Master Tan Seminar

Sil Lum Kune were recently privileged to host a seminar with Master Tan Soh Tin. 

Master Tan Soh Tin’s association is the Nam Yang Pugilistic Association based in Singapore.  Master Tan is Iain Armstrong’s Sifu (instructor).  It was Sifu Ian Armstrong, Chief Instructor of Nam Yang Pugilistic who brought Master Tan to Bulkington for the seminar. We thank Sifu Ian for the opportunity he afforded to us.

A great deal of preparation had been undertaken for Master Tan’s visit. The senior grades had discussed at great length what they would like to achieve at the seminar. It was decided that the first hour would be spent discussing Shaolin History, the second hour discussing and performing Qi Gong and the third hour discussing traditional weapons and performing self defence techniques.

The first hour was a fascinating insight into the history of the Shaolin Temple and unravelling the myths that had arisen. Dissecting the truth from the fiction was a subject that Master Tan was fully versed and happily imparted his vast knowledge to Sil Lum Kune students. Indeed the first hour was more than overrun with the many questions students wished to ask Master Tan.

The second hour was spent discussing and performing Qi Gong exercises. The energy we create from our practice of Kung Fu is very strong. It was excellent for the younger embers who attended the seminar to feel the energy between the palms of their hands. We performed many
exercises to locate the energy and understand how it should feel. We discussed the warm feeling in our hands and energy points or Chakra’s and people were asked to describe
what they could feel. Some people felt very little, other’s felt a tingle and some described the heat coming out of the palms of their hands and feet.

Sifu Ian Armstrong then ran through a set of breathing exercises, explaining that these should be carried out every day to ensure good health. He added that in an ideal world one should perform the exercises in the open as the sun rises facing East. He added that in the UK this was not
always possible or pleasant!

We realised that we were fast running out of time, the first two hours had completely slipped by and we had not discussed the weapons. The students grabbed their chairs again and Master Tan discussed the various weapons that different students had brought to the seminar.
He explained again that some of the weapons were purely mythical.

The most common weapons were the Bo Staff, Spear, Sword, Tai Chi Blade and 3-sectional staff. He explained that some weapons were farmer’s tools such as the rice flail (nunchaku) and sickles. The most fascinating aspect of the weapons were not so much the use but more the effect you can achieve if the weapon is used correctly.

Master Tan explained that the advent of Wu Shu had brought about a change in the weapons available. Wu Shu weapons are designed to be flimsy and bendy unlike traditional weapons.

When using traditional weapons correctly it is necessary to use Qi, without this the weapon is dead. Wu Shu weapons are designed so that anyone can use them effectively without a
traditional background and the need to generate Qi.

The last 30 minutes of the seminar was spent on self-defence techniques, or rather the art of ‘not being there’.  Sifu Ian Armstrong took this section of the seminar and explained the legal side of self-defence and how to avoid conflict. At the end of the seminar the students thanked Master Tan and Sifu Ian Armstrong.

When the seminar had ended, several students and Sifu Paul Burkinshaw took Master Tan and Sifu Ian Armstrong to a nearby restaurant for a meal. An excellent two hours of food and conversation followed, with students able to ask yet more questions.

At 5.00pm Sifu Paul Burkinshaw along with David Richardson, Dan Amphlett, Alexandra Hyde, Kevin Redgrave and Natasha Mann-harwood returned to the academy to perform a Lion Dance 'dotting' ceremony.Master Tan is good friends with a company that manufactures Lions in Singapore
and he had brought a new Lion with him for Sil Lum Kune. It is a beautiful lion; it’s prime colours being red, orange and gold. Master Tan agreed to perform the rare ceremony to bring the lion to life.

The ceremony was discussed between the dancers and musicians, the incense was lit and the ceremony began. Kevin Redgrave took the head of the lion and Alexandra Hyde took the back of the Lion, David Richardson played the drum, Sifu Paul Burkinshaw played the cymbals and Sifu Ian
Armstrong played the gong.

The Lion must start off as though it has no life, eventually the Master will daub red ink or paint on different parts of the lion's body finishing with the dotting of the eyes. As the master dotted the lion's eyes, coincidentally,there was a huge roll of thunder from a storm outside and a flash of
lightening as he gave the lion life, it was truly amazing.

The lion then performed the awakening sequence, north, south, west then east. It was a privilege to be a part of this ceremony as it is one rarely performed in the western world. Once again we thanked Master Tan Soh Tin and Sifu Ian Armstrong for their time and such was a fantastic day.

Written By Alexandra Hyde.