Researching the roots of a specific wrestling style can often be both difficult and discouraging at times. However, even a small finding can light up the fire of discovery.
Today I have the great pleasure of sharing this rare and small wrestling manual from the 1960s that came into my possession. Only consisting of a few pages, this manual is particularly interesting for two main reasons. First, the inconsistency in the names of the techniques with their modern counterparts, which can be both a sign of the poor literacy of the author (also shown by further writing mistakes present in the book) and of the fluidity of the wrestling terms. Second, the beautiful drawing of the wrestlers executing the techniques. It is interesting to note how the wrestlers, although no longer wearing the traditional Manchu queue 辫子, are still depicted as wearing the traditional Qing dynasty cloth booths, called mantis belly booths 螳螂肚儿. Further, in some of the drawings, the wrestlers are wearing white and black boots to distinguish them. This practice is clearly illustrated in Gu Qian's “Wrestling Ballad:”
时或痴肥压瘦狂, 时或短黔踣皙长,
Sometimes the fat violently crushes the thin, at other times the short one wearing black [boots] throws
the tall one wearing white.
"The Sport of Wrestling"
Author: 刘玉书 Liu Yushu
Date: 1962.09
Wrestling is a contemporary 'martial arts sport' that develops sports techniques. With stepping in eight directions and close quarters combat 八步短打, Wushu - martial arts - emphasizes both twisting, seizing, locking, buckling 刁拿锁扣, and also closing the distance bumping into the opponent, squeezing and leaning 挨碰挤靠. Wrestling instead emphasizes the use of three different levels: the upper level focuses on the use of the hands，the middle on the use of the waist, and the lower on the use of the legs. The hands emphasize simultaneously grabbing each other horizontally, the waist focuses on driving and cooling the hips in a circular motion, while the legs stress vigorously fighting and kicking. There are also techniques such as: 崩x, 揣滑倒，爬拿里刀鈶搂，刮判抬，x拧闪倒踹，踢抽盘跪过，抽撒散拧控.
In order to develop minority sports forms and teach comrades, workers, and students, it is necessary for all to exercise and train more. A stronger and healthier body can better fulfill our great cause to defend and build our motherland. Responding to Chairman Mao's call: health first, production first. There are indeed many shortcomings in the passage above. I hope that comrades and teachers can provide further guidance and assistance, as well as valuable opinions, which I will accept humbly.
Development of minorities forms of sport, health first, physical exercise and defense of the motherland.
Wrestling move: 钻*裆靠 [穿裆靠]
P.1
褡裢摔跤衣 Wrestling Jacket
[A further and more in depth article on all the jacket grip will be posted soon]
P.2
Wrestling move: 大德合乐
P.3
Wrestling move: 診撮
P.4
Wrestling move: 架梁跤[脚]
P.5
Wrestling move: 架梁管
P.6
Wrestling move: 手别
P.7
Wrestling move: 扒拿
P.8
Wrestling move: 揣
P.9
Wrestling move: 手别, 里手喝[豁]
P.10
Wrestling move: 崩子
P.11
Wrestling move: 麻花搿子
P.12
Wrestling move: 钩别
P.13