Interview with Arnold Buenviaje
In the early years of venturing out into the online martial arts community I found few people whose experiences closely matched my own. In those days, practitioners of Lin Jingshan’s line of Tanglang outside of China were few and far between and my understanding of other families of Mantis Boxing was restricted due to limited exposure. Arnold Buenviaje (Cai Mingren) of the Philippine Ming Sheng Wushu Association, Philippine Chi Ching Wushu Association and disciple of Master Zhong Lianbao, spoke in terminology I understood and trained in essentially the same methods. Through extensive and generous sharing, Arnold’s knowledge of both the Tanglang of Lin Jingshan and also that of the greater Tanglang Men helped me to better understand my own.
AB: I was born in Manila 1962, my father was a Chinese immigrant and my mother was a Chinese mestiza (half Chinese half Filipina). I came from a middle-income family. There are 5 brothers and sisters; I am second from the eldest. I was educated at Saint Stephen’s High School, a Chinese school in Manila and I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Santo Tomas. Because of family business, I was not able to pursue a housing design career. I run a construction supply business and I currently live in Manila, in the Chinatown area.
My father came from Quan Feng village, Jinjiang, Fujian, China.
Shifu Buenviaje with Zhong Xiang and Shifu Zhong
I started Wushu training in 1977 at Ling Nam Athletic Association (Ling Nam changed its status to federation in the later years), then in 1988 Ling Nam sent me to Wushu Federation Philippines to undergo Contemporary Wushu training. Later I became a member of the Philippine National Wushu Team. I trained with different Chinese coaches namely Li Junfeng, Chen Guorung, Mo Shaoneng and Ms. Mi Jinbei. From 1991 I returned to Ling Nam to help out and teach there. In 1993 I became disciple of Shifu Zhong Lianbao. In 1995 I began teaching at Chi Ching Wushu Association, the same year I became the disciple of Tibetan White Crane master Luk Chung Mow. By 2002 I left Ling Nam as an Assistant Chief Instructor. In 2006, together with my students I established Ming Sheng Wushu Association and I am teaching and sending my students to teach Wushu at the downtown YMCA since 2000. In recent years I also furthered studies in Tibetan White Crane with Shifu Yau Yuk Kong of Hong Kong. Last year I organized the Philippine Dragon and Lion Dance Union. This 2011 we have established the International Qixing Tanglang Kung Fu Federation Philippines, an affiliate branch of International Qixing Tanglang Kung Fu Federation of Yantai.
The First World Wushu Championships in Beijing
Manila’s Ling Nam Athletic Federation where you commenced your training sounds like one of the classical Chinese physical cultivation associations such as the Jingwu Hui.
Ling Nam was a Cantonese association, it was founded in 1958 by Choy Gar master Zhang Jingshan, his assistant was a Fut Gar master Yu Xinfu. Aside from them, there were some masters who taught there such as Old Hung Gar style specialist Liu Jin (Lao Kim) and later Shakespeare Chan who taught Hung Gar, Qixing Tanglang and Tibetan White Crane. These masters have taught for some period of time at Ling Nam. In recent years, Ling Nam has occasionally invited Qixing Tanglang Shifu Zhong Lianbao, Tibetan White Crane Luk Chung Mow and Cheung Kwok Wah of Hong Kong to teach. So Ling Nam was a melting pot of different styles.
Was this organisation mainly involved in the instruction of ethnic Chinese?
Yes, they only accept Chinese and mestizo (Half Chinese and half Filipino) during the early times, but as time passed, they now accept Filipinos as well.
While in Ling Nam I studied Luo Guang Yu’s Qixing Tanglang, Choy Gar, 12 routes of Tam Tui, Lee Gar, Tibetan White Crane and Hung Gar. After leaving Ling Nam, I was lucky to further my study of White Crane with Yau Yuk Kong. I now mainly propagate Zhong Lianbao’s style of Qixing Tanglang. I sometimes teach Hung Gar and White Crane to my older students that want to cross train.
Arnold and students with Shifu Luk Chung Mow in Hong Kong
There is no Fujian White Crane style in the Philippines but only Wuzhu Quan or Five Ancestor fist. The Tibetan White Crane was first introduced by Shakespeare Chan. Chan learned it from Ou Hai, a student of Luk Chi Fu of Hong Kong. In the 70’s Ling Nam ask Shifu Chan to teach at Ling Nam. Now there are 5 lineages of Tibetan White Crane in the Philippines, the Ou Hai, Ngai Yuk Tong (disciple of Kwong Boon Fu), Luk Chung Mow (son of Luk Chi Fu), Cheung Kwok Wah and Yau Yuk Kong (disciple of Tang Chek Ming).
With Shimu and Shifu Zhong Lianbao at his birthday celebration
The Luo Guangyu Tanglang was brought by Shakespeare Chan, he learn it from Chiu Chi Man. He taught at Ling Nam in the 1970’s and later opened his own school called Jing Wu, but closed down after a few years. There is also Liang Ji Ci who moved to the Philippines, where he taught Tanglang. His Tanglang came from different Taiwan masters like Liuhe Tanglang Zhang Xiang Shan, Babu Tanglang Wei Xiao Tang, Taiji Tanglang Liu Zu Yuan and Qixing Tanglang Wang Song Ting, he is also the son in law of Han Qing Tan. He established the Jiann Shyong Kung Fu Center, he returned to the States in the mid 80’s. In 1993 the Qixing Tanglang style of Shifu Zhong Lianbao was introduced.
I think the speed and the power behind every technique.
4th World Chinese Kuoshu Tournament, Taiwan 1983
The Taiwan competition was a leitai competition. Before the competition we trained for 6 months. Every night we fought with at least 4-5 guys a night. A night before we flew to Taiwan, my parents came to the gym to talk to the instructor, they told him that if anything happens to me he will be held responsible. I was mad with my parents (later I realized that they are just protecting me). I wanted to fight, so the instructor said let see what happens. When we reached the competition, there was no protective armour shield for the body and gloves that looked like a hand brace. Whenever you punch, your knuckle would come of the so-called gloves. After discussion the instructor order me to sit it out because of the danger with no protection.
With Shifu Yak Yuk Kong and Shifu Chan Hak Fu in his clinic
Some of my team mates slugged it out but didn’t win. There were 3 ambulances going back and forth from the hospital.
Was full contact fight training a part of the Ling Nam curriculum?
In during my time at Ling Nam we did a lot of sparring, we put on gloves and armour when we would do all out, but now they don’t do sparring anymore, only forms or taolu. For my school we still do sparring for the older students.
I think we were the only team Ling Nam had ever sent to a full-contact tourney.
I am not a coach for Contemporary Wushu, only Traditional Wushu. Last March, Wushu Federation Philippines asked us to represent the Philippines National Team during a Wushu competition in Hong Kong. All athletes that were sent were my students and they competed in the traditional Wushu taolu event.
The training I undertook in 1988 for Contemporary Wushu, helped me to adopt some athletic training that I incorporated into my traditional Wushu training program -flexibility, some kicking exercises, speed training, improving stances etc.
Yes, I agree because the taolu of modern Wushu requires the attainment of greater height in jumping. Sometimes the difficulty of movements becomes exceedingly greater and injuries tend to happen. Occasionally these injuries become career threatening. On the traditional Wushu side the injuries are less, but of course if you do Leitai competition and duilian (partnered sparring routines) it can be the same for both Modern and traditional. You can have injuries such as dislocations, broken ribs, broken hand etc.
The worst I got from modern Wushu was a bad knee. I had to have a knee support for a couple of months. I got this from practicing Nanquan. From traditional, I broke my left hand during duilian - 3 sectional staff versus a pair of tonfa. I underwent surgery and wore a steel brace for 6 months.
My hand was hit with the tonfa. It was painful but I finished the duilian. After I finished the duilian, I had it massaged by my team mates (I thought it was nothing), then my hand was swollen, but I still had 2 more duilian to go, so I wrapped a bandage and continued the exhibition. It took me a couple of days to found out that I broke my hand.
What is your opinion about combat sports? Which, if any kind, do you think is the most compatible for Mantis Boxing?
I think all martial art styles are good, it depends on the practitioner to make it effective. Mantis Boxing would probably be a cross between kick boxing and aikido.
I think we can make it good with Sanda or kickboxing.
I train them in sparring, technique application, kicking and punching pads, sandbag, exercises such as toughening the stomach, arms etc. I let my older students do defensive sparring, technical sparring then free style sparring.
Baishi group
I do slapping palm and thrusting fingers on the concrete wall. I do baton hitting on the shin and forearm. We also do Tie Shen Kao Da (Leaning Body Conditioning), it is a 2 person routine that strikes to the chest, stomach, forearm, buttock and shin. We also do forearm striking. We use traditional Dit Dat liniment before and after practicing. A friend of my mine makes the liniment.
Actually it’s a round wooden stick, 2 inches in diameter and the length is about 16 inches. Yes there are eight variations.
Yantai Training
In 1993 Ling Nam was competing in Yantai. There were seven of us and I was designated to attend an athlete/coaches meeting. There I met Wang Liguo (a senior student of Zhong Lianbao). We began talking and when I popped up the question of who was his Shifu, he said Zhong Lianbao. I felt his name sounded familiar. At that time I brought a Qixing Tanglang lineage chart with me, and I saw him named under Lin Jingshan. I was excited to meet Wang’s Shifu, and then we were introduced. After a few conversations we asked if he could instruct us and he was kind enough to teach a few techniques. The next day we were at his house practicing.
What was your first impression of training in Yantai?
We practiced in a driveway and a park. Most of the time I was with Shifu he showed me the application of techniques. He taught me tripping methods and circular movement. One time we trained in the evening, we finished past 12 midnight. His nephews including Zhong Xiang, Zhong Ziping and Zhong Qiyong were the ones in charge with the taolu. The training was personalized.
I feel the Yantai Qixing, or more specifically, Shifu Zhong’s Tanglang, is more free-flowing. The movements are simpler, yet more effective.
Yes in Yantai, I studied with Yu Tiancheng, during that time Shifu Slawomir Milczarek was one of my classmates then. Actually it was a seminar - I learned Rou Ling Quan and Fan Che Quan
Yes Rou Ling has many complex hand skills. Shifu Yu Tiancheng was a good teacher.
Baishi 1993
We had been training with Shifu Zhong for 2 to three days in Yantai. Shifu Zhong is a quiet man, a man of a few words. He trained me most of the time and I felt a special relationship with him. I thought it would be great if he would become our Shifu so I discussed with my other Wushu brothers about it and they agreed to my proposal. We talked to Shifu Zhong about the baishi but he was reluctant in accepting us, for we were just foreigner who came to learn Wushu just for only a couple of days. Then I talked to Zhong Jian (Shifu Zhong‘s daughter) to convince her father to accept us. With the persistence of Zhong Jian, the four of us were finally accepted.
During my time in Ling Nam there were no Shifu, only instructors. So everyone is called by first name, even the most senior instructor was called by his alias. Only in recent years did they change that among the younger students at Ling Nam. We never had baishi prior to Shifu Zhong’s baishi.
Yes, I owe it to her. She once came to the Philippines with Shifu Zhong and Shimu.
Shifu Zhong visited the Philippines four or five times in the past. But he didn’t give his opinion regarding other style of martial arts.
Shifu Zhong and Yu Hai trained together with Lin Jingshan when he was in his advanced years, When the Cultural Revolution came martial arts were banned. They would usually go to Lin Jingshan’s house to train secretly.
When Yu Hai and Shifu Zhong grew bigger, Lin Jingshan asked them join the new Modern Wushu which was promulgated by the government. The reason why Lin Jingshan asked them to join Modern Wushu was because of frustration over the banning of the traditional martial arts. But Shifu Zhong continued to study with Lin Jingshan. As years went by life became harder, Lin Jingshan later got sick. Shifu Zhong was married and had a kid. Shifu Zhong was working in a factory, his salary was little but he would give money to Lin Jingshan who was old and alone at home. It was during this time that Lin Jingshan further taught Shifu Zhong.
Shifu never told me when he learned that. What is amazing is that all these years I have known my Shifu; I felt that he his qinna has become more and more skilful.
The Qixing Bu you mention is the Qixing Bu Zai Chui (Seven Star Step Descending Punch) posture. The Qixing Bu used in this posture is to stamp the foot of your opponent using the front foot, and your punching hand is positioned that way for further reach. Shifu Zhong told me it was Lin Jingshan’s revision later in his teaching career.
I remember Shifu Zhong told me that Lin Jingshan change to movement from xu bu to ban ma bu, this make the person quicker in advancing and retreating.
Did Zhong Shifu relate any particularly memorable tales about Lin Jingshan?
Hmm, a story that Shifu Zhong has told me that Lin Jingshan is a Christian (I can’t remember whether Roman Catholic or Protestant), and that Yu Hai’s father was also a Christian. That is why Yu Hai other name is Yu Tiantang, meaning Heaven.
Yes, I also think so.
Portrait of Lin Jingshan including his motto regarding the need to continue learning
The mostly famous saying of Lin Jingshan is “Still to learn” - meaning we still have to learn. No matter how great you are, you still have to learn. That saying is definitely true. I learn many things, I even sometimes learn from my students. That’s why we continue our martial art path.
I do lion dance and well as dragon dance. Lion dance I learned at Ling Nam, then Ling Nam once invited Choy Li Fut master Poon Wai Ying from Hong Kong to teach us additional dance steps. Then later the grandson of Luk Chi Fu, a good friend of mine Joe Luk, also shared techniques with me. I teach the traditional and modern style of lion dance. Fuzhou dragon dance I learned from Singaporean dragon instructor Ting Wan Kee. Shifu Ting Wan Kee was the lineage holder of Wu Mei Pai.
Tanglang is not yet very widespread. Many people still don’t know it yet, only the kind of mantis in the movie Kung Fu Panda.
This year we have gained permission from Zhong Lianbao to officially establish the International Qixing Tanglang Kung Fu Federation Philippines. We will be the sole Philippines representative to oversee the development of Shifu Zhong Lianbao’s Tanglang here. We will also be the body in charge of producing qualified instructors, so we will be the one to propagate it.
There has never really been a link between Kung Fu and Eskrima or Silat. These local indigenous styles can be found at the southern part of the Philippines, like Visayas and Mindanao. The early Chinese immigrants from Fujian and Guangdong settled mostly in Manila and nearby provinces in Luzon. Kuntao is a local martial art style, which is derived from Chinese martial art. The word Kuntao is a Fujian word for Fist.
I’ve never heard of it.
What are the techniques that you know you can generally rely on in actual combat?
Basically I am a good kicker, I love to kick. When I started studying from shifu Zhong, I began developing my hand techniques. My favourite techniques are Quan Chui (Circle Punch) and Yu Huan Ding Xin Chui (Jade Ring Against the Heart Punch).
Sorry I never asked him, and he never bragged about the fights he had. His nephews are pretty tough guys. I heard stories about them fighting with other schools.
I like forearm striking and pai da gong. My favourite taolu are Tou Tao Quan (Steal the Peach) and Jie Chui (Intercepting). For weapons, I love the straight sword - Tanglang Jian. Maybe I would like to study Chuan Yun Jian.
I am happy that my son loves martial arts. I always tried to bring him along whenever I had Wushu or lion dance exhibitions when he was young. I started training him when he was six years old, now he’s doing Qixing Tanglang, lion and dragon dance, but his girlfriend is taking much of his time now ha ha… I think he can be very good if he trains harder. There are some of my students that teach outside the association, I permit them as long as they are qualified and they have an approval from me. I hope that they will continue my work.
Seriously though, it must be a great feeling to see it continuing under its own steam. There’s nothing better than when your students actually want to go out and spread the art (instead of being forced to).
Thank you very much for talking with me and sharing some of your valuable experience with our readers. Thanks also for your brotherhood in years gone past. I really appreciated knowing that I had family not so far away in the Pacific.
Are there any final remarks?
I am happy to be able to tell you about my Wushu past. I want to thank all the teachers who taught me in the past; especially Shifu Zhong Lianbao who I consider my father, to Shimu who has continued to support me and to my family, disciples and students, who give me strength to continue to teach, thank you very much.