This article was researched and written by Su Mo’s second son (and family) and translated into English by Kody Chetty.
The Shun Wu Tang style was first established during the Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864). General Zeng GuoFan organised local groups (in each city) in order to fight against the Taiping uprising. These groups had been taught to use the following skills as the local military power: quan shu (Chinese boxing), qi xie (weapons/instruments), zhan zhen (battle array/formation), and gong shou (offensive and defensive).
This is how Shun Wu Tang started.
Shun Wu Tang came out of Quan Zhou in Fu Jian and Jin Jiang. The Shun Wu Tang’s Quan Shu (Chinese boxing) is based around the Southern Shaolin Luohan Fist and influenced by the Tai Zu Quan (ancestor fist), Bai He Quan (white crane fist), Ying Zhua Shou Qin Na (eagle claw hand chin na) and Shuai Jiao Shu (wrestling), which focuses on the hand and foot used at the same time to aid with wrestling, striking, grabbing and kicking.
Note: Zeng’s forces were called the Xiang Army.
During the last years of the Qing dynasty, with government decaying, people in poverty and dense growth of the chaos caused by war. In order to survive and avoid the calamity, people in Fu Kien and Kwang Tung Province fled abroad. Hence, Shun Wu Tang spread into Taiwan and was especially popular in the west Taiwan area of Yun Lin county, Jia Yi county and Zhang Hua county. Shun Wu Tang gained fame in the Taiwanese Mother Ma Zu’s holy ground: Bei Gang and Xin Gang, these places are within Yun Lin County.
The first Chieftain in Taiwan – Shifu Lu Rong who came to Taiwan from Mainland China, was nicknamed Huan A Rong “Fearless Rong”. He was extraordinarily brave and courageous, often taking on more than 10 opponents in a single fight. He had no fear, on the contrary, the more opponents he engaged, the more courage he displayed. People commend him for his fearless bravery, hence his nickname.
After Lu Rong, Shifu Wu Ju, also a master of Tai Zu Zhang (ancestor palm), became Chieftain of Shun Wu Tang. He admired Lu Rong’s illustrious reputation, so he became his student and learnt from him. Wu Ju was short and small in stature, but strong and unyielding. His martial skill was extraordinary. He was good at using concealed weapons, a master of the 5 Daoist Arts* and also studied both hard and soft qi gong. One of his demonstrations involved hanging eight bricks on both his left and right ear and walking normally. People who had seen it gave unceasing praise. His unique talent was Ge Kong Dian Xue (to touch people’s pressure points from a distance) which can be used to paralyse people. The people in our Shi Shu’s (Older Uncle) generation have actually witnessed this, so it is not just boasting!
*The 5 Daoist Arts of Medicine, Karma and Astrology, Divination, Feng Shui and Qi meditation (Cultivation of Spirit)
The third Chieftain was Shifu Su Mo (Grand Master Su’s father), was known as “Fu Shi”(Lucky/Happy master). Many decades ago, martial arts became very popular in Taiwan. There were numerous schools and schools refused to give homage to each other. People from the different schools always fought and competed for territory or fame and wealth.
When he was teenager, Su Mo followed his master, Shifu Wu Ju, to see all of Taiwan. While they were building up their own territory, if ever people came to compete for the territory, Su Mo always solved those conflicts peacefully but without stepping aside. Therefore, he gained the name Lucky Master. Su Mo’s strength and speed are legendary. When he was young, he practised Chun Qiu Da Dao (Spring and Autumn broadsword or Guan Dao), which weighs more than ten kilograms on an ‘8 Immortals Table’ or Ba Xian Zhuo, just as easily as on flat ground. He was famous for this. When people heard his name, they would try to avoid getting in trouble. When he was older and his hair and beard were grey, he walked faster than younger people. When one saw him, it was clear that he had the same vitality as in his early age. He had learned the skill of Qin Na Dian Xue Shu (to arrest and attack people’s pressure point) from a Buddhist monk, but he never showed anyone. People close to him say that he had hurt someone before so he swore that he would never teach this skill. Shifu Su Mo’s students are all over Taiwan and overseas. He has achieved success and won recognition. Our school is well-known with high standing in the Martial Arts World due to the great success of Shifu Su Mo!
Su Mo was a master with weapons, especially Da Mo Qi Mei Gun (Da Mo Equal Eyebrows Stick), he practiced it vigorously. He used it to fight against four people; when Shifu Su Mo’s stick lightly hit theirs, their stick was immediately dropped on the ground and not picked up again! His medical skill was very good; he could write a prescription just by feeling a patient’s pulse and was especially well versed in the treatment of rheumatism, weak kidneys, external injuries and all feminine ailments. All the patients who had seen him praised him profusely. He once said that he,“ have no other interests except practice martial art, study medicine, read newspaper and drink wine!” Therefore, it is no accident that Shifu Su Mo had extraordinary martial arts, medical skill and broad knowledge!
The Kung Fu our school teaches includes Quan Shu (Chinese boxing), Qi Xie (weapons/instruments), Qin Na (trapping, grappling), Shuai Jiao (wrestling), Zhan Zhen (battle array/formation), and Qi Gong (breathing technique).
In the area of Quan Shu, Southern Shaolin Luohan Fist form the base of our style and incorporates Tai Tzu Quan (ancestor fist), Bai He Quan (white crane fist), Ying Zhua Shou Qin Na (eagle claw hand capture method) and Shuai Jiao Shu (wrestling), which focus on the hand and foot use simultaneously aided by wrestling, punching, grappling and kicking. There are 72 set forms in total, including Luo Han Quan Mu (mother of Luo Han Quan), Sao Lian (sweep lotus), Hei Long Xi Shui (black dragon plays water), Luo Han Jiu Zhu (Luo Han saves master), Zhong Yu Lian Huan Sao Jiao (continuous sweeping feet), Lian Huan Fei Tui (continuous flying leg) and many more. From the easy to the difficult and complicated, progressing step by step and in proper sequence, upper and lower follow each other, inner and outer become one, coupling hardness with softness; its focus is on dodging quickly by stepping and sideways angled attacks, it concentrates more on function than forms, strength than pretence, coordinating the body and mind, bringing the offensive and defensive together.
In the area of Qin Na, it’s a kind of Qin Na San Shou (capture unarmed fighting), 108 forms in total. It is based on Luohan Fist and focuses on the strength of finger and hand. This involves a study of the pressure points and nerves. When you practice it, you need to know the exact location of pressure points, have a steady hand, attack accurately and exert ruthless power so that the opponent cannot move or fight back.
In the area of Shuai Jiao (wrestling), besides the strength of fingers and hands, there is special focus on the flexibility of legs and arms, in order to bring the attack and defence into full play. The actions have to be quick and fast. Victory is achieved through unexpected moves, quick response and finding the chance to dominate your opponent first. Gaining a familiarity with the methods of grappling and joint locks used with footwork, the application of wrestling will be accomplished.
About the weapons used, for example Dao (knife), Qiang (spear), Jian (double-edged straight sword), Gun (stick), Jian (twin long dagger), Bang (cudgel), Gou (hook), Cha (fork), Dun (shield), Lian (chain), zhang (crutch), Chi (ruler) etc.
Zhan Zhen (battle array/formation) is the one of the ancient Chinese ways to train its armies. In order to practice the formation, you need more than 24 people. Everyone has different weapons with two people to a team. One person holds a long range weapon and another takes a short range weapon. The drumbeat is the signal to change formation and the array from offensive to defensive. In the formation exchange, there are Bu Dai Zui (cloth bag mouth), Tiao Guo Men (jump over the door), Tiao Wu Long (jumping five dragons), Nei Wai Quan (inner and outer circle) etc. In the offensive and defensive array, there are Si Lei (four ramparts), Ba Feng (eight seal), Lian Huan (a chain of rings), Wei Cheng (encircle a city), Xie Chao (rest in the nest) etc. Each formation and array has a particular military meaning. The training of the formation focuses on the group spirit. Besides training each member’s physique and technique, the most important focus is the ability to deal with a contingency or emergency by coordination and cooperation.
There’s a proverb that goes “practicing your fist without Lian Gong, at the end, you gain nothing”. Hence, practice your fist from the easiest to the most difficult and complicated. When you are at a certain level, you have to learn Qi Gong in order to achieve a refined, expert level. The exercise of Qi Gong is focused on the cooperation of breath and mind; and the coordination between physical and mental. Strengthening the internal organs function in order to increase the life force; hence, Qi Gong is an activity, which when practiced, strengthens your body and mind.
Si Hu Xiang (four lakes township) local council has a community speciality. They use the Shun Wu Tang Guo Shu Guan (martial art school) in their town as the main base to constructively promote the exercise of Guo Shu. This has become a well known feature of the township. The township is motivated in developing and promoting Wu Shu in order to firmly root and pass on Wu Shu. Local council has strived to raise funding for cultural affairs and bring about the ‘2002 Lun Bei community re-establishment plan to promote Guo Shu’.
Practicing Guo Shu is a very tiring exercise. People who practice wu shu can bear more hardship and work harder. They have clear moral concepts. Guo Shu is not to only to strengthen your body and clear your mind, but also to combine the pen and the sword.* It also provides a reasonable leisure time activity. It is worthwhile to promote.
* This is literally translated but seems to insinuate the blending and balancing of mental and martial aspects of Wu Shu.