Customer Reviews

Shantung Black Tiger: A Shaolin Fighting Art of North China

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is great. Well written in English and illustrated with both photos and line drawings. The book goes over history through applications in modern times. The basics...stances, arm/leg applications/strikes are illustrated by line drawings (with an area that has the exact striking area shaded). So no guessing. Traning methods on how to train, including conditioning. And a form is included as well as partner training. There just seems to be more information in this book than the size would lead you to believe. Highly recommended.

This book is HIGHLY instructive and more open than most. It takes the realistic stance that you probably won't have access to a master teaching this material, and acts accordingly. The photos laying out the form are clear and concise, and the text instruction is excellent and also very clear.

The only problem lies in the line drawings. While they're generally pretty good, some of them do NOT make clear how the stance/strike is performed, which makes things confusing when you get to the photos. The balancing stance drawings, for example, don't show the hands exactly as they're supposed to be (refer to the first practical application in chapter five for the actual positions.) These are really rather minor, but if you're a rookie like me, it can trip you up.

This is a minor complaint, though, for a great book. If you're interested in this art, pick this book up post haste!

I studied this Black Tiger in the late 70's and early 80's, practiced and taught it, and still do. The only book I've seen on the art and it is streight forward and in depth, covers every aspect.

Donn Draeger learnt this standard Shantung Kuntao form from Master Khiong in return for teaching him Kusarigame Jutsu (chain-and-sickle fighting)when he was researching material for his book,The Weapons and Fighting Arts of Indonesia.This book is an excellent reference of the complete techniques of this style.Traditionally the study of Kunato is banned by the Indonesian Governament and few of non-chinese blood ever get to learn it or for that matter see it performed,so the fact that a system is presented in such detail in book form is an acheivement in itself.

This book presents an interesting form from a style not seen much in the U.S. or outside of China. Good photo sequences and excellent descriptive text accompanying the photos help explain each move. The book concludes with a section showing the practical self-defense application of some of the sequences from the form. A good book and an interesting addition to your martial arts library.

I have studied Hung Gar five animals kung fu, which includes the tiger as well as other animals, as well as Indonesian Pentjak Silat, which was influenced by Chinese styles like the tiger, praying mantis, and eagle claw kung fu, but I haven't had the opportunity to study tiger kung fu in pure form, as in this book. Some day I hope to have the opportunity to study one of the great styles of tiger kung fu too.

If you are interested in more information on tiger style kung fu, I can recommend the five videos on the black tiger style by Tak Wah Eng, a famous kung fu instructor in New York City. The set includes both empty hand and weapons forms, including two-man three-sectional staff routines, which I thought was very interesting, since I have studied the staff myself.

I enjoyed this book. It starts you off with basic knowledge of stances and strikes, then shows application of the techniques. The book also has good pictures and explanation that are easy to follow. The side notes in this book explain some things that you would not pick up from just the pictures. This book is a plus to your martial arts library.

This book shed light on the northan art of shaolin kung fu. For a book written nineteen years ago it is packed full of knowledge, but admittidly some was irrelavent. I would recommend this book to the buyer however martial knowledge on the subject from the buyers behalf would be useful befor as it can be complexed in termanology in places.

I found this book in the web for free in its original form. Back in the 70s a book like that was invaluable for the novice and today it is worth acquiring it for your library. The drawings are rather poor but the text and pictures are great, taking you step by step to what might be enlightlemnt if you couple it with chi exercises. Be aware though that the tiger style can lead you to difficult paths if your mind and will dont match your strenght.

Happy practicing