A Very Brief Summary of Kuntao Silat de Thouars in Uncle's Own Words

I would like to summarize some of the elements that comprises the fundamental basics of my system - Kun Tao Silat de Thouars (Kun Lun Pai).

My system that I have created, and is now known throughout the world as Wu Kung Kun Tao (meaning "warrior arts in combat"), Kun Lun Pai (an arsenal of techniques, or tools) combines several systems into one art. The meaning of the Kun Lun Pai, historically speaking draws its source from the Kun Lun Mountains in Southern China. Two of my teachers Buk Chin and Willem Chang has lived and trained Gung Fu in the mountains of Kun Lun.

I tribute the name to them who taught me a tradition. Kun Tao Silat explains itself. Kun Tao stand for Chinese fists arts, and Silat came from a Hokkien dialectic expression for skills. It is pronounced as Si La and Te. Si La Te became in the last hundred years an Indonesian expression for fighting skills (Silat).

Kun Tao Silat means simply the Skills of Chinese fists arts, combined with the uniqueness of Indonesian Pencak fighting techniques.

Pencak was in its origin also a Hokkien dialectic expression. Pencak stands for Peng (to block), Tja (to punch) and Te (to kick). Peng Tja Te, ever since the Indonesian bahasa (language) was formulated as a language influenced by Spanish, Dutch and Portugese, became an Indonesian expression for understanding accomplishing basic training martially. Pencak Silat actually means an enhancement of the skills of bodily movements. There are 400 spoken dialects used over the 14000 islands inhabiting the Indonesian archipelago. The Dutch aided to formulate a basic language that all of the one hundred and ninety million Indonesians could speak, write and understand.

My Kung Fu system was greatly influenced by the following Shao Lin arts: Fut Ga (upright position), Hung Ga (deep rooted low postures), Toy Ga (Medium centers), and the T'ung Lung T'ai. (Chinese teachers). Native Indonesian influence includes Ci Mande, Ci Campek, Bondowoso and Harimau. Boxing and fencing, and other Western arts also have influenced me. Actual Macaque monkeys taught me the reality of fighting.

Willem de Thouars, Founder Kun Tao Silat de Thouars