By Tu-Ky Lam
Yelling technique (shi sheng) is one of the seven components of Yiquan. To my surprise, I recently found out this technique has its origin in Xing Yiquan called “thunderous roars of tigers and leopards.” This technique is only taught to senior students.
Li Zhong-xuan, a late Xing Yiquan master, recalled in his recent book titled Shi Qu De Wu Lin how he learned this technique from his teachers. Master Li learned Xing Yiquan from three grand masters – Tang Wei-lu, Shang Yun-xiang, and Xue Dian.
He asked Tang Wei-lu if the yelling is only for the purpose of frightening our opponents. The reply was “no.” Yelling helps to discharge more power. When Li asked Tang to teach him the roars of tigers and leopards (hu bao lei yin), Tang did not do so immediately. Then one day, Tang took Li to a temple. When Tang found nobody was inside, he gently hit the temple bell and asked Li to put his hand on the bell to feel it. This was how Tang taught Li the yelling technique. Li could not understand it and asked Tang. Tang said, “This is how my teacher (Li Cun-yi) taught me. I have not hidden anything. I was clever enough to learn it. You cannot learn because you are stupid.”
A few years later, Tang recommended Li to Shang Yun-xiang (Tang's fellow student) for Li to improve his skill. One day Li had the opportunity to ask Shang Yun-xiang “Hu bao lei yin.” Shang asked Li how Tang taught him. Li told Shang the above story (hitting the bell). Shang smiled but said nothing.
Shang loved kittens. One day when Li went to learn from Shang, Shang was holding a lovely kitten in his bosom. Shang asked Li to feel the kitten with his hand, and said “Hu bao lei yin” was not a loud sharp noise, but deep dull rumbling noise like that in the body of the kitten. This explanation was better than the one given to Li by Tang about “Hu bao lei yin.”
Senior Xing Yi quan students who train properly under a master will find that qi and jing will show up in their body, namely muscles, bones and tendons. They become bigger and stronger. But it is hard for qi and jing to penetrate into their internal organs. With the help of yelling when we release power, Qi can go deep into the internal organs and strengthen them. This is the main purpose of Hu bao lei yin.
The yelling technique in Yiquan is composed of two sounds – a short “e” and a louder “yoop” It is used when people practice Fa-li (discharge power). The noise is not made from the mouth. When we make the “e” sound, we inhale to gather energy and people can hear the “e” sound come from our throat. Then we make a quick “yoop” sound to release power. With the sound “yoop”, qi goes quickly down into our dan-tian, just like throwing a stone (or a bomb) into the water. The noise is a deep loud sound.
Li's story helps us better understand Yiquan's shi sheng.