FOUR GATES
"Black Tiger Steaks Heart" of Four Gates
Question
I have seen the website Shaolin Kungfu Now and 500 Years Ago on the Shaolin form, “Four Gates”, which I am very interested in. Why is this form taught?
-- Patrick, USA
Answer
“http://shaolin-wahnam.tripod.com/shaolin/four-gates.html“ was the old address for that webpage. The new address is https://www.shaolin.org/shaolin/four-gates.html. Different people would give different answers to why this form or kungfu set is taught. My answer is as follows.
Four Gates is a kungfu set that can be appreciated at many different levels. Beginners benefit a lot from practicing this set as it consolidates their stances, footwork and basic kungfu patterns. This forms the foundation upon which future progress much depends.
Intermediate students can use this set to learn and develop many kungfu skills, like breath control, energy flow, mental focus, internal force management, and speed development. Advanced practitioners can find beauty and profundity in the philosophy and combat application of this set.
For example, many students today would not know a single combat function of the pattern “Hide Flowers in Sleeves”. But once you understand the philosophy and have the skills, you can apply this one pattern to counter almost all attacks, irrespective of how an opponent attempts to strike, kick, fell or hold you in various different ways! Isn't that beautiful and profound?
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