Mr. Zhou Zhihui, descendant of Zhou Zihe, and currently the president of the Tiger Boxing Club of Zhitian, has released a very recent video of students performing a set of drills, some of which seem to bear relationship to what I have been naming “the Zhou-Uechi System”, aka “UechiRyu”. Many of the techniques in UechiRyu seem to originate with several systems from the Fuzhou locale. Some systems are now extinct as complete systems; only fragments or isolated techniques seem to remain of several old systems today. The Zhou-Uechi System represents a lifetime of experience in many Chinese systems. It took a highly-cultivated martial genius to combine these techniques into a single comprehensive system based on an amalgamation of probably several existent short forms collectively known as “Sanchin”.
Mr. Zhou asks that we share this short video of these drills along with his explanation. I am posting this wherever I have access; it is really good information. Please feel free to copy and share both this text in full and the accompanying video as you like.
Here is an explanation from Mr. Zhou:
This is a set of some free-form drills that form part of Zhou Zihe’s Tiger Boxing from Zhitian Village.
The forms recorded in the “Forms of Tiger Boxing” book published in the 1980s were collected from other branches of the Zhou Zihe kenpo outside of Zhitian Village (in Fuzhou city and another nearby township).
Mr. Zhou said over the phone that these drills specifically came from Zhitian Village. He plans to replace the previous modernized forms with these for their high school sport programs.
Since these drills are unlike those taught or preferred by most modern wushu classes, there is perhaps evidence these drills may indeed be more authentic.
The video will be released on YouTube by midnight 07 December Greenwich Mean Time, as it is being processed to erase music but leave speech. So please check the YouTube URL, it may be released earlier:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzocFs_50KE
Zhou-Uechi System
Moderator: jwlavasse
Re: Zhou-Uechi System
Cannot find Zhitian Village in Google Maps, but I think Fuzhou City, China is located here:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fuzho ... FQAw%3D%3D
"Tiger Boxing"
"Boxing in China began as a street sport in the 1920s, mainly in the port cities of Shanghai and Guangzhou, where foreign sailors were pitted against local fighters in the ring." - Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_in_China
Wonder if the Tiger Boxing Club of Zhitian was influenced or related in any way to the street sport in China's port cities? Tiger Boxing has been around for a long time--both Zhōuzihé/Shushiwa and Kanbun were taught tiger boxing by Zhèngxiānjì 郑仙纪 (1854-1929).
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fuzho ... FQAw%3D%3D
"Tiger Boxing"
"Boxing in China began as a street sport in the 1920s, mainly in the port cities of Shanghai and Guangzhou, where foreign sailors were pitted against local fighters in the ring." - Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_in_China
Wonder if the Tiger Boxing Club of Zhitian was influenced or related in any way to the street sport in China's port cities? Tiger Boxing has been around for a long time--both Zhōuzihé/Shushiwa and Kanbun were taught tiger boxing by Zhèngxiānjì 郑仙纪 (1854-1929).
Erik
“Old minds are like old horses; you must exercise them if you wish to keep them in working order.”
- John Adams
“Old minds are like old horses; you must exercise them if you wish to keep them in working order.”
- John Adams
Re: Zhou-Uechi System
The term "boxing" is not Chinese of course, but a Western term applied to whatever "Chinese" form of fighting was witnessed by foreigners. It stuck simply because it was an easier word to use, and for foreigners to understand, than fully explaining a system of fighting. Eventually, anyone Chinese who practiced a martial art was designated a "boxer" by foreign observers, and later, even by other Chinese people.
I think any fighting that used fists was generally called "boxing" in the West since the mid 1800's, maybe earlier. "Chinese boxing" is what it was called if a Chinese fighter did it.
Most "Chinese boxers" had nothing to do with sports, or were involved in the Boxer Rebellion.
I think any fighting that used fists was generally called "boxing" in the West since the mid 1800's, maybe earlier. "Chinese boxing" is what it was called if a Chinese fighter did it.
Most "Chinese boxers" had nothing to do with sports, or were involved in the Boxer Rebellion.
Re: Zhou-Uechi System
You're right that the word "boxing" is a western term. “Boxing” originated from the term “pugilism” which is related to the Latin “pugnus”, meaning “fist” and derived from the Greek word “pyx” meaning “with clenched fist”.
The earliest evidence for boxing rules came from ancient Greece. Evidence has been found showing boxing as far back as the third millennium BC from Sumerian relief carvings.
https://www.britannica.com/sports/boxing
The earliest evidence for boxing rules came from ancient Greece. Evidence has been found showing boxing as far back as the third millennium BC from Sumerian relief carvings.
https://www.britannica.com/sports/boxing
Erik
“Old minds are like old horses; you must exercise them if you wish to keep them in working order.”
- John Adams
“Old minds are like old horses; you must exercise them if you wish to keep them in working order.”
- John Adams
Re: Zhou-Uechi System
Wonder if the Tiger Boxing Club of Zhitian was influenced or related in any way to the street sport in China's port cities? Tiger Boxing has been around for a long time--both Zhōuzihé/Shushiwa and Kanbun were taught tiger boxing by Zhèngxiānjì 郑仙纪 (1854-1929).
Can you define "street-sport" in this context? The Zhitian Tiger Boxing Club usually gets high-level national attention and goes for the official provincial, regional, and national championships, I think. Are you thinking about the pre-club era, maybe?
both Zhōuzihé/Shushiwa and Kanbun were taught tiger boxing by Zhèngxiānjì 郑仙纪 (1854-1929).
May I ask, where is there documentation or record of this? Is it directly stated by an authoritative source that Kanbun was taught by Zheng Xiangji? It’s possible, though Xiangji was 1 or 2 teaching generations before Kanbun and Zihe, but where might we find a record that he actually had anything to do with either of their training?
Can you define "street-sport" in this context? The Zhitian Tiger Boxing Club usually gets high-level national attention and goes for the official provincial, regional, and national championships, I think. Are you thinking about the pre-club era, maybe?
both Zhōuzihé/Shushiwa and Kanbun were taught tiger boxing by Zhèngxiānjì 郑仙纪 (1854-1929).
May I ask, where is there documentation or record of this? Is it directly stated by an authoritative source that Kanbun was taught by Zheng Xiangji? It’s possible, though Xiangji was 1 or 2 teaching generations before Kanbun and Zihe, but where might we find a record that he actually had anything to do with either of their training?
