Last year there was a 6 episode documentary that came out regarding Chinese martial arts called 藏著的武林 The Hidden [Chinese] Martial Arts World. Documentary is in Chinese, check out our youtube if you’re interested (https://youtu.be/2OgssvvBm5w). I’ve been waiting for an English translation for a long time to share with the rest of you, but I guess they are taking their time. I thought about doing a translation, but I don’t know how to edit subtitles. I have a few people reaching out to me asking me to do the translation. Let me know if you’re interested in it. If I get more than 20 people, maybe I’ll do it.
ANYWAY, off topic. I want to talk about this footage:
This footage was a deleted scene from the documentary. The essence of the translation is something like this:
You think fighting starts at this range? No!
Fighting starts way out here. “Who the F you dissn’?”
*SMACK*
The Half Step is most famously recognized from Xingyi circle because of the legend Guo Yun Shen’s Half Step Beng Quan (thrusting fist). It was said he was undefeated with this one move when crossing hands with other martial artists because he spent 3 years mastering it.
Get it? This is only “half step”
The Half Step is NOT half-a-step. The Half Step is NOT a SMALL STEP. The loss in translation is between classical Chinese and modern spoken Chinese (like Shakespearean English vs. Modern English). That’s why you want to find a teacher that can distinguish the small differences and explain the concepts clearly.
Now go train your half step Beng Quan!