Crane Kung Fu (He Chuan)
Allow the Attacker to Defeat themselves.
Prologue
The Crane is a strong symbol in China being a symbol for longevity because of its exceptionally long life span. Historically, Cranes have claimed a special place in the human imagination because of their several distinctive similarities to humans, including their height, vocalization, social nature, and perennial monogamy. Yet, the Crane is not one of the animals that came to Buddha's call and is not part of the Chinese Zodiac twelve.
There are many stories about the origins of Crane Style Kung Fu, some citing foundation as recent as the 18th century, some the Ming Dynasty, 15th Century but for the purposes of understanding the Shaolin Crane, we refer to the introduced of the Animal Styles including Crane after the 2nd destruction of Shaolin around 11th Century. Although the source of this Crane style my come from Tibet or even India, both of which had significant influences into China in the form of Buddhism, Martial Arts and Medicine. Following is some detail although the full Shaolin Temple and Shaolin Kung Fu history can be viewed on the Shaolin History page.
When the 2nd Buddhist Purge occurred in the 11th Century CE (1st purge and Shaolin destruction was around 570 CE, many Buddhist and Shaolin Monks dispersed to non Buddhist Monasteries including to the Daoist (Taoist) temple complex on Mount Emei Shan. Emei Shan has been inhabited since as early as 800 BCE. It was originally a Taoist retreat that focused on health, healing and Longevity (Longevity being a preoccupation of Taoist's). During the Ming dynasty Emei Shan's Taoist Temples were converted to Buddhism which gave rise to the idea that it may have been a Shaolin Temple, but it wasn't. It is though this temple that originally used the symbol of the Crane that is thought to also have influenced the Shaolin Crane Style if not outright defined it.
Crane the Animal
Crane is a prehistoric animal, dating back millions of years. There are about fifteen different Crane family's and each group is different but hey have long necks and long legs, eat both animals and plants, have sharp beaks and prefer to live in groups with other cranes. They are fishers not hunters, and Cranes like to dance! They live around twenty to twenty-five years (usually), build nests, and usually lay two eggs at a time and are monogamous. They are powerful flyers, able to cross the Himalayas, and have been witnessed as high as 8 km's or 26,000 feet.
Flamingos are not cranes although appear they look and behave similarly, and not storks (Ciconiidae family). Cranes are Gruidae family whereas and Flamingo's are Phoenicopteridae Family. Cranes have a razor-sharp-beak and Flamingo's have a filter-beak. Cranes are listed as the worlds largest flying birds.
Shaolin Crane Kung Fu
Crane practitioners dance, are light on their feet, have a high center like ballet dancers, and always evade first and foremost when attacked. If they can avoid a fight, they will. They are birds and fishers not warriors and fighters but know how to protect themselves and their own. You will rarely find a Crane by themselves, prefer to be with their mate or a in a group/herd/dance/sedge/siege/swoop. They tend to mind their own business but are very social when they feel safe in their swoop. Alone, they may be nervous and look out of place, and would usually not be out.
As a Crane practitioner, you are a dancer, light on your feet, non confrontational, non aggressive, amicable, easy going as long as you feel safe. The Crane practitioner would not ever give away that they study kung fu or are able to fight if needed, even preferring to back down most the time unless they are protecting their own. Then, the Crane practitioner will use fingers, toes, open hand strikes, and claw hands never striking a definitive blow but wearing and warning the attacker from action. Two Cranes can not have a fight and would need a Tiger or Panther style practitioner to practice, although, not with any amount of pleasure. If you do not like violence but need to defend yourself and your own, Crane style kung fu is the way and means. Within the context of the Shaolin Fire Animal Style, the Crane is the only style when confronted by an unwinnable situation and seemingly impossible odds. The Crane stylists only real weapons is endurance and time. Everything else is in aid of encouraging the attacker defeat themselves, overshoot the mark, tire out or just give up.
Shaolin Crane Principles
Your safety is paramount unless you are protecting your-ones. Your main focus is not to be hurt or damaged and to distracted or slowed your attacker. Bluff, distract, misdirect, developing an increasing distance between you and the attacker. Never loose your focus on the attacker and have a total dedication to the threat to the absence of all else, except your own safety. If you are hurt, damaged or even debilitated, you are no good to anyone anyway.
Anticipate nothing and you can not be surprised, mislead or confused. Total dedication to preparedness, to readiness, able to react that one-tenth of a second quicker than the attacker! Do not move too early but allow the attacker to be fully committed to the attack before you make your move. You never move in a straight line, you prefer spins and turns like a ballet dancer, not giving any singular target, and stay away from the attackers strength and frontal centerline. If you strike, it will be to the attackers rear, or side, but never the front. Use the attackers own momentum and allow them to defeat themselves if necessary, you may do some damage to teach but all this is incidental not directive. A Crane practitioner does not seek victory but will avoid defeat at all costs. As a Crane stylist your goal is not to loose, not to be hurt but to walk away from the encounter with good conscience (if possible).
A Cranes practitioners greatest win is to turn the enemy into a friend and ally.
Escape is the Key. What ever it takes to walk away without burning bridges and selling your soul. Sometimes inflicting a bit of pain encourages the other to rethink the situation, but be careful, it can also go the other way. Peace!
The Crane's Method.
The best way to imagine a Crane stylist is to imagine a single parent with a dependant child. Anything to protect that child and ensure their safety in the future. Anyone you defeat may take it out on you or yours in the future. Anyone you turn into a friend even ally can help you in the future. the Cranes way is that of a diplomat, negotiator, conciliator, mediator, teacher, healer, caretaker, etc. Its ways are through words, mild bluff, compromise, even momentary surrender, if there si a change of escape and freedom. The Crane's method is Peacekeeping. Get away as soon as possible, as soon a feasible, as soon as turning your back on the attacker will not invite them to take advantage. Until this point or some very fortunate circumstance, stay focused on the attacker, be aware of your surroundings.
The Shaolin Crane Stylist
The Crane stylist prefers a harmonious environment and would sooner walk away from a conflict than even consider partaking in it. The Crane Stylist is a dancer, the most beautiful mover of all the Shaolin Animals. It's forms a beautiful, graceful and full of elegance. All though all movements, each turn and hop, each pause have a meaning, often a Crane stylists practice of form will look more like a dance. They are very light on their feet and can be mistaken for Ballet Dancers at the highest level
The Crane's Kung Fu
The Crane Stylist has no real Weapons. It uses itself and its agility to evade and wear down its attackers. It seeks to conserve energy so that when there is enough space to flee, it can. Wide hand movements, like wings are used to distract the attacker. Thee three-legged stance is a sigh of the Crane but not in the way of the Karate Kid. When attacker, the Crane would use the attackers body to kick themselves off and away to the side and rear with the lifted foot, if possible, twisting in such a way as to kick the attacker, accelerating their moving direction. It may seek to poke a Crane's Beak and into the attackers exposed eye, a Cranes Wing Strike to the throat or a Spade Hand to their neck from the side, but never the front. It may even attack the liver or kidney, if safe, or the side of the quad with its toe trying cork the attackers leg. Never would the Crane attack the groin at the front as it means that ti is in direct line of attack.
All these action would look like a dance, elegant and graceful, unhurried and light; a thing of beauty and grace. From this style we have the concept of Dancing as a form of evasive martial arts. Like a gust of wind blowing through a horde of attackers, touching all but not being touched by any. Like water being punched, offering no resistance but after the initial impact back to how it was and where it was. Crane Kung Fu is aloof, above fear and anger. It is of peace and tranquility and graceful motion discussing the occasional kick or strike.
You are a Crane Personality
If you prefer non-violent action and want everyone to get along even if it means severe compromise and work. As a Crane personality you feel that family, friends and work mates are the reason for living, socializing and having fun with other people is your greatest joy. You don't like bullies but do like strong commanding people. You don't like pushy people but do like for someone to take charge. You prefer witty charming and non-threatening people in a know and safe environment, and prefer not to experiment. Normally you would not be into martial arts (that is why most Crane Styles are not really Crane styles in the pure sense but have major Crane elements only) but yoga, aerobics, tai chi or another form of non-competitive sport. You like elegance, beauty, looking good and being relatively well dressed.
Crane Kung Fu
In terms of martial arts, the Crane Stylist is not a seeker of 'action' but will rather leave the fighting to others, supporting them when needed, chiding when they believe it is unnecessary (which is most the time). If confronted directly it will seek to evade, avoid and defuse the situation, seeking always for a non-action solution. Only if the situation becomes unbearable, unavoidable, imminent or they are protecting someone, will they stand and draw the focus onto themselves; still seeking to diffuse the situation, negotiate a peaceful outcome or bargain a solation without violence.
When/If it comes to fighting, the Crane will seek to wear down the opponent, seek to demotivate or educate where possible. It will keep it's distance from the attacker without backing away obviously. It will seek to create confusion to the attacker with words, action or body movement. It will seek to maximize the effort put in by the attacker and minimize it's need for a response knowing that if it can survive the initial few attacks it will still be fresh and safe but the attacker will be a bit worn down. It's main strategy will be to first avoid harm, observing the attacker. it will then 'experiment' with some irritation techniques, a flick here, a sting there, a foot trip or an eye poke. The Cranes aim is to strip the attacker of planning and thought down to it's basics instincts, which are, for the Crane Kung Fu stylist, easily predictable and manageable.
Crane Kung Fu Skills
Evasion, Avoidance and Adaptation. Cranes are elegant dancers charming their attackers rather then beating them. If that doesn't work they try to educate them through small pains, scrapes and trips. Only if both the one and the other does not work will they go to more severe measure such as hyper-extension, bouncing of an object and possibly even minor trap setting (standing in front of something waiting for the attacker to charge and then helping the person to hit this object rather than them.
A Crane Fable?
Fables are stories that can be true but may have been altered or are totally fictional but convey a lesson in some direct or indirect way. The advantage of using such to convey a learning is that it requires a bit of involvement and thinking on the part of the listener/reader which allows usually for a better and deeper understanding. So, here we go into the Fable of how the crane Style came into being.
There was once a young monk who was dedicated to Shaolin. He was brilliant in his studies and healing, courteous in his manners and exceedingly good in his Kung Fu. In all things he excelled though, especially in the healing arts and his martial arts. But when it came to using his Kung Fu skills, even the newest most, inexperienced of novices was able to best him in friendly sparring. It seems that our young monk did not have an aggressive bone in his body and not the mind to cause harm or hit someone for any reason. This was perplexing to his teachers who were trying to teach him the fullness of balance and life and the ability to survive hostile and dangerous environments as well as maintain his health and fitness through Kung Fu. Much was tried, nothing worked.
The young Monk was now ready to begin his journey years but for this one shortcoming he could not be sent into the hostile outside world. So he stayed and continued his studies and training and this was pleasing to him as he really liked this life. His Masters new that to truly be a Shaolin Monk you must re-enter the world unaided and go through your journey years, be exposed to all the temptations of life and still want to come back to Shaolin. That was the only way that Shaolin could become true Monks and then Masters. Much was considered by the temple teachers and Masters but no answer presented itself. So the wisest of the Masters came to a very simple solutions; allow the student to find the answer for them selves. Give them time and guidance to meditate, far away from distractions of the Temple, on just this subject, instead of the usual duties and see what happens. Thus it came to be that after morning meditations and his daily duties, he would go up the mountain, instead of Kung Fu training, and meditate on this matter.
This was also quite amicable to the young man as he was quite an amicable person. he found a peaceful clearing, set up his meditation mat, made him self comfortable on it and meditated. It was quite restive and the monk enjoyed this and the time for more meditation. He made the journey to the same spot every day, fitting himself into the nature of the area well; so well that the animals came to trust him and continued their life close to where he sat, without showing fear or apparently even noticing him. Even a flock of Cranes grazed there for a while on their yearly migration, without taking notice of him and without the young monk really noticing them. All in all, it was peaceful, but the young monk was not getting anywhere with his quest. As it was quite beautiful and peaceful there, and he did not really enjoy sparring and defence, he continue to spending his time at this activity; all was good so, until.
One day, whilst meditating, he felt a change around him. He interrupted his meditation and without moving took stock of the surroundings. The Cranes were still there, nothing seemed to have changed and he herd nothing. And then it came to him; much of the areas natural sound had died down, something was wrong, something was not quite right. The monks knew the area well now and also noted the uneasy feeling around him. So had the cranes some of whom were starting the long run they needed to take off. He was right, he soon saw a Tiger shadowing the flock of Cranes seeking his target, chasing after the slowest of the now all running birds.
The young monk was in a conundrum; his teaching is to be one with nature and let nature be nature; but his sympathy was with the Cranes and the peaceful nature of the area before the Tiger appeared; what to do if anything? Before he could decide though, the Tiger launched into a full run at the seemingly slowest and seemingly fattest of the Cranes, as the bird was big compared to the rest of the flock. The Tiger would be upon the poor crane in a matter of moments!
Surprisingly, the big crane ran at the Tiger, wings out stretched and charging the charging Tiger!! This ever so slightly confused the Tiger and is slowed ever so slightly! Still , the crane was done for. The Tiger leaped up with it's front paws to rip the crane down when the Crane flapped it's wings and jumped/flew over the Tigers head. The monk was surprised, the Tiger was confused and turned around, the crane was hurt it was limping. The Tiger approached the limping Crane slowly and carefully trying to trap it between itself and the trees so that the Crane could not run and get enough speed to take off. The crane was limping apparently right into the Tigers Trap. The Monk observed horrified and intrigued. What really happened and why the bird was not down and captured by the Tiger, was unclear?
The Tiger charged again, picking up an impressive speed. This time it leapt into the air seemingly anticipating the Crane leaping again. The Crane stood still until last possible moment at which time it spread it's wings and again startled the Tiger; who again, somehow missed the Crane! With a burst of wings and speed the Crane had leapt aside just at the right moment and evaded the Tiger. What a surprise and a second surprise when he saw that the Crane was no longer limping even more of a surprise was that the Tigers nose was bleeding and is was panting. All this effort by the Tigers reckoning, should have netted it a full meal of Crane breast and all.
The Tiger being a Tiger, did not wast any time rethinking his strategy but instead, swerved and refocused on the Crane; moved his head side to side to get a new distance and bearing and again charged. Again, at the very last possible moment the Crane spread it's wings and charged at the Tiger and again leapt into the air and to the side with a startling swiftness that belied it's graceful and elegant movements.
This time the monk, ready for the encounter, saw what the Crane did (not moving for fear of being the new target). He also noticed that all the other Cranes were now airborne and gaining hight. The Tiger also had an eye irritation that was to the side that the Crane had jumped to evade him. No matter, the Tiger now in full frustration and/or rage turned and charged at the Crane, although it was not quite as quick or fluid as it had been previously.
As the Tiger started the charge, the Crane extended only one wing seemingly the other was injured. The Brave Crane had done it's duty and saved it's flock for obviously it was the Alpha and had ensured it's family's safety at it's own life's cost. The monk wanted to close his eyes and not see this brave bird die but the whole was so fascinating he was rooted motionless. The Tiger continued his charge. What the monk saw next amazed him; the Crane withdrew the wing at the last possible moment and standing one one leg, used the other lifted leg to scratch/kick/leverage of the Tiger head around the injured eye to leap high into the air out of the Tiger reach, at the same time scratching the Tigers eye again.
The Tiger was hurt and his eye was watering profoundly. It had a problem focusing on the Crane. The Crane was now in a position to run and take off, but the monk judged that the Tiger, even with it's puffed state, would catch and kill the Crane before it could, take off. The Tiger was breathing hard very had. Obviously he had put a lot of effort into his attack as Tiger do and was now out-of-breath. The Tiger plonked down and rested wiping it's eye with it's paw. The Monk found this so absolutely startling that he did not notice his own danger. But as it was, the Tiger was so tired that he had no interest in the monk or anything for that matter and just lay there tending it eye. The Monk stayed very still for a long time until the Tiger got up and slinked away into the bush. At which time the Crane also started his take-off run. The Monk waited a bit longer still after that, just to be sure and to process what he had witnessed.
When he returned to the Temple he waited until the morning to tell his observation to his teacher-master, who listened attentively before stating that this was a significant observation and that he would like some time to also meditate on this.
A couple of days later the young monk was summoned to his teacher who suggested that today they both go up into the Mountain, a different place to where he had been to talk about the experience. Once they arrived the Master asked again to hear the monks account of the events. And as so often from clever teachers, he asked some guiding questions along the way including, what the student had learned from this encounter. Well said the young monk, the Tiger can not be beaten and yet it did not get to win! What else asked the teacher? The student temporized, the Crane focused on not being hurt or killed and preferred to evade and avoid using misdirection and unusual movements. Anything else asked the teacher?
The young monk though about it but could not see anymore so the master suggested; how about the way the Crane Moved and what it did to confuse the Tiger and gain speed? Ah, said the young monk, you mean the distraction by extending only one wing both seemingly to be injured and gaining a bit of distance from the main line of attack? Yes and asked the Master? And the way the Crane used the Tigers strength for it's own purpose, not opposing the power but using it!
And this made sense, as a Tiger was unbeatable; so, as the old saying goes, 'Like Water wearing away at Rock', the Crane focused on keeping the attention of the Tiger on what it did. It then focused on it's own safety rather than attacking the Tiger in any way; only as an after-though would the Crane cause some minor distraction or irritation to the attacking Tiger. Maybe even with a bit of luck causing the Tiger breathing problems through the nasal blood flow or even possible eye irritation with a lucky claw.
So, come on in and see if what we do is for you!