[Tatsukage]

Ok, I've heard of all these different animal styles, but which are the more "traditional" ones? Or are they all traditional, just at different time periods? I'm familiar with snake, tiger, dragon, mantis, crane, panther, leopard, eagle, and monkey. I've heard there are only 5 "true" animal styles, but I wanted to get a better insight from people who actually have studied this more than I.

[Tease T Tickle]

I'll save the bulk of the discussion to Michael and Nick, since they know a lot more than I do on the subject, but the stereotypical canon of the Shaolin Temple (which is what most Westerners think of when they think about kung fu) include crane, dragon, panther, tiger and snake.

[Tatsukage]

Ok, thanks. So, leopard, eagle, monkey, and mantis aren't as "traditional" as those five?

[samurai6string]

leopard/panther are the same from the itsy bitsy teensy weensy I know. The idea is thinking of a large cat smaller than a tiger which was akin to the lion in our western mind set. So leopard/panther could be thought of as a panther, leopard, jaguar, cougar, etc.

[Stazzy]

I believe the Panther style was created much before the East was ever introduced to the lion. I'm not positive on that, but I'm pretty sure the leopard was originally created as a middle ground between a tiger's incredible clawing power and a snake's speed and precision. Check with Bloodybirds on the last part.

[Tease T Tickle]

Originally Posted by Tatsukage

Ok, thanks. So, leopard, eagle, monkey, and mantis aren't as "traditional" as those five?

There is no Eagle style that I know of other than Eagle Claw, which is actually older than the Shaolin Temple. Eagle Claw was allegedly developed by a general for training his soldiers, and the Claw refers to the heavy usage of Chin Na techniques, which now obviously pervades much of the other Chinese systems to varying degrees. So, in a sense, Eagle Claw kung fu is about as traditional as it comes, since it has its own lineage going back several centuries, but on the other hand, it may very well be obsolete in and of itself with its more widespread techniques being everywhere else.

Monkey and Mantis are related and were both developed around the same time. Mantis was allegedly developed by some monk at one temple or another (the specifics don't really matter) because he was having trouble sparring or dueling with other martial artists in the temple's art(s). After watching a praying mantis 'fight' another critter, the monk tried adapting the clinching and use of the forearm in controlling his opponents. Lo and behold, it worked and he fabricated a system based on the older forms but included his mantis grip work. When Monkey was developed, they based the footwork on what had become standard Mantis footwork, and ran everything else from there. Both of these systems are traditional now, because they have their own distinct lineages and such, but once upon a time were quite innovative and departed from tradition.

[Bloodybirds]

First, comments about Ying Jow Pai, one of my three styles. Eagle was invented by Ng Foi (if you want the complete Eagle history, go to www.yingjowpai.com, my eagle master's site, where a long explanation of history of the style unfolds). Technically, after the Lo Han exercises were translated by Da Mo, animal systems came much later. Mantis, for instance, or Tong Long, is not one of the original five animal styles mentioned elsewhere here. Mantis, eagle, monkey, etc. were actually invented outside the realm of the Shaolin animals and were incorporated at varioust times. For instance, there are 12 systems under the Mantis aegis, including 7 star, taichi mantis, tong long, etc. Monkey has four major systems including sage, stone, etc. Ying jow chin na was combined with the long northern movements and kicks of Northern Shaolin about 15th-16th century to form modern day northern eagle claw, of which there are 78 major forms, not including jow da cum na or the 108 locks. White crane, preying mantis, and eagle claw are probably the best at locking and grabbing techniques incorporated into the animal styles. The snake style is the eagle's enemy, like dragon style (actually the oldest animal style predating five animal in some beliefs), because its evasiveness and movements counter the locking of the eagle. Remember, the animals imitate the real life attacks/defense of the animals they imitate!!

My Shaolin style, Ba Quen, or Nine birds, is a amalgamated family style of my Shaolin teacher's teacher's family. Eventually, animal styles may differ slightly between Chinese provinces. For instance, the Fukien crane is much different than the Southern white crane. The Southern crane's fa jing emanates from the waist up expressed out through the fingers, while the Northern comes from the feet to the waist to the shoulder to the hands and is usually either a crane beak or crane wings expressed. Southern eagle uses the typical three fingers seen in movies for attacking specific pressure points and ripping while the northern eagle depends upon its locking and grasping hand to succeed.

The current wushu animal styles from China are really nice but not traditional and most do not have practical application as part of Mao's denigration of the arts to "protect" the peace of the society during the Cultural Revolution.

There is no "best" animal style but be aware that certain animal styles are enemies of each other: very rarely will you find someone learning both dragon and crane, eagle and snake, etc. The only successful combo of this kind that I have seen are snake and crane, crane and ape (hop gar), and hung gar (tiger and crane). Note that all successful combos, including choy li fut with its original five animals, contain the crane as a bridge animal due to its lightness, fa jing, and yin side to the usual hard side of other animals.

Soooo. there are approximately 435 basic animal derivative animal styles or systems that legitimately exist today. Of these, very few are taught in the traditional way as I learned them with the hard hand training.

One other comment: Leopard fist is one of the original five animals....so called panther and lion are not. I personally have never seen "lion" style and know of noone that has performed it publicly or if it even exists as a separate style. Perhaps BP, Bamboo, or someone else can comment here.

[Bloodybirds]

One post note to Tease's excellent comments: monkey footwork was incorporated for Northern mantis styles, though many mantis practitioners do not know that or do not use the monkey footwork. Usually, southern mantis will run like southern crane, etc, that is a different more narrow horse stance and shorter movements. This is due to the fact that Northern styles were developed in the more agricultural and spacious north while most southern styles adapted to the more crowded conditions and fighting on boats, etc. preponderent in the south part of China.

Shaolin monks would usually work on one or more animal styles and perfect one as their main style. In case of a fight, they would use the others as a cover and only bring out their main style if truly challenged by an opponent. This was to mask the true skills of the Shaolin during the days of the Manchu.

[samurai6string]

perhaps my syntax wasn't the best, what I was saying was that Tiger has the same implications to the Eastern mind as a Lion does to the western mind, i.e. it is the king of the jungle.

[Bloodybirds]

Samurai, excellent point: tiger, like crane, is present in its own system i.e. fu jow pai, in hung gar and hung fut, and until recently the bones were the main ingredient of dit da jow, the main herbal med for bruises and internal hematoma for treatment in training. Unfortunately for us and fortunate for the tiger, this practice was banned and most people use an alcohol derivative as a base now.

Tiger and dragon are very similar, except the Chinese believe that the tiger is unfettered instinct while dragon is the evolution into an instinct with developed wisdom.