Nasser Butt

Introduction

The etymological meaning of ‘Nun’ is difficult to ascertain — having said that, it is accepted that there is link between the nun of the Wudang and the posture in Baguazhang [Jiang Rongqiao Style]1 known as ‘Jade Lady Offers Book,’ — yù nǚ xiàn shū*; ⽟女献书 — alternatively known as ‘Nun Offers Food’ depending upon your school and translation [see below]! It has even been suggested that the ‘nun’ of the Wudang is the forerunner of, or even the inspiration behind Bagua’s ‘nun’!

Regardless of what she is offering, in the naming of the Bagua ‘posture,’ it is self-evident that the ‘nun’ or ‘lady’ in this case is a female and being both coy and chaste is reflected in her posture — she is weighted on her rear leg, whilst she withdraws her right side into a curve thus creating a distance between her body and her hands. Such expansions and contractions are also evident in the Wudang ‘nun,’ albeit more subtle in appearance, and the martial principles behind the dynamics of both, as well as Bagua’s ‘Bat Drops to Earth,’ are uncannily similar in function and appearance!

Having said the above, we know that the Wudang Hand Weapons are based on everyday tools and weapons, therefore, the ‘nun’ of the Wudang cannot, at least etymologically, be reconciled with the ‘nun’ of Baguazhang and we must look for its meaning elsewhere. This is important, it is not an exercise in futility — by discovering the meaning behind the name, or by making an educated guess through research, we can/may also advance our knowledge behind the principles covered.

My teacher, Erle Montaigue, was simply given the name of the weapon by Master Liang Shih-kan2, he never asked him its meaning and assumed it to be linked to Bagua’s nun initially, before it was suggested to him that it could have its origins in the Chinese triple staff due to the three angles formed by the arm, where each segment represents a staff. Whilst the suggestion was plausible, it does not tie up or connect with any known etymological links to the nun!

The most famous [or infamous, depending on your point of view] ‘nun’ in martial arts is the Nunchaku — a weapon consisting of two sticks connected at one end by a short chain or rope, and usually associated with Okinawan martial arts and Karate.

*. The term ‘yù nǚ’ — usually translated as ‘Jade Lady’ — is also synonymous with the ‘fairy maiden attending the Daoist immortals’ and is perhaps the inspiration behind the usage of the term ‘nun offers food’ in some schools.

Main Image: ‘Nun Offers Food’ from Baguazhang; Inset: ‘Bat Drops to Earth’ [Erle Montaigue] and ’Nun’ from Wudang Hand Weapons

1 2 3

1. Traditional Nunchaku 2. Chinese War Flail — https://www.mandarinmansion.com/item/chinese-war-flail 3. Basic Two-Section Staff — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-section_staff

It is not my intention to discuss the history or the origins of the nunchaku, other than state that both, are unclear and that many popular theories exist from their being inspired by farmer’s rice flails or even being developed from an Okinawan horse bit! Further, according to Chinese lore, they are simply a variation of their two-section staff. Whatever, their origins maybe, it is accepted that they are a weapon originating from South East Asia, although variants can be found across the Asian continent — including Iran.

What we are interested in is the origin of the word nunchaku and once again — surprise, surprise — it is not known!

According to one theory the name arises from the pronunciation of the Chinese characters 双截棍 shuāngjiégùn3 [Shuāng = two/double/pair; jié = section/length; gùn = stick/rod/truncheon] in a Southern Fujian dialect of Chinese language as nng-chat-kun4 [兩節棍 — pair — linked — sticks], where shuāng equates to nng/nun.

Interestingly enough the term shuāng can also be used to denote ‘twin5’ in translation, thereby giving as another, meaning behind ‘nun’ or ‘nng’!

In my opinion, it is this meaning that perhaps most accurately reflects the twin6 aspects of the passive and active components of the yin/yang symbol in Taiji and the internal arts — a perpetual motion where one ‘rolls’ into the other — and in turn provides a precise description of the Wudang Hand Weapon!

The nun is the sixth of the Wudang Hand Weapons.

The primary skills it teaches are based upon P’eng and Arn, including the concepts of continuous ‘rolling’ and ‘folding’! The two arms literally behave like twins, co-joined by the ‘power-band’ and co-ordinated by the waist, rolling around not just the opponents limbs and attacks, but also around themselves in continuous motion whilst weighing and measuring the opponent’s every move.

Its methodology includes moving with and against the flow of energy in attack, using the palms, fingers and forearms as weapons with which to strike, lock, jam and trap the opponents limbs, whilst using the natural angles of the wrists, elbows and shoulders.

The nun — like the other weapons — develops and trains the reflexive actions to perfection. It is the first weapon which bears resemblance to the ‘double’ Da Shou training method.

The Solo Method

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

Stand in a reverse Gōng Bù stance with your right leg forward and your left leg back. This isolates your hips, so that your primary movement comes from your waist. Your weight distributions are 70:30 percent in favour of the left leg. The hands hold the classic ‘old man’ posture — right hand p’eng and left hand hinge [Figures 1]. The right hand is held slightly yin in this case compared to the more yin left hand, thus making it the yang component.

In this method both hands are going to strike a split second apart, so the waist turns will be very short and rapid.

The right palm strikes in a forward motion [Figure 2], immediately the left palm overtakes the right from below [Figure 3] as the waist turns left, rolling and finishing facing up — creating three distinct angles between the upper arm, the forearm and the wrist [Figure 4].

The left forearm now rolls downwards angled at 45º [Figure 5] as the right palm now rolls and thrusts forwards with the right palm sliding over the wrist [Figure 6]. The right arm now mirrors the three angles seen in Figure 4.

Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6

Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9

As the waist turns left, right and left, the right palm moves across to the left [Figure 7] the left palm begins to roll from under [Figure 8] and over the right forearm [Figure 9], finally finishing with the left palm turned upwards and the fingers thrusting forwards [Figure 10]. The left arm has now reverted back to holding the three angles it had earlier.

The Two Person Method

Figure 10

A B

To start the method B attacks A with a straight left down the centre. A instantly parries B’s strike using his right palm sliding it in the direction towards B’s elbow [against the flow of energy], as his left arm starts to move from under…

A’s left palm overtakes his right as his waist turns left continuing the forward motion and his forearm controls B’s forearm and the fingers of his left palm strike in the pit of B’s throat [Conceptor Vessel 22]. Note the 3 angles in A’s arms.

A’s right palm continues to thrust forwards… his fingers striking in the Vagal triangle. Again, note the angles in A’s arms and how they compliment each other.

A’s weight and momentum once more shift forwards as his waist turns right and the his left arm rolls over his right arm and he once again thrusts his finger in to CV22. A now rolls his left forearm downwards 45º whilst continuing to control both B’s forearm and elbow as his right palm begins to roll over…

B now strikes A with a straight right. A’s waist turns left as his right palm parries B’s strike and his forearm begins to fold…

B now parries A’s left thrust with his right palm…

B’s left arm moves from under, overtaking his right palm as he strike s A… the roles are now reversed and B continues with the drill.

This concludes the first six of the Wudang Hand Weapons. We will feature the remaining six in future issues. What’s presented here is for informational purposes only! The nuances and subtle changes, and power cannot be taught or presented here. For those seeking to learn these highly functional training methods please find a competent instructor who has learned these methods correctly and teaches them accordingly!

Notes/References

1. Jiang Rongqiao’s Baguazhang Chinese-English Edition; Translated by Andrea Falk 2. Erle Montaigue — The Wudang Hand Weapons 3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nunchaku 4. Ibid 5. https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary 6. The twin or dual aspects are confirmed by Gu Ruzhang in his Taiji Boxing Manual published in 1936:

兩儀者。兩⼿分陰陽。分前後。分左右。分上下。分反正。兩⼿有出有入。有伸有縮。有收 有放。有緩 有急。有虛有實。 The “dual aspects” are your two hands separated into the roles of passive and active, forward and behind, left and right, above and below, contrary and straightforward, exiting and entering, extending and withdrawing, gathering and releasing, leisurely and quick, empty and full. [Brennan Translation]

A Word of Caution

The points and targets mentioned in this drill are for reference purposes only! They are extremely dangerous and at no point should any attempt be made to actually strike your partner!