Ape Style (?) Anyone?

Hi,

I've just finished watching the National Geographic Channel and I came across the only useful program I've seen from them so far, a great program about Chinese qigong and martial arts masters.

One of them performed a very scary and fascinating style which (I didn't catch his name or the name is his style), but it seemed to be about the chi or energy of the gorilla or ape. Especially interesting for this former Taekwondo performer, was the fact that he used some very pronounced shakes at the end of punches and hip twists (as well as grimaces and vocal sounds) to emphasise chi (I guess), to an extent just as you're taught to do in Karate and Taekwondo. Knowing more about this would shed some light on those movements in these arts.

Does anyone know more about this style?

Also, the styles like the crane style seemed much more external than I had expected.

Any help would be appreciated.

I have seen that documentary and it is in fact very good. Most Kungfu/Wushu/Qigong documentaries are crap or shallow or pushing an agenda - this one isn't bad.

Just one comment - the word ape and monkey sometimes mean the same thing when translated - so you may be looking for a monkey style. What that guy does however is not the standard monkey style that you see. I believe there was some more generic monkey on that doco(can't remember)

I think what you are really looking for is a heavily internal system - try Xingyi maybe or get straight into some esoteric Qigong. But take it easy - the internal arts are, as you saw, powerful - that shaking and hip twisting is common in Chinese styles though.

Sorry I wasn't more clear - find a Chinese master you trust, let them introduce you to these things - we all need some one to take our hand at times.

cheers

Matt

Before you buy.

Thanks for the response. I've tried to wrack my brain and literature and the only thing I could come up with was Tong Bei Quan (White Ape). If anyone knows anything more, please let on.

About the distinction between ape and monkey - I've seen a lot of monkey style stuff, but as you know, this was very different. The guy was beating his chest, and there was some very gorilla- like energy going on. Especially in his grimaces and the sounds he made.

What I found especially fascinating was the way he would tense his arms at the beginning of a punch, and then let go; maybe this was how Karate and the like was intended to be performed.

Also, they showed a style called 'Spiritual Butterfly', which was interesting.

If it will jog anyone's memories, this program was taped totally in Taiwan, rather than mainland China, and the styles were all very traditional.