HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF
SHAOLIN TANTUI
Combat Application of Shaolin Tantui
Tantui, which means "Spring Kicks", is the essence of Northern Shaolin. The whole system of Tantui is crystallized into 12 sequences as follows:
- Thrust Punch -- Second Brother Offers Wine
- Kicking Attack -- Rising Dragon Galloping Tiger
- Chopping Attack -- Second Brother Chops Firewood
- Hook Thrust -- Green Dragon Exhibits Tail
- Lift Strike -- Cross-Road Lift Strike
- Double Spread -- Embrace Moon in Bosom
- Single Strike -- Single Strike Bell Sounds
- Thrust Kick -- Shoot Spear at Yun Pavilion
- Break Lock -- Second Brother Breaks Lock
- Arrow Spring -- Swallow Flies through Clouds
- Hook Hang -- Arrest Horse at Cliff
- Side Fist -- Turn Body Strike Rock
These 12 sequences are demonstrated here by Sifu Michael Chow, a former international wushu champion and Tantui expert.
Many great Shaolin masters of the late 19th and early 20th century, like Huo Yun Jia and Wang Zi Ping, employed Tantui to defeat all masters of other martial arts of many countries who came to China to test the combat efficiency of kungfu. Using Tantui, Fuo Yun Jia and Wang Zi Ping remained victorious throughout.
Unfortunately, most Tantui practitioners today only know the 12 sequences in solo practice, without knowing their combat application. To overcome this serious setback, I worked out the combat application of Tantui in Toronto in May, in Frankfurt in June, and in Canterbury in July all in 2007. To help students remember the combat sequences, they are composed into combat application sets.
To preserve the greatness of Tantui for posterity, I have requested Sifu Emiko Hsuen, a former international wushu champion and expert in Tantui, and also closely connected to the lineage of the great Wang Zi Ping, to teach this wonderful kungfu style to more people. As the Tantui combat application composed by me is quite advanced, Sifu Emiko Hsuen is tasked with the project of composing simpler Tantui combat application for relative beginners.
Wong Kiew Kit
17th December 2015
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