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Zhou Tong (archer)

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This article is about the archer Zhou Tong. He is not be confused with the Water Margin Bandit Zhou Tong.

Zhōu Tóng (周侗) (1040–1119 CE?) was the archery teacher of Song Dynasty general Yue Fei.[1] According to popular legend, he was also a Shaolin monk and taught martial arts to Wu Song, Lin Chong and Lu Junyi, three of the 108 outlaws on whom the Water Margin is based. His fictional martial nickname is "Iron Arm" (铁臂).[2][3]

In Cantonese, using the Wade-Giles superscript number system, Zhou Tong is pronounced Jau1 dung6 or Jau1 tung4. Common english renderings of this are "Jow Tong, Jou Ton, Jao Tong, Jao Tung, Chow Tong and Chou Tung". His surname (周) means “complete, encircle, cycle, thoughtful or attentive”. His given name (侗) means “big, ignorant, rude or rustic”. Please note the surnames Zhou and Zhao are two totally different family names. Template:ChineseText

File:Zhou Tong (small).jpg
Artist's rendition of Zhou Tong.

Yue Fei's biographies

Historical

In 1345, Yuan Dynasty Prime-Minister Toktoghan (脫脫) (1314-1355) finished compiling the Sòng Shǐ (宋史 - "History of Song"), a massive 496 volume record of various historical events and biographies of noted Song Dynasty personage. The 365th volume in this collection is the Yue Fei Zhuan (岳飞传 – "Yue Fei Biography") (biography 124), which was presumably written with material originally gathered by General Yue Fei's grandson, the poet and historian Yue Ke (岳柯) (1183-post 1240).[4][5][6] Although it is part of a historic text, this biography includes supernatural elements. For instance, it mentions how Yue Fei’s father named him Fei (飞 - “fly”) because a magical Peng alighted on the roof of their family home. It also states Yue Fei had “supernatural strength” and could "draw a bow of 300 catties".[7]

Zhou Tong is only briefly mentioned in the second paragraph of the entire biography. The work states, "學射与周侗,盡其術,能左右射。侗死,溯望設祭于其冢。"[7]

"[Yue Fei] learned archery from Zhou Tong. He learned everything and could fire with both hands. After [Zhou] Tong's death, [Yue Fei] would offer sacrifices at his tomb."

Very little is actually written about the historical Zhou Tong. On the contrary, there is a larger abundance of "legendary" material available about him, which makes it very difficult to clearly distinguish who he really was. The only reason his name is still known is because of his association with General Yue Fei.

File:General Yue Fei Novel.jpg
Front cover of General Yue Fei.

Fictional

Yue Fei's second biography, a wuxia fiction named Shuo Yue Quan Zhuan (說岳全傳 - "Speak Yue's Entire Biography"), was written by Qian Cai (钱彩), who lived sometime during the reigns of Qing Dynasty Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Yongzheng (1661-1735).[8] It was banned in the reign of Emperor Qianlong. There are two versions of this novel in existence. The original had eighty chapters. Another edition with eighty chapters was published during the reign of Emperor Tongzhi. Starting in 1964 and finally finishing in 1995, Honorable Sir T.L. Yang (楊鐵樑爵士) (1934-present), former Chief Justice of Hong Kong from 1988 to 1995, current Chairman of the Hong Kong Red Cross, combined the first chapters of these works (in an attempt to weed out the overabundance of supernatural elements) to create a seventy-nine chapter version with 961 pages, which he translated into English. It is currently sold under the name General Yue Fei. In the introduction of his translation, Honorable Sir T.L. Yang states:

"The work is a historical novel in form, but it is in fact based almost mainly on legends which were current amongst the common people for centuries. Indeed some of the events described there are nothing more than Qian Cai's own imagination."[8]

It this work, Zhou Tong is a secondary character, appearing only in three chapters (2 - 5) out of seventy-nine. Zhou Tong first appears seven years after Yue Fei and his mother Lady Yao (姚夫人) are rescued from the flooding Yellow River by Wang Ming (王明), a country squire. He has come from the “Eastern Capital” to inspect land purchased with the earnings saved from teaching Lu Junyi.[9] During his stay in Henan, he becomes the new precept of the Wang estate, home to brutal children known for berating and expelling their tutors. Zhou Tong quickly beats the children into submission and begins to give them a proper education. Yue Fei secretly listens to Zhou Tong’s lectures and later writes a heroic poem on the deserted classroom’s wall. After reading the poem, Zhou Tong beseeches Lady Yao to give Yue Fei to him as his adopted son. She consents and Yue Fei begins to sit in on the lessons.

Three years later, Zhou Tong takes his Students to visit an old friend, the abbot of a small Buddhist temple on the “Hill of Dripping Water”. Yue Fei wanders behind the temple and battles a magical snake, which turns into the “Supernatural Spear of Dripping Water”. When they return home, Zhou Tong begins to drill Yue Fei and his martial brothers in the military arts--18 weapons of war, archery, and hand-to-hand combat. After three years of practice, Zhou Tong enters them into a military examination in which sixteen year old Yue Fei wins first place and a position in the Imperial army. Yue Fei is also promised to marry the daughter of the county magistrate who presided over the military exam.

To celebrate Yue Fei’s victory and future marriage, Zhou Tong challenges his adopted son to a horse race. But all the excitement causes him to sweat and catch cold. He dies seven days later. Yue Fei buries Zhou Tong on the Hill of Dripping Water and guards his grave day and night until he is talked into leaving by his martial brothers.[8]

Shaolin: Fact or Fiction?

Many modern martial arts masters believe Zhou Tong either studied at the Shaolin temple or was a full-fledged monk there. According to several books by Dr. Yang Jwing Ming, a master of Internal and Shaolin martial arts, Zhou Tong was "a very good martial artist who had studied in the Shaolin temple”.[10] Shaolin Grandmaster Wong Kiew kit, author of the Art of Shaolin Kung Fu: The Secrets of Kung Fu for Self-Defense Health and Enlightenment, writes, “Yue Fei who developed Eagle Claw Kungfu, learned from Zhou Tong who learned at the northern Shaolin Temple”.[11] Again he writes, “Yue Fei’s teacher was Zhou Tong, a Shaolin master”.[12] Eagle Claw Grandmasters Leung Shum and Lily Lau believe he was a Shaolin Monk. In his book on Eagle Claw, Grandmater Leung wrote, “Training his soldiers in fighting techniques he had learned from a Sil Lum monk named Jow Tong, Ngok Fei continuously defeated the Mongolian invaders…”[13] During a magazine interview, Grandmaster Lau said, “Ngok-Fei inherited [the Eagle Claw hand] techniques from Chow Tong in Shaolin.”[14]

Neither the Yue Fei Biography (1345) or the first (1661-1735) or second (1861-1875) editions of Speak Yue's Entire Biography ever mention Zhou Tong as being a Shaolin monk. This could mean Zhou Tong's portrayal as a Shaolin monk first arose in the late Qing Dynasty.

Skills

File:Zhoutong&students.jpg
Zhou Tong teaching Yue Fei archery.

Military

Speak Yue's Entire Biography reads, "...because Zhou Tong was old, he was eager to teach the military arts for all the eighteen weapons to [Yue Fei]."[8] Dr. Yang Jwing Ming states, Zhou Tong taught Yue Fei "a complete system involving barehand combat, weapons, military tactics, horsemenship, archery, and other related subjects."[15] The Yue Fei Biography states, “家貧力學,尤好【左氏春秋】、孫吳兵法。"[7]

"Despite his family's poverty, [Yue Fei] was studious, and particularly favored the Zuo Zhuan edition of the Spring and Autumn Annals and the strategies of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi."

According to this history, Yue Fei read the military classics prior to becoming Zhou Tong's student. Although it is possible that he had former military training, Zhou Tong is only represented as Yue Fei's archery teacher.

Weapons

Chinese Bow - Speak Yue's Entire Biography says he taught Yue Fei a fictional technique known as "The Bow for Supernatural Arms".[8] The Yue Fei Biography states, "...未冠,挽弓三百斤,弩八石。"[7]

"...before his adulthood, [Yue Fei] was able to draw a bow of 300 catties and a Cross-bow of 8 stone."

18 Weapons of War - See Military and Students. Out of these weapons, Zhou Tong is usually represented as a master of the Chinese spear through his association with Yue Fei, who, according to legend, created Xingyi boxing from the movements of this weapon.[16] (See also Links to other styles)

Martial arts

Speak Yue's Entire Biogrpahy never mentions any kind of Kung fu styles in connection with Zhou Tong. The following skills come from sources not originating from the Song Dynasty.

Chuojiao - According to the book Jiuzhuan Lianhuan Yuanyangtui, practitioners of "9 Ring Mandarin Duck Chuojiao" consider Zhou Tong their founder. It also states Zhou Tong learned Chuojiao boxing from Deng Liang (邓良), who created the style on the basis of the 18 basic feet attacks. He later passed the style onto Yue Fei. This book was written sometime during the 1980s.[17][18][19]

File:20041025182335644.jpg
From the ”Testicle Eight Outstanding Techniques” Manual

Elephant Style - Zhou Tong supposedly learned these "hand techniques" from Shaolin and later passed them onto Yue Fei.[14] (See "Eagle Claw" in next section)

Qigong - 13th generation lineage Tai He ("Great Harmony") Wudangquan Master Fan Keping (范克平) teaches a qigong (Chinese breathing meditation) style said to originate from Zhou Tong called the Shènzi bādà Qígōng (肾子八大奇功 - "Testicle Eight Outstanding Techniques").[20] A book of this style supposedly appeared during the Ming Dynasty and was taught on Wudang Mountain. It became a "hereditary style", taught only to close family members.[21]

According to Master Fan, Zhou Tong is also connected to the Hǔ Xiào Jīn Zhōng Zhào (虎啸金钟罩 – “Tiger Shouting Golden Bell Exercise"), Tie Bu Shan ("Five Phoenix Iron Shirt Work") and the Wu Feng Qi Ming Gui Xi Su ("Five Phoenix Combined Shouting Tortoise Resting Method"). Zhou Tong supposedly learned these skills from an “unknown master” and passed it along. During the Ming Dynasty, Daoist Priest Deng Kun Lun (邓坤伦) learned the set and published a book called Dà Sòng Quān Nèi Dì Yī Gāo Shǒu Zhōu Tóng Zhēn Chuán Hǔ Xiào Jīn Zhōng Zhào Fú Qì Liàn Xíng Mì Shù (大宋圈内第一高手周侗真传虎啸金钟罩服气炼形秘术 - “Great Song Circle Internal Sequence First Master Zhou Tong True Line Tiger Shouting Golden Bell Exercise Build Secret Technique”) in 1426.[22][23] There is a VCD series about this set of qigong exercises.[24]

Links to other styles

Zhou Tong can be linked to numerous other styles through his fictional students.

Eagle Claw - Zhou Tong was also master of an ancient art known as "Elephant Style".[25] According to Eagle Claw Grandmaster Lily Lau, “Ngok-Fei inherited this set of techniques from Chow Tong in Shaolin.”[14] Yue Fei later adapted this style to create the Yībǎi Lingbā Qínná (一百零八擒拿 – “108 Seize-Grab”) techniques, which became a staple of the Eagle Claw system.[13]

Although these 108 techniques are widely accepted to have been created by the general, there is no historical evidence to support the belief that Zhou Tong taught this style to Yue Fei.

Praying Mantis - According to the folk manuscript Luóhàn Xínggōng Duǎn Dǎ (罗汉行功短打), first published anonymously on April 15, 1794, two of Zhou Tong’s students are listed among the eighteen masters invited to Shaolin by the Abbot Fu Ju (福居), a legendary persona of the historical Abbot Fu Yu (福裕) (1203-1275), during the early Northern Song Dynasty.[26][27][28] Lin Chong is listed as a master of “Mandarin duck kicks" (Chuojiao) and Yan Qing, the adopted son of Lu Junyi, is listed as a master of "Sticking, Grabbing, and Falling" (possibly Ditangquan). The manual records the founder of Mantis fist, Wang Lang (王朗), “absorbed and equalized all previous techniques” learned from the 17 other masters.[29][30]

Historically, this list is erroneous as Lin Chong, Yan Qing and not even Zhou Tong himself would have been born yet in the early years of the Northern Song Dynasty. Plus, the historical Abbot Fu Yu lived towards the end of the Southern Song Dynasty. Even if the gathering was held then, Lin Chong and Yan Qing would have died of old age long before this time.

Xingyi - According to the book Henan Orthodox Xingyi Quan written by Pei Xirong (裴锡荣) and Li Ying’ang (李英昂), Master Dai Longbang "于乾隆十五年为“六合拳”作序云:“岳飞当童子时,受业于周侗师,精通枪法,以枪为拳,立法以教将佐,名曰意拳,"[31][32]

"...wrote the Preface to Six Harmonies Boxing in the 15th reign year of the Qianlong Emperor [1750]. Inside it says, '...when [Yue Fei] was a child, he received special instructions from Zhou Tong. He became extremely skilled in the spear method. He used the spear methods to create methods for the fist. He established a method to teach called Yi Quan [意拳]."

In his book Xíngyì Quán Shù Jué Wēi (形意拳术抉微), author Liu Dian Chen (刘殿琛) mentions that some military works wrongly consider Zhou Tong the founder of Xingyi.[33][32]

Background

File:Zhou Tong Cover.jpg
The front cover of Zhou Tong’s Biography

Family

According to Zhou Tong's own fictional wuxia biography 铁臂金刀周侗传 ("Iron Arm, Golden Broadsword: The Biography of Zhou Tong"), he was from Unicorn Village of Shaanxi Province and had a wife and child. But both mother and son died prematurely. His son Zhou Yunqing (周云清) followed Lu Junyi to fight the Liao State and died in battle.

Speak Yue's Entire Biography states Zhou Tong later took young Yue Fei as his student and adopted son when the boy was seven years old:

"I see that [Yue Fei] is clever and handsome and I, an old man, wish to have him as my adopted son … He need change neither his name nor his surname. I only want him to call me father temporarily so that I can faithfully transmit all the skills I have learned in my life to a single person. Later, when I die, all he has to do is to bury my old bones in the earth and not allow them to be exposed, and that is all."[8]

However, the Yue Fei Biography makes no mention of Zhou Tong adopting Yue Fei at all.

Students

According to popular legend, Zhou Tong took the future-Water Margin bandits Wu Song, Lin Chong and Lu Junyi as his students. One source even counts the villain Shi Wen-gong among his students.[34] However, Zhou Tong never appears in the Water Margin novel. Speak Yue's Entire Biography states:

"Zhou Tong had been the tutor of Lin Chong, an instructor of eight thousand Imperial Guards; and he also taught military skills to Lu Junyi, a millionaire of the Prefecture of Da Ming in Henan Province."[8]

Speak Yue's Entire Biography states Lu Junyi was Zhou Tong's last student prior to taking on young Yue fei and his four sworn-brothers Wang Gui, Tang Huai, Zhang Xian and, later, Niu Gao. He taught all of them the 18 Weapons of War, but each excelled with one in particular; Yue Fei and Tang Huai, the spear; Zhang Xian, the "Hook-Sickle" spear; Wang Gui, the Yanyue Dao and Niu Gao, the double clubs. All of them learned the skill of archery in addition.

One alternate history states he took Yue Fei as his student sometime after the boy turned eleven.[35] The Yue Fei Biography states Yue Fei learned from Zhou Tong "before his adulthood". The chinese word representing "adulthood" is Guàn (冠 - "Hat"). This actually refers to Jí Guàn (及冠 -“Conferring Hat"), an ancient Chinese term that means "20 years old" where a young man was able to wear a hat as a social status of adulthood.[36][37][38] In the 28th chapter of the Qing Dynasty book Er Wang Shi (鄂王事), it states, “岳飞及冠时,外祖父姚大翁聘请当时的枪手陈广教授岳飞枪法。" [39]

"When Yue Fei reached the conferring hat period, his maternal grandfather, Yao Daweng [(姚大翁)], hired a spear expert, Chen Guang [(陈广)], to teach Yue Fei spear fighting."

One source states Chen Guang was Yue Fei’s first teacher and Zhou Tong was his second.[35] However, Chen Guang is not mentioned in the Yue Fei Biography or Yue's Entire Biography.[40] So Zhou Tong took Yue Fei as his student before the boy reached the age of 20.

Death

Speak Yue's Entire Biography states Zhou Tong developed a fever brought on by an exciting horse race between him and 16 year old Yue Fei. He died seven days later on:

"...the fourteenth day of the ninth month in the seventeenth year of the Reign of Xuan He, and his age was seventy-nine."[8][41]

He was laid to rest at the "Hill of Dripping Water" and Yue Fei sat by his grave. The Yue Fei Biography states, "侗死,溯望設祭于其冢。"[7]

"After [Zhou] Tong's death, [Yue Fei] would offer sacrifices at his tomb."

In popular culture

File:Zhou Tong.JPG
Actor Jing Ci Bo as Zhou Tong
File:Majingwu 857b13184e7f483bb480e11c59a8cbe3.jpg
Actor Yu Cheng Hui as "Master Shadow-Glow"

Film

  • Jīng Zhōng Bào Guó (尽忠报国 - "Serve the Country Loyally") (1940). Zhou Tong was portrayed by Li Ming (黎明).[43] The name of this movie comes from the famous tattoo on Yue Fei's back.
  • Yuè Fēi Chū Shì (岳飛出世 - "The Birth of Yue Fei") (1962). Zhou Tong was portrayed by Jing Ci Bo (靓次伯). A 10 year old Sammo Hung played young Yue Fei.[44] This film was largely based on Speak Yue's Entire Biography.

Veteran martial arts actor Yu Cheng Hui (于承惠), who played the villain, "Wang Renzhe", in Shaolin Temple (1982) and "Master Shadow-Glow" in Seven Swords (2005), has expressed interest in playing Zhou Tong in a future movie.[45][46] In an interview, Mr. Yu said he never shaved his famous beard for any role, even at the request of movie producers, because he wanted to portray the legendary figure.[3]

Literature

The wuxia novel Tiě Bèi Jīn Dāo Zhōu Tóng Zhuàn (铁臂金刀周侗传 - "Iron Arm, Golden Broadsword: The Biography of Zhou Tong"), written by Wang Yun Heng (汪运衡) and Xiao Yun Long (筱云龙), details the fictional adventures of Zhou Tong as a young man. It has 451 pages, 72 chapters and reads "left-to-right" like an english language novel. Black and white line drawings sporadically appear (from 20 to every 40 pages) throughout the publication to illustrate the action in a certain chapter. These pictures are reminiscent of the Manga genre.

This is now a very rare book. In 1986, only 66,000 copies were made.[2]

Notes and References

  1. ^ Zhou Tong's lifespan was calculated from the Speak Yue's Entire Biography. It states he died at age 79 in 1119, the same year Yue Fei turned 16. So he would have been born in the year 1040. Of course this is not a definitive date as the Speak Yue's Entire Biography is largely fiction.
  2. ^ a b Tiě Bèi Jīn Dāo Zhōu Tóng Zhuàn (铁臂金刀周侗传 - "Iron Arm, Golden Broadsword: The Biography of Zhou Tong"), by Wang Yun Heng (汪运衡) and Xiao Yun Long (筱云龙) (ISBN ?)
  3. ^ a b Interview with Yu Cheng Hui (于承惠) (Chinese only)
  4. ^ Newly Recovered Anecdotes from Hong Mai's (1123-1202) Yijian zhi
  5. ^ Song Dynasty Renaissance 960-1279
  6. ^ Arthur Waldron, “China's New Remembering of World War II: The Case of Zhang Zizhong.” Modern Asian Studies, Vol. 30, No. 4, Special Issue: War in Modern China (Oct., 1996), pp. 945-978
  7. ^ a b c d e History of Song - Biography of Yue Fei (宋史•岳飞传) (ISBN ?) (See also, 岳飞子云 (Chinese only))
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Qian, Cai. General Yue Fei. Trans. Honorable Sir T.L. Yang. Joint Publishing (H.K.) Co., Ltd. (1995) ISBN 978-962-04-1279-0
  9. ^ During the Song Dynasty, the “Eastern Capital” was Kaifeng. However, the book says he taught Lu Junyi in Hubei, so the original author more than likely made the mistake of mislabeling Beijing, which was the “Northern Capital” of the Song Dynasty. (See here)
  10. ^ Lian, Shou Yu and Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming. Xingyiquan: Theory, Applications, Fighting Tactics and Sprit. Boston: YMAA Publication Center, 2002. (ISBN 978-0-940871-41-0)
  11. ^ Answer 1
  12. ^ Answer 6
  13. ^ a b Leung, Shum. Eagle claw kung-fu: Classical northern chinese fist. Brendan Lai's Supply Co; 2nd ed edition, 1981 (ISBN B000718VX0)
  14. ^ a b c Eagle Claw Fan Tsi Moon & Lau Fat Mang's History - Part I
  15. ^ Yang, Jwing-Ming. Dr. Analysis of Shaolin Chin Na: Instuctor's Manual for all Martial Styles. Massachusetts: Yang's Martial Arts Association (YMAA), 1987 (ISBN 978-0-940871-04-5)
  16. ^ Xingyi Boxing
  17. ^ Jiuzhuan Lianhuan Yuanyangtui (ISBN 978-7-5009-1096-1)
  18. ^ See also, Chuojiao (Feet Poking Chuan)
  19. ^ See also, Chuo Jiao Fist
  20. ^ Wudang Tai He Men is recruiting students (Chinese-English mix)
  21. ^ Nanjing Ancient martial bookstore (Chinese only)
  22. ^ Page 13 (Chinese only)
  23. ^ Page 15 (Chinese only)
  24. ^ Wu Dang TAI HE Style Boxing Zhou Tong's name has been “Americanized”, meaning the surname goes last and the given names goes first (Example: Zhou Tong = Tong Zhou).
  25. ^ In Chinese, elephant is pronounced Xiàng (象). However, the same character can also mean "shape, form, or appearance". The elephant style in question is a mistranslation of xiang, which actually refers to Xiàng Xíng Quán (象形拳 - "Imitation Boxing"), a fighting technique which emphasizes the imitation of the offensive and defensive actions of a certain animal or person (象形拳 (Chinese only). See also Zhongguo Gongfu Bai yang tong, by Wong Ting [ISBN -7-80015-299-5 ].
  26. ^ (2001). Luohan Xinggong Duan Da. JOURNAL OF SPORT HISTORY AND CULTURE (体育文史), No.1, P.36-37,9 [ISSN 1671-1572]
  27. ^ This is the western equivalent of “the sixteenth day of the third month of the spring of 1794" (See here).
  28. ^ In Shaolin Temple history celebrity
  29. ^ Praying Mantis
  30. ^ What's Praying Mantis Kung Fu?
  31. ^ Pei, Xirong and Li, Yang’an. Henan Orthodox Xingyi Quan. Trans. Joseph Candrall. Pinole: Smiling Tiger Press, 1994. See also, Xing Yi Quan (Mind-Form Boxing) Books Scroll down, 5th book from the top.
  32. ^ a b Heart Chinese boxing emphasizing flexibility and confusing the opponent (Chinese only)
  33. ^ xíngyì quán shù jué wēi (形意拳术抉微) ISBN 978-7-5377-2003-8
  34. ^ The Creation of Xing Yi
  35. ^ a b Is totally dedicated to one's country (Chinese only)
  36. ^ 及冠 jíguàn ( v. ) (of men) formerly, come of age, usu. at 20
  37. ^ A Study of the Gender and Religious Implications of Nü Guan (See page 18)
  38. ^ 及冠、及笄各有什么礼俗? (Chinese only)
  39. ^ Èr wáng shì (鄂王事), by Sun Qiu (孙遒) (ISBN ?)
  40. ^ One of the earliest mentions of Master Chen Guang comes from the Qing Dynasty work Tanyin Xian Zhi (湯陰縣誌 – “Tangyin County Record”).
  41. ^ This is not a reliable date since the "Xuan He" reign era of Emperor Huizong lasted only seven years (1119-1125) and not seventeen. Speak Yue's Entire Biography states Zhou Tong died when Yue Fei was sixteen. This would be the first year of Xuan He. Again, this too is not a reliable date.
  42. ^ CNMDB (Chinese only)
  43. ^ CNMDB (Chinese only)
  44. ^ CNMDB (Chinese only)
  45. ^ Hong Kong Cinemagic - Yu Cheng Hui
  46. ^ The HK Actors Index

External links

See also