What would you like to see in a Hung Kuen book?

As some of you guys know, I've been working on a general gung fu book, but, due to researching various topics for this book, I have thought about possibly putting together a Hung Kuen book as well.

There are a variety of books out on the market, most of which only cover forms, and I would not do anything like this. With this being said, I would like the forum's input as to what they would like to see in a Hung Kuen book, that way I would have an idea about what folks are looking for.

Peace

I would be more interested in a break down of self defense techniques, theories and philosophy of the system.

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Oh THAT'S how that works!

Conditioning methods and a more indepth description of certain techniques along with clear pictures would be cool. Also multiple apps for a single technique(like differing ways against differing opponents using the same tech.)
A 12 bridges section and a breakdown of breathing basics would be good too.

Illusionfist, would this book be a more advanced work or could a beginner glean useful knowledge from it ?

Looking forward to seeing this come out.


Peace.

Hi Illusionfist,
The book project sounds great. I have always appreciated your help here on Dragons List with the various hung gar threads. I am sure anything you had to say would be of value.

One thing that I like seeing, although I rarely see it in martial arts books, is a discussion of what exactly the forms are trying to teach the person and how power is generated in the moves.

What I see in a lot of books is a good amount of detail on the static aspects of the poses (i.e. the right foot must be at exactly a 45 degree angle from the centerline or something like the claw must be hollowed inside like you are holding an egg)---but little talk of what really gives any martial move its power, which is the movement between the poses.

If you ever need any help with the book biz, please let me know. My wife and I got a martial arts history book published a few years back and are working on our next one.

Take care,
Brian

“	Originally Posted By: brianlkennedy If you ever need any help with the book biz, please let me know. My wife and I got a martial arts history book published a few years back and are working on our next one. Take care, Brian	”

By any chance did you write "Chinese Martial Arts Training Manuals"? If so, I can't tell you how many times I've referenced that book.

Peace

“	Originally Posted By: banditshaw Illusionfist, would this book be a more advanced work or could a beginner glean useful knowledge from it ?	”

I'd probably write it around the intermediate level, that way it can raise the bar collectively. So a beginner would definitely be able to glean knowledge from it, but it wouldn't be geared specifically towards beginners. Most of the Hung Kuen books out there are nothing more than picture books, and even though these books are more marketable because they are attractive to beginners, I don't want to follow this format.

I'm still debating if I want to write a more general book, or if I should write a book on a specific subject, like gung ji or something. Based from the notes that I've jotted down over the past year alone, I could see a form specific book becoming quite dense.

Generally speaking though, I'd like to know what the Hung Kuen community at large would like, because there are drastic differences in teaching styles, especially here in the United States. The way I learned in Australia is vastly different to here.

Peace

Sounds good man.
Two books that have been helpful for me at times have been Buck Sam Kong's ''Hung Gar Kung Fu'' and recently Wing Lam's latest book ''Southern Shaolin Kung Fu Ling Nam Hung Gar''
Kong Sifu's book has helped me with structure and basics.
Wing Lam's book is more modern in it's look but there are some useful things in there as well such as the conditioning aspects.

I wouldn't mind seeing maybe the slight differences between the respective styles of the main branches of Hung and even the smaller branches in relation to the core bread and butter Hung techniques.

A book that all branches can relate to basically.

Good Afternoon Illusionfist,
Yes, that book was written by me and my wife (Elizabeth Guo). I appreciate your good words about the book, Liz and I are glad you find it useful. I will pass along your good words to her.

And again, if you have any questions about the martial arts publishing business please feel free to contact me. I think and I hope that you find doing a martial arts book to be very rewarding. I know I did. Now I have not made one thin dime off of that book (yet) but I am very happy with the fact that maybe 100 years from now that book will still be around (at least in some libraries) and will maybe still be of value to people. I have a strong feeling that books are going to be far more enduring than videos, VCDs or DVDs. Martial arts has given me a lot over the decades and doing the books is one way to give back something to martial arts.

take care,
Brian

“	Originally Posted By: brianlkennedy Good Afternoon Illusionfist, Yes, that book was written by me and my wife (Elizabeth Guo). I appreciate your good words about the book, Liz and I are glad you find it useful. I will pass along your good words to her.	”

When I first purchased your book, I couldn't help but say, "Man, the bar for CMA books has really been raised thanks to this book." I particular enjoyed the section on Tang Hao. I always felt Tang Hao's sentiment was a valid one, even though many chalked up his attitude as mere Communist propaganda (a kind of "out with the old, in with the new" type of attitude), which culminated into his disdain towards the shaolin and wu dang myths, etc.

“	And again, if you have any questions about the martial arts publishing business please feel free to contact me.	”

Thank you for extending me this courtesy. I would most definitely like to tap into your knowledge in this area. I'll probably PM you pretty soon.

“	Martial arts has given me a lot over the decades and doing the books is one way to give back something to martial arts.	”

My sentiments exactly. This is the driving force behind my wish to write. I just want to give back to the art that gave me so much. I could care less about the money really (as if there was a bunch to be made, haha)

“	Originally Posted By: banditshaw I wouldn't mind seeing maybe the slight differences between the respective styles of the main branches of Hung and even the smaller branches in relation to the core bread and butter Hung techniques. A book that all branches can relate to basically.	”

If I focused on principles, it would definitely span across the lineages. However, I would surely not focus on slight differences, because at the end of the day, they aren't that big of a deal. So, for instance, I wouldn't be concerned with differences between Lam Sai Wing line stuff vs Tang Fong line, etc. One of the things that really irks me about the stuff going on today is that there is such a huge emphasis on dividing the lines through family ties, etc. When I was coming up through the ranks, Hung Kuen was just Hung Kuen, it didn't matter if came from the Lam family, Chiu family, Chan family, Hu Flung Dung() family, or whatever.

“	Originally Posted By: banditshaw Sounds good man. Wing Lam's book is more modern in it's look but there are some useful things in there as well such as the conditioning aspects.	”

What would you consider modern in this particular book? As general books go, his book is pretty decent, although the historical stuff is a bit flimsy. They should have cross-referenced the dates better. All that aside, it was definitely a step up as far as Hung Kuen books go.

Generally speaking though, I'm not a big fan of the applications shown in books. Too many things wrong with the setup, etc, but, at the same time, I guess it is a matter of understanding the limitations of the medium. My approach would definitely be more modern, and, in fact, that is pretty much the premise behind my general gung fu book. It is really about seeing gung fu's place in the 21st century. So I'm sure this would filter into a Hung Kuen book as well.

Illusionfist - I think intermediate level would really hit the sweet-spot. also what I'd really like to see is a book that focuses on tactical/strategic level. Buck Sam Kong's books are great as forms reference, and wing Lam's books give some good insights as per structure/energy, but both are missing in the applications department.

On a tactical level, it would be stuff like methods of entry, how to use pak-pak-chyun to get out jams, where that takes you positionally, how to counter and regain elbow control when someone has that on you, proper use of butterfly hands skills, countering elbows with elbows, leg/knee bridging etc.

On a strategic level, it would be stuff like attacking by drawing with an emphasis on empty gate and using stepping to create positional advantage, mo yin geurk/mo yin sau, "brigning horse to stable" and other typical take downs. Some small-bit on chin-na & take-down defense (within a Hung kuen context) would be appreciated as well, stuff like pushing on the hip to block a "judo-throw", applying/exiting from a figure-4, that kind of stuff.

A book like that would really make my day...

Great initiative, and good luck with your project!

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What is the sound of one hand clawing? -- chanh buddhist proverb

“	Originally Posted By: illusionfist If I focused on principles, it would definitely span across the lineages. However, I would surely not focus on slight differences, because at the end of the day, they aren't that big of a deal. So, for instance, I wouldn't be concerned with differences between Lam Sai Wing line stuff vs Tang Fong line, etc. One of the things that really irks me about the stuff going on today is that there is such a huge emphasis on dividing the lines through family ties, etc. When I was coming up through the ranks, Hung Kuen was just Hung Kuen, it didn't matter if came from the Lam family, Chiu family, Chan family, Hu Flung Dung() family, or whatever.	”

LOL yeah your right. The Core principles are the same. If you focused on the differences then one group would say ''yeah but we do that too..." and vice versa.
That was a top off the head question that I should of put more thought into.

Conditioning exercises and/or methods would be cool to include in the book.

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Mark
Liberalism is a mental disorder. -M. Savage

“	Originally Posted By: illusionfist What would you consider modern in this particular book?	”

I would say it was more modern in look rather than content. And also that it had more variety than the more traditional books with just the form and then some apps.

Going back to the apps part in a book. It is the medium that kind of stunts the reader from fully understanding an application unless you have had some kind of hands on training. However that being said if you have some kind of foundation you shouold be able to read between the lines to get a result of some kind right?

I thought the apps in the Tiger Crane book By Buck Sam Kong to be a fairly good example of simple apps. And this is coming from someone who hasn't learnt that form yet.