What is Pencak Silat

Pencak Silat is the official name used to indicate more than 800 martial arts schools and styles spread across more than 13,000 islands in Indonesia. The art has also reached Europe, and is especially popular in the Netherlands, Spain and France.

In Indonesia, the official name used to indicate more than 800 martial arts schools and styles spread across more than 13,000 islands is "pencak silat". However, this is actually a compound name consisting of two terms used in different regions. The word "pencak" and its dialectic derivatives such as "penca" West Java and "mancak" (Madura and Bali) is commonly used in Java, Madura and Bali, whereas the term "silat" or "silek" is used in Sumatra. The ambition to unify all these different cultural expressions in a common terminology as part of declaring Indonesia's unity and independence from colonial power, was first expressed in 1948 with the establishment of the Ikatan Pencak Silat Indonesia (Indonesian Pencak Silat Association, IPSI). However, it could only be realized in 1973 when representatives from different schools and styles finally formally agreed to the use of "pencak silat" in official discourse, albeit original terms are still widely used at the local level. ^[1]

History

It is not easy to trace back the history of pencak silat because written documentation is limited and oral information is handed down from the gurus or masters. Each region in the archipelago has its own version of its origin which is largely based on oral tradition.

Silat takes important role in country's history. Since the age of Ancient Indonesian Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms like Srivijaya, Majapahit, Kingdom of Sunda . They use silat to train their soldiers and warriors.

Archaeological evidence reveals that by the sixth century A.D. formalized combative systems were being practiced in the area of Sumatra and the Malay peninsula. Two kingdoms, the Srivijaya in Sumatra from the 7th to the 14th century and the Majapahit in Java from the 13th to 16th centuries made good use of these fighting skills and were able to extend their rule across much of what is now Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

According to tradition of Minangkabau, their Silek (Minangkabau pencak silat) can be traced to the fore father of ancient Minangkabau people, Datuk Suri Dirajo .

It is said that according to old Javanese poetry, Kidung Sunda, the sentinels of the Prabu Maharaja Sunda exhibited great skill in the art of pencak silat when they escorted Princess Dyah Pitaloka to Majapahit as a potential bride for King Hayam Wuruk, and faced indignities that greatly affronted their honour^[2]. In a battle that ensued at the Bubat field (1346), the Sundanese forces fought to the last drop of blood, using special pencak moves and various weapons,

Albeit the pencak silat styles employed in combat were different, we can still draw the conclusion that in Javanese kingdoms throughout the archipelago, pencak silat served the same function: to defend, maintain or expand territory.

Also in ancient times, the Buginese and Makasar people from South Sulawesi region were known as tough sailors, adventurers, mercenaries and fearless warriors . Throughout the archipelago, these people were known for their combat skills. Nowadays, some well known silat schools in Malaysia can trace their lineage back to ancient buginese warriors.

The Dutch arrived in the seventeenth century and controlled the spice trade up until the early 20th century, with brief periods of the English and Portuguese attempting unsuccessfully to gain a lasting foothold in Indonesia. During this period of Dutch rule. Pentjak Silat or Pencak Silat (as it is known in Indonesia today) was practiced undergound until the country gained its independence in 1949.

The growing spirit of nationalism within pencak silat circles echoed the intensification of efforts to realise 'One Country, one Nation, one Language' in the archipelago. Following several incidents of mass uprising in the 1920s and the declaration of the Youth Pledge on October 10, 1928 in Batavia, the colonial government tightened and expanded its control over youth activities, pencak silat included. The colonial intelligence apparatus (PID) kept a close eye on all activities and organisations considered to be potentially in opposition to Dutch control. Training in pencak silat provided youths the strength, confidence and courage needed to resist the Dutch colonialists. Therefore pencak silat self-defence activities were closely scrutinised as they were suspected to be the front for political activities, and had to go underground. Training was done in private houses, in small groups of no more than five persons. At the end of the training, the pesilat had to leave one by one without attracting the neighbours' attention. At times, training would be carried out in secret locations in the middle of the night (from midnight to morning prayers) to avoid the scrutiny of the Dutch. Pencak silat teachers often made use of eerie locations such as graveyards, since even the police would be scared to go there, and they could be protected and safeguarded by the spirits of their ancestors.

Pencak silat matches too began to disappear from public eye following their prohibition by the colonial government in the 1930s. What is more, many pesilat, who were also political figures, met with bitter fates and had to live in prisons or isolated camps for several years. Pencak silat epics abound with stories of masters who 'were branded as extremists and forced to move around to avoid arrest', or who were punished for having opposed Dutch authority by using their pencak silat skills, both physical and spiritual. Although we cannot generalise and assume that all pencak silat teachers and schools opposed the colonial government, from the above it clearly appears that pencak silat played an important role in the struggle for independence.

Many pencak silat masters joined the Barisan Pelopor under the leadership of President Soekarno, to help realise the dream of an independent Indonesian nation. Among them were women freedom fighters like Ibu Enny Rukmini Sekarningrat, a Panglipur master from Garut . She fought against the Dutch alongside the Pangeran Papak Troops in Wanaraja, Garut, and the Mayor Rukmana Troops in Yogyakarta. As the capital city of the Republic of Indonesia at that time, Yogyakarta came under very heavy fire from Dutch troops. A great many pencak silat masters came from all over the archipelago to defend it from occupation. The same happened for Bandung, Surabaya, and other cities involved in the struggle.

Pencak silat was also instrumental to the revolutionary movement in Bali. After learning pencak silat as part of his Peta military training in West Java, national hero I Gusti Ngurah Rai gave lessons to his troops to boost the skills they needed to overthrow the foreign enemy. The soldiers in turn covertly trained the people of Banjar, even though the Dutch army forbade this. So today, pencak silat originating from West Java has taken root and developed on the island of Bali.

The heroism of pencak silat masters was not limited only to warfare. We must not forget their safeguarding the first President of the Indonesian Republic at a time of political uncertainty. It has been recorded in history that the night before the proclamation of independence on August 17, 1945, five special sentinels highly skilled in pencak silat^[3] guarded Soekarno.^[4]

Aspects

Music

Every region in the archipelago has its own music for Silat performances. In West Java, for example, Sundanese people use gendang penca [1]. In West Sumatra, Minangkabau people sometimes use a special instrument called Saluang.[2]

Styles and Techniques

There is no overall standard for Pencak Silat. Each style has its own particular movement patterns, specially designed techniques and tactical rationale. The richness of terms reflects a wide diversity in styles and techniques across the regions due to the fact that pencak silat has been developed by different masters who have created their own style according to their preferences and to the physical environment and social-cultural context in which they live. Lets take as example West Java, Central Java and West Sumatra. West Java is inhabited by a specific ethnic group with specific cultural and social norms. For them, pencak silat is part of their way of life or as they say is "the blood in their body". In their language they say "penca" or "menpo" (from "maen poho', which literally means play with trickery) to indicate their main four styles Cimande, Cikalong, Timbangan, and Cikaret and all the schools and techniques which have derived from them. The Sundanese people have always utilized penca/mempo' for self-defense and recreation, and only recently have started to use it as a sport in national and regional competitions. In its self-defense form, using hands fighting techniques combined with a series of characteristic footsteps such as langka sigzag (zigzag step), langka tilu (triangular step), langka opat (quadrangular step) and langka lam alip, penca can be very dangerous. Therefore it is kept secret and, especially its magic (tenaga dalam or inner power) component is only taught in phases to selected students.

Penca as art (penca ibing) has been a source of inspiration for traditional Sundanese dances such as Jaepongan, Ketu'tilu', Dombret, and Cikeruhan and actually it resembles dance in its use of music instruments. These instruments, called "pencak drummers" (gendang penca), are devoted exclusively to penca performances and consist of two sets of drummers (gendang anak dan kulantir), a trumpet (tetet) and a gong. Pencak performances also use standard music rhythms such as tepak dua, tepak tilu, tepak dungdung, golempang and paleredan. Penca as art is not considered dangerous and can be openly shown to everyone. From generation to generation until today, penca performances animate wedding parties, rituals of circumcision, celebrations of the rice harvest and all kind of national festivities.

Differently from West Java, in Central Java, Javanese people have traditionally used pencak only for self-defense and are not inclined to show it in public. Furthermore, the spiritual aspect (kebatinan) is much more dominant. This is probably related to the fact that pencak silat in Central Java developed from the Yogyakarta Sultanate and later expanded to surrounding neighborhoods after the kingdoms lost their political role in the XV and XVI centuries. In the keraton (Sultan's palace) pencak silat had undergone a transformation from pure martial art to be used in combat, to an elaborate form of spiritual and humanistic education. In this later form it spread outside the keraton walls where it developed the use of self-defense techniques to reach spiritual awareness as well as the use of inner powers to attain supernatural physical strengths.

Again pencak silat in West Sumatra is a different cultural expression in both its forms and meaning. Similarly to West Java, in West Sumatra a distinction is made between self-defense, called sile' or silat, and the related art version called pencak which has influenced many traditional dances such as Sewah, Alo Ambek and Gelombang. The ethnic group of Minangkabau who lives around the Merapi Mountain in West Sumatra regard silat as their village's heirloom (pusaka anak nagari) which is meant for the youth to defend themselves while traveling ashore and it is not intended for outsiders. Instead, pencak as a dance is accessible to everybody. In this region almost every village (nagari) has a different style (aliran) of silat as reflected by the many names, some of which refer to the founders (like Silat Tuanku Ulakan, Silat Pakik Rabun, Silat Malin Marajo) and some to the original locations where the style was developed (Silat Kumango, Silat Lintau, Silat Starlak, Silat Pauh, Silat Painan, Silat Sungai Patai and Silat Fort de Kock). These styles can be classified into two main groups according to the foot-stands (kuda-kuda) they use. In the coastal area, silat styles use a very low kuda-kuda and prefer hand techniques whereas in the mountain area the kuda-kuda is higher and foot techniques are dominant. This is due to the different environments in which silat has developed. On the sand, a high kuda-kuda would not be stable and in the mountain, where the ground is oblique and uneven, a low kuda-kuda would be impossible to practice. As a Minangkabau proverb says: "Alam takambang menjadi guru" (the surrounding nature is our teacher).^[5]

Weapons

Along with the human body, Pencak Silat employs the usage of several martial arts weapons. Among the hundreds of styles are dozens of weapons. Listed here are a few examples;

• Keris: A curvy blade made from folding different types of metal together and then is washed in acid, giving the blade it's distinct look.
• Kujang: Sundanese blade
• Badik Buginese and Makasarese blade
• Pedang/Sundang: A sword, either single or double edged.
• Parang/Golok: A machete/broadsword, commonly used in daily tasks, especially those involving farming or harvesting.
• Lembing/Seligi: A spear/javelin made of either wood or bamboo.
• Kayu/Batang: Stick, staff or rod made of bamboo, steel or wood.
• Chabang/Cabang: Three-pronged knife thought to derive from the trisula (trident)
• Kerambit: A small claw-like curved blade or dagger worn in the hair. Easily concealed and is known as a woman's weapon.
• Sabit/Clurit: A sickle, commonly used in farming, cultivation and harvesting of crops.
• Tongkat/Toya: A walking stick carried by the elderly or travellers.

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(3) Horse Stance Training : The Foundation

Almost every major traditional wushu system starts with horse stance training and most students grit and grimace as they try to hold the stance low and for hours on end. Many practitioners consider such training as "external". However, horse stance training in the baji/pigua system is much more complex. Many traditional martial arts practitioners in the past did not clearly differentiate training into external and internal and when properly explained, the baji horse stance training could be interpreted as "internal" as much as it is "external".(6)

It is critically important that horse stance training be carefully done, since it is representative of many of the structural postures found throughout the initial training phases of the system. Contrary to popular belief that northern systems employ wide, deep stances, baji employs a relatively deep horse stance but only about a fist beyond shoulder width. And also contrary to popular belief, the depth of the stance is not "as deep as you can go". The proper depth varies from individual to individual, and is primarily determined by body structure in the following manner (see figures ) :

1. Start in upright position, very relaxed, with proper foot alignment, and the legs a little beyond shoulder width apart.
2. Sink, bending the knees to where the thigh/kua area, knee to ankle area, and the length of the space extending from the back hip area to the ground behind the heels, form an equilateral triangle.
3. Simultaneously raise and extend your arms up and outward to the point where the elbows are pointed towards the ground and a light hollowed fist is held in front (this should resemble the grip on a car's steering wheel without using force). You must be relaxed!
4. The feet point straight forward with the knees tilting slightly inward so that the kua area is rounded, and
5. The back is relatively straight.

Should you be unable to sink to the proper depth, then you must practice slowly, and stay relaxed, until it becomes possible. This could take as little as one month or as long as two years: bodies and training schedules vary! It is also critical that the upper body remain relaxed while breathing is slow, deep, and continuous. Note that a hollow, relaxed, rounded fist is maintained. Rather than timimg yourself by a clock, it is much more effective to count and focus on deep breathing. Again contrary to popular opinion, if done properly, you seldom hold this posture beyond ten minutes and indeed, a properly held baji horse stance would be celebrated at the two minute mark.

The myth that one must hold this posture for months on end until one has earned the right of passage into the system is quite exaggerated. In the baji system one can almost immediately begin to work on a variation of movements employing this basic horse stance. This would also include some of the most basic fighting applications of the system.



One of the first variations in the horse stance training involves the development of full-body punching power from a relatively static posture, shifting from a horse to a bow stance. The practitioner starts in the horse stance described above, with only one arm extended forward while the other is placed at the side of the body. The elbow points downward and a relaxed hollow fist is held. At first, movement starts with the feet, which rotate into a bow stance while simultaneously the fist held at the side comes forward and the front hand is pulled back to the side. Then you return to a horse stance with the punching hand extended outward. The same movement is then done with the opposite side of the bow stance. The body from the feet to the waist twists, literally rolling the punching hand from the waist while the extended hand pulls back - the arm movements resemble a system of pulleys (see 2-A through 2-E). These movements are much more complex in effect than they look and are often misinterpreted as simple punching.

First, the "silk-reeling energy" (chan si jing) is developed through the feet, up through the waist and out through the arm. The arm punching forward is thrown by the twisting motion of the waist, feet, and legs. But, equally important is the withdrawing arm, pulling back with as much power as the one thrusting forward.

The entire body is held in a relaxed state until the punch is fully extended and the body set in a bow stance. At that time, for one split second, everything is tightened, as the fist makes contact with its imagined target, then relaxation immediately occurs.

Initially, this exercise is done slowly. Often the punch is held in the bow stance to check for correct alignment and can be held for a number of relaxed breathing counts. As the practitioner's foundation is further developed, the punches are speeded up, going from horse to right bow stance, right bow stance to horse stance, and horse to left bow stance.

Attaining the proper structural alignment in this relatively simple looking exercise is extremely critical, for it is incorporated within almost every moving posture and fighting application of the system. As part of his daily drills with Chiang Kai-shek's bodyguards, Grandmaster Liu insisted that they execute at least one-hundred of these punches in sets of two, one to each side. Liu continued this regimen on a daily basis well into his late seventies. However, these postures are only the beginning. The next step in the developmental process calls for more dynamic movement and more complex technique.

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(2) Bajipiguaquan, Northern Chinese System from the Li Shuwen and Liu Yunqiao

This system was employed extensively in the training of the bodyguards of Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Zedong and the last emperor, Pu Yi.
A BRIEF SKETCH OF THE LI SHUWEN & LIU YUNQIAO LINEAGE
The public dissemination of the bajiquan/piguazhang system has come about largely through the efforts of the late General Liu Yunqiao (b. February 8, 1909; d. January 21, 1992) of Taiwan and his formal students. During the 1970's, he founded the Wu Tang Martial Arts Development Center of Taiwan, and over three thousand students were instructed in many styles of traditional northern Chinese wushu. However, complete training in the bajiquan/piguazhang system was taught only to a limited number of disciples.

The written records of bajiquan's historical roots traces its founding back to about the 1600's, although oral traditions suggest that it may go back as far as the 1200's.³ The style, like most other systems, has its own base of fact and mythology. One of the bajiquan verses says that "to combine the fist and punching power of bajiquan with the palm and whipping power of piguazhang will create invincible heros whom the ghosts will fear". Finally, the style was incorporated in the training of the bodyguards of the last emperor, Pu Yi, Mao Zedong, and the presidential bodyguards of Chiang Kai-shek, the latter being taught by General Liu Yunqiao himself. Although there are many accounts of Liu's pre-revolution exploits as a secret service agent in the Chiang Kai-shek Government, it was his master, Li Shuwen, from whom the style took on its mythological proportions.

Li Shuwen (1864 - 1934) was also known as the "God of the Spear" and had a substantial number of formal students who also served as military leaders mainly in Shandong Province. Li was a notorious fighter and known primarily for his ruthless matches. According to oral tradition, almost everyone who challenged him ended up dead. His reputation was built upon his extreme striking power and his practice of telling opponents exactly what technique would be employed to bring about their demise. One of his favorite techniques was to use a collapsing palm on top of the acupuncture point of the head (baihui), resulting in the crushing and collapse of the opponent's spine and neck. To develop such power, "God of the Spear" Li is said to have intensely practiced one-arm thrusts with a large spear roughly twelve to sixteen feet long. Overall, he was a man to be feared. As a youth, even Liu feared the severity of Li's training methods.

Unfortunately, these exploits eventually brought about Li Shuwen's own downfall. At the request of others, one of his students murdered him by serving him poisoned tea. Luckily, Liu had a much friendlier disposition, although his training methods could be just as severe to neophyte martial artists.

BAJIQUAN : EIGHT EXTREMES BOXING

The meaning of bajiquan can be interpreted at a number of different levels. The most literal translation suggests the fist going in eight infinite directions. But the flavor of the system is best conveyed as the use of the whole body exploding from inside out, radiating power in all directions. The "Baji Sixteen Word Verse" describes its range of power and techniques as: entangling, pulling, poking, kneading, crushing, pressing, bursting, shaking, leaning, striking, etc. Modern categorizations often cite bajiquan as an "external" system or, in more generous moments, as an "external/internal" system. In both public and private instruction, Liu seldom, if ever, broke down the training of the system into such categories.

ajiquan conceptually incorporates wuxing (five elements) and also employs energies (jing, or internal strengths) similar to those found in Chen taijiquan's older forms. In fact, baji, like Chen taiji, utilizes similar breathing and "standing post" exercises. Interestingly, Liu and the great taijiquan master, Chen Fake, were introduced to each other during their public demonstrations in 1928 at a Beijing military academy. Both were so impressed by the similar power of their respective systems that they met privately the following day and exchanged material and techniques. No one is certain as to the details of this exchange during the day, but Liu always held Chen taiji in very high esteem. When Liu opened his Wu Tang Martial Arts Development Center in Taiwan, he created routines on three levels which were abstracted from the original Chen style. His concern was that mainland China and Taiwan would never be united and few people, other than formal students would be willing to learn and practice the long forms. Thus, the abstracted versions were seen as a way of preserving the essentials of the style while simultaneously providing a means by which the general public could learn it. He considered Chen style taiji to be one of the most effective fighting arts and sent many of his disciples directly to master Du Yuze for instruction in the longer, more traditional forms.(4) Master Du had learned his system of Chen taiji from Chen Fake's father, Chen Yenxi, and was held in high respect by Liu.

PIGUAZHANG : SPLITTING / HANGING PALM

Bodily power development in some traditional wushu systems is often said to be derived from observing various animals in their natural habitat. In bajiquan, the bear and tiger are imitated. In piguazhang, the eagle and monkey are imitated. Mystical states aside, the primary purpose of the animal imitation is to acquire the same type of body movements so that the fighting techniques utilize the entire power of the body in a similar manner. For example, when a bear attacks and strikes with its paws, the waist and shoulders generate the power expressed in the outer extremities. From observing such body movements, the wushu practitioner attempts to distill training techniques which can be employed to similarly generate such power with their own body.

Basic training in the bajiquan system is very systematic and builds the practitioner from the ground up, emphasizing proper structure and postures. Training focuses on developing effective punching power through the involvement of the entire body using structural alignments centered on the head, shoulders, elbows, hands, tailbone, kua(5), knees, and feet (the "baji essentials"). The cornerstone of this process begins with the infamous ma bu, or horse stance training.

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(1) Baji Pigua Quan Curriculum

Beginning Training

1. Neigong
2. General Single Moving
3. Warm-up Exercises
4. Jin Gang Ba Da Shi (8 big posture training and fighting applications)
5. Xiao Baji Form and Training

Further Training

1. Da Baji Form and Training
2. Pigua Stationary
3. Pigua Single Moving Exercises
4. Pigua First Form
5. Baji/Pigua Combination Form
6. Kun Wu Sword Form and Training Exercises
7. Da Qiang (Long Spear) Training Exercises
8. Liu He (6 Harmony) Spear Form and Training Exercises Read more