Kuntao (Great Explanation) 8/21/15 6:21 AM

Kuntao
Categorized in Kuntao Martial Arts, Country of Origin is: China , Indonesia , Malaysia ,
Philippines

Kuntao is a term from the Hokkien Chinese dialect meaning Way of the Fist (similar to Chuan Fa,
or Fist Technique). Purely Chinese kuntao styles exist in China and Taiwan, but kuntao styles have
been spread for centuries by merchants and other travelling Chinese people.

You can find kuntao styles in Indonesia, Malaysia (particularly Borneo), the Philippines (where it
is often called Kuntaw), Singapore, as well as in some other countries. Some kuntao styles were
not changed but many were.

This happened because the styles had to be adapted to a new environment, fighting in different
terrain, fighting local styles, defending or fighting with local weapons.

Most Indonesian kuntao styles began to integrate techniques from Silat styles and some even
changed their name from “kuntao” to “silat”. For example, Liu Seong Kuntao is a hybrid kuntao-
silat system.

“kuntao” does not literally mean “way of the fist”. The Hokkien (Southern Min) word “kun” can
mean ‘fist’ by itself, and “tao” can mean ‘way’. But in the term “kuntao”, it actually means
‘fighting art’ or ‘martial art’. The Mandarin “Chuanfa” means unarmed combat, while “wushu”

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Kuntao (Great Explanation) 8/21/15 6:21 AM

means the complete martial art, but kuntao encompasses weapons.

The name Kun Tao can also be translated to mean literally, “Way of the Earth” from the traditional
Chinese word Kun which means “Earth” and the word Tao which means “Way of”. In this context,
Kun Tao is represented as an “Earth Element” style, which in the martial arts is considered to be a
“hard” technique style as opposed to a “soft” technique style such as a “Wind Element” style.

Kun Tao, especially in the Filipino version is a very aggressive very devastating martial art
designed to be a practical method of jungle warfare. It’s strengths center around destructive joint
locks and strikes, low-line kicks, knee and elbow strikes, eye gouging and headbutts.

The universal problem in self-defense is that it is difficult for a potential student to realize the fact
that there is such a vast difference in age, weight, height, and all around girth, as well as experience
levels of people in all corners of the globe. How can anyone hope to hold ones own in any type of
mortal combat? If one includes the use of weapons of every nature along with formidable surprise
attack, the use of conventional methods of defense promises practically hopeless results. One only
has to do a minimum amount of research to find there is no current teaching program that qualifies
or prepares individuals for deathly circumstances.

Our definition of a surprise attacker is: an individual or

group of individuals who pick the time, place, and way to “get” an innocent person. This kind of
attacker is aware that if he were to get caught, he would become a convicted felon, and would
probably go to prison; so he does not want to be identified, let alone caught.

The solution: only with total integration of the mental, physical and spiritual can one hope to come
away unscathed. Our intention is to teach this integrated way and show others how to have

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Kuntao (Great Explanation) 8/21/15 6:21 AM

exceptional, paranormal results that are usually associated with fables for the young. Without a
doubt, a student who carefully follows our instructions will have the above-stated results in a very
short time. Your purpose will start to be realized as you know you have to learn to attack the
enemy’s vital force — that power that keeps each and every one of us alive.

Kuntao involves an introduction to the serious study in defense of one’s physical, mental, and
spiritual existence; one must not consider this a sport in any way until one has considered this is
not a sport.

The Chinese word for street fighting is Kuntao, Kuntau, or Cuntao. Physically, its movements are
composed of jumping and swinging shoulders with the body’s joints and muscles locked in — to
form one unit. The exponent of Cuntao will strike his enemies before the enemies’ minds can
prepare for the pain. He stands sedate like a tree, then explodes into a force much like a tornado.
The exponent will find himself behind the enemy without having been touched.

The Kuntaoist’s hands are known as “fire hands” because of the searing kind of strikes he
executes. The Kuntaoist believes that if he has just one finger on his body that will move, he has
one finger he can kill with. Each part of his body is trained to be a deadly weapon. This philosophy
coupled with the so-called “fire hands” creates a lethal operation, for if he can, at the very least,
lightly touch his enemy with that finger, he will prevail.

The particular style we submit is called The Whip, where all strikes are delivered in a bull whip
fashion (this is the first phase) and the body cracks like an alligator’s tail. It is very fierce and
meant to deal with the most severe attacks in a lethal way. The enemy will fall without having seen
the means or methods of the strike.

The physical component of Kuntao is both very powerful and fast. The exponent of Kuntao trains
the left side of the body for speed and the right side for power. The exponent trains his every day
movements to be natural fighting movements. This system trains the Kuntaoist’s kicks to step on
the enemy’s body, and his hands to strike in a similar way — both staying with the enemy as he
falls. We say that the enemy’s body becomes our body. As a trained Kuntaoist, you will be able to
run and fight without breaking stride as you move in triangular, square or circular patterns;
backwards, forwards, sideways; through the air or on a ground.

Mentally, you picture with strong emotions. You believe you are facing an enemy who is attacking
you or your loved ones. You are backed into a corner — trapped, or backed to the edge of a cliff
where one more backwards step will propel you into space and certain death. Inner mental
visualization along with touch sensitivity sessions adds cognition to your automatic reflexes. You
learn to fine tune your mind and its automatic functions so that it will move your body in a very
special way in dangerous circumstances. As you progress, you will learn to circumvent the pain of
disease or life’s emotional battles. There are some 75 strictly mental exercises, including specific
emotional exercises; and hundreds of reflex and reaction drills. Some of you will be privy to here.

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Briefly we mention the highest form of animal training, which we

call “The Change.” It is a metamorphosis much like the proverbial were-wolf in folklore. To us,
being one with a leopard, tiger, etc., is real. You are not a Kuntaoist without having this ability.

The highest form of self-defense attacks or defends against that part of your opponent that keeps
him alive — the very essence of his existence. This is that part of him that knows essentially what
is right or wrong in any situation; it will keep him alive or let him die according to the laws by
which all human existence is governed. Call this “Divine Law,” if you will. This Law ignites your
life force to attack the opponent’s life force. The knowledge of this begins your understanding of
spiritual training.

The secret of being an expert in Kuntao lies in the spiritual training. As with the physical and
mental aspects, there is a spiritual training system for the Kuntaoist to follow throughout the day,
wherever he is. The highest form of Kung-Fu, Kuntao, Karate, or any martial art is called Huc
Chung. This is an exclusive system where by contacting the eternal mind, the exponent can do
whatever has to be done through prayer or meditation. The Kuntaoist has to live a prayer, knowing
that everything in this world is totally dependent on the eternal mind. Yet, he has to work very hard
ever day, believing simultaneously that everything in this world is dependent on himself. This is
not religion. Faith without conscious and consistent results means nothing to us. When one truly
contacts the eternal mind of which we are all a part of, one will have paranormal results and will be
able to help others and have a say in the direction of his own fate.

Hwa Chóng (huc chung) literally means “the mind stops,” as it was told and taught to me by
Master Reeders. Huc Chung is the highest form of Kun Tao. Without Huc Chung, there is no Kun
Tao. Huc Chung is the secret way. Master Reeders could cause the death of an enemy as the enemy
was asleep, by the use of his mind alone.

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