Source: Shanxi Evening News Time: 2010-08-2010:18.
"Jin Wen is yellow, and martial arts are long."
China's martial arts novels have a long history, which can be traced back to Sima Qian and his biographies of chivalrous assassins. For thousands of years, authors and works have been full of stars. Generally speaking, Jin Yong, Gu Long, Liang Yusheng, Wen Ruian and Huang Yi are hardly classified as classics.
However, there are two equally classic works that are most easily overlooked and most necessary to be mentioned, that is, Lao She's Broken Soul Gun and Feng Jicai's Whip. The Broken Soul Gun entered the Chinese textbook of senior high school, and The Whip of God was adapted into a very popular film in1980s, and recently a TV series was made. Some researchers assert that Mr. Lao She surpassed all martial arts novels in ideology and artistry only by this accidental short story.
The reason why it is most necessary to mention it is also because both works are about the end of martial arts. Trains and pistols have become popular, there is no market for escort agencies and fists, and martial arts figures are faced with survival choices.
With his consistent personality of "born in sorrow and died in sorrow", Mr. Lao She made Sharon, the hero of "Broken Soul Gun", turn the escort agency into an inn at the beginning of the article. He "slowly touched the cold gun body with his fingers, and firmly threw out four words in his smile, don't pass it on, don't pass it on", and resolutely brought the wonderful martial arts to the coffin. However, the fool in Whip of God is not stupid. He forged himself into a sharpshooter with excellent martial arts skills. "The whip is gone, God keeps it."
Change or not? It is a focus that China Wushu can't get rid of all the time, and it is also a fulcrum that many martial arts novels rely on to create contradictions and deduce stories. This problem also attracts our attention to the innovative ability of Shanxi Wushu.
The livelihood of people from Wulin
Watching "The Condor Heroes", Guo Jing and his wife guarded Xiangyang City, presided over many Wulin heroes' meetings and held the election meeting of beggars' sect leaders. Thousands of people took part in large-scale activities one after another, which was very lively. However, there is a rather vulgar suspicion that Guo Daxia is neither a landlord nor a businessman, let alone a government official in Xiangyang City. He is just an ordinary man. Where did he get so much money?
It is estimated that when you read martial arts novels, especially modern and contemporary works, you should find such doubts. The life and death of Wulin characters is almost determined by the level of martial arts. Without hunger, they were not arranged to dress and eat. They are "from the horizon to the horizon" and absolutely free. They can kill if they want, and they don't need to turn themselves in or bear criminal responsibility for self-defense.
However, real life is very troublesome. There are many embarrassing examples in China's ancient martial arts novels, such as Qin Changzhi selling horses and Xue Fenhe hunting geese. If he can't make a living, even if he is a Kung Fu emperor, he will be scolded by his wife and listen to his children cry. Eat well and have many friends. One of the characteristics of Wulin characters-should and need-is boldness, but boldness is conditional, and boldness without economic foundation comes at a price. "Five flower horses, golden jubilee, give it to that boy for good wine, and we will drown the disaster of generations!" As dazzling as a great ranger poet like Li Bai, you have to deal with pawnshops to be completely cool.
The real situation is that mastering a superb martial arts is almost like learning to kill a dragon, which is of little use except performing entertainment and exercising to keep healthy.
In Shanxi in the Qing Dynasty, such embarrassment did not exist, because with Shanxi merchants, it became a fertile ground for martial arts talents. Wulin figures not only have enough jobs and generous salaries, but also commercial organizations provide funds to support martial arts research and innovation all the year round.
The Return of Xingyiquan
Take Xingyiquan as an example. Xingyiquan took a turn for the better in Shanxi. Because of the long history and unclear records, the relationship between Xingyiquan and its teachers is not exact. According to the research of comprehensive researchers, Xingyiquan was originally named Mind Boxing or Mind Liuhe Boxing. After Ji Ji created boxing, it has been circulating in Henan, and Cao from Henan and Anhui are the first generation of disciples.
During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, Dai Longbang, a native of Qixian, learned from Cao when he was doing business with his father in Anhui. Later, Dai Longbang and his two sons, Da Lu and Er Lu, set up shop in Henan to do business. In addition to family history, the two sons once again worshipped the master to learn mind boxing. Dai and his son returned to their hometown and brought the seeds of minds back to Jinzhong, so Dai Longbang became the ancestor of the northern school of minds. Li Luoneng (also known as Li Laonong), a Hebei martial artist, longed for the name of family mind boxing, sold his fortune and came to learn from his teacher. After completing his studies, he lived in Taigu for many years, and later became an apprentice in Hebei, becoming a recognized master in the Wulin of Shanxi and Hebei provinces.
According to records, Dai Erlu, because of his superb martial arts, opened Guangsheng Escort Agency in Henan Credit Store at the request of many businessmen after returning to China, and Dai Jia became a martial arts expert from then on. In the TV series "Qiao Family Courtyard", Liu Heiqi robbed the Qiao family and was hired to preside over the Skynet Escort Agency, namely Dai Erlu, whose real name was Dai Erlu.
Unusual Shanxi Escort Agency
Escort agency is a widely used carrier in martial arts novels. Only under Jin Yong's pen, in the Yuanyang knife, Zhou Wei opened a new prestige escort agency; In the legendary swordsman, Lin Zhennan is the escort agency headed by Fu Wei; Wang Weiyang opened Zhenyuan Escort Agency in Sword and Revenge. Longmen Escort Agency is the most popular in "Eternal Dragon Slayer". In The Legend of Flying Fox, Li Tingbao works in Wutai Escort Agency, and Ma Hangkong runs Pegasus Escort Agency. Xiongyuan presented Pingtong Escort Agency to Flying Fox in Snow Mountain; In the sword stained with royal blood, Minzi opened the escort agency of her friends. ...
It's a pity that so many escort agencies only have the Jinwei escort agency opened by "Third Sister Lvliang" in "White Horse Whistling in the West Wind", which is said to be located in Taigu County, Shanxi Province.
According to research, the bodyguard business has a long history, but it is small and unorganized. Generally speaking, martial artists in twos and threes are waiting at the intersection, waiting for passing businessmen to attract them, just like the decorators on Nanshahe Bridge on Bingzhou Road in Taiyuan, the provincial capital, or the luxurious decoration of the city gates.
The earliest escort agency was run by Shanxi people. Juxian Wei's History of Jinshang Bank says: "The originator of the Escort Agency is ... Zhang Heiwu, a Shanxi people's divine spring ... who opened Xinglong Escort Agency in Qianmenwai Street, Shuntianfu, Beijing".
At present, there is an escort agency museum at No.61,south street of Pingyao ancient city, which is the former site of the escort agency in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. This paper mainly introduces the development history of escort agencies in China, and there are detailed data to prove that Shanxi people set up escort agencies at the earliest time, with the largest number and high quality. There were ten escort agencies in China in Qing Dynasty. The researchers found that more than half of them are related to Shanxi people, or Shanxi people are founders, or family members have learned from Shanxi martial artists.
The people in the Escort Agency are neither as hard-hitting as "Master Lvliang" nor as ridiculous and cowardly as Zhou Weixin's dart knife. They traveled long distances to look after silver cars and goods for businessmen, and also looked after storefronts, nursing homes and the next night to protect the personal safety of the main family. People who encounter misconduct have always been well-founded, disciplined and unwilling to start work easily, but whoever starts work will seek immediate results and subdue the enemy most effectively in the shortest time. Mr. Bu Bingquan, the 65-year-old vice chairman of Jinzhong Wushu Association, is the third son of Bu Xuekuan, a new China martial arts master and disciple of Taigu Jiabu Xingyiquan family. He wrote: "Boxers have to eat with real kung fu in order to keep their jobs. In this way, the escort's boxing skills must be improved and great efforts should be made. Pay special attention to martial arts and Sanda, concentrate on studying and learning the fighting skills of winning with one stroke and practice in actual combat, because the real thief is three strokes and two styles. "
Jinshang Escort Agency is not only the employment enterprise of martial artists, but also the practice base and promotion place. Martial artists accept disciples, learn from each other and polish their fists. The place is more in the martial arts field of escort agency, and learning and application are closely combined. It can be called Jinshang Wushu Vocational and Technical College.
Shanxi merchants and martial artists jointly innovate boxing methods.
The appearance of escort agency made martial artists embark on a professional route, made Shanxi's martial arts more exquisite, and some creative routines and tricks were born. The Shanxi Merchants' Courtyard is more of a martial arts research base. Bu Bingquan wrote according to his parents' story:
Meng Ru, a big businessman in Taigu City, is one of the four squires in Taigu County. He practiced martial arts since childhood, and paid special attention to the hired escort Li Luoneng. The subject and object get along with each other day and night, and the theory of boxing is studied intensively, which greatly improves the mental method and mental method boxing worn in Qixian County and forms a great progress in the history of Xingyi Boxing. At the same time, with the recommendation and assistance of Mr. Meng Ru, Li Luoneng recruited disciples in Taigu, taught students in accordance with their aptitude, and trained Xingyiquan masters.
Wu Bainian, who lives in Taigu City, is a famous wealthy businessman. Wu Bainian has a friendly relationship with Meng Ruxiang. Che used to be Wu's coachman, with strong physique and excellent arm strength. Meng Ruzhi recommended Wu Bainian and accepted Li Luoneng as his teacher. Wu Bainian was originally a martial artist. He created good conditions and provided convenience for the car to practice martial arts. In a few years, Che Zhai Yi has won profound meaning, superb skills, more and more popularity and been highly valued. Wu Bainian tried his best to support martial arts practitioners in apprentices and parties, and he was never stingy with property. Wu Jia Ji 'antang became the main base and activity center for Xingyiquan enthusiasts to practice and cultivate their post-school knowledge at that time, and made important contributions to the creation of Xingyiquan sparring routines and the formation of Xingyiquan fighting style.
Li Luoneng's monthly salary in the Meng family in Taigu is as much as 20 taels, and the housekeeping tasks are usually done by his disciples. His main task is to study the innovation and promotion of Wushu with his master Meng Ru and his disciples. According to the actual needs of Shanxi merchants, Li Luoneng constantly polished and improved his boxing skills, and finally formed his own system. Li Luoneng gave his psychological boxing a new name-Xingyiquan, which changed from "heart" to "shape". This change has a little bit of the dialectical artistic conception of Huashan school's Qi Sect, Sword Sect or Sword Sect. Moreover, the birth of Xingyiquan can be regarded as the scientific research achievement of the close combination of China Wushu and Shanxi merchants. Taigu is known as the birthplace of Xingyiquan, but it is not fictional. In 2007, Xingyiquan, as a major cultural feature of Taigu County, was listed as an intangible cultural heritage of Shanxi Province.
Meng Ru, Wu Bainian and others attached importance to martial arts everywhere in Shanxi merchants. Later, at the suggestion of Qiao Zhiyong, everyone took turns to live in Taigu Seven Sages Sect. There are not many papers published by famous martial artists and Shanxi merchants, but some non-contemporary scientific research institutes, scholars and experts can compare the efficiency and degree of transforming scientific research results into productive forces.
Shanxi Wushu flourished because of Shanxi merchants, but its decline was also related to the innovative ability of Shanxi merchants. The appearance of Shanxi merchants' banks was the earliest factor. Merchants did not have to drag silver carts around the world, which naturally reduced many dangers. With the introduction and application of western science and technology, most of the living space of martial artists of Shanxi merchants, such as Sha Zilong and Sha Er, was occupied by trains, cars, pistols and banks. Wushu and martial artists have come to a crossroads. Change or not?
At the moment when martial arts are not popular and hesitant, martial arts novels that are longer than fantasy begin to enter glory at this time, and a strange cycle of life and death is really intriguing.
Reporter Hu Zengchun