New Comic Character Who Is a Martial Arts Expert in a Wheelchair
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This commodity contains some minor spoilers for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings .
In the pages of Curiosity Comics, Shang-Chi is known as the "Master of Kung Fu." And so when Marvel Studios appear the grapheme to help usher in MCU Stage four, the one thought on every fan's mind was that whoever gets bandage in the pb office amend really know Kung Fu.
In the wake of Netflix'due south Iron Fist , Marvel's other Kung Fu master, there was a lot of skepticism. Marvel had scored with the previous Netflix series Daredevil , which delivered some of the best small screen fight choreography nosotros'd ever seen. Just Iron Fist was sorely defective. Finn Jones just couldn't sell a dial every bit Danny Rand, leaving fans of Marvel martial arts masters overwhelmingly disappointed. If there's one thing that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings had to nail, information technology was the Kung Fu.
Like Jones, Simu Liu had little martial arts feel earlier taking on the office of Shang-Chi. Withal, he already had the physique, and so much so that appearing shirtless was a running joke when he played Jung in Kim's Convenience . What's more than, Liu bulked upwards, added ten more pounds of muscle while training for the film.
Unlike a grapheme like Daredevil, Shang-Chi doesn't wear a mask, so Liu had to quickly pick up enough cinematic Kung Fu to appear masterful on screen. Fortunately, he was backed by a top-notch squad of stuntmen and surrounded with a cast of veteran movie fighters including Michelle Yeoh ( Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon , Star Trek: Discovery ), Tony Leung ( Hero , The Grandmaster ), Yuen Wah ( Kung Fu Hustle ), Florian Munteanu ( Creed 2 ), Andy Le ( The Paper Tigers ), and others. Even though Liu was new to Kung Fu, he carries the activeness scenes with panache.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the X Rings is not just a practiced Curiosity picture, it'southward a proficient Kung Fu motion-picture show. Information technology has the best fight scenes seen in the MCU then far. And although the movie doesn't get bogged downward in the specifics of Kung Fu fashion, there are telling nods throughout the moving picture that shows the filmmakers knew their Kung Fu too. "We knew the martial arts had to exist authentic," says Director Destin Daniel Cretton. "In order for that to feel real, we worked with people who understood Chinese Kung Fu."
Allow's take a look at some of the Kung Fu roots and martial arts Easter Eggs underlying Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsdone.
The X Rings are Real…Kind of
Wenwu (Tony Leung) is the villain of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings , and he wields ten magical rings that he wears on his forearms. These are the source of his power, too as the name of his criminal organization. The origin of these rings is a prevailing mystery in the pic; however, their inspiration is not.
Traditional Kung Fu practitioners use rings alike to these while preparation, particularly in Southern Chinese styles. Such rings are called tit waan in Cantonese, which literally means "iron rings" or "iron bracelets." Fe rings are constructed of heavy metal, typically contumely or steel, and are worn loosely on the forearms when practicing solo forms and doing arm drills.
They serve two purposes. Firstly, they are heavy, usually weighing over a pound a piece, so they act like wrist weights. Secondly, unlike Wenwu's magical rings which adapt to fit his forearms perfectly, real atomic number 26 rings are looser. They must be narrow enough so that they stay on when the practitioner makes a fist, but they are far from course fitting. This gives them play to bang against the practitioner's forearms when they are shadowboxing. The banging weather condition the user's forearms, hardening them to withstand the impact of blocking. Some fe ring practitioners have forearms that are so tough they tin severely damage an adversary's dial with their ring-hardened blocks.
Although iron rings are not conventionally considered every bit weapons, Kung Fu practitioners take figured out ways to weaponize only about everything. Some wield iron rings similar brass duke, holding them in their fists for punching.
Kung Fu Hustle
Weaponized iron rings are used in the 2004 comedy Kung Fu Hustle . The character Tailor (Chiu Chi Ling) fights with them. Chiu is a genuine primary of Hung Ga Kung Fu, a southern style that uses iron band training extensively.
Director Destin Daniel Cretton claims that Kung Fu Hustle is i of his favorite martial arts movies then at that place are other nods to it in Shang-Chi and the Fable of the X Rings , including when a Kung Fu Hustle poster can be seen on a chamber wall in the groundwork. What's more, Yuen Wah also appears as the warrior leader of Ta Lo who oversees Katy's (Awkwafina) archery training. Yuen played the Landlord in Kung Fu Hustle and is a veteran martial arts actor with nearly 200 picture show credits. He is also the Kung Fu brother of Jackie Chan.
Yuen Qiu, who plays the Landlady in Kung Fu Hustle is a mutual Kung Fu sibling. Jackie, Yuen Wah and Yuen Qiu were all pupils of Yu Jim-Yuen, a primary of Chinese opera who trained them all from childhood. They all took stage names that included the "Yuen" office of their master'southward name (Jackie Chan was known as Yuen Lau as a kid). Others amongst that troupe were many of the movers and shakers of Hong Kong's gold age of Kung Fu films, such as Sammo Hung (a.m.a. Yuen Lung) and famed activity choreographer, Yuen Woo-Ping ( The Matrix , Crouching Tiger Subconscious Dragon , Impale Beak ).
Tiger Head Hooks
The signature weapons of the Ten Rings are Tiger Caput Hooks. These are those blackness glowing hooked swords that the gang members wield. They also appear on the 10 Rings banner. Information technology's an first-class choice because Tiger Head Hooks are 1 of the near distinctively Kung Fu weapons of all.
In Chinese, these are called Hu tou shuang gou, which literally ways "Tiger head paired hooks." "Paired" considering they are typically used in pairs. Sometimes they are only translated equally Claw Swords. They have a sword bract with a hooked tip, a crescent-shaped blade for a knuckle guard, and a dagger blade for a pommel. Every edge is sharp. The only place they are not abrupt is the handle. This makes them very hard to wield. Consequently, Tiger Hooks are considered an advanced Kung Fu weapon.
The reference book Ancient Chinese Weapons by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming dates Tiger Caput hooks back to China's Spring Autumn Menstruation (771-476 BCE), yet those ancient hooks likely took on a different form. The modern style of Tiger Caput hooks as seen in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the X Rings rose to prominence around the 1800s. They are yet good today, more often than not by Northern schools of Kung Fu.
What Manner of Kung Fu Does Shang-Chi Practice?
Kung Fu is renowned for its various collection of styles like Shaolin, Wing Chun, Tiger manner, and countless others. There's even Drunken style and Toad style. In the movie, Shang-Chi doesn't adopt a particular style of Kung Fu. Some of his moves have characteristics of Wing Chun or Bajiquan, only there's nothing in the choreography to indicate a very specific style.
Avatar: The Final Airbender
The warriors of Ta Lo are different. While their style is not explicit, their peacekeeping philosophy is expressed through the soft, internal styles of Kung Fu similar Tai Chi. When Ying Nan (Michelle Yeoh) schools Shang-Chi in their starting time match, it'southward reminiscent of how airbending is depicted in Avatar: The Last Airbender .
Yet, the connectedness is deeper than that. Despite its fantasy elements, Avatar based its martial arts sequences on accurate Kung Fu by mo-capping Sifu Kisu, a renowned martial arts master. Kisu designated specific styles for each schoolhouse of bending. Airbending was based upon an internal way of Kung Fu known equally Baguazhang, or 8 Diagram Palm. Like Tai Chi, it has a soft expression. It relies on circular movements and pivoting evasions. Several of Yeoh's techniques are plucked straight out of Baguazhang.
The Masters Backside Shang-Chi'southward Martial Arts
Credit for Shang-Chi'south Kung Fu authenticity falls on the film'southward summit notch stunt squad. Two are leading graduates of the legendary Jackie Chan Stunt Team. The fight on the hello-rise scaffolding is a homage to Jackie'south parkour-inspiring choreography. Andy Cheng worked on effectually one-half a dozen of Jackie'south films including his offset two Rush Hour films, Shanghai Noon , The Tuxedo , and Who Am I? where Jackie does one of his all-fourth dimension greatest stunts, sliding down the Willemswerf skyscraper in Rotterdam. He was besides the action manager for Into the Badlands . When Jackie inevitably stepped back from doing his own stunts, Cheng stepped in for him.
"We were very concerned [about Kung Fu] from the very beginning," says Cretton. "Marvel was also concerned and wanted to get information technology right. [They] knew that Marvel fans, wouldn't take let it slide if we did a Hollywood version of a whitewashed Kung Fu movie. To be able to, nosotros brought in Brad Allan." Brad Allan was the outset non-Asian to brand Jackie's stunt team. He also worked on around a dozen of Jackie's films (this is approximate considering stunt work wasn't always credited).
Who Was Brad Allan?
You lot tin't miss the credits in whatever MCU film. In Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings , in that location's a prominent dedication to Allan at the very end. Tragically, on August 7th, 2021, Brad Allan died unexpectantly at the early age of 48, sending the martial arts world reeling from the loss of i of its brightest stars. Across Shang-Chi , Allan leaves behind an exemplary legacy of activity films where he served as the Second Unit Manager including Scott Pilgrim vs. the World , Cuban Fury , Solo: A Star Wars Story , and the Kingsman trilogy.
Allan was obsessed with the martial arts from childhood and rose to compete internationally in Wushu, representing Australia where he was born and raised. Through a chance meet, he was able to demonstrate his skills to Jackie, and Jackie liked what he saw so much that he took Allan under his fly.
In 1999, Allan played Alan, the villain in Jackie's picture Gorgeous , which coincidentally also stars Tony Leung. With Allan clad in blackness and Jackie in white, their finale fight is, well, it's gorgeous. Information technology'due south two of the greatest masters of the craft delivering peak notch fight choreography. Allan spent most of his career modestly behind the scenes, so Gorgeous is the outstanding example of his speed and agility. Information technology'due south heartbreaking that Allan didn't get to run into the premiere of Shang-Chi and the Fable of the Ten Rings .
Allan'southward final piece of work will be seen in The King's Man later on this year.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings is now playing in theaters.
Source: https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/real-martial-arts-behind-shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings/
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