(Riding the Wind)
Long before Saint George encountered his legendary beast, the Dragon played an influential and beneficial role in the Chinese culture. An amalgam of several creatures, including monitor lizards, pythons and the Chinese alligator, the polymorphic dragon was a water spirit, responsible for bringing the rains and thus insuring the survival of crops. The dragon was symbolic guardian to the gods, and was the source of true wisdom. This latter feature most likely resulted form the observation of the living reptilian counterparts which, usually at rest, seem to be in a near constant state of contemplation.
The dragon represented two of the ancient elements, Earth and Water, endowing the creature with powers of elusion and power. A Yang symbol, the Taoists saw the dragon as a personification of the Tao itself, "the dragon reveals himself only to vanish." Shaolin Buddhists saw him as a vision of enlightened truth, to be felt, but never held.
The dragon style originated as stretching and twisting exercises from Boddhidarma's exercises that he taught after the founding of the Shaolin Temple in Honan around 570 A.D. It truly became a martial discipline at about 1565 A.D., but the originators are uncertain. Two legends seem noteworthy. One states that the shaolin nun Wu Mui created the style by using moves of deception and melding with an opponent. The other credits a monk, Mui Fa San Yang with contemplating his gung fu training and daydreaming about countermoves, when he became inspired by the twisting movements of the dragon. The style was called Yow Kueng Moon, and was advanced by Yang's abbot, Tit Yang Sum Si. Both these stories pace the origin at Honan Shaolin Temple. Since then, Dragon Gung Fu has evolved into two distinct styles, Southern (1565) and Northern (1680). Each consists of non-temple variations, in essence units of instruction taken, incompletely, from Shaolin, and molded into family styles. A new synthesis to organize the Shaolin styles and systematize a combined approach was begun in 1972. Of historical note, the style considered southern was the original form brought south from Honan, while northern evolved in the north after the burning of the temple in 1570 A.D.
Dragon is essentially an internal, chi cultivating method, but initial training is far more similar to a hard, external style than a delicate style. When learning the moves, the student will strike hard, block hard and will stop in each position, with the idea of learning the correct movement and stances for that move. Eventually, the method of transmitting power is retained, and the physically strengthened body is able to make transitions in the proper, fluid manner. In turn, this reptilian smoothness helps disguise the attacks, making it very difficult for and adversary to effectively counter.
On the highest level, an opponent is allowed to tire himself out, evasion becoming the Dragon’s key defense. The Dragon is kind of a mix between the tiger and the snake. Chi control is highly developed, and the degree to which the body must be moved to redirect or avoid impact is under great control. The forms that comprise this system are divided by complexity into three categories, and are listed below:
16 Hole
Passing Bridge Three Times
Fierce Tiger Leaping Over Wall
Rescue Master From Single Side
Single Sword and Mount
Press and Hit from Four Sides
Eagle Claw
Bridge Smashing
Touch Bridge (introduces sticky hands)
Venomous Snake Moves Tongue
Hua King’s Fist
Standing Five-Form
Cross Standing Five-Form
Turn to Hook and Hit
Five Horses Returning to Stable Palm
Plum Flower Punch
Seven Ways of Plum Flower Punch
In all of the forms, the student is taught to "ride the wind" or follow instead of leading. That is one of the key concepts in both the dragon and the snake styles. It is one of the most important things to learn in the martial arts.
