Nick Hurst | |
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Born | London |
Occupation | Writer, marketer |
Nationality | English |
Subject | Martial arts, travel, history, fiction |
Website | |
www |
Nick Hurst is an English writer who in 2012 published his first book Sugong: The Life of a Shaolin Grandmaster . [1]
Hurst was born and grew up in London where he began Shaolin kung fu. Having gained a black belt he gave up a job in advertising and went to train with his grandmaster Sugong in Malaysia aged 30. [2] [3]
He was faced with a daunting prospect as his grandmaster had a reputation as an extremely short-tempered man with fearsome martial arts abilities and a background of run-ins with gangsters. Furthermore, Hurst had not received any assurances Sugong would teach him before he left. [2]
Hurst was allowed to train under Sugong and eventually wrote his book about him. This was an undertaking complicated by Sugong's temperamental character which saw Hurst and his translator suffer numerous verbal onslaughts. [1]
Hurst studied at the University of Sheffield and academics from their School of East Asian Studies assisted him to ensure the historical accuracy of his book. [4]
It has been described as 'part biography, part social history, part memoir' and received positive reviews. [1] [5] [6]
Hurst's second book Falling From the Floating World was published in 2019. [7]
Despite being a thriller set in modern-day Tokyo, a twist in the plot meant it was illustrated with Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints sourced from museums across the world. [8]
In a further departure from convention, Hurst's research into Japanese irezumi tattooing resulted in him getting the same full-back tattoo one of the characters in the story is forced to have. This was done in the traditional hand-poked tebori method by leading Tokyo master Horitoku. [9] [10]
In addition to his books, Hurst has written articles for newspapers and magazines including the Guardian and Time Out.
Shaolin kung fu, also called Shaolin Wushu, or Shaolin quan, is one of the oldest, largest, and most famous styles of wushu, or kung fu of Chan Buddhism. It combines Chan philosophy and martial arts. It was developed in the Shaolin Temple in Henan province, Greater China during its 1500-year history. Popular sayings in Chinese folklore related to this practice include "All martial arts under heaven originated from Shaolin" and "Shaolin kung fu is the best under heaven," indicating the influence of Shaolin kung fu among martial arts. The name Shaolin is also used as a brand for the so-called external styles of kung fu. Many styles in southern and northern China use the name Shaolin.
Kung Fu is an American action-adventure martial arts Western drama television series starring David Carradine. The series follows the adventures of Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin monk who travels through the American Old West, armed only with his spiritual training and his skill in martial arts, as he seeks Danny Caine, his half-brother.
Shaolin Soccer is a 2001 Hong Kong sports comedy film directed by Stephen Chow, who also stars in the lead role. The film revolves around a former Shaolin monk who reunites his five brothers, years after their master's death, to apply their superhuman martial arts skills to play soccer and bring Shaolin kung fu to the masses.
Leung Ting is a Hong Kong martial artist, publisher, choreographer, screenwriter, director, and former actor. He is also the founder of International WingTsun Association. He was a student of Leung Sheung and later become the last student of grandmaster Yip Man.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is a 1978 Hong Kong kung fu film directed by Lau Kar-leung and produced by Shaw Brothers, starring Gordon Liu. The film follows a highly fictionalized version of San Te, a legendary Shaolin martial arts disciple who trained under the general Chi Shan.
Shaolin Nam Pai Chuan - also Nam Pai Chuan for short - is a style of Chinese martial arts. It is a relatively modern style, de jure established in 1978 that has mainly proliferated in the UK and from there, to Belgium, France, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Australia and Malaysia.
Chiu Chi-ling is a martial artist and actor who appears mostly in Kung Fu style movies produced in Hong Kong. He also teaches Hung Gar Kung Fu at Chiu Chi-ling Hung Gar Kung Fu Association, a San Francisco-based martial arts school he founded, and at the old Chiu Family Kwoon in Hong Kong rooted under the lineage of Lam Sai-wing. Every year he visits his students and grand students around the world and organizes worldwide Kung Fu tournaments. The Kung Fu style he is part of was passed down directly from southern shaolin temple and carries names like Hung Hei-gun and Wong Fei-hung.
The Shaolin Temple (少林寺) is a 1982 Chinese–Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Chang Hsin Yen and starring Jet Li in his debut role along with Ding Lan and Yu Hai in supporting roles. The film is based on the Shaolin Monastery in China and depicts Shaolin Kung Fu. The film was among the first major co-productions between Hong Kong and mainland China, and the first to be filmed in mainland China with a mostly mainland cast. The film's plot has an episodic storytelling structure while combining action, comedy and romance elements.
Executioners from Shaolin is a 1977 Shaw Brothers kung fu film based on the life of Hung hsi Kuan directed by Lau Kar-leung. It was released as Shaolin Executioners outside of Hong Kong and as Executioners of Death in North America.
Huaquan is a Chinese martial art in the changquan family. It is believed to have originated during the Liu Song dynasty near Mount Hua in Shaanxi Province.
Bruce Liang is a Hong Kong martial artist and actor who has appeared in many Hong Kong martial arts movies. He often appeared billed as "Bruce Leung", "Bruce Liang", "Bruce Leong", or "Bruce Leung Siu-lung", and is thus generally grouped among the Bruce Lee clones that sprang up after Lee's death in the subgenre known as Bruceploitation.
Wong Kiew-kit is a grandmaster in the tradition of the mythical Southern Shaolin Monastery in China, which should not be confused with the more commonly known Shaolin Monastery in Henan Province. Wong founded the Shaolin Wahnam Institute in 1982 in order to teach Shaolin arts to the public. Master Wong practiced and learned within a number of famous lineages which place him as a fourth generation successor of the Ven. Jiang Nan and a sixth generation successor of the Ven. Chee Seen both of the Southern Shaolin Temple.
Chee Kim Thong was a Shaolin martial arts grandmaster.
Shaolin Kenpo Karate is a martial art style that combines the Five Animals of Shaolin Kung Fu (Shaolinquan), the core competency of Kempo, the hard-hitting linear explosiveness of traditional Karate, as well as the power of Western boxing and the felling and grappling arts of Jujutsu, Chin Na, and Mongolian wrestling. This system was founded and developed by Fredrick J. Villari, who devised a hybrid system which integrated the four ways of fighting: striking, kicking, felling, and grappling to eliminate the inherent weakness of martial arts systems that focus on just one or two of fighting techniques.
Shaolin Wuzang, known in China as Zhonghua Xiaozi, is an animated television series produced by Les Cartooneurs Associés, Fantasia Animation, France 3 and Jetix Europe. It spans twenty-six episodes, over two thirteen episode seasons, which were broadcast on France 3 in France, China Central Television in China, and Disney Channel-Asia. In Australia, the series is broadcast on ABC3.
Snake kung fu is a Shaolin boxing style, one of several Chinese martial arts known as "snake boxing" or "fanged snake style" that imitate the movements of snakes. Proponents claim that adopting the fluidity of snakes allows them to entwine with their opponents in defense and strike them from angles they would not expect in offense. Snake style is said to especially lend itself to applications with the Chinese straight sword. The snake is also one of the animals imitated in Yang-style tai chi, Baguazhang and Xingyiquan. The sinuous, fluid motion of the snake lends itself to the practical theory that underlies the "soft" martial arts.
Shi Deru, born Liu Xiangyang, English name Shawn Liu, is a 31st generation Grandmaster of Shaolin kung fu. He was a close disciple of abbot Shi Suxi, and close Shaolin brother of Shi Deyang. His nickname is "iron leg".
Peng Zhang Li is a 32nd-generation monk who started training at the age of three at the Shaolin Temple in China. He has traveled the world demonstrating his art from the temple.
Chui Chung-San was a Hong Kong actor, director, choreographer, martial artist and stuntman. He was known for being an action director and stuntman. Chui was known for films such as The Rebellious Reign, Kung Fu Vs. Yoga, Two Fists Against the Law and 7 Grandmasters; as well as other various Taiwanese television shows.
Xu Xiaodong, is a Chinese mixed martial artist (MMA) who is known for challenging and fighting fraudulent and traditional martial artists. He gained prominence online after he was filmed defeating self-proclaimed Tai chi master Wei Lei in 2017.