Seven Styles of Influence
Martial arts history contains many examples of how styles were
developed technically and philosophically. The people of
different regions developed their own methods of offense
and defense. Through the melting pot of centuries of conflict,
these methods evolved through the efforts of the men and
women who practiced them. As technology replaced warriors
on the battlefields, these martial methods evolved into martial "Ways" to
train the body and spirit.
From Shotokan, Cuong Nhu borrows the principles of rooting
deeply in stance, forceful striking, blocking, and breaking,
as well as many kata.
Shotokan is identified with Japan, but
its origins are in Okinawa. The development of Okinawan martial
arts was strongly
influenced
by Chinese fighting techniques, and developed into the local
art known as Okinawa-te. Chinese missionaries and merchants
brought more martial arts techniques to Okinawa, and many
Okinawan masters traveled to China to further their training.
By the
17th century, Okinawa was under Japanese domination, and
national policy forbade the possession of weapons. In this
hostile environment,
Okinawa-te evolved into karate (kara: Chinese, te: hand)
and became tremendously important as a means of self-defense.
In
1922, Master Ginchin Funakoshi, then president of the Okinawan
Martial Arts Promotion Society, gave impressive demonstrations
in Japan. He attracted a large number of students and remained
there to teach. Many Okinawan masters followed Master Funakoshi
and established their schools throughout Japan. Funakoshi,
like many martial arts masters, was multi-talented. The name
of his style,
shotokan (sho: writing, do: the way, kan: house or hall), came
from Funakoshi's pen name, "Shoto," and was a tribute to his mastery of calligraphy. It was Funakoshi, in fact,
who change the writing of the term karate to mean the art of
the empty hand (kara: empty, te: hand).
From
Judo, Cuong Nhu borrows the principles of relaxation in
conflict, uprooting an opponent, as well as traditional
practice
of many of the throws and takedowns.
Grappling, wrestling and throwing
techniques were parts of traditional Japanese combat training
and have survived in many
forms into modern times. All are generally characterized
by simple, decisive movements. For example, jujitsu (ju:
soft,
yielding, jitsu: techniques), formalized by Hisamori Takenouchi
in 1532, advocates close combat techniques of striking to
vital target areas, throwing, joint locking and choking.
In 1882,
Master Jigoro Kano, an expert in jujitsu, created a new martial
art by eliminating jujitsu's lethal elements and adding rules
and regulations. He called his new art kodokan judo (ju:
soft, do: the Way), calling it the Gentle Way. Judo involves
anticipating
an opponents attack, unbalancing and throwing the opponent
using minimum effort, or using locks and immobilizations.
A judoka trains in free form attack, free falling and discovering
the opponent's weaknesses and responding to his movements.
From Aikido, Cuong Nhu borrows the principals
of fluid motion when dealing with the hard ground
or a forceful
attacker,
as well as many of the wrist and arm locks and submissions.
Aikido is another style that evolved from
jujitsu. Aikido (ai: combine, ki: internal strength, do: the
Way) is a defensive art involving joint manipulations, throws
and some elements of kendo. It advocates the coordination of
mind and body, harmonizing the use of the attacker's weight
and strength to the defender's advantage. In 1938, the first
aikido school was established under Master Morihei Ueshiba,
the founder. A soft-style martial art, aikido is a very spiritual
practice, the essence of which is love and compassion for the
well-being of the attacker.
From Vovinam, Cuong Nhu borrows most of its animal
and weapon forms as well as much of its code
of ethics and core philosophy.
Vietnamese martial arts began their evolution during the
wars against invaders from surrounding countries, and due
to the
small stature of the Vietnamese people, took the soft style
approach to self-defense. In 1253, the first National Martial
Arts School was opened at the Imperial Court, offering degrees
(up to PhD) in the martial arts. This school taught empty hand
combat, uses of 18 different weapons, martial arts tactics,
weather forecasting, and war strategies. Years later, the first
martial arts tournament was held and Tran Quoc Toan became
national champion. Fifteenth place went to a princess named
Thuy Tien. Tran Quoc Toan was a national hero for his activities
as a youth for helping to defeat invading Mongolian troops.
At the age of 16 he had already
taken command of an army of teenage volunteer soldiers. The
people of the Binh Dinh province,
located in central Vietnam, are famous for their expertise
in the Vietnamese martial arts. Two martial arts experts from
this area were Quang Trung, one of Vietnam's
kings, and his female general Bui Thi Xuan. Xuan, renowned
for her courage and leadership, was the chief instructor of
a martial arts school and proved her expertise by defeating
a tiger to save the life of a man she later married. In 1946,
Grand Master Nguyen Loc systematized the different styles of
the Vietnamese martial arts and named the resulting art vovinam
(vo: martial arts, vinam: Vietnam). His successor, Le Van Sang,
later changed the name to viet vo dao (viet: Vietnam, vo: martial
arts, dao: the Way).
From Wing Chun, Cuong Nhu borrows
the principle of centerline control, as well as many of our
hand drills and sparring
tools. Yim Wing Chun, whose name translates "forever
springtime," was a woman who studied kung fu under the Buddhist nun Ng Mui. The style she
taught dealt with close combat and economy of movement. According
to legend, Yim witnessed a fight between a crane and a snake
and incorporated both animals’ skills with the training she
received from Mui to develop Wing Chun. The style is quick,
compact, and economical. Stances are short and punches are
thrown in quick succession as low kicks target the groin,
thighs and knees.
From T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Cuong Nhu borrows
the principles of balanced movement and fluid redirection,
as well as many
balance and
partner drills.
There are many stories about the founding of Tai Chi Cuan and the century in
which it occurred. The official Chinese version of the story goes that in the 14th century during
the Yéan dynasty, Master Chang San-feng, a Taoist
priest,
studied
tao
yin, an
early Chinese
breathing
art and the forerunner of tai chi. Considered the founder
of T’ai Chi Ch’uan (the ultimate fist), he introduced
and systematized
this internal form of martial arts. It focused on training
of the bones and muscles, overcoming an opponent at the
moment of attack and controlling breathing and movement
from the
slowest to the fastest.
From Boxing, Cuong Nhu borrows
the principles of light, quick feet and compact defense,
as well as many hand
and movement
drills.
Evidence of fist fighting has been discovered
in carvings believed to be about 7,000 years old. All around
the
world, variations
of this sport have found their way into the mainstream
or subculture of almost every society. Boxing as we
know it
from modern competitions
like the Olympics was of great interest to Cuong Nhu’s
founder, O’Sensei Dong, in part because he and his
brothers had boxed
for fun since childhood. He incorporated it into Cuong
Nhu to contrast the set patterns and formulas of most
oriental martial arts since it moves along organic
lines.
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