Here are more photos taken by Curtis Adkins in Taiwan around 1962. (First post here.) I have posted some of his comments regarding training during that time so you can get an idea of what it was like then. Once again, I can’t thank Curtis enough for allowing me to host these photos. Enjoy.
HQT taught each morning at 植物園 and at 新公園. At both places, once each morning, he would call out 太極 and we would all assemble for a round of his TJQ. Other than that, training was more or less an individual process, rather than group.
As to teaching applications here are a few comments on that general topic: When I first arrived in 61 there was an article in an English language paper that stated that the government had banned the various open competitions - real fighting though the bladed weapons were covered to prevent outright killing - because foreigners might get the wrong impression about the level of culture, etc. As I understand it, there was a province - wide competition open to all. I don’t’ know about rules, except that they were real fights, not point fighting. I don’t remember much else except that the gossip was that real masters did not participate, only young hot heads eager for fame. Don’t know how accurate this is, but there should be some people still around with memories of that.
There also was a government ban on teaching striking points, though HQT’s son, in his early teens at the time, showed me a few with the solemn warning to be careful in hitting those points as death could result.
Real MA weapons were banned, though to what extent I am not sure as I saw some apparently real weapons, such as chain or sword and the like in various places, usually small dojos. Once after practice I went to HQT’s house where he showed me some real sword blades he had someone make for him and was in the process of assembling. I foolishly blurted out, “Wow, these can kill people.” upon which he covered them back up and changed the subject.
HQT had a Japanese sword, illegal in the general populace, which he would use in demonstrations to show that it couldn’t cut him. That’s too long a story for now
7 responses so far ↓
1 li_de // Feb 6, 2007 at 12:36 am
Thanks very much for those pictures.
2 Casey // Feb 6, 2007 at 2:26 am
Yeah, this is great stuff. My thanks to Mr. Adkins as well. I’d love to hear more of his experiences.
3 chessman71 // Feb 6, 2007 at 7:47 am
Yeah, isn’t this stuff great? This is more where I’d like to go with the blog. But then gems like this don’t pop up everyday.
BTW, if anyone has anything they’d like to share about Taiwan CMA, drop me a line. I’ll use my bandwidth to host it.
4 Hermann Bohn // Feb 6, 2007 at 8:24 am
Yes, really nice pics and storries.
I arrived here the first time in 1982, and still in those days you could read in the papers:
“Juwelry shop busted by Katana/Sabre wielding thug.” It’s amazing how long cold weapons, as the Chinese call them, were more important than firearms. Still today, most brutal crimes are committed by blades or home made guns with less power. The gun controll I really like!
Please some more storries, mr. Adkins!
5 Thomas // Feb 13, 2007 at 6:56 am
Great pictures, Curtis. Thanks for posting them, Dave.
If the pictures are in 1962, then T. T. Liang would have been about 62 years old. HQT probably would have been around that age as well. I just like the vigor and the focus with which the two gentlemen wield their weapons.
Very nice.
6 chessman71 // Feb 13, 2007 at 7:45 am
Thomas,
Wow, you’re right. I hadn’t thought of that. And look at them, not an ounce of fat on either of them. That’s inspiring to me.
7 William // Apr 15, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Hello Dave,
Just wondering if Curtis wouldn’t mind that I use one of the pics for my article, of course I will credit him as the source of it. Thanks Dave and enjoy your well deserve break
William
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