Fang Shen Do III : "the way of survival"

**fanger123** · Posted On: 4/09/2007 12:06pm

Officially opening the FSD III thread.

All newcomers encouraged to read previous threads...

lately, we have been visited by LadyPhoenix who really babbled for nothing, and have declared that she will lurk but not post.

which is not a bad idea, since reading her posts was a headache. No offense LP. Please be concise should you choose to contribute to the ongoing discussion.

Intelligent discussion with current fangers have been lacking (i'm an EX fanger, despite of being accused of being a sock puppet. A bullshido member is in the process of vouching for me wink wink), and i encourage lurkers to join the forum and discuss.

I personally have trained in FSD x 2 years. I used to be very pro FSD, which changed as i matured as a MA practionner, read books, and basically began to think outside of the box.

I have no problem with ppl who still train/like FSD. There is a reason why i liked it for 2 years.

However, FSD doesn't come with a warning against money rip offs, poor teaching methods (no resistance training), shamelss marketing ploys and such, and that's what i'm personally here to warn. Don't forget uncertified teachers, and crappling.

**Askari** · Posted On: 4/09/2007 12:20pm

Hi Fanger,

Good on you taking the plunge, all the best keeping this band of lunatics on topic.

I am interested in your thread title choice. I have been trying to figure out how to translate Fang Shen Do as "The Way of Survival" It just doesnt work for me from Chinese or Japanese.

Possibly the chinese character pronounced Fang (to protect; to defend; to guard (against))

http://www.mandarintools.com/cgi-bin/ugif/9632.gif however none of the variations for the sound Shen would fit with further expansion of the translation. Source for characters: http://www.mandarintools.com/chardict.html.

The character for "exist, live, be; survive; remain" is pronounced cun.

http://www.mandarintools.com/cgi-bin/ugif/5B58.gif

At the end of the day the closest translation that fits the definition supplied by the founder of FSD, even still mixing the Chinese and Japanese would be "Fang Do" which would then translate as "The way to defend or protect". Or Fang Cun Do

The mixing of the two potentially Chinese characters with the Japanese "Do" for way is fairly common among those that wish to be associated with the late Bruce Lee and his JKD.

Any thoughts on the name?

**Chili Pepper** · Posted On: 4/09/2007 1:01pm

Originally Posted by Askari

The mixing of the two potentially Chinese characters with the Japanese "Do" for way is fairly common among those that wish to be associated with the late Bruce Lee and his JKD.

Any thoughts on the name?

Could it be Cantonese, rather than Mandarin?

**kwoww** · Posted On: 4/09/2007 1:10pm

Originally Posted by Chili Pepper

Could it be Cantonese, rather than Mandarin?

Unlikely, but I guess it could be.

**fanger123** · Posted On: 4/09/2007 1:17pm

when i mentioned that i used to do FSD to a chinese guy, he said : that means way of survival. i can double check with him... in between his triangles.

regarding the fact that they use pronounciation Do instaed of Tao (jap/kor vs chinese) well i think they were banking on the JKD and TKD.

Isn't there even a book called the Tao of JKD (the way of the way of the intercepting fist)?

In that sense, even Wing Chun Do is somewhat an oddity. Should have been called Tau, given WC is chinese.

But man, we are talking about FSD which uses sashes but still has the Black Belt Club. Some contradictions are norm over there.

Btw, the key element in the thread title was the quotation marks. say "way of survival" and imagine Dr. Evil doing the finger thing.

**Tom Kagan** · Posted On: 4/09/2007 1:20pm

Originally Posted by kwoww

Unlikely, but I guess it could be.

???

How did you determine this? It is Cantonese.

Askari,

Assuming you have the right characters, the second character is not pronounced "cun". "Shen" is not too bad of a transliteration, though "tsyuen" is probably closer phonetically. (BTW, it's not pronounced "cun" in mandarin either unless you meant the soft "c" sound.)

"Do" (long "o") is a common transliteration from Cantonese of the Chinese ideogram which means "the way". You are completely incorrect regarding this (or JKD) being a Chinese/Japanese combination.

Edit: same thing for "Wing Chun Do", fanger123.

**Askari** · Posted On: 4/09/2007 1:34pm

Originally Posted by Tom Kagan

You are completely incorrect regarding this (or JKD) being a Chinese/Japanese combination.

Hi Tom,

Have you seen the Characters used by the Fang Shen Do crowd? Is it even possible to construct the phrase Fang Shen Do and still be grammatically correct? I have been told by a native Chinese speaker that it is not possible.

Though no one has ever been able to show me which characters the owners of FSD use, I have been told by high ranking members of the style that the characters mix Japanese and Chinese. I have yet to see some corroboration of this - nor do I have access to even a copy of the characters they chose.

My character choices for this thread and pronunciations were based on the computer program and a friend who speaks Chinese - so are in no way indicative of the original characters, just a best guess.

**myrmecophilous** · Posted On: 4/09/2007 1:38pm

fanger123, can I suggest that you edit in to your post links to all the previous threads and as many relevant videos / other posted information as you can find? If anyone new shows up, we want them to be able to review all previous discussion.

**andrewa** · Posted On: 4/09/2007 1:41pm

The choice of "Fang Shen Do" as the name of the style is simply a reflection of the ad-hoc, potluck approach to martial arts these people have pursued for years. Just grab anything that you think looks cool and run with it without concen for context, base, or qualification.