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Ashburn Boxing: History of Jook Lum Tong Leong
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The Beginning
The Chinese system of martial arts may be traced back to the legendary emperor Fu
Hsi in the 46th C. B.C. Also the inventor of the Eight Trigrams (Pa Kua), Fu Hsi is
alleged to have ordered Yin Tang to perform the Grand Dance for the enhancement of
the limbs and the curing of the diseases of people.
The martial art can be documented in the Chou dynasty (1066-403 B.C.) where
displays of arcery, fencing, wrestling, and other forms of fighting may be found in the
dynasty's Book of Rites and the Spring and Summer Annals (722-481 B.C.).
What began as a primitive form of personal combat gradually became influenced by
Taoist meditative respiratory techniques. Indian Buddhist To-Mo's (- 475 A.D.) entry into
China in 425 A.D. caused more changes, bringing Buddhist meditation (Shan-din,
Cho-Wang) into the picture. He founded the Lo-Han_Chuan whose school later
became known as Shao-lin, thought to represent all forms of martial art except the
internal form of Tai Chi. This is not quite accurate. The Shao-lin school is only on of
approximately 400.
The Chinese system of martial arts may be traced back to the legendary emperor Fu
Hsi in the 46th C. B.C. Also the inventor of the Eight Trigrams (Pa Kua), Fu Hsi is
alleged to have ordered Yin Tang to perform the Grand Dance for the enhancement of
the limbs and the curing of the diseases of people.
The martial art can be documented in the Chou dynasty (1066-403 B.C.) where
displays of arcery, fencing, wrestling, and other forms of fighting may be found in the
dynasty's Book of Rites and the Spring and Summer Annals (722-481 B.C.).
What began as a primitive form of personal combat gradually became influenced by
Taoist meditative respiratory techniques. Indian Buddhist To-Mo's (- 475 A.D.) entry into
China in 425 A.D. caused more changes, bringing Buddhist meditation (Shan-din,
Cho-Wang) into the picture. He founded the Lo-Han_Chuan whose school later
became known as Shao-lin, thought to represent all forms of martial art except the
internal form of Tai Chi. This is not quite accurate. The Shao-lin school is only on of
approximately 400.
Origin of Tong-Leong
At the end of the Ming Dynasty (17th C.) Master Wong-Leong of Shantung province was
practicing his martial arts in the mountains one day during the summer when a
remarkable thing happened. He heard a lot of noise in the tree next to him, and
noticed two combatants struggling for their lives. Curiously he watched as the smaller,
a praying mantis (Tong-Leong) attacked and overpowered a large cicada by using a
combination of short and long jabs. Wong felt a great respect for the praying mantis'
fighting techniques and felt that he too would benefit by observing them in action. He
caged a number of tong-leongs and watched them daily as they fought each other and
as they reacted to his outstretched blade of grass. After three years of observation,
imitation, experimentation, practice and refinement, Wong developed 12 different kinds
of fighting based on the tong-leong hands. Kou, Lwo, Ts'a Kua, Tiao, Ching, Peng, Da,
Da, Chan, Nian, Teh, and Kau. These he combined with what he thought was the best
of the 17 branches and then added to that the more fluid foot movements of other
animals, especially the monkey.
At the end of the Ming Dynasty (17th C.) Master Wong-Leong of Shantung province was
practicing his martial arts in the mountains one day during the summer when a
remarkable thing happened. He heard a lot of noise in the tree next to him, and
noticed two combatants struggling for their lives. Curiously he watched as the smaller,
a praying mantis (Tong-Leong) attacked and overpowered a large cicada by using a
combination of short and long jabs. Wong felt a great respect for the praying mantis'
fighting techniques and felt that he too would benefit by observing them in action. He
caged a number of tong-leongs and watched them daily as they fought each other and
as they reacted to his outstretched blade of grass. After three years of observation,
imitation, experimentation, practice and refinement, Wong developed 12 different kinds
of fighting based on the tong-leong hands. Kou, Lwo, Ts'a Kua, Tiao, Ching, Peng, Da,
Da, Chan, Nian, Teh, and Kau. These he combined with what he thought was the best
of the 17 branches and then added to that the more fluid foot movements of other
animals, especially the monkey.
| For Information about the Ashburn classes please send an email to info@ashburnboxing.com or inquire in person at Golds Gym in Ashburn. |
From the time Master Wong-leong established the tong-leong style in the 17th C. - until
the early 20th C. with Master Fun-Tong-Sun, this style prevailed in northern China's
Shantung province. Then Master Yang-Wei-Sing and Lo-Kuon-Yu moved south from
Shantung province's town of Bon-lai into Shanghai where they began their instructing.
Later Master Lo-Kuon-Yu went on to Canton and then trained others in the village of
Shain-Tau. From this point, tong-leong style was introduced to the southerners of
China. At the onset of W.W. II., Master Lo-Kuon-Yu returned to Shang-hai where he later
died in 1944. One of Master Lo's students Cheng-Peng Weing (- 1969) came to Long
Island, New york in 1962, to become the instructor of Manuel Agrella, now the director of
Tong-leong Gwo Shuh Goan.
the early 20th C. with Master Fun-Tong-Sun, this style prevailed in northern China's
Shantung province. Then Master Yang-Wei-Sing and Lo-Kuon-Yu moved south from
Shantung province's town of Bon-lai into Shanghai where they began their instructing.
Later Master Lo-Kuon-Yu went on to Canton and then trained others in the village of
Shain-Tau. From this point, tong-leong style was introduced to the southerners of
China. At the onset of W.W. II., Master Lo-Kuon-Yu returned to Shang-hai where he later
died in 1944. One of Master Lo's students Cheng-Peng Weing (- 1969) came to Long
Island, New york in 1962, to become the instructor of Manuel Agrella, now the director of
Tong-leong Gwo Shuh Goan.
Tong-leong style has been publicly recognized in Chinese martial art society as a
sort of 'beauty in opposition." Its hypnotic combination of rapid hard and soft
movements, balanced by long and short, all performed with a calike grace and
precision, make tong-leong an extremely versatile form of self-defense. One
example of the famous Tong-leong San-Fua-Sou (three Praying Mantis Plum
Flower forms). Mai-Fua-Sou mostly uses quick, short hand movements with a
hard impact, while Mai-Hua-lou demonstrates how the long, hard strokes can be
advantageous. One of the most beautiful varieties is called Mei-Hua-Chuan, using
both the hard and soft, and long and short together. In its refined form tong-leong
seems very close to dance, in fact.
sort of 'beauty in opposition." Its hypnotic combination of rapid hard and soft
movements, balanced by long and short, all performed with a calike grace and
precision, make tong-leong an extremely versatile form of self-defense. One
example of the famous Tong-leong San-Fua-Sou (three Praying Mantis Plum
Flower forms). Mai-Fua-Sou mostly uses quick, short hand movements with a
hard impact, while Mai-Hua-lou demonstrates how the long, hard strokes can be
advantageous. One of the most beautiful varieties is called Mei-Hua-Chuan, using
both the hard and soft, and long and short together. In its refined form tong-leong
seems very close to dance, in fact.
Mao-Sui, Grand Master Agrella, Master Hsu-Ta
Tong Leong Patch
Grand Master and two students
| Grand Master, a live Katana, a water mellon and - blindfolded. |