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Saving 'cotton fist' boxing
July 11, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
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MORALITY is considered essential to the practice of Chinese kung fu, and mian quan, literally cotton fist or continuous boxing, attaches exceptional importance to humility, respect and righteousness.
At the Shanghai Languifang Mian Quan Club in Yangpu District, practitioners meet weekly to exercise and find ways to protect and promote this traditional martial art that features a soft, continuous boxing style.
Yangpu is considered the birthplace of the Shanghai school and there are estimated 1,000 practitioners in Shanghai.
Master Sun Hongxi, a third-generation practitioner, can barely conceal his joy when telling Shanghai Daily that Shanghai-style mian quan has been listed as one of the city's intangible cultural heritages. Such listing makes it easier to get government support and raise funds to promote the martial art.
"It is a martial arts style featuring a harmonious coexistence of 'hardness and power' with 'softness and fluidity'," Sun says. It's faster than tai chi and slower than Shaolin kung fu, so it can appeal to many people.
"Lack of funding to promote mian quan and lack of sufficient practice space are major problems, we are seeking government support," he says.
Sun, who is around 50, owns a trading company, but devotes most of his time and energy to teaching mian quan to worthy and principled apprentices. He charges nothing and hopes to find a successor.
According to Sun, original mian quan is around 300 years old and the Shanghai school was founded by Meng Guangyin from Hebei Province. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Meng was a bodyguard renowned for his Shaolin kung fu.
It's said that he was defeated by an old woodcutter in a fight and was so awed by the man's mian quan skills that he studied with him for 17 years. Another version says he learned from a Taoist on a remote mountain.
Around 1920, Meng came to Shanghai to teach mian quan and created his own style, becoming the master of Shanghai mian quan.
Today's master Sun says that his grandfather Sun Fuhai (1888-1956) was Meng's favored disciple, the one to whom Meng passed on all the skills.
At that time, the senior Sun owned a grocery store on Maigen Road, which is today's Taixing Road. Meng lived upstairs and observed that Sun was truthful, modest and sincere to everyone. So he took him on as an apprentice.
For eight years the elder Sun practiced. He used to live at Languifang in Yangpu District.
After he grasped it, he began teaching his "cotton fist" boxing, but only to men from poor families, laborers, bus drivers and factory workers. He felt they were more genuine than wealthier men and could better grasp the spirit of kung fu. He taught for free.
Since he charged nothing for lessons, Sun wagered on his students. Sun would take his apprentices to the docks and challenge foreign sailors, who prided themselves on their boxing skills. They always won, his grandson recalls.
The essential message is that practitioners are always moving and shifting strategy, never striking before an opponent strikes. He taught that defense could become offense.
Today Sun follows his grandfather's precepts and has been devoting his time and money to teaching apprentices from Shanghai and other cities in China. Like his grandfather, Sun teaches for free.
He selects apprentices very carefully, they must be honest, low key and have a strong sense of justice; they also must be ready to help the weak.
"Martial arts morality is vital to mian quan," Sun says. "The spirit of mian quan is to nurture the mind, be strong, respect others and help people."
Apprentice Wan Jigeng says Sun's prestige is second to none in Shanghai's martial arts circle. He not only knows everything about mian quan, but also keeps the code of brotherhood.
"All these years, he has been teaching mian quan for free, just as his grandfather did in the old days," Wan says. "What's even more incredible is that he provides free accommodation and meals to apprentices coming from far away."
Previously, mian quan skills had been closely guarded and no outsiders were allowed to watch practice sessions. But Sun has opened them to the public and lessons are free for those who are sincere and meet his criteria.
Wan says there are around 1,000 mian quan practitioners in Shanghai who come from all walks of life and regard Languifang as their spiritual home.
"Mian quan is very practical," he says. "Long ago it was used to fight social oppression. Nowadays it is practiced health and can ease arthritis, spinal problems and other ailments."
It's getting popular with young people who want something slower than Shaolin kung fu and faster than tai chi.
Sun is teaching first graders at Shanghai Kunming Middle School in Yangpu District. Next Friday the youngsters will go to Hangzhou, capital city of Zhejiang Province, and take part in the Zhejiang International Traditional Martial Arts Competition.
Sun feels obliged to pass on Shanghai mian quan and cultivate successors.
He hopes the martial arts form will one day be listed as part of China's national intangible cultural heritage.
For more information, check or e-mail to mianquan-sh@163.com.
At the Shanghai Languifang Mian Quan Club in Yangpu District, practitioners meet weekly to exercise and find ways to protect and promote this traditional martial art that features a soft, continuous boxing style.
Yangpu is considered the birthplace of the Shanghai school and there are estimated 1,000 practitioners in Shanghai.
Master Sun Hongxi, a third-generation practitioner, can barely conceal his joy when telling Shanghai Daily that Shanghai-style mian quan has been listed as one of the city's intangible cultural heritages. Such listing makes it easier to get government support and raise funds to promote the martial art.
"It is a martial arts style featuring a harmonious coexistence of 'hardness and power' with 'softness and fluidity'," Sun says. It's faster than tai chi and slower than Shaolin kung fu, so it can appeal to many people.
"Lack of funding to promote mian quan and lack of sufficient practice space are major problems, we are seeking government support," he says.
Sun, who is around 50, owns a trading company, but devotes most of his time and energy to teaching mian quan to worthy and principled apprentices. He charges nothing and hopes to find a successor.
According to Sun, original mian quan is around 300 years old and the Shanghai school was founded by Meng Guangyin from Hebei Province. During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Meng was a bodyguard renowned for his Shaolin kung fu.
It's said that he was defeated by an old woodcutter in a fight and was so awed by the man's mian quan skills that he studied with him for 17 years. Another version says he learned from a Taoist on a remote mountain.
Around 1920, Meng came to Shanghai to teach mian quan and created his own style, becoming the master of Shanghai mian quan.
Today's master Sun says that his grandfather Sun Fuhai (1888-1956) was Meng's favored disciple, the one to whom Meng passed on all the skills.
At that time, the senior Sun owned a grocery store on Maigen Road, which is today's Taixing Road. Meng lived upstairs and observed that Sun was truthful, modest and sincere to everyone. So he took him on as an apprentice.
For eight years the elder Sun practiced. He used to live at Languifang in Yangpu District.
After he grasped it, he began teaching his "cotton fist" boxing, but only to men from poor families, laborers, bus drivers and factory workers. He felt they were more genuine than wealthier men and could better grasp the spirit of kung fu. He taught for free.
Since he charged nothing for lessons, Sun wagered on his students. Sun would take his apprentices to the docks and challenge foreign sailors, who prided themselves on their boxing skills. They always won, his grandson recalls.
The essential message is that practitioners are always moving and shifting strategy, never striking before an opponent strikes. He taught that defense could become offense.
Today Sun follows his grandfather's precepts and has been devoting his time and money to teaching apprentices from Shanghai and other cities in China. Like his grandfather, Sun teaches for free.
He selects apprentices very carefully, they must be honest, low key and have a strong sense of justice; they also must be ready to help the weak.
"Martial arts morality is vital to mian quan," Sun says. "The spirit of mian quan is to nurture the mind, be strong, respect others and help people."
Apprentice Wan Jigeng says Sun's prestige is second to none in Shanghai's martial arts circle. He not only knows everything about mian quan, but also keeps the code of brotherhood.
"All these years, he has been teaching mian quan for free, just as his grandfather did in the old days," Wan says. "What's even more incredible is that he provides free accommodation and meals to apprentices coming from far away."
Previously, mian quan skills had been closely guarded and no outsiders were allowed to watch practice sessions. But Sun has opened them to the public and lessons are free for those who are sincere and meet his criteria.
Wan says there are around 1,000 mian quan practitioners in Shanghai who come from all walks of life and regard Languifang as their spiritual home.
"Mian quan is very practical," he says. "Long ago it was used to fight social oppression. Nowadays it is practiced health and can ease arthritis, spinal problems and other ailments."
It's getting popular with young people who want something slower than Shaolin kung fu and faster than tai chi.
Sun is teaching first graders at Shanghai Kunming Middle School in Yangpu District. Next Friday the youngsters will go to Hangzhou, capital city of Zhejiang Province, and take part in the Zhejiang International Traditional Martial Arts Competition.
Sun feels obliged to pass on Shanghai mian quan and cultivate successors.
He hopes the martial arts form will one day be listed as part of China's national intangible cultural heritage.
For more information, check or e-mail to mianquan-sh@163.com.
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