鹰爪翻子门
Shifu Julian Dale took 12 students from the Eagle Claw Kung Fu School UK to the founding village Gu Zhuangto of the Eagle Claw system in Hebei Province China to spend time with and train with his teacher Master Chen Jun Xin 祖庭鷹爪翻子門掌門人 陳俊新 来自中国河北省雄县 古庄头村 鹰爪翻子门（祖庭）.
The area in Xiong xian is experiencing rapid urban development and the old village is slowly being replaced and demolished to make way for new infrastructure. Undertaking this trip was essential to conduct historical research on some of the old buildings and places before they are lost to time .
Upon arrival of the UK Team the head of our family Master Chen Junxin and his wife (Shitai) Meng Xianghui warmly welcomed everyone from the UK, for what was to be a very busy and active trip.
Many activities were arranged:
- * Welcome Party Event with performances and demonstrations by many local groups also including members of the Eagle Claw group from the UK
- * Visiting important ancestral sites within the Eagle Claw Family – Houses of all the past Masters and family inheritors, memorial grave sites, old temples
- * Training and learning Eagle Claw from the Head of our Family Master Chen Junxin, focussing on two man routines and applications
Welcome party event and demonstrations in Gu Zhuang to , Xiongxian, Hebei PRC
During our time in Xiong xian the UK group also visited many friends of Master Chen Junxin, where they were able enjoy to personalised calligraphy gifts and paintings, meet and experience some learning of Ba Gau Zhang, Ba Gua Do (Big Sword) & Shuai Jiao at the Kexing Taiji and Traditional Martial arts Centre.
This trip to China was important in many ways, significant for students of the UK school to visit their Shifu’s Teacher Master Chen Junxin and the ancestral village where their Shifu has been visiting and training for many years (since 2007). To discuss future plans and developments of collaborative working to help bring the Inheritence of the Zuting Ying Zhao Fan Tzi Quan of Gu Zhuangto out and to a wider audience through the teaching of ancestral inheritor Chen Junxin who is the Zhang Men ren of the Eagle Claw system from Gu Zhuangto and his disciple in the UK and Europe Julian Dale Shifu .
To learn and know the in door methods of the ancestral eagle claw system, family history, to connect with the ancestral line and family, passing on the family medicine skills, bone setting and healing.
Students learning two man Eagle Claw applications
Over time there is a firm commitment to bring out the knowledge and skills of the old system direct from the source including the medicinal skills of our family directly inherited by the ancestral past teachers.
We have conducted further research into the house and locations of Liu Shijun, Liu Ching Yo, Liu Qi Wen, Liu Zhi xiang, Liu Shu Yan, Li Bao Ying & Li Bao Han (Brothers) . Traced the site of the temple where Liu ShiJun learned the Yue Shi San shou methods setting the foundation for the Ying Zhao Fan Tzi Quan system as we know it today.
The ancestral houses in Xiongxian
Liu shijuns house in Xiongxian
The remains of the Temple where Liu shijun learned the Yue Shi San Shou in Tianjin
Quote by Shifu Dale “ To return home and spend time with my Shifu at Gu Zhuang to where I have spent many hours learning and training, was in many ways bitter sweet for me. To see everything change so much and the future redevelopment that is occurring, the ancestral home will no longer be there in the future, however the skill, knowledge and history of our family is safe within my Shifu Chen Junxins hands and being openly passed down to us . Bringing my students to stand on the earth of the ancestors as I have done many times creates a profound experience to all, something changes within, you change from just walking the path to becoming the path itself”.
The trip to China was over 20 days, covered 20,000km of travel including other cities and places, which we will bring further news in follow up articles.