The Green Dragon Society primarily teaches new students the ancient "Animal Spirits" called the Hun & Po Shen Gung. These animal spirits are primal, and have been continuously developed by the Chinese for thousands of years. This knowledge is taught through the Northern Chinese Animal System known as Chi Tao Gung-Fu (T'iao Ho Ch'uan Tao). This system teaches one to fight like a wild animal; such as the Tiger, Leopard, Panther, Crane, Preying Mantis, Eagle, Wild Boar, or Black Cobra animal styles. These are the Ba Gua, or eight major animal styles correlated to the Chinese Trigrams. The trigrams were first discovered by Fu Hsi in 3300 BC. They are a collection of ancient symbols containing great wisdom and incredibly advanced knowledge. Out of this school of thought arises the "World of Personality" configuration, which is the basis for the structure of the eight major animal styles of Chi Tao Gung-Fu. The animal system is further evolved upon the original "Heaven and Earth Teachings" predominant in the olden days and Chinese legendary times.

Note: An esoteric understanding of these philosophies is not necessary to study the Animal Styles. We present this information as an explanatory introduction to this brief overview.

Kuan Ti (God of War)

Fu Hsi

Examples of Trigram Configuration "Worlds" - In this Case the "World of Heaven" - Before and After

 

What is an Animal System?

Origin Legends relate the chance observation of an animal (such as a praying mantis fighting off and killing a bird), as the inspiration for the creation of some animal styles. Other instances involved a methodical approach to the study of animal fighting attributes. Long ago, the noted physician Hua T'uo studied the forest animals at length and composed the "Five Animals Frolics". Later Da Mo, the great spiritual teacher in the Ch'an Buddhism tradition, having crossed the mountains from India into China, watched the animals and analyzed their movements as he lived among them in nature. He developed fighting motions based upon his observations, which he bestowed upon the legendary Shaolin Monastery. Other stories tell of the bestowal of an entire animal system, upon a sleeping individual, by a Taoist God, in the middle of the night. Taoist monks, shamans and mystics are claimed to have been practicing physical animal related movements at the earliest period in Chinese history, many thousands of years ago.

Animal Styles are scattered about around the world of martial arts. They range throughout China (Northern, Central & Southern), to Indonesia, and Malaysia, even Africa, and beyond. Most animal styles are only an imitation of animal movement, or perhaps the style is just loosely associated, in symbolic terminology, with any actual Animism. But the ancient reasoning, originally, for imitating the animals’ fighting, was because it was believed that in order to survive in the harsh natural environment, all the animals maintained a natural talent and skill for fighting. It is in some of the Northern Schools that the actual Spirit of the animal is manifest.

This Animal System is based upon the belief that there are eight natural, human essences, referred to as Psychophysiological Types (derived from body build, nervous system dynamics, spiritual type), and correlated together in the ancient 'World of Personality' pattern. In times past, the great sage masters looked upon the world of nature to symbolically manifest this understanding and sought vivid examples of behavior. Correspondingly, there is the ancient Northern Chinese belief in the Animal Spirits; called the Hun and Po. The animal spirits are vital to this system of fighting.

Many of the animal style martial arts in existence are based on only a single animal. An animal system, in contrast, is composed of multiple animal styles. These multiple styles, interacting together in harmony, can form a "Gate Way" to another dimension or level of martial art knowledge. In the Art of Chi Tao, all the eight major animals, mastered to a perfection, combine with the "Spirit of Heaven", to create a Dragon. All Masters in the Art of Chi Tao Ch'uan are Dragons. This is Taoist Alchemy awakening the Spirit of the individual. Taoism is an 'Art of Change'.

For spiritual purposes it would be auspicious to enter the "Gates of Heaven"
For combat it is more suitable to enter the confines of the "Primeval Jungle"

Which animal do you think you are? When you study this system of eight animals you are already, through your natural physical evolvement and personal life experiences, one of these psychophysiological types. Your animal was chosen for you by Nature. Therefore, the Green Dragon Society does not decide which one you are. Instead, it is our talent from training to recognize your animal. There are also sub-styles that round out the possibilities of human differentiation. But these sub-styles are generally beyond the scope of this particular lecture.

It is also important to realize that the Animal Styles are potentialities, not absolutes. No two Snakes are exactly alike. The same with all the other animals. Each person is a unique individual with unlimited potential. The animal styles are stepping stones to higher teachings, and an excellent place to start the study of oneself. The animal styles were designed to improve the individual and enhance his life. They are a philosophy for understanding the World through harmonious interaction and change.

The Animal Styles of Chi Tao Gung-Fu are designed to accentuate and empower the attributes and strengths (physical, mental & spiritual) of the eight human personality types as defined in the 'World of Personality' and given form and Spirit in the T'iao Ho Ch'uan Tao studies. Each animal style has everything needed, within their individual nature and being, to defeat in combat any other animal style, including the Tiger. Animal styles are taught through the expressed movements of the animal. Someone who is the personality type of a particular animal, will find the movements of that animal to feel very natural, and be easily learned and understood.

The animal styles of Chi Tao Gung-Fu are soft, fluid dynamic fighting. And of course they teach not only survival on the street when confronted by unexpected, life-and-death circumstances, but also are a unique philosophical system for creating dynamic, balanced interrelationships within the world of man. The animal styles of Chi Tao Gung-Fu are 85% mental and 15% physical. Or it can be viewed, on a higher level, that they are 85% spiritual, 15% mental and the body is considered as a phenomena of "Wu" or "Nothingness". The bodies purpose is to follow whatever path the Spirit chooses to take.
Each animal style is complete and highly specialized. There are many preferred, toughened hand postures for each (eagle talon, cobra fangs). Certain traditional battlefield weapons adhere to styles by correspondence (spears, chain, swords). Highly specialized animal meditations are tailored for the style. Each animal has unique versions of such forms as the "Dances of Death", and such meditations as the "Animal Bows". In many instances, where exactly a 'form' ends and a 'meditation' begins, is difficult to say. Even specific vital point attacks are highly geared for a certain animal style. The overall philosophy of fighting is different for each animal; different attributes, abilities, powers developed, etc.

If a person wants to attain martial combat capability in as fast and efficient a method as possible, and that is their only goal, then the exclusive study of their personal animal is the quickest, easiest and totally "customized" route. On the other hand, if their purpose is at all to seek to go beyond their current limits, the full Animal System comprising all eight animals is the road.

Each of the eight major animal styles of Chi Tao Gung-Fu have sub-styles associated. Some of these sub-styles are very common, others are quite rare in todays world. These sub-styles are useful tools in refining the match between the individuals nature and the Animal System.

In the beginning it is important to study all the eight animals of the Ba Gua, and also certain select sub-styles. A strong foundational understanding of the principles of combat are extensively illustrated during the initial phase of study upon the Animal System. Usually, personal specialization with focus upon the persons own animal archetype does not come till later in one's study, after some rank has been attained.

The animal styles are taught primarily through forms and meditations. A form being a series of bodily movements or techniques, demonstrating fighting applications and principles, inherent within the form's structure. Repetition of the form develops the ability to fight in the style indicated.

A form is literally a meditation in motion. All forms have three components; the physical body, the form of mind, and the animating spirit. Some forms are referred to as dances. A form in action is to perceive a beautiful, fluid dance, of spirit and power, unleashed.

There are literally many thousands of short, animal attack forms (3 to 15 moves). There are hundreds of more lengthy animal forms (20 to 50 moves). There are many, much longer, animal dragon forms (these forms are not Dragon level, they are so named because of their length - 75 to 150 moves).

The Animal Styles are like a firearm, very dangerous. You don't want to take an empty gun into combat, nor do you want to have an empty martial art when endangered either. You don't want to fight with a sport, because on the street there are no rules. The bad people who might want to hurt you only understand similar responses. The bad man wants a victim, not another predator. The police are predators, they prey on criminals. Being a predator is not an evil thing unless you make it so. All these animals within this Fighting System are predatory.
 

There are 180 Hand Postures
In Southern & Central Chinese Schools
(Tiger Claw, Boar's Tusk, Poison Needle, etc)

There are 280 Total
With an Additional 100 (Odd, Unusual, Difficult, Rare and Special) Hand Postures
In the Northern Chinese Schools
(All animals may use any of these hand postures, but there are individual style preferences)

 

The Dragon is truly Celestial and connected to Heaven.
But within the Animal System, it is the Tiger animal which is most associated with Heaven.

The Power of Creation, the action of Yang. Heaven descends and the Tiger is born from the womb of woman. A man of real confidence and lethal fighting ability by genetic birthright. He is blessed by Heaven with an equal share of emotions and intellect to govern his massive, tall, strong body, which he uses in a direct, sometimes overwhelming manner. He is a force in combat and in his society. He is a natural leader of men.

The Tiger is an extroverted personality. He easily interacts with people. He goes out into the world and changes it. He has the full potential to be successful at whatever he chooses to do. He has a natural warrior attitude.

The Tiger Spirit is overpowering! To face the Tiger is the height of intimidation. Only another Tiger can do so. All others must give way. The courage and nobility of the Tiger is an indomitable domination and control. The Tiger is in control of himself and other people around him. People will naturally defer him authority because of his strength and what they perceive as his 'personal aura'.

The Tiger believes in violent, immediate confrontation with a situation, attacking everything directly head on. Therefore, the Tiger mostly advances and strikes, seldom defends, utilizing always a strong stance. This is because his attack is his defense. His weapons are the Tiger's Claw and the Crushing Palm. The Tiger animal style likes to literally tear his enemy apart. His growl is the most frightening, because it is a true expression of the Spirit. Those not aware of certain truths, often freeze when confronted by a man of real confidence and lethal power.

The Tiger is a style that will gladly trade blow for blow with anyone. His combat is an expression of superior force. When he strikes it is to damage as large an area as possible. The Tiger is no vital points specialist. He knows sufficient anatomy to cripple the body in a few devastating strikes of his fist, palm, or Tiger Claw. He prefers extremely powerful crushing strokes with terrible ripping, tearing claws.

 
The Tiger is the balanced man and so does not desire something from the outside to make him complete. This is why Tigers do not, for instance, need to follow religions, join political groups or even clubs, etc., because they do not follow other men or have someone do the thinking for them. Self reliant is the Tiger nature. Additionally, a Tiger does not always realize other people are not like him, because he can see their abilities, and therefore is very disappointed with the failures of others.  

The young Tiger must sacrifice all that he holds dear. He must be able to cease taking joy out of doing everything himself in glory and personal achievement. He must let others do many things while he supplies the direction, silently and anonymously. He must allow his natural leadership to unfold and flourish. This is called the "Tiger jumping into the mouth of the Dragon". This relates to others. In relation solely to himself, it is said, the "Tiger must turn and behold his own fierce face". If a Tiger does not turn and goes too far, there will be disaster.

The Tiger is given so many blessings that his strengths can become his personal downfall. If his noble spirit and his capacity to love humanity is crippled by the creation of a Dark Ego, then it is that his talents and gifts are turned to selfish, destructive ends.

When a man reaches the Tiger spirit in himself, regardless of what animal he is, he is then capable of fighting with the spirit, and both understanding and feeling, of all the other animals too, for he is now ascended to a Dragon. He is a Master of the Animal System and a newborn Dragon on a quest.

The Eagle is as the Wind, from gentle breeze to Typhoon strength. He descends from the Sky, as it is his domain lair. The Sky is the region between the Heaven and the Earth, and he touches upon them both regularly. All the birds are naturally attracted to the Heavenly Realm (Spiritual), including besides Eagles, the Cranes, Herons, the Owls, etc.

The Eagle has a tall, proportionally built body, though he is not usually as tall as the White Crane. As with the Crane, the Eagle is dominated by his mind, his questing intellect, but the Eagle does also have emotions and he lives and feels with these emotions.

The Eagle is penetrating; physically with his talons, and mentally with his eyes. His eyes stare deep into the soul of his adversary, as he sees his foe naked of all his hidden defenses and deceptions. With his probing eyes he ignites what everyone fears most; to be truly exposed for what he is hiding deep inside himself. The Eagle is a type of truthsayer.

The Eagle exercises a hypnotic intimidation over his adversary through his piercing eyes. This is opposed to the hypnosis of the snake styles, especially the Black Cobra, which not only emanates from the eyes, but is closely associated with the rhythmic, captivating snake motion of the styles. People were being mesmerized long before science discovered hypnotism in the18th century. Eagle Masters are expert hypnotists.

The Eagle's mind is quite capable of overpowering the minds of lesser men. He is a leader of men, his mind like a knife's edge. The Eagle spirit is as a Tiger, but his body, while very strong, is not so massive as a Tiger. Because of his spirit the Eagle is known as the 'Tiger of the Sky', and to all animals except the Tiger himself, the Eagle spirit's power is an intimidating force to be reckoned with. The Eagle can defeat the Tiger, but he must not let his spirit have full rein, instead he must adhere to the parameters of his style. 

The Eagle's Art is the most scientific, he is the strategist of the animals. He likes to use maneuver, approach and confusing trickery to break up a position. The Eagle can be cruel, and as he fights he teases and irritates to provoke response. But the Eagle uses his knowledge always with true feeling. The Eagle rarely backs off even when dying.

The Eagle is famed and feared for his lightning speed, blinding eye, and tearing facial attacks. The Eagle knows intimately the anatomy of the upper body region. His formidable weapons are the Eagle Talon and the Eagle Claw. He can destroy not only the eye, but also the throat and brain, and readily attacks the glands of the throat and armpits. He is specially trained at ripping, lancing and wounding soft body areas. The Eagle is the famous expert at joint locks, breaks, and excruciating painful controls. His hands are very strongly developed to grab, hold and twist. He breaks the arm at the joints or dislocates.

What is the fastest animal? There has been a long and heated debate, over the passing decades in Chicago and possibly centuries in China, concerning this question. It is not yet settled, but the currently conceded consensus is that the Eagle is the fastest, and that the Mantis is the second fastest of the animals; in single strikes of the arm. However, the Mantis is beyond doubt the more accurate attacker at these extremely high speeds; sometimes apparently instantaneous to the naked, unaided eye. The Eagle sacrifices, it appears, some accuracy for the final quota of speed. The Eagle can miss on average about twenty percent of the time. The Mantis however is noted for only missing two or three percent of the time, and that is when he is attacking tiny points an eighth of an inch in diameter. This is not bad considering the Mantis is very close indeed to the full speed of the Eagle, yet has such greater pin point precision. The Eagle though has ample back-up power, and his weapons which can tear and damage the face or otherwise inflict harm. But the Mantis can fail completely when he misses the point, which we see he seldom does. Looked at another way, a Mantis will strike the eyeball with destructive force, 97 to 98 times, without fail, out of one hundred attempts!  The Mantis rivals even the Crane for unerring impacts.

Something of a loner, the Eagle can make few true friends, but when he does, he is forever their staunch supporter. The weakness of the Eagle personality can reside in an overdeveloped Ego. To counteract this the Eagle must bring his emotions to full strength and balance them.

The Panther is as the Lake, from joyous calm surface, to deep troubled depths. The Panther is the most playful of all the animals. Panthers will often toy with his adversary as he stalks him. But when aroused the Black Panther's emotion of combat is a controlled rage. Far beyond anger is rage. It is an emotion that is integrated into the very movements of this style.

The Black Panther has the body of the Leopard, but more powerfully built, and is not as fast as the leopard. His emotions are similar to the Leopard in intensity, but are much more balanced by his mind. The Panther possesses a cunning intellect and has loads of bravery. Black Panthers are relatives of the Leopard, but the Panthers spots cannot be seen, because his fur is as black as the spots.

The Panthers weapons are the Panther Head and Panther Fangs. He uses specialized kicks to attain his purpose, such as impacting the groin from difficult orientations. The Panther is an extremely mobile and violent fighter. Being a cat he stalks his opponent and is a ferocious ground fighter. The Panther uses stalking maneuvers to approach his foe at six to eight foot distances, and closes rapidly to deliver his hit. It can be said his range is eight feet at the charge, and on contact, surface to surface use of weapons. The Panther style is the closest animal to resembling wrestling. His take-downs and roll-offs are inspired. The Mantis never wrestles, If he hits the ground he is already dead, having failed in his style.

When confronting other animals the Panther will usually fight like a Tiger, for his spirit is a Tigers equal, though his body is not equal to the task of trading blow for blow with a full Tiger. To defeat the massive Tiger the Black Panther must keep to his own domain. He is the "Tiger of the Earth". He drops down towards the Earth and focuses his energy upon the lower body.

The Panther's attack realm are the legs and abdominal area, where his Tiger spirit flourishes. The Art of the Black Panther is the great emasculator. Once the Panther reaches the enemy in his charge, when he is allowed to get that far, he is most difficult to stop. The Panther can ruin a man for life. The groin region being heavily and automatically guarded by men, animal styles have many attacks to the groin, but the Black Panther has literally many hundreds.

Not alone the groin, the Panther will smash the ribs into sharp pieces. He will rupture the kidneys and attack the liver because they are high blood organs. The pubic bone, fleshy inside of the thighs, the bladder, are targets to be devastated by his developed hands. From the rear the spinalsacral-tailbone configuration is an incapacitating, takedown target. But any animal, though specialized, is not  exclusive. The Panthers fortified assault upon the groin, prompting an extreme defense of the region by the foe, could mean the Black Panther takes the now highly exposed eyes, and will blind the man instead.

The Panther likes heavy bludgeoning weaponry. Black Panther weapons are battle axes, and the still-head mace amongst others.

The Black Panther looks at an object and sees how the surroundings affect it. The Eagle in comparison, looks at the object and sees how it (the object) affects the surroundings. The Panther knows many things, but can also feel out a situation. The Black Panther needs to give full recognition to his intellect and yet balance it with his deep feelings.

The White Crane is as Fire, luminous and clinging. The Crane is tall and thin, and has an intellectually oriented personality. The White Crane is a great thinker. He is extremely intelligent in the book knowledge sense. He is the tactician of the animal system. Even a one on one fight, to him, is a planned sequence of moves and outcome. The Crane analyzes his enemy and delivers the appropriate method to destroy him. Sometimes this decision must be reached in a matter of mere seconds.

The White Crane lives in his head, whereas the Black Cobra lives in his groin. The Crane is far separated from his emotions. Emotions to him can be very frightening events. The Crane shuns deep feeling. Nevertheless, the Crane "thinks that he feels". Even when he is frightened he does not consciously feel. Instead, his brain, speeded up by anxiety, sends out confusing thoughts at extremely high rates. The White Crane likes things that enable him to "control" his thought. He likes things that sort out and make sense of things.

The sound of the White Crane is an unbreakable silence. No matter the pain, no matter the taunt, no matter the violence, his silence absorbs all things. The silence of the enlightened White Crane Master is so profound as to be deafening! To enter a room, where the Master has sat for hours alone in meditation, one can feel an atmospheric aura of his deep silence enveloping the space. The foe, in combat, can come to eventually 'hear' the silence of the Crane, and it can be then more terrifying than any wild war cry.

For the Leopard a fight is an extremely emotional experience, which he enjoys. The Crane being the least connected to his emotions can be referred to as the proverbial "cold blooded killer". Put another way he is a "fighting war machine". His decision to harm is chosen intellectually, out of a necessity of analyzed potentially lethal danger. The Crane proceeds with little emotional attachment to his actions. When it is over he will tell himself it was necessary for survival and detach further from his act. He may suffer psychosomatic bodily reactions to his justified actions, but he may not readily attach these symptoms to the mortal combat itself.

 

The White Crane will develop his legs until the muscles are as steel. The leg muscles are at least ten times more massive than the arm muscles. A weight lifters arm expanse can never match the leg. The style of the White Crane has been called, "The Art of Kicking". The White Crane can kill with his legs. He lances his enemy apart with his talon like legs. He snaps his foes own legs, breaks arms, shatters the spine, and crushes their chests. While his legs are massively devastating, his hands are fast as lightning, pin point accurate, hard as a rock (all the animals toughen their hands using Taoist training methods, associated with medicated external liniment application, and internal herbal elixirs).

The White Crane of Chi Tao is known as the "Single Strike Kill Art". The Crane is noted for finishing things in as few moves as possible. The Crane's Beak, a hand posture, when fully toughened, can break three bricks or more. It is a truly deadly weapon and is used with an uncanny precision striking accuracy. The Crane without fail always strikes specific vital points, either related to a natural physiological weakness of the body, or linked to the Chinese Energetic Theory of Chi associated with the Nei Ching. The White Crane Master is a master of Chinese Medical Theory and fluent in acupuncture points, meridians, flows, times of day, balance, etc. With this knowledge he can heal the sick, but also disable an opponent during a violent confrontation. The White Crane Master can further develop his skills, along these lines, into the high level Art of Tien Hsu He.

The White Crane is a stepping stone to the Spirit of Heaven. The emotions are connected to the Earth, but the mind (intellect), though at only the highest level, is with the Spirit, and is closely associated with Heaven. The Crane, unencumbered by the emotions, can more easily strive after the purity of the Spirit. This is sometimes called 'chasing the pearl', and applies to all Dragons. The White Crane is therefore the great meditationist. If the White Crane can stop thinking, then he is the most Zen of the animals. A 'perfect white crane' is a spiritual being. White Cranes possessing flight and being the Fire Element are always oriented towards the divine nature of reality. The Crane style has not only animal meditations within, but also spiritually developmental meditations, specific to the style; and separate from the Art of Chi Tao's non-martial, Taoist Alchemical Practices, T'ien Tao Meditation System and Taoist Yogic Studies, etc. Each animal style is complete and has everything necessary to nurture the nature of the individual associated with the style.

The Leopard is as Water, constantly altering it's mood from placid to storm fury. The Leopard's body can be lean to chunky, tall or short, but it is always muscular and fast. The Leopards ever changing bodily emotions dominate his actions, his life. He is not aware how much the energies in his body, his feelings and impulsiveness, dictate his behavior. It is said, "the Leopard feels that he thinks". People around the Leopard often can believe he is a thinker, because he seems to be a ball of fire getting things accomplished. The Leopard has a flashy, show-off fighting style. The great pugilist Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay), who appeared to have the massive body of a full blown Tiger, was in reality a Leopard, because of his un-tiger-like speed and his flamboyant, emotional character.

Leopards are charismatic personalities. Leopards are often natural born fighters. This is because they are dominated by the brain structure known as the cerebellum, which coordinates voluntary movements such as posture, balance, and coordination, resulting in smooth, balanced muscular activity. This strength is often the downfall of the Leopard. If a Leopard relies on this natural ability, a God given gift, therefore learning only moves without absorbing the in depth knowledge associated; then later in life, when age reduces and slows his reflexes, strength and endurance, his natural ability to fight effectively will dwindle rapidly with time.

The Leopard's Paw is a beautiful, streamlined weapon that can cut two bricks in half, and is ideal for rapid stabbing moves. The Leopard often goes for the throat with his paw, because he knows it will kill a man instantly, yet is a weapon that does not have to be as strong as the Tiger's or as accurate as the Cranes. He can also attack the face with a multitude of blindingly fast, raking maneuvers. The Leopard, as with all cats, is a profound and difficult opponent to deal with on the ground.

The Leopard call, halfway between a growl and a hiss, comes from his bag of tricks. It is a device used to deceive his foe into a wrong move, distract, cover-up a maneuver, or rarely to frighten, etc.

The Leopard, not overly aggressive, exercises a defensive quality, but with a dynamic, highly volatile spirit. He moves extremely rapidly. The Leopard is the fastest animal in overall body movement. But while he can usually hand strike up to three times faster than the other animals, yet the fastest individual arm strikes are clocked by the Eagle and Mantis, who can apparently attain seemingly instantaneous speeds in the mere fractions of seconds. The Tiger is three times more powerful than the Leopard, but the Leopard is faster and can generally strike the Tiger three times during the interval of a single Tiger attack.

While the Tiger will fight out of sheer spirit because he must, and often against many opponents; and the Black Cobra will wait for hours in an alley to wreck vengeance on a hated enemy; the Leopard in his turn likes competition, the thrill of the crowd watching as he demonstrates his skill to impress the many. For this reason the Leopard has been called the "Gladiator of the Animal System".

Because of this gladiatorial attitude, there is often a lot of superficial moves in the Leopard, as his natural ability does not require in depth learning. Instead he is attracted to flashing movement, that he feels will make him appear impressive to the watching crowd. The Leopard is more concerned if the crowd observing the fight thinks he won than anything else. His philosophy feels that fighting is primarily won through trickery, deception and spectacular techniques. The Leopard would rather win a game of chess through psychological pressure then by intellectual struggle.

The Leopard walks a fine line in his fights, between real combat and public exhibitions. This is often his downfall, for if he goes too far in his showmanship he will certainly be defeated! In combative fighting defeat can have serious consequences. Martial arts such as Karate, Boxing, Judo, etc., reach the Leopard stage when they break from the reality of fighting and become sports protected by "rules". The Leopard sometimes just cannot help himself, but other martial arts have consciously chosen to break with tradition, and reality, in order to become sports. The Green Dragon Society does not look down on or disrespect any sports, but they have no place in street fighting, under potentially lethal circumstances. Street fighting does not mean two bad guys going at it, necessarily. It means you, being attacked by a drug crazed maniac, for instance.

Everyone is one of the Animal System personality models, it doesn't matter whether they are aware of it our not. No matter what martial arts people may practice, those who compete in MMA are often Leopards by nature, as determined by criteria delineated on this page. Additionally, the Tiger-like personalities gravitate to MMA also to compete, but for them, it is a matter of the spirit, though anyone can become intoxicated on exhibition.

In today's popular Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) world, it is only some of the Leopards studying our Animal System, who are intrigued and drawn to the phenomena of MMA. Their gladiatorial, exhibitionist impulses are too strong and need an outlet, but there must be a crowd around to draw energy from. The dark, empty alley of the Cobra, at 3am in the morning, is not for Leopard tastes. Those who study Chi Tao and do MMA keep their study with the Green Dragon Society confidential. There are few who do so, but all are inevitably Leopards.

Final word on this subject. The Green Dragon Society was doing what we called the "Blood Matches" from the 1960s and beyond. Long before MMA came into existence, the Green Dragon Society was doing MMA "on steroids", without any protective equipment whatsoever and really no rules. It was all out fighting. It was to bring out the Animal Spirits. Despite the intense violence, few major injuries ever occurred, because the fighters were protected by the Animal Spirits themselves. Never-the-less, they were called 'blood matches' for a very real and quite visible reason.

Green Dragon Society - Black Cobra Hall (inner chamber)
 Painted section from the 'Fighters Circle' . . . circa late 1960s

This then, is the most unique aspect of our animal system, the Hun & Po, the ancient animal spirits defined in T'iao Ho Ch'uan Tao.
Through the still secret meditations, the fighter becomes the animal itself; acquiring it's powers and attributes, which transmits the animal senses, cunning, speed, strength, attitude, endurance to the fighter. The animal spirit can be killed, but never defeated!

There were only two understandings in the blood matches: 1) You begin when told to do so. 2) You stop immediately when told to do so.
Anyone so deeply immersed in their Animating Spirit as to be oblivious to verbal commands was struck swiftly across the back with bamboo staffs by the guards, until more normal consciousness returned to them. It was also the task of the guards to keep the fighters within the perimeter of the designated circle of combat. At least one Master, usually many, supervised this activity. Sometimes, though not usually, it was a competition event for medals and possibly rank promotions. But there was NEVER any public allowed, it was strictly within the confines of the organization. What happened in the Society stayed in it.

The Mantis is Stillness, the Mountain. The Mantis holds the ground as a deep rooted mountain. Any animal, even a Tiger who tries to move a Preying Mantis is well aware he must approach within the range of the Preying Mantis's hands, a dangerous thing to do, as Mantis hands are the most developed of all the animals for ripping, tearing, grabbing and squeezing, lancing open, mutilating, blinding and maiming. The Mantis Master toughens his hands to a fantastic degree, as he toughens his hands the longest of all the animals.  Each finger trained as a penetrating weapon. The Tiger toughens the most, but the Preying Mantis toughens his hands intricately and delicately. The Mantis loves the Poison Needle hand posture, the index finger capable of penetration into the throat in a blindingly fast strike. Imagine if it strikes the eyeball! Often the penetration in that case is to the brain. It is further used to strike death points and kill instantly.

The Northern Chinese hand toughening method utilized by the Animal System is designed to slowly alter the bone structure of the hand into a steel-like hardness, without losing the sensitivity of the hands, their flexibility or dexterity. The strength of the forearms in the Preying Mantis is legendary. The Mantis Master's physique is by no means large, so he must develop his hand weapons beyond imagination. Like the White Crane, the Mantis has an almost  encyclopedic knowledge of physiology and acupuncture meridian body geography. For instance, instead of seriously hurting the man, the Preying Mantis can use points in the forearm to drain the opponents energy and make him weak. Actually any animal can do this or other less than lethal applications, if the situation does not warrant deadly force. 

Like the White Crane, the Mantis is a silent, patient fighter. But the Preying Mantis is noted for possessing the greatest patience of all the animals. Once he chooses his waiting place he will remain there and not hardly move until his enemy approaches closely. In combat the enemy comes to him. The Mantis cannot be drawn out of his ready patience. The Mantis is as a mountain, it does not come to you. When he finally moves and strikes, you may never see it, you may never even know it, it is just that fast.

If a person wants to study fighting aspects such as the 'compression of Chi' or how to fight in confined spaces or under unusual conditions, the Mantis is the style to learn these, and other specialties.

The first type of person to study the Preying Mantis is the natural born Mantis, developed by nature from the womb. This person is tall and lean. He is dominated by the mind. His intellect, his thoughts, are brilliant. His spirit is of the earth, it is the mountain. Earth bound lower feelings ensnare and snake from within him. Because of this, the Preying Mantis automatically seeks to inflict the most and long lasting damage and pain on an attacker. Although the injury can be at one or several locations, they are all very small areas afflicted. The Preying Mantis, like the Cobra, has a streak of sadism. This is the earth elemental influences.

The second type of person for the Preying Mantis style is where the style can be used as the 'outline' for developing a customized Mantis style, specific to a particular individual, afflicted from birth by a physical deformity or obstruction. Often under these circumstances the regular Mantis style is insufficient to cope with the physical differences and weaknesses, and so a Mantis Master must use his skill to alter the style into the correct alternatives. Also, people crippled or maimed later in life will need a customized style drawn from Mantis blueprints so to speak. A one armed man can alternatively study the White Tiger Style. Not necessarily a 'Tiger' style, it is designed fighting for a one armed man, or a man with one eye.

This second type of Mantis person can be any of the animal personalities, especially when the affliction determining him a Mantis, came well after birth and childhood. For instance, a full Tiger, after an accident resulting in becoming a paraplegic, would study an adapted form of Mantis, in order to fight from the wheel chair, and on the ground if necessary. Not only the physical characteristics, but most importantly the Spirit of the man, and his emotional and mental aspects must be carefully considered.

The Preying Mantis must detach from the confusion of his earth feelings, such as suspicion and retaliation, and instead emulate the White Crane by seeking out the higher emotions; through the cultivation of his own spiritual light.

Feral Pig

The Boar is Arousing Thunder. The feral, frenzied charge of the rabid Boar; rib breaking gouging tusks, testicle crushing impacts. Each animal is an expert at utilizing unique specialties. If a practitioner wants to study certain aspects of fighting they can study the animal style with that specific skill. For instance, the Boar fights, more often than most, with his back turned toward the opponent. A rather unusual aspect of mortal combat, which the Boar makes into his own advantage. As another example, the Boar Style is also the "Art of the use of the thumbs in combat". The advanced Boar practitioner breaks bricks with his thumbs. When else might you study Boar techniques? When you want to learn how to react to suddenly, unexpectedly being grabbed or otherwise attacked from the rear, for instance.

The Wild Boar is a stocky individual, who like the Leopard is governed by the overwhelming nature of his emotions. Unfortunately, his feelings are drawn from the dark Yin of the Earth, which lower emotions are most associated with the Snake styles.

Holding tight defensive stances, he has speed, but his flurry like techniques are not done for skill or fighting, so much as for inflicting disabling pain. His thumbs gouge for eyes and maul vital points.

A unique peculiarity of the Boar is he loves to draw the opponent to attack him from the rear. It is partially psychological for him. He has fear and so turns to alleviate the fright, but he can fight as well to the rear as the ordinary man can fight forward. It certainly has fooled many of his enemies in the past. He wins more fighting to his rear than fighting forward.

The Boar has a nasty personality. The Boar feels that he is the ultimate. Even his teacher he does not admire. But the Master, to the Boar, is the only individual the Boar feels he does not have to execrate. Both the Boar and Mantis must replace emotions of defensiveness, suspicion and retaliation with good positive feelings, and also learn new and productive habits.

The Boar is a rare animal style in today's civilization. Possibly, three per twenty year span may appear. Perhaps in a distant past this was different. Today, few people matching the indications ever apply for study. This does not mean that Boar personalities are unlikely to desire to study this Art. It means few of them are actually created naturally, in the world, at this time. Out about their everyday affairs Green Dragon members spot the animals, for ease of interaction, and few Boars exist.

Macrocosmically, the prevalence of any of the eight personality animal types (also, especially sub-styles), within human society, at a given period historically, is on a direct relationship to the dynamics of the environment, culture, customs, religion, technology, and so on, extant at that time. The cultural 'form of mind' is an all important factor. Traditional beliefs are central to development of the psyche.
On the microcosmic level, each family unit is like a natural petri dish, having certain nurturing factors, and on the other hand some detrimental elements. These can be things such as the family is 'open' or 'closed' to the expression of feelings, or a parent is an alcoholic, the possibilities: ad infinitum. A genetically unique individual is born into the family and must cope with the family unit. How this person copes, what resources within he draws from, sets the stage for the development of the animal personality type.

It is not just the environment alone which makes a person a specific animal style (personality type), such as a Snake or a Crane. Though there is a genetic predisposition to incline towards certain physio-emotional patterns, yet free will in choosing 'how' to feel and relate is within each new child. The newborn is of the original nature as unstamped potentialities, and it is then these decisions how to interact from inside, which are the initialing formation of the complex referred to as "personality".

In conclusion, when determining a person's animal, physical size and many other characteristics is often a good guide in some ways, but the REAL Spiritual state is, in the final analysis, the only criterion upon which a Master judges an Animal Spirit. For instance, a very small statured man might have the full blown Spirit of a Tiger, and that changes his animal. It doesn't make him a Tiger, but it puts him into a different animal category despite his size. Further, there are snakes with a Tiger's body, but their snake spirit cannot be Black Cobra. Therefore, there is a substyle called 'White Python' designed for that personality. The White Python is the "Tiger of the Snakes", but it is the Black Cobra, which is "King".

While not specifically knowing our eight animal system of Chi Tao, but generally, this knowledge is somewhat known to modern psychology, especially Jungian, which understands the subconscious, and archetypes such as Hun and Po. Nevertheless, this is relatively recently discovered information by Western science, whereas the Northern Chinese shamans and mystics knew of these relationships and psychophysiological archetypes many thousands of years ago, based upon the incredibly advanced knowledge in the trigrams formed into the "World of Personality".

   

       

The Black Cobra is known historically as the "Deadliest of the Eight Animals"
This is because the Cobra is the most sadistic fighter and inflicts enormous, unnecessary, nonlethal pain.
Thereby the style is greatly feared and considered highly dangerous.

 
The Power of the Earth, the Yin "Mother of all Things". The Black Cobra Style is the Earth itself. The Cobra's energy is drawn from the Earth and transferred devastatingly to the foe. The Cobra's body, like the Earth, can absorb great force without harm. The Earth has infinite endurance over time and the Black Cobra Master possesses the longest lasting physical endurance of any animal style, including the Tiger, who's great strength is used mightily, but often wanes quickly (it does not usually take the Tiger long to destroy his opponent). The Black Cobra's tremendous, superior endurance, out lasts the strength of everyone except perhaps another Cobra.

The Black Cobra of Chi Tao fights extremely defensively. His weapons are the Cobra Fangs and the Dragon Tail. His attacks are blinding and he uses many controlling maneuvers. The Black Cobra likes to expose his back while fighting the enemy, but for the trained Cobra this is not a disadvantage. The Cobra has the deepest stances of all the animals, closest to it's source, the Earth. The Cobra is of course a powerful, deadly ground fighter.

The Black Cobra can be conceived as the opposite of the Tiger. In it's own sphere, the Cobra can be sometimes almost equally powerful with the Tiger, but in exact opposite behaviors; as example, because different sets of muscles are used to push an object, as opposed to pulling and drawing it in.

The Black Cobra rarely commits himself fully, preferring to lure his attacker to his doom. The Tiger commits his whole being, whereas the Black Cobra uses only the minimum part. The Tiger strikes to kill, whereas the Cobra strikes to blind and mutilate and inflict paralyzing pain.

 

The Black Cobra is the 'Master of Pain', both the infliction of tremendous pain on an opponent and the control of his own personal pain by whatever cause; be it physical, mental or spiritual pain. The Cobra is the most cowardly of the animals, yet has no fear of pain. The Cobra enjoys unleashing pain. It overcomes his massive fear. Matches between two snakes are contests of escalating pain. A Cobra is not so apt to finish an opponent as some animals, but the foe suffers accordingly.

The fighting emotion of the Black Cobra is hatred, which he combines with his game of pain. To overcome his otherwise paralyzing fear, the Cobra must inflict pain on his enemies. Once in control, the Black Cobra is known to become a sadistic punisher of his foe. Many believe the cowardice of the Black Cobra to be a myth, because the Cobra invariably carries the air of being tough, competent, unafraid and aggressive. This is an example of what the Eagle strives to uncover and draw out, as he stares so deeply, hypnotically, into the soul of  his opponent; the real underlying truth hidden from the world.

The Black Cobra is the perfect complement of his attackers movement. He does not oppose, yet inflicts. The Cobra does not desire to be the Ruler. It is not his place to lead. His place is as the Minister at the ruler's side, the second in command. If the Cobra keeps to his appointed position he will succeed and thrive.

Cobras live mostly in their body and tend to follow easily their baser emotions and drives. They are very sexual, sensual beings and it is said their mind is in their groin. This is their solace and pleasure in life, close to the Earth, never far from the generative force.

Being of the earth, the Black Cobra has access to the mysterious forces constantly in motion within the subconscious mind; more so than any other animal. This is a natural source of great power for the Cobra. By comparison, the Tiger is flooded with a more crystal clear, conscious reality. Neither aspect of the mind is considered superior to the other, only different and opposites.

Some other powers and attributes of the Black Cobra style includes an amazing blood circulation control. There is his "Hiss" as he fights (to numb his body and focus attention on only the target), and the Cobra is recognized as the most adept of all the animals in the cultivation and storage of Chi generally, and more specifically spiraled Fah Jing or as it is called 'weaponized Chi'.

The Cobra has a powerfully muscular body, a fine physique. He takes pleasure in physical movement and action. He loves music and dance, body contact sports such as wrestling, and work that involves physical labor and movement. The Cobra is the backbone of society and represents probably sixty five percent of the overall general population. When not in combat mode Black Cobras can be sensitive feeling people and loyal friends. To progress spiritually, the Snake has to gain both his emotions and his intellect, which is very difficult, involving much pain and suffering. But the Snake can do it, for Heaven gave him a strong body, with endurance, and the capacity to struggle.

It is the Black Cobra who awakens the Kundalini Energy, as taught in the ancient Eastern doctrines. The Kundalini is not referred to as the "Serpent Power" without profound reason. The snake motion stimulates and thereby 'Awakens' the dormant, sleeping, dreaming, Kundalini. Snake meditations first prepare the way for the body and mind to integrate the enormous power of the Primal Energy rising from Earth to Heaven; from the base of the spine to the pinnacle of the skull, as it transits the Great Triad: Earth, Man and Heaven.

The Dragon is composed of the eight animals combined with the Spirit of Heaven. The Snake is the tail of the Dragon, which because of the serpentine structure of the Dragon, the Snake can be referred to as the elemental ingredient of the Dragon body. The Dragon must be evoked. It is indeed the tail of the Dragon (the Snake), which begins to sway the Dragon, or in other terminology "Entice" the Dragon from his sleep; originating from the seat of the Kundalini, the Serpent Power.  
 

Whips - The Preferred Weapon of all Snake Styles

The warring snake styles in China, during the 'Time of the Wars' in Minhow and Foochow, fought duels of intense pain using whips
The Snake Societies disciples ripped each other into fragments, tearing out ribbons of flesh, some contests lasted the entire morning or afternoon
Snake mastery of blood control, allowed them to diminish blood loss, so as to retain strength and stave off shock and unconsciousness
Many people in China were terrified of the Snake Schools of Fighting

The whips were used as hunting weapons against large cats, as they can lace open the back of a leopard, or for that matter rip the hide off an ox. Whips were used to fight off wolf packs in Northern regions of China and to viciously fight against traveling gangs of bandit outlaws on isolated roads. These maiming whips are used to flick and stab, but can be swirled and snapped to draw flesh. It is usually a weighted weapon, designed to kill with one stroke, used from either end. Cobra whips have many varied designs utilizing steel wire, braided cord, animal guts, rawhide, rope, silk, wood, etc, no two were ever exactly alike. Even the backlash from these whips will mutilate. Each are unique, they are designed to be dangerous to the user, unless he 'knows' the secrets of the particular weapon.

East Indian Snake Charmers . . . circa 1890s

The Eight Animals combine with Heaven to create a Dragon
The Dragon is eventually consumed by it's own Internal Fire
The Phoenix then arises from the ashes of the dead Dragon

Above the Animal System are the Dragon Systems
(reflecting higher knowledge of the Heaven & Earth teachings)
The Green Dragon Society is currently teaching eight Classical Dragon Forms
These forms average 350 or more moves, the longest at just over 1200

Above the Dragon Systems is the Silver Phoenix Art
The Green Dragon Society further teaches an elemental "Five Dragon Philosophy"
(representing the Internal Taoist Doctrines)

 

 

 

 
 

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