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A Brief Synopsis of Shuai Jiao
| Shuai Jiao (Chinese
Wrestling) is the most ancient of all Chinese martial arts with a history of
over 4,000 years. Its first recorded use, in a military engagement, was when
the Yellow Emperor of China fought against the rebel Chih Yiu and his army,
2,697BC. The original Chinese
Martial Arts, a combat wrestling system called Jiao Li (Strength and
Endurance Skills), was systematised during the Zhou Dynasty (1122-256 BC).
This military combat wrestling system, the first combination of fighting
techniques historically employed by the Imperial Army, consisted of throws,
hand and foot strikes, seizing joints, attacking vital parts and breaking
joints in context of throwing. All of these elements of fighting skills
were practised in training during the winter months and used in hundreds of
battles in ancient China. |
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In ancient times,
practitioners of Shuai Jiao competed against one another bare-chested, in
modern times training is undertaken in a heavy quilted canvas cotton jacket.
One important point is that Shuai Jiao does not depend on the opponent’s
jacket or clothing in order to throw them. The priority is to grab the
muscle and bone through the clothing in order to control and throw the
opponent. The use of the competitor’s jacket, that has short sleeves above
the elbows and the jacket itself wraps tightly around the torso with a
canvas belt, adds variety of techniques in controlling and throwing the
opponent. Fast footwork using sweeps, inner hooks and kicks to the
opponent’s leg are combined with the controlling-striking arms that create a
two directional action making a powerful throw. |
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| There are
many other major styles of Shuai Jiao: Beijing; Tian Jin; Mongolian (Boke); and Bao Ding
which is also referred to as Kuai Shuai (Fast Wrestling). When the Nationalist
Government established itself on Taiwan (ROC) in 1949, a few champions of
Shuai Jiao migrated to Taiwan (ROC) and introduced Shuai Jiao. The most
famous Master was Chang Tung-Sheng, others recognised Shuai Jiao Masters
are: Jeng Hsing-Ping, David Lin, Chi-Hsui Daniel Weng (USA), Li Wing-Kay
(Brazil), Yuan Tzu-Mou (France), Hwang Ching-Zeng (Germany), and Louis Lin
(Sweden). These Masters have been responsible for promoting Shuai Jiao
overseas to Europe, the United States and South America. The next generation
includes Masters: Chang Da-Wei (Taiwan ROC) – the grandson of Chang
Tung-Sheng; Antonio Langiano (Italy); and Rob Simpson (United Kingdom). |
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| Modern Shuai Jiao evolved
from an ancient form of battlefield combat. Its techniques are the
culmination of tested grappling experience in the best environment – the
battlefield. This practical and devastatingly efficient method of combat has
evolved into a sophisticated and effective - no nonsense - system of martial
arts. Its philosophy shares the same principle of internal systems of
Chinese martial arts: Yin and Yang. In fact, the advanced Shuai Jiao
practitioner utilises both Internal and External principles and views these
principles as two sides of the same coin meeting at a junction, and
complimenting each other, but coming from totally different origins. |
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| In modern times Shuai Jiao
Masters are employed by the police and military of a number of nations
across the world including China and Taiwan (ROC). So even today, Shuai
Jiao's effectivness as a martial art is still being proven, in both close
military combat and the street.
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