| In Gung-Fu, we often speak of an art and its level of cruelty. Arts that very specifically target vital areas, use mostly rips, gouges,and pokes to soft tissue and eyes and throat,arts that rather than simply locking a joint,prefer to immediately break it, are considered cruel. This is not meant in a negative way, but simply as a reference. Hung-Ga, Bak Mei, Jook Lum are considered very cruel. Shuai-Jiao, due to its preference for joint breaking -and throwing an attacker on his head, or spine, is also very cruel. Yip Man's Wing-Chun-not as cruel,but just as effective. Pek Kwar, also not as cruel-but when mixed with Dai Seng (Great Sage Monkey Style)becomes very cruel.(nasty creatures, those monkeys)Hak Fu Mun(Black Tiger Style) very cruel.
Personally, I believe this definition of cruelty is what led me to the arts that are my main focus. Being a smaller guy, I needed an art that did not rely on strength, and could defeat a much larger opponent. Hung-Ga had the reputation for being just that-plus the fact that they develop tremendous power through full body integration. Jook Lum, because of its pinpoint accuracy in hitting vital areas,and its rapid fire machine-gun like striking. Shuai-Jiao because I wanted to learn more about grappling and throws, but not jump on the BJJ bandwagon, keep it Chinese, and because once I felt it, I was sold. That, and the fact that Chang Dung-Shen fought many challenges, and even killed a few people using Shuai-Jiao was a good example of an art's effectiveness, in real-time.
As far as kyokushin is concerned, it was one of the first styles I was exposed to. I still teach saamjien kuen (an older Chinese version of sanchin kata)to my students, and we spar bare knuckle,hard contact to the body, just as was mentioned.
-this is only one method of our sparring, but it is the first thing a student learns. There is a huge difference between getting hit, and getting hurt. This helps them break that connection, and develop greater courage. |