This is a style that I hear about every now and then, but it’s been a bit hard to find info on it until now. This page has a nice intro into this rare Taiwanese style. Here’s an excerpt:
The Golden Eagle style or, as it is known in Chinese, ‘Jin‑Ying Chuan’ 金鷹拳, was brought to Taiwan in the1830s by
the famous master Ah Sen‑Sai, a native of Fukien. Ah Sen‑Sai was a practitioner of Chinese medicine and a martial arts expert. Having connections with other Fukienese people in the town of Hsilo, Southern Taiwan, he decided to make his home there. In the history of kungfu in Taiwan, Hsilo has always held an important position. There were a number of very rich landowners and farmers in Hsilo who, for various reasons, hired the best kungfu teachers they could find to teach their families. Thus Hsilo gradually became the center of martial arts excellence in Taiwan and was still highly regarded until recent years.
When Ah Sen‑Sai arrived, Hsilo already had a strong kungfu tradition and keen rivalry between schools; a rivalry which sometimes led to violent, even fatal consequences. Setting himself up as a doctor and martial arts teacher, Ah Sen‑Sai had to be prepared to meet tests and challenges from other masters and their students. It was quite accepted for groups of kungfu students, armed with various weapons, to attack anyone claiming to be a master and find out if he really had any skill.
Ah Sen‑Sai not only survived but became known, and is still known, as one of Taiwan’s greatest martial arts heroes.
The page has much more info.
Here’s a taste of the style:
This site has lots of info in Chinese on the lineage bearer Cheng Shi-bao (程 世 寶). Apparently he has run a school in the States for a long time.
7 responses so far ↓
1 Ben // Dec 20, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Looks a bit like Tongbei to me.
2 C.J.W. // Dec 20, 2007 at 7:15 pm
There are different branches of Golden Eagle Boxing. The one I am familiar with is based in Changhwa - my hometown- and led by a 90 some year old master whom I met 5 years ago.
His style is harder than what is shown in the clip, which I was told is what Golden Eagle Boxing supposed to look like.
The man demonstrating in the video has likely added the soft whipping quality of White Crane Boxing to his Golden Eagle style.
3 kenneth Fish // Dec 21, 2007 at 1:22 am
the page in the link is from my friend Alan Elerton’s site - he studied for some time with Zhao Miao, whom he writes about in the article. Too bad there is no video of Zhao on the site - he moved incredibly well - good body unity, crisp, light, springy yet strong power - a very different quality of movement from the youtube clip.
4 kenneth Fish // Dec 21, 2007 at 1:26 am
Don’t know where else to ask this - as long as we are on the topic of relatively indigenous martial arts in Taiwan - anyone familiar with Longhu Quan (Dragon and Tiger Boxing) ? I studied a bit with a teacher over by Mintsu Hsilu - and also saw some in a Temple setting outside of Taichong. Both teachers were very impressive.
5 Hermann // Dec 22, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Yeah, and not to forget the southern Taizu tradition, also very, very crisp and strong, comming out of Xiluo, too.
6 Steve // Dec 29, 2007 at 10:57 pm
What Mr Fish says about Master Cheng Chia-Miao is right on. I trained with him for about 18 months in the 1980s. Al Ellerton was his first student and also helped him out with various things. There is more stuff about Taiwan martial arts on http://www.chinesemartialarts.eu
Does anyone know if Master Cheng is still teaching, or where he is - I heard he is still in Taipei. I might go back to Taiwan next year & would like to find him.
7 Stephan // May 6, 2008 at 10:28 pm
I have practice the golden eagle boxing style since 1988, when I first went to live in Taiwan. I met people from different branches of the style, all coming from the Ah San Sei linkage. I teach under closed door, as I was taught myself. I never had the chance to meet anyone outside of Taiwan who knew the style. I tryied to find master Cheng two years ago but my research was not successful.
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