Shantung black tiger kung fu originated in the Henan Shaolin temple before being released. It has more emphasis on footwork than the southern Shaolin kung fu forms and bears some resemblance to southern eagle. Moves included are acrobatic kicks, low, wide stances, and unique fist position (where the thumb is curled in the same manner as the other fingers, rather than wrapped around them). According to the Shaolin Grandmasters’ text the style is the single most external style in the Shaolin repertoire. However, saying the longer the martial artist practices, the more he or she will come to rely more on internal power and focus. This works in a very similar way to the Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu style.
The traditional lineage of the system begins with Master Wang Zhenyuan in the late nineteenth-century. However, the style was originally formed at the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province, China before being transferred to Wang. The style was then passed from Wang Zhenyuan to Wang Zijiu, then to Wang Zhixiao, and finally to Su Fuyuan (Cantonese: Souw Hok Gwan). Currently Shandong Black Tiger is actively taught in the Netherlands and Indonesia.
Black Tiger Kung Fu is referred to as being a Northern style of Kung Fu, having been developed from the Sanding Province, but still related to the Shaolin Temple. Most Northern styles can be characterise by their low deep stances and big arm movements. Unlike Southern kung fu Styles which are higher in stances and shorter movements. This is mainly due to geography
References and Sources for Black Tiger Kung Fu
http://www.shaolin.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Tiger_Kung_Fu
Shantung Black Tiger: A Shaolin Fighting Art of North China by Leo Budiman Prakarsa, Khek Kiong Tjoa, Donn F. Draeger, Quintin T. G. Chambers
