Snake Kung Fu
Encyclopedia
There are several Chinese martial arts
known as Snake Boxing or Fanged Snake Style which imitate the movements of snakes. It is a style of Shaolin Boxing. Proponents claim that adopting the fluidity of snakes allows them to entwine with their opponents in defense and strike them from angles they wouldn't expect in offense. Snake style is said to especially lend itself to applications with the Chinese straight sword
. The snake is also one of the animals imitated in Yang family Taijiquan (T'ai chi ch'uan), Baguazhang
and Xingyiquan
. The sinuous, fluid motion of the snake lends itself to the practical theory that underlies the "soft
" martial arts.
Different snake styles imitate different movements of snakes.
Some, for example, imitate the Cylindrophiidae, while others imitate the python, while some schools imitate other types of snakes, like the Cobra. There are two unrelated, Northern and Southern snake styles.
; the other four being Crane, Tiger
, monkey, and Dragon
.
The Taoist temples of the Wudang Mountains
were known to have produced many snake stylists.
Snake style is based on whipping or rattling power which travels up the spine to the fingers, or in the case of the rattler, the body shake which travels down the spine to the tip of the tailbone. The ability to sinuously move, essentially by compressing one's stomach/abdominal muscles, is very important. Footing is quite grounded. The stancework is fluid in order to maximize the whipping potential of any movement. This necessitates building a strong spine to contain the power and strong fingers to convey the strike. Since breath is important to any movement of the spine and ribs, snake style is considered one of the main styles which eventually led to internal training. Snake style is also known as an approach to weapon
s training, the Chinese straight sword
and spear
in particular. There are even specialty varieties of sword blades and spear points that curve back and forth down the length of the blade in imitation of the snake's body known as snake sword and snake spear.
Snake style generally aims for weak points of the human body, such as the eyes, groin and joints.
The snake style of green bamboo viper is one of the five subsets that was taught at the Southern Shaolin Temple. This particular form of snake fist originated in Cambodia and worked its way up to China. As it was integrated into Shaolin it got more refined and sophisticated. The green bamboo viper is the snake style taught in the United States by Grandmaster Wing Loc Johnson Ng. Grandmaster Ng taught this particular snake style to Master John J. Dufresne, Master Tim Pickens, Master Ricky Pickens, and Sifu Mark Burgher. Master John Dufresne in turn has taught this particular snake kung fu to a few of his more dedicated and advanced students. Some of these students include Sifu Hugh Samples, Sifu Mark Reed, Sifu Michael O'Donnell, and Sifu Nancy Compton. There were four other snake styles that were taught at this particular Shaolin temple. The other 4 were water snake, shadow snake, king cobra, and Golden snake. These five type snakes make up the southern snake style system. Snake style kung fu is considered to be a highly advanced form of fighting due to the use of internal energy (chi) and the specialized breathing techniques.
There is also an obscure Southern Snake Style whose grand master was Leung Tin Chu who was born in the late 19th century and became well known as he ranked 4th in one of Nanking's Martial Art examinations in late 1929. His style, inherited from Yau Lung Kong, was an amalgamation of Southern Shaolin style and Choy Gar
style learned from a Choy grandmaster. He had two main disciples, his nephew Master Leung Gar Fong of Hong Kong and the late Master Wong Tin Yuen. The pugilistic style is best described as a mid-distance fighting style, using, by coincidence, some Wing Chun
-like techniques in Hung Gar
-like forms. That attests to the Southern Shaolin
origin of this style and its close relationship to other styles originating from Southern Shaolin. In fact Yau Lung Kong first learned from the Choy's family, but he did not have the privilege to all the secrets. Being less than satisfied he enrolled himself at the Southern Shaolin temple years and later combined all that he learned into this snake style ("She Ying Dil Sao"). It would best be described as a "Choy-Fut" style ("fut" means "buddha," a respectful address for deceased monks). Of course different "fut's" from the Southern Shaolin temple would pass on similar but different techniques or idiosyncratic execution of the same basic techniques. In this style of snake kung fu the force and techniques are softer than traditional southern styles. Besides straight punches and bong shou as widely used in Wing Chun, this style also employs butterfly-buddha palms, the hook, upper cut, and gui quen (back fist) as central techniques. Biu tze (thrusting fingers) techniques resembling snake attacks are the secrets, and hence, the name of this style. There are multiple kicking techniques, as varied as typical northern styles with high kicks, but also typical are below-the-knee kicks seen in southern styles. There are six fist sets, two stick sets, single sword, short double swords, and other traditional weapons.
Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...
known as Snake Boxing or Fanged Snake Style which imitate the movements of snakes. It is a style of Shaolin Boxing. Proponents claim that adopting the fluidity of snakes allows them to entwine with their opponents in defense and strike them from angles they wouldn't expect in offense. Snake style is said to especially lend itself to applications with the Chinese straight sword
Jian
The jian is a double-edged straight sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. The first Chinese sources that mention the jian date to the 7th century BCE during the Spring and Autumn Period; one of the earliest specimens being the Sword of Goujian.Historical one-handed versions have blades...
. The snake is also one of the animals imitated in Yang family Taijiquan (T'ai chi ch'uan), Baguazhang
Baguazhang
Bāguàzhǎng is one of the three main Chinese martial arts of the Wudang school, the other two being Taijiquan and Xingyiquan. It is more broadly grouped as an internal practice...
and Xingyiquan
Xingyiquan
Xingyiquan is one of the major "internal" or Wudang styles of Chinese martial arts. The word translates approximately to "Form/Intention Boxing", or "Shape/Will Boxing", and is characterized by aggressive, seemingly linear movements and explosive power...
. The sinuous, fluid motion of the snake lends itself to the practical theory that underlies the "soft
Neijia
Nèijiā is a term in Chinese martial arts, grouping those styles that practice nèijìng , usually translated as internal martial arts, occupied with spiritual, mental or qi-related aspects, as opposed to an "external" approach focused on physiological aspects...
" martial arts.
Different snake styles imitate different movements of snakes.
Some, for example, imitate the Cylindrophiidae, while others imitate the python, while some schools imitate other types of snakes, like the Cobra. There are two unrelated, Northern and Southern snake styles.
Northern Style
Snake is one of the archetypal Five Animals of Chinese martial artsChinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...
; the other four being Crane, Tiger
Black Tiger Kung Fu
Shaolin Shandong black tiger fist is a northern Chinese martial art which originated in Shandong Province.-Techniques:...
, monkey, and Dragon
Dragon Kung Fu
The movements of the Southern Dragon style of Shaolin Boxing are based on the mythical Chinese dragon. The Dragon style is an imitative-style that was developed based on the imagined characteristics of the mythical Chinese dragon....
.
The Taoist temples of the Wudang Mountains
Wudang Mountains
The Wudang Mountains , also known as Wu Tang Shan or simply Wudang, are a small mountain range in the northwestern part of Hubei Province of People's Republic of China, just to the south of the city of Shiyan.-Geography:...
were known to have produced many snake stylists.
Snake style is based on whipping or rattling power which travels up the spine to the fingers, or in the case of the rattler, the body shake which travels down the spine to the tip of the tailbone. The ability to sinuously move, essentially by compressing one's stomach/abdominal muscles, is very important. Footing is quite grounded. The stancework is fluid in order to maximize the whipping potential of any movement. This necessitates building a strong spine to contain the power and strong fingers to convey the strike. Since breath is important to any movement of the spine and ribs, snake style is considered one of the main styles which eventually led to internal training. Snake style is also known as an approach to weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s training, the Chinese straight sword
Jian
The jian is a double-edged straight sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. The first Chinese sources that mention the jian date to the 7th century BCE during the Spring and Autumn Period; one of the earliest specimens being the Sword of Goujian.Historical one-handed versions have blades...
and spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
in particular. There are even specialty varieties of sword blades and spear points that curve back and forth down the length of the blade in imitation of the snake's body known as snake sword and snake spear.
Snake style generally aims for weak points of the human body, such as the eyes, groin and joints.
Southern Style
The Southern Shaolin Temple in Fukien Province was sometimes known as "the snake temple." Snake style kung fu was practiced at this temple as well as dragon kung fu and praying mantis kung fu. Fukien temple was a refuge for the Henan Temple monks when that temple was destroyed. With them they brought all the martial arts knowledge they had.The snake style of green bamboo viper is one of the five subsets that was taught at the Southern Shaolin Temple. This particular form of snake fist originated in Cambodia and worked its way up to China. As it was integrated into Shaolin it got more refined and sophisticated. The green bamboo viper is the snake style taught in the United States by Grandmaster Wing Loc Johnson Ng. Grandmaster Ng taught this particular snake style to Master John J. Dufresne, Master Tim Pickens, Master Ricky Pickens, and Sifu Mark Burgher. Master John Dufresne in turn has taught this particular snake kung fu to a few of his more dedicated and advanced students. Some of these students include Sifu Hugh Samples, Sifu Mark Reed, Sifu Michael O'Donnell, and Sifu Nancy Compton. There were four other snake styles that were taught at this particular Shaolin temple. The other 4 were water snake, shadow snake, king cobra, and Golden snake. These five type snakes make up the southern snake style system. Snake style kung fu is considered to be a highly advanced form of fighting due to the use of internal energy (chi) and the specialized breathing techniques.
There is also an obscure Southern Snake Style whose grand master was Leung Tin Chu who was born in the late 19th century and became well known as he ranked 4th in one of Nanking's Martial Art examinations in late 1929. His style, inherited from Yau Lung Kong, was an amalgamation of Southern Shaolin style and Choy Gar
Choy gar
Choy Gar is a Chinese martial art deriving its name from Choy Gau Lee and is one of the five main family styles of Kung Fu in Southern China...
style learned from a Choy grandmaster. He had two main disciples, his nephew Master Leung Gar Fong of Hong Kong and the late Master Wong Tin Yuen. The pugilistic style is best described as a mid-distance fighting style, using, by coincidence, some Wing Chun
Wing Chun
Wing Chun , also romanised as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun, ; ; is a concept-based Chinese martial art and form of self-defense utilizing both striking and grappling while specializing in close-range combat.The alternative characters 永春 "eternal spring" are also...
-like techniques in Hung Gar
Hung Gar
Hung Ga 洪家, Hung Kuen 洪拳, or Hung Ga Kuen 洪家拳 is a southern Chinese martial art associated with the Chinese folk hero Wong Fei Hung, who was a master of Hung Ga....
-like forms. That attests to the Southern Shaolin
Shaolin kung fu
Shaolin Kung Fu refers to a collection of Chinese martial arts that claim affiliation with the Shaolin Monastery.Of the multitude styles of kung fu and wushu, only some are actually related to Shaolin...
origin of this style and its close relationship to other styles originating from Southern Shaolin. In fact Yau Lung Kong first learned from the Choy's family, but he did not have the privilege to all the secrets. Being less than satisfied he enrolled himself at the Southern Shaolin temple years and later combined all that he learned into this snake style ("She Ying Dil Sao"). It would best be described as a "Choy-Fut" style ("fut" means "buddha," a respectful address for deceased monks). Of course different "fut's" from the Southern Shaolin temple would pass on similar but different techniques or idiosyncratic execution of the same basic techniques. In this style of snake kung fu the force and techniques are softer than traditional southern styles. Besides straight punches and bong shou as widely used in Wing Chun, this style also employs butterfly-buddha palms, the hook, upper cut, and gui quen (back fist) as central techniques. Biu tze (thrusting fingers) techniques resembling snake attacks are the secrets, and hence, the name of this style. There are multiple kicking techniques, as varied as typical northern styles with high kicks, but also typical are below-the-knee kicks seen in southern styles. There are six fist sets, two stick sets, single sword, short double swords, and other traditional weapons.
Uses in fiction
- The style gained prominence in Jackie ChanJackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
's film Snake in the Eagle's ShadowSnake in the Eagle's ShadowSnake in the Eagle's Shadow is a 1978 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Yuen Woo-ping his directorial debut, who has since gained international stardom as the action choreographer for films such as Iron Monkey, Fist of Legend, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Matrix series, Kill... - The fictional character Kwai Chang CaineKwai Chang CaineKwai Chang Caine [虔官昌 or 拐杖棍 Qián Guānchāng] is a fictional television character in the 1972–1975 western television series, Kung Fu. He has been portrayed by David Carradine as an adult, Keith Carradine as a younger Caine and Radames Pera the child Caine and Stephen Manley as the youngest...
used elements of Snake Kung Fu in the television series Kung Fu - It is the fighting style used by the video game character Christie from the Dead or Alive fighting gameFighting gameFighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
series. - In Mortal Kombat: Deadly AllianceMortal Kombat: Deadly AllianceMortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, originally known as Mortal Kombat V: Vengeance or simply Mortal Kombat 5, is a fighting game developed and published by Midway for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo GameCube, and Game Boy Advance...
and Mortal Kombat: ArmageddonMortal Kombat: ArmageddonMortal Kombat: Armageddon is the seventh game in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. The PlayStation 2 version was released in stores on October 11, 2006 while the Xbox version was released on the October 16, with a Wii version released on May 29, 2007 in North America.The game was not released...
, Snake is the primary fighting style of Shang TsungShang TsungShang Tsung is a boss and player character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game series. A powerful and deadly sorcerer and a primary antagonist in the Mortal Kombat series, Shang Tsung is a shapeshifter who absorbs the souls of those he slays in order to maintain his youth and power...
. In Mortal Kombat: DeceptionMortal Kombat: DeceptionMortal Kombat: Deception is a fighting game developed and published by Midway as the sixth installment for the Mortal Kombat series. It was released for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in October 2004, while a Nintendo GameCube version was published in March 2005. Mortal Kombat: Deception follows the...
, however, Havik uses Snake as his primary fighting style. - Tekken's Lei Wulong uses Snake as well as four other animal styles as his fighting style.
- There was also a snake master who is actually a snake herself in the movie Kung Fu PandaKung Fu PandaKung Fu Panda is a 2008 American computer-animated action comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures...
played by Lucy LiuLucy LiuLucy Alexis Liu is an American actress and film producer. She became known for playing the role of the vicious and ill-mannered Ling Woo in the television series Ally McBeal , and has also appeared in several Hollywood films including Charlie's Angels, Chicago, Kill Bill, and Kung Fu Panda.-Early... - In Avatar: The Last AirbenderAvatar: The Last AirbenderAvatar: The Last Airbender is an American animated television series that aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. The series was created and produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who served as executive producers along with Aaron Ehasz...
Azula's friend and bodyguard Ty Lee utilizes snake style. - In the 2010 remake of the Karate KidThe Karate Kid (2010 film)The Karate Kid is a 2010 American martial arts film and remake of the 1984 film of the same name. Directed by Harald Zwart, produced by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, the film stars Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan...
movie - training in Kung Fu, rather than Karate - there is a woman seen practicing snake style while hypnotizing an actual snake. - In the YA novel Snake by Jeff StoneJeff Stone (author)Jeff Stone is an American author, best known for a series of Kung Fu themed books for teens called The Five Ancestors, published by Random House.-Biography:...
, Seh is a young warrior monk who specializes in snake style kung fu.