The Key Of Martial Arts

The Key of Martial Arts --Theory of Dachengquan(1)

Author: Wang Xiangzhai Translator: Li Jiong http://www.yiquando.com [email protected] +86 13175132717 Copyright©2000-2005, All Rights Reserved

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In the time when this book was written, Wang’s art was called Dachengquan; ‘Dacheng’ means ‘complete achievement’, ‘quan’ means ‘martial art’. Later, some of Wang’s students took back the name ‘Yiquan’, and some still continue to use the name Dachengquan.

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Acknowledgement This is the magnum opus of Mr. Wang Xiangzhai, it was written in the early of 1940’s. Wang Xiangzhai was a great master of martial arts, Dachengquan (Yiquan) was his creature which he had worked for almost all life, he tried to expatiate on the traditional Chinese martial arts by the modern science, and get rid of all unpractical things. His efforts have really helped the practitioners after him a lot. I started to translate this book from the year of 2000, in the beginning, Romain Roche and Bertram Chock had helped to emend the grammar, the utmost thanks to them here. If there are many mistakes in this English version, they are all mine, cause of my poor English and poor understanding. Li Jiong January, 2005 In Hangzhou

Table of Contents Acknowledgement...…………..……………………………….………2 Author's Preface…………………….…………………………….…...3 Narration on the Important Points of Practicing Martial Arts….….5 A Talk about Credos and Rules ………………………….…………...7 A Talk about Single and Double-Weightiness and agility…...……....8 Recognizing the Abstract, Insubstantial and Substantial, Emptiness and Substance…………………………...……………………………...9 General Principles...…………………………………..………………11 Formulas Put Into Verse ….…………….…….…….………………..12 The Steps of Training.............................................................………...15 Zhanzhuang (Standing Meditation) .......................................................…15 Shili (Testing Force) …...........................................................................17 Shisheng (Testing Voice) ...................................................................….19 Self-defense.……….........................................................................20 Jijizhuang Method (Combat Standing) …............................................….21 Talk about the Stages of Zhanzhuang (Standing Meditation) .................…23 A Talk about the Four Forms...….......................................................26 Brandishing Wave...….....................................................................29 Cruising Dragon...………................................................................30 White Crane ……….........................................................................31 Frightened Snake..............................................................................32 A Talk on the Philosophical Justification of Dachengquan (Yiquan)...33

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A Talk about the fixed Series of Skills and Methods in Martial Arts ……………………………………………………….…………………34 A Talk about the Relation between Martial Art and Enginery .....36 A Talk about Dianxue(Hit at Selected Points)…............................................36 The Difference between Inherence and Science ...….........................36 Free From Mysticism...….....................................................................37 Explanation of Understanding and Practice ......................................37 Why the essence of Martial Arts Had Been Lost. …..........................39 A Discussion on Freedom from the System of Master and Disciple.42 Conclusion ….........................................................................................44

Author's Preface The greatness of martial art science is really due to the necessity of national spirit, the root of the learning, the foundation of the philosophy of human life, and the lifeline of societal education. The very core of its mission rests on educating the will of the people, helping them to express their emotions, transforming their physiques, developing good abilities, making students honest and healthy, benefiting the country and benefiting people. Therefore, we are not paying attention to combat only. If what we have can achieve all these objectives, then it can be truly called a martial art; otherwise, it is a deviation. Practicing deviant martial arts is like drinking poisoned wine, its harm cannot bear saying. Very often I think of benefiting others, and pained by this thought, I cannot bear just sitting by and watching. I have been practicing martial arts for more than forty years, exploring where the genuine meaning is, using scientific principles to consider, proving things by my own cognition, getting rid of its harmful aspects and disclosing its secret, putting away shortcomings and taking in excellence, eliminating the false and retaining the true, digesting it, and all of this in order to carry forward it and make it become an unique martial art science, and most friends feel sweet in test, to practice it with delight. Because of this everyone called my martial art “Dacheng” (complete success). I wanted to refuse it but they did not obey my wishes, so there was nothing more to do but let things be. Now, what this martial art is paying great attention to is the training of spirit, feeling and natural force. In a nutshell, it makes a person correspond with atmosphere in a natural way; in more words, rooted in universe principle and elements, it nurtures the entire spirit and powerful force, form bent and mind straight, void or solid isn't fixed, to train the instinct of feeling livingness. Concerning the body, it is provided with all

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acts; concerning the usage, then, you respond as soon as you have a feeling. Seeing that common practitioners esteem form, advocate method, pay attention to rough force, this of course cannot bear mentioning in the same breath. Really, because common pugilists have been mostly paying attention to form and method, and therefore have developed it, martial arts have turned into all kinds of Quantao(A Series of Skills and Tricks in Martial Arts) that are complicated and superfluous, abnormal and grotesque in shape. Even more, because they have been devoting their efforts to seek enhancement of rough force, and therefore have been practicing multifarious intense sports, they have developed all kinds of wrong teachings and wrong theories, they are still feeling proud of themselves, hardly realizing that all are life-harming sports! Their nerves, limbs and trunk, trachea and muscles have already been wrecked by it and all these have become decadent. How could one hope for them to accomplish the mission of martial art science? Although I do not dare to say this martial art is the supreme learning, if we are talking from now or in the past, believe me, only I have it, and not the others. Science as a matter of course should be higher from generation to generation; otherwise there should be no need for it to exist! I deeply believe that martial art science is good for exercising the nerves, limbs and trunk, and thus benefit one's intelligence. It is also especially good to warm up and nourish the healthy energy of muscles and to nourish blood. Even more, it makes the breath easy and smooth, and the vital capacity to intensify, so that instinctive strength is also gradually increasing. Thus, by following it, will come true the ability of Fali (Send out a fulminated force) in a touch. Concerning the important point of effort and the method of training, all are given a detailed account in the body of this book, so I will not give unnecessary details now. But originally, this book was written to help the students to learn the martial art easier, so it can't compare with the literature that cater to laymen. Because I am getting old, everybody is pressing me to leave some markings. I have only taken the teachings that are studied everyday, gotten them recorded in a disconnected way, and then left behind this work for reference. In the future, everyone will hold a piece of it and it will be easy to comprehend this art. However, I always take seeking knowledge as my duty, if there really is a prominent personage within the country, he would like to point out the mistakes of this martial art so that they can be corrected, or then even teach me, I will especially appreciate that, and will praise him for that. Because I have been thinking that even a stupid person may once in a while have a good idea, I have been able to gradually make more and more use of the advice of others. In days to come, I hope that all students who are learning from me will seek advice extensively in an open-minded way, and to the 4

best of one's abilities, and to exert themselves to develop toward the one and only direction. If someone has learned something, I hope that you will be able to research together at any moment, in order to gain the profound and extensive implications. By this I am expecting to benefit the public and improve the level of the physical culture of the country. Really, I'm extremely expecting this; otherwise all counts for nothing. Thus if we’re promoting it but cannot succeed, it is because our spirit is inadequate, or our intelligence does not accord with it. Moreover, the source of science is common to all human being, what kind of person I am, how I dare to keep it secret to myself? So without estimating whether it would be too simplistic and crude or not, I worked hard and accomplished this book. I am not good at writing and as to the profound and subtle in this martial art, I couldn't elucidate completely. What I was hoping to do is just recording in writing, to describe such inside information as to what in my mind, it is really impossible; so it will depend on students to draw inferences about other cases from one instance. Because I am sincere in teaching Tao and emotionally cordial, then it is unavoidable that some of my sayings will appear vehement, and sometimes I get lost at being unruly or unrestrained. Just understand me or place the blame on me, you may deride and taunt me at your discretion. Boling city, Hebei province Xiangzhai Wang Nibao Recorded at Taiyi Wanzilang

Narration on the Important Points of Practicing Martial Arts Most martial arts practitioners, in modern times, parade their muscles, showing the people how strong and tough they are, and acting like sportsmen. They are hardly aware of the fact that this phenomenon of malformed development not only obstructs health, but also does not have any other use. It is the main thing tabooed by physiologists, and it count for nothing in sport. These last years, I have censured their error in newspapers over and over again. Although commonly sensible person have all expressed their sympathy, most people are still vulgar and fatuous, devoting their hearts to harm the truth, and especially by speaking thoughtlessly to slander others. This really is beneath contempt. Therefore it is unavoidable that there are many individuals who bear a sense of resentment toward me in the end. In most cases, society has a poor understanding of the one who is singularly holding the consummate knowledge seeking happiness and benefits for human being, and also of the loyal and sublimely wise person. How low 5

their level can be imagined. I am concerned about the perpetuity of martial art science, and I really dare not take into account my private benefit. I hope that prominent personages within the country will not mind understanding and forgiving me. If one examines the origin of martial arts, it was originally picking the strong points of birds and beasts in combat, imitating their form, comprehending their intentions, gradually progressing, unifying the spirit through Jiajie(visualization, using something unreal to produce real results) principle, and just assembling these points, and then martial arts come into being. However as far as latter-day pugilists are concerned, since even forms aren't similar (to these things), how can they avail themselves of spirit, mind and feeling any further? And also, there are some talking about "Using force then (you will be) sluggish, using mind then (you will be) nimble", if ask him why this is so, then again he will stare at you tongue-tied and will not be able to tell you why. Use force then muscles will be sluggish and the body isn't nimble, and that harms health. There is no doubt to this, but say it in the regards to combat, then using force is just the force at its completion, using method is just method being used up. Once you have a method, it is just partial, it is just acquired and artificial, and of no avail the learning of instinct. And that spirit cannot unify, the strength also cannot be solid. Furthermore, one cannot make use of the response of universal force, his spirit is already limited by its scope, and his actions seem to hesitate to move forward. Moreover, “using force” is the changing appearance of resistance, and resistance is produced because of the fear of getting hit by the enemy. Thus, wouldn't it be an acceptance of the adversary’s blow? And then, how can one not be hit by others? Really, the harm of “using force” is great. One must know that using force and using mind originate both in the fountainhead of Qi, and they are based on each other: so using mind is namely using force, mind is namely force. But it isn't the force of the muscles stagnating, being tensional, and being congested which is called force, if one does not guide the muscles into being relaxed and in harmony by the mind, he will never gain the living force that is retractile and can be made convergent or be emitted for use at any time. Since one cannot get the natural living force, I don't know how he could gain that health preservation and putting it into use in fight, one must know that mind is produced from form, and changes in force follow mind; mind is the commander in chief of force, force is the army corps of the mind. What is called mind tensed and force relaxed, muscles being flexible and unpredictable, hair bristling and force made sharp like a cutting edge. By this means, one can achieve the beautiful nature of mind force for sure. Twenty years ago, this martial art 6

had ever been bearing the name of "Yiquan" (mind martial art) for a time. I chose the character of "yi" to generalize spirit, and it is namely the meaning of this martial art to advocate mind and spirit. Originally I was hoping to awaken coteries, to help them, just as its name implies, realize their error and tend toward the right target. Who could have known that among common masters, each cherished a selfish opinion, bad old practices die hard, and, generally, they would not calmly reject that which is defective and take in that which is excellent, or investigate where is right and where is wrong, and are willing to be conservative, all of which is to no avail. Therefore, any result in accordance with my wishes has no way to be fulfilled, alas, what can be done! Within my intellectual capacity, I am absolutely not resigned to drift with the tide, and to let the real meaning of our martial art science become forever lost along the bottoms. I will simply still often utter a cry, and I hope to remedy their numbness so that they suddenly start waking up to the truth. This again is my trivial ideal and I cannot help but promoting it.

A Talk about Credos and Rules The way of martial arts, is not only exercise to limbs and trunk, but there also exists an important and profound meaning. Just talking about tradition, one should first pay attention to dharma, and as for the credos that should be complied with, they are all included, such as respect the teacher, respect parents and show filial piety to the elder, good faith and kindness, etc. Furthermore, one needs, even more, the zeal of a knight-errant and a Buddha, and must have a steady aspiration of giving up one's own opinion to comply with the truth. If one does not have these qualities, then one cannot be said to be a good practitioner of martial arts. As for being simple and honest and running deep lofty qualities, persevering and having a firm and resolute spirit, sensibility of expressing humanism, and a nimble and heroic aptitude, these are especially essential qualifications for students, otherwise I am afraid that they can hardly been taught, and even if they are taught, then they could also hardly get its essence. Therefore, at every occasion of teaching a new person, the predecessors used to be prudent time and again before teaching them. Because persons with these abilities are rare, they did not easily agree to accept students. As for the process of teaching, they, generally, all took four appearances and five important points as first-hand criteria. For the four appearances, you have: head straight, eyes upright, spirit elegant, and voice quiet (means one is not shallow and often needs say something to prove his/her existence). Besides this, you can take "respectful, careful, mindful, sincere and harmonious" as a five words rhymed formula to remember the 7

five points. Let us now display these five words rhymed formula song as follows in order to show its meaning: Since entering a martial art school to practice, the chief important point is to respect the teacher. Revere friends and be careful to uphold justice, the morals of martial art must be completely obeyed. In moving be like dragon and tiger, quiet as ancient Buddha's heart. Heart should be respectful and careful, like meeting a Very Important Person. If respectful then the spirit won't be scattered, be careful, it is like looking down from above an abyss. With a boundless mind (infinite spirit), fill your body with vitality. Seeking truth in nihility, do not lose rightness, harmony and balance. The feeling of force is like penetrating electricity, which is studied with daily profundity. Internal turning causes exerting the voice, producing a lingering charm like a dragon singing. Respectful, careful, mindful, true and harmonious, this is a five words secret clearly expressed. Once knowing nature and understanding truth, on the contrary, seek toward outside the body. Do not be limited by method and theory, furthermore, do not become one who stops studying.

A Talk about Single-Weightiness(2), Double-Weightiness(3) and agility Speaking in accord to the principles of martial art science, no matter while exercising or in combat, the student must keep the whole body well balanced, with no inclinations. The slightest imbalance will literally cause obstruction(4) and the force also will lose its ability to change by being misaligned with the body. Neither spirit, nor form, nor force nor mind can allow obstruction. Once you have obstruction, which means you also have one-sidedness, which isn't healthy and even more, one risks becoming easily taken advantage of by others, students should remember it carefully. Equilibrium isn't stiffness; if one is a little stiff then it is easy to incur the

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affliction of double-weightiness. But one should also avoid excessive agility: excessive agility will easily lead to speciosity. The whole body must be stretched out loosely and be pliable and connotative(5), such as during Fali(send out an explosive force). You should also do it in a continuous way, which is called “force not being lost.” Double-weightiness does not refer only to the area of the two feet; it is also expressed by the head, the hands, the shoulders, the elbows, the knees, the crotch or the big and small joints. Once there is a slight hair-like force inside (an area), they all have the differentiation between single and double, relaxed and tightened, insubstantial and substantial, light and heavy. Nowadays the practitioners mostly turn into absolute double-weightiness from being unilateral singleweighted (inclination). Even more, some are going the way of becoming stone dead from absolute double-weightiness. This is going too far, and as a result, the more time passes, the more the learning of single and doubleweightiness is getting buried. Let us just talk about the martial arts books of various schools nowadays. They also are all completely improper, and moreover their authors are the same people who hold to fixed forms, greatly breaking the rules and the unity of the body. All their postures are really fantastic and disgusting, and the more you’re practicing them, the farther you are from the approach of martial art science. Once there is obstruction then one becomes rigid, but even if there isn’t (any rigidity), then one becomes scattered and confused, without orderly ways. This happens even if one comes cross the “wonder of single-weightiness”(6) by oneself, because of not being able to realize it, it is also no different than “doubleweightiness”, where one never stops until becoming unnatural, uncomfortable and the body deviates. Consequently, these people have to go the way of mechanical methods, losing the ability of moving according to situation and frequent change; they will never have a day of developing good ability. Alas, this is also really very pitiful. As for the agility of spirit and mind, one can only prove it by applying the natural ability of lively force. For example, in a two-person duel, facing the life-and-death, the situation is extremely critical. When they have already met but have not yet touched, one still does not know what he will use, and after the combat has been solved, again he does not know what he has just used in this instant. This phenomenon is called “don't expect and think about it but make it so, (action) comes before one knows”, and also called “requiring the automatic and good functioning of the extremely centered and very harmonious instinctive strength. (2) It means the strength deviates. (3) It means the strength is statuesque and stiff.

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(4) It means being attached to some fixed form, or say, similar over-absorption of mind of like in fixed forms. (5) Containing implied or concealed strength. (6) The “wonder of single-weighted” means lively force. Being single-weighted is wrong, and doubleweighted is also wrong, one should often change between being single-weighted and double-weighted. In a word, be lively.

Recognizing the Abstract, Insubstantial and Substantial, Emptiness and Substance There is not only one method of beginning the practice of martial art, however, the whole wonder of its crystallization simply depends on the exertion of spirit, form, mind and force together in a unified way. This exertion is watching it but cannot see any form, listening to it but cannot hear any sound, without substance and also without figure. If you just consider its materiality, that is like the vigor of a flag in the air, swaying astatically, but only responding to the power of the wind, this is what is namely called “respond and unite with the atmosphere”; it is also like a fish in the waves, undulating without fixed orientation, moving along length and breadth or forward and back according to its touch, it only has a connotational spirit to move by watching the chance to act by responding to feelings, being void and nimble and to keep silent. The important point rests with estimating the true within nihility, and also estimating nihility within substance. It really combines with Taoist school's and Buddhism’s wu-wei(7) and yet produces you-wei(8), the myriad methods are all empty then made into real representations, actually, all the academic theories are mostly similar. Thus the fact that in creating a painting, each one uses his own pretty and elegant technique of drawing, tracing his solitary travel within heaven and earth, can be mentioned in the same breath. The accomplishment of its crucial point and delight consists in invisibly being alike in spirit, considering the intention to seek it. One should avoid operating facing towards a mirror during practice, for fear of once seeking to be similar in form, then the inner becomes empty and spirit will be lost. While practicing, one must presume that outside one meter and inside two meters around oneself, there are some gigantic enemies who are holding broadswords and broad hatchets and beasts of prey and wriggling vipers that are coming. One should deal with such a scene of contending for life with an undaunted spirit, in an attempt to seek reality in nihility. If once formidable enemies are standing in great numbers, I am deal with them as if entering a place without anyone, then it is seeking nihility in reality. The important point depends on practicing, realizing, accumulating, studying and nourishing this during

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ordinary times. Anyway, all are gained from the abstract, this is what they call “(when one’s) spirit and mind are enough, one need not seek for the human body to be similar (in form); even more, disallow it to keep an object (in mind) and that gets rid of a whole lot of other things.” Be sure to keep in mind that in practice, one must be slow in action and the spirit should be fast, the hands should never go out for nothingness and mind never returns in vain. Even an action with the slight point force must be exact and coordinated with every tiny part, to be joined inside and outside, the insubstantial and substantial need each other to become the Whole and the One (all-pervading), so one must have the sense (instinct) of dealing combat all the time and anywhere. Once one seeks quick results, then the entire course is skated over, so how could one ever master the process of realizing it? Therefore, one must take Zhanzhuang (standing meditation) as the foundation at the beginning of the learning process, comprehending little by little and then advancing. Anyway, spirit, form, mind and force must become a whole unit, also the four centers must coincide (the centers of the palms, the centers of the feet, the center of the body, and the center of the crown of the head), and nerves must be unified, if one part moves all parts move. Also it is even more important to develop the coordination of every tiny part, between the four limbs and the body, and among all the rest. Do not allow your mind to be over absorbed and do not stop or break. Again, respond with atmosphere, so that relaxation and tension at each point of force can be transformed and used by each other, thus you’ll just about be okay. "There is nothing else to seek if leaving oneself, as persisting in oneself is never correct." How delicious these words are, realize them carefully! Then naturally, it isn't difficult to see the profundity of martial art science. (7) It means “without doing” and letting things take their own course. (8) It means “to have doing” and being promising, being able to do something following nature.

General Principles Martial art is rooted in heart essentially, some people recommended the name of Dacheng (Great Achievement). It is easy to approach, and full of interests. By never setting up a method, all methods are contained. Martial art is originally without method,

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having methods also is empty. It keeps the truth and changes one’s character, cultivates spirituality. Faith and benevolence and courage, all are therein. Let force be natural, strong and vigorous as a dragon. Exhale and inhale the fountain of spirit, and realize the function. Keep anyone at a respectful distance, comity modest and courteous. Force united with the universe, exert fine ability. Gaining the center, in an improvisation without fixed form. Get back sight and listen to the inner, exercising the nerves. Move like an angry tiger, quiet like a torpid dragon. Expression like a leopard in the fog, and force as if a rhinoceros is on moving. Store up the spirit and keep silent, (be ready to) respond to the infinite possibilities.

Formulas put into verse The ancients usually used the method of formulas put into verse, to act as a teaching tool, so I am now going to imitate their intention, but with small changes, specially in editing the formulas put into verse and publishing them as follows to present to students. The Tao of martial arts is very subtle, do not regard it as an unorthodox school. Since the beginning of the history, the main stress was on military issues, all sciences were starting at there. It is mostly lost in the present age, It becomes absurd and away from the point. The Tao of martial arts is based on heart, collecting all strong points. With an earnest will of advocating martial art science, 12

I wish to renew the ancient origin. I bear in mind to investigate truth and nature, combat skill comes in second. If you want to know the essentiality of martial arts, first start with Zhanzhuang (standing meditation). The mind hangs in the air, by realizing it you start to study Shili(Trial of force). With the whole body supported equably, keep bending within proportion. As if rising high in the clouds, breathing quietly, long and slender. Comfortably altered and extensively spread out, the appearance seems crazy and idiotic. Cut off disturbance and get rid of mussy thoughts, concentrating the spirit (as if) listening to tiny rain. The whole body full with vacant and inspirational feelings, does not allow a whit of feather to adhere to it. Tangible like running water, immaterial as atmosphere. Spirit soft feel as if drunk, and be carefree and content like having a bath in warm water. Silently facing heaven, let an empty spirit settle your mind. Your body like a great furnace, melting innumerable things. Spirit changes inwardly, regulate breathing to hear quietness and emptiness. Keep peaceful as a virgin, move like a torpid dragon getting up. The body is relaxed but the mind must be tensed, hairs straight up as halberds. Muscles are full of power and as about to emit (force), in the fulcrum the force is like rolled thread. The spiral force is without end, the whole body being like a spring. The joints are like pulleys, feeling the mind force. Muscles are as a startled snake, walking is as if the wind were carrying along a mat. Freely move about like huge surging waves, 13

like the convolutions of a whale swimming and spiraling. The force of the head is flexible and unpredictable, the body is as if being hanged by a rope, The expression of two eyes is concentrated, and the ears are listening inwardly and shut to the outside. The lower abdomen should be generally round, the chest slightly drawn back. The force in the fingertips is like an electric discharge, and the condyles give rise to edges. The lively spirit exceeds that of a nimble ape, and you should step as a cat. The body moves like a hill flying, circulate power like the sea overflowing On the verge of breaking out, burst effectively without interruption. Students, do not seek the queer things, simple things produce the beauty of nature. Return to the infant stage to seek the sounds of nature, the body soft as a bathing baby. Do not forget and also do not pull out the seedling to make it grow faster, but gradually become more and more proficient. As for talking about how to face an enemy attack, it is a subtle skill of martial art. First one should make the force equal and whole, with the axis not tending toward inclination. Movement and stillness nourish one another, spirit has many hints. To step on the enemy’s center, in relaxing or tensing do not slip or be stagnant. Circumgyration, must be done carefully, steadily and exactly, hooking and grinding must work suitably together. Sharp or blunt, wise or stupid, check deeply the opponent's intention. Bend and follow the opponent and suddenly extend, shift naturally between void and solid. Accumulate power like a fully drawn bow, touch the enemy at high speed like electricity. Gaze forward like a hawk, and be as martial as a tiger looking around, the feet feel as if stepping in mud. Like a falcon touching down and a dragon diving, 14

the whole body imbued with opposite power. Accumulate power with ferocity, bold but cautious. Whether cleaving, wrapping, drilling, binding or crossing, you should estimate the right occasion for attack. When having practiced it for a long time, you need not expect these things but they will naturally come. While changing, the form is invisible, while contending (with an opponent), the mind is purposeless. Shout shaking heaven and earth, covering a small world. If one wants to draw an analogy from its sign, with regards Taoism and Buddhism, Bangu’s and Sima Qian's ancient writings, Wang Xizi’s, Zhong Yao’s and Zhang Xu's calligraphies, Da Li’s and Wang Wei's paintings, their abstruse wonder are very similar. How can one reach these attainments? The answer is to be good at nourishing one’s noble spirit. To sum up, all is abstract, but the spirit must be genuine.

The Steps of Training The basic training of this martial art is namely Zhanzhuang. Its efficacy rests with the fact that it can exercise spirit, adjust breath, make blood circulation unobstructed and make the muscles stretched and in harmonious proportion. It really is a science of health preservation and how to strengthen one’s body and improve one's intelligence; it is also a sport that allows one to coordinate one's life. After that are all sorts of principles, like Shili (trial of force), Shisheng(trial of voice), visualization and realization; then there is self-defense, to echo with atmosphere and the waves of relaxation and tension, to be conscious of one’s good abilities, and the importance of the void and the solid rooting together. Now I’m going to explain each stage below, one by one. Zhanzhuang (Standing Meditation) Zhanzhuang is namely the work of keeping a steady and balanced standing posture. At the beginning of practice is foundational standing. While practicing it, one must first settle the frame of the whole body, one 15

should be quiet and void inside, and outwardly free and easy, relaxed and harmonious, and natural, the head straight and the eyes upright, the body should be upright and the crown of the head should be erect, the spirit should be strong and the force balanced, the Qi quiet and the breath gentle, mind should gaze far away, the hairs should bristle and the waist relax, the body's joints seem to have the meaning of bending a little, clean out miscellaneous thoughts, face the vast sky silently, the inner mind shouldn’t wander outside and extrinsic things mustn’t invade the inside, the light of spirit shining at the crown of the head, clear and bright, only the void spirit exists, the hairs of the whole body should have the tendency of extending a lot and standing straight, and the inside and the outside of the whole body should be like surging and convoluting. In that way, one should feel like a precious tree that is high in the clouds, hanging from a rope, and with wooden props below to support it. The carefree and content expression is compared to “swimming in the air”, which I guess it may most resemble. Next, one should learn to feel the state of muscle cell excitation, if one achieves some progress by exercising it, will self-realize it is a natural activity. By natural, I mean that is an important means of physiology transforming, for instance, it can heighten hemoglobin in the case of anemia, and decrease high blood pressure to become normal. Because it is a natural way of exercising, no matter how one does it, it never causes the heart to beat abnormally. It allows the body to develop evenly and to work normally. But from the spiritual side, one should regard the body as a great smelting furnace, and realizing all things are being melted. At the same time, one should be aware that all cells are working naturally and simultaneously. There may not be the slightest reluctance, and furthermore one should disallow all illusions. If one is exercising according to what is mentioned above, then all the muscles have not been exercised (consciously) yet they have gotten exercised by themselves, spirit has not been nourished (consciously) yet it has gotten nourished by itself, and the whole body will feel entirely free from worry, the temperament also gradually changes along with it. This instinctive and natural force, it is really not difficult to develop it bit by bit, naturally, from inside to outside. However, one must remember that body and mind should never use force, otherwise, they will lose their relaxed and harmonious state with the slightest block of blood, and if one is not relaxed then Qi becomes sluggish, and force stiff, the mind stops, and so spirit is broken, and all become wrong. Anyway, no matter what you’re practicing, Zhanzhuang, Shili or combat, as long as or once the breath is out of normal, or once the diaphragm tightens, that is just wrong, so I hope students will practice carefully, and that they absolutely do not neglect these things. 16

Shili (Testing Force) When you have a good foundation in the above basic practices, all kinds of favorable abilities will be increasingly developed. One should then continue further to learn Shili in order to realize the expression of all kinds of strength and really be able to use them. This practice is the most important and difficult work in martial arts. Shili is the way to acquire force (power). One comes to understand force through Shili, and by knowing force, it is then one can use it. When practicing, you should make your body evenly balanced and whole, the muscles empty and nimble. Imagine a flow of air coming and going through all the pores, yet at the same time, the bones and hairs should all be supportive and consolidated. By moving tinier, the spirit will become more complete. Slowness excels over quickness, begin to go and yet stop, begin to stop and yet go, furthermore, hold the attitude of going when having to stop and stopping when having to go, in order to recognize whether or not the entire force of the mind is well rounded; whether or not the mind force can be sent out in response to feeling at anytime and anywhere; whether or not the whole body can feel and respond to the universal force (the force of nature, for example: gravitation, resistance of the atmosphere, etc.); and whether or not the mind force can become reality. We want to respond with the universal force, so we must first feel the atmosphere, then respond to it little by little. Next, test the elasticity of the waves of air and the centrifugal force. In practice, one should experience the resistance of the air; use just the amount of force to respond it, and then, in a natural way, the force you use will not overextend and will not be inadequate. In the beginning, use the hands to test it, next gradually, does it with the whole body. If one can realize this force, good ability will gradually develop. Practice it unvaryingly and you will naturally acquire its unimaginable wonder, and then all kinds of strength will also not be difficult to gain. As for the mind, let it never be broken and the spirit never be scattered. Be one integrated mass, moving minutely and following the feeling. The whole body, its upside, underside, left, right, front and the back, none of these are forgotten or neglected. It must achieve the state of being comfortable and full of strength, and be full with wonderful delight, only then we can say that one has gained the wonder of the martial arts. The names of the kinds of force, which are to be tested, are very numerous. For instances there are accumulating force, springy force, sudden force, opening and closing force, and then weighty force, fixed in the centre and lingering, the inertia of supporting embracing, triangular and helical force, lever and spindle force, pulley and bevel force, and so on. All of these become known 17

in a natural way from the practice of Shili. All joints of the body bend, and at the same time, all joints contain expansion, too. What is called shrinking and extending reciprocates each other. Each joint forms an obtuse angle, and moreover, is not coplanar. There are especially no fixed triangles. Hidden within the power of the martial art, all is known via spiritual realization. The motion of the form is tiny. Watching it outwardly, it seems the form is motionless, but the volutions of all joints are rotating and never fixed, they are sinuous and never stop. In fact, it should be known that by holding a fixed form then the force is dissipated and without a fixed form then the spirit is concentrated. You, yourself, must experience it, only then you can truly understand it. According to my experience, triangular forces produce helical force. All forces result from the muscles moving and the spirit visualization working with each other; they all have an affiliated relationship. If we talk about them individually, then we again enter the doorway of methods and the whole becomes merely a slice. Therefore, if not taught face to face and with the heart, it is not easy to gain the essence. It is impossible to be described by words, so it need not expatiate here. To sum up, all forces are used by the spirit in tight concentration with the inside and outside contained congruously. If we talk about them separately, then the result is a mechanical martial art with a fixed form and “broken body” (force misaligned and fragmented). This is not the martial art in spiritual meaning. According to my experience in practicing and realizing martial arts for more than forty years, I deeply find that all kinds of strength are produced when the whole body extends toward emptiness (in mind) and forgetting oneself. However, this whole body emptiness also results from gradual comprehension of the minute angle formations. Therefore, again I find that all learning is contradictory, but at the same time, all is harmonious. Unite the contradictions and only then can there be a thorough understanding, and just can make use of their divisions and agreements; otherwise, it is not easy to understand the principle. As for the method of using force, the key for unifying the body, it absolutely does not rest with the form being good or bad and it especially does not rest with the postures being numerous or simple. The important thing rests with how the spirit controls, how the mind leads, and how the inside and outside of the entire body work together. In action, whatever the form is, whether single out, both turning back, shoot out together, single movement forward, traverse, ram straight ahead, frontal attack or attack sidelong, and upright or inclined strive each other, with any of the entire body's joints, points, lines, and surfaces, all these methods have the distinctions of being either early or late, light or heavy, and relaxed or tense. But these should not show outwardly in the form and the force 18

shouldn't be outside the body. There also shouldn't be any broken connections and one especially shouldn't have the feeling of light, heavy or direction. No matter Shili or Fali, one should keep the body relaxed and harmonious, the strength pithy and containing “listening” force in waiting for the feeling. The spirit should collect entad and the bones should conceal their edges. Within the area of 1 meter from the body, one should feel as if protected by a layer of netting. In this netting, feel as if there are many swords and bows ready to shoot outwardly. But these all rest with the hairs and muscles extend, shrink and turn, and the whole body inside and outside has the feeling of balls rolling and edges rising. Others, such as all kinds of endless forces of visualization from nihility, are too numerous to talk about, so we will not discuss the matter, students may understand them by their own inner selves. If you have really acquired the above kinds of forces in your own body, be sure not to think that the path of learning martial arts has ended here, you have gained only some capital of martial arts merely, and you now have the possibility to study martial arts. As for in action then be able to have suitable states of relaxation and tension, as well as the proper emptiness and substantiality, the key of key, is again, not easy to achieve except for a generalist master who has had plenty of experience in true combat. One should also have tiptop talent, outstanding verve, and especially should have profound and pure power, then gradually, one may gain an instinctive state of liveliness; here one needn't think, does not expect, or think about things but just makes it so, and (proper action) comes subconsciously. The smallest point force should also avoid the action of shooting at random. But then again, without the whole body being able to shoot at random, it is difficult to achieve its wonder. Shisheng (Testing Voice) Shisheng supplements Shili for its tiny inadequacies. Its effectiveness rests with stimulating the cells work via sound waves. Its original intention does not reside in threat, but for the people who hear it, a frightening feeling will suddenly be produced in all. This is really because it is the voice and the power shooting out together. It is different with people who empty shouts in order to threaten others. While doing Shisheng, the air in mouth shouldn't be spit out. It is the skill of the voice turning from inner. In the beginning, one should make a sound, and then gradually, turn to soundless. People's voices are different, only the sounds of Shisheng are all the same. It is like the sound of ramming a big bell in a glen. Just as our predecessors said: “Shisheng like the ultimate sound of the great musical instrument which is used in ancient china.” It can not be described by words. One should allow 19

students to watch the teacher's mien during Shisheng, consider its principle, hear the sound, and conjecture its intention, then test the state of the voice. In this way, maybe one can get its essence. Self-defense Self-defense is another name for combat. One should know a big action is not as good as a small action and a small action is not as good as stillness. One should know stillness is just the unceasing movement. For example, a machine wheel or rotor, when it turns very speedily can seem motionless. When it can be seen to be turning, then it will soon stop and it is an appearance of impotence. What is called motionless motion is faster than motion. This very speedy motion is similar to stillness. Motion and stillness are based upon each other to use. Its ingenious usage rests mainly with control of the nerves, leading the mind, the elastic power of breathing, a stable pivot, route displacement, and changing the barycenter. With all the above kinds of methods, if one can use them properly, then one has a foundation for combat. One should also train the habit of making the provision for issuing force in response to all opportunities at anytime and anyplace. The important point rests with the mind and feeling are inexhaustible in insubstantial spirituality; this is a valuable thing. However, although it is not necessary to get to the bottom of the combative methods, it seems we still need to pass through the process. If the opponent is stiff and always presents his center and route, then we needn't be concerned about him. If the opponent’s action is rapid, his body never fixed at a place and he is lively like a monkey, and needless to say that he has all kinds of force, just by his rapid actions, it is clear that not everyman can deal with him; therefore, we should also research combat methods at ordinary times. In practice, first train the lower abdomen to be substantial, buttocks to be firm, the head, the hand, the shoulder, the elbow, the crotch, the knee, the foot, each has the combat methods. With reference to lifting strike, hooking strike, pressing strike, hanging strike, sawing strike, drilling strike, twisting strike, strike at glancing angle, overlapping strike, alternating strike, swathing strike, trampling strike, intercepting strike, stifling strike, destroying strike, poking strike, rolling force strike, supported force strike, slippery force strike, viscidity force strike, circling step strike, stretching step strike, advancing step strike, retreating step strike, sequence step strike, sidelong step strike, full step strike, half step strike, frontal strike at diagonal side, diagonal strike at front, unilateralism strike of the whole body, whole strike of the part, top and underside coiling strike, left and right leading strike, inside and outside leading strike, front and back revolving strike, the force 20

stops but the mind doesn't stop, the mind stops but the spirit connects again, the opportunity of the movement to start but yet not start, and all kinds of suggested strike methods, although they are all partial, if one has not had practice truly, it is also difficult to get them. But, all-in-all, they are thirdrate skills, and the clever and wise individuals need not practice them.

Jijizhuang Method - Combat Standing To compare Jijizhuang (combat standing) with the foundational standing, their spirit and form differ a little from one to another, but still root on the same principle. The step should be as the character "八", and is also named dingbabu: it’s a bow step with the feet placed half like the Chinese character "丁" and half like "八". 30% of the weight of the body is divided on the forward leg and 70% on the back leg, the force of the two arms is 70% holding and 30% supporting. While Fali, force is just equal, but past equalizing, it still should be as the spring of a firearm, and one should have the intention of extending and shrinking continuously. The variable distance between the hands and between the feet doesn’t exceed 1 chi (0.33 meter) at its maximum, and it is less than one inch at its minimum. Front and back, left and right, change in one each other without end, and the more one practices it, the more he gets skilled and finds its wonder. As for the use of relaxation and tension, and of the heavy and the solid, realizing the soft, being quiet and suddenly springing, being far or near of the distance, how to hold the posture, whether the Fali is false or true, the universe force wave and what opportunity to use it, then one should enter into it gradually. The whole problem of martial art science is contained in the following: in daily practice, one should assume there is a tiger at one’s front and store up force to fight with it for one’s life; this is the only way to learn combat in the beginning, it is also the first principle. Now let’s try again to explain the exertion of spirit, mind and force below. The exertion of spirit and mind: The important thing in Jijizhuang, rests with the whole body being empty, agile, equal and whole, being mettlesome, the spirit being like a tiger in the fog, and the mind being as a clever rhinoceros, one should have the force of a strong horse running, of a dragon braying and gnawing. The head should be upright, the nape erected, the tip center pressing and shrinking, the whole body being lively, the limbs connected, the toes grasping the ground, the two knees have force to support the body but also are pulling up, the heels are lifting a little, as a gale rolling up a tree, you can imagine having the force of being about to fly, screwing, swinging and shaking, and then the whole body

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has the force of supporting, wrapping, erecting and expanding, the hairs are like halberds, the joints of the upper side and of the lower side are twisting, as if coiled by hundreds of overlapping lines, and by riding its pulling force, one intends to contend with heaven and earth, the shoulders are supporting, the elbows are supporting sidelong; wrapping, rolling and turning, pulling and spinning never stop, lifting up and dropping down; pushing and holding are working one with each other, and force should always keep balanced, equal and whole. The fingers stick arrisways, catch, and screw to the left and to the right, turn outside and wrap inside, one having the feeling of pushing and pulling a mountain or the earth, muscles contain strength, condyles produce edges, the whole body keeps constringency, one should know the mind movements have the forces of supporting sidelong, rolling, pushing, rasping, bagging and coiling, the hairs standing as a forest, the back should be upright and the waist straight, the lower abdomen should always be round, the chest shrink slightly; then while moving one should be as an angry tiger searching the mountain; and, as if the mountain forest were just going to collapse, the whole body is like the state of a snake about to attack suddenly, also one should feel urgent as if the body were about to be fired, furthermore, one should have the spirit and the vigor of a dragon which flies straight with the thunderbolts, one should especially feel the muscles activating and poppling, the force being like the gunpowder and the hands like the cannonball, the spirit is able to react so slightly that even a sparrow would have difficulty to fly away, and then one should having the valor as if assisted by God. Therefore, everything you meet, once the spirit and mind meet each other, just as having a tight encirclement, nothing can run away, like the thunder, and a heavy snow purging the vegetation, and even more, nothing can describe its amazingly quick launching. Therefore, I name this spirit and mind motion as "overspeed motion", expressing that its speed is quicker than any velocity. The above texts are mostly abstract, however, in the spirit one “should do them truly, lest should come into illusion”. How exerting the forces: besides spirit and mind, how to exert force is also important, and of course I’m speaking about the good natural force, not the partial one. And, most of this force has to be gained by Shili. In practice, one should be without deflection in any part by seeking the equal and whole strength; then, from the equal and whole force at a point, one should try to realize the deflection between the insubstantial and the substantial, and again by the deflective alternation between relaxation and tension one can test the suitability of Fali, again by suitable Fali, using the spirit wind around and at the edge of the wave spring force, which again goes out by all hairs of the body as if stand out to seek the way, and like this, one could expect to get 22

the ability expressed by the word of “on the verge of breaking out”. Further more, one should be preparing the defense and attack every moment, one should be also as if dealing with a formidable enemy momentarily, and one should especially pay attention to the point that one wants to hit with Fali, one must never shoot at random. Take sight at the void place you don't hit, but hit the solid place, you should know that solid place is just a kind of weakness, (and hit) the hinge place where the void and the solid are exchanging. Were it not for experience, one will never know that disordered and daredevil hits can be useful too, just see who the opponent is. The front turns a little, namely is bevel, and bevel counterpunch can push (your opponent) flat. Practice diligently and research by all your best, by carefully and quietly considering it. If we're talking about martial art from the view of fighting for life, then it is a duel, and in duel it has not morality and justice. So, one should all the more hold to the six words knack: "to be willing to, to have the heart to, to be ruthless, to be careful, to be sure, and to be exact", and be determined to perish together with the enemy. If you can't hit your opponent, you shouldn't hit naturally; only if you can kill the enemy by one punch, then you can hit him. Holding such decision, you may not be without victory naturally. This points to the opponent’s power match to you, but if the opponent is inferior in skill, you might as well release him safe. Now, if we’re talking about it from the view of fellows visiting each other, and comparing their skills, then it is contest, and contest is friendly and for research and discussion purpose. So, it is very different from duel, and one should pay attention first to morality and justice. Thus, one should especially observe how the opponent's ability is, if that’s much lower than you, then you should absolutely release him safe, it is important to make him fear your power but also appreciate your virtue. Before the contest, one should assume first a courteous attitude, words should be guided by affability, actions should be inspired by manners, and one shouldn't absolutely be overbearing and irascible to harm the harmony and concinnity. In the future, the virtue of martial arts will be coming back, as the traditional way can live forever, indeed it is the clinking glory of our martial arts society, and so, I have a deep expectation of that.

Talk about the Stages of Zhanzhuang (Standing Meditation) By practicing Standing Meditation, one should come through three kinds of states: at each stage, one should realize and learn something from practice, which is called Gongfu. What is called state, namely, is the 23

mentation and physiological state in Standing Meditation. The mentality acts on the physiology, and the physiology acts on the mentality, so they reflect each other. In the end of the Qing dynasty, scholar Mr. Wang Guowei had said: "Every person who succeeds in his career should go through three kinds of states. The first is: the clothes and waistband getting loose (the body becomes thin) little by little but one never regrets; one becomes wan and sallow for her. The second is: last night, the west wind withered the green trees, walking up the tower lonely, and looking the end of the skyline road. The third is: to have been seeking her for thousands times in the public, suddenly, to turn the head, and that person is here in a waning lamplight." Practicing martial arts should also be like this. The first state of Zhanzhuang, talking about it according to the mentality point is called "never regret". Student should have a conviction without any doubt, and have the volition that can't be wobbled by one hundred cattle. Talking about it according to the physiology direction, by persevering in practice during one hundred of days, then one will have the feelings; by persevering in practice during three or four years, then one will feel the limbs expanding, the hands and feet being warm, and one will have the feeling of being as if being filled with lead. The insides of the limbs are easy and quick to get this feeling, but their outsides are comparatively difficult and slow to get this feeling. Anyway, both the inside and outside of the limbs should have the feeling of being filled with lead and expanding, so you can consider to have gain something then; once one attains this state, then one can begin to learn the skills. The second state of Zhanzhuang, talking about it according to the mentality point is called "to look the end of the skyline road", here, one will believe that the wonder of all martial arts is included in this martial art and not in the others, and that only this one can give the best (9). Talking about it according to the physiology direction, by persevering in practice for five or six years, one will feel that the two ears are expanding, the brow and the nose feel as if there are something moving inside, the neck is upright as if the crown is pulled by on a big rope, the scalp feels swelling, the hairs are as if flying, and one feels as if a big rock is pressing the calvaria. This namely, is the result achieved by the head held upright and the neck erects in practice. At the same time, the feeling of the arms spreads to the buttocks and the lower abdomen little by little. Thus, the feeling of the limbs grows day by day. When one attains this state, then one will feel full of nature delight. However, the force he issued still is the mechanical force of the limbs instead of that from the waist and the spine.

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(9) It sounds a bit sectarian, but it is a betweenness instead of the final proper manner. And actually you will experience this when you have really gained something in training.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The third state of Zhanzhuang, talking about it according to the mentality point is called "to look back", here, the instinctive livingness is like a snake. "The spirit dignified and the mind quiet", filliping or waving hand, all are natural. Looking back again, every method which has been practiced during ten years, all are like the shabby shoes, it is what propriety requires to throw them away in the ravine and we needn't to cherish them, what was practiced in accidence is just the ultimate result. Talking about it according to the physiology direction, by persevering in practice for about ten years, then one will feel the waist and the spine getting the feeling of expanding. This feeling will go through the anus and genitalia, and one will feel the whole body as a ingot, the body as if being filled with lead, the muscles as one, walking as stepping in the mud, once one lifts his hands then one will produce sharp edges, the body will be moving as if riding a billow, the waist and spine will be massive like that of a cattle. When one attains this state, then once one acts one just feel full of wonder naturally, and the force that is issued then begins to be equal and whole. Thus, the qualification for martial art is prepared. The above fixed numbers of years I mentioned are all according to my personal experience. As for students, some may need a little longer, some may need a little shorter, and all depend on one's inherence and skills. Mr. Zeng Guofan had said: “To accomplish the career, the inherence acts as 30%, however, the diligence occupies 70%”. This isn't empty words, so students, be encouraged by it. If one has been practicing standing meditation for a long time, but cannot get any clear effect, one should check himself/herself, whether there is an incorrect posture, or maybe the mentality makes some side effect on the physiology, or the physiology makes some side effect on the mentality… Anyhow, there must be a problem, and one should also seek help from a wise person, don't consider yourself to be always right, be careful! Be careful! Again, in standing practice one should avoid by all means to always practice one only posture, one should alternate different postures, alternate them every day. At the same time, one should also distinguish between the standing postures, the sitting postures, and the lying postures, the standing postures and lying postures should be persevered in especially. Just this way allows a fine-tuning of the physiology. Thus, although every posture can cultivate the inner power, but each posture has its own particular effect

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(therefore, if you want to handle one' particular case by meditation, just work out the postures according to each person), if one is always practicing one fixed posture, looked from the view of martial art, then it is partial; students, be cautious about this! It is suitable to practice Zhanzhuang for an hour to one and half an hour per day. Everyday the time of practicing meditation should account for two parts out three of the whole training time, and use the third one to do Shili (testing force). According to my experience, thus it is suitable. Due to meditation training is the basic exercise of Yiquan.

A Talk about the four Forms Practicing Zhanzhuang achieves the state of "the whole body as a casting", "the body as if being filled with lead," "the muscles as one" and "the hairs as halberds", then we can talk about martial art. What is martial art? Martial art is the force coming into play vigorously, it isn’t partial methods. In former days, I had written a poem with the title "the appearance of dance": The body moving with brandishing wave dance, the mind force traveling on the water surface. As a cruising dragon or a white crane playing, moving tortuously as a snake being frightened. The muscles contain strength, the spirit being kept and the bones producing edges. Wind and cloud display the splendid moon, the heroic spirit run through the long rainbow. Those "brandishing wave", "cruising dragon ", "white crane" and "frightened snake" about which were talked in the poem are all martial art patterns. This dance with martial art patterns, also namely, is what they called: "Health dance" or "Martial dance". During Sui and Tang dynasty (A.D.581-907), Health dance had been quite prevalent; it was the health preservation and combat method of that time. Not only warriors practiced it, but most scholars also practiced it, it was mostly lost later. The latter-day martial artist Mr. Huang Muqiao based on his experience of researching martial arts for many years, and conjectured from the dance postures of the persons in Dunhuang fresco and figurines, and only then he reconstructed some actions of health dance. On an occasion of the northern expedition (A.D. 1926), I traveled to Huainan(A place in the middle part of Anhui Province), so that I could meet Mr. Huang Muqiao, and then got his teaching, and in some sort, I have gotten the essentiality of health dance, I dare not to keep the secret by myself, so I have taught it to my students again, but among them, only about ten persons who could be said to have gotten the wonder of health dance. 26

As the precondition of being able to practice health dance one just should achieve the state of the "four as", namely, having the ability of "the whole body as a casting", "the body as if being filled by lead," "the muscles as one" and "the hairs as halberds", otherwise, it is difficult to dance out the proper appearance. That dance is only swinging the limbs. I had said: “the strength should be constructed in the body, the force shakes out of the body”. Practicing Zhanzhuang to the state of "four as", then the inner strength will be prepared. But concerning how to break out this inner strength to become an outside force, to get its effect in combat, then the “four forms” are the most proper modality. The four forms dance should be according to the principle of "the form bended and the force straight". In practice, one should always set up an imaginary enemy, storing up power to fight against him. The hands are pointing and the wrists screwing, the fingers bending and the claws holding(10), no matter whether a single hand or double hands rise to dance, the fingers are always pointing the opponent's mouth and nose; you should try your best to control the opponent's midline, giving a menace to your enemy. To control the opponent's midline is also namely to protect your own midline being out of trespassing. Not only the forefinger, middle finger, third finger and little finger all point the enemy, even the thumb should also bend and store up the force to point the same direction with the other four fingers. This palm skill is thoroughly dissimilar with what they called internal martial arts, like Taijiquan, or exterior martial arts, like Shaolinquan. This is the meaning of “the hands pointing and the claws holding”. If one desires “the hands pointing and the claws holding” then the wrists disallow to be arched and sunk, don’t arch and sink, therefore, while using this, one must screw the wrists, and then one can be agile to overmaster the enemy. It has the wonder of clasping, grinding, contracting and resisting. The ten fingers disallow to be stiffened and straight, all should bend and store up (force); the fingers should be detached, the palms should be concave, while using, the top of the fingers may have the feeling of passing through electricity, this just is the wonder of the fingers bended and the wrists screwed. The two arms in action are never allowed to lose the force of swathing, rolling, supporting and holding, even a mosquito or a fly can't fall on the body(11). Two feet in advancing or retreating are never allowed to lose the functions of sword, fork, and disparting and thrusting, the step should not back down even one inch. The shoulders should be sustainable (12), the elbows should be transverse (13), then the two arms just have the force of swathing, rolling, supporting and holding. The crotch should sit down, the knees should be sent out (sidelong), by sitting down the crotch and sending 27

out the knees then you just have strength, you just have the ability of sword, fork, disparting and thrusting. While fighting with an opponent, I persist in nothing, making him also completely unable to catch anything; the trick rests with the shoulders and the crotch writhing. Furthermore, the shoulders and crotch writhing should again be powered by the waist and the spinal column, therefore, in practice, the waist and the spinal column should sway and turn like an axis, thus one just can defeat persisting by no persisting. The two feet should be shifting as if moving in mud or snow, and the weights 30% and 70% on each of the two feet are changing each other. The feet haven't a fixed place, the body hasn't a fixed posture, either by making the back foot as the frontal foot, or by making the frontal foot as the back foot, the front and the back are alternating, the empty and the solid evolve in each other, and use your step to capture the enemy's place. While in action, the body moves following the mind, the hands leave the traces (14), one should feel his whole body as if meeting something, the three tips (15) should keep harmonious, the four centers (16) homologized. If (you act) quickly, disallow afloat; if (you act) slowly, disallow slack. (10) As if holding a bowl adown by palm. (11) It means one is very keen, even if a hairlike thing, like a mosquito or a fly, wants to touch his body, his body will detect it and respond automatically to slip it. (12) As if shouldering something. (13) Contain the contrary force, as if struggle to get free from binding. (14) It means that the hands are storing up power, as if lacerate something, and leave the traces. (15) The tip of nose, the tip of fingers and the tip of toes. (16) The center of palms, the center of feet, the center of head and the center of body.

The force should break out all in a flash. In this time, if you attack an enemy, malevolence is the best tactic, because the force breaks out following the mind. Only by being merciless, then one can defeat the enemy, because the skill is produced following the mind. Therefore, in practice, every action needs Jiajie(17), the action without Jiajie, the force will not be true. In practice, the whole body should never allow to lose the feeling of "the whole bodies as a casting, the body as if being filled by lead, the muscles as one and the hairs as halberds". What is called "mind never being broken, spirit never being scattered, be in one integrated mass, do not forget and do not lose it". Thus, the dance just has the state of “full of natural wonder”. Physiology acts on psychology, this just is the health preservation meaning of the health dance. By this token, the real skill of Yiquan isn't gained from moving, but one should seek it in immobility. Therefore, we say: "The movement of immobility just is the living movement". (17) Visualizing a certain scene, to use something unreal to produce real results.

Practicing the four forms is a directional training to the inner strength, to make it be able to break out to become an out force at any time and any 28

where, to get the avail of combat; therefore, in practice, we seek whether it is comfortable only, don't seek to make the posture stand or fall, whether it be beautiful or not. But posture is the representation of form, and therefore, you should also make the postures be correct, namely, never disobey the laws of physiology dynamics. If every action can follow the law of dynamics, and never lose the state of the "four as", then a big action will be right and a small one right as well, otherwise, all actions will be incorrect. In practice, one should also pay attention to use the law of unity between the opposites, about the out force and the inner strength of the body. The out force of the body is of four sorts: 1. The gravity of the body, namely, the gravitation potential energy translates into kinetic energy, this namely is called the "contending force with the earth"; 2. The ground supporting force and its counterforce, this is what I depicted as "being about to pull out the ground to fly"; 3. The air resistance force, this is what I called "to echo with the atmosphere"; 4. The opponent's force in fight, this is what I called "borrowing force". These forces, I name them together as the "universe contending force". The body's inner strength, namely, consists in the force of the whole body muscles in the state of the "four as", this namely, is what I called the "perfectly round contending force". The diaphragm power, this is what I called the "breath elasticity force", also is a kind of body's inner strength. If you want to get the real avail of martial art, you should make the perfectly round contending force and the universe force being harmonious and on the rhythm, the wonder of this harmonization all depends on the breath elasticity. So we say "spread and inspire the fountain of spirit, the force unites with the universe", "the shout rides the whirlwind". Therefore, once the diaphragm tightens, that’s just wrong, so students should care about it. Now, I’m going to explain the four forms respectively: Brandishing wave This pattern should be according to the principle of "the form flexible and the force straight", and you shouldn't lose the state of the "four as". Its embodiment then consists in using the forces of extending, shrinking, pressing, raising, sinking, holding and lifting. While the body is standing, the two feet immobile, however, the body and the two arms are doing the undulant movement up and down in contrary directions at the same time. Namely, the two arms are lifting synchronously, however, the body is sitting down, and while the two arms are pressing down, however, the body is raising up, also namely, pulling up and down reversely to elongate oneself, thus, the gravitation potential energy of the body translates into kinetic energy, the whole body just has a wave force, it is called the "gravitation 29

wave". This gravitation wave just is the requirement in combat. At the same time, pulling reversely up and down produces the longitudinal wave force, by the force of the two arms round support, it makes the longitudinal wave carrying transverse waves, thus, you just have the dance appearance of “brandishing wave”. While doing this, the two arms are in tandem. If the left hand is in front then put out the left foot, if this is the right hand that is in front, and then put out the right foot. The two arms are cooperating with the body, extending, shrinking, pressing and raising up and down, pulling reversely and elongating, the two hands running an elliptic path. Left, right, advancing and retreating, changing each other without end. The image of this pattern is just as a tortoise swimming out the water, being about to float but sinking again, sometime floats sometime sinks, and holds the billows and raise waves at the surface, so this form is also named “a divine tortoise swims out the water”. Cruising dragon This pattern should also be according to the principle of "the form flexible and the force straight", still shouldn't lose the state of the "four as", but then its embodiment consists in using the forces of lifting, pressing, stroking, dividing, shutting, opening and closing, and then the working of this pattern is the same as brandishing wave, you still need to make use of the gravitation wave to issue the forces of lifting, pressing, stroking, dividing, shutting, opening and closing. The two arms cooperate with the body to pull reversely up and down. The difference rests with the two arms running an elliptic path by the forces of lifting, pressing, opening and closing at the two flank fronts of the body. One should produce the forces of lifting and pressing by longitudinal wave, and the forces of opening and closing by transverse wave. Longitudinal and transverse, high and low, advance and retreat, use them each other. The image is like a dragon swimming in the sea, the dragon just is the billow, the billow just is the dragon, the dragon goes, and the billow moves; the billow moves, and the dragon goes. These two patterns, Brandishing Wave and Cruising Dragon, are both using the gravitation wave to get the effect of martial art. Therefore, in using them, one should grasp relaxation and tension of the force wave. Being relaxed to store up the power, being tensed to send out the force, relax, tense, tense, and relax, all with wave and billows. Wave needs elasticity mainly; this elasticity should break out to be an explosive force as soon as it meets something, this namely, is storing up, springing, frightening and explosion. Practicing Brandishing Wave and Cruising Dragon these two patterns, again one should have the body that if you raise it then it is very high, if you 30

pronate then it is very deep, if the opponent comes highly then I am high to do it, make him has the feeling of being high up in the air and agravic, feel too high to reach. If the opponent comes lowly then I am low to do it, make him has the feeling of facing an abysm, nod to its fall, falling deeper and deeper. This just is the method of "high then raise the body, low then shrink the body".

White crane This pattern should still according to the principle of "the form flexible and the force straight", still shouldn't lose the state of the "four as". But its embodiment then is using the forces of embracing, hacking, boring, thrusting, turning, raising, wrapping and screwing. Every bending part of my body, when it acts on the enemy's body and to be hindered, or one part of enemy's body acts on this place, while it is going to be deformed, my this bending part produces a resistance at once to stop the deformation, this spring force breaks out to be an explosive force immediately. This explosive force just is the requirement of martial art; this is what I called "storing up, springing, frightening and explosion" namely. Must know in the allowable elongation that my bending part can flex freely, the spring force is proportional to the elongation quantity (or the shrinking quantity) of my bending part. Therefore, in practicing this form, the action scope of two arms should be big a little, to strengthen the intensity of the explosive force in straight shot. In action, the two arms draw arcs from outside to inside alternately. If high, the fingers don't over the calvaria, if low, the fingers don't lower than the navel, if the left arm raises first then step out the left foot, the right arm raises first then step out the right foot. In drawing arcs, the two arms should have the forces of embracing, hacking, boring, thrusting, turning, raising, wrapping and screwing, in practice, according to different visualizations, the spring force, which is produced by the arms' bending parts, turn, or raise, or wrap, or screw, or embrace, or hack, or pull, or bore, or thrust to break out to be an explosive force. The wonder of this pattern also rests with raise the foot to override the enemy. If the left arm rises first, then the left foot rises broadwise and falls broadwise. Don't rise high than the knee of own solid leg, and don't fall high than the enemy's chest. Raise the knee, fall the foot, and the power sent out from the hands, the force should break out be one, this pattern of falling the foot isn't kick, step, tread, or trample, it is stamp in fact. Using the explosive force only, two arms continual exert by turns, two feet act together, the image just like a white crane breaks out of an encirclement,

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being about to fly. The "three fists and one foot" of Yiquan just are changed out from this pattern. Frightened Snake This pattern should still according to the principle of "the form flexible and the force straight", still shouldn't lose the state of the "four as". But its embodiment then is using the forces of raising, stamping, taking in, sending out, supporting, holding, swinging and lifting. The action of this pattern is the same with white crane, one should still make use of the spring force of the bending parts to break out the forces of raising, stamping, taking in, sending out, supporting, holding, swinging and lifting. In action, if you step out the left foot then raise the left arm, draws arc from inside to outside, at the same time, the right arm draws arc from outside to inside under the left arm. Advance the right foot, the right arm draws arc to outside, at the same time, the left arm draws arc under the right arm. In doing, according to different visualization, what I called bending spring force can break out to be explosive force by the form of raising, stamping, taking in or sending out, it also can break out to be explosive force by the form of supporting, holding, swinging or lifting. Front, back, left and right change each other without end, the image just is as a frightened snake runs suddenly, make a detour left and right it flashes sword light. What they called three fists (drilling, wrapping and trampling) and three sticks (over shoulder stick, chest front stick, and head back stick) are all changed out from this pattern, unparalleled fearfulness. White crane and frightened snake these two patterns are all using elasticity to get the effect of martial art. Therefore, in practice, should grasp the quantity of elongation and shrinking, retract to store up the strength, and extend to send out force. If you are going to extend it, then must retract it; if you are going to retract it, then must extend it; elongation and shrinking should make the whole body as a spring. This spring force should break out to be explosive force as soon as it meets an object. Therefore, these white crane and frightened snake two patterns also are exerting "storing up, springing, frightening and explosion". Practicing white crane and frightened snake two patterns again should know white crane can override transverse (enemy), frightened snake can nip lengthways (enemy). If the opponent (two hands) come out together, then I wrap his force, make him be circumvolved and pull out his root; if the opponent advances solely, then I let his force pass, let him exhaust the force and pronate ahead. This namely is the method of "transverse then wrap his force, lengthways then let pass his force”. 32

A Talk on the Philosophical Justification of Dachengquan (Yiquan) With regard to the philosophical justification of Yiquan, I hesitate to write too much, and will only put it forward in the form of a philosophical proposition. Being contrasted each other; it is not difficult to see the real aspect of Yiquan in a natural way. I. Zhuang Zi said: "The thing which makes substance isn't substance." This means what makes substance become a substance, isn't substance itself. Yiquan asserts that all forces are the concourse of spirit. It also can be said that force isn't force. In other words, what makes force become force isn't force, but spirit and mind. This is just the quiddity why Yiquan is called Yiquan (mind martial art). II. Lao Zi said: "Keep inaction then all things can be done naturally." Yiquan asserts "the action of doing something comes from inaction" and "the movement of immobility is just the living movement." What they called "inaction" and "immobility" just are Zhanzhuang in Yiquan, what they called "doing something" and "movement" just are Shili and Fali. Yiquan attaches importance to Zhanzhuang, and it is also the meaning of "inaction." In former days, someone presented Yiquan as "the static Gongfu of ancient Taoism." This isn't a derogatory term. III. Lao Zi said: "Reversal is the movement of Tao." Yiquan asserts, "Force has two kinds, two can then be one," namely, the antinomy and unification of the acting force and counterforce. What is called "contradictory intricate should be unified". IV. Zen has a saying: "all methods are empty, that is namely the real being." Again it is said: "don't think kindness, don't think badness, instead return to the appearance when I haven't yet been born." The appearance when I haven't yet been born is namely "emptiness and nihility." Yiquan asserts that "all kinds of strength are produced by the whole body extending to the point of being inane (in mind) and forgetting oneself." Therefore, teach people to "seek reality in nihility and exert it in emptiness." V. Zen has another idiom: "without method and without persisting." Yiquan then asserts: "never set up a method, without persisting to defeat persisting." In a fight, "I never persist and make the opponent also have nothing to persist." Not only resisting and using force are considered persisting, but using fixed methods is also persisting. Defeat persisting without persisting; do away with persisting then one gets no persisting. VI. The Ming dynasty scholar, Wang Shouren, had brought forward the theory of "Gain good cognition." Yiquan asserts the theory of "develop 33

good ability". Wang Shouren said: "It is really like water flowing to a humid place and fire coming near a dry place." The trend is just so. From these we can see that the principle of Yiquan is most similar to Taoism and Buddhism, if one practices Yiquan but would not like to accept its philosophy, this is the same as holding a stone egg to expect a chick, will never succeed. Student should understand this truth clearly.

A Talk about the fixed Series of Skills and Methods in Martial Arts The profoundness of martial art is inexhaustible, even if the student is sublime clever, and has the spirit of religiousness and try his best to practice, and has practiced for lifetime, it is still difficult to investigate its end, however, quantao(a series of skills and tricks in martial arts) and method, what is called artificial martial art shelf. From Qing dynasty three hundred years on, it is used by the common laymen to perform, namely, it is the tool to make a living by the unworthy pugs. Person who really wants to study martial arts, then how will he have free time to practice this? It is not only useless, but also has a lot of disturbance to the nerves, body and mind; it will harm all the body's good abilities, therefore, individual who practicing this is short of wisdom and insight. Furthermore, it is especially improper for application(To use it in real combat), and has mush harm, it is hard to write out all of them, for the mission of martial arts, the principle of health preservation, it is too far from those things, then we needn't talk about these at all. For combat, if one doesn't use method and quantao, however, acts recklessly and hits at random, perhaps he won't be defeated, if uses it in case, then he is sure to be defeated. As for the theory of "The five elements, the mothers of birth and destruction", then is especially absurd. At a flash of fight, how could you have the time to think? If you see it with your eyes first, then think of it in your mind again, and then react to deal with the enemy, it is hard to avoid being defeated. The theory of "birth and destruction", I'm afraid that even if a little child also is difficult to believe it completely. Who does believe it? You may ask it to the person who has the experience of fight; you will know that my words are not erroneous naturally. In (18), refers to Hong Huan five elements, it points that cause of the need of polity and people, to open up metal, wood, water, fire and soil to put to use. Later, some ignorant people misused it, and fabricated it absurdly, so that it evolved to now what they called the theory of "five elements, the mothers of birth and destruction", this is the tricksters talk at random merely, and how the

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students can read this? Most people know that quantao is spurious, however, how are the fixed postures and methods not fabricated by human? All are not the principle of martial art and the learning of exerting instinct. Even if one has pure and solid skills, believes confirmedly, and do it with perseverance and willpower, but he is also attending to draff and neglect of essentiality in the end. One should know martial art science hasn't method at all, also can be said that all are methods, once there is a method, the spirit just is inconsistent, the force also is not true, the action is on the loose, it isn't manful and sudden, the whole body can't be unified, furthermore, it is contranatural. What is called method, it should be the method of elements and principle, instead of the partial, unilateral and stark method, practice the partial methods, just as a charlatan, what he has learnt all are preparing methods and prescriptions, to wait the patients, and the patients should sicken according to his prescriptions, otherwise, there is no place to use his skill. Everyone, who takes quantao and method as martial art, this is just like disturbing the great Tao by heretical theory, all is sinner of martial art science. I sigh for the nowadays students, even if have the ideal of studying carefully, labor under without the gate to pass through, therefore, I fling caution to the winds, swear to point out their evildoing. Since quantao and method are useless and harmful, why are there still never devoid of those teachers and students, why? Because these people are dotty in wisdom and knowledge mostly, therefore they are curious and like strange things mostly, even if we tell them the truth, they are also difficult to awake, even if being aware they are also difficult to practice. The practitioners all use quantao and method to dazzle and flaunt, and the masters even use quantao and method to cheat people, depend on this to kill time and convenient for making a living, the rather those people who don't know what thing martial art is? Therefore, one by one, leave errors by own error, it will never be end, and it is really pitiful, teary and hateful. Alas, not only martial art, I feel most sciences are also misshapen developing. I really cannot bear to discern the humankind goes astray to catastrophe but don't save, therefore, I do not spare the gain and knowledge based on my realizing experience for many years, I explain and discuss them again and again, to correct their mistakes, and expect to awaken fellowmen, don't adhere stubbornly to errors any more. In most cases, the profound learning are all in simple form but their connotation are numerous, however, those things with complicated forms are mostly empty of essentiality, it is no doubt, not only martial art is in this way. I hope comrades think it again and again. (18) A book records the history of the Former Han Dynasty (B.c.206 -- A.D.25).

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Talk about the relation between martial art and enginery The ancients said: "If one succeeded in martial art then he accomplished the enginery naturally, don't practice sword and spear specially". If you can get the truth of martial art, again, to the inner power of all kinds of forces, the bend of subsections, substantial and insubstantial of long or short, slanting or frontal, the function of three segments and nine sections, direction and height of the route, the chance and duration of touch, can really understand, then whatever falchion, spear, sword or wand etc. all kinds of enginery, just given directions a little, all will be versed. Even if you meet an enginery which you never saw or heard before, and it is held by an expert of this enginery, he still can't compare with you. It is just as a engineer compares with a little ironsmith, or a doctor compares with a nurse, can't be mentioned in the same breath.

Talk about Dianxue(Hit at Selected Points, and causing internal injury) People all think the theory of Dianxue is wonderful, someone says to hit at a selected point, someone says to hit in a certain time, they dispute numerously and endlessly, hearing that make one weary, what they talk about are all wrong. If two individuals fight, their strength and advantage of situation match each other, needless to say the fixed point is not easy to be hit, furthermore, it is also very difficult to hit any point, if only some points can be hit, again check up on time in addition, then you have been defeated by your opponent already. To sum up, if one hasn't the true ability of martial art, even if let him jab discretionarily also without the place to use his skill, even if hit the certain point luckily, it is still no any effect. If one has gained the true power of martial art, then any part of two flanks or the chest, once it is hit by him that can cause death immediately. Don't hit at selected point intentionally, but the place be hit none is not point, if only study somewhere is point, sometime can hit, is it away from the right way more and more?

The difference between inherence and science People often say, one has a stature of two meters, and his power exceed 500 kilograms, he is very brave can't be blocked off. One must know a stature of two meters and the power exceed 500 kilograms, can be said abounding in gifts of nature only, can't exemplify martial art science. Again say one can strike off a big whetstone by one punch, split off eight bricks and jump ahead three meters, jump back two meters, if it is true, they are 36

some partial skills of fool only, and will walk into the way of disabled person, don't talk about this for the moment, however, they all can't be regarded with martial art science, what talked above, people all take for special phenomenon, if they meet an all-round master, then they can do nothing. As for talking about leap onto roofs and vault over walls, knighterrant, these are all dreamed and faked by fictionists, can be dismissed with a laugh only. As for breaking stone, walking on swords and spears, they are what is called dronish charlatan, these are even lower, it is not worth of a talk.

Free from mysticism There are often some individuals who is low in talent and learning, but whose humanness is loyal, they have been taught by someone, and have taken a more advanced course of the training, they specialize at a pure skill, although it is partial, most people inferior to them. Hearing their occult saying, watching their function, people who are less identification, just think that a man can't do this, just take it for mystery. They hardly realize the talking of mystery is absurd at all; it is produced due to be short of wisdom and learning, less identification ability, and one hasn't realized it sincerely, even if luckily once in a while, get the truth of martial art science, however, they can't appreciate it and hold loose, therefore, each time they meet a thing which is profound in reason, they always produce a mystery thought. If one is deep in training, and he has abundant experiences and extensive knowledge, while meeting something, he will know it clearly naturally, and won't doubt there are any other things. All things like that, how does martial art science only?

Explanation of understanding and practice The important thing of learning, rests with understanding and then can practice, can practice and also can understand, otherwise, it is hard to avoid deceiving oneself as well as others in the end, full of lies, speak nonsense mostly. The names of understanding and practice are simple, but their truths are numerous and difficult. People some say understanding is difficult and practice is easy, some say understanding is difficult, however, practice is more difficult, some say understanding and practice are one, or things do not have being difficult or easy essentially. The above talks, each has its truth, but they are vague and partial mostly after all, they can't make

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people clearly understand thoroughly. I think if one has deep experience and skill in learning, also has considerable effect, but because limited by knowledge, he can't explain why it is, who can be said understanding is difficult and practice is easy; if one has deep identification ability and skills, although he is easy in understanding, and also not difficult in practice; if one has identification ability but hasn't force and skill, then he can be said understanding is easy but practice is difficult; if one hasn't force and skill, again lack wisdom and knowledge, then understanding and practice both are impossible. Learning hasn't a limit essentially, one has how much understanding or practice, practice to what extent, and understanding to what extent just are real understanding and real practice? Then I really dare not to clinch an argument, but one should be able to understand then can practice, be able to practice and also can understand, only then he can be called understanding and practice unified. If without real understanding, one will never have the day to practice really, also if without real practice, it is impossible to have the time of real understanding. The consistent truth of being needed each other and promote each other, sciences are all so, martial art science is such especially. Because this way should come true two opponents meet each other momentary, there are not any time to think, even more, it disallows hackneyed and stereotyped expressions. The way of science, one should understand the truth chiefly, then should lucubrate earnestly, if you don't understand the truth first, don't know the key of training, it is easy to go astray, the deeper effort you do, the severer harm you get. No matter what studying, writing or any other arts, there are often someone at childhood who can be brought up, how can know the senior and with deep skills one, who has world-renowned already, on the contrary, is improbable to be brought up, these things can be found everywhere. It because guided by a bad teaching, lucubrate carelessly, pursue forms, study what others study, echo what others say, what is called man who follows like sheep just points this. If one practice but without effect, then he will also never get realization. His life at a loss, he hasn’t a bit actual thing. Furthermore, they will be easy to produce mysticism thoughts; they can't see the door (of the truth) after all. Follow this, use up all their learning; they still haven’t any realization in the end, what a pity! One should know technique is the door of practice only, Mr. Zeng Guofan said: "Even if the children and grandchildren are foolish, they still can't be exempted to study, and also should let them understand truth, then especially should practice, the outside and inside assist each other. Otherwise, it is difficult to walk up the right path in the end.”

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Why the essence of Martial Arts had been lost The important thing of martial art practice has three principles: one is health preservation; one is self-defense; one is altruism. Altruism is our vocation, also is an essential important item of martial art, but all of all, absolutely, should be gotten from the body and mind healthy. Ill health won’t have enough spirit absolutely, if falling short of spirit one will never have the story which move one to praises and tears, for the moment we need not say "die to achieve virtue, lay down one's life for a just cause". I'm afraid if he meets one drowns or hangs oneself, he will also recoil in fear, how can he pull out sword to help other while see something unfair? Not only this, every ill health person is small tolerance and in a bad temper mostly, therefore, toleration and happiness also should be in a good health. Improving one's health is the root of life, practicing martial art is the basis of improving one's health, all careers depend on it, since it counts for so much, how can we let them mix the false with the truth, deceive people all ages without discrimination? Martial art was very simple in the first instance, and then became miscellaneous gradually. Martial art is a tool to improve one’s physiological function; it is the secret of success to develop the good ability. From simple to numerous then it seems ok, from numerous to simple, breaching the physiological elements and principle, then it is not good. There are three fists in XingYiQuan originally, furthermore, three fists are one action, what is called trampling, drilling and wrapping, as a horse runs one after another, come out the unified action of three forces without a break. And the five elements and twelve forms are also included. Five elements are pronoun originally, the noun of five kinds of force, as for twelve forms point that twelve birds and beasts, each has its strong suit, one should try to gain them, there are not twelve forms and all kinds of quantao independently. BaGuaQuan is also like this, originally, there are single and double palms change only, later, because the people with superficial insight could not understand the true meaning in these, actually, they fabricated sixty four palms and seventy two kicks etc. false actions absurdly. It is not only useless, and even harmful. The abuse of Taijiquan is especially deep, but its harm is not violent at the physiology side, it isn't very absurd yet, but all postures are also worthless. If we talk about it by the book , its diction is fine, but has pity for less essential content and principles but much general terms, and it is vague mostly. To sum up, examine all latter-day martial arts, all are out of the question whether it is proper or not in health preservation and combat, also there is not a method can conform to physiological demand. I have traveled all over the country in forty years, 39

met thousands martial artists, never saw one posture can be balanced, the rather that profound and wonder? Martial art is simple in form and numerous in mind originally, furthermore, there are someone who has practiced for lifetime but can't understand the essentiality, as for one who achieves the holy realm, then it is especially as precious and rare as phoenix feather and unicorn horns, again moreover, the man who falls short of this way at all. It isn't the elements of martial art science is difficult to understand, in fact, it is because most individuals are short of unassuming thoughts and strong volition. To this age, factions come out one by one, fixed actions and methods are excessive to indescribability, ask them why, they said it is seeking for beauty to prepare for performance. If we practice martial art in order to please people, then wouldn't it be better to give up practicing martial art to play drama? Furthermore, there are still many fine things in drama, it is better than most martial artists are really. I often hear that nowadays martial art practitioners, frequently, tell others that they can do several quantao and many fixed actions and then show self-satisfaction, they are hard to know the individuals of insight are laughing in their sleeve already, furthermore, sigh again and again. Then the martial art science being lost, how isn't the quantao and methods make it so? After practicing three hundreds years, it is a custom already, it is difficult to get rid of deep-rooted practice, the humble professionals add fuel to the fire, so as to develop to the theories of four-quadrants, five elements, jiugong (nine palaces), bagua (the eight diagrams), and the learning of hehai (the rivers and sea of Qi). Every flimflam and peculiar words, being used and strain their interpretation to the best of their abilities. They make students can't understand the truth, however, moved by the demagogic theory and scramble for it, thus how could the elements of original way be not lost? Again, there is someone who has learnt several series of sword, spear, falchion and wand, wants to make a living by these. Fortunately, by chance, his plan is sold, then other individuals who fail in living take for there is an opportunity to take advantage of living, fallen over each other to imitate, these guys suffuse the world. These actions not only abandon the truth of martial art science, and the custom of errantry is also abandoned follow it. Between them, it is hard to avoid that there are some exceptional wise individuals, who can see the profound implication of martial art, but they have pity for being limited by confirmed habit and prejudice, would not like to show the essentiality which they gained to others, they don't know how the water of sea will be afraid to be taken by people, why are they stingy like this because without wide insight? Learning is common by humankind essentially, if one gains some learning, behooves to promulgate them to the world, how can one keep it 40

secret and then make them in oblivion? Recently, again I heard that there were some individuals relied upon Buddhism, talked about supernatural, told lies how they cultivated themselves according to a religious doctrine and how they met celestial being, they are especially absurd and unreasonable, again as a demon, it is deplorable really. It is an epoch with flourishing science today, how they dare to make this erroneous theory and transmit it one by one, publish it on the newspapers, these ill and muddleheaded individuals, really don't know there still has shame on the world. If the Buddha knows it, I don't know what will he think about these people who transmit erroneous seeds? The way of making a living is not only one, it is not necessary to make use of the weakness of the society to deceive others as well as themselves, talk to this, I can not help to be sad for martial arts, especially, sigh to the manners and morals of the time and the will of the people. The decline of martial art science, of course, it should blame Kang and Yong those two emperors, because they advocated it in a false way in that period. But it also should impute the comrades fell short of wisdom and insight, natural instincts ill, so as to be deceived by them, thus far, transmitting errors by errors, however, no one can recognize this way. Even if there is someone in consciousness before, again because of the prejudice of conservatism and then blame others. Thus, it became lower and lower. The way of martial art, if one learns properly, it is beneficial to one's body and spirit, furthermore, it can assist all careers; if one learns improperly, it may make one's moral character, nerves, body and temperament all be out of gear, furthermore, tamper with his life, thus, bring calamities for life. If someone doesn't believe me, look the past famous martial arts masters please, most of them were getting paralysis because the muscles lost the harmoniousness, and these samples can be found everywhere. Practicing martial art is in order to improve health originally, now harms the health on the contrary, what a pity! People always call martial art is the quintessence of the country, thus quintessence, wouldn't it be the tool to produce disabled person? Since 1926, there are schools of national art everywhere, to show that other arts are all unmerited the name of “national”. But such lose face and jadish national art also could be seen in our country only, but I don't know there are still such strange wise men, who can give it the great name. I don't know what the bold men think of it. As for the gentlemen who advocating sports, raise arm in calling for society daylong, how they know the sportsmen are the leaders of death ahead of schedule. Alas! Why do people follow like sheep thus? Hope people think carefully silently, you should make a clear distinction between right and wrong on it. Nothing is 41

more valuable than the body, how can we allow those blind men control us and destroy us arbitrarily? Seeking instruction from a master should be careful. I know the difference of right and wrong only, don't know factions or groups, to make martial arts be flourishing; I would like to explain all my experience and knowledge to the successors. Furthermore, I would like to let all people know it, therefore, I teach all people who would like to learn from me, always take people as my kindred. I don't like the appellation of master and apprentice all along, expect to clean off the concept of faction gradually, then maybe will martial arts develop? This is my wish.

A Discussion on Freedom from the System of Master and Disciple The system of master and apprentice is praised as a virtue, but there is always perfectly satisfactory thing, if carry out it in our country, then it becomes full of abuses, acts like a buffoon, and the society of martial arts is especially grievous. Therefore, most people despise it. The students think if one doesn’t formally acknowledge as a teacher, it will be difficult to get the secret of success. The teachers also think that if one hasn’t formally acknowledged as a teacher, it is inadequate for showing their familiarization, and then would not teach secret of success to students, people imitates this action one by one, and they get accustomed to be sure. Alas! It is really hideous. For the moment, we don't talk about that these superficial people haven't any skill can be kept secret at all, even if they have some, then they keeping it secret will make the truth of martial art science to be zero surely. So much as in a school, there are also some masters who hold secret by themselves and don't teach to students, I really don't understand the reason. This is really dirty. The martial art science is obscure, this is a reason. Down to now, strange martial arts and blind theories are spread all over the world, it is further intensified, and I can't bear to sigh! The truth of martial art science can say it is the same as the truth of life, also we can say, it is as profound as the profundity and subtlety of universe. If one practices it without knowing the way, he can't get the truth even if after seeking for lifetime. If one practices it by the right way really, after practicing all his life he still can't finish it, how are there the time to keep it secret? Everyone should think others, take others as himself, if really can be thus, then the world will be settled, otherwise, even if all people have died, only your family is existent, it can say your selfish hope gets to the limit, then how will it be? I'm afraid the happiness of humankind is cleared away forever. Our

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country accumulated declining tendency, most things are not as good as others, and the root cause of trouble also rests with here. Furthermore, learning is the common treasure by all humankind forever, it ought not to have the difference of boundary, much more in the same country and nation, there are shouldn’t any discrimination. Even if limited by national boundaries, we all bustling live under the light of sun, are there anything should be kept secret again? Those actions are dirty, really not worth a penny. Therefore, I teaching martial art, always keep open doors, everyone who is interested in this, so long as he comes, I teach him surely, and I am sure to try my best, so long as one asks me, I tell him surely, and I am sure to tell him all meanings. In a panic for fear that he can't get it, or nothing can help him to get. Therefore, every time I in teaching, there are someone hears but doesn't understand, or he understands but never practices it, I always produce regret deeply. Once I see someone understands and can practice it, practices and gets progress, then I feel very happy again, my this heart, take comforting others as my comfort only, I never pose as a teacher all along. People associate together, respecting spirit, and paying attention to affection, it doesn’t depend on the appellation form. If I have true learning to teach others really, although I never pose as a teacher, the individuals who gain the benefits, who will not bear kindness and regard me as his teacher? Thus, the name of teacher is lost but the fact is living, what has it been lost again? If deceive the public and mislead people by strange martial arts and blind theories, even if acknowledged as one's teacher, however, sensible individual once detects his absurdity, will abhor him endlessly, this again what teacher he is? The name of teacher is living but the fact is lost. Once the name of master and apprentice is determined, and then the concept of “respectful and humble” is produced, even if the apprentice thinks there are something improper in the master's teaching, he often fears to displease master's dignity and then dares not to violate it. Even if the student violates it, however, for keeping the dignity, the master also will refute it instead of reflect on himself, thus, are there still any morality and justice of science? The system of master and apprentice is helpless to martial arts, now this can be seen. Again, the rather that contention of school, often become intense cause of the system of master and apprentice in vogue, sectarian views, diverse and confused tumult, from lineage to be school, from school to be faction, again from the divergence of factions to the academic theory numerous and jumbled. Thus, the truth of martial art science will never be flourishing, isn’t the trouble more terrible? Furthermore, one has learnt something, then begins having teacher, if one knocks head three thousands times, calls master eight hundreds times, but is ignorant in learning at all, 43

then he doesn't know where the master is after all. One should know science is the heavenliness of universe, is a common teacher, this is the reason that I strongly advocate freeing from the system of master and apprentice. Although this is my personal view, and the system of master and apprentice is inveterate in martial arts society, if we couldn't get rid of it at once, for carefulness, then also should wait both sides have a clear understanding of each other’s knowledge and moral character then do it, accordingly, avoid the harm of following blindly and conflict, it seems more appropriate.

Conclusion Martial art training not only depends on how many years one has practiced, how deep one's skill and power are, and the body is tall or short, old or young, it especially doesn't rest with the methods are numerous or few, the action is fast or slow, and the seniority is high or low. The important thing rests with whether one understands the principle and elements of martial arts science or not. Especially, it rests with whether the inherent spirit has true vigor or not, again considers how his ability and ideal are. Then we may conclude the depth of his accomplishments, and what realm he will arrive in the future. The most valuable thing of martial art training is the understanding of principle and having strong spirit. In other words, whether one has the true tameless force or not. If one has such true force, again cultivate it, train to the great courage with keen senses, naturally, it is not difficult to go deep into truth, gain the essentiality and become a generalist, and then overtake the abstruse nature. What is called generalist, it is not only skillful in one subject, but also to all learning, just hears people’s words then know what grade they are, whether they are canonical or not, whether they are factual or not; observes their methods, sees their details are round or partial, or round and delicate with half an eye. As for how to repair it, can hit the mark with a single comment of course, what is called gaining the center to deal with the infinitude. As a teacher, can tell others the rules, can't show techniques to others, and especially shouldn't work for others. As a student, should fine imitate, taste and practice, then observe how the wonder his skill and spirit working together is. What the above talked is martial art science, it is every action engraved on one’s heart that is called martial art, namely, it is the meaning of understanding tacitly, realize and train it in all time, it isn't what people think commonly is martial art.

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