https://onlypower.pixnet.net/blog/post/51204528
Please note: Extra words added to the posture description for clarity, as well as additional notes and comments, appear in [square brackets]. Text in (regular parentheses) is the author's text. Highlighted text indicates text where I am not confident in the translation.
Previous: Chapter 30. [Memoir Poem]
Next: Taiji Stick Form
《陳峻峰先生軼事》雷殊曼
陳峻峰先生,致力於國術七十年,提倡國術五十年,其間多跌宕祕辛,饒有風趣可資傳述者,茲略記數則於次;
1.妙法卻病
陳先生在七歲時,開始從其父子鑑公習武。一日,偶染風寒,其父子鑑公令其在房中靜臥休養。陳先生將房門一關,卻在裏面練習「鷂子翻身」(左右側翻),一左一右,連打一百七十多個,出了一身大汗,病就好了。
Anecdotes of Mr. Chen Jun Feng as recalled by Lei Shu Man
Note: Chen Jun Feng was Chen Pan Ling's "courtesy name".
Mr. Chen Jun Feng devoted himself to martial arts for 70 years and promoted it as a national art for 50 years. During this time, there were many ups and downs that make for interesting stories. A few of these are listed below:
1. A wonderful method to treat disease
Mr. Chen began learning martial arts from his father at age 7. One day, he caught a cold, and his father instructed him to rest in his room. Mr. Chen closed the door, [but instead of resting], he practiced “sparrow hawk turning” (turning to the left and right), hitting more than 170 times to the left and right. He broke out in a sweat and recovered.
2.入闈出恭
開封,是我國古都,也是河南省城,以前士子考試的地方叫做「監房」,(筆者生晚,搞不清楚前代的玩意兒),考試叫做入闈,在闈中一個人一個房間,考試者要在裏面禁閉三天,好像叫「做監」,七篇考完後,然後出幃。這種監房有多大呢?我想大約在三公尺左右吧。
陳先生十七歲時,在開封某中學讀書,每天早上練完拳術過後,便在闈中各監房上,跳過來,跳過去,從這間到那間,從這頭到那頭,(我想:至少會有三兩百個房間吧)這樣過跳一陣過後,每天在一間裏出恭一次。妙哉!妙哉!
2. Entering an examination room and using the toilet
Kaifeng is the ancient capital of our country and is also the provincial capital of Henan. The place where scholars took their [imperial] exams was called “the prison”. (Please forgive me, I was born late and have a hard time figuring out the things pertaining to the older generation). When the [imperial] exam was called, the participants entered the door to the examination room, with one person per room. In the examination room, the participants were confined in it for three days, as if they were in “prison”. After finishing seven exams, they called to the “prison guard” and were released. How big was this kind of prison? I think it was about three meters wide.
When Mr. Chen was 17 years old, he was studying at the middle school in Kaifeng. After practicing boxing every morning, he would jump from one examination room to another, going from one end to the other. (I think there were at least 300 or 200 rooms). After such a day, he would use the toilet in one of the rooms. Wonderful! Wonderful!
Examination Cells
3.痛快淋漓
陳先生在北大讀書時,風頭甚健。尤其領導五四的愛國運動,可歌可泣!在一次圍攻曹汝霖官衙時,衛警以四支水龍頭向外散射人群,陳先冒險搶進,打倒警衛,搶過水龍頭,倒向裏灌射,門外學生一湧而入,並擊傷章宗祥,真是-淋漓痛快,痛快淋漓也許。
3. Drenched with joy
When Mr. Chen was studying at Peking University, he was very popular. In particular, his leadership in the patriotic May 4th movement campaign was deeply moving! During the attack on Cao Ru Lin’s governmental office, the guards scattered the crowd using four water hoses. Chen took the risk and rushed forward, overthrowing the security guard. He grabbed the hose and turned it inward. The students rushed in and injured Zhang Zong Xiang. Indeed, they were “dripping with delight” or “drenched with joy”.
4.女學生情書
因日本帝國之猙獰,山東問題交涉失敗,天津學生發動抵制日貨,要求懲罰賣國賊章宗祥等,而河北省政府竟下令解散天津學生會,因此激起學生公憤。陳先生任總司令指揮全天津學生,圍攻河北省政府,引起激烈衝突搏鬥,學生受傷五百餘人,陳先生亦負創數處,當在醫院療傷時,天津市民老幼男女,紛來慰問,慰勞品堆滿病房,最難得的是一些女學生被感動的眼淚,還有最寶貴而純潔的是很多女學生寫來的情書。自古英雄,都是女人崇拜的偶像。
4. Love letters from female students
Due to the fall of the Japanese empire [after WWI] and the failure of negotiations on the Shangong [issue at the Paris peace talks], Tianjin students launched a boycott of Japanese goods and demanded the punishment of the traitor Zhang Zong Xiang. The Hebei Provincial Government ordered the dissolution of the Tianjin Student Union, which aroused public outrage. Mr. Chen served as leader of all of the Tianjin students, which besieged the Hebei Provincial Government, causing fierce clashes and fighting. There were more than 500 students injured, and Mr. Chen also suffered from several wounds. When he was treated in the hospital, Tianjin citizens, including old and young men, as well as women, came to offer condolences. The gifts were piled up in the ward, but the most precious and pure were the love letters written by many female students. Since ancient times, heroes have been idols that are worshiped by women.
5.拜師李存義
北洋大學武術會的教授是李子揚先生。李子揚先生是形意名家李存義先生的侄兒,也是最得意的弟子,為李氏三傑之首。當陳先生加入武術會,並表演所學國術時,李子揚不敢以師自居,轉而介紹陳先給李存義先生,李存義先生已息隱家園,竟破格收錄,而陳先生亦實地拜師學習形意,陳先生在形意上也曾下過相當工夫。
5. Apprentice to Li Cun Yi
The professor [in charge] of the Beiyang University Wushu Association was Mr. Li Zi Yang. Mr. Li Zi Yang was the nephew and a most proud disciple of the famous Xingyi artist Li Cun Yi, who was one of his three Li family heroes. When Mr. Chen joined the martial arts club and performed the martial arts that he had learned, Li Zi Yang did not dare teach him himself and instead introduced him to Mr. Li Cun Yi. Mr. Li Cun Yi had already retired to his family home, but he made an exception by allowing Mr. Chen on-site to learn Xingyi as an apprentice, where he spent a fair amount of time learning Xingyi from top to bottom.
Mr. Li Cun Yi
6.紀德對槍
許禹生先生創辦武術社,聘請紀德,楊少侯、佟聯吉、吳鑑泉....等等為教師,陳先生為當時武術會學生。其中以紀德資格最老,工夫最好。紀德先生,有意收陳先生為徒,而陳先生當時頗自負,並沒有拜師。
陳先生說:紀德老先生,身材瘦小,練的是童子功,不肯和妻子同房,他住的地方,不讓他妻子進來,換洗衣服,都從隔牆丟過去,他的父母曾逼著媳婦架梯進入紀德房間,而紀德跑出來,將他妻子禁閉在裏面,他父母妻子都對他沒有一點辦法,而紀德老先生獻身武術竟是如此犧牲。
當一次紀老先生拿著槍時,陳先生如初生不犢不畏虎,也拿了一桿槍來求教,當陳先生進槍時,紀德老先生祇將他槍桿一彈,陳先生骨碌碌竟連轉三圈,引起全場大笑!紀老先生說:「你們笑他?是你們槍桿老早丟掉了。」
陳先生學成歸來,到紀德老先生他們處去辭行,彼此都有一段濃厚的感情,他們都來送陳先生上火車。紀老先生叮囑陳先生回去還要多下工夫,同時右手微動如形意拳中的馬形,作送客狀。其他人笑著說:「紀老師送你的禮了。」陳先生當時並無感覺,回河南後才覺疼痛,過三日後才消失,可見老一輩人他們的工夫了。
陳先生除向紀德老先生討教形意、八卦、太極之外,岳氏連拳,乃紀德老先生所傳。
6. Opposite Ji De’s [Ji Zi Xiu] spear
Mr. Xu Yu Sheng founded the Wushu club and hired Ji De [a.k.a., Ji Zi Xiu], Yang Shao Hou, Wu Lian Ji Wu Jian Quan, and others as teachers at the time when Mr. Chen was a martial arts student. Among them, Ji De was the oldest and the best. Mr. Ji De intended to accept Mr. Chen as an apprentice. However, Mr. Chen was quite conceited at the time and did not want to formally become an apprentice.
Mr. Chen said, “Mr. Ji De is thin and small. He practices childish skills and refuses to share a room with his wife. He lives in a place where his wife is not allowed to come and wash clothes. His parents once forced their daughter-in-law to put a ladder into his room, but he ran out and banned his wife in front of them. His parents and wife have no way to deal with him. Mr. Ji De has sacrificed too much for martial arts.”
One time, Mr. Ji De was holding a spear. Mr. Chen was a person willing to take a risk, so he also grabbed a spear and came asking for instruction. When Mr. Chen came forward, Mr. Ji De shot the spear out, and Mr. Chen rolled suddenly three times, making everyone laugh! Mr. Ji De said, “Why are you all laughing? You all lost your spears long ago.”
When Mr. Chen finished his studies, he went to Mr. Ji De’s residence to say goodbye. They both held strong feelings for each other, and all [of the students] went together to take Mr. Chen to the train. Mr. Ji De told Mr. Chen to go back and do more work. At the same time, he moved his right hand slightly in order to send his guest off, such as when doing Xingyiquan Horse. The others smiled and said, “Mr. Ji De has given you a gift.” Mr. Chen didn’t feel the pain until he returned to Henan, and it disappeared three days later. This shows that the older generation had gongfu. In addition to asking Mr. Ji De for advice on Xingyi, Bagua and Taiji, Mr. Chen also said that Yueshi Lianquan [i.e., Yue Style Linking Fist] was handed down to him by Mr. Ji De.
Mr. Ji De
7.楊少侯推手
陳先生的太極拳架子,是跟吳鑑泉先生學的,據言:吳鑑泉先生工夫也有獨到之處。即無論在熟睡時,想偷偷的悄悄的去試探,手還未到,便被發覺了。
論太極拳掌時能繼承楊露禪之衣缽者,惟楊少侯先生。楊少侯先生性剛強,上手即發人,非打不教,幾乎沒有人願跟他學,因此他也沒有得意的傳人,他很重視陳先生,但陳先生還是沒有正式拜師,陳先生不怕挨打,常向楊少侯先生習推手,過後吳鑑泉先生竟不願和陳先生推手,常故意避開,當然陳先生也決不會不知趣而故意使師長為難的。
當楊澄甫先生在北京教太極拳時,常有糾葛,如萬籟聲先生即曾經和他為難。楊澄甫先生便到乃兄楊少侯先生處訴苦,一方面由於楊少侯本身之成就,使人心服;一方面當時某警備司令係楊少侯先生之弟子,有權有勢。所以楊少侯先生給楊澄甫先生當過不少的風險。
可惜楊少侯先生性情剛烈,據聞為人構陷,英年凋拆,陳先生當時執弟子之儀,親為助理後事,這一段情節,這一番恩義,恐怕知者少了。
7. Pushing Hands with Yang Shao Hou
Mr. Chen’s Taijiquan framework was learned from Mr. Wu Jian Quan. It is said that Mr. Wu Jian Quan had his own unique set of skills. That is to say, even if he was in a deep sleep and you wanted to secretly test him, he would find your hand before it arrives. With regard to the direct inheritance of Taijiquan from Yang Lu Chan, it only came through Mr. Yang Shao Hao. Mr. Yang Shao Hao had an unyielding nature, and he could only teach someone by fighting with them. He hardly had anyone who wanted to learn from him, and so therefore he had no proud descendants. He was very attached to Mr. Chen, but Mr. Chen nevertheless did not become his official apprentice.
Mr. Chen was not worried about taking a beating, and he often tried to push hands with Mr. Yang Shao Hou. Later, Mr. Wu Jian Quan refused to push hands with Mr. Chen, and often deliberately avoided it. Of course, Mr. Chen would never deliberately embarrass his teacher.
When Mr. Yang Cheng Fu taught Taijiquan in Beijing, there were often disputes. For example, Mr. Wan Lai Sheng once embarrassed him. Mr. Yang Chen Fu went to his brother Yang Shao Hou to complain. On the one hand, his own achievements convinced people. On the other hand, at that time, the police commander was a disciple of Mr. Yang Shao Hou and was powerful. Therefore, Mr. Yang Shao Hou took many risks with regard to Mr. Yang Cheng Fu.
It is a pity that Mr. Yang Shao Hou had such a strong disposition. It is said that he was a depressed man and his later years of life were ruined. At that time, Mr. Chen was in charge of the disciple’s ceremony and was the assistant in charge of the funeral affairs. I’m afraid there are few who know of this story and this type of kindness.
Mr. Yang Shao Hou
8.大禹精神
陳先生畢生獻身革命,辦理教育,最大嗜好為「國術」,但在北大卻攻讀「土木工程」。在河南省政府實廳技士任內,即擬具導黃導准計劃,可惜為當時耆紳迷信風水而反對。後繼續創辦「水利工程測繪學校」及「河南水利工程專科學校」,培養專門人才,以後在黃河水利工程總局長任內,即多是賴。
黃河百害,尤以抗日時期,黃河中下游七省之流域,消息靈通,為當局所倚重。自從抗日初期,鄭州附近花園口黃河決堤,勝利後受命「黃河仍歸故道」,這是一項非常艱鉅而危險的任務,陳先生慨然受命,一肩獨擔七省流域的安危,其犧牲精神,可媲美大禹治水。
8. The Spirit of Da Yu [i.e., the mythical leader who tamed the floods]
Mr. Chen devoted his whole life to revolutionary politics and education. His biggest hobby was “national martial arts”, but he studied “civil engineering” at Peking University. During his tenure as a technical officer in the governmental office in Henan Province, he proposed plans for guiding the Yellow River. Unfortunately, because of Feng Shui superstitions, [the landowners] fought against it. After establishing the Water Conservancy Engineering Surveying & Mapping School and the Henen Water Convervancy Engineering College to train [hydraulic engineering] professionals, he was later appointed the engineering chief of the Yellow River Conservancy Project because [of his previous experience].
The Yellow River suffered from hundreds disasters, especially during the war of resistance against Japan. The river basins of the seven provinces in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River were heavily relied on by the authorities. Since the early days of the war of resistance against Japan, the Yellow River burst its embankment at Huanyuankou near Zhengzhou, and it was ordered to “return the Yellow River to its old path” after the victory. This was a very arduous and dangerous task. Mr. Chen was ordered to bear the safety of the seven provinces’ river basins alone. His spirit of sacrifice is comparable to that of Da Yu, tamer of the floods.
9.忠勇義俠
陳先回開封,創辦河南國術館,成績冠合國。河南國術館共辦六期,每期一年,舉行省考七次,第一次國考勇士,選手廿五名,全部錄取。民廿年參加柏林奧運舉行國術表演,在全國之十餘人中佔三人。
陳先生訓練國術館學生,常以「忠、勇、義、俠」相勉,於是「忠勇義俠」成為館訓。以後陳先生在北伐討逆及抗日時期敵後督戰等任務,國術館學生給予臂助不小。
當時陳先生為當道所忌,以金錢收買國術館學生,給予兩支手槍謀行刺陳先生,而該學生一則受忠勇義俠之精神感召,二則陳先生英氣逼人,謀行刺該生竟全身發抖,不敢動手,終於受良心責備,向陳先生自白。
9. Loyal and Brave
Mr. Chen went back to Kaifeng and founded the Henan National Art Institute, which had the best record in the country. The Henan National Art Institute ran six sessions. Each year, seven provincial examinations were held. The first national exam included 25 contestants, and all were accepted [to the institute]. In the 20th [should be 25th] year of the Republic [~1931 should be 1936], [the Institute] participated in the Berlin Olympics by demonstrating martial arts, accounting for 3 of the more than 10 people from the China [delegation].
Mr. Chen trained the students at the National Art Institute, and he often used “loyalty, courage, righteousness and chivalry” to encourage them. Therefore, “loyal and brave” became the institute’s motto. Later, when Mr. Chen was asked to help with the Northern Expedition [campaign] and supervised the war behind enemy lines in the war of resistance against the Japanese, these martial arts school students came to his assistance.
Once, when someone was jealous of Mr. Chen, they used money to bribe a martial arts student. The student was given two pistols with the plan to murder Mr. Chen. On the one hand, he was inspired by the spirit and loyalty and courage. On the other hand, Mr. Chen was so heroic and threatening that [the student’s] whole body began to shake at the thought of committing murder. The student didn’t dare to do it, and finally his conscience reproached him and he confessed to Mr. Chen.
National Art Competition
10.不做公賣局長
在抗日時期,政府陪都於重慶,陳先生當時為中央國術館副館長,曾主持教育部及軍政部合辦之國術教材編審委員會,編成教材五十餘種。同時約集同志組成「黨政問題座談會」,評論時政,頗為政府所重視。陳先生在山都重慶,均安步以當車,專買車胎底的皮鞋穿著,一個月一雙。當時行政院長孔祥熙先生問人:「這個人(指陳先生)是做什麼樣子事的人?」。有人告訴孔先生說:「他雖然沒有身居要職,但他的影響力及號召力很大很強!你(指孔院長)給他一件好差使吧!」於是孔祥熙發表陳先生為「全國煙酒公賣局長」(這是最大的肥缺),徵求陳先生意見,而出人意表的陳先生竟不接受,謂缺乏興趣,真所謂「富貴不能淫其心」矣!
陳先生以前曾任「焦作煤礦」總經理,特支費每月三萬銀元,而陳先生悉心分散同仁,則陳先生不就全國煙酒公賣局長之職長,並不意外!並不偶然!
「黃金如糞土,肝膽比金石」,忠勇義俠之風範,傖夫俗子可同語哉!岳飛說「文官不愛錢,武官不怕死,天下太平矣」。陳先生,峻峰吾師,忠勇義俠,風範永存!
10. Not Serving as Director General of the Public Sales Bureau
During the war of resistance against Japan, Chongqing was the capital of the government. At that time, Mr. Chen was deputy director of the National Art Institute. At the same time, comrades gathered to form a “Symposium on Party and Governmental Issues” to comment on current affairs, which was rather important to the government. Mr. Chen lived on a mountain in the capital city of Chongqing, and he always walked instead of using a car, and bought leather shoes instead of tires, going through one pair per month. At that time, the executive director, Mr. Kong Xiang Xi asked, “What does this person (referring the Mr. Chen) do?” Someone told Mr. Kong, “Although he does not hold a senior position, his influence and appeal are very strong! You (referring to Mr. Kong) should give him a good job!” So Kong Xiang Xi offered Mr. Chen the “National Tobacco and Alcohol Directorship” (the most lucrative post) and asked for Mr. Chen’s opinion. Unexpectedly, Mr. Chen didn’t accept the offer, saying that he wasn’t interested. Truly this is what you call “his heart cannot be corrupted by wealth and honors”!
Mr. Chen had previously been the general manager of the “Jiaozuo Coal Mine”, with a special fee of 30,000 silver dollars per month. However, Mr. Chen was careful to disperse this amongst his colleagues. It is not surprising, then, that Mr. Chen was not the head of the National Tobacco and Alcohol Bureau. This was not accidental!
“Gold is like dung, while the liver and gallbladder [i.e., courage and heroic spirit] are like golden stones.” Yue Fei said, “If the officials and ministers do not covet money, if the generals and marshals do not fear death, peace will reign throughout the country.” Mr. Chen, Jun Feng, my teacher, was a loyal, brave, righteous and chivalrous. He set a good example that will endure forever!
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