Snake Fist Northern School Secret Techniques

Author: Gao Xiang, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: After being recommended by many, I was fortunate enough to meet the snake fist master Wan Qiming. In September 1999, Master Wan finally agreed to meet me and demonstrated the hidden, family-exclusive snake fist passed down through generations. His unique skills left me amazed and speechless. At that time, Master Wan was seventy-nine years old, though advanced in age, his soft and hard qigong were still formidable—his fingers could pierce boards, his feet could break bricks, he could split his legs wide open, and moved like a young man. His movements and strikes were as fast as lightning. Initially intending to learn the techniques, I developed a strong desire to become his disciple. Knowing I had a solid foundation in martial arts, Master Wan, who had no intention of taking disciples, couldn’t resist my earnest plea.
Master Wan inherited his family’s tradition, dedicating his life to martial arts and specializing in the snake fist, achieving profound mastery. However, due to certain reasons, he remained unmarried and had no children or descendants. His strong conservatism stemmed from the ancestral principle of "transmitting to sons, not daughters; never allowing the art to be lost or spread carelessly." Therefore, Master Wan told me: "You are my only student in this lifetime, and the only non-family inheritor of the Wan family snake fist. However, as long as I am alive, the snake fist remains the property of the Wan family according to tradition. It can only be transmitted to outsiders after my passing." Following Master Wan’s wishes, two years after his passing, I finally made this secret art public.
As everyone knows, the south has many snakes, and in the context of xiangxingquan (image-boxing), the southern schools emphasize snake fist styles. The Wan family snake fist, however, is a rare northern school heavy technique. The northern school focuses on heavy qigong, and the Wan family snake fist prioritizes solid skills. Without pure technique, one may only have an external form. Whether soft or hard, the skills must be strong enough to handle formidable opponents.
Once, Master Wan engaged in a fight and saw his opponent pressing too hard. Annoyed, he intended to use the snake tongue palm to strike the opponent’s eyes but feared injuring him. At the last moment, he changed his mind and used a knife-hand to slash the opponent’s neck, eventually knocking him unconscious, narrowly avoiding disaster. Therefore, Master Wan repeatedly warned me not to lightly use the snake techniques once mastered. I have passed this on to my students: do not resort to force unless absolutely necessary.