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PREFACE
Around the world today, there
is increasing interest in martial arts. Competitions are commonplace. More
and more people are realizing the advantages of practicing martial arts, such
as improved health and development of self-defense skills. It is common knowledge
that exercise is a key factor in maintaining physical and spiritual health.
According to the World Health Organization, 55% of all morbidity is related
to lack of exercise. The maintenance of good health is beneficial not only
for the person, but also the family, and even the entire country. So exercising
is very important for every person. With increasing participation in martial
arts, it is vital to understand the ethical and moral conduct expected and
required of the martial artist.
It is said that ※Without standards, no advanced understanding can take shape.§
It is for this reason that every profession has its own rules and regulations.
Master Chen Zhaokui (1928-1981) always urged his students to ※Understand
the rules and abide by them.§ Master Wang Xian ( 1944- ) also stressed in
his martial arts teaching to ※Guard your borders and not lose sight of your
world.§ This essay will discuss the ethics and moral virtues of martial arts
practice.
The martial artists of past times have always emphasized the ethics of martial
arts. Each school had its own code. These rules were shaped, in part, by the
context of their time and place. Therefore, we must now rethink martial arts
ethics in modern times. I believe that it is extremely important to teach
the ethics of martial arts and not just the physical techniques. If martial
arts are taught without instilling the proper ethics, martial arts as a discipline
cannot develop in a good direction. Only by teaching the techniques in conjunction
with ethics can the field move forward to a bright future.
Martial arts ethics are important to the success or failure of the individual
practitioner, as well as to the study and development of martial arts. Without
exception, a martial arts grandmaster will have a deep understanding of martial
arts ethics. The ethics of martial arts is the guide by which a martial artist
evaluates and interacts with the world. A deep understanding of martial arts
ethics is a priceless treasure for the martial artist that does not diminish
in value over time. Having good morals allows one to be tolerant, gentle,
and noble-mannered in all situations. They also bring about a certain spirit,
temperament, and propriety in the martial artist. In this way, having good
morals benefits both the individual and the society.
The topics of martial arts ethics are abundant 每 below I will discuss the
following codes in martial arts ethics:
I. Choosing a Teacher
II. Cultivation of a Virtuous Teacher-Student Relationship
III. Faith and Integrity
IV. Respect
V. Cultivation of Integrity of Speech
VI. The Virtue of Hand 每 Self-Control
VII. Cultivation of the Heart and Mind
VIII. The Virtue of Humility
IX. The Virtue of Peaceful Patience
X. The Virtue of Social Awareness and Responsibility
I. Choosing a Teacher
When learning martial arts, the
first task is to find a teacher. Among the many styles of martial arts and
a large number of teachers, which teacher should you choose? The 16th generation
Chen Style Master Chen Xin (1849-1929) said, ※If you don＊t understand the
theory, find a famous teacher; if you＊re unsure of the path, ask a good friend.§
Mencius (the second Confucian philosopher, 372-289 B.C.E.) also emphasized
the importance of choosing friends and teachers carefully. When he picked
where to live, he checked who his neighbors would be. Everyone recognizes
that well-renowned teachers produce exceptional disciples; thus, it is often
said that ※Disciples reflect upon their teachers.§ Every word and action
of a teacher has a direct effect upon the students, so it is very important
to choose the right teacher. If a student chooses the wrong teacher, his future
development will always be adversely affected. If the teacher＊s skills and
his martial ethics are not good, the student will waste his time and his money.
There is a Chinese proverb : ※A second of time may be worth a gram of gold,
but a gram of gold cannot buy back a second of time.§ Americans also say
that ※Time is money,§ 每 this is undeniable in modern life. Indeed, for
many occupations, your paycheck is directly calculated from the time you work.
Every person has the same amount of time in a day, but each values his or
her time differently. Wasting another person＊s time is unethical.
I have a student who, before coming to learn martial arts with me, had already
studied Tai Chi for fourteen years with other teachers. When he started with
me, I discovered that he did not really understand the basic principles of
Tai Chi, and he did not understand correct breathing for Tai Chi. Because
of this, the student had practiced for fourteen years without ever attaining
higher levels of skill. Incorrect breathing was adversely affecting his health.
It was not that the student was not sincere, but because he chose the wrong
teacher, he had wasted his time and his money, a truly regrettable result.
After I corrected his practice for two years, the student improved greatly,
and his body returned to health.
Furthermore, some teachers learn Tai Chi from books, then go on to teach students
their own misunderstandings, telling the students that they are teaching them
the ※secret principles§ of Tai Chi. Such misguided practice of Tai Chi harms
the health of the student, causing Qi to stagnate in the chest, leading to
susceptibility to colds, chest discomfort, poor appetite, and a jaundiced
complexion.
It is commonly said that ※Entering into the art requires oral transmission,
levels attained depend on practice.§ Although reading books is a good thing,
if you do not have the guidance of a good teacher, you will often misunderstand
the principles and be led down the wrong path. Martial arts consist of layer
upon layer of mysteries. At every level, the mysteries are different from
the level before. Because books often cannot take this into account, a student
who has not reached a certain level will have difficulty understanding or
can misunderstand the principles outlined in writing. Furthermore, a martial
art always consists of a unified theory 每 some aspects of the martial arts
cannot be sufficiently described in words and must be taught in person. These
things cannot be learned by reading books.
Learning martial arts requires having a teacher. Only by having someone to
point out the way can you take the most direct route. By receiving the transmission
of knowledge from a teacher, you can avoid being the blind man feeling the
elephant, practicing without knowing what you＊re doing. Therefore, when choosing
a teacher, you must take special care.
If the teacher that you choose likes to fight, is unethical, boisterous, or
likes to criticize others, then eventually these bad habits will be transferred
to the students. Eventually, if these bad habits are severe, the students
may do unthinkable things, or become the garbage of the martial arts world,
sinners among men. This would be a waste of an entire life. If the teacher
has only taught the movements incorrectly, there is still an unpredictable
outcome for the student that may result in illness. It is well-known that
learning martial arts movements is easy, but correcting martial arts movements
is difficult. As soon as the incorrect movement has become a habit, correcting
it is very difficult. It will take three times as much effort to correct as
it would have taken to learn it correctly in the beginning.
It is commonly said, ※If you want to know how to pass the mountain, ask the
people who have just come from that direction.§ So in choosing a teacher,
you must not be careless. You must look at the teacher＊s personal qualities,
his background, his level of martial arts skill, see if his lineage is reputable,
and see if he is a respectable person. These are all of the things that you
must pay careful attention to when you are choosing a teacher. This is the
first requirement when learning martial arts, and forms the basis of martial
arts ethics.
II. Cultivation of a Virtuous Teacher-Student Relationship
The teacher-student relationship
is very important and needs to be nurtured. A saying in Chinese goes like
this: ※Once a teacher, always a father.§ Another saying goes like this:
※If someone gives you a drop of water of kindness, you should repay with
a full fountain of gushing water.§ In today＊s society, these standards have
been diluted. But I believe it＊s important to understand and reevaluate the
correct conduct between a teacher and a student.
Why do I state this dilemma? In martial arts, respecting the teacher is especially
important. Without instilling proper respect, teachers would create disreputable,
arrogant students that disrespect teachers, parents, elders, friends, or other
persons. This will pull down the martial arts industry and cause martial art
tragedies of disrespectfulness.
There are many examples. Some teachers only emphasize the physical and ignore
the ethical perspective. As a result many students, upon gaining fame, end
up forgetting who taught them. Many might claim that they were born with these
skills, or learned them from books and videos, instead of giving credit to
their teachers. They also state that their teachers did not have a major role
in their accomplishments. This is a very serious tragedy.
Some students would learn with their teacher for a few years, until they had
gained a reputation as a martial artist. The teacher also would have taken
special care of this talented student, even to the point of not taking tuition
from him. Such a student, because he acquired his martial arts easily, did
not understand its value, nor the teacher＊s efforts in teaching it to him.
After learning from the teacher for a few years, and believing that he had
learned all of the teacher＊s skills, he would feel that the teacher no longer
had any value to him, and would cut all ties to the teacher. Even if the teacher
happened to run into him unexpectedly, the student would turn his head away
and pretend he did not recognize him. This demonstrates lack of virtue in
not showing the proper level of respect.
Another student, when learning martial arts with his teacher, would tell everyone
that his teacher was very great, but as soon as this student believed that
he had learned all of his teacher＊s techniques and his teacher was no longer
useful to him, he would change completely, suddenly became like a mute, and
would say not a good word about his teacher anymore. He would cut all ties
with his teacher. This also is an indication of a lack of virtue and the proper
level of respect.
In some cases, a teacher might introduce his student to his own teacher. As
soon as this student had met his teacher＊s teacher, he would no longer acknowledge
his own teacher, but instead would believe that he was now his teacher＊s
colleague. This also is an indication of a lack of virtue and the proper level
of respect.
There are still more examples like these. It is commonly said that ※Teachers
search for disciples, and disciples search for teachers.§ A good teacher
always wants to find a good student, and a good student always wants to find
a good teacher, yet it is difficult for each one to find the other.
Of all accomplished martial arts masters, all of them have very virtuous relationships
with their teachers in which they never forget their roots and never forget
their teacher＊s lessons. Not forgetting their teacher, they also will never
do anything that is contrary to proper teacher-student relationships. For
example, Master Feng Zhiqiang (1926- ), in the lineage level of Chen Style
Tai Chi is very high, but he has never forgotten his first teacher, Master
Hu Yaozhen (1879-1973) of Xinyi Quan. [Editor＊s note: Master Hu Yaozhen is
recognized as the father of modern Qi Gong.] Master Feng Zhiqiang often says,
※I am always grateful to two teachers 每 one is Hu Yaozhen, and one is Chen
Fake (1887-1957).§ Hu Yaozhen is a master of Xinyi Quan, and Chen Fake is
a master of Chen Style Taijiquan. Master Feng Zhiqiang＊s cultivation of proper
teacher-student relationships is a role-model example for everyone. We should
learn from Master Feng Zhi Qiang. Chen Style practitioners should take Master
Feng Zhiqiang＊s attitude toward proper teacher-student relationships as an
example, and work towards the cultivation of teacher-student relationships.
Proper teacher-student relationships are also a basic foundation of martial
arts ethics as a whole. I hope that Chen Stylists will practice the cultivation
of teacher-student relationships in the same way that they practice martial
arts, putting down effort on the foundation. If the root is stable, the tip
can reach great heights. In this way, we can reach the peak of the mountain
and attain perfect achievement.
III. Faith and Integrity
Faith also is an important component
of martial arts ethics. Faith is the light that points the way for a worker
in any business. After you have chosen the correct teacher, you must have
faith. Let faith be the driving force in your enterprises.
Faith includes belief, trust, and credibility. To put it simply, it is the
same trust in a teacher＊s words, in a leader＊s words, or in an elder＊s
words. Whether Lao Tzu＊s (founder of Taoism, c. 600 B.C.E.) Tao Te Ching,
Jesus＊ teachings, Mohammad＊s Qur＊an, or the Buddha＊s teachings, all must
be realized through faith.
No matter whether you are learning martial arts to improve your health or
to be able to defend yourself, in order to maximize the effectiveness of your
training and accomplish your goals, you must build up your faith, and let
it become the driving force for accomplishing your goal.
Faith is not simple belief, but deep and unwavering confidence, a faith that
is integrated into your daily life. Examples of faith include trusting in
your doctor＊s competence, and taking medicine in order to cure your illnesses,
having faith in the reliability of a car, and buying the car that you believe
is reliable, or going to a restaurant to eat, or going to a store to buy things.
All of these actions require having faith in the business or the product.
It can be seen that faith is the prerequisite and support for people＊s livelihood.
If this mutual faith is not present in society, the society will not advance,
nor will it be prosperous. Life would become empty, even meaningless, and
full of suffering.
Faith is an important article of martial arts ethics, as well as a prerequisite
to a martial artist＊s moral development. Within the transmission of martial
arts from teacher to student, faith includes the confidence that a teacher
places in his student, as well as the trust that a student places in his teacher.
I have a group of students who live in San Antonio and Austin, they have studied
with me for six years now, starting in 1997. Over the last six years, these
students have pushed on without faltering, despite having to drive for six
hours round trip every time they come to take a lesson. The reason that they
can continue like this is their real, complete, and unchanging faith. Because
of this, they will surely succeed in reaching their goals, as well as receiving
everybody＊s praise and respect. This kind of continuous and unchanging faith
is a great virtue. This kind of faithful attitude is worth emulating as an
example. We should integrate this kind of faithful attitude into our own situations,
and have as a goal to build up our level of faith.
Within both our daily lives and in learning martial arts, if our faith is
not real, if we only believe half-heartedly, then it is easy for us to change
course or stop midway, or train for one day and rest for six. As a result,
we will show little accomplishment, and we will not be very successful in
martial arts. On the other hand, if we believe in everything and act on nothing,
today practicing this martial art, tomorrow training in that type of kung
fu, blindly believing in everything without having any core beliefs of our
own, this also is not in accordance with the requirements for the virtue of
faith, and it does not count as real faith. This kind of faith, if met with
obstacles, will result in stagnation and even regression, bringing you nothing.
For a person to reach his aspiration, faith, unwavering trust and belief are
all very important. In the process of realizing your goals and ideals, no
matter whether your journey is all smooth sailing, or fraught with obstacles,
you will always bravely push forward, without changing your own faith, letting
your faith be your driving force.
In pursuing the Eastern cultural treasure of Tai Chi in the multi-directional
setting of today, how can a student of Tai Chi go in the right direction,
taking the shortest path and not straying, in order to develop a bright future
for this cultural treasure and to benefit mankind? I believe that the virtue
of faith is one of the primary requirements for a Tai Chi practitioner. Faith
is the guiding light in the darkness. Once you have chosen the right teacher,
you should have unchanging faith and diligently continue to learn, so that
the virtue of faith can flower and bear fruit among lovers of Tai Chi.
IV. Respect
When learning Chen Style Tai Chi,
one must first learn to respect people, respect your parents, respect the
teacher, respect your fellow students, and respect authorities. Understanding
how to respect people is a basic requirement in life and an important requirement
of martial arts ethics. The 16th generation Chen Style Master Chen Xin said,
※A martial arts student should practice respect. Anyone who does not practice
respect should not be taught martial arts.§ Chen Xin also advised martial
arts teachers, ※When accepting students to pass on the art, you must understand
the student, observe whether or not the student regularly shows respect for
his parents and for his friends. If he does not, it is best not to accept
him as a student. If he does not even respect his own parents, he also will
not respect other people. As soon as this type of person learns martial arts,
his bad habit of disrespect will increase, and he may even do unthinkable
things.§
Here I will tell a story about the 15th generation Chen Style Master Chen
Gengyun (1799-1872). Chen Gengyun was an escort-bodyguard his entire life.
He had a strong sense of righteousness, and always took care of all kinds
of injustices. It is said that one day when Chen Gengyun was passing through
a village in the North, he suddenly came upon a 30-year-old young man in the
field hitting a 60-year-old woman. All the villagers were scared and running
in every direction, and no one dared to interfere. The villagers looked as
if they had seen an evil spirit.
Chen Gengyun walked a few steps closer and asked the old woman, ※Madam, tell
me, who is he, and why is he hitting you?§ The old woman fearfully shouted,
※Leave quickly! Don＊t interfere, there＊s nothing you can do! He is my son.§
Gengyun said to the old woman, ※Madam, don＊t be afraid. I ask only because
I can do something about it.§ At this time, the young man rushed forward,
cursing, to attack. Chen Gengyun, meanwhile, was talking to the old woman
and did not even look up.
As soon as the young man punched, Chen Gengyun turned his body and his right
hand came up to grab the young man＊s wrist and twisted it, generating an
※Aiya!§ and the young man dropped to his knees. Chen Gengyun said, ※Madam,
I＊ll take care of this 每 what is the whole story?§ The old woman replied,
※You are just a passerby who doesn＊t live here. After you leave, he＊ll
still be the same.§ Cheng Gengyun told the old woman, ※Madam, go ahead and
speak, I will definitely take care of the matter.§ The old woman began to
cry, and said, ※It＊s all my fault. I＊ve spoiled him since he was young.
I＊ve been a widow since I was young, no matter what the hardship, I＊ve always
given him whatever he wanted, hoping that he would one day make something
of himself. If he wanted to eat something, I would always give it to him,
and if he didn＊t like it, I would change it. If I was too slow, he would
yell at me. Alas, from the time he was a kid, I spoiled him too much. I never
said anything. As he got older, his demands became more and more difficult,
and if I did not have the ability to provide what he wanted, he would yell
at me, and later on he began to hit me. In the beginning, the others in the
village tried to stop him, but he beat up anyone would who speak up. After
a while, everyone was scared of him and left him alone. Even now, no one wants
to suggest a wife for him.§ As the old woman spoke, she became more and more
dejected. ※All parents are alike, even now I＊m still thinking of a marriage
for him.§
When Chen Gengyun heard this, he was angry and despised the young man. He
immediately struck the young man on a pressure point, causing the young man
to tremble from head to toe, yelling with pain and kneeling in front of Chen
Gengyun and his mother, sweat dripping down his face. Unbearably, he cried,
※Hero! Hero! I＊ll never do it again!§ Chen Gengyun sternly told him, ※Ask
your mother for forgiveness 每 if you are ever disrespectful and hit or yell
at her again, every time I see you, I＊ll beat you up. Today I gave you just
a taste of what I can do.§ The young man turned to his mother and begged,
saying ※Mother, please help me ask for the heroic gentleman＊s forgiveness.
I＊ll never treat you this way again.§ Speaking with the heart of a mother,
she asked Chen Gengyun ※Noble gentleman, please forgive him then.§ Chen
Gengyun then released the pressure point. Because of this matter, Chen Gengyun
visited the family many times afterwards. After a period of time, the son
fully reformed. This old woman was grateful with all her heart, and after
asking around in many places, found out that the hero was Chen Gengyun of
Chen Village.
This is an example of Chen Gengyun using his martial arts with an exceptional
sense of morality to teach someone who did not respect his parent. A disrespectful
person would never be able to become a disciple of Chen Style Tai Chi. To
respect or not to respect, good or evil, justice or injustice, are very important
to the martial artist.
Understanding how to respect your parents, your teacher, your colleagues,
is in essence respecting yourself, because only by respecting others do you
gain respect.
Respect and loyalty to your teacher is the foundation of a good relationship
between teacher and student. The relationship between teachers and students
is just like that of a family, it is harmonious and structured.
Throughout Chinese martial history each generation has viewed the teacher-student
relationship as fated. There is an adage that states: a teacher for a day,
a father for a lifetime. In essence, respect for their teachers reflects back
on how students respect themselves. In Chinese culture this value is fundamental
for becoming an upright person in society＊s eyes. Therefore in the practice
of Chen Family Taijiquan, respect is always first and foremost.
V. Cultivation of Integrity of Speech
Very few people mention the integrity
of speech. I believe that the integrity of speech also should be an important
component of martial arts virtue. Good integrity can bring everyone joy. In
the business world, good integrity in speech can bring one financial successes.
Integrity in speech can bring harmony and prosperity to a household. In being
a person in society, and during one＊s daily interactions, good integrity
in speech will bring praise from everyone. Definitely, people also are willing
to deal with someone who has good integrity in speech. A Chinese saying says
that ※Good words can warm up three winters§ and ※One should laugh often.§
These all show the importance of good integrity in speech.
In daily lives, one should never speak indiscreetly. Indiscreet speech boosts
the arrogant heart. Indiscreet speech causes irrationality in others and self,
and creates emotional instabilities. It also will cause stress and pressure
on others. That is why there is a Chinese saying that ※Calamities fall from
an indiscreet mouth.§
In Xi-You-Ji (Journey to the West), the noble monk said something very relevant
to his disciple Sun Wukong (the Monkey King), which applies to us. He said,
※Opening your mouth you can lose godly Qi; moving your tongue is the cause
of all gossips.§ It is said that in the northern part of China, there is
an example of this. On a particular holiday, one village invited another village＊s
opera group to come to their village and perform. In the audience, a great
sea of people congregated with a great holiday atmosphere. Suddenly, some
people in the audience started fighting, and as they fought, more and more
people joined in and the number of people involved continued to rise. As a
result, the opera was a great failure. Village B lost two people and many
people were injured, whereas Village A also lost one person, and many people
were also injured. The people who joined in the fight didn＊t even know the
cause of the fight, but as soon as their friends or family members were getting
beaten up, they joined in without knowing the cause. In this way, more and
more people joined in, and the fight got bigger and bigger. From this incident,
the fight developed into a village feud lasting for more than a year. From
two villages, the fight grew to encompass multiple villages, then two provinces.
People associated with Village A would not dare to go to territories of Village
B, and vice versa. If either group ran into the other village＊s people, there
was a fight. This mysterious feud broke up many friendships and many young
lovers who were planning to get married. If a couple was made up of one from
Village A and one from Village B, they were forbidden from seeing each other
as in Romeo and Juliet.
The development of the feud is mysterious. After investigation, it was found
that it was all caused by indiscreet speech.
This is what happened. While people watched the opera, a Village B audience
member made a comment about a Village A actress on the stage. The Village
B person said, ※She can kind of sing, but her tongue is too small.§ It just
happened that the father of the actress from Village A overheard the comment.
The father got upset and immediately swung a fist at the Village B person
who made the comment. That was how the fight started, and the people involved
in the fight grew in number, with blood and gore everywhere. When the people
in the audience saw that their friends or relatives or fellow villagers were
being beaten, they joined in the fight without knowing the cause. A hundred
audience members got involved and eventually two provinces were at war. It
is almost ridiculously tragic that it all came from an indiscreet comment.
This story tells us that the integrity of speech is very important. In social
life, speech with discretion is very important. So, to learn Tai Ji Chuan,
one should learn how to be a good person first. One needs to cultivate the
integrity of speech and follow the path of kindness and righteousness and
respect for others.
VI. The Virtue of Hand 每 Self-Control
A person who studies Tai Chi not
only should have integrity of speech, he or she also should have a virtue
of the hand. A virtue of the hand means self-control, not using martial arts
to hurt others, harm others, or to show off. The 16th generation master Chen
Xin has said, ※Those who learn Tai Chi cannot be arrogant, arrogance causes
problems. Not only should the hands be modest, speech should not be arrogant
either, and the outer appearance should be gentle, otherwise, problems will
arise.§ Master Chen Xin＊s teaching is the expectation for all Tai Chi practitioners.
All through the Tai Chi history, the true masters not only taught the movements
but also the cultivation of integrity and virtues. Being the progenies of
Tai Chi, we not only should learn the movements that are handed down to us,
but we also should remember and practice the beautiful virtues of their teachings
of integrity.
Confucius (551 每 479 B.C.E.) has said, ※If you use reason to persuade others,
others will accept with their heart. If you use force to persuade others,
others will not accept with their heart.§ Everyone should think twice before
acting, and in dealing with matters one should be cautious and use reason.
Use virtue to touch others. This is especially true for martial artists; when
martial artists run into problems, they should especially control their anger
and emotions. If marital artists use their physical force or skills to subdue
others, the problem usually will not go away but will become worse.
There also are people, who once they learn martial arts, become very arrogant
and belligerent. They are prone to fights, use their skills to overshadow
others or to harass others, and are prone to be arrogant and unreasonable.
They easily become jealous, and are arrogant in heart and hands. They dare
to stir up trouble at any time. Therefore, to avoid becoming such, when one
learns martial arts, one should be particularly careful about the virtue of
hand, have self-control, and watch one＊s speech.
In past Chinese martial arts history , there was a martial artist who was
extremely accomplished in the skills and movements; however, he was arrogant,
narrow-minded, and cruel. At the time his wife bore him a child, he left to
travel the land for fame. He did not go home for more than ten years. When
he felt he had reached the fame he desired in his martial arts skills, he
decided to return home. When he entered his home village, he saw a young man
practicing marital arts. He could not control himself but stayed to watch.
As he watched, he suddenly saw that the young man＊s martial arts skills in
free form, sword, bo (staff), and other weapons were all at high levels. As
he became amazed, he also became jealous and angry. So he provoked the young
man into fighting with him. The young man was in the middle of practice and
wondered how come someone would insult him so recklessly. But he went up to
the challenge. They fought for rounds. After many rounds, the martial artist
could not gain any advantage, so he became angry and used even more deadly
force and moves. Suddenly, there was blood all over the floor, and the young
man was on the ground. Before the young man died, he said, ※My father will
avenge me＃§ The martial artist asked, ※Who is your father?§ When the young
man said the name of his father, the martial artist was shocked, because it
is his name. He had just killed his own son.
From the above story, we have learned of the danger of arrogance of which
Master Chen Xin warned us. The arrogance of hands without self-control can
cause problems to self, family, or even to society. Therefore, I believe it
is very important to emphasize self-control. All martial artists should cultivate
integrity of the hands and heart to a high level.
VII. Cultivation of the Heart and Mind
There are many Chinese sayings
about the cultivation of the heart. ※If speech and action is the same, the
wish of the heart will come true.§ ※When the heart and the mouth are different,
then the mind is absent.§ These sayings describe the nature of the heart.
In Chinese, there is a saying: ※It takes ten years to grow a seed into a
tall tree, but the tall tree will shelter people for a hundred years.§ Being
a martial artist, I have found that it is not easy to find a disciple to accept
the art. The Buddha talks of Nirvana. Mencius speaks of ※Knowing the heart,
knowing the personality, then you know fate and destiny.§ Tai Chi is not
just a movement of the limbs. It is really a cultivation of the heart. Of
course the physical aspect is important, but if there is not a cultivation
of the heart, the practitioner cannot grow into a strong-minded and strong-willed
person who perseveres through hardships and possesses a strong and fit body.
Master Feng Zhiqiang said that practicing Tai Chi is a comprehensive cultivation
beginning with the heart. The 16th generation master Chen Xin said, ※If the
heart is not cultivated, how can one be accomplished in martial arts?§ A
Zen master has also said, ※The nature is empty, and emptiness is boundless.
When the true heart illuminates clearly, it is Tai Chi.§ After practice,
one can discriminate right from wrong, then one can improve in one＊s physical
practices. To practice the heart, one should begin with emptiness and stillness.
The heart becomes the master of the body. When the heart is still, the whole
body is still. When the heart is empty, the whole body will be empty. When
the body and the heart is still, then the spirit can be still, and the Qi
will all be at proper places with no thought. One will be in nothingness.
The inside and the outside will become one empty soul. The central Qi is at
the abdominal Qi point. Movement causes yang. Stillness causes yin. One yin
and one yang both have their roots, and the two mix and give rise to four
faces. Four faces give rise to eight directions [Editor＊s note: The eight
directions correspond to the eight Trigrams of the Tai Chi Symbol or Bagua,
the basic symbols of Eastern philosophy]. The yin and yang give rise to everything
in the world.
Only when the heart and the mind are cultivated can one nurture both the body
and soul. Through cultivation of the heart, one can develop an aura of righteousness,
and not fall into evil or negative thoughts. Let me tell you of a story of
the importance of the cultivation of the heart.
A long time ago, there was a martial arts master. He took in a disciple, who
only cared about the physical aspect of the martial arts, but not the cultivation
of mind or heart. In learning the movements he was always sincere, but he
was always suspicious that his master was not teaching him everything. On
the surface he was very respectful to the teacher, but deep inside, he was
plotting to one day attack the teacher in the dark to force his master to
show the secret move. The master was very kind. He already knew the disciple＊s
intentions, but he kept on trying to enlighten him and educate him. He said
to the disciple, ※Any move, once practiced thoroughly, can become the ultimate
move. In any fight, if you win by a practiced move, that move is the ultimate
move. You have to keep practicing that move over and over again.§ But the
disciple could not accept that. The master was getting older and older by
the day, and he saw that his disciple had not changed his heart. So he told
his disciple that he had to visit a friend. The master went to his younger
brother, who was also a martial artist, and told his brother the situation.
The master said, ※If one day my disciple comes to you, please find a way
to put him back onto the virtuous path, so as not to waste the time I taught
him. By the time he comes to see you, I will probably be gone.§ On the next
day, the master returned. One night, the master was walking outside, suddenly
he was hit and he fell onto the ground. He had major internal damage and was
going to die. He told his disciple, ※I cannot teach you anymore. You go find
my martial arts brother and he will teach you.§ After he said that, he died.
The disciple left and went to look for the master＊s brother. When he found
him, the brother asked, ※What happened to your master?§ The disciple said,
※I want to learn from you. He＃ he is ＃. dead.§ The master＊s brother knew
what happened, but kept silent. The next day he invited the disciple to visit
the master＊s grave with him. The disciple, wanting to learn, went along.
At the grave, the master＊s brother found out the truth. He took back all
the teachings his brother had given to this ungrateful disciple.
When we learn martial arts, we have to remember this story. The heart has
to be sincere. Our outside and inside should be the same. We need to respect
our teachers and know right from wrong. We should not have evil thoughts or
do anything to damage or disrespect our teachers and predecessors. We should
be respectful of everyone, to show the proud tradition of Tai Chi.
VIII. The Virtue of Humility
Humility and honesty are also
pivotal virtues in learning Chen Style Tai Chi. The 16th generation master
Chen Xin has said, ※One cannot be arrogant when learning Taiji. Arrogance
brings damage. There will always be people better than you. It is best to
be humble when learning and others will help you.§ One must be humble when
learning martial arts (or anything else for that matter ) One should not be
arrogant or aggressive. If someone is better than us, we should show respect
and learn from them, in the hope of improving ourselves. If someone is not
as good as us, we should still be humble and treat them with respect and not
belittle them. The 17th generation master Chen Fake taught Taiji in Beijing
his whole life. He had many students and friends. His martial arts skill was
accomplished and respected. However, when he sparred with others, especially
masters of other martial arts, he always stopped at the appropriate place,
so as not to embarrass them in front of everyone. Everyone that sparred with
him respected him and praised him in their hearts. He is a role model of a
Tai Chi martial artist for us all.
When I was small, my father＊s friend was a professional story-teller, and
I remember this story about humility that he told.
There was this martial artist namedTong who was accomplished in the martial
art of the Eight-Directions. He was praised at a martial arts convention by
all, that ※His wonder shakes the eight directions. He is the true righteous
martial arts master.§ Afterwards, some who were not at the convention did
not believe Tong deserved the praise. One of them was the accomplished and
renowned martial artist Yu.
One day, as Tong traveled into a village, he saw an old ,jaundiced, weak,
and skinny beggar. Tong felt sorry for the old man and went to a food cafeteria
and bought him a bowl of rice. The old beggar wantonly sucked in the rice,
but suddenly, choked and spit out a whole bowl of rice into Tong＊s face.
Tong did not say a thing, but went to the cafeteria again to get another bowl
of rice. The old beggar again swallowed the rice, but choked, and spit all
the rice into Tong＊s face. Tong again did not say anything but went to get
a third bowl of rice. It was only then that the old beggar＊s face suddenly
turned red and glowed, and he jumped up, holding onto Tong, and said, ※I
am the renowned marital artist Yu. I heard you have great humility and I came
to test you to see if it was true. Now, not only do I believe you deserve
to be named as shaking the eight directions with your wonder, I will not have
any second thoughts if others say that your wonder shakes the eight directions.§
From the story above, we can see the importance of the virtue of humility.
If one maintains humbleness and humility, one can truly learn Tai Chi to the
highest point. Only with this humility can you gain respect from others, even
enemies.
Arrogance, superficiality, and dishonesty are the biggest enemies to improvement.
It is the shadow leading to failure. In Buddhism, one speaks of emptiness.
If one is arrogant, one is full. No matter what the master says, the student
is not going to be empty to absorb any new teachings, and there will not be
any improvement. Arrogance is like a cup already full of water. No matter
how one tries to pour water into it, one cannot put anything more in. Therefore,
it is said that arrogant people always lose out in the long run. Humble students
will catch up with time. Therefore, to learn Tai Chi, one should always be
humble, as if every lesson is the first lesson. Even master Chen Zhaokui has
said, ※As long as one is humble and careful to learn, knowledge is everywhere.§
This is especially true in the Oriental treasure of Tai Chi.
IX. The Virtue of Peaceful Patience
The Virtues of Peace and Patience
are also vital in learning Tai Chi. These virtues apply to one＊s relationship
to the teacher, to oneself, and to one＊s parents. Almost all successful people
embrace these virtues. They persevere with peace and patience in their endeavors.
A lot of accomplished martial arts masters also do the same.
Master Chen Zhaokui has said, ※Learning without practice disappoints the
teacher＊s hope for the student.§ If after learning from the teacher, one
does not practice with diligence, or one does not practice each movement to
make it habitual, one will fail to learn the essence as well as forget the
movements learned previously. It will also affect the classmates in the same
class. If one does not practice, it is very difficult to improve and disappoints
the teacher and the parents. It is also disrespectful to oneself.
With advances in technology, some people are affected by what they see in
the movies. They do not know that those are special effects from cinematic
technologies, so they become obsessed by them. They are also obsessed with
the erroneous concept that one can improve one＊s martial art skill with some
kind of instant method. They think they can become martial arts masters in
a few months, and that they can learn amazing martial skills in a short period.
So they look for masters who claim to be able to teach that, and after a few
months, they become disappointed. In order to fulfill their desires, they
look for other teachers. They then perpetuate leaving a master and looking
for another one who can transmit martial arts skills instantly. In this situation,
they are easily cheated of time and money by liars in the martial art business
world.
Some young students are sent by their parents to learn martial arts. The parents
hoped to enable their children to be healthy, to be strong, to have the righteous
aura of a respected martial artist, to have high aspirations, and to develop
good martial art skills. However, these young people are very spoiled. They
do not lack material things. But they are not diligent or sincere. When their
parents are there, they practice. When they parents are not there, they slack
off. They are, in fact, disrespectful of their parents and the art.
Chen Style Tai Chi has a philosophy that, ※Once a movement is practiced ten
thousand times, the essence will manifest.§ Master Chen Zhaokui has also
said, ※If one cannot bear hardships, one cannot enter this door of martial
arts.§ When Master Chen Zhaokui was young, he practiced the moves twenty
times a day. Also, when he was a bus ticket salesperson on a bus, he maintained
his practice by lowering his stance. Tai Chi Master Yang Luchan (1799-1872)
practiced even in his sleep. Therefore, when one admires a master＊s skills,
one has to be mindful of the sweat behind the success.
In the past, one master was very strict. He had three rules before he accepted
a disciple. 1) He would not take in students who were not serious, so that
they did not waste his time and depart in the middle of training. 2) He would
not take in people with a bad temper, to prevent problems once they became
accomplished for fear they would become social problems. 3) He would not take
in slow and unintelligent learners, so he would not waste his time, or disgrace
the school＊s reputation.
In view of this strict master, we should cherish and value the art, and practice
diligently, to honor our teachers and parents, and to respect ourselves.
There is no short path for martial arts. Master Chen Xin has said, ※To enter
one needs oral transmission, but improvement of kung-fu needs practice.§
One should always practice diligently. There is a saying in the martial arts
world: ※There are thousands and millions of people practicing, but only one
or two will become accomplished.§ This saying tells us that, if we want to
be close to success, it depends on our own hard work, so as not to disappoint
our teachers. Thus the saying, ※Practice without guidelines creates martial
art illnesses, and learning without practice disappoints the teacher§.
Therefore, I hope all of you will respect your teachers, and practice with
patience and hard-work. If you do not understand, ask the teacher. Practice
will take a long time. Life is limited. Tai Chi is a profound knowledge. If
one wants to learn, one has to be serious and be firm in his resolve, and
practice without end to improve.
X. The Virtue of Social Awareness and Responsibility
I believe social awareness and
citizenship is also a vital part of a martial artist. The link between a martial
artist and the public is inseparable. Being a martial artist is like riding
a boat in the water. The boat can float or sink. Therefore, a martial artist
should have good public relations. One should know the importance of social
responsibility and good citizenship, abide by the laws, and always be ready
to help. These all will boost the image of a martial artist in the eye of
the public.
Some people say that, ※A good martial art virtue and good martial art manner
is the most precious treasure of martial art.§ I think this saying is very
true. In order to perpetuate the martial art lineage, to benefit society and
the public, the first thing is to show the world this precious treasure of
martial art 〞 the virtues and ethics of martial artists. This treasure should
bear fruit in all martial art practitioners. This is very important for every
martial artist.
In past history and in the present martial arts world, there are always bad
practitioners that smear the name and reputation of martial arts. These people
should be ostracized and denounced. They not only hurt themselves, they hurt
others and society also.
The reason that Chen Style Tai Chi has stood the test of time and is loved
by so many, is that every lineage master not only accepted the virtues and
ethics of martial arts, but also abided by their social responsibility and
good citizenship. They helped the elderly and protected the young, and they
performed righteous deeds, upholding martial arts virtues and ethics.
Here, I ask all students and members to abide by the laws of society, and
I ask all of you to abide by the morals and ethics presented in this paper,
and to uphold yourself to the highest of expectations.
Written by
Cheng Jincai
March 24th, 2003