The glorious history of the Stubbs Shield Boxing Tournament

This prestigious boxing meet was inaugurated in 1914 and in the long annals of its history, it had not been held only on three occasions, viz, in 1942 and 1943 during the second World War when Colombo City had to be evacuated after the bombing raid by Japanese Air Force and in 1988 due to the escalation of violence in the country due to J.V.P. activities.

Boxing introduced to Stationed Armed Forces

Since the beginning of the 20th Century, British Armed Forces were in occupation of various parts of the country. They had even recruited many Ceylonese people into their Armed Services. In order to maintain discipline and also to keep them healthy and happy, the British Administrators introduced many games to them.

Athletics, Boxing, Cricket, Soccer and Rugby Football were among them. Being a man-to-man game, boxing became immensely popular overnight and drew not only a large number of Spectators, but also a considerable amount of competitors.

Royal Army Inter Regimental Contests, Royal Navy Inter Command Contests and Royal Air Force Inter-Squadron contests were held annually in addition to the Inter-Defence Services Meets-In order to conduct these boxing tournaments, an Association consisting of representatives from all three Armed Forces was formed. It was named as the United Services Boxing Association of Ceylon (USBAC).

This was the first boxing Association of the country.

Boxing Introduced to Schools

At the beginning of the Second decade of the 20th Century, around 1912, in order to popularise this new game, boxing was introduced to Schools of Ceylon. At this time C.G. Pigford of the Ceylon police along with L.M.C.D. Robinson taught boxing at the Old Police Training School at Thimbirigasyaya where the Police Field Force Headquarters is now situated.

Any schoolboy around the area who wanted to learn the game there, was most welcome. Donald Obeysekara, a Cambridge University Blue (Coloursman) taught boxing at his old school Royal College.

A.B. Henricus of Royal Army taught boxing at Wesley College, Borella. R.V. Routledge and Sgt. Major Jobson trained boxers at Trinity College, Kandy and John Gaye taught at St. Anthony's College, Kandy, where the present St. Sylvesters is situated whilst St. Thomas' Mt. Lavinia also started the game during the same era.

Stubbs Shield Competition begins

It was the British Tea-Planter S.C. Trail who fore-saw that boxing could be made popular and be wide-spread throughout the country by introducing an All-Island Inter Schools Championship Tournament. He met the British Colonial Secretary of Ceylon then, (later the Governor) Sir. R. Edward Stubbs and obtained his permission to present a challenge shield in Sir Stubbs' name at a championship boxing tournament.

Trail then drew up rules and conditions to hold an All Island Inter-Schools boxing tournament and also got a large shield made, had it engraved it as the "Stubbs Shield" and passed on the drawn up papers and the Shield to the USBAC to conduct this tournament annually.

The inaugural tournament was held at Royal College Hall in July 1914 and Trinity College Kandy won the First Championship. Trinity retained the Championship in 1915 but St. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia won it in 1916. Trinity re-captured it in 1917 and retained it in 1918.

The ABA of Ceylon is formed

Until 1925, the USBAC conducted the Stubbs Meet. By this time, Government Departments such as Police, Railways, Prisons, Ports and also Clubs such as YMCA had been training boxers.

Unfortunately, they could not participate at competitions as they had been confined to Armed Forces. Hence, after much persuasion by these clubs, the U.S.B.A.C. was dissolved and the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) of Ceylon was formed in 1926.

This meeting had been held at YMCA. The ABA of Ceylon consisted of the representatives of the three Armed Services, Police, YMCA and few other Clubs. The A.B.A. started the first National Championship in 1926 followed by the Clifford Cup Meet in 1927 and Layton Cup Meet in 1942. The A.B.A. conducted the Stubbs Shield from 1926 onwards.

T.V. Wright Challenge Cup introduced

With the intention of improving the quality of Schoolboy boxing the A.B.A. introduced the Col. T.Y. Wright Challenge Cup in 1927 to be awarded annually to the most Scientific Boxer" of the Stubbs Shield Meet. S. Ratwatte of Trinity College was awarded this prestigious Cup that year.

Schools Boxing Association is formed

In 1935, the Ceylon Schools Boxing Association (C.S.B.A.) was formed with the Principal of Royal College being elected as the inaugural President. Two other Masters of Royal College, Major L.V. Gooneratne (later the Mayor of Dehiwala-Mt. Lavinia Town Council) and F.D. Wijesinghe were elected as Hony. Secretary and Hony. Treasurer, respectively. The C.S.B.A. conducted the Stubbs Shield Boxing Meet. In addition to the Stubbs Meet, the CSBA now conducts the T.B. Jayah Memorial Cup Meet for Novices since 1970 and the L.V. Jayaweera Memorial Cup Meet for Freshers, from 1972. Since its inception in 1935 the C.S.B.A. (Now known as Schools Boxing Association Sri Lanka-SBASL) has become an important Executive Council Member of the A.B.A. of Ceylon.

When the University authorities abolished boxing from their Sports activities in late Fifties, Certain Schools also hung-up their gloves. Among them were St. Peter's College, Bambalapitiya, Trinity College, Kandy, Cathedral College, Kotahena, St. Anne's College, Kurunegala and Christian College, Kotte. Trinity however revived the game back in 1982.

Indo-Ceylon Boxing begin

In 1958 the C.S.B.A. was instrumental in organizing the Indo-Ceylon Schools Boxing contest. Our Team consisted of the winners of the 15 weight categories of the Stubbs Shield Meet that year. Rafi Abdeen of Thurstan College my sparring partner at School was picked to captain Ceylon Schools team.

They toured India for two contests. This dual lasted until 1965. Of these contests, most occasions, Ceylon teams won because of the high standard of our Stubbs Shield Selections.

First Inter-national Gold Medal to Ceylon

It was Police Sub Inspector A.W. Henricuss (Barney) a Lanky Burgher lad who had brought the first-ever International Gold Medal to Ceylon, creating the first sensation. At the Empire Games (now called Common Wealth Games) held in Sydney, Australia in 1938, he won at the finals of the Feather Weight.

He had been a Stubbs Shield Champion from Royal College who had also been awarded the Col. T.Y. Wright Challenge Cup for being adjudged as the most scientific Boxer at the Stubbs Shield Meet in 1933.

Master Tactician School Master

The success behind the gallant victories of St. Mary's, Dehiwala was their Master in charge of boxing E.L. De Souza. He was a shrewd tactician and was the man behind the scene. He always carried with him a 80-page exercise book which contained the dates of birth, the weights and performances of boxers of all schools- No one could bluff him.

He could always predict the boxers and their weights of other schools boxers for forthcoming meets and thereby adjust his team to ensure victory. His sickness of severe Asthma followed by his retirement from Government Service as a teacher may have caused the downfall of St. Mary's Boxing.

Burgher Crowds Fill Boxing Halls

As the medium of education at Schools upto Nineteen Sixties was English, there were lot of Burgher boys studying at Schools. Those affluent, went to schools such as Royal, St. Thomas', Mt. Lavinia, St. Peters' Bambalapitiya, Trinity, St. Anthony's Kandy, Carey and Wesley.

The less affluent ones went to Arethusa, Wellawatte, St. Michaels, Polwatte, St. Mary's Dehiwala, Cathedral Kotahena and St. Sylvester' Kandy

Ministry honours Stubbs Shield contest

In 1991, as the result of an appeal made to the Sports Department of the Ministry of Education by me, as the Senior Vice President of the School Boxing Association then, the Education Ministry recognized the Stubbs Shield Championships as the National Schools Game in Boxing and agreed to sponsor the tournament fully, annually- from that year.

The winning school is now awarded the National Schools Games Shield in addition to the Stubbs Shield. This sponsorship has become a great salvation to the Schools Boxing Association which conducts the Meet.

Records in the Annals of the Stubbs Meet

In the long annals of 85-years of Stubbs Shield Boxing Royal College, Colombo has dominated. They have won the shield 18 times the highest ever for any school. Except in 1999, Royal has participated 84 times, which is also a record.

They have won the shield consecutively for four years on two occasions from 1944 to 1947 and 40 years later from 1984 to 1987. Both Trinity College and St. Sylvester's College have won 11 times each. St. Mary's College, Dehiwala has won it seven times St. Thomas College, Mt. Lavinia and Zahira College, Maradana have won it five times each. However, Vidyartha College, Kandy holds the unique record for winning the Shield consecutively for seven years from 1991 to 1997.

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12th National Wushu Championships

Wushu, literally means Martial Arts in Chinese, originated 3000 years ago in China and now an Internationally recognized sport with 140 member countries in its World Governing body, the International Wushu Federation (IWUF). It is 44th National sports in Sri Lanka and has been categorized in Grade A group which can win International medals by the Sports Ministry. Wushu Federation of Sri Lanka (WFSL) recently held its 12th National Wushu Championships at National Youth Centre Gymnasium in Maharagama.

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History of Wrestling

For the ancient Greeks, wrestling was a very big deal. It virtually defined the original Olympic Games as the marquee event. Among the sport's noted practitioners was the philosopher Plato, who had the brawn and the brains to get out of a clinch; one of wrestling's early sportswriters was Homer, who recounted epic matches. Wrestling also had the blessing of the gods of Greek mythology: Zeus out-wrestled Cronus for possession of the universe, a feat celebrated in the ancient Olympic Games by making wrestling the decisive, final event of the pentathlon. Back then, the sport actually resembled what is now known as freestyle wrestling, but with naked competitors coated in olive oil grappling until one succeeded in throwing or knocking the other down. But this was nothing new. Sumerian cave drawings found in Mesopotamia indicate that wrestling has been around more than 7,000 years. The Egyptians refined the activity into a science. Tombs around the village of Beni Hasan dating to 2500 BC contain hundreds of wrestling how-to drawings. Many of the moves depicted would be right at home at the Beijing Olympics. During the Middle Ages, the sport gained knightly appeal that extended to royalty. Henry VIII of England, an avid fan, challenged King Francis I of France to a legendary throwdown in 1520. Francis scored a takedown, as well as cross-channel bragging rights. Wrestling has global cousins in schwingen (Switzerland), sumo (Japan), kurek (Kazakhstan) and numerous other folk styles. In the New World, Indians were wrestling long before the continent was "discovered." When Pierre de Coubertin resurrected the Olympic Games in 1896 after a 1,500-year hiatus, officials tried to connect to the ancient past by introducing upper-torso-restricted Greco-Roman wrestling as an event. There was one unlimited weight class, but that didn't stop an agile 5-foot-4 German named Carl Schumann from winning the gold. He also won three golds in gymnastics. The 1904 Games in St. Louis saw the introduction of freestyle wrestling, a faster-paced discipline that permitted the use of the legs to attack and defend above and below the waist. The Americans swept all seven divisions, but then again, there was no foreign competition. An 11-hour match in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics persuaded organizers to impose time limits on matches in the 1924 Paris Games. Eight years later, at the 1932 Games in Los Angeles, a Swede named Ivar Johansson performed a feat of weight loss that would probably make Jenny Craig cringe. He won a freestyle gold in the 82-kilogram class, and then melted off more than 10 pounds in 24 hours by fasting and sweating in a sauna so that he could enter the Greco-Roman 72-kilogram (158.5-pound) class. He won that, too. Wrestling competition at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome carried the taint of Cold War match-fixing. The Soviet Union's Avtandil Koridze needed to pin Bulgaria's Dimiter Yanchev (known then as Dimitro Stoyanov) in a Greco-Roman 67-kilogram (147.5-pound) bout to reach the final against Branislav Martinovic of Yugoslavia. With one minute left, Koridze whispered something into Yanchev's ear then immediately pinned him for the victory. Yugoslavia protested, Yanchev was disqualified, but Koridze was permitted into the gold-medal match, which he then won. For the US, Dan Gable, arguably the Babe Ruth of American wrestling, emerged as the gold medalist at the 1972 Olympics in Munich in the freestyle 68-kilogram (149.5-pound) class. He later coached a collegiate dynasty at the University of Iowa and the US teams at the 1984 and 2000 Games, both of which featured shocking victories by Americans. In Los Angeles, at the 1984 Games, Jeff Blatnick won the Greco-Roman super heavyweight gold medal just two years after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease and having his spleen and appendix removed. The drama climaxed when Blatnick scored twice in the last 64 seconds to defeat Sweden's Tomas Johannson in the title match. In 2000, facing three-time gold medalist Alexander Karelin of Russia, an obscure Rulon Gardner scored the only point to win (see sidebar). His outrageous victory produced hopes that more Americans would become interested in the sport and spark an influx of talent. But the 2004 Games in Athens produced just one American gold: Cael Sanderson in freestyle. Gardner earned a bronze and left his shoes on the mat to signal his retirement. While bidding goodbye to the old guard, the sport took a huge step forward in Athens in 2004: Women competed for the first time. Japan captured two golds, a silver and a bronze - quite a haul for just four weight classes                                                                                                                                                                pavithra nadeeshan

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What Is Wushu ???

                                                                                  WHAT IS WUSHU ???

INTRODUCTION

Wushu is a form of contemporary Chinese martial arts that blends elements of performance and martial application. Wushu training emphasizes quickness, explosive power, and natural, relaxed movement. The wushu practitioner must combine flexibility with strength, speed with flawless technique, fierce intent with effortless execution.

STYLES OF WUSHU

Modern wushu encompasses a wide variety of Chinese martial arts styles, which can be categorized in several ways. Along one axis, wushu is divided into barehand and weapon-play styles, where the various wushu weapons are grouped into long-range, short-range, flexible, and double weapons. Along another axis, wushu styles are categorized by the martial arts system which created them. For example, the southern martial arts system includes barehand, broadsword, and staff styles. Staff styles, on the other hand, have been created by the northern, southern, and even drunken fighting systems.

A standard wushu training program, however, concentrates on a “core curriculum” of eight major styles, which can be categorized as follows:

	Northern System	Southern System
Bare Hand	chang quan (长拳) Long Fis	nan quan (南拳) Southern Fist
Short Weapon	dao shu (刀术) Broadsword-play	nan dao shu (南刀术) Southern Broadsword-play
	jian shu (剑术) Sword-play
Long Weapon	gun shu (棍术) Staff-play	nan gun shu (南棍术) Southern Staff-play
	qiang shu (枪术) Spear-play

As beginners, students of wushu receive introductory training in most of the core styles, but as they gain experience, they begin to concentrate on a small number of styles. Typically, a student will specialize in one style each of barehand, short weapon, and long weapon. It is important that maturing students undertake specializations which match their abilities and personality — often, the choice is handed down by the instructor, whose judgement is guided by long experience, rather than the student, whose judgement may be colored by “what looks cool.” We describe each of the core styles in greater detail below:

LONG FIST (长拳)

As the name might imply, longfist is characterized by attack at the extreme end of one’s reach. In order to conduct these long-range strikes, the longfist boxer must remain relaxed and extended in motion and posture. Longfist movement is quick, agile, and rhythmic, punctuated by explosive and spectacular jumping techniques. Power is clearly displayed in each movement, but tempered with grace and fluidity.

SOUTHERN FIST (南拳)

Southern fist is characterized by powerful hand strikes built upon firm stancework. The Southern boxer fights with ferocious intent, at times using a yell to generate additional power and raise the spirit. Footwork is low, fast, and tight, creating a stable foundation for weathering or delivering attacks. Little distinction is made between offense and defense in Southern fist. Many blocking techniques are delivered with such force that they double as attacks, and peculiar to Southern fist is a technique known as a “bridge,” in which the fist is thrown with the forearm held diagonally, simultaneously blocking and striking.

STAFF-PLAY (棍术)

In Chinese martial arts, the staff is known as the “Father of all Weapons,” so named because many of the techniques employed in other weapons styles are derived from staff techniques. The staff is constructed with a slight taper, the butt end being thicker than the point, and stands as tall as the practitioner. The wood of the staff is semi-flexible, which allows the staff to be smashed forcefully against the ground without breaking. The flexibility of the wood also allows power to be clearly displayed in vibration at the staff’s tip. Most staff techniques are sweeping or whirling, allowing the practitioner to cover a large area with a single strike. Major staff techniques include chopping, uppercutting, figure-8 circling, pointing, and enveloping.

BROAD-SWORD-PLAY (刀术)

The broadsword, or saber, is known as the “Marshal of all Weapons,” as it was the standard armament of foot soldiers in medieval China. The broadsword is wielded in one hand, with the free hand forming a palm. It has a wide, curved blade with a single sharp edge, and when held at the side the tip of the blade extends to the practitioner’s ear. A silk flag is sometimes attached to the pommel of the sword. While the width and weight of the blade make it more appropriate for slicing and hacking attacks than thrusting attacks, both are used. Because the back edge of the sword is dull, the blade can be supported against the free hand or body in various movements. The major broadsword techniques include hacking, coiling around the head, uppercutting, parrying, and stabbing. Broadsword-play is characterized by swift, explosive movements and abandoned ferocity; an apt wushu saying states that “Broadsword-play resembles an enraged tiger.”

SWORD-PLAY (剑术)

The straight sword, or simply sword, is known as the “Gentleman of all Weapons.” Like the broadsword, the straight sword is a single-handed weapon, and the free hand is held in a “sword fingers” position: thumb and outer two fingers curved to meet each other and inner two fingers extended together. The sword has a thin, straight blade with two sharp edges and a centerline ridge that supports the blade, and the tip of the blade extends to the ear when the sword is held at the side. A woven tassel is sometimes attached to the pommel of the sword for counterbalance. Due to its light construction, the straight sword cannot be used to deliver raw power; sword players must instead rely on technique and finesse. A wushu saying states that “Sword-play resembles a flying phoenix,” meaning that the practitioner must be quick but controlled, choosing the time and place of every attack, like a phoenix which darts in to strike at openings and slips gracefully away when threatened. The major sword techniques include circular parrying, hacking, tilting, pointing, and stabbing.

SPEAR-PLAY (枪术)

The spear is known as the “King of all Weapons,” because its length far outranges the other weapons while its sharp blade gives it killing power. The spear is the longest of the weapons, extending from the floor to the fingertips of the practitioner’s upraised arm. Like a staff, the spear’s shaft is tapered and constructed from semi-flexible wood. The spear head is a diamond shaped metal blade affixed to the narrow end of the shaft; a tassel of horsehair attached is usually attached just below the blade. Because the shaft is flexible, the spear player can attack from odd angles by bending the spear in a whipping motion. In addition, the spear can be smashed against the ground like a staff. To complement the flexibility of the spear, spear-play makes use of supple body work and fluid motions; the saying goes that “Spear-play resembles an undulating dragon.” Major spear techniques include parrying inward, parrying outward, stabbing, downward striking, tilting, enveloping, and figure-8 circling.

SOUTHERN BROAD-SWORD-PLAY (南刀术)

The Southern broadsword is a wide, single-edged blade which extends from hand to ear when held at the side. The Southern broadsword is easily distinguished from the Northern version by its uncurved blade, S-shaped guard, and longer handle, which ends in a ring at the pommel. This lengthened handle allows the sword to be wielded with both hands at times, and in certain techniques the sword is even wielded with an inverted grip. Southern broadsword-play combines the fast, aggressive footwork of Southern Fist with barrages of slashing and thrusting strikes. Emphasis is placed on short, direct attacks and fierce blocks interchanged in quick succession and delivered with unmistakable power. The major elements of Southern broadsword-play are slashing, chopping, stabbing, pushing, and uppercutting.

SOUTHERN SWORD PLAY (南剑术)

Like the Northern staff, the Southern staff is a tapered shaft of semi-flexible wood which stands at the staff-player’s height. The Southern staff, however, measures significantly thicker than its Northern counterpart, allowing it to withstand the direct blocks and smashing strikes of Southern staff-play. There is a marked de-emphasis on flashy, decorative movements in Southern staff-play; rather, the practitioner concentrates on projecting sheer power through straightforward but devastating techniques. If performed properly, the result can be both dazzling and daunting. Southern staff-play uses both ends of the staff for offense, and strikes from alternating ends of the staff are often delivered rapid-fire. The major techniques of Southern staff-play are horizontal chopping, downward smashing, thrusting, and circular parrying                    

                                                                                                                                                    Pavithra Nadeeshan
                                                                                    

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INTRODUCTION

Wushu is a form of contemporary Chinese martial arts that blends elements of performance and martial application. Wushu training emphasizes quickness, explosive power, and natural, relaxed movement. The wushu practitioner must combine flexibility with strength, speed with flawless technique, fierce intent with effortless execution.

STYLES OF WUSHU

Modern wushu encompasses a wide variety of Chinese martial arts styles, which can be categorized in several ways. Along one axis, wushu is divided into barehand and weapon-play styles, where the various wushu weapons are grouped into long-range, short-range, flexible, and double weapons. Along another axis, wushu styles are categorized by the martial arts system which created them. For example, the southern martial arts system includes barehand, broadsword, and staff styles. Staff styles, on the other hand, have been created by the northern, southern, and even drunken fighting systems.

A standard wushu training program, however, concentrates on a “core curriculum” of eight major styles, which can be categorized as follows:

	Northern System	Southern System
Bare Hand	chang quan (长拳) Long Fist	nan quan (南拳) Southern Fist
Short Weapon	dao shu (刀术) Broadsword-play	nan dao shu (南刀术) Southern Broadsword-play
	jian shu (剑术) Sword-play
Long Weapon	gun shu (棍术) Staff-play	nan gun shu (南棍术) Southern Staff-play
	qiang shu (枪术) Spear-play

As beginners, students of wushu receive introductory training in most of the core styles, but as they gain experience, they begin to concentrate on a small number of styles. Typically, a student will specialize in one style each of barehand, short weapon, and long weapon. It is important that maturing students undertake specializations which match their abilities and personality — often, the choice is handed down by the instructor, whose judgement is guided by long experience, rather than the student, whose judgement may be colored by “what looks cool.” We describe each of the core styles in greater detail below:

LONG FIST (长拳)

As the name might imply, longfist is characterized by attack at the extreme end of one’s reach. In order to conduct these long-range strikes, the longfist boxer must remain relaxed and extended in motion and posture. Longfist movement is quick, agile, and rhythmic, punctuated by explosive and spectacular jumping techniques. Power is clearly displayed in each movement, but tempered with grace and fluidity.

SOUTHERN FIST (南拳)

Southern fist is characterized by powerful hand strikes built upon firm stancework. The Southern boxer fights with ferocious intent, at times using a yell to generate additional power and raise the spirit. Footwork is low, fast, and tight, creating a stable foundation for weathering or delivering attacks. Little distinction is made between offense and defense in Southern fist. Many blocking techniques are delivered with such force that they double as attacks, and peculiar to Southern fist is a technique known as a “bridge,” in which the fist is thrown with the forearm held diagonally, simultaneously blocking and striking.

STAFF-PLAY (棍术)

In Chinese martial arts, the staff is known as the “Father of all Weapons,” so named because many of the techniques employed in other weapons styles are derived from staff techniques. The staff is constructed with a slight taper, the butt end being thicker than the point, and stands as tall as the practitioner. The wood of the staff is semi-flexible, which allows the staff to be smashed forcefully against the ground without breaking. The flexibility of the wood also allows power to be clearly displayed in vibration at the staff’s tip. Most staff techniques are sweeping or whirling, allowing the practitioner to cover a large area with a single strike. Major staff techniques include chopping, uppercutting, figure-8 circling, pointing, and enveloping.

BROAD-SWORD-PLAY (刀术)

The broadsword, or saber, is known as the “Marshal of all Weapons,” as it was the standard armament of foot soldiers in medieval China. The broadsword is wielded in one hand, with the free hand forming a palm. It has a wide, curved blade with a single sharp edge, and when held at the side the tip of the blade extends to the practitioner’s ear. A silk flag is sometimes attached to the pommel of the sword. While the width and weight of the blade make it more appropriate for slicing and hacking attacks than thrusting attacks, both are used. Because the back edge of the sword is dull, the blade can be supported against the free hand or body in various movements. The major broadsword techniques include hacking, coiling around the head, uppercutting, parrying, and stabbing. Broadsword-play is characterized by swift, explosive movements and abandoned ferocity; an apt wushu saying states that “Broadsword-play resembles an enraged tiger.”

SWORD-PLAY (剑术)

The straight sword, or simply sword, is known as the “Gentleman of all Weapons.” Like the broadsword, the straight sword is a single-handed weapon, and the free hand is held in a “sword fingers” position: thumb and outer two fingers curved to meet each other and inner two fingers extended together. The sword has a thin, straight blade with two sharp edges and a centerline ridge that supports the blade, and the tip of the blade extends to the ear when the sword is held at the side. A woven tassel is sometimes attached to the pommel of the sword for counterbalance. Due to its light construction, the straight sword cannot be used to deliver raw power; sword players must instead rely on technique and finesse. A wushu saying states that “Sword-play resembles a flying phoenix,” meaning that the practitioner must be quick but controlled, choosing the time and place of every attack, like a phoenix which darts in to strike at openings and slips gracefully away when threatened. The major sword techniques include circular parrying, hacking, tilting, pointing, and stabbing.

SPEAR-PLAY (枪术)

The spear is known as the “King of all Weapons,” because its length far outranges the other weapons while its sharp blade gives it killing power. The spear is the longest of the weapons, extending from the floor to the fingertips of the practitioner’s upraised arm. Like a staff, the spear’s shaft is tapered and constructed from semi-flexible wood. The spear head is a diamond shaped metal blade affixed to the narrow end of the shaft; a tassel of horsehair attached is usually attached just below the blade. Because the shaft is flexible, the spear player can attack from odd angles by bending the spear in a whipping motion. In addition, the spear can be smashed against the ground like a staff. To complement the flexibility of the spear, spear-play makes use of supple body work and fluid motions; the saying goes that “Spear-play resembles an undulating dragon.” Major spear techniques include parrying inward, parrying outward, stabbing, downward striking, tilting, enveloping, and figure-8 circling.

SOUTHERN BROAD-SWORD-PLAY (南刀术)

The Southern broadsword is a wide, single-edged blade which extends from hand to ear when held at the side. The Southern broadsword is easily distinguished from the Northern version by its uncurved blade, S-shaped guard, and longer handle, which ends in a ring at the pommel. This lengthened handle allows the sword to be wielded with both hands at times, and in certain techniques the sword is even wielded with an inverted grip. Southern broadsword-play combines the fast, aggressive footwork of Southern Fist with barrages of slashing and thrusting strikes. Emphasis is placed on short, direct attacks and fierce blocks interchanged in quick succession and delivered with unmistakable power. The major elements of Southern broadsword-play are slashing, chopping, stabbing, pushing, and uppercutting.

SOUTHERN SWORD PLAY (南剑术)

Like the Northern staff, the Southern staff is a tapered shaft of semi-flexible wood which stands at the staff-player’s height. The Southern staff, however, measures significantly thicker than its Northern counterpart, allowing it to withstand the direct blocks and smashing strikes of Southern staff-play. There is a marked de-emphasis on flashy, decorative movements in Southern staff-play; rather, the practitioner concentrates on projecting sheer power through straightforward but devastating techniques. If performed properly, the result can be both dazzling and daunting. Southern staff-play uses both ends of the staff for offense, and strikes from alternating ends of the staff are often delivered rapid-fire. The major techniques of Southern staff-play are horizontal chopping, downward smashing, thrusting, and circular parrying

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