轻功提纵术 : a kungfu technique?

[Paolo]

Hi everybody,

I am reading The Book and the Sword 书剑恩仇录 by dear old Louis Cha (or Jin Yong, or Kam Yung, or... you might all know him anyway) and I have come across an expression indicating - I suppose - some kungfu technique: 轻功提纵术.

Does anyone have a clue about how it is called in English, or can any of you suggest a possible translation?

Here is the context where it appears (chapter 1), for your reference:

展开轻功提纵术向郊外奔去，回头只见三条人影先先后后的追来。

Many thanks in advance!

[Susanna]

轻功提纵术： 利用轻功使自己的身体变轻，双脚借着轻功进行跳跃。

make your body light, and then jump with ease.

[studentyoung]

I suppose - some kungfu technique: 轻功提纵术.

Yes, 轻功提纵术 is one of kungfu techniques. Below is an article about Shaolin Qinggong.

Shaolin Qinggong emphasizes the legs. The most accomplished kungfu masters can leap onto roofs and vault over walls. A monk can exercise with half-kilogram sand bags tied around his calves where the cloth is always worn out, even when sleeping. The weight is gradually increased, from two kilograms to above 10 kilograms, depending on the monks' stamina. This exercise allows monks to move swiftly and lightly

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/ezine/2007-05/14/content_871644.htm

47、蜻蜓点水轻功提纵术：少林僧提着水桶过河时使用的轻功。

http://baike.baidu.com/view/16200.htm

In fact, this 轻功提纵术 is from a term called “蜻蜓点水轻功提纵术” in 72 Secrete Arts of Shaolin’s mock(少林武僧72绝技). It describes some kind of Qinggong that a Shaolin mock who learned this technique could carry buckets and walk through a river, like a dragonfly flying on water and dipping slightly on the water’s surface from time to time.

Does anyone have a clue about how it is called in English, or can any of you suggest a possible translation?

Search me!

Thanks!

[Paolo]

Thanks! I've always thought I should have seriously picked up some kung fu... but I gave up at the pre-pre-pre-training

[roddy]

There's a translation of the book online here. You could cross-reference to see what they used. I had a quick flick through to see if I could spot anything, but between Limitless Occult Kung Fu, the secret of the Golden Needles, Internal Force Kung Fu, Black Sand Palm Kung Fu, etc, etc, etc, it all got a bit confusing.

[Paolo]

Yeah Roddy, I have checked Earnshaw's translation myself, but it is a little confusing indeed... the guy's translation is based on another version of the novel (after putting an end to his career as a novelist, Jin Yong spent years revising and actually rewriting his novels, that's why) and sometimes it's hard to cross-check, though there is some trace left of that 轻功提纵术 at some point... not mentioning the fact that the translator has simply deleted long parts of the original in order to make the book "easier to digest" for the Western audience... Just check the very beginning of the first chapter if you have time: Jin Yong talks at length about the Three Kingdoms, the Battle of the Red Cliff, Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu etc., but in Earnshaw's translation all this is reduced to an appalling "a history lesson"...

[L-F-J]

The most accomplished kungfu masters can leap onto roofs and vault over walls

actually, the legendary hongkong filmmakers exposed their tricks and they are actually filmed jumping backward off the roofs, and then played in reverse. its easy to see.