Post 3
March 2018
The Seven Animals of Me'je Oruka, Part III
The Dragon (Long/Lung Xing)
Namaste’ Students and Fellow Martial Arts Enthusiasts!
The Dragon System of Kung Fu is based on the mythological Dragon that is symbolic of happiness, immortality, fertility, and activity. Dragon symbolism is pervasive in Chinese culture. When Shen (the Spirit of vitality) is high, the Dragon can emerge. According to history the Dragon Fist System of Kung Fu emerged during the 17th Century in the Wudang Mountain, Hubei Province, China. Although aspects of the history are unclear, most accounts agree that the founder was none other than the Shaolin Buddhist Nun, Wu Mei, the woman also credited with the development of Wing Chun. Rather than focusing on a lot of kicks and elaborate jumping techniques, the Dragon System was developed using techniques necessary for a smaller less powerful opponent to overcome opponents of greater physical capacity. This made the system excellent for the nuns, women in general, and for men of smaller physical stature.
"To subdue the enemy, you must strike it once and for all. There is no other way."
The system’s primary weapons were fists, palms, and clawing techniques that aimed at ending a fight quickly by crippling or killing the opponent. The traditional Dragon Systems of Kung Fu practitioners incorporate much Qigong practice into their training in order to develop the internal power necessary to apply the techniques effectively. It is not uncommon to hear a Dragon fighter expressing the hissing sound (of our 7 Circles Agni breath) when executing a technique both to generate power and to strike fear into the opponent. The Dragon System is less focused on mimicking the movements of the real or mythological dragon than it is on elevating the Shen (spirit) of the practitioner to that of the perceived spiritual qualities of the dragon.
The Dragon generally falls into the category of Southern Shaolin styles along with the Crane, Leopard, Snake, and Mantis. The Dragon System movements were traditionally devised to develop alertness and concentration allowing the practitioner to evade and avoid direct opposition to the attacks of bigger, stronger, and more powerful opponents. These movements, that are a big part of how we use the Spirit of the Dragon in our 7 Circles System, allow us to see and seize the opportunity to attack the opponent when and where they are most vulnerable. The movements are executed without the application of Li (muscular strength), but with emphasis on breathing in the lower abdomen (dan tian), along with the coordination of mind (Yi), body, and spirit (Shen). This is what positions the Dragon System as more of an internal system rather than an external system. The movements tend to be long, flowing, and continuous, much like we find in the practice of Tai Chi. In fact, in the 7 Circles System we study, Tai Chi for its own fighting effectiveness and also because of the way it lends itself to the development of other aspects of our System.
As with Tai Chi, the basis of the Dragon System is Qi (Vital, Primordial Energy), the inner power of Taoism and of the traditional, classical Tai Chi Martial Art. Both the movements and the application of techniques of the Dragon System are dependent and inseparable from the use of Qi. The use of Qi allows the practitioner to rely more on the power generated and transmitted through the tendons (Jing) rather than on muscular strength (Li). Qi is used both to supplement and sometimes to actually replace physical strength and techniques. One cannot develop the effective use of the Dragon System to its highest levels without dedicated practice of Qigong and Tai Chi. The Dragon practitioner has Qi fluidly flowing through every part of his or her body, from the surface of the skin to deep within the bone marrow.
This use of Qi flowing like water allows us the use flowing, twisting, coiling movements to generate power through any and every part of our body and to emit power to the opponent through virtually any movement or angle of attack. And ‘angle’ may not be the best word to use here because the movements of the Dragon are primarily circular and like a snake, the Dragon is constantly circling, coiling, twisting around the opponent seeking any opportunity to attack an open and vulnerable target. However, unlike the snake that has no legs or claws, the Dragon has the advantage of its three powerful claws and its lethal tail to use in the battle. Like water, the Dragon is constantly moving in and out, to and fro, around one way and then the other creating both confusion and opportunity.
Dragon System training can help in the development of :
