#KA024 Authentic WHITE CRANE Kung Fu: Fujian Zhao 'An County, White Crane Kung Fu, Flying Crane Branch
by Grandmaster Lee Joo-Chian and Master Lorne Bernard
224 pages, Softbound, MANY excellent photos

In traditional Kung Fu, we often talk about the shape of an Art, although that shape cannot always be easily defined. It might include a short list of specific qualities, a couple of hard-won principles, certain approaches to its qigong, methods learned from its secret songs…It is elusive and typically closely-held. The experienced eye might detect it when it is present, but it is uncommon to know its many aspects.

Grandmaster Lee, along with Master Bernard, have managed to produce a text that defines authentic Fujian Flying White Crane Kung Fu. It is remarkable. This is the book that all practitioners, no matter the style, hope to uncover among their teacher’s treasured possessions.

Instead of producing a 1,000-page tome with each routine photographed step-by-step, they chose to present aspects that, normally, you would only get from your own teacher, touching hands in class, or sitting in the office after class, listening to the old stories.

To give justice to the depth of the subjects, we’ve reprinted the book’s Table of Contents (click image), but even then we want to mention a few outstanding sections:

• The Flying Crane approach to Staff Fighting Techniques
• Principles of Breathing in White Crane
• A fascinating article on how to determine if a style is traditional and authentic
• Formulas, Verses and Maxims of White Crane, previously secret
• Two-person sets, Push Hands, and the rare routine, “Two Dragons Come Out of the Sea”

Not only will the reader add to their knowledge of traditional White Crane Kung Fu, but after reading this book they will add to their knowledge of traditional Chinese martial arts.

10% Discount if ordered with Sifu Bernard's book (below) or his DVDs

#KW010 Shaolin WHITE CRANE Kung Fu
by Lorne Bernard
See the DVD companions for this book.

"In life there come few opportunities to train with a fantastic martial artist, like in his home in Malaysia, and get in depth understanding of his art and all of its subtleties. For most of us, this is something far beyond our wildest dreams. For Shifu Lorne Bernard, this was his experience. Now he had taken it upon himself to share all he has gained with you."

So starts the blurb on the back of this new book. Mr. Bernard indeed delivers on this because this book is a work of love. Not only does he introduce us to White Crane but he makes many comments from the standpoint of someone who actually cares about his art and the misinterpretations that are starting to eat away at the core of Kung Fu.

White Crane is an interesting style particuarly for those who are researching the origins of Karate. It is also a style strongly represented in Taiwan. In addition there are some very interesting parallels involved in the relationship between White Crane and Wing Chun.

Items in this book include:
•An historical overview of Southern China's Fujian province martial arts legacy
•A detailed history of White Crane
•Two person practice forms
•Street situations and real fighting combinations
•Traditional conditioning methods
•An overview of weaponry assoicated with this Southern Kung Fu system

One of the foremost proponents of the system in North America is Shifu Lorne Bernard, based in Montreal. In addition to teaching at two schools in the Montreal region, Shifu Bernard has arranged for White Crane to be taught at two major universities: Concordia and Universite du Quebec: Montreal.

Mr. Bernard is a dedicated instructor who expresses concerns shared by many of his fellow teachers. He is frank but kind. He does something few other martial writers do; he mentions discussing his issues with friends and respected teachers from other styles. A profitable book in many ways.

Learn more about Fujian White Crane Boxing

Order the DVD companions with this book, and get a great discount!