"
"The hand that calls out a Ghost"
and others...
Lam Sai Wing. TIGER AND CRANE (虎鸖双形拳)
The book deals with the most popular and probably the most monumental form of the Hung Gar Kung Fu style. This form, known as The Tiger and the Crane, was created in the late XIX century by Lam Sai Wing's teacher, an unrivalled master of Kung Fu Wong Fei Hung. The Tiger's extremely tough, fierce and lightning-fast attack are balanced against and supplemented by the softer and smoother techniques of the Crane. The "tough" and the "soft" combine in a harmony.
The Quintessence of Southern Shaolin Hung Gar Kung Fu - classical Fighting Methods from the book Fu Hok Seung Ying Kuen:
"A Fierce Tiger Pressed Himself to the Ground"
"Tiger's Eye, Leopard's Blow"
"The Hungry Tiger Catches a Ram"
"The Tiger Goes Out from his Den"
"The Fierce Tiger Descends a Mountain"
"The Tiger Tramples On Wolves and Jackals"
"Claws of the Black Tiger"
"A Fierce Tiger Pushes the Mountain"
"The Dragon Hid, the Tiger Jumped Out"
"The Fierce Tiger Scratches Sand"
" Tiger's Roar and Crane's Call"
"A Crane Beak", "One Leg of a Flying Crane"
"A Hungry Crane Standing on One Leg"
"A Hungry Crane Catches Shrimps"
"Crane Crest", "The Monkey Steals a Peach"
"The Wild Goose Sits Down on the Sandbank"
"Prancing Unicorn", "Butterflies Depart in Flight"
"The White Horse Hoofs"
"Arhat Goes Out from the Cave"
"Eight Drunken Celestials"
and others...
Lam Sai Wing. Iron Thread (鐵綫拳)
The Iron Thread Form (Tid Sin Kuen) was created by Tid Kiu Sam (Iron Bridge III), one of the best martial artists in the history of China. His real name was Leung Kwan (1813-1886). He was one of the famous Ten Tigers of Guangdong. Tid Kiu Sam was born in the town of Nanghai, Guangdong province. He, the third child in the family, became a disciple of a monk from the Southern Shaolin Temple, Gwok Yan. Gwok Yan was one of the greatest masters of the Southern Shaolin Hung Gar Kuen school. He was known along the whole length of the Yangtse river. Through the years Tid Kiu Sam passed his knowledge down to one of his students, Lam Fook Sing. Some time later Lam Fook Sing taught Wong Fei Hung (1847-1924) and the latter Wong Fei Hung taught Lam Sai Wing (1860-1943).
The Iron Thread is considered as the highest form taught in the traditional Southern Shaolin Hung Gar Kung Fu system. This method belongs to a branch of "hard", or fighting Southern Shaolin Qi Gong (Chi Kung) and considered as "Internal Training". A master of the Iron Thread can withstand, with no consequences, the strongest of blows, including ones with heavy objects or cold steel, bend thick iron rods with his hands, and his "rooting power" is so strong that he cannot be displaced by a group of strong people. In addition, this wonderful method strengthens all internal organs, bones, muscles and sinews. The entire body thrives and rejuvenate.
