Kuntao

A demonstration in Indonesia

A member of the San Francisco based Parangal Dance Company performing a Langka Kuntao routine as part of their Bangsamoro suite of dances at the 14th Annual Fil-Am Friendship Celebration at Serramonte Center inDaly City, California.

Kuntao

Written Chinese	Quyền đạo
Bopomofo:	ㄑㄩㄢㄉㄠ
Pinyin	Quándào
Pe̍h-ōe-jī	Kûn-thâu
Indonesian	Kuntao
Malay	Kuntau
Filipino	Kuntaw

Kuntaoorkuntau(Chinese:Quyền đạo;pinyin:quándào;Pe̍h-ōe-jī:kûn-thâu,Tagalog:kuntaw) is aHokkienterm for themartial artsof the Chinese community ofSoutheast Asia,specifically theMalay Archipelago.It is most commonly practiced in and associated withIndonesia,Malaysia,thePhilippinesandSingapore.

Etymology

There are no standardhanzifor kuntao, but the most common reading is "way of the fist", fromkunQuyền meaning fist andtaoNói meaning way. Less common readings may use the characterkunCôn meaning staff, ortouĐầu meaning head, so that it could be translated as "way of the staff" or roughly "knowledge of fists". InFu gianand other southern areas, this term was originally used forChinese martial artsin general and was synonymous withquanfa( quyền pháp, Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kûn-hoat). The word is recorded inClassical MalayandIndonesian,making it the oldest known term for Chinese martial arts in those languages, before the modern adoption of the termkungfu.In English, and even in its modern Chinese usage, kuntao usually refers specifically to styles brought to Southeast Asia and often does not include other Chinese fighting systems.

History

The presence ofChinese martial artsin the Malay Archipelago traces back to ancient contact between China and Southeast Asia.Donn F. Draegergoes as far as to call them the oldest major organised system of fighting in Indonesia, pre-dating the structured teaching ofsilat.TheToraja,Batak,andDayak culturesall show Chinese influence, and Chinese weapons are often depicted in ancient Sumatran art. Some pre-colonial Chinese temples in Indonesia display combative images characteristic of southern Chinese forms, and many techniques andweapons of silatare of Chinese and Indian influence.ManyPeranakanfamilies can still trace their clan history in the region as far back as the voyages of AdmiralZheng He,but most Southeast Asian Chinese were brought to the Malay Archipelago as working-class immigrants during the colonial era.In Indonesia in particular, every Chinese community had some form of kuntao, but were traditionally shrouded in secrecy.As recently as the 1970s, kuntao was often practiced secretly to avoid its techniques from being revealed to outsiders, both Chinese and non-Chinese.It was not openly displayed, and public demonstrations would hide the true forms.This changed during the latter of the 20th century, and kuntao is now taught commonly without secrecy. Kuntao was introduced to the US by Martial Artist and Military Veteran Joe Rossi, who learned it from his Filipino Master in World War II. He was taught the martial art as a member of the special forces in The US Navy to apply in Combat operations. Rossi began teaching Kuntao at his private studio in Waterbury, Connecticut after the war. It popularized further, by Willem Reeders and Willem de Thouars in the 1960s.

Styles

Both northern and southern Chinese martial arts are represented in kuntao, but the majority of systems originate from the same southern states as the Southeast Asian Chinese communities who practice them.Fu gian,Shandong,Kongfu, andGuangdongstyles dominate. Some systems were directly imported from China and underwent little or no changes, such asPakua(baguazhang) andPeh-ho(Fu gian White Crane). Among the most common of these areSaolim(Shaolinquan),Ngochokun(wuzuquanorFive Ancestorsfist), andThaikek(tai chi). Other styles may be a conglomeration of several different schoolsresulting from the supposition that they had to adapt to the Southeast Asian weapons and environment.Thesanchianform is a common fundamental to all major styles of kuntao.

Kuntao inJakartais predominantly of Fu gian extraction, characterized by their frontal and right stances (right foot advanced). All Fu gian stances are based on observations of not just animals but also humans, such as a newborn baby or a drunken man. Unlike the low stances of other systems, Fu gian forms primarily switch between thetingandpastance, both of which are designed to feel natural with normally-spaced placement of the feet and legs. Shandong styles - practiced acrossJavaandMadura- areSaolimderivatives, identified by their positioning of the thumb atop the clenched fist, as well as their left stances. Their techniques include high kicks, rolling, leaping, and both short and long arm movements. Styles of Kongfu origin (not to be confused with the misunderstood term "kung fu") are known for their rigidity and static postures. Guangdong styles are fast and energetic, employing flailing arm motions, subtle hand movements, and semiclenched formations for parrying and blocking.

InMalaysia,the wordkuntaois currently most common inSarawakbut the art itself is widely practiced throughout the country. Both the internal and external systems are well-represented. Most are of Hokkien, Cantonese, Hakka, or Yunnan origin (the latter known in Malay asLian Yunan). Among the oldest are southern Saolim and the three major internal schools (neijia), all of which strongly influenced local silat.Luohanquan(Arhat fist) andThaikekdominate. The Chuga Siulam (Chu family Shaolin or phoenix-eye fist) school ofPenangis the lineage-holder of the discipline and traces directly back to the art's founders. Wengchun (Wing Chun) has become increasingly popular since the early 20th century. Five Ancestors Fist is practiced mainly in the south and is known locally asGochoh.It is the most pervasive style of kuntao in Singapore and the Philippines, though Thaikek is also commonly practiced. Singapore is known for both Hainanese styles as well as CantoneseHunggakun,particularly the Tiger And Crane form.

Kuntao inSarawak(spelled locally as kuntau) was disseminated by Sino-Iban and adopted by the widerIban people.Masters are addressed asguroand the training area is an outdoor space calledkelang.Kuntau remains guarded by secrecy today, seldom shown to the public and rarely taught outside the community. Though traditionally passed within the family, kuntau has dwindled in popularity among the young. There are currently only 24 kelang statewide and 14 styles remain. This includes Lang Nginau, Tepis Memaloh, and Sinding Ujan Panas. The styles known as Spring 12 and Spring 24 closely resembleWing Chun.As withLian Padukan,they trace back to a Chinese man from Yunnan. In 2017 the National Iban Kuntau Association (Nika) was formed to preserve Iban kuntau, and has approved selected patterns to be displayed to the public.

Kuntao in thePhilippinesis spelled askuntaw.Some styles usually trace their lineage to a Buddhist monk named Darmon (based on theBodhidharmalegend) who fled China for Indonesia during the 13th century Mongol invasion. Ngochokun (wuzuquan) and Pakuazen (baguazhang) are prominent while Thaikek (taijiquan) is mainly practiced as a health exercise. Both kuntaw andsilatadditionally exist as a dance-like Filipino (or exclusively Muslim Mindanao peoples for clarity's sake) performance art, while the combative aspect was passed down privately from parent to child. A notable example of this wasCarlito A. Lanada, Sr.who inherited the art ofKuntaw Lima Lima.He is the son of Yong Iban Lanada, whose father, Yuyong Huenyo came from theTausugtribe in the southern Muslim island of Mindanao.

Integrated systems

Millennia of mutual exchange has at times blurred the line between kuntao andsilat.Some schools may use the terms almost interchangeably as inBali.Others incorporate both words in their name, as with Silat Kuntau Tekpi. In the most extreme cases, a particular lineage is passed down within the indigenous Southeast Asian community until it loses any outward Chinese reference. This has sometimes been intentional, particularly after theChinese Communist Revolution.Between 1949 and the mid-80s, some schools were rebranded as silat to distance themselves from Maoist China. Additionally, the establishment of Indonesia's silat governing body IPSI in 1948 was a motivating factor for martial arts schools to be recognized by the association if they're considered silat. The rise ofracismin more recent decades has further resulted in alterations to oral traditions and histories, de-emphasising their inception as the product of Chinese culture. The following are examples of such revision. All are characteristically Chinese in their techniques, tactics, and medicinal practices.

Cingkrik

From theBetawiwordjingkrikmeaning agile, legend tracesCingkrikto a monkey style of kuntao created by a woman who based the techniques on a group of monkeys she witnessed fighting. In the early 1900s this kuntao eventually reached a man in Rawa Belong named Kong Maing who further developed it after a monkey stole his walking stick and evaded all his attempts at retrieval. The modern revision credits Kong Maing entirely, ignoring its kuntao background.

Beksi

Beksiwas created in the 1800s by aTionghoaPeranakannamed Lie Cheng Hok, who took both Chinese and native Indonesians as disciples. His successor was aBetawiand it has been passed down inTangerangever since. According to the revision, Lie Cheng Hok himself was a student of a mysterious cave-dwelling hermit named Ki Jidan, who is now widely considered the progenitor.

Kwitang

Unlike most recent revisions, the dispute overMustika Kwitanghas existed for several decades. All agree that it began with a sparring match between aTionghoamartial artist named Kwee Tang Kiam and a (traditionally unnamed)Betawiherbalist in the 17th century. The loser would become the winner's student, but who won is a topic of contention. Some say Kwee Tang Kiam was the logical victor as the style still carries his name. Others say he lost and married the local man's daughter. As the art was passed down within the family, they continued to use the Kwitang name.

Bangau Putih

A white crane system founded inBogor, West Javaby Subur Rahardja in 1952. As a young child Subur Rahardja learned martial arts from several teachers, as well as his father and other family members. He was the acknowledged inheritor of five masters from different lineages. Most notably among these was his paternal uncle Liem Kim Bouw, other teachers included Mpe Sutur, the founder of the Cimande Pencak Silat school, Asuk Yak Long, and Gusti Djelantik. https:// silat.de/flashback_of_pgb_en.html

Lian Yunan

A family of about 22 styles centered mainly inJohor,Malaysia. They are remarkably similar toWing Chunwith which they share a common origin inYunnan,China during the 1700s. The most prominent style isLian Padukan,itself a derivative of Buah Pukul from the Mersing district of Johor. It is said to have been introduced by aHuiman who made a name for himself fighting in the docklands of 1920s Singapore and Johor. Confusion over the Hui identity has led to revisionists replacing the founder's Chinese heritage with an Arab one.

Kuntaw

Its arrival in the Philippines is unclear for even among the Mindanao people there is no research dedicated to tracing the lineage or the importer of the martial art or when was the first recorded reference of this martial art, and if there is, a question of authenticity arises. The same could be said ofsilatpracticed culturally in thesouthernmost partsof the archipelago. It is safe to say, that is until a new paper is published about retracing its history in the islands, that this fighting method only started to "come out" in the country in the mid-20th century. It is written askuntawin the Philippines, the Chinese origin of kuntao is rarely denied, but it has often become associated with theFilipino Muslimusually amongMaguindanaons,MaranaosandTausugsbut it is also associated with the Filipino Muslim community of Indonesian or Borneo descent, given that the southern Filipinos are more culturally linked toMalaysthan those Filipinos fromLuzonandVisayas.The term is sometimes mistakenly translated as "sacred strike" fromkunsagrado hataw.

Weapons

The vast array of weaponry found in China is naturally reflected in kuntao, the most famous examples being the sword, sabre, staff, spear andbutterfly swords.Listed below are some of the weapons used in traditional styles of kuntao. Pronunciation and spelling vary according to dialect and transliteration system used. TheMandarinword-forms are given in parentheses.

• Kiam (Gian): straight double-edge sword
• Tou (dao): any single-edge blade, usually referring to the sabre
• Toya (gun): pole, usually of either wood or iron
• Chio (qiang): spear, often with horsehair attached near the blade to prevent blood from dripping to the shaft
• Taichiu:short-handled trident
• Kwan-tou (Guan dao): poleglaivenamed afterGuan YuofRomance of the Three Kingdomsfame
• Hongkiam-kek (ji): crescent-moon spear
• Hwa-kek: a polearm resembling thejibut with two crescent blades, one on each side of the spear-head
• Sangkau (shuanggou): hook swords
• Sanh-chat (sanjie-gun): staff divided into three sections of equal length and joined together by chain
• Liang-chat (liangjie-gun): chained stick divided into two sections, either one long and one short or adiminutive versionin which both are of the same length
• Kwai (guai): crutch-like truncheon, usually paired
• Suk piao (sheng biao): rope with a metal dart attached to one end

See also

• Silat
• Chinese martial arts
• Filipino martial arts
• Kenpo
• Liu Seong Kuntao
• Kun Khmer

External links

• International Kuntaw Federation
• Kuntaw USA
• Kuntaw Canada
• IKF World Kuntaw Federation