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Wu Zhong Xiu Sydney Australia
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This site is under construction. Brief information is provided below. More information and the .gif will be added. Here for the Chinese page and original poems. ABOUT MYSELF
Different people have different objectives in
practicing Chinese martial arts and here in this website I want to share a
bit of my passion, and the basic philosophy of my martial art training. I
find many treasures in practicing them. Hopefully some of you will be
convinced and join me in training and get a new perspective on appreciating
life and enjoy this world. To me, studying Chinese martial arts is a way to
study life and its meaning. I train in the meditative styles of Tai Ji Quan
and Ba Gua Zhang. (For the novice, very loosely, meditative martial art is
like Yoga with a martial flavour.) These arts train a person’s muscles,
bones, organs, nervous system, and wisdom. Through training one develops
patience, persistence, resilience, proper posture and character. It teaches
us to be physically and psychologically strong, yet balanced and living in
harmony with our environment. I believe these qualities are extremely
important for proper practice, the enjoyment of life (reduce
material/chemical dependence), clear thinking, conducting research (my job),
understanding people, and achieving world peace (a wish that should be
consistently shared by all). Very importantly also, these trainings link me
back to the root of my Chinese civilization and philosophy (the dao of Lao Zi
(Lao Tzu)). However many positive side benefits, martial arts
are martial arts. A “martial art” that cannot be used to protect one from an
attacker is an off-rail train. Philosophical talks from there are empty. Such
an art can only be considered a form of physical exercise or a dance. That is
fine if one is only interested in the social aspects, and participation. I am in favour of exchange/joint study/research of
knowledge and skills, within and across styles. Two-person training such as
push hand (“tui shou” in Chinese pinyin) should be done much much more often.
However, I do not encourage competition for it can easily generate excessive
ego. Ego blurs objectivity and also prohibits many fruitful exchanges and
exploration of knowledge and skills that could have taken place. For these,
ego should be avoided. I always remind myself of this, as I feel I am often
infected. Martial arts are for protection (and killing in the old days), and
should not be structured as a competition, at least for advanced
practitioners. To access the many treasures that meditative
martial arts have to offer, the training of basics is critical. Beginners
learn the “look”, the “rough shape” of the basics, intermediates learn some
techniques, advanced students strengthen the basics and study them in further
details. Trainings in meditative martial arts accumulate. It is not right to
study new materials and forget or stop practicing the basics. The basics
condition our nervous system and muscles to issue power in the most explosive
manner, and with integrity, as well as sensing and responding to incoming
power in the most efficient manner. They are the building blocks; the engine
in a sports car, the CPU in a computer, the motor in a power tool. The whole
body and the environment is one. Without very good basics, you can learn the
techniques but you cannot use them when needed. Like many enthusiasts, I went through a process of
fascination, read many texts, watched many videos and VCDs, surfed the net,
made (still making) friends, and learnt from different teachers over the past
eight years (a little in Aikido, Daitoryu, Yang style, Chen style (new and
old), Tongbei). I have now settle down with two schools for life, since they
give me what I have always been looking for, particularly the former, Chen
Shi Xinyi Hunyuan Taiji (Hunyuan Taiji) Although these teachers are from different schools, their emphasis on, and method of, basics and internal training are consistent. They can do what the “classics” say (of course NOT as per movies or novels). With the blessing of the revealing texts by Grand Master Feng, which took me much time to study (and continuously revisiting), and the many precious face-to-face hours with Master Chen Xiang, I find the teachings from the two systems very coherent and they complement each other extremely well. Both Grand Masters are in their early seventies, but in
very good health. Although it is a Chinese tradition to be loyal to one
school, I find it compelling to learn from these two schools. I very much
admire my teachers’ skills and dedication, cherish their teaching and
friendship, and also very deeply respect their morality (martial morals, or
“wu de” in Chinese pinyin). I shall continue my study with them and succeed a
bit of their knowledge, skills, and morality. PROGRAM
IN SYDNEY TEACHING IN HUNYUAN TAIJI will commence within a month on the campus of the University of New South Wales. This beginner's course will run for about 4 months with the objective of teaching students the most important principles in Hunyuan Taiji, some basics (“gong fa” in pinyin) and the first and the most important form (“quan” in pinyin). Some two-person (push hand) practices will be introduced throughout the course. Some notes will be provided. How is Hunyuan Taiji different from other
Taijiquan? It focuses on the basics. From a perfectly neutral posture (“wu
ji” in pinyin) and stillness, wait for the energy to reveal itself, then
allow/direct it to power all movements. Then come back to the neutral posture
to finish. There are more circles and turns than the more often performed
Yang style. It also differs from the commonly seen Chen style in that we
practise the form slowly and rarely issue explosive power in regular
training. We also do not maintain constant low stance. Nurturing energy and
turning the center (dan tian) are two distinguishing principles. Openness and
extension are two other important characteristics. I find it truly a pleasure
to practise.
Final Note: The opinions expressed on this page
are mine and they should not be interpreted as the opinions of my teachers.
Grandmaster
Feng His Website in China (Chinese) His Disciple’s Website in the US His Disciple’s Website in Canada Grandmaster
Ma
University
of New South Wales Anzac
Parade Kensington Dr.
Kingsley Fong ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would also
like to take this opportunity to thank those teachers in the past that had
taught me much in my martial art journey thus far. In particular, First and foremost, Mr Benny Fang, for his
continuing friendship, superb acupuncture, teaching in Chen style Taiji new frame
first and second form, as well as Shaolin pole. Benny is a Chinese herbal
medicine practitioner, a high-ranking North Shaolin successor and a disciple
of Chaquan Grand Master Xu Gong Wei. He exposed me to many different styles
of Chinese martial arts; Mr Chen Ying Jun for his teaching in Chen style
Taiji old frame first form. Ying Jun’s teaching of the old frame is very
meditative and his explosive power is awesome. I often felt like a piece of
thin tofu when I watch him demonstrating those several explosive moves. He is
the first to rightly tell me not to insist on low stance when the body
posture is wrong. His friendship, modesty and hard training inspires me. Jack who teaches Wu Xing Tongbei for sparring at
Macquarie University Gym. His emphasis and demonstration of simple drills is
enlightening. The first taste of the beautiful and cracking Tongbei whip on
my palm is unforgettable. Mr Andrew Dickenson, from Shinbudo, for his
introduction to Daitoryu Aikijuijutsu. I’ll never forget his teaching in eye
contact, the 20-30 ukemi every session, and his short advice on the
connection of life and martial arts at the end of trainings. |
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