| Feature Article
Discovering the Internal Arts of China
–
Chief Instructor Brett Wagland
In
September 2009, we will travel to China with a group of students.
The purpose of our visit to China is to introduce students to
traditional Chinese culture. Unfortunately, the true nature of
ancient China is slowly disappearing. At one time, high level masters
could be found throughout China. Nowadays, Tai Chi and Wushu (martial
art) are still being practised by many people, but mainly as a gentle
exercise and gymnastics. The true spirit of these arts is gradually
being lost.
The
decline has been continuous since the 1940s and the Cultural
Revolution. Now, in these times of industralisation and high
technology, people have little time to discover the meaning of the
traditional arts. These arts have been developed over thousands of
years, passed on from master to disciple. Outstanding practitioners
have added to or refined aspects of the training. Gradually, they have
come to include Taoist, Buddhist and Confucist theories and
philosophies. Behind these arts is a wealth of Chinese medicine,
meditation, philosophy, military strategy and martial arts. If you
study these arts to a deep level under expert guidance, you will see the
reasons for the training being an art. Eventually, you will realise the
Way or Tao through them.
During
our China tour, we will visit and train with masters on the sacred
Wudang Mountains, the birthplace of Tai Chi. The art was made famous by
Chang San Feng, the legendary founder of Tai Chi. He developed a system
of healing and self defence, based on the Taoist principles of Yin Yang,
five elements and I Ching. On Wudang, we will stay in breathtakingly
beautiful surroundings and train daily with the Head Coach of the Wudang
Taoist Martial Arts Institute. This will be a great opportunity to
delve more deeply into this ancient culture.
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Moon Hill, Yang Shuo |
Taoists see the body with its yin yang, internal external, left right,
etc. as a microcosm of the universe. It expresses the five elements
(wood, earth, fire, metal and water) in organs such as the liver, heart,
spleen, lungs and kidney. According to the Taoists, our organs begin to
decline after the age of 30. It is now important to practise internal
arts such as Qigong and Tai Chi to help nurture our bodies and replenish
our energies. As we age, it is wise to become more aware of our diet.
If one is weak, one may need herbs, such as, ginseng or ling zhi (a
mushroom which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over
4,000 years) to strengthen the internal energy. Also, we learn to
adjust our lifestyle to the different seasons. We rise earlier in summer
and go to bed earlier in winter; we eat warming food in winter and
cooling food in summer. Understand what is good for you. Food that may
be nutritious for others may not be beneficial for you.
Lao Tzu,
a sage in the 6th century BC, realised that when there are
too many desires, the mind loses its calm. Desire is one of the
poisons. The mind cannot be at peace when there is too much thinking
and worrying. An agitated mind attacks your health. Poor health
will weaken your spirit. This is the mind, body and spirit connection.
Over-indulging in desires confuses the mind. A confused mind weakens
the body. A weak body affects the spirit. If we pursue each passing
whim, problems which create suffering will arise. Learn to follow the
natural way. If we are able to establish balance, we will live a happy,
healthy and spirited life.
The
Chinese internal arts can be compared with the ocean. If you keep
practising, you will gradually go from shallow to deep. Practitioners
at Wudang demonstrate the courage, dedication and perseverance of those
who wish to reach a deeper understanding of these practices. When
you see buildings such as the Nan Yan Palace carved out of the side of a
mountain, hanging precariously above a deep chasm, you are reminded of
the power of the human spirit and how inspiring human beings can be.
Wudang represents the pinnacle of human physical and spiritual
potential. If you train in Tai Chi, Xingyi or Bagua with great
discipline and diligence over many years, you will come to see the real
significance of these arts.
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Huashan |
During
the tour, we will also visit historically significant sights, such as
the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. In this pagoda are housed the original
Buddhist scriptures and statues which Xuan Zang brought from India in
the 7th century. The pagoda is 64 metres tall and from the
top, it offers a paranomic view of the city of Xian. Travelling east
from Xian, we will also visit Huashan to experience the incredible
scenery and Taoist history. Huashan’s granite cliffs soar
majestically from the Shaanxi plains into the clouds, at a height of
over 2,000 metres.
The great Taoist
master, Chen Tuan (c871-989 A.D.), resided on Huashan. He
was known
for his ability to sleep for months on end. This was no ordinary
sleep. He was practising sleeping Qigong (inner cultivation). The Tai
Chi Ruler which was passed down to Grandmaster Feng Zhi Qiang (founder
of the Hun Yuan system) originated with Chen Tuan.
In
Beijing, we will have the opportunity to train with Grandmaster Feng,
his daughter, Feng Xiu Qian and Chen Xiang, one of his most accomplished
disciples. These great people are inspirational. Grandmaster Feng is
81 years old and is one of the last great masters. His internal
strength and skills are still amazing. Meeting and training with these
Tai Chi exponents reveals another part of the old Chinese culture – one
of camaraderie, high spirit and endurance. You come to realise that
they are no longer doing Tai Chi. They are Tai Chi. They are now the
art that they have learnt. They have been transformed into a living
example of the principles and philosophies of their practices.
Being in the presence of these teachers and the local environment will
add another dimension to your Tai Chi journey. Now you not only have
content but context. Students who have travelled to China have all
commented on how much the experience has enriched their understanding
and practice of Tai Chi.
Learning
to go deep requires awareness, determination and effort. The Chinese
use the term “kung fu” to describe a high level of skill acquired
through practice. It is also said that if you want to achieve
anything great, you have to eat bitter. If not, you will always be
giving up on yourself. We tend to oscillate between feeling very good
and feeling unhappy. We are not skilled in equanimity. Training
teaches us to maintain a balanced attitude towards life so that we
are not totally overwhelmed by circumstances. We prefer praise, not
criticism. We do not like being ignored. However, in training, we
persevere, no matter what. In the end, we have to take responsibility
for our own progress or shortcomings, our happiness or discontent.
Training gradually teaches us this and we become transformed on a deeper
level.
See details of the itinerary
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