Читать книгу Secrets of Phoenix Eye Fist Kung Fu. The Art of Chuka Shaolin онлайн

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After browsing through the first couple of pages I found that the proper name of the phoenix-eye fist art was Chuka Shaolin, and that it was an offshoot of Fukien Shaolin boxing. What struck me most about the art was its primary use of the phoenix-eye fist hand formation for striking—hence its more popular name. After a few minutes I looked up from the book to see a big smile across Carlos’ face. We were both thinking the same thing: One day we would train in and master the art of the phoenix-eye fist. The only problem was that the master of the art, Cheong Cheng Leong, resided in Malaysia, and there were no instructors of the art in the United States. Well, at least we had the book.

While I never attempted to learn the art from the book, it did give me a sense of the use of the phoenix-eye fist hand formation and of the theory behind its use. Carlos, on the other hand, endeavored to memorize the solo empty-hand form it presented.

It wasn’t until 1996—a full ten years later—that I was able to travel from the Philippines to Malaysia to meet Cheong Cheng Leong in person. And what a meeting it was. Several months prior to the trip, I was given the necessary contact information for Mr. Cheong by Hunter Armstrong, director of the International Hoplology Society. Chip, as Hunter is known to his friends, directed me to a man named Karunakaran, who had been Draeger’s top student and who continues to run Draeger’s jo-jutsu dojo in Malaysia. Upon my arrival in Penang, Mr. Karuna (as I call him) took me to meet Mr. Leong at his kwoon on the steps leading up to the Kek Lok Si Temple in the Air Itam area of Penang.