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"Siu Nim Tao"

Special Insert: Complete Count of the Movements Contained in the First Set

Section 1: 4 movements

  1. Cross hands down
  2. Cross hands up
  3. Separate hands
  4. Bring them back

Section 2: 6 movements

  1. Left punch
  2. Circling hand
  3. Bring hand back
Repeat on the right

Section 3: 40 movements

  1. Palm up hand out
  2. Circling hand
  3. Guard hand back
Repeat 3 times the next 4 movements
  1. Bridge hand
  2. Bridge hand out
  3. Circling hand
  4. Guarding hand back
  1. Slap to shoulder
  2. Center the hand
  3. Center palm hit
  4. Circling hand
  5. Bring hand back

Section 4: 13 Movements

  1. Left pressing hand
  2. Right pressing hand
  3. Double press behind
  4. Double front press
  5. Double bar hand
  6. Double chop to side
  7. Double bar hand
  8. Double sinking hand
  9. Double jerking hand
  10. Double poking hand
  11. Double pressing hand
  12. Double lifting hand
  13. Double hand back

Section 5: 10 movements

  1. Left outward slap
  2. Left palm up hand
  3. Palm up neck hit
  4. Circling hand
  5. Bring hand back
Repeat on the right

Section 6: 14 movements

  1. Left palm out
  2. Sink the hand
  3. Palm up hand
  4. Circling hand
  5. Low palm strike
  6. Circling hand
  7. Bring hand back
Repeat on the right

Section 7: 10 movements

  1. Left wing hand
  2. Left palm up hand
  3. Left uplifting hand
  4. Left circling hand
  5. Bring hand back
Repeat on the right

Section 8: 11 movements

  1. Left hand down
  2. Right hand down
  3. Left hand down
  4. Right hand down
  5. Left punch
  6. Right punch
  7. Left punch
  8. Right punch
  9. Left punch/right pulls back
  10. Left circling hand
  11. Bring hand back

If you total the movements from this early version of the "Siu Nim Tao", you will find that the count is 108 movements. Most versions of the "Siu Nim Tao" deviate little from this form. The deviations we have seen are not significant since the essence of the form was still retained. Thanks to master Wang Kiu (now in Holland) for providing this count. Any mistakes are mine.

Note: July 1995

The eight sections of the first form are usually grouped into three conceptual parts. Part 1 consists of sections 1, 2 and 3. This part is sort of the Chi Kung, power development training. Part 2 consists of the 13 movements in section 4 of the form. It is sometimes described as using that power. For example the double Fak sau, the double Gum sau, the double Chum sau all use a sort of power which Kenneth Chung refers to as "wet noodle power." Part 3 consists of the last 4 sections of the form or sections 5, 6, 7 and 8. This part can be described as the application of that power to defend the four quadrants of the body.

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