Tung Yingchieh Prefight Demo (1954)

Tung Yingchieh performs his fast set taichi before a publicized fight between a taichi practitioner and a white crane practitioner.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Taichi
• Taiji
• Tung
• Martial
• Arts
• Crane
• Master
• Kungfu
• Gong

[thaiboxer5]

Actually, that is not true. the taiji guy is third generation master wu kung yi. the crane stylist is chan hak fu - both are very well known. they are NOT charlatans at all, which is why this "fight" is considered to be a sad display of skill.

[ninpomasta111]

I've read a lot about this fight from various sources... and from a few websites and retellings of the fight, it seems they were made to fight using boxing rules.

No grabs. No kicks. None of the more complicated hand techniques or sticking qualities of the respective styles.

It was also presided over and run by western powers.

Don't you think it would have been VERY insulting to be told you could not use your own style? That you must comform to the west for their entertainment?

[esshung]

Worst fight ever!

[ninpomasta111]

@jeffdoeskungfu Yeah, the fight is pretty peculiar. I don't have any links for you right now. I did a lot of research on it back then because I cared a whole lot. Don't care a whole lot right now.

Just thought I'd throw it out there, because it seemed like an interesting (though obscure) version of the story.

Feel free to take it or leave it, or follow up on it, or not.

[jeffdoeskungfu]

@ninpomasta111 Are your sources reliable? I mean, it really just looks like they've never actually fought anyone before... just kind of sat on a pedestal of being proclaimed "masters" when really they just do forms. And by "fight" I mean real, live sparring, not doing compliant demos and two-person forms. I mean, boxing rules aside, they don't keep up guard, they don't utilize stances, they turn their backs to each other, they don't even punch properly. Why couldn't they handle the basics?

[CEITCOGIDO]

Western powers in China in 1954?

[zipdrive011]

I think its wrong to compare apple to apple which style of martial art is better or superior. In a street fight, all systems go and there are no rules. Given the facts, you can protect yourself better if you are a martial artist. The saying goes: 1st is bravery; 2nd is your strength while the 3rd only calls for any art you have learned and be able to use it. Is it not the level of attainment in each individual? Correct me if I am wrong.

[TheShaolinScholar]

y no stances?

[evilren008]

you call this martial art...

[tennytigers]

neither,it is hak fu chan of white crane 26 and wu kung yi of wu style tai chi 56.

tung did a fight demo with lau fat moon of eagle claw,that was worth watching.

[Bhagawann]

witch one is the Tung Yingchieh student?

[ninpomasta111]

As I understand the situation, the challenge was issued and they agreed to fight.

THEN the western authorities came in, probably thought this was something to laugh at, and threw in the rules after the fact.

Both had agreed to fight, so it would have been shameful to back out... but like I said, both of them were most likely insulted by the rules.

So in my unprofessional historical opinion neither one cared to begin with. The students of both of these arts know what they are capable of.