莫家拳：以腿法制胜的防身要术

莫家拳是广东五大名拳之一，传承已近300年。

The Mok family martial art is one of five famous Guangdong boxing styles. It has a history of close to 300 years.

这套拳起源于广东东莞桥头镇。上世纪三四十年代，适逢乱世，当时的农家大多习武防身。

The technique originated from Qiaotou Town in south China's Guangdong Province. In the 1930s and 1940s, there were frequent unrest, and the villagers learned martial arts to defend themselves.

当年莫家拳的创立者是莫达士。传说，他曾学艺于少林寺，之后返回故乡保卫家族。这种拳法招式狠辣，而且善用腿法，素有“一脚胜三拳之说”。侧身脚、后蹬脚、钉脚、镰脚……多种腿法结合，不仅力道大，攻击范围也更广。不过，以腿法为主的攻击，对身形和步伐的配合要求更高，所以一些复杂的招式十分难学。

The founder of Mok family boxing technique was Mo Dashi. It's said that he once practiced martial arts in Shaolin Temple, and then returned to his hometown to protect his family. The boxing style is extremely aggressive and is famous for its powerful kicks that are "three times more powerful than the fists." Side kick, back kick, hook kick, sickle kick… These combinations can launch far-reaching and powerful attacks. However, such techniques require a combination of postures and stances, which could be difficult to master once the combinations become more complicated.

莫柏许是莫家拳第五代传人。他今年78岁，习武已有65年。平日，人们称他为“许叔”。

Mo Baixu is the fifth generation of the Mok family martial art. He is 78 years old, and has been practicing the art for 65 years. His nickname is "Uncle Xu."

“十三岁时，父亲送我去学拳。那时候白天上学做农活，傍晚跟师傅练。”莫柏许说：“练习鸳鸯掌，要早晚用手背拍打蚊帐；练习腿功时，还要在每只脚上穿六公斤的石头鞋”，但他“一点都不觉得累，因为自己喜欢”。

"My father sent me to learn the boxing technique when I was 13. I went to school and worked in the fields during the day, and practiced with my teacher at night," says Mo. "When my teacher taught me the technique, 'double palm,' he had me hit the bed net with the back of my hand day and night. When I practiced leg moves, I had to wear stone shoes that weighed 6 kilograms each." But "I didn't find it tedious because I liked it," he says. 

只有扎实的基本功，才能让人驾驭后续越来越困难的招式。“我徒弟跟我学了12年才开始教他三环套月。用连环扫腿逼退对方，然后一个翻身抛脚攻击下巴。” 莫柏许说。

It's essential to master the basics in order to learn the more complex skills. "My protégé was with me for 12 years before I taught him the move 'Catching the moon.' First you force the enemy back with spinning kicks, and then you attack his jaw with a hurling kick." explains Mo.

2009年，莫家拳入选广东省非物质文化遗产代表性项目名录，当地政府也开始加大力度推广和传承莫家拳。莫柏许当即拿出珍藏五十多年的拳谱——《莫家拳棍》手抄本。而且，他还主持编写了一份校园教材，难度适中，让全镇中小学生都可以在体育课上练习。发现了好苗子，还能免费进入莫家拳武术馆深造。

In 2009, Mok family martial art was named as an intangible cultural heritage in Guangdong Province, and the local government started to promote it. Mo offered up his 50-year-old treasured manuscript, "Mok Boxing and Staff Skills," and edited a Mok family martial art book designed for teenagers. They include safer and easier forms of boxing so that middle school and grammar school students could practice in their physical education classes. The most outstanding students would then have the chance to practice in the Mok family boxing studio for free.

“以前学拳是为了防身自卫，现在是为了强身健体。希望可以传授莫家拳给更多的人，发扬光大。”莫柏许说。

"Before, we learned boxing to defend ourselves. Now we do it to keep fit. I hope that I can teach Mok family martial art to more people and pass it on from glory to glory," he says. 

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