Liaoshisuo
01 · Historical Records
Legend has it that stone-lock throwing (liao shisuo) originated in the Tang and Song dynasties; since the Yuan Dynasty it has been favored by Hui youth in Kaifeng, who always trained in stone-lock skill when practicing martial arts. Kaifeng lies in the Central Plains, and the area around Dongda Mosque, where Hui people live in concentration, has been a local center of martial-arts practice since the Yuan Dynasty. Stone-lock skill is regarded by Hui youth as a required introductory subject in martial arts, and practitioners must first use the stone lock to build strength in the wrists, arms, waist, and legs. During the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1821–1851), the enthusiasm for martial arts and skills among the Hui people centered on Dongda Mosque reached a high point; stone-lock throwing was accordingly inherited and developed systematically, and gradually evolved from a pure strength exercise into a skilled performance emphasizing elaborate patterns.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Stone-lock throwing is a form of martial-arts strength exercise, also known as 'stone-lock skill' (shisuogong). During the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1821–1851), the enthusiasm for martial arts and skills among the Hui people centered on Dongda Mosque ran high, and the stone-lock throwing discipline was well inherited and developed. Flips (fanhua) include the hand flower, head-strike flower, bottom-support flower, cloud flower, horizontal push-lock, horizontal flip-lock, and rattle drum, among others. Catches (jiehua) include catching the stone lock on the fist, on the elbow, on three fingers, and on the crown of the head, as well as the tuota ('pagoda-holding'), baoyin ('seal-holding'), guayin ('hanging seal'), shoutuo yuanbao ('yuanbao ingot held in the hand'), jiaoti hualan ('foot-kicked flower basket'), guoqiao ('crossing the bridge'), and sanzhi woyu ('three-finger reclining fish'). Big flowers (dahua) are composed of the stone lock's flipping, throwing, and catching combined with body movements of the waist, legs, torso, gait, and footwork; their characteristic is that the movements are broad and open, extended and unfurled, and thrilling. Following a standardized routine, group exercises can also be performed. Practicing the stone lock requires scientific application of force, keen eyes, a supple body, and accurate hand-feel; the practitioner must achieve 'height, airiness, steadiness, liveliness, and deftness,' thereby attaining a perfect effect. The stone lock carries rich ethnic cultural connotations; while building fitness and health, it gives an artistic enjoyment of strength and beauty.
Turning flowers: hand, head, base and cloud
The family of moves in which the lock spins on or around the body without falling, including hand, head, base and cloud flowers.
Catching flowers on fist, elbow, fingers and crown
The catches performed on fist, elbow, three fingers, crown and other points, the most demanding part of the skill.
Great flowers and combined sets
Sets that join the flying lock with waist, leg and stepping movements, performed alone or in unison by a group.
Two-man passing with one or two locks
Two forms of paired practice in which one throws and the other catches, testing timing and spatial judgement.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The patterns of stone-lock practice are infinitely varied; broadly they can be divided into flips (fanhua), catches (jiehua), and combined sets (zuhe taohua). By form and the degree of extension of the body, they are further divided into small flowers (xiaohua) and big flowers (dahua). Two-person combined practice is divided into single-lock passing and double-lock passing. Kaifeng stone-lock throwing uses stone locks chiseled from bluestone as equipment; the locks are shaped like ancient padlocks and commonly come in large, medium, and small weights, which practitioners select according to their level of skill. In practice, the waist, legs, torso, gait, and footwork coordinate with the stone lock's flipping, throwing, and catching, and flips, catches, and combined sets can be freely interspersed; group practice proceeds in formation according to a standardized routine, with movements uniform and consistent.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Liaoshisuo.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Practicing the stone lock helps cultivate perseverance and courage, enhances coordination of the limbs, and, over long-term practice, can cultivate one's character and temperament, sharpen the mind, and strengthen the body. Shen Shaosan (recorded in the official file of the associated inheritor): Male, Hui ethnicity, born in April 1929, a native of Beijing. A performer of stone-lock throwing skill. He not only mastered techniques such as stone-lock flips and catches on the fist, elbow, and three fingers, but also created complete continuous routines on the basis of the traditional practice of individual movements. His skill is characterized by lightness, airiness, deftness, and steadiness. He once served as captain of the national martial-arts team. He actively promoted stone-lock throwing and taught several hundred disciples. Representative inheritor of stone-lock throwing, a fourth-batch national-level intangible cultural heritage project. He won first prize at the Fourth National Traditional Ethnic Minority Sports Games and the Sports Contribution Medal of the People's Republic of China.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Shen Shaosan 04-1745
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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