White Crane (Bai He) Boxing

White Crane is a boxing form which, recently, has re-emerged with world wide interest. And deservedly so. It is a fine boxing form of its own. It is also one of the acknowledged influences on the formation of Karate in Okinawa. There are numerous subdivisions such as Feeding Crane, Diving Crane. There is also a non-Fukien version variously known as White Crane, La Ma (Lama) and Hop Gar. White Crane is particularly well represented in Taiwan and much of our information comes from that area. As we expand we will add more and more to this important and beloved system.

Really interested in the White Crane? See our amazing boxed set of ancient, rare texts reproduced .

Click on pictures to see larger versions.  See White Crane Page One

White Crane Kung Fu (Lorne Bernard)

Not only is Mr. Bernard represented here, but we also are able to see demonstrations of salient details by the present master-instructor, Lee Joo Chian, son of Bernard’s original teacher, Grandmaster Lee Kiang-Kay (1903-1992), who introduced Bernard to the study of White Crane.

Volume #1: DVD#24371 English/French
This introduces the branch of the crane family known as the Flying Crane, from Fujian province. Many of the key movements are demonstrated by Lee himself, often with applications and self-contained line exercises and drills. Before all this is a nice historical section with texts, calligraphy and photographs often from private collections.

In addition to the core movements of the style we get to see kicks, stances and those essential hand formations that make White Crane such a unique style. Bernard is a very careful teacher whose goal is to honorably and clearly represent his system. A DVD like this showing the basic but very distinct movements of the Crane Boxing is essential because this is one of those systems that builds directly and powerfully on basics. Some systems do like White Crane and Pak Mei are particularly integrated in this manner.

New!! Volume #2: DVD#24372 English/French
This DVD pushes immersion in the vintage White Crane style a large step forward. If you are a White Crane fan, or if you are interested in the way the core of a style is transmitted, this second DVD is a must see. Sifu Bernard presents additional White Crane practice sets--many only about eight moves long, and all of them designed for both single and partner work. The interviews and talks fill us in on the concepts and strategies guiding the style. Sifu Bernard offers thoughtful answers to many of those typical questions centered on fighting for the street. This is more than just a technique survey. It goes to the core and range of this style.

PLUM applauds this dedicated effort and looks forward to offering complete coverage of this martial branch. Just a side note: the forward and back marching, along with the hand positions and creation of power, can only add more evidence to White Crane being a key influence on what we now call Karate. Some of these movements could easily be identified by people in styles such as the “Teacher’s House” (Shotokan).

These 2 DVDs are perfect companions to Mr. Bernard's excellent book: Shaolin White Crane Kung Fu.

Regularly: $34.95, PLUM price $31.95

~Volumes 1 and 2 together: PLUM price $27.95 each ($55.90 for both)

~If either (or both) are purchased with either of his White Crane books, DVDs are $27.95 each. Discount shown in shopping cart.

Exclusive !...DVD#24303 White Crane Style:
FEEDING CRANE Boxing
about an hour, $49.95

The notion that Karate, or at least some styles of Karate, have been influenced by Chinese martial arts is hardly new. As time passes more and more information develops which, while not necessarily answering the question, gives interesting insights. I remember learning NoHai from a friend in the martial arts. He called it Crane on the Rock and it was an intriguing combination of hard and soft movements. Then there is SanChin Kata, a major building block in Karate and, even from the name, seems to harken back to Chinese routes.

Goju Ryu practitioner Russ Smith's research leads him to believe that Feeding Crane is, at least, such an influence on Karate. My own concurring opinion--and, given that it is outside my expertise that most likely the Chinese influence is a continuing though sporadic resource which individual areas, styles and teachers most likely referenced over the centuries as a stream of information, rather than a single event. There was some intercourse to be sure. The Tonfa is said to come from a well handle but it just as likely came from Beggar style crutch work, as probably did the Sai and the Nunchaku, both weapons of Fukien Beggar’s style. Socially this miscellaneous, no-nonsense form of fighting would have been the level at which Okinawan farmers and fisher folk might have interacted with Chinese society. Hints abound: there is Shorin Ji (Shaolin Ji in Chinese) and San Chin (San Zhan or Three Battles in Chinese) just to name a few. Part of the issue may be that in attempting to reconcile with Karate’s past, historians are not actually drawing parallel lines. Karate is, in some ways, a compilation of older Okinawan styles. When you see, for example, Naha Te and Okinawa Te the movements are much more varied, definitely more CMA “looking.”

A perfect example of this is Plum's latest exclusive DVD, the Feeding Crane from Sifu Liu Chang I, the grandson of Master Liu Gou and the guarantor of the style. This DVD contains a form but is primarily devoted to applications, and there are a lot of them. Running about an hour it shows each variation many times. According to Mr Smith's studies, this DVD--both a teaching tape AND a historical document--is good evidence of the acknowledged correspondence between Karate and White Crane. All I can tell you is that, as I watched the applications, I realized that even if Karate can’t be proven to be derived from White Crane I’m pretty sure it influenced Kenpo, my first style. Funny how resemblances pop up out of nowhere.

More background on the Feeding Crane style ...

Taiwan White Crane Convention
DVD#12053

This is a three DVD set of White Crane lectures and demonstrations held in Taiwan. For the dedicated follower of White Crane Boxing or a new enthusiast this is a valuable collection. Each lecturer gives opening remarks then shows some formal exercises and, often, applications on stage. Some speakers brought old video tapes, done in open circle style, of practitioners getting up and showing their stuff. Many of these inserted video tapes looked to be decades old.