Pukul, Lapis Pukul dan Jatuhan Lian

Dalam klip video sebelum ini Fairuz (kanan) dijatuhkan oleh Zahir melalui lapis pukul luar dan terjahan kaki kiri ke luar kaki kanan Fairuz. Pada kali ini, Fairuz pula melapis pukulan Zahir. Dia kemudian menarik Lian 1, senjata yang pada hemat saya membezakan Gayang Lima dari senibeladiri yang lain.

Klip ini juga akan diselitkan dalam video yang akan dijual nanti. Dalam permainan buah pukul yang sebenar, sesuatu pertarungan akan selesai dalam masa beberapa saat sahaja. Namun, dalam Lian terselit seni pukul yang tersendiri dan perlu diterjemahkan oleh guru agar nampak keindahannya. Ia tidak habis, sentiasa ada sahaja turutan dan lanjutan pukulan dan lapisan pukul sehebat silat itu sendiri yang hidup lagi menghidupkan.

Wassalam.

Pukul, Lapis Pukul dan Jatuhan

Kalau Tuan pergi ke Tanjung
Carikan saya ketam ragi
Hidup kita jangan sombong
Suatu hari di telan bumi

Pantun di atas diberi oleh Guru Ayahanda Pak Atan di dalam warkahnya kepada saya pada bulan Jun 2008. Didalam warkah tersebut dia juga berpesan agar perturunkan ilmu ini kepada anak bangsa kita, iaitu orang orang Islam.

Video di atas adalah salah satu daripada cara cara permainan buah pukul didalam Gayang Lima. Ia akan dimuatkan dalam bentuk VCD video Buah Pukul Gayang Lima yang akan saya jual nanti. Harganya RM20. Kualiti gambar tidak professional namun kualiti isi nya InsyaAllah bermunafaat, termasuk semua yang pernah saya upload dalam youtube.

Ada 1001 cara yang kalau kita betul betul kenal dengan Lian yang juga Guru kita, kita akan tahu bahawa ilmu ini sangat luas. Wallahua'lam. Sebagai tenaga pengajar, banyak yang saya tak tahu namun apa yang saya tahu akan pasti saya curahkan.

Kedua dua pelatih Fairuz (kanan) dan Zahir baru jalani 3 sesi pelajaran Gayang Lima sebelum video di atas diambil. Dalam dunia yang mencabar sekarang ini, masa amat penting dan ilmu buah pukul patut dicurahkan dengan padat agar berkesan. Walaubagaimanapun, Lian mesti mantap. Tidak ada jalan pintas. Wassalam

G5 Silat stances and Orang Kayu G5 hit pics

Salasilah Perguruan Seni Silat Gayang Lima

klik

Kelas Pertama Gayang Lima di KL

Semalam, Sabtu 14/06/2008 bermula sesi pertama kelas Buah Pukul Gayang Lima. Alhamdulillah, 3 orang peserta menyertai kelas tersebut di iringi oleh sokongan dari beberapa ahli silat Setiabakti termasuk Guru Dahlan Karim.

Saya agak teruja juga dengan pencapaian penuntut2 baru Gayang Lima itu sebab mereka boleh menggayakan lian 1 dengan agak baik untuk orang yang baru belajar. Kalau saya dulu teruk dan sumbang sangat. Itu semua takdir Allah berkat Selawat dan AlFatihah yang disedekahkan kepada Rasulullah SAW dan seluruh umat Islam termasuk doa agar permainan ini sebati dan kekal dalam diri. Memang hasrat saya agar mereka menjadi penuntut yang baik dan kalau lebih baik dari saya nanti lagi bagus. Kita mesti usaha untuk mertabatkan dan hebatkan lagi ilmu persilatan sesuai dengan keadaan zaman yang serba mencabar sekarang.

Guru yang mengajar silat mengajar dengan ikhlas, InsyaAllah. Namun, ada yang bertanya jika ilmu itu diajar dengan ikhlas, mengapa perlu di bayar yuran? Itu yang terjadi kepada banyak guru guru tua persilatan, termasuk guru saya sendiri ayahanda Pak Atan. Pada umur lebih 70 tahun dia terpaksa bekerja untuk sara diri. Bila mata dia sudah tak awas, dia tinggal dirumah dan isteri dia pula bekerja. Umur dia sekarang 80 tahun. Anak anak murid lama banyak yang dah bawa diri dan segelintir yang tinggal hanya mampu membantu sekadar yang mampu. Secara am, ramai orang yang belajar silat hanya nak belajar 'free' tanpa fikirkan bahawa lampu, sewa rumah, air kopi dan air untuk istinjak semua perlu dibayar oleh guru tersebut. Memang ilmu yang dicurahkan oleh guru berkenaan kekal berkat hingga ke akhirat namun anak anak murid yang dah berada sikit, dah ada kereta proton ker atau pendapatan yang selesa wajib kenang jasa guru guru tersebut. Jika seorang beri RM10 sebulan pun kalau seratus orang dapatlah guru tu RM1000. Online sajalah duit tu. Guru aje ikhlas, anak murid tak sudi nak balas.

Bila saya mula mengajar kali pertama ini baru saya rasakan hakikat ikhlas yang ada pada guru yang mengajar. Ini selalu disebut oleh Guru Dahlan. Bila kita terima pengeras dan yuran yang sesuai dengan zaman sekarang, kita hargai komitmen yang diberi oleh penuntut. Dari penghargaan itu kita dengan rela hati akan mencurahkan segala apa yang kita tahu supaya berbaloi dengan komitmen dan 'kontrak' yang telah dimeterai antara guru dan murid. Dapatlah duit tersebut membantu guru untuk menampung sedikit sebanyak perbelanjaan seperti yang tersebut diatas. Ikhlas saya katakan, kita wajib amalkan ilmu yang kita tahu dan kita boleh tetapkan yuran yang sesuai jika kita hendak mengajarkan ilmu itu. Wallahua'lam.

Alhamdulillah kelas pertama berjaya dengan izin Allah. Untuk sesiapa yang berminat untuk belajar Buah Pukul Gayang Lima, kelas untuk belajar telah ditukarkan kepada hari Selasa malam. Pada masa ini, yuran pendaftaran ialah RM50 dan yuran bulanan adalah juga RM50(taekwondo RM150 beb). Ini tidak termasuk bayaran untuk sesi khatam yang bakal diadakan kemudian. Bila dah mahir dan pandai nanti, gunakan kepakaran dan sijil yang bakal diterima untuk mengajar anak bangsa dimana sahaja yang ditakdirkan anda berada. Munafaatkan ilmu Allah.

Wassalam.

Sesi Pengenalan Buah Pukul Gayang Lima

Sesi pendaftaran yang diadakan semalam lebih berbentuk demo kepada hadirin yang datang untuk mengenali dengan lebih dekat tentang Gayang Lima. Alhamdulillah, sesi tersebut berjalan dengan baik dan lancar. Lebihkurang 15 orang hadir untuk sesi tersebut dimana 5 daripada mereka adalah dari Perguruan Silat Setiabakti termasuk Guru Dahlan Karim. Terima kasih Cikgu dan terima kasih kepada semua yang hadir..

Pada malam tersebut saya memberi sedikit taklimat tentang sejarah Gayang Lima dan membuat demo lian yang akan diajarkan. Dengan bantuan Cikgu Hamidi dari Perguruan Silat Setiabakti, kami peragakan permainan buah pukul, pukul, lapis pukul, tunggal dan gelut yang memang tersirat didalam Lian.

Lian yang akan saya ajarkan kepada penuntut nanti lebih berbentuk ceranan dimana saya akan gabungkan kedudukan lian kiri dan kanan, 45 darjah dan 90 darjah. Hasrat ini telah saya sampaikan kepada Ayahanda Pak Atan dan beliau dengan hati yang terbuka mempersetujuinya.
Saya perlu menjelaskan perkara ini agar tidak timbul perbalahan atau perasaan tidak puas hati dari pengamal pengamal Lian Buah Pukul yang lain. Apa yang saya tahu dan akan sampaikan adalah apa yang telah Allah takdirkan keatas saya. Segala pergerakkan asas Lian akan tetap dipelihara.

Matlamat kami diAkademi Silat Setiabakti adalah untuk melahirkan generasi tenaga pengajar Persilatan yang akan mengembangkan ilmu ini kemana sahaja yang boleh. Martabat Silat wajib dinaikkan sejajar dengan kehebatan Silat itu sendiri. Orang kita tak tau Silat itu hebat kerana kita tak mau tunjukkan kehebatannya. Biar sijil atau tauliah yang akan kita keluarkan diAkademi ini berharga dan diiktiraf seperti 'degree' atau diploma dan lebih dari itu.

Jadi, kepada sesiapa yang berhajat untuk menuntut ilmu persilatan diakademi ini boleh menyimpan cita cita untuk diberi mandat sebagai Guru Silat dan seterusnya menjadikannya sebagai kerjaya, InsyaAllah.

Seperti yang ditetapkan, kelas silat Gayang Lima akan diadakan pada setiap Selasa malam,(ditukar dari hari Sabtu) bermula jam 9.30. Dalam pada itu, jika ada sesiapa atau kumpulan yang berminat untuk mengadakan kelas Gayang Lima ditempat lain diKL ni boleh hubungi saya.

Terima kasih dan Wassalam.

Kelas Silat Gayang Lima diKuala Lumpur

Adalah dimaklumkan bahawa Seni Silat Gayang Lima akan mula diajar diKuala Lumpur seperti berikut :

Tarikh : 7hb Jun, 2008
Tempat : Gelanggang Setiabakti
No. 2201, Jln Permata 10, Taman Permata
Ulu Kelang, 53300 Kuala Lumpur
Masa : 9 malam
Pakaian : Baju Persilatan hitam jika ada, atau Baju T hitam dan kasut sukan


Pendaftaran akan diadakan pada malam tersebut. Kelas adalah seminggu sekali namun tertakluk kepada perubahan hari jika perlu.

Untuk sebarang pertanyaan, sila hubungi Abg TM di 016-2914899.

Sekian.

Moslem Kung-Fu The Fist of the Bodyguards

By Ted Mancuso

China is a dish spiced by many cultures. There are over 50 minorities among the Chinese besides the Han people themselves. A significant number, over five million of these, are moslems – known in Chinese as the “Hui” people. In the tenth century large numbers of Persians and Arabs extended the Moslem trade routes deep into China. Many settled and widely dispersed through the country; some living among the general population, some sticking close to concentrated communities of believers.

Known for toughness, courage and high spirit the Moslem population of China has not been passive in its growth. Often exploited and suppressed they maintained a stubborn reliance on their beliefs and fighting skills. But reprisals often came. In the Ching dynasty, for instance, three Hui people walking together with weapons could be punished. If caught committing a crime they might even had their faces branded Hui Zei (Moslem Rebel). Such was the discriminatory treatment of Moslems throughout the empire. On the other hand, in the 13th century Moslem generals rallied under a new banner and helped establish the Ming dynasty – a high point of Chinese history. Unceasingly, Moslem martial artists adopted and perfected the indigenous arts of China. They developed a number of fists that are still practiced with honor today. But at the base was one particular exercise known as …

The Moslem Spring Leg

If there is one universally recognized set for the Moslem style it is the spring leg or tan tui. At first blush tan tui seems colosally unimpressive. The moves are repetitious, stretched out, almost mechanical and performed up and back as though on a track; each segment is termed a “road”. The original style was subdivided into ten such roads. Later, a southern version was introduced that split some of the harder roads into more digestible bites and expanded the set to 12 roads. To this day, if you say you practice tan tui, those in the know will immediately ask “ten or 12?” Tan Tui is a popular set adopted by many styles and lent a special flavor by each. For instance, in one branch of mantis, there is a 14-road tan mi. With such popularity tan tui became one of the first universal kung-fu sets and therefore can claim a part as forerunner of contemporary wushu’s standardized forms.

Tan tui, as we have said, is not a flashy looking set. Mostly straight punches and kicks, it seems to some to possess a robotic aspect that makes it look more like work than fun. But tan tui is so profound that many boxers throughout history have specialized in its technique. For instance, the wide-open punches of tan tui, known as yoke punches, are designed along the lines of Chinese medical practice to stretch and invigorate the meridians of the body.

Simultaneously, the yoke punch, with its exaggerated arm extension, is a perfect indicator of the placement of the student’s waist. Shoulders, which normally fly upward in the beginning student, are so stretched they naturally drop and relax. The same benefits go for the extended long leg kicks of the art. As the name suggests tan tui attempts to strengthen the abdominal muscles of the practitioner by forcing him to extend while kicking. The striking leg must immediately elevate from the ground with minimal cocking action.

In true northern kung-fu long fist fashion, tan tui encourages the student to find his maximum range of motion before tightening and shortening up. Tan tui disallows the beginner’s tendency of bent limbs and tensed muscles to create power. It lives up to its name of long fist by making the student think in a new way, in a sense reprogramming his ideas of power generation and range of motion.

In due course, after the student has learned the ten basic roads the real training should begin. This is a good example of ancient training methods versus more contemporary ones. Nowadays, having completed the tan tui, the student immediately moves onto another more interesting and diverse set of actions. This is too bad because the training has really just begun. For instance, since the ten roads are each seperate they can be done in any order. A good tan tui instructor will then have the student mix and match roads until any road can be done in any order at will. Then the roads are again practiced with shuffling steps, changes of speed, and angled steps breaking the robot-like aspect completely. This challenges the students’ creativity and ability to respond. Finally the actions from the roads are completely mixed so the student may start with No. 1, switch to No. 8, and finish with No. 5 without losing place or direction. From a simple series of movements the student is now only a small step from basic sparring practice.

Tan tui is said to have been created in the Ming dynasty by ChaShagmir (a distinctly Moslem name even in Chinese). Chamir, as he was called, was among those who went to the coast to protect the shores of China against raids by Japanese pirates. However, on this long journey he became sick from the harsh weather conditions. He was left to recuperate in a mountain village in Guanxian County. His hosts in this small village were so kind to him that when he recovered that autumn and watched them practice their kung-fu after harvest he decided to teach them the art he had devised. They were grateful and his art spread far and wide from this origin. People took the first syllable of his name “Cha” and thus the style known as “cha chuan” – cha fist, was born. Originally its basis, the tan tui set, was composed of 28 routines – one for each letter of the Arabic alphabet. Eventually everything was compiled into the ten road spring leg which remains with us today.

Those familiar with Arabic religious poetry will note that many root words in Arabic are without vowels and can be rearranged to create other meanings and levels of understanding. This rearrangement, also familiar to certain Christian and Jewish sects, was considered a valid study for all students of the Bible, Torah and Koran. And note as an interesting sidelight that this is precisely the method of teaching for the tan tui, taking ten routes (roots) and reassembling them to form new meanings and combinations still related to the original exercises.

There is an old saying in kung-fu that one form mastered is worth a hundred tasted. But too often people take this to indicate a mindless repetition of the form. Tan tui is a perfect example of what form mastery is meant to entail. Rather than learning flashier new forms which ultimately reduce to the same moves in new combinations with a little “Hollywood” thrown in, the traditional student of kung-fu developed power and stability with familiar movements before gradually altering them to new situations. He reinvested and compounded his knowledge. It was a wise way to save and to practice.

Known throughout China tan tui is particularly practiced in Henan, Hebei, Shangtung and Shaanxi provinces. Since its origins lie with the Hui people there is even a proverb: From Nanjin the best tan tui is that of the Hui people” which becomes the pun, “Hui (Moslem) Hui (best) Tan Tui”.

Cha Chuan

As it progressed cha style and other Moslem boxing methods became known under the general name of jiao men (sect fighting). Of the many jiao men forms one group in particular, the ten sets of cha chuan, is famous. Like the ten core sets of shaolin, these famous forms encompass the entire repertoire of the cha style, not counting weapons. The first one taught is generally cha No. 4, a famous long fist form.

Cha is a particularly beautiful style. Like any northern long fist it is big, proud and fluid. Stances are lower than in most shaolin-type styles with special emphasis on height changes, waist turning and hip control. But it is cha fist’s special emphasis on timing which is particularly interesting. Most beginning kung-fu practitioners sweat buckets just to coordinate hands and legs as a single unit. But as the cha student progresses this simplified coordination step and punch, kick and palm slowly disappears. It is replaced by a subtle off-set rhythm speeds from each other and from the legs.

Cha fist excels in broken rhythm, off-set rhythm and all sorts of movements that seem to set up a timing, violate it and dovetail right back into the proper beat, converging at just the right moment. “Convergence” is the key word here. As in all advanced kung-fu the practitioner is looking for limbs to travel at different rates and then converge just at the moment of completion.

Seen in this light all those different moves and stances in kung-fu forms are more than just beautiful postures. Each group is actually an entirely different task requiring different coordination and convergence. Cha fist maintains the ancient and subtle variations in timing, pace and execution that make for distinctive, not cookie-cutter, kung-fu.

The Moslem Contribution

On the stage of world history the Moslem world has been an important player, especially in relations with the East. The followers of Islam were the first to bridge the gap between Chinese and Western medicine and they started that 1,000 years ago. Alchemy, beginning in China, was transported directly through the Arab world to the West and rooted itself as the beginnings of modern chemistry.

The Moslem fist in China has also made worthy contributions. When the newly formed Republic of China began its creation of a generic, contemporary version of wushu it looked to jiao men as its basis. The reasoning was interesting. Moslems, as a whole, had always been isolated within the minorities of China and therefore had far less traffic with other groups. It was thought, therefore by the powers that be, that Moslem fist must be essentially more “pure” than many other style. It was adopted as the basis of contemporary long fist and many of the first long fist sets issued by the government office were based on cha chuan.

In certain widely accepted styles the Moslem presence has also been strong. In hsing-I for instance, many of the great practitioners were of Moslem origin and it may be that the real rudiments of the style are from Moslem culture. In weapons work, too, Moslem fist is well-represented with jiao men boasting five tiger hook sets and over ten saber sets. And last but not least, Moslems were often placed in the dangerous position of bodyguard because of their relatively non-affiliated status with other Chinese elements. Rising to this occasion they developed the beautiful and powerful style known throughout the world as pa chi (eight extremes). As the Chien Lung emperor stated in the 19th century, “For health we have tai chi, for protection pa chi.”

So universally recognized was pa chi as one of the most no-nonsense styles that even in our present era it was considered without equal. Witness the fact that a famous pa chi teacher was the instructor of Chiang Kai Shek’s, Mao Tse Tung’s and Sun Yet Sen’s bodyguards. That’s right the men who protected these three sworn enemies were all kung-fu brothers.

In modern times we are constantly assailed with representations of Arab culture as seemingly comprised of religious fanatics and terrorists. Martial arts training is a nice antidote for cultural ignorance. We are allowed through it to replicate the actions practiced by different people from different cultures who lived centuries from us. We cannot only improve our health and our skills but don another person’s shoes and walk down his path, or in the case of tan tui, ten roads.

This article was originally published in Inside Kung-Fu September 1999

SIlat Gayang Lima Vs Silat Setiabakti

Clash of 2 Perguruan Silat

On 10th May 2008, Perguruan Silat Melayu Keris Lok 9 held a seminar on 'Sembah Salam DiRaja - Adat, Adat & Istiadat' where participants were enlightened about the Malay Royalty, cultures and heritage which originated thousands of years ago blended with the best of societies's high moral and ethnic values.

Through the years, the Malay race and culture expanded from Sind in Nothern India and Hadramaut in Southern Arabia inheriting along the way, fine cultures of the Tartars, Nablus and even Turks. In the 13th and 15th century, the Malay Kingdom of Pasai and Melaka respectively signified the majesticity of the Malay race. The Malay empire went on to expand throughout the Malay Archipelago. There are less than 25 monarchies left in today's world. 10 of them are in Malaysia and Brunei. In short, the Malay race were exposed to the high and noble Brahmin cultures while holding steadfastly to the faith of Islam. The imperial glories of Pasai (Northern Sumatra) and Melaka have long past us but we still have the present monarchies and values that we must serve and uphold with our lives.
"Tak Melayu hilang didunia".

The way we interact and address others, the clothings that we used to wear, the finesse of our craftsmanship, the humbleness and bravery of a God fearing race seem to have faded away in today's Malay society. We like to think that we will live forever in this world. Acquire wealth, enjoy life and forget about sins. When the time comes for us to die, we suddenly realise or even not, that it was all worthless unless we leave behind 3 things, knowledge which benefit others, children who never fail to pray for us and wealth which we have provided for those in need.

Nevertheless, the one unique thing which differentiates the Malay race from others is Silat. The night before seminar, Guru Azlan Ghani of Silat Melayu Keris Lok 9 extended an invitation for Guru Dahlan's Silat Setiabakti to perform during their 'selempang' awards ceremony on the next night. Only Cikgu Hamidi of Silat Setiabakti came along with Guru Dahlan for this seminar. It was fine if Cikgu Hamidi had performed the Langkah Panglima of Silat Setiabakti alone. I suddenly came up with an idea, why don't we perform as two Silat systems and 'clash' as one? The idea was accepted. Seni Silat Setiabakti performed on one stage with Seni Silat Gayang Lima. Alahamdulillah, the presentation went well and I humbly extend the video footage for your viewing pleasure. Please pardon the poor quality though. Until next time, Wassalam.

Orang Kayu Gayang Lima

The above video was taken about nine months ago using my son's camera phone. I hereby name it 'Orang Kayu GV'. Prior to this, as a Lian practitioner I saw basic similarities of Wing Chun's intercepting fist techniques to that of Gayang Lima. However, I felt that I must add more 'life' to the wooden dummy to suit G5's hands and legs techniques. I came up with the above 'orang kayu' and...wella! It was just a free flow kind of workout as an explicit compliment to Lian Gayang Lima.

"Know what to do, don't remember how to do it"

p/s If by any chance anybody would want to commercialise this original orang kayu's features, you know where to find me. May Allah bless my beloved teacher, Ayahanda Pak Atan...Wassalam.