THE

COMPLETE BOOK OF
SHAOLIN
A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM FOR
PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, MENTAL AND
SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

WONG KIEW KIT

 Author of the bestselling The Art of Chi Kung


COSMOS

© WONG KIEW KIT 2012
Shaolin Wahnam Institute (Malaysia)
81, Taman Intan,
Lorong B/5,
08000 Sungai Petani,
Kedah, Malaysia.
Phone : +604 - 4222 - 353
Fax : +604 - 422 - 7812
Email : [email protected]


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ISBN 983-40879-1-8


By the same author

Complete Book of Zen
(Available in English, Spanish, Greek, Italian, Russian and Hebrew)
Art of Shaolin Kung Fu
(Available in English, Greek, Russian, Polish and Italian)
Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan
(Available in English, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, Dutch, Russian and
Spanish)
Chi Kung for Health and Vitality
(Available in English, Polish and Portuguese)
Art of Chi Kung
(Available in English, Russian, German, Spanish and Greek)
Introduction to Shaolin Kung Fu
(Available in English)
Complete Book of Chinese Medicine
(Available in English and Spanish)
Complete Book of Shaolin
(Available in English)
Sukhavati: Western Paradise
(Available in English)
 Master Answers Series: The Shaolin Arts
(Available in English)


THE AUTHOR

Wong Kiew Kit, popularly known as Sifu Wong, is the fourth
generation successor of Venerable Jiang Nan from the famous Shaolin
Monastery in China and Grandmaster of Shaolin Wahnam Institute of
Kungfu and Qigong. He received the "Qigong Master of the Year"
Award during the Second World Congress on Qigong held in San
Francisco in 1997.
He is an internationally acclaimed author of books on the Shaolin arts
and Buddhism including Introduction to Shaolin Kung Fu (1981), The
Art of Qigong (1993), The Art of Shaolin Kung Fu (1996), The
Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan (1996), Chi Kung for Health and
Vitality (1997), The Complete Book of Zen (1998), The Complete
Book of Chinese Medicine (2002), The Complete Book of Shaolin
(2002), Sukhavati: The Western Paradise (2002) and The Shaolin Arts
(Master Answers) (2002).
Since 1987, Sifu Wong has spent more time teaching qigong than
kungfu, because he feels that while kungfu serves as an interesting
hobby, qigong serves an urgent public need, particularly in
overcoming degenerative and psychiatric illnesses.
Sifu Wong is one of the few masters who have generously introduced
the once secretive Shaolin Qigong to the public, and has helped many
people to obtain relieve or overcome so-called "incurable" diseases
like hypertension, asthma, rheumatism, arthritis, diabetes, migraine,
gastritis, gall stones, kidney failure, depression, anxiety and even
cancer.
He stresses the Shaolin philosophy of sharing goodness with all
humanity, and is now dedicated to spreading the wonders and benefits
of the Shaolin arts to people all over the world irrespective of race,
culture and religion.

Sifu Wong’s website: www.shaolin.org


1: A HEAVENLY VISION
(How Shaolin Monastery Got Its Name)
The Legend of Shaolin
The Sacred Summit of Song Shan
Earthly Reflection of Heavenly Monastery
2: THE FABULOUS SHAOLIN MONASTERY
(Legends and Significance of the Monastery Halls)
Foremost Monastery Beneath Heaven
Hui Ke Seeking Enlightenment
The Hall of Lohans
Pagodas, Temples, and the Shadow-Rock
The Defender of Righteousness
3: FIT FOR EMPERORS AND GENERALS
(Precious Arts of Shaolin)
The Three Living Treasures
Beauty in Poetic Motion
A Way to Enlightenment
The Practical and the Spiritual
Inter-Relationship of Kungfu, Chi Kung, and Meditation
Qualities of a Good Teacher
Breaking the Patient’s Arm to Cure It
Poetry and Other Arts
4: MOVEMENTS OF HEALTH, VITALITY, AND LONGEVITY
(The Shaolin Way to Physical and Spiritual Health)
Various Concepts of Health
Physical as well as Spiritual Health
Various Arts of Energy
Lifting Sky and Levelling Earth
Chi Kung for Health, Vitality, and Longevity
5: POETRY OF STRENGTH AND COURAGE
(The Philosophy and Dimension of Shaolin Kungfu)
The Fascination of Kungfu
Historical Development
The Four Dimensions of Kungfu
General Aims of Kungfu
6: FORM AND FUNCTION IN MOTION
(The Fundamentals of Shaolin Kungfu)
Gateway to Shaolin Force Training
Black Tiger and Drunken Man
Combative Functions of Flowery Patterns
Formation and Structure of Kungfu Sets
Don’t be Deceived by Slow, Graceful Motion
Cross-Roads at Four Gates
7: FIGHTING IN BEAUTIFUL MOVEMENTS
(Kungfu Application for Combat)
The Combative Function of Kungfu
Patterns, Variations, and Sequences
Some Amazing Applications
Catching Tigers in Mountains
Don’t Destroy His Manhood!
Flowery Movements and Kungfu Tradition
8: FROM KUNGFU FORM TO COMBAT APPLICATION
(Specific Techniques to Handle Various Situations)
Getting Ready for Combat
Shaolin Specific Techniques
Countering Various Kicks
Gripping and Felling Attacks
Methodology of Practice
9: FROM ARRANGED TO FREE SPARRING
(Practising Variation in Combat Sequences)
Various Factors of Combat
Shaolin Principles of Attack and Defence
Some Marvellous Advice for Combat
Combat Sequences
Developmental Stages in Combat Application
10: FURTHER TRAINING FOR EFFECTIVE FIGHTING
(Developing Fundamental Sparring Skills)
Variation in Combat Sequence Training
Four Gates Sparring Set
Fundamental Skills in Combat
Examples of Crucial Points in Sparring
11: CREATING OPPORTUNITIES TO SECURE VICTORY
(Applying Tactics and Strategies in Fighting)
Sun Tzu’s Advice
Principles to Guide Combat
Tactical and Strategic Considerations
Defeat Due to Wrong Choice
Choosing the Right Strategy and Tactics
Overcoming Throws and Multiple Attacks
Frustrating Locks and Fast Punches
12: THE FASCINATING FORCE OF SHAOLIN MASTERS
(Various Kinds of Force in Shaolin Kungfu)
Basic Force and Specialized Force
Three Levels of Force
Power, Energy, and Lightness
An Invaluable Lesson
Iron Palm and Cosmos Palm
13: PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF POWER TRAINING
(Shaolin Iron Palm and Iron Arm)
 Important Factors for Force Training
Training for Iron Palm
Preserving Sensitivity and Relieving Injury
Rolling Bamboo for Three Years
He’ll Break Your Arms
14: SECRETS OF THE ENERGY MASTERS
(Developing Cosmos Palm and Iron Shirt)
The Greatest Martial Art in the World
The Palm That Can Kill or Heal
Withstanding Attacks with Iron Shirt
15: THE FAST, THE AGILE, AND THE MARVELLOUS
(Marvellous Responses and the Arts of Lightness)
Techniques, Force, and Speed
Marvel with Awe and Admiration
Some Considerations in Speed Training
How to Attain Speed
Plum Flower and Through the Woods
16: DRAGONS, PHOENIXES, TIGERS AND THE MOON
(A Brief Survey of Kungfu Weapons)
Why Classical Weapons Are Still Practised Today
Classification of Weapons
Ferocious Tigers and Nimble Phoenixes
The King and the Mother
17: THE SPIRIT OF SHAOLIN
(Teaching on Morality, Righteousness, and Compassion)
The Ten Shaolin Laws
Respect for the Master
Great Blessings to be Born Human
Calmness and Compassion
Righteousness and Compassion
18: WONDERS OF SHAOLIN CHI KUNG
(The Link between Physical and Spiritual Development)
Kungfu, Chi Kung, and Zen
The Legacy of Bodhidharma
Sinew Metamorphosis for Internal Power
A Chance to Test an Incredible Art
Self-Manifested Chi Movement
19: CURING “INCURABLE” DISEASES
(Shaolin Chi Kung and Chinese Medicine)
Chi Kung for Curing Illness
Harmonizing Yin-Yang
Clearing Energy Blockage
Chi Kung for Curing Cancer
Thematic and Holistic Approaches
How Does Chi Kung Cure Illness
20: THE INTERNAL COSMOS
(A Marvellous Art called the Small Universe)
Man as Miniature of Cosmos
The Small Universe
Achieving the Small Universal Flow
Breakthrough and Time Difference
Signs of Real Breakthrough
21: DO NOT WORRY IF YOU HAVE BROKEN YOUR BONES
(An Introduction to Shaolin Traumatology)
A Unique System to Treat Injury
Various Types of Injuries
Therapeutic Principles in Traumatology
Treating a Broken Bone
22: THE SONGS AND POETRY OF SHAOLIN
(Describing the Grandeur in Rhythm and Rhyme)
 Emperor’s Praise and Master’s Advice
Breadth of Kungfu in a Song
Songs of Energy and Compassion
Exquisite Charm of Shaolin
Symbolism in Shaolin Poetry
Legends Recalled in Poetic Beauty
A Modern Poem on Shaolin
23: THE DIVINE AND THE COSMOS
(The Magnificence and Universality of All Religions)
A Meeting Place of Many Religions
Universality of World’s Religions
Divine Manifestations of Supreme Reality
Listening to Soundlessness
Wisdom and Enlightenment
Looking At the Stilled Mind
The Spiritual Aspect of Confucianism
Entering God’s Kingdom
Returning to God
24: VARIOUS VEHICLES OF ENLIGHTENMENT
(The Beauty and Wisdom of Buddhism)
An Amazing and Inspiring Religion
The Historical Buddha
Main Features of Buddhism
Theravada — Buddhism of the Elders
Mahayana — Buddhism of the Great Vehicle
Vajrayana — Buddhism of the Mystics
25: ANCIENT WISDOM ON MODERN SCIENCE
(A Survey of Various Chinese Schools of Buddhism)
Was Mahayana Buddhism taught by the Buddha?
Various Schools of Buddhism
 Heaven, Zen, and the Lotus
Reality, Appearance and True Word
26: THE BEAUTY AND PROFUNDITY OF ZEN
(Some Philosophical Considerations for Zen Training)
What is Zen?
Chinese Invention and Taoist Origin?
Main Doctrines of Zen Buddhism
The Easiest or the Most Difficult
27: METHODS OF ZEN CULTIVATION
(Sutras, Mantras, and Meditation for Spiritual Training)
Meditation of No Mind
Praises and Vows in Spiritual Cultivation
The Heart Sutra of Transcendental Wisdom
Spiritual Development through Sutra Recitation
Chanting Mantras as Spiritual Training
Meditation of One-Pointed Mind
28: IN SEARCH OF SHAOLIN MASTERS
(From Kungfu and Chi Kung to Zen)
Kungfu for Demonstration and Fighting
The Search for Kungfu Force
The Incredible Energy Flow
The Search for Compassion
The Search for Wisdom
The Search for Enlightenment




Introduction

If you think this is a book purely about a fighting art, you will be in for a
pleasant surprise. Shaolin Kungfu, one of the most beautiful martial arts in the
world is neither the only nor the best of the Shaolin arts, which range from
poetry and medicine to Zen and Mahayana philosophy.
Wong Kiew Kit, a Shaolin grandmaster of over thirty year’s experience,
gives a fascinating and in-depth explanation in a clear and enjoyable language.
Martial artists will find amazing fighting techniques and methods for internal
force training. Shaolin Chi Kung promotes not only health and vitality, but also
provides hope for those suffering from “so-called incurable diseases” like
hypertension diabetes, sexual inadequacy and even cancer. Meditation, the
supreme Shaolin art trains the mind for more efficient daily work and play, and
at the highest level, leads to spiritual fulfilment irrespective of race culture and
religion.
In accordance with Shaolin philosophy the readers are urged not to
accept these claims on faith nor on reputation but practice these arts that are
systematically explained in the book, and evaluate the claims based on their
experiences. True Shaolin disciples, the author says, do not tell lies.


1: A HEAVENLY VISION

(How Shaolin Monastery Got Its Name)

In heaven above there is Zhulin Monastery;
on earth below there is Shaolin Monastery.

The Legend of Shaolin

The Shaolin Monastery. The name itself spells magic to many people.
Throughout the ages, it has been romantically linked to numerous sagas and
parables involving great kungfu masters, spiritual teachers, generals, and
emperors, as well as ordinary people. Poets sang odes to praise it, famous
calligraphers engraved their writings in its many stone tablets, hostile armies
razed the monastery to the ground, appreciative governments rebuilt it to greater
glory, martial artists considered its fighting skills the pinnacle of achievements,
and spiritualists regarded this sacred temple as fountain of inspiration, while its
arts and philosophy have influenced and benefited millions of people in their
daily lives.
Yet the Shaolin Monastery existed like a legend in the imagination of the
populace — well-known, highly-esteemed and fascinating, but mysterious and
awe-inspiring, because since its founding in the Northern Wei Dynasty in the 6th
century, rulers of all succeeding dynasties consecrated the Shaolin Monastery as
the Temple of Imperial Worship, making it inaccessible to common people.
In 1928 the monastery suffered its third and most destructive fire in its
long history; angry warlords burned the monastery for 45 days, resulting in the
loss of invaluable treasure and property. This transformed the monastery into
folklore. For the greater part of this century, many people wondered whether the
temple was real or just a myth! Only recently, the Chinese government spent
much money and effort to restore the monastery to its original form, and
classified it as protected historical heritage, thus rekindling the concern for and
excitement of the Shaolin tradition.

The Sacred Summit of Song Shan

The fabulous Shaolin Monastery is situated at the Central Mountains of Song
Shan in the Henan Province of China. Song Shan consists of two major ranges:
the Taishi Mountain in the east and the Shaoshi Mountain in the west. From afar,
Song Shan looks like “a pretty damsel having an afternoon nap in spring”.
Song Shan itself is rich in legend and history. It was the tradition of
Chinese emperors, known as Sons of Heaven, to ascend Sacred Summits to pray
to Heaven. There are five Sacred Summits in China, located in the five strategic
positions: east, west, south, north, and central; Song Shan is the Central Sacred
Summit.
Ancient China was divided into nine provinces. Song Shan is located in
the Province of Henan, which was known as the Central Province in ancient
times. It was the focus of religious and cultural activities, as well as military and
political adventures. The two ancient capitals of China — Sian (later known as
Changan) and Loyang — are in this region. The heroic expression, “Rains and
winds from eight directions meet at the Central Province”, gives us an idea of
the romance and excitement of this area.
Taishi and Shaoshi, the two mountain ranges of Song Shan, derive their
names from an interesting legend. Although the Chinese civilization is not the
oldest, it is the longest continuous civilization of the world. All the other great
ancient civilizations, like those of the Egyptian, the Mesopotamian, the Mayan,
and the Indian, mysteriously disappeared from the surface of the earth.
Historians have not discovered the cause of their extinction, but many believe
that they were wiped out either by a big fire or a big flood. In Chinese
mythology, stories concerning the holocaust are not widespread, but there are
numerous myths about the great deluge. The Chinese civilization was able to
survive the big flood because of their wise and dedicated Emperor Xia Yu, who
was the ninth generation descendant of the famous Huang Di (or Hwang Ti), the
Yellow Emperor, during the legendary period of Chinese prehistory.
Emperor Xia Yu was so busy combating the flood that although he
passed his own house on three different occasions, he had no time to enter it. On
one occasion his wife was just delivering their baby. Xia Yu could only pause at
his door to listen to the infant’s cry, then hurry away, not because he did not love
the mother and the child, but because his care for his people was greater. This
legend of “passing the door thrice without entering it” occurred at Song Shan.
Xia Yu had two wives. If you are a supporter of monogamy (like I am),
take consolation that having two wives — for an emperor — was an extremely
modest gesture, for Chinese emperors each had more than three thousand wives,
all at the same time! If you know Chinese, you must have come across the
character “an” ( ), which means “peace”. This character is made up of a “lady”
( ) under a “roof” ( ), clearly warning that if you wish to have peace in the
family, you can have only one wife under one roof. (Even emperors had their
many wives under different roofs.) The Chinese characters had not yet been
standardized during Xia Yu’s time, but the wise emperor must have understood
this important principle. So he placed his two wives under separate roofs — his
“tai shi” or first wife on the eastern range of Song Shan, and his “shao shi” or
second wife on the west. That was how the Taishi Mountain and the Shaoshi
Mountain derived their names.
By the way, Shaolin monks at the Shaoshi Mountain were (and still are)
not allowed to have any wives — not even first wives. But don’t worry if you
wish to practise Shaolin arts and still want to keep your wife (wives?); this
celibacy rule did not, and does not, apply to secular Shaolin disciples.

Earthly Reflection of Heavenly Monastery

With its many pinnacles, the Shaoshi Mountain is one of the most picturesque
regions in China. Throughout the ages, poets and scholars have described the
spectacular scenes at the Shaoshi Mountain with such beautiful expressions as
“blossoming of the lotus flowers”, “hundreds of birds fluttering in the wind”,
“gathering of heroic warriors”, and “auspicious dancing of the dragon and the
phoenix”. Hence, the saying “ascend Shaoshi Mountain, admire spectacular
views”, was already popular among travellers.
According to a legend, on the sixth day of the sixth month in the 19th
year of Tai He of the Northern Wei Dynasty, which corresponds to the year C.E.
495, three travellers climbed the Shaoshi Mountain from different directions to
admire the spectacular views. Ascending from the south was a Taoist priest,
wearing a long grey gown with the well-known yin-yang symbol embroidered in
front. From the north was a Buddhist monk, wearing a plain saffron robe;
climbing from the western side was a rich landlord, elaborately dressed in fine
silk decked with expensive jewels.
As the three travellers reached the summit, the weather suddenly
changed. Clouds from the sky merged with mist rising from the earth, creating a
hazy surrounding not unlike the grand void sometimes experienced in deep
meditation. But the haze was so thick that the three men were unaware of each
other’s presence. They sat themselves on a huge, flat rock shaped like a gigantic
drum.
Soon they heard some talking. As they looked up, the haze parted,
showing a grandiose view of heaven, with a majestic monastery, nine sections
deep, glittering in sublime light, with three bold, golden characters, “ZHU LIN
SI”, meaning “Monastery of the Bamboo Forest”, written across the top of the
grand entrance.
In front of this heavenly monastery a young novice monk was talking to
an old master.
“Sifu,” the boy asked, “since Zhulin Monastery has risen to heaven, will
there be any monastery on earth?”
“Of course!” the master answered. “In heaven above there is Zhulin
Monastery; on earth below there is Shaolin Monastery.”
 “But where is Shaolin Monastery?”
“Over there!” the old master pointed toward the south east, “at the
northern side of the Shaoshi foothill — with the nine-lotus pinnacles in front and
the five-bosom peaks behind, and with a majestic waterfall on the west
supplying a crystal clear stream flowing towards the east.”
This conversation in heaven was clearly heard by the three mortals on
earth. They looked towards the direction pointed by the heavenly master. There
it was! Amidst the greenery of the Shaoshi forest, they could see a magnificent
monastery, in red bricks and jade-coloured tiles, seven sections deep, with three
golden characters, “SHAO LIN SI”, boldly calligraphed on the top across the
grand entrance.
The three men could not help uttering a cry of sheer wonder. But as their
mundane utterance disturbed the cosmic vibration of the empyrean, the celestial
vision blurred away, leaving the three mortals suddenly realizing, rather
awkwardly, each other’s presence. They hurriedly descended their separate
ways, each carrying some cherished thoughts in their hearts.
The landlord said to himself, “If I build a house on this precious spot
indicated by the celestial vision, money will flow in like water, and soon I will
be the richest man on earth.”
The priest, who was also an expert on geomancy, thought to himself,
“This precious spot is along the dragon’s vein with wonderful energy. If I move
my family grave here, my descendants will be assured of power and prosperity,
and many of them will become high officials in the imperial service.”
The monk reflected pensively, “What a magnificent, sacred spot. If I
build a temple here, I can help many people achieve enlightenment.” He was so
excited that he could not sleep. So in the night, he searched for that precious spot
where he had seen the heavenly monastery in celestial light, and he found it
between two majestic cypress trees.
“I must put something here as a token of my claim for the land to build a
monastery.” So the monk, who hardly had any worldly possessions with him,
buried one of his tattered shoes between the giant trees.
At dawn the Taoist priest came to the same spot. “Splendid,” he said to
himself. “Luckily, no one has placed any claim on the land.” So he staked a pole
into the ground to signify his claim.
 Soon after sunrise the landlord arrived at the precious spot. He found the
pole which the Taoist priest had staked into the ground.
“Aha,” he said, “this comes in handy for me to hang my hat as a token of
my claim to this land.”
Three days later the three men met again at the precious spot. Each of
them had brought along their own team of workmen to start work on the land
they had claimed. They soon quarrelled among themselves on who was the first
to lay claim to the land, and none could emerge with a convincing argument.
Just then Emperor Xiao Wen and his imperial retinue passed by on route
to admire the spectacular views of Shaoshi Mountain. After listening to their
arguments and witnessing their tokens of claim, the wise emperor announced,
“The hat is on top of the pole; this shows that the pole was staked earlier
than the hat. The shoe is in the ground under the pole; this shows that the shoe
was placed there before the pole. Hence this monk has first claim to the land.”
The monk’s appearance was extraordinary. His face was like a red olive
fruit, his eyelashes like silkworms, and he had a lion’s nose, thick lips and basin-
shaped mouth, bushy beard and skin of dark copper hue. His name was Batuo,
an Indian monk who had been in China for three years to spread Buddhism.
The Emperor, deeply impressed with Batuo, ordered the governor of
Henan and the local magistrate to aid the Buddhist monk to build the monastery.
When Batuo requested the Emperor to name the monastery, His Majesty said,
“This is Shao Shi Mountain, and the two cypress trees form the Chinese
character “Lin”. The monastery shall be called Shao Lin.”
Although the above story is fanciful, it provides some poetic and
philosophical background to the founding of Shaolin Monastery. Many readers
may find the vision of the heavenly monastery unbelievable or outlandish, but
those familiar with the scientifically-controlled experiments investigating ESP,
or with the new world view inspired by the affinity between modern physics and
ancient mysticism may not only find this vision acceptable, but may even marvel
at how easily, yet deeply, legends can reflect eastern wisdom on
parapsychological and metaphysical matters.
A more factual — but less poetic — account is provided by documents
like “Official Records of Dengfeng District”, “History of Five Dynasties”, and
inscriptions on stone tablets at the Shaolin Monastery. These documents
recorded that Batuo came from India to China to spread Buddhism. He was well
received by Emperor Xiao Wen, who built the Shaolin Monastery for him to
translate Sanskrit Buddhist texts into Chinese.
The Shaolin Monastery is therefore not just an ordinary monastery. Its
various buildings and their accompanying legends, to be described in the next
chapter, are even more extraordinary.

2: THE FABULOUS SHAOLIN MONASTERY

(Legends and Significance of the Monastery Halls)

Even just judging from the sheer size of the monastery complex and the role
it had played in charting Chinese history, it is not surprising why the
Shaolin Monastery has been called the foremost monastery beneath heaven.

Foremost Monastery Beneath Heaven

Why is the Shaolin Monastery also called “the foremost monastery beneath
heaven”? One of the many reasons is that it was the imperial temple where
Chinese emperors prayed to heaven on behalf of the Chinese people, as
discussed in the previous chapter. Another reason will become clear when you
have read this chapter, and other reasons will reveal themselves as the book
unfurls.
Situated at the scenic Central Mountains of Song Shan, about 15
kilometres from the Henan provincial capital of Dengfeng, the extensive
monastery complex is actually made up of numerous buildings, namely the
Monastery Proper, the Forest of Pagodas, Temple of First Patriarch, Temple of
Second Patriarch, Temple of Third Patriarch, and Cave of Bodhidharma.

The Monastery Proper, which is usually called the Shaolin Monastery itself,
consists of seven sections, Fig 2.1. The first section is the Grand Entrance, which
is known as “Mountain Gate” in Chinese. At the top of the Grand Entrance in
bold, magnificent calligraphy is the name of the Shaolin Monastery in Chinese
characters, SHAO LIN SI, which were specially written by the renowned regal
calligrapher, the Qing Emperor Kang Xi, and which means the “Monastery in
the forest of the Shaoshi Mountain”.
Inside the building of the Grand Entrance are found some famous
Chinese calligraphic works. One of the most beautiful, in calligraphy as well as
in meaning, is a pair of poetic couplets translated below. Though much of its
beauty is inevitably lost in the process of translation, there is still enough left
behind for our appreciation. The depth of its philosophy, in contrast with the
simplicity of its expression, is most charming.

This earthly place in heaven, this is the foremost of famous mountains of the
four seas.

Transmitted by heart beyond words, this is the primordial of religious
teachings of the ten directions.

These poetic expressions, with gentle touches of Chan (Zen), gracefully remind
us of the important role the Shaolin Monastery played in the Meditation School
of Buddhism. You will read an example of transmission by heart beyond words
in a later part of this chapter.
Behind the Grand Entrance, on both sides of the central pathway leading
to the next building, is found a permanent treasure of Chinese culture — the
imposing Forest of Stone Tablets. On these huge stone tablets were engraved
precious and lasting examples of famous different styles of Chinese calligraphy
by some of the greatest calligraphers of China, such as Wang Zi Jing of the Tang
Dynasty, Mi Di of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Mang Fu of the Yuan Dynasty, Dong
Qi Zhang of the Ming Dynasty, and Emperor Qian Long of the Qing Dynasty.
Many people call this Forest of Stone Tablets “the Complete Work of Chinese
Calligraphy”. There were even inscriptions engraved in foreign languages, such
as Sanskrit, Japanese, and Arabic. It is a rich, rare source for historical studies,
too, as many of these stone tablets also recorded important contemporary events
of their times.
The second section of the Monastery Proper was the Hall of Heavenly
Kings, which is now in ruins as a result of the 1928 fire. There was once a
gigantic bell weighing 11,000 jin (Chinese pounds), whose sound when hit could
be heard 30 li (Chinese miles) away. This unique bell was damaged in the fire,
but is now partially restored by the Chinese government.
 The next section was the Main Hall, which was also destroyed by the
fire, but is now partially restored. On the eastern side of the Main Hall is the
Jinnaluo Temple, which houses a statue of Jinnaluo, a legendary figure regarded
as the Saint of Shaolin staff techniques. On the western side is the Sixth
Patriarch Temple in honour of Hui Neng, who was significantly responsible for
the transformation of Buddhism from its Indian origin to a distinctively Chinese
style.
After the Main Hall is the Scripture Hall where monks listened to
sermons, chanted sutras, and practised meditation. It is also called the Library as
priceless scriptures, kungfu classics, and other invaluable texts were kept there.
Some of the earliest Buddhist texts brought over from India by devoted pilgrims
were translated into Chinese at this Library. The Shaolin Monastery also
abounded with stories of ambitious martial artists risking their lives trying to
steal kungfu secrets from this Library. If you are keen on such secrets, you need
not have to risk your life nowadays to get them. Many of these secrets have been
published (mainly in Chinese) and are available for only a couple of dollars in
good book shops! Some of these secrets will be discussed in later chapters of this
book.
The Abbot’s Chamber is behind the Scripture Hall. The Abbot of Shaolin
Monastery is often called “Fang Zhang”, which literally means “a square of ten
feet”, though he is neither a square nor of ten feet. The term was derived from
the practice that being the head of a monastery, the abbot was allowed the luxury
of more space for his slumber; other monks were provided with planks
measuring about two by five feet — hardly enough even for their physical
bodies to be stretched. Buddhist monks, therefore, sleep lying sideways, with
one arm under their head as a pillow, their legs bent, and the other arm on top of
their thigh — hence, the expression “sleep like a bow” in the Shaolin Monastery.
This position, which you may find in statues of the reclining Buddha, was the
usual position of the Buddha when resting.

Hui Ke Seeking Enlightenment

The next building is known as the Bodhidharma Chamber, named after the First
Patriarch of the Shaolin arts, namely kungfu, chi kung, and Chan (or Zen)
Buddhism. It is also known as the Standing-in-the-Snow Pavilion, which refers,
however, not to the pavilion standing in the snow (though it actually stood there
in the open every time it snowed), but to Hui Ke, the Second Patriarch.
Hui Ke, who had been a monk in the Shaolin Monastery for some time,
begged Bodhidharma to teach him the way to enlightenment, but he was
continually rejected. One day he waited outside this chamber, while
Bodhidharma practised meditation inside. Heavy snow was falling, but Hui Ke
persisted. He waited and waited until the amount of snow fallen on the ground
reached his knee. Finally, Bodhidharma emerged from the chamber.
“What are you doing here, Hui Ke?” Bodhidharma asked innocently.
“Sifu, I’m waiting for you to teach me the way,” Hui Ke answered
patiently.
“You can keep standing there, but I’m not teaching you the way.”
“But when can you teach me, so that I can be enlightened?”
“Only when the snow turns red,” Bodhidharma replied calmly.
Equally calmly, Hui Ke severed his left arm! Blood gushed out and
dropped on to the ground, making the snow red. Yet Hui Ke stood upright, and
even smiled serenely.
Bodhidharma smiled, too. A sense of joyous tranquillity enveloped them.
“What is troubling you?” Bodhidharma asked.
“My mind!”
“Bring out your mind so that I will pacify it.”
“It’s strange,” Hui Ke replied; “now that I search for my mind, I cannot
find it.”
“You have attained enlightenment. And you are now my successor to
spread Buddhism.”
 This touching story has a deep meaning for me. When I first read it, I
was angry at Bodhidharma, and considered Hui Ke foolish. But as I grew in my
development, I gradually understood and appreciated its significance, and I
would have done the same, had I been Hui Ke or Bodhidharma. This is also an
example of “instant” enlightenment, where the final, arcane teaching was
transmitted intuitively from master to disciple by way of the heart beyond words.
It is not easy to intellectually explain this type of experience, because it
belongs to the realm of intuitive wisdom and not just rational knowledge.
Nevertheless, it may suffice to mention two significant points.
One, sacrificing an arm is nothing compared to achieving spiritual
enlightenment. Again, it is not easy to appreciate this statement unless one has
attained certain level of spiritual development. Most people, understandably, will
value their arm more than enlightenment.
Two, Bodhidharma was compassionate, not cruel. With his intuitive
wisdom, he knew that that was the best way to help Hui Ke achieve
enlightenment. Had he taught his disciple some meditation techniques to practise
towards enlightenment, Hui Ke would have just achieved that, i.e., knowing
some techniques. At best, Hui Ke would have to practise these techniques for
some time before he could one day, hopefully, be enlightened. But now, the
enlightenment was instantaneous. What better gift could a master give his
disciple?
Meditation, enlightenment, and the process of heart-to-heart transmission
will be discussed in some detail in later chapters. Meanwhile, let us examine a
more down-to-earth and perhaps better-known aspect of the Shaolin arts —
Shaolin Kungfu — as we proceed to the next and last section of the Shaolin
Monastery.

The Hall of Lohans

The last section of the main monastery complex is the Hall of Thousand
Buddhas, also known as Pilu Hall. Art students who think that Chinese paintings
are just water colours of mountains and streams on paper scrolls will be in for
some surprise as they enter this hall. The hall houses the famous gigantic wall
painting covering 300 square metres, depicting 500 Lohans (or Arahants) paying
homage to the Pilu Buddha, the Chinese name for Vairocana Buddha. The sheer
size of the painting is daunting enough, but that is not its most amazing aspect.
The Lohans were not only vividly painted a few hundred years ago, but each of
them exhibited a different typical facial expression. This hall, the biggest in the
whole monastery complex, is therefore sometimes called the Hall of Lohans. It
was here that advanced Shaolin Kungfu was taught.
From the many kungfu students, some good disciples were chosen for
further privileged training in this Hall of Lohans, which was out of bound to
ordinary students. From these a very few disciples were selected, based on their
excellent character as well as high kungfu attainment, to receive very special
training in the Bodhidharma Chamber mentioned earlier, where they were taught
top Shaolin secrets. These very special disciples were called “inner-chamber
disciples”. Nowadays, drawing from the Shaolin tradition, those students in any
fields of endeavour who are favoured by their teachers and who have reached a
very high level of achievement, are said to have reached the level of “promotion
into the hall, entrance into the chamber”.
Another remarkable feature that strikes many modern visitors to the Hall
of Lohans is the forty-eight clearly discernible foot impressions on the floor.
These impressions were made by past Shaolin monks while practising kungfu —
by repeating their foot-stamping actions millions of times! These foot
impressions are a visible reminder of an essential principle of kungfu training,
which many students neglect to observe: that is, the essence of kungfu training is
improving skills and enhancing force (not merely learning elaborate techniques)
— the process of which necessitates practising simple actions over and over
again, many, many, many times.
On the western side of the Hall of Lohans is the Hall dedicated to the
Bodhisattva of the Netherworld. A Bodhisattva is one who has become a
Buddha, the enlightened one who is free from the endless cycles of birth, death,
and rebirth. But because of his great compassion, a Bodhisattva voluntarily
postpones entering Buddhahood so that he can help other beings to achieve
enlightenment. This particular Bodhisattva, known as Di Zang Wang in Chinese,
or Ksitigarbha in Sanskrit, chooses to go to the Netherworld to help lost souls.
The philosophical concept represented by this Hall of the Netherworld
Bodhisattva may brighten the spirit of many people. Some people have a morbid
idea of death, especially of the netherworld. According to Buddhist belief, death
is nothing to be afraid of — it is, from another perspective, the birth into another
plane of existence. According to Buddhism, life is everywhere, and our world is
only one of countless habitable worlds in countless galaxies where there are also
countless heavens. Even in our own world system, there are more than twenty
realms of heavens, compared to only one realm each of humans, demi-gods,
spirits, and hells. Even those who go to the netherworld need not despair. Di
Zang Wang and other compassionate teachers will be there to help whoever
desires help, irrespective of the religion these lost souls believe in.
We will now enter another very different world — the world of martial
art. The hall on the eastern side is of particular interest to martial artists all over
the world. This is the White Robe Hall dedicated to the great compassionate
Guan Yin Bodhisattva, who is often translated into English as the Goddess of
Mercy, although in Buddhist thought, a Bodhisattva is many levels higher than a
god or goddess. This hall is therefore also known as the Hall of Guan Yin.
Guan Yin Bodhisattva, known as Kannon in Japanese, Chen-re-zig in
Tibetan, and Avalokitesvara in Sanskrit, is extremely popular among Mahayana
Buddhists. She is a Bodhisattva of boundless compassion who will see and listen
to all sufferings, and will give assistance to whoever asks for it. “Seek and you
will be given” is a saying taught in Buddhist as well as other religious
philosophies. Most people may think this is just too good to be true, but its great
philosophical truth can be explained by such Buddhist wisdom like karma being
generated by thought, and the phenomenal world being a creation of mind.
In this hall are found some splendid wall paintings of martial art. If you
wonder at the seemingly incongruence of finding rich martial art material in a
hall dedicated to the embodiment of mercy, you will be pleasantly surprised at
the depth of Shaolin philosophy. Shaolin teachings have always stressed the love
of humanity, and Shaolin Kungfu, being the most widespread expression of the
Shaolin teachings, is built upon and manifests this principle of compassion. This
principle will become obvious in later chapters.
One of the famous paintings in this hall is the fresco showing “Thirteen
Shaolin Monks Rescuing the Tang Emperor”, which recorded the great
contribution of Shaolin in the establishment of the Tang Dynasty. The modern
popular international movie on the Shaolin Monastery, the first of its kind in
Shaolin’s history, is based on this painting.
The most fascinating paintings for martial artists are two huge frescoes
on the southern and the northern walls of this hall, respectively, depicting
Shaolin monks in various unarmed kungfu patterns and practising with a great
variety of weapons. These pictures are a permanent, genuine record of the way
Shaolin Kungfu was actually performed during the Ming Dynasty, the time these
frescoes were painted; and hence they can serve as a reliable yardstick to judge
how valid some modern martial arts are in claiming to be Shaolin styles. This
hall, therefore, is aptly called the Hall of Shaolin Kungfu.
We have just examined the various main buildings of the Monastery
Proper, some relevant stories and related aspects of Shaolin philosophy. Don’t
worry if you feel a bit dazzled by the abundant material; anyone would, when
faced with the space of probably the world’s largest monastery, and the time of
over a thousand and fifty years compressed into a chapter. We may have a better
perspective if we list out these buildings, from front to back, and their related
concepts:

1. Grand Entrance — a touch of Zen

Forest of Stone Tablets — the Complete Work of Chinese

Calligraphy
2. Hall of Heavenly Kings — in ruins

3. Main Hall — in ruins

Jinnaluo Temple — Shaolin staff techniques

Six Patriarch Temple — Chinese Buddhism
4. Scripture Hall — Buddhist and kungfu texts

5. Abbot’s Chamber — sleeping like a bow

6. Bodhidharma Chamber — transmission by heart

7. Hall of Thousand Buddhas — foot impressions

Bodhisattva of Netherworld — compassion

White Robe Hall — mercy and Shaolin Kungfu

Pagodas, Temples, and the Shadow-Rock

Besides the Monastery Proper, there are many other auxiliary buildings spread
all over the very extensive Shaolin Monastery complex.
About 300 metres towards the west of the Monastery Proper is the Forest
of Pagodas, one of the most important historical relics of China. This is different
from the Forest of Stone Tablets situated behind the Main Entrance of the
Monastery Proper.
From the layman’s viewpoint, this Forest of Pagodas is the final resting
ground of great Shaolin monks, though from a higher spiritual viewpoint (like
that of the Mahayana Buddhist), the consciousness or mind of these monks, or of
anybody, does not die.
But what was buried were not their bodies. According to traditional
Buddhist rites, the physical remains were cremated, and inside the bodies of
great monks were often found “crystals”. These crystals, which are often called
relics, resulted from the crystallization of chi (or energy) of the great monks;
they were probably the products of energy centres or chakras. This is an area of
knowledge still generally unknown in the west. These crystals (real solid
material that you can see and feel) were regarded as treasure, and were kept
inside the pagodas. This Forest has a rich collection of about 220 pagodas of
every dynasty since the Northern Wei, but the majority were of the Ming period,
including those of Ming princes and princesses who had renounced their
luxurious palace lives to seek spiritual fulfilment.
There are three temples in the Shaolin complex dedicated to the first
three Patriarchs of Zen Buddhism. It is of interest to note that although Batuo is
the founder of the Shaolin Monastery, Bodhidharma is honoured as the First
Patriarch. This is because the type of Buddhism preached by Batuo was
Hinayana Buddhism, which emphasized personal enlightenment; whereas the
type preached by Bodhidharma was Mahayana Buddhism, which included
helping others to attainment enlightenment. It was Mahayana Buddhism that
became established in the Shaolin Monastery, as well as in the whole of China.
As Bodhidharma was the founder of Chan (or Zen) Buddhism, a major school of
Mahayana Buddhism, he is venerated as the First Patriarch. Zen Buddhism is at
the same time the easiest and hardest type of Buddhism. You will understand
why when you read about Zen Buddhism in a later chapter.
 The Temple of the First Patriarch is an architectural wonder. It was
almost exclusively built of wood, yet its moon-shaped beams and other supports
have remained intact for nearly a thousand years. The Temple of the Second
Patriarch is dedicated to Hui Ke, Bodhidharma’s successor; and the Temple of
the Third Patriarch is dedicated to Seng Can, the successor of Hui Ke.
There is no Temple of the Fourth Patriarch at the Shaolin complex
because Seng Can’s successor, Dao Xin, moved to the Dongshan Temple in the
Huangmei District of Hubei Province, where the Fifth Patriarch, Hong Jen, also
taught. Hong Jen’s successor, Hui Neng the Sixth Patriarch, moved further south
to the Baolin Temple in the Cao Xi District of Guangdong Province. Hui Neng
did not appoint a sole successor as the Seventh Patriarch, because he wanted
many of his disciples to spread Zen Buddhism. Altogether there were six
patriarchs in Chan or Zen Buddhism, and three of them taught Zen Buddhism at
the Shaolin Monastery, illustrating how important Shaolin is in Zen — a fact
many people, including Zen enthusiasts themselves, may not be aware!
Behind the Monastery Proper at one of the five bosom peaks is the Cave
of Bodhidharma. This was where Bodhidharma meditated for nine years facing a
cave wall so intensely that the rock surface was imprinted with his image! This
rock, known as the Rock with Bodhidharma’s Shadow, is now exhibited in the
Hall of Thousand Buddhas. A noted scholar, Xiao Yuan Ji, inscribed on a stone
tablet the following lines with a touch of Zen about this rock:

There is a rock in Shaolin, which is a person.
It is clearly a person; and it is clearly a rock.
What kind of rock? A face-person rock.
What kind of person? A face-rock person.
He is a face-rock Buddha,
A prince, meditating for nine years,
He becomes a Buddha
Becoming a Buddha, his body becomes void,
And his body enters the spirit of the rock,
And the rock resembles his body,
 And all schools are united by Shaolin.

The Defender of Righteousness

The Shaolin Monastery complex, which covers almost the whole of Shaoshi
Mountain, is probably the biggest in the world. The numerous buildings,
including those in the Monastery Proper, were not built all at the same time, but
were added on during different dynasties. At its height, there were two thousand
monks staying in the Shaolin Monastery. The monks were classified into four
types: administrative monks, research monks, service monks, and martial art
monks.
While the long history of the Shaolin Monastery was glorious, with many
emperors bestowing it with honours and gifts, there were also painful periods. In
the year 574, Emperor Zhou Wu Di blamed the economic unproductivity of
Buddhist monks and Taoist priests for the country’s depression, and decreed that
all temples in the empire be closed. However his successor, Emperor Jing Di,
reopened the temples six years later, and the Shaolin Monastery was renamed
“Zhi Hu Monastery”, meaning “Climbing-up-a-Mountain Monastery”. This
changed name was unpopular, and the next year when the Northern Zhou
Dynasty was replaced by the Sui Dynasty, Shaolin Monastery resumed its
original name as well as received new land from the new emperor.
The Shaolin Monastery suffered three disastrous fires. The first fire was
towards the end of the Sui Dynasty about the year 618, when rebels attacked the
Monastery. The second fire was caused by the revolutionary “Red Band Army”
about the year 1368 at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, whose emperors also
bestowed many favours to Shaolin. The third fire was caused by warlords in
1928 during the republican period.
There were also subsidiary temples under the Shaolin Monastery. Some
of these are extensive and famous in their own right, such as the Longtan
Temple (meaning the Temple of Dragons’ Lake) in Shandong Province, and the
Sichan Temple (the Western Temple of Zen) in Guangdong Province.
You may be surprised to know that there were two Shaolin Monasteries
in China. Besides the one situated at Song Shan in the north, the other Shaolin
Monastery was built in Quanzhou in Fujian Province in south China by the Ming
Dynasty. Though it was smaller than the Song Shan Shaolin Monastery, the
Fujian Shaolin Monastery played a very important role in the teaching and
spreading of Shaolin Kungfu in the south.
 During the succeeding Qing Dynasty, this Fujian Shaolin Monastery
became a centre of revolutionaries loyal to the former Ming Dynasty. Hence the
Qing army, with the help of mercenary martial art experts from Tibet, surprised
and razed the Monastery to the ground. Some Shaolin masters escaped and
spread the Shaolin arts and philosophy in south China and overseas. One of them
was the Venerable Jiang Nan, who passed on the Shaolin arts through three
generations to me. Most Shaolin schools in various parts of the world today owe
their lineage from this southern Shaolin Monastery.
The Shaolin values of righteousness and perseverance ultimately
prevailed. Shaolin disciples’ descendants from this southern Monastery later
helped Dr. Sun Yat Sen to overthrow the decadent Qing Dynasty and establish
the first Chinese republic. The present Chinese government has erected a stone
tablet at the site of this former Fujian Shaolin Monastery.
At the present time, some people have the mistaken impression that
Shaolin disciples are revolutionary by nature, or are frequently engaged in secret
society activities. This is because of the closeness in time to the patriotic and
sacrificial involvement of Shaolin disciples in Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s secret societies
in overthrowing the unpopular Qing Dynasty. If we examine the history of
Shaolin in its proper perspective, we can clearly see that Shaolin disciples were
always supportive of good governments, and had often helped to overcome
internal oppression and foreign aggression, such as helping the Tang Emperor to
subdue oppressive rebels, and helping the Ming Emperor to repulse Japanese
naval attacks. This is in line with the Shaolin philosophy of upholding
righteousness.
Even just judging from the sheer size of the monastery complex and the
role it had played in charting Chinese history, it is not surprising why the
Shaolin Monastery has been called “the foremost monastery beneath heaven”.
There are, of course, other reasons for its importance and greatness, and in the
next chapter we shall examine generally the various Shaolin arts that have
influenced and benefited both eastern and western societies for many centuries.

3: FIT FOR EMPERORS AND GENERALS

(Precious Arts of Shaolin)

Even if you can master only one of the three Shaolin treasures, you will
have achieved, in the words of a popular saying, a precious art that is more
valuable than even the art of changing stones to gold by touch!

The Three Living Treasures

Of the numerous living treasures derived from the Shaolin Monastery, three
stand out prominently. They are chi kung, kungfu, and meditation. In the past
these Shaolin treasures were kept within the monastery walls, taught only to
privileged disciples who had proven themselves worthy of these fascinating arts.
Now you don’t have to become a Shaolin monk to learn them; they are available
to you in this book. Nevertheless, merely reading about them is not enough,
though it will give you interesting knowledge and reading pleasure; you need to
invest some time and effort to practise these fascinating arts if you wish to get
the best benefits.
What benefits can we get from these Shaolin arts? Very briefly, chi kung
gives us health and longevity; kungfu provides vitality and enables us to defend
ourselves when needed; and meditation brings us to our highest and greatest
achievements!
Health is not merely being free from illness, but includes enjoying our
food, sleeping soundly, being amiable to all beings around us — even though
some of them may get on our nerves, having mental freshness and experiencing
inner peace. Longevity, to be desirable, is not merely enduring old age, but a
continuation of youthfulness into our mellow years approximating our potential
life span.
Shaolin Chi Kung provides some excellent ways to achieve health and
longevity. It may surprise some readers to find out that many of the Shaolin
methods to achieve excellent health are performed in elegant, gentle manners,
quite unlike the vigorous, demanding activities of typical physical exercises like
gymnastics, body building, and aerobics.
Moreover, unlike many sports and games where your performance starts
to go downhill after your peak at twenty-five or thirty, the health and other
benefits of Shaolin Chi Kung increases with age! You will find, for example,
that at fifty you are less likely to fall sick, sleep and eat better, and produce more
satisfactory work than you were at twenty-five. Why is this so? Because Shaolin
Chi Kung develops you internally as well as externally, so that all your body
systems, mental as well as physical, continue to function naturally at their
optimum.
In this way — maintaining and promoting all the natural functions of our
body (the psyche and physique as one unity) — Shaolin Chi Kung enables us to
live as fully as possible to our potential life span, which most scientists agree to
be at least 120 years. If you practise Shaolin Chi Kung conscientiously (which,
incidentally, is an enjoyable experience), you can expect to live to a ripe old age,
still with your body systems functioning properly.

Beauty in Poetic Motion

Aiming for excellence is a cardinal aspect of Shaolin philosophy. Shaolin
disciples aim for more than just living a healthy long life; they want their lives to
be meaningful and rewarding for themselves as well as for others.
In order to lead a more meaningful and rewarding life, besides having
health and longevity, we need vitality — the energy and zest that enable us to get
the best from our work and play every day of our lives. Practising Shaolin
Kungfu will give us this vitality. Even more, Shaolin Kungfu enables us to
defend ourselves or our loved ones if the need unexpectedly arises, giving us
tremendous confidence and security that comes from the awareness that we can
handle any eventualities.
Shaolin Kungfu is the best and most beautiful martial art in the world
(please see Chapter 14 for justification of this claim). It is not only very effective
for self-defence, but it also provides an excellent system for developing such
qualities as perseverance, tolerance, courage, discipline, and the ability to make
fast, sound decisions — qualities which, in our modern law-abiding society, are
probably more useful than mere fighting skills.
Seeing a performance of good Shaolin Kungfu is seeing beauty in poetic
motion. It is poetry of artistic forms: courage, strength, agility, precision, and
gracefulness in rhythmic combination. Shaolin Kungfu force is bewildering.
How and why, for example, can Shaolin masters be so powerful yet so calm and
gentle, or can spar for hours, yet do not feel tired? Shaolin Kungfu principles
often reveal some profound wisdom. What would you do, for example, if your
arm is held by an opponent twice your size, or if you are attacked by numerous
aggressors at the same time? Such abilities and knowledge, which were once
employed for effective fighting, can now be fruitfully transferred to our work,
play, and daily peaceful living.
Enjoying good health is the basis of Shaolin philosophy, and being able
to look after ourselves no matter what happens is an important aim of the
Shaolin arts. These accomplishments symbolize two fundamental stages in life’s
journey to attain the ultimate goal. The first stage of good health lays the
foundation; the second stage of courage and perseverance resembles the
intermediate growth. What, then, is the ultimate goal? It is none other than the
supreme achievement of every person — unconscious to him (or her) if he is not
ready, but inevitable when he is sufficiently developed to transcend the physical.

A Way to Enlightenment

The ultimate goal is spiritual fulfilment, irrespective of whatever religion the
seeker professes or claims not to profess. The highest of the Shaolin arts is to
show a way to enlightenment by practising meditation. Shaolin meditation is not
ritualistic nor religious, but spiritual, transcending the physical self.
Nevertheless, if you are not ready for this transcendental stage, then
please ignore it, and you can still enjoy the other benefits perfectly. You may
approach this spiritual aspect of the Shaolin arts when you are ready, and only if
you desire it.
Freedom of choice and a deep respect for others’ preferences are
important aspects of the Shaolin philosophy. But if you wish to experience the
richest fruit of the Shaolin arts, the beautiful, blissful state of mind enjoyed by
masters and laymen alike, the later chapters of this book will show the Shaolin
way to enlightenment, which, it must be stressed, does not insist on any
particular concepts nor infringe on any religious beliefs. And the enlightenment
is based on experience, not just faith. In other words, one becomes enlightened
because he experiences enlightenment, not because he reads about it or believes
in certain doctrines.
These three Shaolin arts — chi kung, kungfu, and meditation — are the
living treasures of Shaolin. Even if you can master only one of them, you will
have achieved, in the words of a popular saying, a precious art that is more
valuable than even the art of changing stones to gold by touch! To many of us,
especially those who are more materialistic, this saying certainly sounds
exaggerated, even ridiculous; but to others who value other things besides
money, there is much truth in the saying.
You are invited, as you read the book, to share the fascinating but real
experiences that many uninitiated readers previously might not have dreamed to
be possible. These Shaolin arts were once taught to emperors and generals. It
may be inspiring for those intending to embark on these arts to know that many
princes (and a few princesses), especially during the Ming Dynasty, were ready
to sacrifice their palace luxuries to enter the Shaolin Monastery to seek spiritual
fulfilment.

The Practical and the Spiritual

It is a mistake if you imagine that the Shaolin arts are concerned with things or
ideas far out of this world. In fact, the Shaolin arts, including the very advanced
ones, are practical. Much of these arts teach us how to live better and more
meaningful lives here and now.
Actually, the materialistically-inclined can benefit tremendously from the
Shaolin arts. For example, Shaolin Chi Kung enables them to be healthy and
energetic so that they can work harder and longer to acquire more material
wealth, if they prefer. Shaolin Kungfu gives them the courage and the endurance
to persevere and to rise up after every fall. Shaolin meditation provides them
with a freshness of mind and clarity of thought that they can see and grasp
opportunities when they arise, or even create them if the opportunities are not
presently available.
Yet in practice, most of the greatest Shaolin masters never exploit their
powers to amass material riches. They lead, in the eyes of common people, a
very simple life — not because they are incapable of earning much money nor
enjoying worldly pleasures, but because they prefer the bliss of simplicity. These
masters find that the independent, carefree interaction with sincere friends or
nature is far more rewarding than the stressful competition with, or even the
ultimate victory over, business or political rivals. At a much higher plane, the
masters discover that the deep contemplation on intuitive wisdom and the
realization of one’s mind merging with the universe are far more blissful than all
the worldly pleasures can offer.
Of course, only the masters can attain such high levels. Even among
Shaolin disciples, the majority of them are concerned with the benefits of the
more physical levels, like good health, stress-free living, abundant energy, and a
wholesome attitude towards life. Yet the masters’ examples can provide us with
much inspiration, especially at times of economic or emotional depression.
Even when we are down, if we know that great masters have voluntarily
forsaken the very same possessions or reputations that we have so vainly fought
to have, it can suddenly dawn on us that these possessions or reputations are not
so important after all. If we already possess them, it is not the end of the world if
they are suddenly lost; or if we have not acquired them but we wish to, it is also
not the end of the world if we fail in our endeavour. It is noteworthy to mention
that the Venerable Bodhidharma, the First Patriarch of the Shaolin arts, was a
prince, yet like the historical Buddha before him, he chose to give up the
grandeur and luxury of the palace to lead, and help others to lead, a richer life at
the Shaolin Monastery.
It is a great mistake to think that Shaolin philosophy is fatalistic or
nihilistic. In fact, it is the contrary. The purpose of the Shaolin arts is to help us
actualize our aims, worldly or otherwise. And a fundamental Shaolin principle is
that we have to put in a lot of effort if we want success. If a Shaolin disciple, for
example, wishes to earn a lot of money — a worldly aim which the Shaolin
philosophy has nothing against — the Shaolin arts provide much help in the
form of good health, energy, and clear thinking in his process of money earning.
But he has to work hard to achieve success. It is an inevitable truth cherished in
Shaolin philosophy that nothing worthwhile can be obtained without
perseverance. Shaolin philosophy also demands that his means must be
honourable, and when he succeeds in making much money, he should use it
wisely.

Inter-Relationship of Kungfu, Chi Kung, and Meditation

One wonderful feature of these three most important Shaolin arts is that while
they are closely related to form a continuous development, each can be followed
independently with tremendous benefits. A brief introduction to how these arts
developed will give some insight into their inter-relationship as well as their
separate functions.
In CE 527, the great Buddhist monk from India, Bodhidharma, arrived at
the famous Shaolin Monastery in China to teach Buddhism. He found that most
of the monks at the monastery were so weak that they often dozed off to sleep
during meditation. Bodhidharma believed that physical and emotional health are
essential to mental health, and all three are essential to spiritual development. A
physically or emotionally unhealthy person will lack the freshness and calmness
of mind to endure long hours of meditation, and meditation is the essential path
to enlightenment.
This concept of the unity of mind and body was particularly significant at
this point of history in the development of Buddhism. Many Buddhist masters
neglected their physical body and emphasized only the mind. They went to the
extent of regarding their bodies as a “smelly skin receptacle”, and were glad to
dispose of this smelly prison so that the real being — the being before they were
born — could be liberated. But Bodhidharma taught that as long as we still live
in our bodies, our bodies are important, though he also regarded the mind as
supreme.
So Bodhidharma taught the Shaolin monks a series of physical exercises
called the Eighteen Lohan Hands. The original purpose was to strengthen the
monks, and to enable them to stretch themselves and relax their muscles after
sitting motionlessly for long hours in meditation. Bodhidharma also taught them
a series of internal exercises known as Sinew Metamorphosis. The aim here was
to strengthen the monks internally, changing even their sinews and tendons, so
that they could have the energy as well as tranquillity to meditate for long hours.
Later, however, the Eighteen Lohan Hands developed into Shaolin
Kungfu, while Sinew Metamorphosis became the basis of Shaolin Chi Kung.
The growth and spread of Shaolin Kungfu was phenomenal, affecting almost
every type of martial arts in China, and greatly influencing martial arts of other
countries, such as Japanese karate, Korean taekwondo, Thai boxing, and Malay
silat.
Shaolin Chi Kung, on the other hand, was taught exclusively to a few
selected disciples and was guarded as a top secret. The situation now, however,
has changed. Shaolin Chi Kung masters are sincere in wanting to spread this
wonderful art to other people for the benefit of humanity. Indeed, Shaolin Chi
Kung has much to offer modern societies, irrespective of race, religion, and
culture. Numerous patients suffering from so-called incurable diseases, for
instance, have had their sickness relieved after practising Shaolin Chi Kung from
me.
Actually, from the historical perspective, both Shaolin Kungfu and
Shaolin Chi Kung were originally not ends themselves, but were means to an
important purpose. Many people, including kungfu and chi kung masters, may
be surprised at this statement, and may vehemently dispute it. But it cannot be
denied that when Bodhidharma first initiated kungfu and chi kung (or what later
turned out to be kungfu and chi kung) he did not intend them to be used for
fighting or curing illness; rather, he devised them as aids to the all-important
meditation, so that the monks could more easily attain enlightenment.
It was much later that both Shaolin Kungfu and Shaolin Chi Kung
developed into virtually independent arts, often losing touch with their original
purpose at their inception. Hence, it is not uncommon nowadays that most
students of Shaolin Kungfu and Shaolin Chi Kung, especially those at the
elementary level, are not familiar with each others’ arts, and both groups know
little about Shaolin meditation.
This also explains that Shaolin Kungfu, chi kung, and meditation or Zen
can be practised separately and exclusively. Indeed, many people are doing this,
and have achieved very high standards, since the three Shaolin arts are by
themselves very advanced arts in their own right. Yet, understanding their inter-
relationship will be of tremendous advantage even if we choose to practise only
one of the arts independently.

Qualities of a Good Teacher

It is obvious that merely reading about the Shaolin arts will not give you the
fantastic benefits mentioned above. If you want the benefits you must put in time
and effort to get them. This is a timeless, universal truth. You cannot buy them
like one buys modern technology or a corrupt officer, no matter how much you
are ready to pay. You may buy advice, instructions, or knowledge on how best to
practise the arts to get the benefits, but you must work for them yourself.
This book will offer you some very good advice and methods. If you are
already familiar with these Shaolin arts, you will find this book exceedingly
useful, but if you are a beginner you may have difficulty following the teaching
materials, though some of the materials are actually written for beginners. It is
highly recommended that students should learn from a master, or at least a
qualified instructor.
Getting a good Shaolin master or instructor is not easy. As in many other
disciplines, unsuspecting students often waste much time learning superficially
from mediocre instructors, or worse still, learning something else that bogus
instructors pass off as Shaolin arts.
What, then, are the qualities students should look for when seeking a
good teacher? The following are some helpful guidelines.
A good teacher must have attained a reasonably high standard in the
Shaolin art he teaches. The cynical saying that “those who know, do; those who
don’t, teach”, certainly does not apply here. A kungfu master may not win every
match he fights in, but he must be able to put up some reasonable defence even
if he loses. Nowadays, many so-called kungfu instructors, including some well-
known ones, actually do not know how to fight!
Of course, intending students should not challenge the teacher to test if
he can fight. Although challenges were not uncommon in the past, such actions
are unbecoming and extremely rude today. Nevertheless, intending students can
have a good idea by observing whether sparring and force training are
systematically taught.
Second, a good teacher should have some sound theoretical knowledge
on his discipline, and he should not mind if we politely ask him relevant
questions. But if he starts giving excuses like the answers are too complicated
for us to comprehend or he won’t tell because they are secrets, then we have
good reasons to suspect.
However, there may be masters who have attained a very high level in
their art, but who have little or no theoretical knowledge. In fact there are
numerous stories of meditation teachers who insisted that their students follow
their instructions without question. Bodhidharma himself is reputed to have
asked his students to burn their books, for enlightenment is an intuitive, not an
intellectual, attainment. These rare, great masters are an exception, and if we
ever have the honour to meet them, it is not difficult to recognize them because
they radiate an invisible but perceptible field of greatness.
Third, a good teacher should be able to prescribe remedial treatment if
his students unwittingly hurt themselves. Sustaining physical injuries is a
common occurrence in Shaolin Kungfu training, but it does not cause any
problem because the master can overcome this with kungfu medicine or
remedial exercise. Advanced chi kung training can cause serious internal injuries
if it is not practised properly. A good master, besides warning his students
beforehand of the pitfalls to avoid, must also be able to provide remedy. In
advanced meditation, injury to the psyche may occur if it is not practised
correctly. A good master with knowledge of remedy is necessary.
The fourth quality of a good teacher is that he must be systematic,
generous, and inspiring in his teaching. An expert may be very deep in his art,
but if he is unwilling to impart knowledge or is haphazard in his teaching,
students are not likely to learn much from him. Someone mentioned that
mediocre teachers instruct, good teachers teach, but great teachers inspire. An
inspiring teacher not only makes learning an enjoyable experience, but motivates
us unconsciously so that we are spurred to soar the heights.
But the most important quality of a good teacher, the hallmark of a great
master, is that he must hold and practise high moral values in his daily living.
Without this quality, no matter how competent he is in his art or how effective in
his teaching, he forfeits the honour to be called a great master, and remains a
mere expert or instructor. Understandably, great masters are rare gems; if you
find one, treasure him dearly.

Breaking the Patient’s Arm to Cure It

Shaolin also excels in other fields. Besides kungfu and chi kung, which have
greatly enriched Chinese medical philosophy and practice, Shaolin’s
contribution to Chinese medicine in the field of traumatology is remarkable.
More will be said about Shaolin traumatology later; here it suffices to give a
brief introduction.
Traumatology is a unique branch of Chinese medicine, with no
equivalent in the west. Known colloquially as “die-ta” (pronounced th’iet ta) in
Romanized Chinese, or “tit-ta” in Cantonese, which literally means “falls and
hits”, this major branch of Chinese medicine deals specially with injuries caused
by incision, contusion, dislocation, fracture, and violent blows resulting in
internal damage. It is extremely popular among the lower income groups where
injuries sustained through falls and hits are common.
As kungfu practice and actual fighting often cause these types of injuries,
traumatology or tit-ta is closely associated with Chinese martial arts.
Traditionally, almost every kungfu master was also a tit-ta therapist. All my four
kungfu masters, for instance, are tit-ta experts.
For lack of a better term, traumatology or tit-ta may be called “kungfu
medicine”. Indeed this important aspect of Chinese medicine frequently operates
outside the mainstream of Chinese medical practice, with the interesting result
that many orthodox Chinese medical practitioners know little about tit-ta, and
many tit-ta specialists know little Chinese medical theory.
But the practical knowledge and skills of these tit-ta specialists are
superb. Many people prefer tit-ta specialists to osteopathic surgeons. A few of
these tit-ta specialists are so skilful and confident that when patients consult
them because their fractured limbs have been poorly set by conventional
treatment, these masters break the patients’ limbs so as to set them properly
again! One such specialist happens to be my close friend, Sifu Chow, who is also
a master of Shaolin “Iron Palm”. He re-fractures his patients’ arms with a quick,
sharp knock of his own arm against theirs!

Poetry and Other Arts

As Shaolin Kungfu, chi kung, and meditation or Zen are so famous, they tend to
overshadow other Shaolin arts, though these other arts by themselves are highly
commendable. This is no surprise, because many of the monks of the Shaolin
Monastery were no ordinary people seeking refuge from the hustle of society,
but distinguished poets, scholars, artists, philosophers, scientists, and other men
of learning, who wished to lead a higher spiritual life at the temple. Besides
meditation and temple duties, they had much time to pursue their interests or
hobbies. Some examples of these extraordinary Shaolin monks included the
world-renowned Chinese astronomer, Yi Xing; the famous pilgrim and
translator, Xuan Zang (Hsuan Tsang); the eminent painter of plum flowers, Bie
Shan; and the “wondrous” physician, Zhan Zhi.
Poetry was a popular pastime at the monastery. Much of the principles
and philosophy of Shaolin Kungfu, for instance, is written in poetry. Not only
were the monks remarkable poets, other people outside the monastery, including
emperors, empresses, and some of China’s greatest poets, wrote beautiful poetry
to praise. The following poem suggesting the coming of Bodhidharma and the
Shaolin mystical arts was written by the famous romantic poet, Li Po.

Seeker of Elixir at Song Shan

The sage’s face is like an ancient crop
His ears to his shoulders firmly drop
Meets Wu of Han in his regal dream
The saint speaks with a glorious gleam
Seeking elixir to here I strive
To attain the joy of eternal life
Truth and fancy in a mystic twist
His shadow merges gently into the mist
The Emperor having enlightenment found
 Rests at last in the Maoling ground

It is indeed an amazing, yet inspiring, result of modern development in
communication and other fields that these Shaolin arts, which were once
practised and developed by people of extremely high physical, emotional,
mental, and spiritual attainments, are now made available in this book to be
shared by you. As we proceed to study these arts in detail, we can draw much
inspiration from the fact that these arts, which were fit for emperors and
generals, were once taught exclusively to very special people.

4: MOVEMENTS OF HEALTH, VITALITY, AND
LONGEVITY

(The Shaolin Way to Physical and Spiritual Health)

We cannot call a person healthy if, even when he is not clinically ill, he is
easily prone to anger or nervousness, has poor memory or dullness of
thought, and is beset with vice and wickedness.

Various Concepts of Health

Although most people agree, at least verbally, that health is better than wealth,
not many really take time and trouble to keep themselves healthy! Most people
actually pay more attention to medicine than to health: they are quite contented
going through life taking little or no notice of health until sickness occurs, when
they will resort to medicine. To many, health becomes synonymous with being
free from disease.
What health is has been debated by different peoples at various times.
The great statesman of ancient Greece, Pericles, defined health as “that state of
moral, mental, and physical well-being which enables a man to face any crisis in
life with the utmost facility and grace”. Christopher Magarey, from whom the
above quotation is taken, suggests that we should add “humour” to the list.
All known ancient peoples of the world’s great civilizations, like the
ancient Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Mexicans, and Indians, referred to health
holistically, taking care of man’s spiritual as well as his physical well-being. It is
no historical coincidence that ancient physicians were also usually priests. The
failure to understand or appreciate this physical-spiritual unity of man, probably
more than any other factor, has led many scholars to comment that the medical
practices of these great ancient peoples were predominantly superstitious.
This holistic view is still prevalent today. For example, Dr. Vasant Lad
says that Indian medicine “views health and disease in holistic terms, taking into
consideration the inherent relationship between individual and cosmic spirit,
individual and cosmic consciousness, energy and matter”. Shaykh Hakim
Moinuddin Chishti, a modern Muslin healer, says that “there must be a
knowledge and consideration of the physical, mental and spiritual planes of
existence for there to be true health”. This wholesome attitude towards health is
also shared by the World Health Organization, though it understandably leaves
out the spiritual aspect, defining health as “a state of complete physical, mental
and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.
The Chinese have always viewed health holistically. Even in medicine,
which the Chinese have traditionally given less prominence than health, and
where shamanism has never been a practice in its long medical history,
prevention is always regarded as superior to cure. To be healthy, besides being
free from illness, one must also be emotionally stable, mentally fresh, morally
upright, and experience a sense of inner peace. We cannot call a person healthy
if, even when he is not clinically ill, he is easily prone to anger or nervousness,
has poor memory or dullness of thought, and is beset with vice and wickedness.

Physical as well as Spiritual Health

Yet to have health is not difficult, if we are prepared to spend about fifteen
minutes a day to practise some Shaolin Chi Kung exercises, two of which are
described below. These exercises are time-tested, and they not only give you
physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health, but also promote your vitality
and longevity!
It is understandable if some readers find this claim unbelievable. What!
Just do these simple exercises fifteen minutes a day, and you will get health,
vitality, and longevity? Yes, but in accordance with Shaolin philosophy, you are
asked not to believe this and other claims based on faith alone, but try the
exercises, and only then give your comments. In fact, the methods to develop
many fantastic Shaolin feats, like Iron Palm and Golden Bell, where the adept
can break bricks and take punches without sustaining any injury, respectively,
are quite simple — if we know how. The greatest difficulty is to practise — not
just off and on, but every day for at least a few months before you see results,
and then continuously as your daily programme as long as you value physical
and spiritual health more than you value laziness.
What is spiritual health? Spiritual is not the same as religious. In fact, the
Chinese, in my opinion, are not a religious people, though they are spiritual!
The concept of religion, as the west knows it, is quite foreign to the
Chinese. It is no coincidence that if you ask a Chinese from a typically Chinese
environment like China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, or Malaysia, what
religion he professes, the chances are seven out of ten times that he has difficulty
answering you. The Chinese generally do not limit their respect to one particular
religion only, because they believe that Truth or Reality can be realized by
different people in different ways. That explains why many Chinese can be
Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucianist at the same time.
Chinese are generally spiritual, believing in the existence of spirit. Spirit
is closely related, but not necessarily the same as mind, though because of
linguistic and cultural differences between English and Chinese, the terms
“spirit” and “mind” may sometimes be used interchangeably.
Spiritual health means the well-being of the spirit, and is independent of
the specific religion, or lack of it, the person professes. More will be discussed
about spiritual development in later chapters; meanwhile it suffices to note that
morality is the basis of spirituality. Furthermore, a person who appeases ghosts
or demons is spiritually unhealthy, and one who lacks any cosmic awareness is
spiritually undeveloped. Chi kung can give you both physical and spiritual
health.

Various Arts of Energy

Chi kung, spelled as “qigong” in Romanized Chinese, is the umbrella term
Chinese use to refer to various arts of developing energy — the energy that
keeps you, me, and all other beings alive. We normally derive this vital energy,
or life force, from the air we breathe and the food we eat. Outside our bodies,
this energy is generally referred to as cosmic energy. Besides enhancing this life-
sustaining function of energy, chi kung also methodically uses energy for
promoting health, vitality, and longevity, as well as for generating internal
strength, mind training, and spiritual development. Spiritual health will be
discussed in more detail in later chapters.
Vital or cosmic energy has been developed and used since ancient time
by various peoples of different great civilizations. These arts of energy have
been known by various names. The ancient Egyptians, Indians, and Tibetans
called their arcane arts the mystery art, yoga, and the art of wisdom,
respectively, while more recently peoples have called their application of vital or
cosmic energy, or aspects it, by a variety of names, such as calisthenics,
Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan), channelling, radonics, biofeedback, parapsychology,
and various studies of psi. Although the objectives and the methods of these
disciplines may be vastly different, the fundamental common factor among them
is energy, which the Chinese call chi (qi).
There are many types of chi kung: some are elementary, dealing with
healing and general well-being; while others are esoteric, concerning psychic
training and mystic experience. Shaolin Chi Kung is one of the most
comprehensive and advanced, ranging from health and martial arts to mind
expansion and spiritual fulfilment. The following two chi kung exercises are
comparatively basic among the Shaolin arts, and are designed for health, vitality,
and longevity.

Lifting Sky and Levelling Earth

The first exercise is called “Lifting the Sky”, which is one of the best exercises
for health. Stand upright but relaxed, with feet fairly close together. Straighten
your arms and hold your palms facing downwards in front near your groin so
that they are about right angles to the arm, with fingers pointing each other, Fig
4.1 (a).
Bring your straight arms forward and upward in a continuous arc till your
palms face the sky. Simultaneously breathe in gently and visualize good cosmic
energy flowing into you. Hold both the palms and the breath, and push up
towards the sky, Fig 4.1 (b).
Then bring the hands down from the sides, simultaneously breathe out
gently and visualize all negative energy flowing out with your breath, Fig 4.1
(c). Negative energy represents negative thoughts and emotions, any illness you
may have, and any rubbish in your body detrimental to your health. Repeat the
process about ten to twenty times. Then stand still, relax, close your eyes, and
enjoy the flow of vital energy in your body for a few minutes.
Fig 4.1 Lifting the Sky
(a)

(b)
 (c)

This Lifting the Sky exercise is one of the best in chi kung. If you practise it
every day, in six months’ time you will probably have some idea why it is so
highly valued. You will find that this exercise is a basic requirement for many
other advanced Shaolin arts described in later chapters.
The second exercise is called “Three Levels to the Earth”. Stand relaxed
with your feet about shoulders’ width apart. Hold your straight arms with palms
facing downwards at your sides at shoulder’s level, Fig 4.2 (a).
Squat down fully and simultaneously breathe out, Fig 4.2 (b), gently
visualizing vital energy flowing up your spine. It is important not to raise your
heels; your feet are fully on the ground throughout the exercise.
Gradually stand up and breathe in simultaneously, visualizing cosmic
energy flowing into you and down the front part of your body into your
abdomen. Your straight arms are at shoulder’s height all this time. Repeat about
ten to twenty times. Then drop your arms and bring your feet together. Close
your eyes, stand still for a few minutes, and enjoy the flow of vital energy down
your arms and legs.
Fig 4.2 Three Levels to the Earth
(a)

(b)

You are grossly mistaken if you think this “Three Levels to the Earth” is merely
to loosen the leg muscles. Among many benefits, it will strengthen your heart.
Indeed it has helped many of my students recover who had heart problems.
Nevertheless, those with heart problems must practise this exercise cautiously;
they must not feel giddy, tired, or be panting for breath after the exercise.
You may perform “Lifting the Sky” and “Three Levels to the Earth”
separately, or one set after another. It is important that you should not be
disturbed while standing still in a meditative state. Should there be any sudden
loud noise or disturbance, assure yourself that the interference cannot harm you
in any way, and think of your spirit and your vital energy being intact. This is an
utmost important precaution against any unfavourable side-effects should you be
unwittingly disturbed.
The essence of these two and other chi kung exercises is not the physical
movements, but the energy flow and heightened state of consciousness brought
about by correct breathing and meditative visualization. It is the realization of
this essential point that makes the crucial difference between a set of simple
physical exercises and an esoteric art. In other words, if you merely perform the
physical movements, even perfectly, but miss out the energy flow and meditative
visualization, you are not likely to get extraordinary results. The breathing and
the visualization must be done gently; they must never be forced. If you find it
hard to visualize, then just a gentle relevant thought is sufficient.

Chi Kung for Health, Vitality, and Longevity

How do these Shaolin Chi Kung exercises give health, vitality, and longevity?
The answer is: by cleansing meridians and harmonizing yin-yang.
Chinese medical philosophy states that if you “cleanse your meridians
and harmonize yin-yang, hundreds of illness will be eliminated”. Those not
familiar with Chinese medical thought, and seeing it from the western medical
perspective, may think the statement ridiculous. But actually, it is a very concise
statement of a great medical truth, and will be explained in some detail in
Chapter 19.
Briefly, it means that when the meridians — or pathways of energy flow
— are clear, our vital energy can flow harmoniously. Our vital energy not only
brings nutrient to, and toxic waste from, every cell in our body, but also
stabilizes our emotions, strengthens the mind and nourishes the spirit. When yin
and yang are in harmony, all our life-sustaining systems, like feedback, self-
resistance, self-curing and regeneration, will function optimally. In this way,
good physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health is maintained.
After attaining good health, the next logical stage is increasing vitality.
There is some difference between health and vitality, though the difference is
one of degree rather than kind. A person may be free from clinical diseases,
emotionally stable, mentally fresh, and spiritually sound, but he may still lack
the energy to play a few rounds of squash, think creatively over a demanding
problem, take the family out after a hard day’s work, or continue to savour the
pleasures of a healthy sex life (if he or she wants) when most of his (her)
colleagues are complaining of chronic back pains.
The chi kung exercises promote your vitality in the following ways. First,
by paying attention to your breathing, you gradually increase your lung capacity
for a more efficient exchange of your stale air for fresh air. More importantly,
you learn to tap cosmic energy, and with your cleansed meridians and
heightened state of mind, you can more efficiently transport this energy to the
relevant parts of your body for better work and play. The waste products
produced by your brain and body cells in the processes of increased activities are
also more efficiently disposed off. Not only your muscles are less fatigued, but
your mind is more alert.
The bafflingly simple Shaolin Chi Kung exercises also promote your
longevity. We have a potential life span of at least 120 years. Why can’t many
people last even half that time? There are two principal reasons — accidents and
illness, which may take away life immediately or reduce its quality so much that
its potential length is ultimately shortened.
Accidents — at work, play, or home — are likely to happen to two
extreme groups of people: those who are very quick-tempered, and those who
are very slow in their reaction. By promoting emotional stability (which will be
discussed in Chapter 19), Shaolin Chi Kung makes its practitioners calm and
relaxed even in trying situations. Chi kung cleanses the meridians, promoting
better flow of electric impulses to and from all parts of our body, thereby
improving reflexes and reaction. In this way, Shaolin Chi Kung minimizes the
two principal causes, thus greatly reducing the possibilities of accidents.
Shaolin Chi Kung not only cures illness, but more importantly, it
prevents illness from happening. It increases our self-resistance, and expands our
mental and spiritual capacities, hence preventing contagious and psychosomatic
diseases. As soon as there is wear and tear, stress and blockages, harmonious
energy flow inside our body immediately repairs or cleanses them, thereby
preventing organic diseases and enabling all our cells, tissues, and organs to
approximate their potential life spans. It is no surprise that chi kung adepts live
to a ripe old age, yet look, feel, and act young.
In the Shaolin Monastery in the past — and also in today’s kungfu
schools that value and follow Shaolin traditions — only when a disciple was
healthy was he allowed to practise Shaolin Kungfu. Though it is not the best gift
the Shaolin Monastery has offered to humanity, Shaolin Kungfu is certainly the
most famous and most widely practised of all the Shaolin arts. In the next
chapter, you will find out that its greatness lies not so much in its remarkable
effectiveness as a fighting art, but in other worthy qualities.

5: POETRY OF STRENGTH AND COURAGE

(The Philosophy and Dimension of Shaolin Kungfu)

Yet, the best application of kungfu is not just to fight. The qualities of a
good fighter that we develop in kungfu training — like courage, calmness,
sound judgement, fluidity of movements, and mental freshness — can be
applied to make life more rewarding and meaningful for ourselves and for
other people.

The Fascination of Kungfu

Would you like to have good health, excellent self-defence, speed and agility,
freshness of mind, internal strength, courage and confidence, as well as the
ability to perform beautiful, poetic movements that represent the crystallization
of years of study and experiment of great past masters? These and other benefits
will be yours if you conscientiously practise genuine Shaolin Kungfu.
Just like in any worthy project, you must be prepared to pay the price,
which is hard, regular work. You may become knowledgeable by learning from
a master or a good book, but you will never be a master yourself unless you have
put in years of consistent practice. One does not merely learn Shaolin Kungfu,
which is comparatively easy; one has to practise, practise, and practise to
become proficient — and this can be extremely exacting. Moreover, you need to
learn and practise genuine Shaolin Kungfu from a good, generous master; if you
learn a debased, albeit pretty, form that pretends to be Shaolin, you are wasting
your time.
One sure way of knowing genuine Shaolin Kungfu from the debased or
pretentious stuff is to have a sound understanding of what Shaolin Kungfu
actually is.
Kungfu means Chinese martial art. This term is popularly used in
English, and colloquially among overseas Chinese, though the present official
term is “wushu”. Throughout its long history, many Chinese terms were used to
refer to martial art, and some of the more common ones included “jiaoli”,
“xiangbo”, “quanfa”, and “wuyi”.
Shaolin Kungfu refers to the style of martial art that originated from the
Shaolin Monastery, and is the most widely practised kungfu style today by
peoples of different religions, cultures, and nationalities, so that when the term
“kungfu” is used unqualified, it generally refers to Shaolin Kungfu. The other
very famous style of kungfu practised by many people all over the world is Taiji
kungfu, commonly called Taijiquan (T’ai Chi Chuan), which is a short form of
Taiji Quanfa.

Historical Development

Kungfu has been practised since prehistoric time, but the first time it was
institutionalized was at the Shaolin Monastery in CE 527, when the Venerable
Bodhidharma taught the monks “Eighteen Lohan Hands” and “Sinew
Metamorphosis”. Before that, kungfu was practised individually, not as an
institution. This institutionalization of kungfu was of tremendous historic
significance, because it enabled kungfu to be studied and developed as an art,
not just for fighting as was previously done; and to be accumulated, classified,
and transmitted as a legacy, not merely used for ad hoc, personal needs. Later,
Shaolin monks spread Shaolin Kungfu to secular disciples beyond the temple
walls.
By the Tang Dynasty (7–10th centuries), Shaolin Kungfu had so far
surpassed other styles that the saying “Shaolin Kungfu is the best in the world”
was popular. During the Song Dynasty (10–13th centuries), a famous general,
Yue Fei, taught Shaolin Kungfu to the armies, from which Xingyi (Hsing Yi)
kungfu and Eagle Claw kungfu were derived. Xingyi kungfu, meaning “martial
art of form and meaning”, uses twelve animal forms (dragon, tiger, monkey,
horse, tortoise, cockerel, kite, swift, snake, hawk, eagle, bear) and five elemental
processes (metal, water, wood, fire, earth). Eagle Claw kungfu is noted for the
use of its powerful finger-grip on an opponent’s tendons and energy points,
effectively numbing or paralyzing him, a specialized art known as “qin-na” in
Chinese. Figs 5.1–5.2 show a typical pattern from Xingyi and Eagle Claw
kungfu.
Fig 5.1 Xingyi Kungfu





 Fig 5.2 Eagle Claw Kungfu

Towards the end of the Song Dynasty, a Taoist master, Zhang San Feng,
modified Shaolin Kungfu into Wudang (Wu Tang) kungfu, which later
developed into Taijiquan, Fig 5.3. The hallmark of Taijiquan when a Taiji set is
performed is its gentle, graceful movements that some people may mistake as
Chinese ballet. But don’t be misled; these graceful, gentle Taijiquan movements
are actually deadly fighting patterns.
Fig 5.3 A Pattern from Taijiquan
In the Yuan Dynasty (13–14th centuries), a kungfu genius, Bai Yi Feng, invited
Shaolin masters from all over the country back to Shaolin Monastery for
demonstrations. The masters of five styles were most prominent: Emperor’s
style, Bodhidharma’s, Lohan’s, Crane, and Monkey. These masters combined
their arts into a single style called Wuzu kungfu, which means “martial art of
five ancestors”. This style emphasizes chi training, internal force, and narrow
stances, Fig 5.4.
Fig 5.4 Kungfu of Five Ancestors

In the Ming Dynasty (14–17th centuries), a secular disciple at the Shaolin

Monastery, Wang Lang, found that by using suitable techniques a praying
mantis could defeat a larger-sized cicada. With the help of his master he
invented Praying Mantis kungfu. Later he travelled all over the country to
incorporate other effective fighting techniques into his style. Praying Mantis
kungfu, Fig 5.5, which is a crystallization of eighteen styles, is well known for
its kicking techniques.
Fig 5.5 A Kick of the Praying Mantis
 Fig 5.5 A Kick of the Praying Mantis

Yet the great derivation of parental Shaolin Kungfu into numerous branches was
still to come. In the Qing Dynasty (17–20th centuries), the imperial army razed
the southern Shaolin Monastery at Fujian as it had become a centre of
revolutionaries. Shaolin masters escaped underground to various parts of China,
and to avoid the Qing armies, Shaolin Kungfu was called by various names,
usually after the surnames of the masters or after the most significant features of
Shaolin Kungfu the particular masters emphasized. Some of these popular
derivative Shaolin styles are Hoong Ka (Hongjia), Choy-Li-Fatt (Chai-li-fo),
Wing Choon (Yong Chun), White Crane, Black Tiger, Dragon style, and
Monkey style. Hoong Ka Kungfu is famous for its solid stances; Choy-Li-Fatt
for long range fighting; Wing Choon Kungfu for economy of movements; White
Crane for long-reaching arms; Black Tiger for its tiger claw; Dragon style for
graceful body-work; and Monkey style for deceptive agility. Figs 5.6 to 5.12
show a typical pattern from these styles.
Fig 5.6 Solid Stance of Hoong Ka Kungfu

Fig 5.7 Long Range of Choy Li-Fatt

 Fig 5.7 Long Range of Choy Li-Fatt

Fig 5.8 Short Movements of Wing Choon

Fig 5.9 Long-Reaching Arms of White Crane

Fig 5.10 Tiger Claw of Black Tiger

 Fig 5.10 Tiger Claw of Black Tiger

Fig 5.11 Gracefulness of Dragon Style

Fig 5.12 Agility of the Monkey

The Four Dimensions of Kungfu

There are four aspects or dimensions in kungfu: form, force, application, and
theory.
Form is the visible aspect; it refers to all the kungfu patterns and sets that
a beginner normally learns when he starts kungfu. Through the learning of
kungfu form, the student is exposed to the techniques that he can use for combat.
As kungfu techniques are vastly different from ordinary daily movements, he has
to put in sufficient practice so that these previously unfamiliar stances and
movements become familiar to him. Then when he has to use them in combat
situations, he can do so spontaneously and accurately.
But form is only one aspect of kungfu. In many ways, it is the least
important aspect, though for a beginner it is essential that he knows some kungfu
form. Obviously, if he learns only kungfu form and does not progress to other
dimensions of kungfu, he will not achieve much, even though he may have
practised for a long time. This, unfortunately, is the case with many students
nowadays. They may perform kungfu form beautifully, even win titles in kungfu
demonstrations, but they cannot fight, for the simple reason that they have never
learned to fight.
But before we can fight well, we must develop the necessary force to
fight. “Force”, here, is a poor equivalent of the Chinese term “gong”
(pronounced as “kung”), which also includes skills. Force is an invisible aspect.
Perhaps this is one significant reason why many students neglect force training.
Kungfu masters have always advised that “if you only practise kungfu form, but
never develop force, your training will be futile even if you practise a life time.”
Force is not just brutal strength. In fact, brutal strength is strongly
discouraged in kungfu training. Force, or more appropriately “gong”, refers to
how powerfully, accurately, and fast you execute techniques in combat, and also
in your daily work and play. For convenience, force may be classified into
external and internal, and into basic and specialized. For example, appropriate
breathing methods to enhance energy level and flow is internal and basic force
training; while developing Iron Palm to achieve a powerful strike is external and
specialized.
The third dimension of kungfu is application, which is the functional
aspect. Though actual fighting is not common in our law-abiding society today,
an ability to defend ourselves is certainly an invaluable asset. Perhaps more
meaningful is the feeling of courage and confidence that this self-defence ability
provides and which can be rewardingly manifested in our daily lives.
Kungfu application for combat has to be learned and practised. It is both
unreasonable and unrealistic to expect students to be able to defend themselves
just by performing kungfu form or even training kungfu force. You may have an
Iron Palm, but if you can only use it to break bricks, then your specialized force
is not very practical. And just giving students pairs of gloves to spar, without
providing proper methods to initiate them from pre-arranged sparring to
simulated fighting is a sure way of making them the laughing stock when they
fight like small children in competition rings. Students need to be taught how to
fight well, and there are excellent methods in Shaolin Kungfu to do so, which we
shall study in Chapters 7 to 9.
Yet the best application of kungfu is not just to fight. The qualities of a
good fighter that we develop in kungfu training — like courage, calmness, sound
judgement, fluidity of movements, and mental freshness — can be applied to
make life more rewarding and meaningful for ourselves for and other people.
The fourth dimension of kungfu is theory — the philosophical aspect.
This includes all the written and unwritten records of the histories, traditions,
principles, methods, techniques, and philosophy of kungfu. Some of this material
is written or passed down in poetry. The histories and traditions of various
kungfu schools and masters provide the student with much inspiration and moral
guidance. By studying the vast amount of literature on kungfu principles,
methods, and techniques, we obtain access to and greatly enrich ourselves with
the results and discoveries of past masters in their studies and experiments. We
can benefit with the effort of a few days what took masters years to discover.
The philosophy of kungfu involves not just fighting and health. Some of
the material is amazingly profound, and concerns man and the cosmos,
sometimes preceding modern science in wisdom. Shaolin masters had profound
knowledge of cosmic and vital energy long before modern physicists and
medical scientists used similar concepts in their studies of the sub-atomic
particle and the inter-relationship of our body systems. The masters deliberated
on various concepts of mind long before our modern psychologists realized that
there are different levels of consciousness. An understanding of such philosophy
not only enhances our kungfu, but also serves as a gateway to the profundity of
eastern wisdom.

General Aims of Kungfu

Why do we practise kungfu? Surprisingly, many people practise kungfu without
being aware of its aims. Even if they do, they seldom assess the progress of their
kungfu training in relation to these aims, with the unfortunate result that they
receive little result from their undirected and purposeless training.
There are three main aims in practising Shaolin Kungfu: effective
fighting, excellent health, and personal growth. These aims also apply to all
styles of kungfu.
The first and primary aim of kungfu is for effective fighting, without
which kungfu (any kungfu, including the deceptively gentle Taijiquan) becomes
meaningless as a martial art. Yet many instructors stress that their kungfu is not
for fighting, and they would reprimand students who suggest incorporating
combative skills into their practice! Except for specific, valid reasons — such as
being modest, avoiding unnecessary challenges, or preventing aggressive
students from abusing their art — these instructors do not know what they are
saying or do not mean what they say. Such mediocre instructors, who themselves
do not know how to apply kungfu for fighting, contribute to the present rapid
degradation of kungfu into what masters have always warned against, namely
“flowery fists and embroidery kicks”; that is, a debase kungfu form that is nice
to look at but utterly useless for combat.
Of course, to be able to fight well is different from being aggressive or
brutal; nor does it imply a desire to fight to prove one’s ability. But any person
who has practised kungfu for some time must be able to fight, otherwise he has
failed to realize the fundamental function of kungfu.
However, we must also guard against the other extreme: actively
encouraging kungfu students to fight and even taking sadistic pride in brutal
combat efficiency. Although a Shaolin master is an excellent fighter, he does not
like to fight if he can help it; and if he has to fight, because he is so masterful, he
can show his superior fighting skills without unnecessarily hurting his opponent.
Should he have to kill, as in the past, he would try his best to do so quickly,
painlessly, and mercifully. A Shaolin master will not torture his opponent, even
if the latter is a most-wanted criminal or an arch enemy.
The second aim of kungfu is health — physical, emotional, mental, and
spiritual. It is interesting to note that although kungfu is an excellent system for
promoting health, the health benefits are an incidental, not a primary, function of
kungfu. In other words, a student derives health benefits from practising kungfu,
not because kungfu is specially designed to promote health, but because these
benefits are an incidental bonus! Yet these health benefits are excellent, even
better than what he would get from health promotion exercises! How does this
paradox come about?
This is because of two reasons: the basic prerequisite for kungfu training
is good health; and the requirement for efficient fighting is excellent health.
Before any person ever thinks of starting Shaolin Kungfu, he should first of all
be healthy. If not, he has to strengthen himself first, like practising those chi
kung exercises shown in the previous chapter.
Next, being merely healthy like ordinary healthy people is not enough.
An efficient Shaolin fighter, besides other things, must have enough stamina to
spar for an hour or two without feeling tired, enough power to strike down an
opponent who may be twice his size, enough endurance to stand a few punches
and kicks that he may fail to defend, speed and agility so that he can execute
reflexive actions, and calmness and clarity of mind that he can make correct
split-second decisions. Not many, if any, health exercises develop these kinds of
abilities as Shaolin Kungfu does. And when we have developed these abilities
through Shaolin Kungfu training, we don’t have to waste them on petty fighting;
they can be better employed in our daily work and play.
Hence, with this understanding, we can better appreciate that instructors
who say “My kungfu is only for health” (usually followed by “and not for
fighting”) are not likely to give us the best benefits for health, even if we ignore
the combative aspect of kungfu. It is the training to become a good fighter that
these qualities — like stamina, endurance, emotional stability, and mental
freshness, which are so invaluable to health — are nurtured as second nature to
the Shaolin Kungfu disciple.
Furthermore, the health benefits you get from Shaolin Kungfu are
superior to those you get from ordinary physical exercises like jogging,
swimming, games, and aerobics. The reason is simple. The benefits you derive
from physical exercises will deteriorate once you have passed your peak,
whereas those from genuine Shaolin Kungfu will be enhanced, even as you age!
Why? And how? Because in Shaolin Kungfu, the training is not just external,
which has physical limits, but internal, which transcends the physical as it trains
energy and mind.
 The third aim of kungfu, which elevates Shaolin Kungfu from being an
excellent martial art to even greater heights, is personal growth. Shaolin Kungfu
training itself is an intrinsic process of character development. A student
develops spiritually, not just because of his teachers’ constant advice and the
strict Shaolin moral code, but more significantly because of the various
developmental stages he has to go through in his long demanding journey to
become a master.
A genuine Shaolin disciple has discipline and perseverance not because
he has been told by his teachers that these qualities are necessary for kungfu
training, but because he experiences and develops these qualities himself as he,
for example, wakes up daily at five in the morning, despite the luxury of cosy
sleep, to repeat and repeat thousands of times some monotonous techniques not
for a few days or months, but for years.
At an advanced stage, he becomes calm and compassionate, not only
because of the nurturing influence of the monastic environment and his caring
seniors, but also because his harmonious energy flow from constant chi kung
practice has flushed out all negative emotions, and his mental expansion from
meditation enables him to open himself and share cosmic love. And when he has
become a master, he feels spiritual bliss not because the scriptures mention that
it is so, but because through his practice he actually experiences the boundless
joy of his spirit in unity with the whole cosmos.

6: FORM AND FUNCTION IN MOTION

(The Fundamentals of Shaolin Kungfu)

All patterns of all styles of kungfu (including Taijiquan) exist because of
their combative functions: these patterns, no matter how flowery they may
appear to the uninitiated, are not put there to please spectators.

Gateway to Shaolin Force Training

Nowadays when a student learns kungfu, he usually starts with kungfu form,
which consists of patterns and sets, and is the visible aspect of kungfu. The other
three aspects or dimensions of kungfu are force, application, and theory.
In the past, masters normally started with force training, and students had
to spend months repeating monotonous exercises to develop force or “gong”
before they were taught any fighting techniques. If you are game enough to try
some force or “gong” training, the horse-riding stance shown in Fig 6.1 and
described below is a good gateway to Shaolin Kungfu.
Fig 6.1 The Horse-Riding Stance

For a beginner, it is best to learn the stances from a qualified instructor. The
description below only mentions some salient points. In the horse-riding stance,
your body should be upright, and your thigh almost parallel to the ground. Relax,
empty your mind of all thoughts, and breathe naturally. Remain at this stance for
as long as you can, making sure that you do not raise higher as you become tired.
Most beginners may last less than a minute, but persist until you can stand (or
“sit”) at the stance for at least five minutes. This will probably take a few months
of daily practice.
Fig 6.2 Bow-Arrow Stance
Fig 6.3 False-Leg Stance

Fig 6.4 Unicorn Step

Fig 6.5 Single-Leg Stance

Practise the other stances: bow-arrow, false-leg, unicorn, and single-leg. See Fig
6.2 to 6.5 above for details. The following are some crucial points.
In the bow-arrow stance, the body weight is distributed equally between
both legs. Both feet (especially take note of the back foot) are firmly on the
ground. The bend of the front knee is forward rather than sideway; the back knee
is straight. Both the front foot and the back foot should “hook” inward, i.e., if
you turn from the horse-riding stance to the right to form the right bow-arrow
stance, turn your right foot about forty-five degrees to the right, and your left
foot about sixty degrees to the right. Your body should face squarely in the
direction of your eyes.
In the false-leg stance, it is very important not to support any body
weight on your front “false” leg. The toes of your front leg just touch the ground,
with less than ten percent of the body weight. Both knees are bent. Make sure
that you do not bend your body backward. Adjust yourself so that you feel your
centre of gravity is at your “dan tian”, i.e., about three inches below your navel.
The unicorn stance, sometimes called the unicorn step, is quite difficult
for beginners. Guard against the common mistake of throwing your body
forward, with much of the body weight on the front leg. One bent knee should be
placed in the notch at the back of the other bent knee. This can be more readily
achieved if your feet are wide enough apart, your back heel raised, and you sit
“backward” onto the stance rather than bending forward over your front leg.
Your centre of gravity should be located between your feet (not directly above
the front foot which is a common mistake among beginners), about a third or
halfway from the front foot.
 Your body should be fairly straight when you stand at the single-leg
stance. Your standing leg may be straight or slightly bent at the knee. The raised
leg should be fully bent with the toes pointing downwards (not in front) to
protect your groin. Maintain your balance.
Make sure that you can perform these stances well for they form the
basic footwork of Shaolin Kungfu, and the horse-riding stance is the foundation
of most force training methods.
After the stances, it is important to practise suitable leg stretching
exercises to prevent your leg muscles from becoming stiff, so that you will not
only have solid stances, but your legs are also supple. Fig 6.6 shows some
examples of leg stretching exercises that you may use.
Fig 6.6 Leg Stretching Exercises
(a)

(b)

(c)
 (d)

(e)

(f)

When you can stand at the horse-riding stance comfortably for at least five
minutes, you may proceed to train the “Art of One-Finger Shooting Zen”, which
is the fundamental method of developing internal force in our Shaolin Wahnam
School, briefly described below:
Fig. 6.7 One-Finger Shooting Zen
(a)

(b)

(c)
(d)

(e)

(f)
The whole training is performed on the horse-riding stance. Hold one hand in the
typical Shaolin One-Finger Zen form at breast level, Fig 6.7 (a). Move the One-
Finger Zen form slowly forward, simultaneously breathing out with a “shss ...”
sound coming from your kidneys, Fig 6.7 (b). Bring the One-Finger Zen form
back to the breast level, breathing in gently, Fig 6.7 (c). Repeat twice, then shoot
out the One-Finger Zen, breathing out explosively with a “her-it” sound coming
from your abdomen, Fig 6.7 (d). Make a small circle in front of you with a
“tiger-claw”, Fig 6.7 (e), then bring the tiger-claw downwards to below your
knee with a “yaa ...” sound vibrating at your lungs, Fig 6.7 (f). Breathe out with
a “ha ...” sound, relaxing your whole body. Repeat with the other hand. Then
repeat the whole process many times.
When you are familiar with the mechanics of the exercise, channel
internal force to your finger with the relevant movement. This aspect of internal
force channelling, as well as how to make the appropriate sounds from the
respective organs, have to be personally taught by a master or qualified
instructor.
The term “kungfu” is actually derived from the process of force training;
learning techniques is better expressed by the term “quanfa”, which means
techniques of the fist. Force training is extremely demanding, with the result that
students lacking self-discipline — and most beginners lack self-discipline —
drop off easily.
In the past, masters were generally not worried if students dropped off, as
they did not depend on their students for their livelihood. But the situation is
quite different nowadays when instructors live on students’ fees. Probably
because of this, modern instructors are not as demanding, and many of them
even have done away with initial force training, starting off their students with
kungfu patterns right at the beginning, a practice which can make kungfu
practice easier but which is not necessary good for genuine kungfu training.

Black Tiger and Drunken Man

A kungfu pattern is a kungfu movement, or a series of movements. If you stand
at a left bow-arrow stance and strike out a straight right punch at heart level, Fig
6.8, this is a pattern; and this pattern is very common in many styles of martial
art. In Shaolin Kungfu, every pattern has a name, which is often meaningful and
poetic. This particular pattern is called “Black Tiger Steals Heart”.
Fig 6.8 Black Tiger Steals Heart

A particular pattern provides a student with some of the best ways to achieve
certain combative purposes. There are countless ways a person can strike his
opponent with a straight punch. He may, for instance, stand with both feet fairly
close together instead of wide apart as in the bow-arrow stance, or he may
launch his body forward to give extra weight instead of holding it upright as in
the stance above.
It was probable that early fighters punched in this way as this is more
“natural” than the Black Tiger pattern. But gradually fighters discovered from
their experience that this “natural” way had numerous setbacks, and other
“learned” ways might give certain advantages. For example, if they stood
naturally with feet fairly close together, they only had a short reach; and if they
launched their body forward, they would lose their balance more easily. Hence,
the more enterprising fighters might experiment with placing one leg forward as
they struck, and keeping an upright posture to have better control of balance.
Through years of trial and error, past masters improved their fighting
techniques. It was a long, tedious process, but gradually they discovered that
attacking and defending in certain special ways gave certain advantages for
specific purposes, and they stylized these movements into kungfu patterns.
“Black Tiger Steals Heart” represents a crystallization of many years of such
experimentation: by using this pattern when making a straight attack, the
attacker can have many technical advantages in most situations.
However, in more complex situations — like when you have to deflect a
high attack from one opponent, avoid a low attack from a second opponent, and
strike a third opponent all at the same time — another pattern, like the one
shown in Fig 6.9 and is known as “Drunken Man Offers Wine”, may give better
advantages. Why, then, do we bother to learn simple patterns like the Black
Tiger when we could start with complex patterns straight away, even though we
may take a longer time to learn these complex patterns? Wouldn’t it be logical to
learn only the best patterns?
Fig 6.9 Drunken Man Offers Wine

When we learn a kungfu set, we are actually learning the best patterns with
reference to some special objectives. A kungfu set is a collection of kungfu
patterns linked together in some meaningful ways.
While the Drunken Man in the above example is preferred to the Black
Tiger in certain situations, in other situations the Black Tiger can serve our
purposes better. For example, it requires good balance to execute the Drunken
Man well, and unless the exponent has developed internal force, the Drunken
Man’s strike, even if it hits, may not be decisive. Hence, for a beginner who is
not likely to meet complex situations often, the simpler Black Tiger is a better
pattern.

Combative Functions of Flowery Patterns

Many students, and some instructors, say that most Shaolin Kungfu patterns are
too flowery to be practical for combat, thinking that the most effective
techniques are fast, simple punches, and kicks. This misconception is the result
of insufficient understanding of the profundity of Shaolin Kungfu. All patterns
of all styles of kungfu (including Taijiquan) exist because of their combative
functions: these patterns, no matter how flowery they may appear to the
uninitiated, are not put there to please spectators. If they are beautiful to watch
(in fact they are), that is a happy coincidence.
Fast, simple punches and kicks are useful for simple situations. But if a
situation becomes more complex, like when an opponent has grasped your punch
or kick, and has pinned you to the ground with your arm or leg entangled, you
need a more complex pattern to overcome this situation. In Shaolin Kungfu,
there are techniques to overcome virtually any situation. It is naive to suggest
that your opponent is not fast enough to catch your arm or leg. If he is a master,
he will not only be fast enough, he will also create opportunities where catching
your arm or leg becomes a certainty.
Most students do not know enough kungfu principles and techniques to
be able to choose from the vast kungfu repertoire, the appropriate patterns for
practice and use. Beginners do not even know how to stand and strike or defend
in particular ways so as to gain technical advantages. A master overcomes these
problems for his students by teaching them appropriate kungfu sets. A kungfu
set represents a meaningful selection of the best kungfu movements for some
well-defined objectives, evolved by past masters over hundreds of years. When
you learn a Shaolin Kungfu set, for instance, you are not just learning some
personal actions of your instructor, you are inheriting a legacy of fighting
techniques of an established institution.
Most Shaolin Kungfu sets are comparatively short, consisting of about 36
patterns; others are intermediate, about 72 patterns; while some are long, about
108 patterns. Kungfu sets are usually given meaningful and sometimes poetic
names. Some examples of Shaolin sets are “Cross-Roads at the Four Gates”,
“Tiger and Crane”, “Plum Flowers”, “Seven Stars”, and “Dragon’s Strength”.

Formation and Structure of Kungfu Sets

What are the important principles underlying the formation and structure of
kungfu sets? The various patterns in a set are linked together for one, some, or
all of the following reasons.
A master discovered some favourite patterns that he found useful for
combat. In order to facilitate his practice, he linked them into a sequence, so that
he might not have to scratch his head trying to recall which patterns he had
missed. These useful patterns, which might have taken the master years to
develop, now come to us in a kungfu set.
From their experience in actual fighting or in sparring practice, past
masters discovered that particular attacking patterns were likely to be followed
by certain preferred patterns, because these preferred patterns were best suited to
meet these attacks. For example, if you give your opponent a straight punch —
unless he is a master who may respond in an extraordinary manner, or a fresh
beginner who may just be stunned — most probably your opponent would block
or dodge your attack, and the way he blocks and dodges generally falls within a
small range of a few alternative movements. The masters, therefore, could
anticipate the likely counters their opponents would make. In this way they
devised short sequences of continuous patterns, and linked these sequences into
a set. Hence, when you learn a good kungfu set, you are not just learning the
physical form, but also all the strategies and principles underlying the
arrangement of the constituent patterns.
Selecting the appropriate patterns to teach his students is an important
function of a master. From his reservoir of countless patterns he would choose
those that suit the level of his students (elementary, intermediate, or advanced),
and the objectives of the training (specializing on throws, meeting a bigger-sized
opponent, countering kicks, etc.). Then he links these appropriate patterns,
preferably in appropriate sequences, into a set. This task is made so much easier
if past masters have done it for him, as in the Shaolin tradition where there are so
many sets to choose from.
Advanced students often specialize in specific kinds of kungfu force like
Iron Palm, Tiger Claw, or No-Shadow Kicks. Obviously, if a student has spent
three years every day striking his palm into some iron filing to develop his Iron
Palm, it would be unwise of him to practise patterns that involve a lot of rolling
on the floor or jumping in the air — patterns that are suitable for those who
specialize on the Monkey and the Eagle styles. His master, or the advanced
student himself, would select patterns that make full use of the palms, and link
them into a set consisting of techniques that can best implement his specialized
force.
Special sets are not for advanced students only. Many beginners, because
of their different natures or different needs, may require special sets. For
example, it would be both impractical and unprofessional for an instructor to
teach high kicking techniques to young girls who love wearing tight skirts, or to
tell them to harden their arms against rough poles so that they could block a
powerful attack from a brute with equal force. A knowledgeable master would
construct suitable patterns into a special set that can enable the girls to make
good use of their natural conditions, such as low kicking techniques to the
opponent’s shin (whereby their tight skirts become an advantage in bracing their
thighs so that the kicking momentum snaps from their knees); and deflecting
(instead of blocking) the opponent’s attack so that brutal force can be neutralized
with minimum strength. Shaolin Kungfu is rich in such sets.
Some sets are devised for force training, not for fighting techniques.
Often the patterns in these sets are performed with the student remaining
stationary on a horse-riding stance or a goat-stance (which is higher and
narrower than a horse-riding stance). Sometimes the patterns are performed
slowly or seemingly without using any strength. So if you have laughed at
Shaolin students performing kungfu patterns on a horse-riding stance, saying
that in actual fighting you don’t remain stationary like that, or the wide stance
would expose your groin to the opponent’s kick, you probably have an answer
now. Shaolin students also normally don’t fight in that manner; these horse-
riding patterns are meant to develop kungfu force as a preparation for fighting,
not meant as fighting techniques themselves. And if a master exposes his groin
during fighting, beware! It is likely to be a trap.

Don’t be Deceived by Slow, Graceful Motion

It is a mistake to think that if an exponent performs his patterns slowly or
apparently without strength when he practises his kungfu set, he will be equally
slow or lacking in force during combat. I made that mistake when I learned
Wuzu kungfu in my younger days. With my earlier experience in Hoong Ka
kungfu, where my master always asked me to use strength during training, I was
greatly puzzled when my Wuzu instructor constantly reminded me not to use
strength when practising my San-Zhan set. The San-Zhan, meaning “Three
Battles”, is a fundamental Wuzu kungfu set to train internal force. But although I
had practised the San-Zhan for more than a year, I did not have any internal
force.
In hindsight, I now realize that the fault was not with the set, but with
me: I did not understand the inner aspect of the set sufficiently to derive the best
benefit from my practice. I began to have doubt. I asked myself, “How could
someone ever fight effectively if he did not use strength?” But when I sparred
with my seniors, who did not use strength, they were so powerful that my arms
were often swollen. There was no doubt that my seniors had internal force.
“How come your arms are so powerful?” I asked.
“Practise San-Zhan,” they said.
Many years later I had some glimpses of this intriguing question.
Returning from the palace, my Shaolin master, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, told me he
had just taught the Sultan the Shaolin Pakua set. This happens to be one of my
favourite sets, and is performed fast and vigorously.
“Wouldn’t this Pakua set be too vigorous for His Highness?” I asked.
“No, if it is practised slowly and gracefully, and with proper breath-
coordination, it is excellent for His Highness’ health.”
And my master explained some very significant points. “For us, we
perform the Pakua set with speed and power to benefit from its excellent combat
aspect, for that is what we need. We are not worried about its health aspect,
because we are already very healthy and fit. His Highness doesn’t need the
combat aspect, but the health aspect serves him very well.”
My master opened a fascinating new dimension of Shaolin Kungfu
hitherto unknown to me when he showed me how the Shaolin Pakua set could be
performed slowly to generate internal energy flow. He continued, “Most people
think that Shaolin Kungfu is hard. That is only the elementary stage. All good
martial art has hard and soft aspects. Any martial art that has only one aspect is
not complete, and hence inadequate. Shaolin proceeds from hard to soft, while
Taijiquan proceeds from soft to hard. Advanced Shaolin can be very soft.”
I later discovered that in many advanced kungfu sets, the patterns are
performed slowly because, in conjunction with a meditative state of mind, this is
a good way to induce internal energy flow. When energy is flowing smoothly,
the movements, which are first initiated slowly, can be exceedingly fast, so fast
that an onlooker can hardly see the movements. Many spectators were surprised
when I employed this principle to demonstrate the Dragon’s Strength set as a
guest-artiste in a public performance organized by the Science University of
Malaysia Kungfu Club some years ago. This was what great masters in the past
meant when they said, “Let mind lead energy, and let energy lead form.” Many
Taiji masters regard this as the pinnacle of achievement in Taijiquan.

Cross-Roads at Four Gates

Using mind and internal energy to perform a kungfu set is, of course, an
advanced stage; initially, muscles and mechanical strength are used. The first
kungfu set taught to the monks at the southern Shaolin Monastery in China was
called the “Cross-Roads at the Four Gates”, or “Shi Zi Si Men Quan” in Chinese.
I am very fortunate that this historic set has been transmitted down my Shaolin
lineage and was taught to me by my master, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam. The thirty-six
patterns of the complete set are shown in diagrams in the chart in Fig 6.10, and
the directions of movements in Fig 6.11. Understandably, it is difficult,
especially for beginners, to learn from diagrams.
Fig 6.10 Cross-Roads at Four Gates
(1)

(2)
(3)

(4)

(5)
(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)
(9)

(10)

(11)

(12)
(13)

(14)

(15)
(16)

(17)
(18)

(19)

(20)
(21)

(22)

(23)
(23)

(24)

(25)
(26)

(27)

(28)

(29)
(29)

(30)

(31)

(32)
(33)

(34)
 (35)

(36)


The names of the thirty-six patterns are listed below:

1. Dragon and Tiger Appear
2. Double Stars Onto the Earth
3. Thrice Threading of Bridge
4. Amitabha Palm
5. Flower Hidden in Sleeves
6. Poisonous Snake Emerges from Pit
7. Single Dragon Emerges from Sea
8. Bar the Big Boss
9. Carrying the Insignia
10. Horse-Riding Punch
11. Single Tiger Claw
12. Phoenix Flaps Wing
13. Beauty Looks at Mirror
14. Tiger-Tail Hand-Sweep
 15. Black Tiger Steals Heart
16. Flower Hidden in Sleeves
17. Poisonous Snake Emerges from Pit
18. Single Dragon Emerges from Sea
19. Threading the Bridge at Bow-Arrow
20. Black Tiger Steals Heart
21. Single Whip Saves Emperor
22. Flower Hidden in Sleeves
23. Poisonous Snake Emerges from Pit
24. Single Dragon Emerges from Sea
25. Threading the Bridge at Bow-Arrow
26. Black Tiger Steals Heart
27. Sharp Knife Trims Bamboo
28. Lohan Hits Gong
29. Catch Tiger in Mountains (right)
30. Catch Tiger in Mountains (left)
31. Cannon from Ground
32. Organ-Seeking Kick
33. Black Tiger Steals Heart
34. White Crane Flaps Wings
35. Dragon and Tiger Meet Together
36. Hiding Two Tigers

Because of linguistic and cultural differences, the translated names of some
patterns may appear ridiculous, though in Chinese they are meaningful as well as
poetic. For example, the literal translation of Pattern 25 is “Midnight Noon
Thread Bridge”, which is nonsensical if we do not understand the Chinese
language. “Midnight Noon” is the short form of “midnight noon stance”, which
is another name for the bow-arrow stance. “Thread” refers to a particular kungfu
technique whereby the exponent can use minimal force to deflect a powerful
attack. “Bridge” is a kungfu term for the forearm. Hence, in more
comprehensible but lengthy language, this pattern can be named “Standing at the
bow-arrow stance to use a deflecting technique with minimal force at the
opponent’s forearm to neutralize his attack”!
The salient points of kungfu sets are frequently summarized by past
masters in the form of poetry, often with deep, hidden meanings comprehensible
only to the initiated. The following poem veils some interesting secrets of the
Four Gates set.

Shaolin Four Gates trains bridges and stances
Secrets are found in flowers in the sleeves
Block the Boss and Carry Insignia with punches
Phoenix Flap its Wings to rustle leaves
To Hit the Gong in unexpected slanting motion
To Seek the Organ, show the shadow hand
The marvel of Catching Tigers in the Mountains
Only from the master can students understand

Although this Cross-Roads at Four Gates is a basic set taught to beginning
Shaolin students, it can be appreciated at many levels. At the elementary level,
the set is simple, with the main objective of training fundamental arm movement
and footwork. A kungfu principle advises that for most ordinary combat
situations, if your “bridges” are powerful and stances solid, you have won thirty
percent even before fighting begins.
At the intermediate level, the combative application of its patterns is
fascinating. It is amazing that these seemingly simple techniques can be so
artistically and beautifully used to neutralize many complicated attacks. For
example, presume that as you strike with a Black Tiger, a very common attack,
your opponent grips your wrist, trips your front leg, and presses down at your
elbow with his other hand, threatening to break or dislocate your elbow joint,
while you sprawl forward with your other hand barely preventing your face from
smashing onto the ground, Fig 6.12. Or presume that your opponent grips both
your wrists and executes a thrust kick at your chest, Fig 6.13. How would you
counter such attacks?
Fig 6.12 Lohan Tames a Tiger

Fig 6.13 White Horse Presents Hoof

If you think that such attacks do not occur in a real fight because they are too
complicated to execute, you are mistaken. When I was training under Sifu Ho,
even senior students often used such attacks on me. For a Shaolin master,
applying these “complicated” attacks is quite easy. Read the next chapter and
treat yourself to the fascination of Shaolin application.

7: FIGHTING IN BEAUTIFUL MOVEMENTS

(Kungfu Application for Combat)

A kungfu exponent moves the way he moves, not because he wants to please
spectators, but because that way gives him the best technical advantages in
specific combat situations. His kungfu form is the result of, and practised
for, effective fighting; not devised for attractive demonstration, though to
the uninitiated many kungfu patterns may appear flowery.

The Combative Function of Kungfu

The primary function of kungfu, any type of kungfu, is for fighting, though in
our present law-abiding society this may not be its most important benefit. This
combative function of kungfu can never be over-emphasized, for without it
kungfu as a martial art loses its meaning.
Yet it is simply shocking that nowadays so many people learn or teach
kungfu without ever touching on this combative function. Of the thousands of
kungfu students I have met, more than eighty percent have never ever sparred,
even among their classmates! With the present world situation where most
kungfu competitions today are based on demonstration rather than sparring, this
unfortunate trench is likely to continue. This brings forth a pitiful sense of waste,
for kungfu is actually a wonderful fighting art — if we know its combative
application.
Of course, stressing the combative function of kungfu does not
necessarily imply encouraging kungfu students to fight. In fact, I am of the
opinion that some kungfu students and instructors become aggressive because of
their conscious or unconscious attempt to cover up their combat inefficiency. In
my experience, kungfu masters who can fight well are generally humble and
peaceful people, far more serene and tolerant than masters of most other martial
systems, probably because they are so confident of their fighting abilities that
they feel no need to fight or spar for confirmation.
According to legend, a disciple from the southern Shaolin Monastery had
to fight his way through a hundred and eight wooden robots before he could
graduate. These wooden robots were so ingeniously constructed that they
executed some tricky and advanced attacking techniques besides all the common
fighting movements. So a Shaolin graduate who successfully passed through this
famous “Lane of 108 Wooden Robots” was necessarily a formidable fighter.

Patterns, Variations, and Sequences

Of the many excellent methods to teach fighting skills in Shaolin Kungfu, a
basic approach is to explain and demonstrate to students the combative functions
of every pattern of a kungfu set that they have competently learned. In my
teaching, I often asked my students what they thought were the applications of
their kungfu patterns before I explained to them. In this way I set them thinking,
laying a helpful foundation whereby they could later discover the uses of other
patterns themselves.
Knowing the uses is only the beginning; students must practise using
these patterns in combat. In other words, it is not enough just to know that this
pattern can be used to dodge a kick, and that pattern to lock an opponent’s arm;
students must actually practise dodging kicks and locking arms, not just once or
twice, but hundreds of times.
Unless he is incompetent, when an opponent kicks you or you try to lock
his arm, he is not going to remain still to let you complete your moves
uninterrupted, as is often shown in martial art magazines or even live
demonstrations. In theory his next moves are limitless; but in practice, they fall
within a range of possibilities that can be anticipated by an experienced master.
The next stage is to learn and practise the “variations” of the kungfu
patterns. The term “variations” as used here is translated from Chinese, and
refers not to the various ways a particular pattern can be performed, but the
various likely follow-up patterns a kungfu exponent would use immediately after
he has executed a particular pattern.
For example, after I dodge an opponent’s kick, a likely pattern he would
use to follow up with is a straight punch. Hence my variation is a pattern called
“Lohan Hitting a Gong”, moving forward diagonally to meet and push away his
punching arm, and striking him at the same time. It is likely for him to “float”
my arm and strike my side ribs that are (purposely) exposed. I follow up with
“Save the Emperor with a Single Whip”, striking his elbow or extended arm. He
is likely to move his arm away and strike my face (which is probably the best
part of my body for him to attack in this situation) with his other hand.
Accordingly, I follow up with “Hiding Flowers in the Sleeves” and “Single
Dragon” in one smooth continuous movement, blocking his attack and then
striking him. Please see Figs 7.1 to 7.7.
Fig 7.1–7.7 A Variation from Hitting Gong
Fig 7.1–7.7 A Variation from Hitting Gong
7.1

7.2

7.3

7.4
7.5

7.6

7.7
The short sequence of patterns mentioned above is a variation of my dodging a
kick. All these patterns are found in the Shaolin set, “Cross Roads at Four
Gates”. Notice that in this variation, I use only my right hand throughout, which
is one of the fundamental principles of arm use in this basic set. In this example,
I can effectively use only one arm to counter the opponent’s use of both hands
and a kick.
Of course, in a real fight, the opponent may not react in the way
anticipated above, though that way is one of the most logical if he is to exploit
technical advantages of the existing situations. The opponent, for example, may
follow with a second kick, instead of a punch; or he may just move back after
the first kick. Either way, I can still follow up with “Lohan Hitting a Gong”. He
may dodge my Lohan fist or block it with force instead of “floating” it up. I still
can continue with “Single Whip”; in this case, hitting his ribs instead of his
elbow, and moving my body slightly forward instead of back as in the previous
case. The opponent may block my arm, or grip it with one or both hands, and yet
I can carry on with “Hiding Flowers” and “Single Dragon”. If the kungfu
exponent is expedient, he can use the same variation even if the opponent reacts
differently. Please see Figs 7.8 to 7.14.
Fig 7.8-14 Another Application of Hitting Gong
7.8
7.9

7.10

7.11
7.12

7.13

7.14
Nevertheless, if the opponent’s responses are vastly different, such as after the
initial kick he jumps to attack my head or squats down to grasp my leg, then I
have to employ another variation. Generally if a kungfu exponent is familiar
with some variations, it is often adequate to handle most common combat
situations that issue from that particular pattern. To simplify matters for students,
past masters have arranged these variations into appropriate short sequences
consisting of a few likely patterns.
One interesting question is whether kungfu exponents must fight in
stylistic form. Can they fight “naturally”, without going into such elaborate
stances and patterns? It must be emphasized again that in a fight, or even in
routine form practice, a kungfu exponent moves the way he moves, not because
he wants to please spectators, but because that way gives him the best technical
advantages in specific combat situations. His kungfu form is the result of, and
practised for, effective fighting, not devised for attractive demonstration, though
to the uninitiated, many kungfu patterns may appear flowery.
These combative kungfu patterns have been developed through the ages,
and are usually not spontaneous to those who have not practised them. In other
words, for those people who have never practised kungfu, it is “unnatural” for
them to fight the way a kungfu master would fight. Unless you have practised
these kungfu movements well for combat, you will find yourself very clumsy,
sometimes comical, when you try to use them in a fight, even if you theoretically
know their combat application. My master advised me that “you don’t learn
kungfu; you practise it.”

Some Amazing Applications

Let us examine some of the combat applications of the kungfu patterns found in
the basic Shaolin set, “Cross Roads at the Four Gates”. There is at least one
useful function for every kungfu pattern; otherwise that pattern would have been
eliminated. Usually there are many functions for one pattern, but in the
description below, space permits that only the main points of one or two
applications are mentioned.
Shaolin disciples are very courteous; even in a fight they need not have
to be impolite. “Dragon and Tiger Appear” is a Shaolin greeting, even to the
opponent. But if your opponent tries to hold your two arms, you can use this
pattern to release his hold, and at the same time jab into his neck with your left
palm, punch his jaw with your right fist, and strike his groin with your left knee.
If the opponent grabs you from your back, surrounding your body with
his two arms, you can release the hold with “Double Stars to the Earth”,
followed by “Thrice Threading of Bridge” to separate his hands.
The “Amitabha Palm” is an effective way to release a grip on your wrist.
You can effect the release “from inside” or “from outside”, Fig 7.15. Follow up
with a strike at his chest or face, pushing away his arm outwardly or inwardly
respectively as you strike out. It is not easy for anyone to hold you, if you know
Shaolin Kungfu application. Philosophically, this symbolizes that the Shaolin
arts can help you to free yourself from any constraining situations in life.
Fig 7.15 Releasing a Grip with Amitabha Palm
(a)
(b)

(c)
(d)

(e)
(f)

(g)
 (h)

Just like many things in life can be very profound though they appear simple on
the surface, many deceptively simple looking Shaolin patterns are amazing in
their uses. “Flowers Hidden in Sleeves” is an example. Let us look at two
interesting applications. Suppose someone grips your neck from behind with
both hands. Turn about, swing your arm round, and lock both his arms with
“Flowers Hidden in the Sleeves”, Fig 7.16 to 7.18. You see, it is not easy to
strangle a Shaolin disciple, even from behind.
Figs 7.16–18 Flowers in the Sleeves
7.16
7.16

7.17

7.18
Your opponent has gripped your right wrist with his right hand and tripped your
front leg, sending you sprawling forward. When he hits down hard at your left
elbow with his left palm, he may dislocate or break it. But don’t worry — if you
know Shaolin Kungfu application. Move your left foot slightly forward to regain
balance, and “Hide Flowers in your Sleeves”. Notice how easily this simple
movement neutralizes his seemingly intractable attack. By moving your left foot
slightly, you have changed the fulcrum of attack on your right elbow, so that
when he presses it with his left hand to dislocate it, it turns out that he is actually
helping you to execute your pattern, and if he is not careful, now it becomes his
turn to lose balance! As you jerk down your elbow and turn your arm in the
“Hiding Flowers” pattern, your opponent has to release his hold on your right
wrist, or else his wrist will be dislocated or he suffers excruciating pain. Present
him a “Single Dragon” (i.e. a punch) to his face. Please see 7.19 to 7.22.
Fig 7.19–22 Neutralizing an “Intractable” Attack
7.19

7.20

7.21
 7.22

“Poisonous Snake Emerges from Pit” and “Single Dragon Emerges from Sea”
are simple attacking patterns with the palm and the fist. But a master can use
these simple patterns in some amazing ways. For example, a novice swings a
round-house kick at a master. Instead of blocking or dodging, the master just
swiftly moves in with a “Single Dragon”, striking the novice’s abdomen. The
round-house kick, which is actually a clumsy attack, especially by a novice, will
not hit the master, because before it has travelled half its distance, the master’s
thrust punch will have sent the novice tumbling backward.
“Bar the Big Boss” is a useful technique to deflect an opponent’s frontal
attack, especially when your arm is already extended forward. It is also an
amazingly simple technique to counter seemingly unmanageable attacks, like
when your opponent, holding your arms apart, gives you a right thrust kick to
your chest. Turn your body to sit at the sideways horse-riding stance, jerking
your elbow down so that your forearm deflects your opponent’s right thigh. The
turning of your arms as you lower yourself into your sideways horse-riding
stance will release your opponent’s hold on your arms. As he kicks, you punch.
His kick will not reach you because you have deflected his thigh, and also you
have turned your body sideways. You can easily hit his genitals, but for
compassionate reasons, strike his abdomen instead, Fig 7.23–25.
Fig 7.23–25 Hitting Your Opponent as He Attacks
7.23

7.24

7.25

Catching Tigers in Mountains

When you attack with a “Horse-Riding Punch”, you opponent may counter with
a low attack to your exposed side ribs. Bring your elbow back with “Carrying
the Insignia” to block his attack, turning your body slightly for better effect,
without moving your legs. If someone is close behind you, after making sure he
is an enemy and not a loved one, you can use this pattern as an elbow strike.
“Single Tiger Claw” is used to grip the opponent’s wrist, and applied by
a master with internal force, he can numb or paralyse the opponent’s arm.
“Phoenix Flaps Wing” is a close-body elbow attack.
A simple way to block a frontal strike is to use “Beauty Looks at
Mirror”. If the opponent withdraws his attacking hand, you can follow through
with “Tiger-Tail Hand-Sweep” to strike him. Complete the coup de grace with a
simple but powerful “Black Tiger Steals Heart”.
Although it looks simple, “Threading the Bridge at Bow-Arrow” can be a
deadly pattern. After “threading”, or deflecting, an opponent’s attack, follow
through with a strike at a vital point near his armpit while his arm is still
extended forward.
When your opponent executes a thrust kick, step backward slightly to
avoid his kick, but not too far that you lose contact, and strike his shin with a
“Single Whip”. “Sharp Knife Trims Bamboo” is a useful double palm attack to
the opponent’s side. In “Lohan Hits Gong”, the gong is your opponent’s head.
“Catch Tiger in Mountains” is one of the most beautiful patterns in
Shaolin Kungfu, and its beauty lies not so much in its appearance but in its
combat functions. Years ago, a fifth dan karate master from Japan paid a special
visit to my master, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, to test his Shaolin Kungfu. With a
thundering shout and in lightning speed, the Japanese expert executed a double
flying kick at my master, who responded with “Catch Tiger in Mountains”. The
Japanese master flew over the head of my Sifu, Ho Fatt Nam. There was no
contact between the masters. After he had steadily landed, the Japanese master
turned round, gallantly bowed, thanked my master, and said the match was over.
Spectators who had come to see an exciting match were much disappointed, and
they did not understand what actually had transpired.
Later, over tea, the Japanese expert told my master that in his travels
round the world, so far no one had successfully met his lightning flying attacks.
Most people, taken by surprise, would retreat, but they would still be hit,
because he simply flew into and kicked them. Some would move aside to the left
or right, but the karate master was so agile that he could twist his body in the air
according to the directions his opponents had dodged, and kick at his surprised
opponents. Only my master, he said, could successfully neutralize his ever
victorious attack with a movement that he had never seen or imagined before.
My master confided in me that no one else, except the two of them, knew that he
had beaten the Japanese master with that “Catch a Tiger” pattern, and he told me
why. In line with the poem describing the salient points of the “Four Gates” set,
I will leave you with the excitement of discovering from a Shaolin master the
marvels of this “Catch Tiger in Mountains” pattern, and why or how my master
had defeated that Japanese expert.

Don’t Destroy His Manhood!

“Cannon from Ground” is a deadly and effective technique that Shaolin disciples
would not use unless necessary, for this cannon would destroy the opponent’s
genitals. Instead of using the fist, Shaolin disciples may use their legs in “Organ-
Seeking Kick” at the opponent’s external reproductive organs. Even when the
opponent is an arch enemy, Shaolin disciples usually find it not necessary to
destroy the genitals; so they hit or kick the thigh or abdomen instead.
“White Crane Flaps Wings” is as elegant in its appearance as in
application. There are many ways this pattern can be used in combat, though
many beginners will find it hard to imagine how this seemingly demonstrative
movement can be effective in fighting. One way is when two opponents just
begin to hold both wrists at your sides. If you flap your wings, moving your
palms fast against their wrists, they will have to let go of your wrists to avoid the
extricating pain your palms cause against their twisted wrists. In another
application, this “White Crane” pattern is a devastating Organ-Seeking Kick,
with the flapping wings as distraction.
“Dragon and Tiger Meet Together” is similar to “Dragon and Tiger
Appear”. Possibly the dragon and the tiger were good friends of Shaolin monks
in the past; together with the snake, the crane, and the leopard, they often appear
in Shaolin Kungfu. After setting two tigers (two fists) to roam about, Shaolin
monks hide them at the end of a kungfu set. The circular way the fists are turned
in, “Hiding Two Tigers” is effective in releasing wrist holds.

Flowery Movements and Kungfu Tradition

Even a brief description of the combat application of these comparatively simple
Shaolin Kungfu patterns reveals the rich range of Shaolin self-defence
techniques. One should note that the applications explained above are only the
basics; due to space constraints, other applications of the same techniques are
not mentioned.
Some time ago when the popularity of Japanese karate and Korean
taekwondo took the world by storm, many kungfu practitioners, including some
old teachers who were mistaken to be masters due to their age rather than their
kungfu attainment, were rudely awakened to their combative inadequacy when
compared to the combat effectiveness and directness of karate and taekwondo.
These kungfu practitioners expounded that kungfu was not as effective as karate
or taekwondo for combat because kungfu patterns were too elaborate and
flowery. They suggested trimming the elaborate movements of kungfu, leaving
behind only obvious fighting patterns like punches, blocks, and kicks. In other
words, they suggested changing kungfu into karate or taekwondo. (This is the
reverse of opportunist instructors who are basically trained in karate or
taekwondo, but because of the magical attraction of the word “kungfu”, add a
few kungfu moves into their martial art and claim to teach kungfu.) Some
teachers even renamed their schools such-and-such “do”, and adopted the
colour-belt graduation system.
Apparently, these practitioners were unaware of the depth and tradition
of Chinese kungfu. There are no extraneous movements in kungfu; every move
has a purpose, and this purpose is almost always martial in nature. If any kungfu
movement appears extraneous or flowery to an observer, it is because he fails to
understand its deeper martial significance; simplifying the movement would
spoil the very purpose for which it is designed. For example, in the pattern
“Flowers Hidden in the Sleeves”, turning the wrist in a small circle, keeping the
elbow sharply bent and placing the upper arm close to the body, may appear
extraneous; someone admiring the straight-forward movements of karate and
taekwondo may suggest trimming those elaborate movements into a simple
block. The crucial point is that this pattern is not merely a simple block, and the
trimming will eliminate many subtle applications, some of which have been
described earlier in this chapter.
Suffixing “do”, such as judo, kendo, karate-do, hapkido, huarongdo, and
taekwondo, is a typically Japanese or Korean, but not a Chinese, tradition. “Do”,
which is “Tao” (spelled as “dao” in Romanized Chinese), means “the way”. In
the Japanese context, this suffixing of “do” represents a transformation of the
deadly martial arts of the classical warriors (often denoted by the term “jitsu”) to
the recreational “martial sports” of our modern times. For example, the deadly
techniques of jujitsu and kenjitsu, upon which ninjas and samurais owed their
life and death, are replaced by safer techniques of judo and kendo for modern
sport.
The term “do”, or “tao”, is comparatively insignificant in the Chinese
tradition, because throughout Chinese history, kungfu has always been used for
fighting, and seldom as a sport, though Shaolin Kungfu was also used for
spiritual development. (Interestingly, the most commonly used term for kungfu
in the Chinese language today is “wushu”, which inclines towards sport rather
than combat, although the term means “martial art”.) Hence, as a rough guide, if
you come across any type of kungfu that carries the suffix “do”, it often suggests
that the instructor is much influenced by the Japanese or Korean tradition.
In genuine kungfu tradition, belt grading is absent; there may be grading,
but the level of attainment is not usually shown by coloured belts. Traditionally,
the belt or sash of a kungfu practitioner, which is very different in look from that
found in karate or taekwondo, and irrespective of whether the practitioner is a
novice or a master, is usually black in colour, and is meant to hold his trousers,
not to indicate his attainment level. It actually does not make much sense if
someone tells you he is a kungfu blackbelt. And if an instructor advertises
himself as a kungfu red belt 8th dan, my first impression is that he is probably
unfamiliar with kungfu tradition.
There is, of course, no implication that belt grading is not useful. It has
been useful in many martial arts like judo, karate, and taekwondo, and some
genuine kungfu instructors have adopted it, but the point is that belt grading, at
least at present, is not a kungfu tradition.

8: FROM KUNGFU FORM TO COMBAT
APPLICATION

(Specific Techniques to Handle Various Situations)

Remember that the one practising with you is your partner, not your enemy.
Your aim therefore is to help each other to improve your combat efficiency,
and not to hit each other.

Getting Ready for Combat

Have you ever wondered how kungfu students could fight by just learning
routine sets? They couldn’t, no matter how many sets or how long they might
have learned. Learning routine sets is just the preparation — to equip students
with the necessary kungfu patterns. If they want to apply these patterns to fight
well, they have to undergo different types of training. Shaolin Kungfu is rich in
such training methods, though many students may not know them!
Some instructors provide their students with pairs of gloves to spar on
their own. This is unmethodical, and usually in such spontaneous situations the
students would be unable to apply what they have learned earlier in their set
practice. There are actually a number of steps between set practice and free
sparring, and the students should approach these steps methodically.
There are two principal approaches in learning kungfu application. One
approach is to proceed from patterns to situations; for each kungfu pattern, we
find out what it is used for in combat situations. The other approach is from
situations to patterns; for each typical combat situation, we find out what
patterns can be suitably employed to overcome that situation.
For example, we have learned a pattern, “Beauty Looks at Mirror”. We
find that in fighting, we can use it to block a palm strike to our eyes or a punch
to our heart. It can also be used as a diagonal slashing attack against an
opponent’s throat. This approach is from a pattern to situations.
Alternatively, we can think of some possible ways an opponent may
attack us. A very common attack is a straight punch to our chest. We examine
the various kungfu patterns we have learned and select those that can effectively
counter this type of attack. From our “Four Gates” we can use patterns like
“Beauty Looks at Mirror”, “Flowers Hidden in the Sleeves”, and “Bar the Big
Boss” to meet this straight punch. This approach is from a combat situation to
kungfu patterns.
Kungfu masters go further than this stage. For example, in the patterns-
to-situations approach, they ask themselves, if the attack to the eyes is a
powerful kick instead of a vicious palm strike, can they counter the attack as
effectively with “Beauty Looks at Mirror”? Probably not, because a blocking
forearm is generally not as powerful as a kicking leg. In the same way they
reason that even if the attack is a palm strike, but the attacker is a massive brute
and the defender a small-sized lady, the beauty may not be effective with her
“Mirror Hand”.
So the masters have to think of other ways to counter such a combat
situation. The beauty may, for example, step slightly aside to avoid the brutal
force of the attack, spread her arms so that her front palm strikes at the attacking
forearm and simultaneously kicks at the attacker’s genitals as in the pattern
“White Crane Spreads Wings”. No matter how massive the attacker may be, if
his genitals are being kicked, even by a small-sized lady, he will be put out of
action long enough to run away.
The example starts with patterns-to-situations but concludes with the
situations-to-patterns, illustrating that the classification into the two approaches
is arbitrary and for convenience of study. Such study was common at the Shaolin
Monastery where masters and monks had much time and opportunity to discuss
and experiment with various combat situations and a wide range of kungfu
techniques. We benefit from their invaluable effort as we learn and practise the
Shaolin arts.
In the previous chapter we use the patterns-to-situations approach to
learn some applications of the patterns in the basic Shaolin “Four Gates” set.
Here we select some common combat situations and learn the specific
techniques to counter them.

Shaolin Specific Techniques

For convenience, all attacks can be classified into four main categories: hitting,
kicking, felling, and gripping. Let us examine some specific techniques and their
underlying principles in dealing with the common attacks of the four categories.
Suppose an opponent pierces at your eyes or throat with his fingers, in a
pattern known as “Poisonous Snake Shoots out Venom”. Step back into the bow-
arrow stance and block his attack with “Beauty Looks at Mirror”, Figure 8.1.
Because you have moved back a step, even if you failed to block his vicious
attack, it will still not reach you. This illustrates an important philosophical
principle of life. Even if you are faced with a very threatening situation, if you
are ready to retreat just one step, you can frequently defuse the situation without
having to fight ferociously.
Fig 8.1 Beauty Looks at Mirror

Probably the most frequently used attacking pattern in most styles of martial art
is the straight middle punch, like “Black Tiger Steals Heart” in Shaolin Kungfu.
Besides using the “Mirror Hand” as in the previous example, you can counter
with “Single Tiger Emerges from Cave”, which is accomplished by moving half
a step backward into the false-leg stance and blocking his attack with a circular
movement of your hand held in a tiger-claw formation, Figure 8.2. This type of
blocking uses minimal force against maximal force, known as “leaning” in
Shaolin Kungfu: you “lean” your arm against his attack. If you are competent,
follow up with a tiger-claw grip at the opponent’s arm.
Fig 8.2 Single Tiger Emerges from Cave
Now your opponent attacks you with a low “Horse-Riding Punch”. You move
back into a sideway false-leg stance, and hence away from his attacking area,
and chop your palm into his attacking forearm or elbow, in a pattern called
“False-Leg Hand-Sweep”, Figure 8.3. Notice that you are not blocking, but
attacking him. This seemingly simple pattern demonstrates an advanced level of
countering an attack. Countering can be classified into three types: first defend
then counter; defence cum counter; and no-block direct counter. This “no-block
direct counter” not only avoids his attack, but strikes the opponent at the time
when his attack is fully spent.
Fig 8.3 False-Leg Hand-Sweep

In the next attack, your opponent attempts to slap your face in an interesting-
sounding pattern called “Devil King Waves Fan”. This time you move slightly
forward into the bow-arrow stance, block his sideway-circular attack with one
arm, and strike him with your other fist, in an equally charming pattern named
“Old Elephant Drops Tusk”, Figure 8.4. A friend looking at you now may
imagine you to be an elephant, with your attacking arm as the elephant’s trunk
and your defending arm as the remaining tusk! This is an example of “defence
cum counter”.
Fig 8.4 Old Elephant Drops Tusk

Hitting attacks can be generalized into four kinds: high, middle, low, and
sideways. We have just learned how to counter them. And if you know how to
counter a typical example of one kind, you can usually counter other examples
of the same kind. For example, if you can apply “Beauty Looks at Mirror” to
counter “Poisonous Snake Shoots out Venom”, you can usually apply the same
specific technique against similar high hitting attacks, irrespective of whether
they are palm, fist, knuckle, or finger strikes to your throat, eyes, mouth, or nose.

Countering Various Kicks

Some people mistakenly think that kicks are superior to hitting attacks because
they are more destructive and more difficult to defend against. If this were true,
then most, if not all, of the hitting attacks in Shaolin Kungfu would have been
replaced. In fact, it is generally easier to defend against kicks than against hits,
because a hand attack is more versatile and tricky than a kick. A hand attack by
an exponent with internal force is more deadly than a kicking attack, too. Let us
now learn some efficient ways to counter high, middle, low, and sideway
kicking attacks.
An opponent gives you a high kick, a technique that is usually
discouraged in Shaolin Kungfu unless the situation warrants its application. High
kicks bare the vital reproductive organs, making it easy for the opponent to strike
them. To think that the opponent is not knowledgeable or fast enough to exploit
this weakness is a sign of shallow learning. Never underestimate your opponent;
it is a fundamental Shaolin principle that we always regard the opponent to be as
good as, if not better, than ourselves. That is why practically every Shaolin
attacking movement takes into account the possibility of the opponent’s sudden
counter attack. Moreover, high kicks make balancing awkward, as well as limit
the full use of the other three limbs.
Actually, it is easy to counter high kicks. Just move your body slantingly
back, without even moving your legs, and without doing anything else, except,
perhaps, watching his unsightly view. We could move in for the coup de grace,
but we don’t, because since we never underestimate our opponent, we must be
careful that this tempting exposure may be a trap. Another important Shaolin
principle advises that it is better to miss an opening than to risk rushing into a
snare. The attacking pattern here is known as “Kicking the Sky”, which can
often be interpreted as kicking wildly; and the defence pattern is “Taming a
Tiger with a String of Beads”, Figure 8.5.
Fig 8.5 Taming a Tiger with a String of Beads
The next kicking attack, a middle side kick, has better aim; it is targeted at the
heart or the liver. Despite its destructive objective, this pattern has a gentle, even
poetic name, “Happy Bird Hops up a Branch”. Sit back on your sideways horse-
riding stance — this movement will move your body away from his attack —
and simultaneously, just as he has kicked his full extent, lock his leg with your
two tiger claws, with one arm supporting his extended leg and the other hand
gripping his foot, as shown in Figure 8.6. This pattern is called “Two Tigers
Subdue a Dragon”. Now you have a few alternatives. If you twist his foot, you
could dislocate his ankle. Or still holding his leg, you could move in and kick the
shin or knee of his other leg. This is an example of “first defend then counter”.
Fig 8.6 Two Tigers Subdue a Dragon

What would you do if your opponent kicks your shin or knee, as in the pattern
called “Yellow Oriole Tests Water”? Just skip back gently, sit on your low
sideways horse-riding stance, and “hang” your fist (i.e., hit with your back
knuckles) onto his attacking foot. This “no-block direct counter” pattern is called
“Heavenly Priest Stamps Insignia”, Figure 8.7. It is important that you should be
looking at your opponent’s face and not at his foot, as many students would do,
and be ready for his likely follow-up attack on your face.
Fig 8.7 Heavenly Priest Stamps Insignia
 Fig 8.7 Heavenly Priest Stamps Insignia

The opponent executes a whirlwind kick, which may look similar to, but in some
ways different from, the round-house kick of other martial arts. The Shaolin
whirlwind kick is performed with the body comparatively vertical, unlike the
more horizontally inclined body position of the round-house kick. Moreover the
whirlwind kick is executed more from the knee, unlike the round-house kick
where the whole leg is involved. To counter this whirlwind kick, slant your body
backwards and “thread” away the opponent’s leg with your hand following the
direction and momentum of the kick. This “thread” is a typical Shaolin
technique where gentle movement is used against a powerful attack. It is
executed as follows: move your hand in a small circular and forward manner as
if you are sewing with a needle and thread, except that instead of holding your
thumb and index finger together like when you are holding a needle, you point
your thumb and index finger forward. This defence pattern is called “Thread the
Clouds to See the Sun”, Figure 8.8.
Fig 8.8 Thread the Clouds to See the Sun

Gripping and Felling Attacks

One expression of the beauty and richness of Shaolin Kungfu is its wide range of
attack and defend techniques. If you want to subdue your opponent but do not
wish to hurt him badly by punching or kicking him, you will be fascinated with
the gripping techniques of Shaolin Kungfu. But first, let us learn how to get
yourself out of the opponent’s grips.
The opponent grips your forearm with a tiger-claw technique. Relax and
swing your arm in a circle, completing your swing with the back of your fist
“hanging” (i.e., hitting with the back knuckles) onto your opponent’s face. The
swing of your arm will twist his wrist in such a way that he has to release his
grip. This pattern is called “Rolling Thunder”, and is an example of “defence
cum counter”, Figure 8.9. It also illustrates the principle of “soft against hard”,
where you use a graceful swing instead of brutal strength to release yourself
from the grip.
Fig 8.9 Rolling Thunder
(a)

(b)
Now your opponent grips your hair from your front, in a pattern with an unlikely
name, “Saint Pulling Hair”. Prevent him from pulling by holding his hand with
your one or two hands. Then, still holding his hand to your head, bend slightly
and turn your head completely around, twisting his hand in the process, in a
pattern called “Lion Turning Head”, Figure 8.10.
Fig 8.10 Lion Turning Head
(a)

(b)
There are some weak points in this pattern that you must take care. The
movement is relatively long, and in the process of turning your head, your
opponent may attack you with his other hand. It is actually not a good pattern to
use in actual combat (unless your opponent is slow or unskilled), but a good
pattern for practice because it illustrates the principle of releasing his grip by
turning his wrist. When you are familiar with the philosophy of this principle,
you can use other less lengthy and more elegant techniques to implement the
same principle.
Figure 8.11 shows an example. You hold his hand as before, but instead
of bending his wrist by turning your head around completely, you bend his wrist
by a sharp jerk of your head downward and slightly forward, with your hands
pressing hard at his palm against your head so that his wrist bends backward
unnaturally, and he releases his grip (he has to, or else his wrist will be
dislocated). While still holding his hand with your two hands, turn his arm
sharply to one side so that his palm faces upward, getting him under your
control. You must be very careful when you practise this technique with a
partner so as not to dislocate his wrist. This pattern is called “Two Dragons
Subdue a Serpent”. Figure 8.12 shows the close-ups of the wrist-bending
technique.
Fig 8.11 Two Dragons Subdue a Serpent
 Fig 8.12 Close-Ups of the Wrist-Bending Technique

Beside hitting, kicking, or gripping, an opponent may attack you by felling you
to the ground. There are many felling techniques in Shaolin Kungfu, including
some where there is no need to use the hands. The opponent uses two felling
techniques against you, a sweep and a push. The examples show how to counter
them.
In the “Frontal Leg Sweep”, the opponent tries to fell you by pulling you
forward and simultaneously using his leg to sweep your leg in front. Lift your
attacked leg and place it behind his sweeping leg. Stretch back and straighten
this leg of yours, bend the other leg to form a bow-arrow stance, and
simultaneously turn your waist sharply while your hands sweep at your
opponent’s chest; with your straightened leg acting as a fulcrum, you fell your
opponent backward. This pattern is known as “Fisherman Casts Net”. Notice
that you return his leg sweep with your hand sweep.
Fig 8.13 Fisherman Casts Net
(a)
(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)
 (d)

(e)

Now your opponent tries to fell you backward, using a pattern called “Uprooting
a Tree”. He places one leg behind you, sits low on his horse-riding stance, and
pushes at your shoulders. Following the direction of his push, turn your waist
and body so as to form the unicorn stance, and brush off his pushing hands. Then
swiftly turn your unicorn stance into a bow-arrow stance, by reversing the
turning of your body and widening your legs. Strike your opponent with
“Double Butterfly Palms”, Figure 8.14. Alternatively, if you do not wish to hurt
him with a strike, just push him away. Here, although you return a push with a
push, you are not responding tooth for tooth, because while your push is
comparatively harmless, his push, if the victim is unskilful or unfortunate
enough to land on the back of his head, may be fatal!
Fig 8.14 Double Butterfly Palms
(a)
 (b)

(c)

Methodology of Practice

Practising specific techniques against particular combat situations is a good
introduction to kungfu application. Your result will be multiplied if you follow
some sound methodology of practice. The following are some good suggestions.
First of all, remember that the one practising with you is your partner, not
your enemy. Your aim therefore is to help each other to improve your combat
efficiency, and not to hit each other. You must control your attacks so that even
if your partner fails to defend them, you will stop your attacks a few inches from
his body. Even if you accidentally hit him, your strikes merely touch him,
without causing him much pain.
On the other hand, if you are accidentally hit by your partner, your
reaction should never be: “That bastard hit me; I’ll get even with him! You just
wait and see, bastard!” Instead, you should say to yourself, or to him: “Thank
you for demonstrating my weakness in a most practical way. Luckily it is from a
partner; if it were from an enemy it could be serious. Benefiting from this lesson,
I’ll not let that happen again.” Do not make the gross mistake of thinking that
such an attitude is trite or naive; it makes the difference between taking your
martial art as a training for violence, or as a path for spiritual development.
If you are too good for your partner, for your benefit as well as his, you
have to adjust yourself to his level. This means that you may have to purposely
slow down your movements or use less force so that he has a chance to match
you. If you frustrate his movements every time, it means that both of you can
practise up to this stage only, with no opportunity to go beyond.
You can benefit a great deal by practising with someone below your
standard. Because you are superior to him in techniques or force, you need not
have to worry, for example, about which kungfu patterns you should use next, or
whether your block is powerful enough to stop his attack. This means you can
focus on other important factors like timing and spacing, or in more advanced
levels, on implementing certain principles or strategies. If you are sparring with
someone equal to or above your level, you are usually too busy worrying about
immediate techniques to think of such invisible factors that often decide the
outcome of the combat.
With this philosophy in mind that the sparring practice should benefit
both mutually, and not an occasion to boast of one’s superior skills, let us look at
the practical aspect of the training. Initially, practise only one pre-selected
situation with a partner many, many times until your movements are smooth and
spontaneous. Then reverse roles so that you can have some idea of how your
opponent would feel and move. Resist the temptation of proceeding to new
techniques before you are competent in the present ones. Remember that the
onus of the training is to improve skill rather than to learn more and more
techniques.
Only when you and your partner are familiar with a few specific
techniques and their combat situations, one will attack the other without pre-
arranged selection. Initially limit the range to only two or three combat
situations, then gradually widen the range as you progress.
If you are a beginner you will find it very difficult, but not impossible, to
practise kungfu techniques from a book, because the successful implementing of
a technique often depends on finer points like the best position to place your legs
and the right time to execute your move — points that are best learned
personally from a master. Even if you cannot find a master, at least learn from a
qualified instructor. If you do not have the advantage of learning from a master
or an instructor, do not feel discouraged if you do not get the result described in
the book. It is likely that you have not performed the form properly, even though
you think you have followed the description correctly.
In your practice, especially at the beginning stage, your partner acting as
your opponent merely initiates the combat situations, then allows you to
implement the relevant specific techniques without attempting to frustrate your
actions. It is important to bear in mind that these simulated situations are
different from real fighting situations, where your opponent is not likely to be so
passive. But the simulated situations with co-operative partners constitute a
useful practising procedure.
Later, if you are expert enough, real combat situations may actually
resemble simulated situations, not that your real opponent does not want to
frustrate you, but that you are so well practised that he simply has no chance to
intercept your movements. But if your opponent is well practised, too, then he
will be able to make appropriate changes while you try to overcome him, or even
before you start your counter techniques. This, of course, leads to a sequence of
attack and defence, with some probable variations.
The next logical step in the application of kungfu for combat is to learn
and practise short attack and defence sequences. This is explained in the next
chapter.

9: FROM ARRANGED TO FREE SPARRING

(Practising Variation in Combat Sequences)

Since life, as many philosophically inclined have suggested, is often a
struggle, many of these principles can be fruitfully applied to our daily
living.

Various Factors of Combat

It is indeed amazing that nowadays the majority of people who practise kungfu,
including Taijiquan, do not know how to apply it for combat, although they call
it a martial art. Because of inadequate understanding, many kungfu practitioners
jump straight into free sparring immediately after learning kungfu sets. The
result is both shameful and comical. If they have to fight, their effort is like
children’s fighting, without any semblance of kungfu form at all, even though
they may have learned kungfu for many years! Of course it is not because
kungfu is ineffective, but because they have never really practised kungfu; they
have merely learned what past masters called “flowery fists and embroidery
kicks”, a form of kungfu movements that are pleasant to look at but useless for
fighting.
This comment about flowery fists may make some people angry, but as a
Shaolin disciple, I choose to say the truth and am prepared to defend my
statement. Some people may challenge me, not to a debate on this view, but to a
fight, which I believe is irrelevant because if they beat me it just shows that they
are better fighters but does not necessarily disprove the validity of my statement.
It is more rewarding for kungfu enthusiasts, whether they practise genuine
kungfu or flowery fists, to examine effective principles and methods of combat
application and help to restore the glory of kungfu, whatever its styles, as a
reputable living martial art. I am very privileged to have access to the knowledge
and practice of combat methods passed down from the Shaolin Monastery, and
they are shared in this book. Judging from the number of championships that
many of my students have won, it can be reasonably said that these methods are
effective.
It must be stressed again that articulating the martial aspect of kungfu is
very different from suggesting violence or brutality. Indeed, among different
types of martial artists, a kungfu fighter is best known for his graciousness and
calmness in dealing with opponents. It should also be remembered that effective
fighting is only one of the many useful functions of kungfu.
Below are the basic steps in our Shaolin tradition from kungfu form to
free sparring.

1. Learning and practising kungfu patterns and sets

 Most kungfu practitioners do this, but unfortunately, the majority of them
remain only at this level.
2. Understanding and practising the combat application of kungfu

patterns individually
Here we study and practise each of the kungfu patterns in a kungfu set with
reference to combat, as explained in Chapter 7.
3. Applying specific patterns to counter particular combat situations

We examine the range of common attack patterns, and practise the relevant
counters against them.
For example, from observation we know that most people commonly attack
by punching and kicking, and some by felling and gripping; we equip
ourselves with counters against these typical attacks, as explained in
Chapter 8.
4. Linking individual combat situations into a combat sequence

In an actual fight, combatants normally do not stop at just one or two

patterns, but engage in a short sequence of numerous patterns. The patterns
in a sequence usually follow a logical order. This will be presently
explained in this chapter.
5. Practising variations of combat sequences

The student must familiarize himself with numerous variations so that he

can change from one sequence to another spontaneously. This will also be
explained in this chapter.
6. Practising pre-arranged sparring sets

The movements are pre-arranged, thus freeing the practitioners from

thinking about what patterns to use next so that they can concentrate on
other invisible factors of combat like correctness of form, spacing, timing,
fluidity of movements, and balance. This will be discussed in the next
chapter.
7. Free sparring

If the students have practised the above stages well, they will graduate into
free sparring methodically, and be able to apply kungfu techniques
spontaneously.

Each step above may be divided into a few sub-steps for specific purposes. For
example in Step 5 above, students may practise different sets of variations for
surprise counters or feign moves. All the steps mentioned above are concerned
mainly with only one factor in combat, i.e., techniques. Other important factors
include skill or force, and tactics or strategies.
 You may be very knowledgeable in techniques, but if you cannot execute
the techniques skilfully or with sufficient force, you are not likely to beat your
opponent. Force training will be explained in other chapters. You may be
forceful and know many techniques, but if you do not understand tactics and
strategies, you are unlikely to make the best use of your ability and knowledge.
While techniques are applicable to individual movements during the
combat, tactics and strategies refer to overall situations. For example, if you
meet a Western boxer who is very fast with his punches, you may adopt an
overall tactic of avoiding his punches and concentrating on attacking his legs.
You would also implement a strategy whereby he will move forward to attack
you, thus exposing his legs for your surprise counter attack. The Song of Attack
and Defence below, besides other things, provides some useful tactics and
strategies; more will be explained in Chapter 11.

Shaolin Principles of Attack and Defence

Before we practise combat sequences, it is helpful to examine some relevant
principles on attack and defence. Since life, as many philosophically inclined
have suggested, is often a struggle, many of these principles can be fruitfully
applied to our daily living. You will marvel at the richness of such Shaolin
principles. I have gathered some of these principles into a Chinese poem for use
in my kungfu school, Shaolin Wahnam Kungfu Institute. The following is the
English translation.

Shaolin Song of Attack and Defence

The Shaolin principles of attack and defence
Have been passed down to the Wahnam School
Four steps are needed before you attack
Evaluate, ready, exploit, then strike the fool

Against a massive opponent, strike his sides
If weak, attack the front like smashing bricks
Never charge in recklessly like a bull
It’s unwise to start combat with flying kicks

Reckless charging gives your body away
High kicks leave your organs exposed and frail
As you attack it’s necessary to ask the way
Distract him with false moves as well as real

“Three arrivals” are essential in attack
Your movements be as fast as wind
The opponent’s strong points you avoid
And aim for his weakness in a wink

In attacking you must be able to defend
Opportunities you must exploit or make
With mind and energy be fully prepared
Both “hard” and “soft” you can give and take

The heart is calm and clear like water still
Don’t ever be angry for that affects your skill

Not only be skilful in attacks
But also defend well in any fight
Tell whether his attacks are feigned or real
Notice whether his movements are heavy or light

Neither be worried by powerful moves
Nor off-guarded if attacks are soft and slow
Be not anxious if opponent’s fierce and fast
Respond with appropriate speed and blow

Counter high attacks with “threads” and “lifts”
“Flick” away or “lean” against middle strikes
 “Chop” or “slash” against low attacks
For side attacks, “block” or “intercept” with might

If an attacker rushes in like a horse
Dodge to let him through with gee
Even if he has strength of a thousand pounds
Once he misses futile his strength will be

Defence must always incorporate attack
Timing and spacing must be right
When the opponent’s move and strength are spent
That’s the golden time to counter strike

Wonderful results these principles will bring
If you keep practising from spring to spring

Some Marvellous Advice for Combat

Much of the above poem is self evident, though there may be secrets hidden
behind surface meanings, and some concepts go much deeper than simple
explanation. In the paragraphs below, only the more puzzling points are
explained.
I call my kungfu and chi kung school Shaolin Wahnam, after the names
of my masters, Sifu Lai Chin Wah and Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, to show my respect
and appreciation for their kindness and generosity in teaching me.
Four steps are necessary before we make any moves in combat. We
evaluate the strong and the weak points of our opponent. At the same time, we
must always be ready for his sudden attack, or to initiate attack ourselves. So, we
seek or create opportunities. When opportunities occur, we exploit them and
strike so fast and decisively that the opponent, despite being skilful and
knowledgeable, is made to be a fool.
It is interesting to note that the same principle of four essential steps is
useful in everyday living, like when we apply for a new job or start our own
business. We evaluate the current situations; prepare ourselves adequately; seek
or create opportunities; and exploit opportunities when they occur.
At the time we charge in to attack our opponent, he may strike us
suddenly, and such a strike is not easy to defend if we only concentrate on
attacking. To avoid this weakness, as we move in speedily we place one hand
(usually our left hand) in front to guard against his possible attack, or to push
aside his raised defensive hand or hands. This is known as “asking the way”.
Besides the above two functions, this “opening” hand also serves to test the
opponent’s strength and to distract the opponent. As a distraction, the left hand is
a false move, but if the opponent does not respond to this “opening” hand, it may
be changed into a real attack.
The “three arrivals” refer to reaching with the heart, reaching with the
feet, and reaching with the hands. Before we make any move, we must be clear
of where we want to attack and what attacking patterns to use. For example, after
assessing the opponent, we decide to attack his abdomen, but we wish to distract
him first with a false attack to his throat, and we also plan that should he
successfully defend himself against these two moves, we will send a “Black
Tiger” to his solar plexus. This is reaching with the heart. (See Sequence Two in
the Combat Sequences below.)
In other words, we have a clear purpose and direction of movement, even
before we make the first move. This plan is a guideline, so that we will not be
undecided or hesitant when we have moved within the combative sphere of the
opponent. If the situation warrants it, we may have to make expedient changes.
When we move in as the opportunity offers itself, our false attack must
target at his throat, not at his nose or mouth or aimlessly in the air — because
our heart has reached the decision to attack his throat. Our feet must be placed in
such a way that we can effectively strike him — not that we would miss him by
inches even if he does not move. (In practice, however, we purposely miss by
inches.) This is reaching with the feet. If he moves back (as in Sequence Two),
we must move forward accordingly if we wish to strike him, otherwise we would
not reach with our feet. Our hands (or any parts of our attacking body) must be
able to strike him effectively — without having to stretch our limbs unnaturally,
twist our body uncomfortably, or sacrifice our balance. This is reaching with our
hands.
These “three arrivals” will be useful in life. We need to be clear of our
purpose and direction if we wish to make our lives more meaningful and
rewarding for ourselves and for others — reaching of the heart. We must place
ourselves favourably at the sphere of action — reaching of the feet. Mere wistful
thinking is not enough; we must put in effect what we plan to do — reaching of
the hands.
In any attacking move, we must always be ready for the opponent’s
surprised counter attack. Hence, in Shaolin Kungfu, we always “cover” our vital
parts even in the midst of a fervent attack, and leave room for our own retreat
should the need arise. High kicks where the vital organs are exposed and where
we stand gingerly on one leg are almost never used in Shaolin Kungfu. It is
difficult, though not impossible, to retreat if an opponent strikes at the vital
organs at the same time we lift our leg to kick at the sky. If a Shaolin disciple
wishes to kick at the opponent’s head, for example, he would do so while
jumping high so that the other non-attacking leg will protect his own vital
organs.
We can transfer this combat principle to our daily life. Whether in work
or play, it is unwise to be so wrapped up in attack that we expose our vital
weakness. If the opponent strikes at this vital weakness, he will reverse all the
advantages we may have previously gained.
 Any efficient defence must include attack. If we only defend, whether in
kungfu sparring or in ordinary life, at the best we achieve a draw. If we never
counter attack, we may be forced into to a continual passive, receiving position.
One of the best moments to counter attack is when the opponent has just
completed one move and before he recovers himself for the next move. In an
argument, for example, if your opponent is attacking you with a string of
demanding questions, you can easily reverse the situation by applying this
Shaolin principle: as soon as he has completed a question, ask him whether he
realizes that his question is misleading or irrelevant, followed by your string of
factual or rhetorical questions.

Combat Sequences

“A picture is worth a thousand words,” says a Chinese proverb. The pictures in
Fig 9.1 to Fig 9.12 illustrate twelve basic Shaolin combat sequences.
Understandably, finer points are difficult to be shown.
A combat sequence is a short series of attack and defence patterns to
prepare students for free sparring and actual fighting. The patterns are selected
and arranged according to some specific purposes and principles. Besides
practising the form, spacing, and timing, students should also emphasize fluidity
of movements and spontaneity of response.
Following is a very brief description of these sequences, with
accompanying illustrations.

1. Triple Punches — Beauty Looks at Mirror.

The attacker initiates three straight punches continuously. Notice that in the
second punch, the attacker must move a small step forward with his left leg
so as to “reach with his feet”.
Fig 9.1 Triple Punches — Beauty Looks at Mirror
(a)

(b)
 (c)

(d)

2. Three-Level Punches — Low Horse-Riding Punch.

The attacks are aimed at the top, bottom, and middle levels. The attacker
must move a step forward for the second and third attack.
Fig 9.2 Three-Level Punches — Low Horse-Riding Punch
Fig 9.2 Three-Level Punches — Low Horse-Riding Punch
(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)
 3. Whirlwind Kick — Bar the Big Boss.
The leg attack is aimed at the defender’s ribs. The defender applies a “hard”
counter, and his horse-riding stance must be firm. He blocks the attacking
leg at the thigh or knee (the opponent’s weak point), not at the lower leg
(his strong point in this situation).
Fig 9.3 Whirlwind Kick — Bar the Big Boss
(a)

(b)
 (c)

(d)

4. Flowers in the Sleeves — False-Leg Hand-Sweep.

As the attacker strikes with a low horse-riding punch, the defender grips his
wrist and strikes at his elbow, dislocating or breaking it. The attacker
neutralizes this by moving his left leg diagonally forward, with “Hiding
Flowers in the Sleeves”, and countering with another low horse-riding
punch.
Fig 9.4 Flowers in the Sleeves — False-Leg Hand-Sweep
(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)
 5. White Crane Flaps Wings — Tiger-Tail Hand-Sweep.
After the defender has swept at the attacker’s arm as the latter attacks with a
low punch (and then withdraws to avoid the sweep), the defender follows
up with a left palm chop at the attacker’s temple. The attacker withdraws
into a False-Leg stance and “threads” away the chop, followed by an organ-
seeking kick.
Fig 9.5 White Crane Flaps Wings — Tiger-Tail Hand-Sweep
(a)

(b)
 (c)

(d)

6. White Horse Presents Hoof — Single Whip.

Four vigorous attacks in one continuous movement. The “Single Whip” is
used to strike at the kicking leg.
Fig 9.6 White Horse Presents Hoof — Single Whip
(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)
 7. Felling Tree with Roots — Slash the Bamboo.
The defender uses the unicorn step and Butterfly Palms to neutralize the
attacker’s felling techniques. The attacker counters with Organ kick, then
Poisonous Snake. The defender grips the attacking arm, presses at the
attacker’s elbow, and trips the latter onto the ground. The attacker steps his
back leg diagonally forward and neutralizes with “Flowers in the Sleeves”.
Fig 9.7 Felling Tree with Roots — Slash the Bamboo
(a)

(b)
(c)

(d)

(e)
(f)

(g)

(h)
 8. Push Mountains — White Horse Presents Hoof.
The defender counters the attacker’s “Push Mountain” with a thrust kick.
The attacker retreats into a unicorn step and counters with “Dark Dragon
Wags Tail”.
Fig 9.8 Push Mountains — White Horse Presents Hoof
(a)

(b)
(c)

(d)

(e)

(f)
 9. Lead Horses to Stable — Happy Bird on Branch.
To neutralize the attacker’s pull, the defender moves forward with the
pulling momentum, and executes a side kick at the attacker.
Fig 9.9 Lead Horses to Stable — Happy Bird on Branch
(a)

(b)
 (c)

(d)

10. Eagle Claw Technique — Butterfly Palms.

The attacker uses two Eagle Claws to grip the defender’s arm. The defender
counters with “Butterfly Palms”. The circular movement of the defender’s
arm releases the attacker’s grip.
Fig 9.10 Eagle Claw Technique — Butterfly Palms
(a)
(b)

(c)

(d)
 (e)

(f)

11. Tames a Tiger — Golden Cockerel Grips Throat.

If someone trips you onto the ground and presses your elbow, one way to
counter this attack is “Flowers in the Sleeves”, as in Sequence Seven.
Another “softer” way is “Golden Cockerel Grips Throat”, as in this
sequence.
Fig 9.11 Tames a Tiger — Golden Cockerel Grips Throat
(a)

(b)

(c)
(d)

(e)

(f)
 12. Basking in Mist — Bending Willow.
What would you do if someone grips your palm and bends it backward?
Respond with “Poisonous Snake Basking in the Mist”.
Fig 9.12 Basking in Mist — Bending Willow
(a)

(b)
(c)

(d)

(e)
 (f)

The specific techniques described in the previous chapter and the combat
sequences summarily mentioned above provide a good introduction to Shaolin
application for combat. When such information is conveniently presented in a
book, it is easy for many martial art students to make the common mistake of
merely reading it or going over the movements superficially. If you want to be
proficient in kungfu fighting, you must practise these (or other) combative
techniques devotedly until they have become second nature to you. As a rough
guide, you should practise these techniques and their various developmental
stages as explained below for at least one year so that you become familiar with
them.

Developmental Stages in Combat Application

The following is a helpful programme for practising combat sequence in stages.
In the description below, the one who starts the sequence, and who is usually the
attacker, is called the initiator; and the one who responds to the initiator’s first
move, and who is usually the defender, is called the responder.
1. At the first stage known as “Pre-Choice”, both the initiator and the

responder have decided beforehand which sequence will be used for

practice. Be familiar with one sequence before progressing to another
sequence. The initiator and the responder should change roles so that both
have the experience of what an opponent would feel and do in such combat
situations.

2. In the second stage known as “Self-Choice”, the initiator chooses the

sequence he wishes to start with, without the responder knowing

beforehand. Initially they should limit themselves to only two choices, then
gradually increase the range of choices. Remember the purpose of the
training here is not to surprise your partner with a tricky choice or a
cunning move, but to provide him with the opportunity to respond
correctly, and later spontaneously, to your moves. You may, therefore, have
to purposely slow down your movements to help him if he is not as skilful
as you.

3. The next stage is called “Surprised Counter”. Instead of responding to

the initiator’s first move according to the pre-arranged sequence, the

responder surprises the initiator with a counter-attack. The initiator,
therefore, has to ward off this surprised counter before continuing with his
planned attack. Such surprised counters should not be too often; they should
be employed when the initiator does not expect them.

4. The fourth stage is called “Continuation”, whereby instead of

completing a sequence, any practitioner continues logically into another

sequence without any break in between. Hence the last move of the first
sequence becomes the first move of the second sequence with the two
sequences linking into one continuous sequence.

5. In the next stage, instead of following the pre-arranged patterns of a
 certain sequence to its completion, either practitioner may branch out from
that sequence into another sequence. This stage, known as “External
Change”, is similar to “Continuation” except that the linking into another
sequence is not at the end of the first sequence, but somewhere between the
middle and the end of the first sequence. Sometimes, a modification or
change of pattern may be necessary at the point of transition.

6. When the practitioners are familiar with the “External Change” stage,

which is a change of one sequence into another, they may proceed to the
“Internal Change” stage, which is a change within the sequence. In other
words, at any point of the first sequence, any practitioner may use a
different pattern instead of the pre-arranged pattern in that sequence, thus
leading to a change of the sequence itself. This stage is similar to “External
Change” except that the change is made in the earlier part of the sequence
without waiting for the sequence to run even half its pre-arranged patterns.

7. When the “Internal Change” stage is used frequently, it becomes free

sparring. In the stages described above, the practitioners, if they are ready,
may continue into other stages or combine appropriate sequences. For
example, in the “Continuation” stage, the practitioner may continue to three
or more sequences, and they may make appropriate external or internal
changes in each of the sequences. As they introduce changes or
modifications to their movements, they also use other patterns not found in
these twelve sequences. In this way, they are able to spar freely without
being particularly conscious of the developmental processes involved.

10: FURTHER TRAINING FOR EFFECTIVE
FIGHTING

(Developing Fundamental Sparring Skills)

The decisive factor in combat is often not the extent of patterns or
techniques the combatants know, but the depth of skill (including force and
speed) in their command.

Variation in Combat Sequence Training

An effective way to learn kungfu application for actual fighting is through
combat sequence training, as explained in the previous chapter. Another
effective way is through practising pre-arranged sparring sets. A sparring set is a
routine of pre-arranged kungfu patterns where two, and sometimes more,
practitioners engage in simulated fighting. It is like a long collection of extended
combat sequences.
Although both practising combat sequences and practising sparring sets
contribute to proficiency in free sparring, there are some fine differences
between these two types of kungfu training. As combat sequences are short, each
comprising only a few patterns, they are more easily managed by practitioners,
and hence provide a useful vehicle for the practitioners in learning how to make
appropriate technical changes from the pre-arranged sequences to suit the current
combative situations, and to link suitable sequences together wherever
necessary. Sparring sets, on the other hand, are long, each usually comprising
more than thirty patterns, and are thus not so suitable for the purposes that
combat sequences excellently provide, but sparring sets are very useful for
developing fundamental skills like correctness of form, spacing, timing, fluidity
of movement, and balance, which are essential for effective combat.
Before we examine how a sparring set can help us to develop these
fundamental skills, let us briefly study how to make appropriate changes or
linkage with combat sequences.
Let us look at Sequence 1 as shown in the previous chapter, and represent
the attacking patterns as A, B, A, C, which are a right punch, a left punch, a right
punch again, and a leaning-block against the opponent’s punch. After
completing these four patterns, instead of withdrawing to end the sequence, the
initiator (or attacker) can continue with Sequence 3, represented as A, D, F, G,
which are a right punch, a threading-block against the opponent’s counter, a
right whirlwind kick, and a vertical-arm-block (Bar the Big Boss) against the
opponent’s horizontal hand sweep. In this linkage of the two sequences, which
are performed continuously as if they are one sequence, the last “A” of Sequence
1 becomes the first “A” of Sequence 3, and the leaning-block (represented as
“C”) is modified to become the threading-block (“D”), so that the whole
continuous sequence now becomes A, B, A, D, F, G. This variation of the
combat sequence practice is called “Continuation”, which is the fourth step in
the Developmental Stages mentioned in the previous chapter.
This variation of the initiator in the combat sequence will offer the
responder the opportunity in learning how to make appropriate changes to meet
changing situations. If the attacks are made in two separate sequences, the
separate responses will be as follows. Against A, B, A, C in Sequence 1, the
response will be M, N, G, O, which represent a right mirror-hand block, a left
mirror-hand block, a vertical-arm-block, and a low punch. Against A, D, F, G in
Sequence 3, the response will be M, P, G, Q, which are a right mirror-hand
block, a right dragon-punch (after “threading” with the left hand), a vertical-arm-
block, and a horizontal hand sweep. If the two attacking sequences are combined
as A, B, A, D, F, G, then the combined response will be M, N, G, O, G, Q,
performed as one continuous sequence, where the low punch (“O”) in the
response of Sequence 1 replaces the dragon-punch (“P”) of Sequence 3.
The description of the above variation may look complicated, but the
actual performance is quite simple. Symbolically, the variation can be
represented as follows:

Initiator: A B A C + A D F G → A B A D F G
Responder: M N G O + M P G Q → M N G O G Q

Suppose you initiate A, B, A, C (Sequence 1), and your partner responds with
M, N, G, 0. But as soon as he performs “G”, and before he can continue with
“O”, you swiftly intercept him with a felling technique. Such a felling technique
is found in Sequence 7, which we can represent by A, H, I, J, K, P, where “H” is
the felling technique. (To avoid complexity, here we need not worry about what
other patterns are represented by the letters.) Thus your combined sequence,
without any break in between, is A, B, A, H, I, J, K, P, where your second “A”
in Sequence 1 becomes the first “A” in Sequence 7. Quite spontaneously your
partner will respond with M, N, G, R, S, T, U, V. This is the developmental
stage of “External Change”, and can be symbolized as:

A B A C + A H I J K P → A B A H I J K P
M N G O + M R S T U V → M N G R S T U V

If your partner is off-balanced the first time he blocks your punch, you need not
continue with the intended Sequence 1, but change immediately to Sequence 7 to
exploit his weakness. The first “A” in your intended sequence becomes the first
“A” of your changed sequence. In other words, instead of performing A B A C
as planned, you immediately change to A H I J K P. This developmental stage is
known as “Internal Change”. Similarly, at any point in your changed sequence,
you may make further changes if suitable.
Because of their manageable lengths, combat sequences are very useful
for practising variation of techniques in combat application. However, knowing
the techniques and their variation in combat sequences is not sufficient. The
decisive factor in combat is often not the extent of patterns or techniques the
combatants know, but the depth of skill (including force and speed) in their
command.

Four Gates Sparring Set

Because of its substantial length, a sparring set, which is a long pre-arranged
routine of simulated combat, is a good vehicle for developing combative skills,
as the engaging exponents are relieved of the mental burden of deciding what
patterns or techniques to use next, so that they can concentrate on skills.
The Four Gates Sparring Set, which is derived from the Cross-Roads at
Four Gates Set, and is in four Sections, is illustrated below, with the respective
foot positions accompanying the illustrations. It is difficult enough to show the
patterns; to show detailed or subtle movements, or skills like spacing and timing
is out of question. Therefore, readers who wish to have a deeper appreciation of
this beautiful sparring set would have to consult a master. Nevertheless, the
illustrations, despite their limitations, give some idea of Shaolin Kungfu
application in action.
Fig 10.1 Four Gates Sparring Set — Section A
(1)

(2)
(3)

(4)

(5)
(6)

(7)

(8)
 (9)

Fig 10.2 Four Gates Sparring Set — Section B

(1)

(2)
(3)

(4)

(5)
(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)
(9)

(10)

(11)
 (12)

(13)

Fig 10.3 Four Gates Sparring Set — Section C

(1)
(1)

(2)

(3)
(4)

(5)

(6)
(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)
(10)

(11)

(12)
 (13)

(14)

Fig 10.4 Four Gates Sparring Set — Section D

(1)
(2)

(3)

(4)
(5)

(6)

(7)
(8)

(9)

(10)
(11)

(12)
(13)

(14)

(15)
 (16)

(17)

The names of the patterns of the Sparring Set are given below. The two
practitioners engaged in the sparring are conveniently termed A and B; dashes
indicate that A and B assess each other before making any moves; arrows show
the flow of action. For example in Patterns 4 and 5, A executes a Single Dragon
Punch and B responds with Bar the Big Boss. Immediately, B counters with a
Horse-Riding Punch and A responds with Bar the Big Boss.

Section A:
1. Amitabha Palm — Amitabha Palm
2. Low Horse-Riding Punch → Mirror Hand (right)
3. Snake Emerges from Pit → Mirror Hand (left)
4. Single Dragon → Bar the Big Boss
5. Bar the Big Boss ← Horse-Riding Punch
6. Carry the Insignia ← Black Tiger (left)
7. Horse-Riding Punch →Single Tiger Claw
8. Phoenix Flaps Wings → Tiger Tail Kick
9. Single Whip → Rolling Gourd

Section B:
10. Butterflies Flying — Bow-Arrow Amitabha Palm

11. Mirror Hand ← Black Tiger

12. Hand Sweep ← Horse-Riding Punch (left)

13. Chop Mountain (left) → Thread, Whirlwind Kick

14. Block, Horse-Riding Punch → Snake on Ground

15. Flowers in Sleeves → Mirror Hand

16. Phoenix Flap Wings → Oriole Shows Toes

17. Single Whip → Tiger Crosses Hill

18. Trim Bamboo → Trim Bamboo

19. Lohan Hits Gong → Lohan Hits Gong

Section C:
20. Amitabha Palm — Amitabha Palm

21. Bar the Big Boss ← Whirlwind Kick (right)

22. Bar the Big Boss ← Whirlwind Kick (left)

23. Horse-Riding Punch → Mirror Hand (right)

24. Black Tiger → Mirror Hand (left)

25. Snake Emerges from Pit → Tiger Claw (right)

 26. Flowers in Sleeves → Tiger Claw (left)

27. Snake Emerges from Pit → Snake Basking in

Mist
28. Single Tiger (left) → Hitting Vital Point

29. Hand Sweep, Punch (left) → Tiger Crosses Hill

30. Tiger Crosses Hill ← Trim Bamboo

31. Single Whip ← Horse Presents Hoof (left)

32. Catch Tiger in Mountain ← Whirlwind Kick

33. Cannon from Ground → Rolling Gourd

Section D:
34. Butterflies Flying — Amitabha Palm

35. Mirror Hand (left) ← Black Tiger

36. Flowers in Sleeves ← Dragon Punch (left)

37. Flowers in Sleeves (cont) → Block Big Boss

38. Shift, Horse-Riding Punch → Hand Sweep

39. Golden Dragon ← Chop the Mountain (left)

40. White Crane → Bow-Arrow Hand Sweep

41. Tame the Tiger ← Pierce Punch on Ground

42. Golden Dragon ← Hanging of Lotus

43. Thread, Single Dragon → Kick Shuttle

44. Catch Tiger in Mountain → Golden Cockerel

45. Cannon from Ground → Standing Crane

46. Kick, Punch → Tiger Claw

47. White Crane — White Crane

48. Greeting — Greeting

Fundamental Skills in Combat

To secure victory in combat, we must pay attention to the following three areas:

1. Ensure that our techniques are appropriate and flawless so that the

opponent cannot derive any technical advantage over us;

2. Seek weaknesses in the opponent’s techniques so as to exploit them

to defeat him;
3. Create opportunities to enhance our own advantages and expose the

opponent’s weaknesses.

Practising a sparring set, like the Four Gates Sparring Set described above, is a
useful way to acquire the knowledge and ability needed for the first two areas.
The third area concerns tactics and strategy, and will be discussed in the next
chapter.
Acquiring flawless techniques in ourselves and seeking weaknesses in
our opponents can be realized through the development of fundamental
combative skills like correctness of form, right spacing, correct timing, fluidity
of movement, and good balance.
Correctness of form is the most basic of the fundamental combative
skills. If the form of our techniques or patterns is faulty, not only we forfeit the
advantages that these patterns specially provide for the particular combative
situations, but also our opponents may exploit the faults to defeat us. Although
correctness of form is emphasized in solo set practice, it is in sparring sets that
this fundamental skill is put to an acid test. For example, in Pattern 2 of the Four
Gates Sparring Set, if the opponent moves his blocking arm too far out, Fig 10.5,
I exploit his faulty form by “slipping” my hand round his arm and strike his face
with a “hanging fist”, Fig 10.6.
Fig 10.5 Faulty Form of Mirror Hand
 Fig 10.6 Slipping round with Hanging Fist

Poor spacing is a common weakness among many combatants. For example,

when the opponent attacks me in Pattern 11, I move back a step while blocking
his attack with my Mirror Hand. Thus he has to move forward to bridge the gap
if he wants to attack me again. In Pattern 12 he moves his front leg a step
forward as he inflict his low Horse-Riding Punch. If he does not move forward,
i.e., if his spacing is faulty, I need not bother to defend against this attack
because it will not reach me even if I do nothing, Fig 10.7. So, if I am well
trained to exploit his weakness in spacing, I shall strike him the split second he
has started to strike me, such as chopping his head as in Fig 10.8. In this way, as
soon as his non-effective attack is spent, my chop is already at his head. I must,
however, not neglect the following two points: bridge the gap to improve my
spacing, and guard his attacking hand even though at this situation his attack is
non-effective for it may be a feint move to tempt me.
Fig 10.7 Non-Reaching Attack due to Bad Spacing
 Fig 10.7 Non-Reaching Attack due to Bad Spacing

Fig 10.8 Exploiting Weakness of Non-Reaching Attack

Timing is one of the most difficult combative skills to learn. It is obvious that
even if your defence pattern is correct, but if you are slow, you will still be hit.
But if you are too quick, it may also be a weakness! For example, in the Sparring
Set I inflict a right Whirlwind Kick at my partner, and he defends with Bar the
Big Boss, as in Pattern 20, as illustrated in Fig 10.9. Then he jumps round to
perform the second Bar the Big Boss before I execute the second Whirlwind
Kick. He has committed the error of blindly following the pre-arranged
sequence, instead of responding to my initiative. Exploiting his weakness of
wrong timing, I change my intended whirlwind kick into a side kick, thus hitting
him, Fig 10.10. He is hit not because he does not know how to defend, but
because of incorrect timing, which is a common occurrence among many
combatants.
Fig 10.9 Blocking a Whirlwind Kick
 Fig 10.10 Exploiting Weakness of Poor Timing

One sure way to tell a novice from a master is to observe the manner they move.
The movements of a novice are staccato and clumsy, whereas those of a master
are fluid and elegant, with related patterns flowing from one into another in
continuous harmony — in solo practice as well as in sparring. The harmonious
flow of a master concerns not only his own patterns, but also incorporates and
overwhelms those of his inferior opponent. In other words, the master adjusts the
momentum of his movements according to that of his opponent so as to control
him. For example, when an opponent executes a left Dragon Punch at me, as in
Pattern 35, I block and instantaneously counter with Flowers in the Sleeves,
Figures 10.11 and 10.12. There are two movements — block and counter-punch
— but they flow together as one pattern. If this is performed skilfully, and if the
opponent is hesitant, he will be hit the moment his Dragon Punch attack is just
over. However, if the opponent is also fluid, he follows my attacking momentum
to break my arm (or dislocate my elbow), as in Pattern 36. I can save my arm (or
elbow) by flowing with his momentum (instead of going against it), with another
Flowers in the Sleeves, followed by a Horse-Riding Punch as in Pattern 37.
Fig 10.11 Blocking Movement in Flowers in Sleeves
 Fig 10.11 Blocking Movement in Flowers in Sleeves

Fig 10.12 Punching Movement in Flowers in Sleeves

Maintaining good balance is extremely important in kungfu. Without good

balance it is difficult, if not impossible, to perform some crucial techniques,
especially those involving standing on one leg. For example, when I execute a
left knee strike using the pattern Jade Girl Kicks Shuttle at my opponent as in
Pattern 42, Fig 10.13, he swiftly squats on the ground with the pattern Catch a
Tiger in the Mountain, counter-attacking my genitals as in Pattern 43, Fig 10.14.
If not for my good balance I might have lost my genitals, but I jump to stand on
my left leg and raise my right knee to ward of his brutal attack, Fig 10.15.
Instantly I kick out my right pointed toes at his under-chin, Fig 10.16. This kick
is meant to strike the throat, which may maim him, but although he is brutal, I
need not have to be a brute like him to cause more than necessary injury.
Fig 10.13 Jade Girl Kicks Shuttle
 Fig 10.14 Catch a Tiger in the Mountain

Fig 10.15 Golden Cockerel Stands Magnificently

Fig 10.16 Kicking at his Under-Chin

As in many other aspects of Shaolin Kungfu, the principles behind these
fundamental combative skills can also be applied to our daily living. If we carry
ourselves well (correctness of form), be present at where the action is (correct
spacing), do the right things at the right time (right timing), be harmonious and
elegant (fluidity of movement), and be emotionally stable (good balance), we
certainly have a better chance to succeed in our work and play than those who
are shabby, unavailable, unpunctual, clumsy, and unstable.

Examples of Crucial Points in Sparring

There are other important points we can learn from practising sparring sets. The
following are just some examples from the Four Gates Sparring Set. In Pattern 8,
for instance, when I move forward to attack the opponent with an elbow strike
using the pattern called Phoenix Flaps Wings, Fig 10.17, I must not neglect the
following two points. One, I must be careful of his possible elbow strike on my
face, as in Fig 10.18. I can guard against this possibility by pulling his arm away
from me or placing the palm of my striking elbow against his elbow. Two, I
must place my front leg in such a way that I guard against his possible Horse
Back-Kick against my groin. Fig 10.19 shows the right placing of my leg; Fig
18.20 shows the wrong position, which may result with a Horse Back-Kick, Fig
10.21.
Fig 10.17 Phoenix Flaps Wings

Fig 10.18 Elbow Strike to Face

Fig 10.19 Right Placing of Leg

 Fig 10.19 Right Placing of Leg

Fig 10.20 Wrong Placing of Leg

Fig 10.21 Horse Back-Kick

What would you do if your opponent strikes your face with his elbow, as in Fig
10.18 above? One good counter is to follow his momentum, bend his arm
behind, and grip the carotid artery at the side of his neck; but you must be very
careful not to grip too hard, or else you may cause serious damage or even kill
him. Figures 10.22 and 10.23 show the process of this arm-cum-neck hold.
Fig 10.22 Bending his Arm for an Arm Lock

Fig 10.23 Gripping his Neck from Behind

The following is a useful counter against the Horse Back-Kick. As the opponent
moves forward to kick backward and upward with his right heel, use your front
left leg to block or deflect his kick, Fig 10.24. At the same time push him to fall
forward face-on. Step on his leg, but be careful not to dislocate his ankle, hold
his arm away from you to prevent his possible backward elbow strike, and grip a
vital point on his body, in a pattern called Entering the Sea to Catch a Dragon,
Fig 10.25.
Fig 10.24 Deflecting his Horse Back-Kick
 Fig 10.25 Entering the Sea to Catch a Dragon

Let us now reverse roles. Your opponent moves forward with an elbow strike
using the pattern Phoenix Flaps Wings to strike you, as in Fig 10.17 above. To
counter this attack, move forward slightly with your lead leg, thus moving your
body away from his attack, bend your right elbow behind and rotate your body
right-ward at the same time, and thrust back a Tiger Tail Kick at your opponent,
Fig 10.26. Immediately roll away. It is necessary for you to bend your elbow and
rotate your body, or else it is difficult to execute this pattern effectively.
Fig 10.26 Tiger Tail Kick
(a)
 (b)

(c)

Combat sequences and sparring sets are very useful in our training to be
effective fighters. Combat sequences provide opportunities for us to practise
making variations in our fighting techniques to suit the current combative
situations. Sparring sets enable us to develop the fundamental combative skills to
execute these techniques efficiently. When we have these techniques and skills,
we have a good chance to win in most ordinary combats. However, if the
opponent is a master, he, too, will be familiar with techniques and skills; he
knows how to neutralize any techniques applied on him, and he does not expose
any weaknesses that can be exploited. How, then, can we have an edge over an
expert opponent? If the opportunities for defeating him are not presently
available, we will have to create them, and this can be realized through an
understanding and application of tactics and strategy to be explained in the next
chapter.

11: CREATING OPPORTUNITIES TO SECURE
VICTORY

(Applying Tactics and Strategies in Fighting)

We can see the particular technique employed to secure victory, often we
also know the tactical considerations behind the techniques used, but most
of us may not be aware of the underlying strategy from which the tactics
and techniques are evolved.

Sun Tzu’s Advice

When talking about tactics and strategy, we would get much benefit from
reading the work of Sun Tzu, the 6th century BCE Chinese general considered
by many as the greatest military strategist of all times. The principles that
contribute to the success of an army, Sun Tzu explains in his Art of War, are also
applicable to the success of a single combatant. In the section on Tactics, Sun
Tzu says:

The efficient warriors first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat,
then seek the opportunity to defeat the enemy. To secure ourselves against
defeat lies in our own hands; the opportunity to defeat the enemy lies with
the enemy.

Sun Tzu’s teaching is the same as the Shaolin philosophy on combat explained
in the previous chapter, i.e., first we make sure that our actions are flawless, then
we seek and exploit any weakness in the opponent’s actions.
For our purpose here, tactics refer to a planned disposition of techniques
to achieve some desirable objectives. Strategy refers to a general design to
manoeuvre the opponent to respond in certain manners. For example, if I meet
an opponent who is very skilful in kicks, a useful tactics I may adopt is to stay
close to him to minimize the advantages of kicks, so that if he uses kicks it
would be disadvantageous to him, despite his skill. In this way I put myself
beyond the possibility of defeat, which is the first part of Sun Tzu’s advice
above. Next I devise a strategy to tempt him to use kicks at the time I am ready
to exploit them to secure my victory. This is the second part of Sun Tzu’s
advice, where the opponent provides the opportunity for his own defeat. The
classification into tactics and strategies, however, is for the sake of convenience;
the principles and Shaolin secrets described below can be classified as tactics or
as strategies depending on their function.
In a combat, even among masters, the combatants have little time to
consider at great length the kinds of tactics and strategy to employ. Even if time
is available, it is not recommended to be used for deep thought, because it would
then distract the combatants from their focus on the combat. Kungfu masters
who also excel in meditation often attain a state of non-thought in combat
whereby their minds, free from thoughts, permeates the whole combative
environment and process. If they have to be engaged in thoughts, they would do
so in a meditative state, quite different from the type of thinking a candidate
does in an examination or a politician in working out a policy speech. Such a
meditative state of a Shaolin Kungfu master elevates him to a spiritual level, in
accordance with the fact that the highest aim of kungfu is spiritual development.

Principles to Guide Combat

Then, how does a master assess the current situations and decide on what tactics
and strategy to be used? He does all that before the actual physical fighting
begins! As in the case of the techniques and skills that have been discussed in
previous chapters, a Shaolin disciple benefits from the accumulated wisdom of
past Shaolin masters regarding tactics and strategies through his Shaolin
training, as such wisdom has been ingrained in the Shaolin tradition. He is
trained to understand and apply various principles and “songs of secrets” (like
the examples in Chapter 6 and 9) which summarize essential information into
poetic expressions. Some examples of these principles, which can be used as
tactics or as strategies, depending on our purpose, are as follows:

1. Avoid the strong points of the opponent; attack his weak points

2. If he is powerful, enter from the sides; if he is weak, enter from the

front
3. Move the stance, change the step; shift and dodge, advance and

retreat
4. Use the orthodox in combat; use the unorthodox to secure victory

5. Trick the opponent to attack unsuccessfully; strike him when he is

unprepared
6. If there is form, strike the form; if there is no form, chase the

shadow

Avoiding the opponent’s strength and attacking his weakness is so obvious that
it may seem trite; yet many uninformed combatants do the opposite. In my
experience I noticed that in a match against an opponent who specialized in
kicks, such as taekwondo or a Thai boxing exponent, many combatants usually
retreated or tried to block with their hands when meeting powerful kicks. It is no
surprise that these combatants were forced to be on the defensive most of the
time, and they usually lost — often helplessly, as they did not know how to
defend against powerful kicks effectively, and they had little chance to counter
attack.
Suppose you are in combat with a taekwondo exponent. If you retreat as
he kicks, you may escape being hit, but you will grant him both the advantage of
length and the initiative of attack. By retreating and thus maintaining some
distance between you and him, it is advantageous to your opponent who
specializes in kicks because a kick, as many taekwondo exponents are fond of
saying, has longer reach than a punch. Unless you can overcome this setback,
your opponent will be kicking you most of the time. Assuming all other factors
being equal (which is almost never valid in real situations), if he attacks you ten
times and you attack him only once, his chance of beating you is 10 to 1. You
have such a high chance of defeat because you fail in both points advised by Sun
Tzu above: without some effective tactics you have failed to put yourself beyond
the possibility of defeat; and by giving your opponent the convenience of attack,
you have provided the opportunity for him to defeat you.
If you block his kicks with your hands, you are using your weak points
against his strength. I recall a few film shows where the heroine used two hands
to block the powerful round-house kicks of an aggressor. If this happens in a real
situation, most likely the powerful round-house kick will bounce away the dainty
hands and strike her head; if her arms are strong enough to provide some
resistance, they will ironically be fractured or her wrists dislocated. Similarly she
fails Sun Tzu’s two tests: she does not have an effective counter against the kick
to put herself beyond the possibility of defeat; she provides the opportunity for
the enemy to defeat her by failing to move away her head or placing her hands in
the way.

Tactical and Strategic Considerations

There are many effective counters in Shaolin Kungfu for you to reverse your
defeat to victory. First, let us examine some strategic and tactical considerations.
His strong points are the power of his kicks and the length of his reach. What,
then, are his weak points? Whenever a person kicks, especially if he has to turn
his body to achieve momentum as in a side kick or a round-house kick, his
balance is affected, which means that at this moment he is less mobile. Second,
the requirements of effective kicks usually posit his body in such a way that the
flexibility range of his other three limbs is affected. For example, at the time
when a person executes a side kick or a round-house kick, it is very difficult for
him to use his other leg, and the application of his two hands is also limited. For
comparison, when he executes a punch, he can use any one of the four limbs
with ease. Third, if he does not guard his groin when he kicks, it will be a good
target; when he guards it he further limits the use of his hands.
A good strategy, therefore, is to avoid his strong points and attack his
weak points, and a good tactics is to enter from the sides. “Avoid” does not
mean running away, as is often the case with uninformed combatants. We may
differentiate two types of avoidance: one, avoiding direct contact with his kicks,
such as not blocking them with our comparatively weaker hands; and two,
manoeuvring in such a way that he has few opportunities to use kicks.
Attacking his weak points means that we will attack him when he is less
mobile, when the full use of his limbs is limited, and when he exposes an
unguarded target. As he is likely to have this weakness when he kicks, the first
part of our strategy suggests avoiding his kicks, but we shall therefore have to
make some adjustments. If we find that he is very skilful in kicking techniques,
but his hand techniques are poor, we may stick close to him so that he has little
opportunity to use his kicks and force him to use his poor hand techniques most
of the time so that we can readily defeat him. However, if we can counter his
kicks despite his skill and power, we may allow him to use his kicks often so
that he will reveal those weaknesses we are looking for to defeat him. You will
notice that these strategic considerations fulfil both of Sun Tzu’s points: placing
ourselves beyond defeat and manoeuvring the opponent to provide opportunities
for us to defeat him.
To implement our strategy we can use the tactics of entering from the
sides, and avoid entering from the front. This means that if we want to counter
attack the opponent as he kicks, we shall not block the kick and move right in
frontally; instead, we avoid contact with the kick by dodging and moving in
from the side.
If we want to stay close to the opponent to prevent him from using kicks,
a useful tactics is “move the stance, change the step; shift and dodge, advance
and retreat.” Translated into English, this tactics may appear circumlocutory, but
in its Chinese original it is both poetic and concise. An example of its
application is as follows. As he kicks, you dodge; and as soon as he places his
kicking leg on the ground, you have moved close to him. If he tries to widen the
space between you by retreating one step, you move forward one step
simultaneously with the corresponding leg. If he moves back x steps, you follow
correspondingly with x steps; if he moves aside y steps, you, too, move to the
same side y steps. If he charges head-on at you, you shift your stance in such a
manner that you are right behind him. Meanwhile you engage him in hand
combat, and as he is weak in hand techniques whereas you are prepared and
have the initiative, you would defeat him. “Having the initiative” means that on
the whole you decide and influence the types of patterns to use in the combat.
The following are some examples of how we can implement our strategy
and tactics. As the opponent inflicts a powerful round-house kick, I dodge to the
exposed side, moving diagonally forward, Fig 11.1. As soon as he places his
kicking leg on the ground, I have moved in according to where he has placed his
leg and strike him with a leopard punch (formed by bending the fingers at the
second joints instead of at the third as is done in a normal fist), in a pattern
known as “Golden Leopard Speeds Through the Jungle”, Fig 11.2. I may, if I
wish to be nasty, immediately follow up with a second leopard punch with the
other hand at the same spot, frequently before the opponent realizes what has
happened.
Fig 11.1 Dodging a Round-House Kick
 Fig 11.2 Golden Leopard Speeds Through the Jungle

But if he can defend against this double attack, I shall instantly continue with my
familiar combat sequences that I have planned beforehand. I shall stick close to
him and maintain my initiative, but not forget to cover myself sufficiently amidst
my raining attacks. For example, as soon as he defends one attack, another
planned attack follows instantly, giving him no chance to recover. If he is skilful
enough to break this planned continuous attack and attempt a counter attack, I
shall revert to my initiative immediately by taking his counter-attack as the start
of another of my attack sequences.
Alternatively, I may tempt him to exercise his kicks so that I can exploit
his weaknesses to defeat him. Fig 11.3 illustrates the opponent executes a
powerful side kick; I dodge by moving diagonally forward. As soon as he places
his kicking leg on the ground, I have moved in accordingly and placed my front
leg behind his front leg, Fig 11.4. Notice that my hands guard against his
possible attack. Immediately I fell him onto the ground by pushing his body
backward and tripping his leg, using a pattern called “Uprooting a Tree”, Fig
11.5. I have my finger-hook on his throat and my knee on a vital point of his
body, which will cause him pain if he tries to move.
Fig 11.3 Dodging a Side Kick
 Fig 11.3 Dodging a Side Kick

Fig 11.4 Moving in for a Felling Technique

Fig 11.5 Uprooting a Tree

One must realize that merely knowing strategies and tactics is not enough; the
combatant must be skilful in his techniques. Indeed, one who can apply
strategies and tactics in combat is usually of a master’s level. For ordinary
combat situations, being familiar with the principles and practice of combat
sequences and sparring sets is generally adequate for securing victory.

Defeat Due to Wrong Choice

While the strategy and tactics described above that advocate close body fighting
may be effective against someone like a taekwondo exponent, who frequently
uses side kicks and round-house kicks, they may not be suitable against an
opponent like a Thai boxing practitioner, who uses other types of kicking
techniques, because with his elbow and knee strikes, a Thai boxing exponent is
also versatile in close range combat. This, of course, is no implication that Thai
boxing is superior to taekwondo: it just illustrates that we must select the right
strategy and tactics according to the fighting styles of our opponents.
The kinds of side kicks and round-house kicks typically found in
taekwondo are not commonly found in Thai boxing. Their close equivalents in
Thai boxing are similar to what we call whirlwind kicks and thrust kicks in
Shaolin Kungfu. We still can use our same techniques against these equivalents,
but then we may not get the same advantages as before, and we must also be
careful that the versatile Thai boxing opponent has effective counters against our
moves. The following show some illuminating examples.
As the opponent executes a whirlwind kick, I dodge by moving
diagonally forward as before, Fig 11.6. Immediately I move in with a leopard
punch, Fig 11.7. But the versatile opponent sweeps aside the leopard punch and
simultaneously jumps up with a typical Thai boxing knee strike at my side ribs
using a pattern similar to what is known as “Jade Girl Kicking Shuttle” in
Shaolin Kungfu, Fig 11.8.
Fig 11.6 Dodging a Whirlwind Kick

Fig 11.7 Leopard Punch to the Opponent’s Ribs

 Fig 11.8 Knee Strike to My Side Ribs

In Fig 11.9, the opponent inflicts a thrust kick; I dodge by moving diagonally
forward. As soon as his kicking leg is back on the ground, I move in, place my
leg behind his leg, and I am about to fell him to the ground, Fig 11.10. However,
he neutralizes my felling technique with a little jump and simultaneously strikes
his elbow into my face using a pattern known in Shaolin Kungfu as “Fierce
Tiger Enters Rock”, Fig 11.11.
Fig 11.9 Dodging a Thrust Kick
 Fig 11.10 Getting Ready for a Felling Technique

Fig 11.11 Fierce Tiger Enters Rock

My defeat in both cases was due to my failure to follow Sun Tzu’s advice: I did
not ensure myself against the possibility of defeat; and I provided the
opportunity for him to secure victory. The failure was the result of strategic,
tactical, and technical errors.
I used the wrong strategy; I attacked his strong points and was ignorant
of his weak ones. Knee strikes and elbow strikes are the forte of Thai boxing,
techniques that are best applied in close range combat.
My tactics of entering from the sides and attacking him when he had not
recovered his balance was also mistaken because knee and elbow strikes can be
effectively applied to both the sides and the front, and a nimble Thai boxing
exponent can recover his balance easily. Third, in my attack I committed the
technical fault of not providing sufficient cover or retreat for myself. The overall
cause of all these mistakes was that I had not understood my opponent
adequately. Sun Tzu’s famous axiom, “Know thyself and know thy enemy; thou
will be victorious a hundred times in a hundred battles”, is as important in
warfare as in individual combat.
A basic requirement of a master whenever he executes any attack is the
ability to neutralize any resultant counter-attack from the opponent. Applying
this principle, I can reverse my defeat to victory in the above combat. There are
many ways to counter the knee and elbow strike; following are just two
examples.
As shown in Fig 11.12, which is a continuation of Fig 11.8, as the
opponent inflicts his knee strike, I move my front leg backward and
simultaneously deflect his attacking knee with my left hand. Continuing the
movement, I squat down and strike his other knee at its side with my right
leopard punch in a pattern called “Angry Leopard Charges at a Rock”. It must be
noted that the counters shown in Fig 11.12 and Fig 11.13 should be performed in
a split second.
Fig 11.12 Angry Leopard Charges at Rock

Fig 11.13 shows my counter against the opponent’s elbow strike. I move my
back leg a small step backward and lower myself into a horse-riding stance, thus
moving my face away from his attack. Simultaneously I “float” his attacking
elbow and strike his side ribs in a pattern called “White Horse Turns Around Its
Head”.
Fig 11.13 White Horse Turns Around Its Head

Choosing the Right Strategy and Tactics

However, even though I could reverse defeat to victory, I would not take this
risk, because in the above sequences I was in disadvantageous situations.
Although Thai boxing may appear simple, it is actually an extremely
effective art for fighting. Its simplicity is deceptive: Thai boxing attacks are
brutally powerful, yet bafflingly subtle. Luckily, there are two invaluable factors
helping me to equip myself against Thai boxing opponents. One, virtually all
Thai boxing techniques can be found in Shaolin Kungfu, thus enabling me to be
familiar with the operation of this art. Two, before his commitment to Shaolin
Kungfu, my own Shaolin master, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, was a professional Muay
Thai boxer, earning his livelihood and a number of championships from the Thai
boxing ring. Thus from him I learn many important secrets Thai boxers use in
their fights.
When facing a powerful, subtle, and agile opponent, I would try not to
meet him directly. I would tempt him to attack, but make sure that his attacks are
futile, and strike him when he least expects it. A helpful strategy, therefore, is a
combination of the following two principles: “Trick the opponent to attack
unsuccessfully; strike him when is unprepared” and “Use the orthodox in
combat; use the unorthodox to secure victory”. A tactical approach to realize the
aims of the strategy is, “If there is form, strike the form; if there is no form,
chase the shadow”.
So when my Thai boxing practitioner initiates his attacks using kicks,
which happens to be a common strategy in Thai boxing to assess or confuse the
opponent, as well as to open the way for subsequent killing strikes, I pretend to
block or to retreat. These blocking and retreating moves are different from those
of the uninformed combatant facing a skilful taekwondo exponent described
earlier, because here they are meant to trick the attacker. These moves appear to
be orthodox to my Thai boxing opponent, as he has probably met countless
combatants reacting in these ways to his attacks. This may give him a false
impression that I am incompetent and may cause him to be less vigilant.
Then when the opponent least expects it, but when I have been building
up to this opportunity, I strike him decisively to defeat him. Figs 11.14 to 11.16
provide examples of using the unorthodox to secure victory. When he executes a
right thrust kick, instead of retreating as he may have expected, I withdraw my
body without moving back my legs so as to “swallow” or avoid the full impact
of his momentum, and simultaneously with my right leopard punch strike his
knee (at its side) or ankle, which are soft spots of his leg, Fig 11.14. (Striking his
hard, trained shin may fracture my knuckles if they are not tough enough.) This
is the tactics of striking the form if there is form — the form here being his
extended leg.
Irrespective of whether I hit his knee or ankle or nothing at all, he is
likely to withdraw his leg. I move forward to squat down, change my right
leopard punch to a right cup fist and following the movement of his withdrawing
leg, strike his “dan tian” or the vital point at the abdomen, with internal force
channelled from my cup fist, Fig 11.15. This dan tian is the focus of his chi or
intrinsic energy. An appropriate strike at his dan tian can shatter his internal
energy field, thus putting him out of combat. This tactics is known as chasing the
shadow if there is no form — form being his withdrawing leg. Notice that my
other hand guards his withdrawing leg. It does not matter if he does not
withdraw his leg; I would still follow up with the same pattern, which is called
“Hitting a Tiger”.
He may, despite being hit, spring up his other leg for a knee strike at my
head. I will be ready for this anticipated move; I change my right fist to an open
palm and “float” or deflect his left knee, and simultaneously strike the same spot
(i.e., his dan tian) with my left cup fist. Fig 11.16.
Fig 11.14 Striking the Knee

Fig 11.15 Hitting the Tiger

 Fig 11.16 Striking the Dan Tian Again

Overcoming Throws and Multiple Attacks

My master, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, once told me that many years ago a judo expert
from Japan paid him a special visit to test his Shaolin Kungfu. As they walked
along, the judo expert put his arm around my master like an old friend.
“Did he know you before?” I asked innocently.
“No,” my master said, “but he was trying to throw me many times as we
walked along.”
“You could easily have given him an elbow jab or a kick to his shin,” I
said.
“I didn’t, because his gesture was friendly, and you don’t do such things
to a guest who has come from very far away to put his arm around you.”
“Did he succeed in throwing you?”
“He didn’t. It is actually quite easy to neutralize throws. You just apply
the principle of ‘Move the stance, change the step’. The judo expert was simply
amazed.”
I was very keen to test the validity of my master’s teaching on myself,
and found that it works excellently. It is indeed amazing that just one principle,
when applied skilfully, can be used to overcome countless combative situations.
Basically, the principle of “Move the stance, change the step”, which sounds
poetic in Chinese, means that whenever an opponent attempts to throw you, you
can frustrate his effort by regaining your balance as soon as he tries to throw off
your balance. This can be achieved by adjusting your foot position and sitting
low on your stance. Figures 11.17 to 11.22 illustrate two examples.
In Fig 11.17 the opponent tries to throw me over his shoulder, similar to
a Shaolin pattern called “Farmer Digs the Ground”. I push my front leg right into
and between his two legs, sit on a reverse bow-arrow stance, and grip his hair
from behind, Fig 11.18, in a pattern called “Pulling a Bull’s Tail”.
Fig 11.17 Farmer Digs the Ground
 Fig 11.18 Pulling a Bull’s Tail

In Fig 11.19 the opponent attempts a backward throw by tripping my leg,

resembling the Shaolin pattern “Uprooting a Tree”, which we have met earlier
except that in the Shaolin pattern the exponent uses the horse-riding stance or the
bow-arrow stance for better stability. I lift up my attacked leg, Fig 11.20, swiftly
bring it far back behind me, Fig 11.21, simultaneously pull the opponent to fall
forward face-on, immobilize his pushing arm by squatting on it, and grip his
neck with one hand, Fig 11.22, in a pattern called “Catching a Snake on the
Ground”. All these actions are done continuously in a split second.
Fig 11.19 Opponent Tripping Me to Fall Backward
 Fig 11.20 Lifting up the Attacked Leg

Fig 11.21 Pulling the Opponent to Fall Forward

Fig 11.22 Locking Arm and Gripping Neck

This principle of “Move the stance, change the step; shift and dodge, advance
and retreat” can be used as an excellent strategy against multiple opponents.
There is a kungfu saying that “it is difficult for two fists to match four hands”,
which means that even if you are a good fighter, you may not match two
opponents attacking you at the same time, although you can easily defeat them
one at a time.
Now imagine you are surrounded by six opponents. If three of them
attack you at the same time, what are you going to do? You can fight them one
at a time if you swiftly move away from your original position into any one of
the six opponents. Because you have moved away, the three simultaneous
attacks cannot reach you, so you need not have to use “two fists against six
hands”. You will have to be constantly on your move, making full use of “shift
and dodge, advance and retreat”, to avoid more than two hands attacking you at
the same time.
If you have confidence in defeating your opponents, go for their leader
(irrespective of whether he is currently attacking you) and strike him before the
others close on you. Once the leader is beaten, the others usually chicken out.
However, if you think they are formidable, go ferociously at their most timid
member, not so much to strike him but to get him out of your way so that you
can escape immediately.

Frustrating Locks and Fast Punches

If you know how to apply effectively just one tactical principle, “Follow his
momentum, break his flow”, you can frustrate most attempts to hold or lock you!
Technically speaking, executing a lock is more advanced than executing a punch
or kick, because it necessitates making many movements, whereas punching and
kicking need only one. This explains why punches and kicks are more frequent
in most fighting, and also why it is harder to get out of a lock than to defend
against a punch or kick.
Let us briefly examine an example of how to apply the above tactics to
prevent getting into a hold, as well as getting out from one. Fig 11.23 shows an
opponent pulling me to fall forward, trying to lock my arm with the pattern
“Catching a Snake on the Ground”, as in Figures 11.21 and 11.22 above. Instead
of resisting, I follow his pulling momentum and move one leg forward to regain
balance, Fig 11.24. Then, I swing my held arm upward in an arc to break his
hold on my arm, simultaneously strike his face with my other fist, and move one
leg backward into the bow-arrow stance (so as to eliminate the exposure of my
groin) in a pattern called “Old Elephant Drops Tusk”, Fig 11.25.

Fig 11.23 Opponent Pulling Me to Fall Forward

Fig 11.24 Following His Momentum to Regain Balance

 Fig 11.25 Old Elephant Drops Tusk

In Fig 11.26 the opponent holds my head from behind in a pattern called Two
Dragons Carry a Pearl. If he forcefully turns my head, he can break my neck and
that would be the end of me — physically. This is a deadly technique, and
should never be used by Shaolin disciples unless it is absolutely necessary. If I
try to resist his turning, it is using the weakness of my neck against the strength
of his two arms. (Although his hands are holding my head, if he locks his wrists,
it is actually the arms that provide the strength.) So I follow the momentum of
his turn, then break his flow by putting my front arm round his two arms to lock
them, and placing my front leg behind his legs to trip him and stabling my
stance, I fell him onto the ground with a push and twist, Fig 11.27, in a pattern
called Holding the Moon Close to the Body. When he is caught unprepared on
the floor, I could jab two fingers into his eyes, but I stop just an inch away, Fig
11.28, demonstrating that Shaolin disciples do not return a tooth for a tooth.
Fig 11.26 Two Dragons Carry a Pearl
 Fig 11.27 Holding the Moon
(a)

(b)

Fig 11.28 Do Not Return a Tooth for a Tooth

Like other kungfu principles, this tactics of following the enemy’s momentum,
then breaking his flow, can be fruitfully applied to our daily lives. Suppose some
envious colleagues are scheming to trap you into a quagmire. Instead of flaring
out immediately, which may force them to employ more drastic measures, you
follow their scheme a short way on safe ground, and when you are with their
momentum, you break their flow (such as by removing some essential
intermediate steps). Your enemies would have to abandon their scheme.
What would you do if you meet an expert who has fast, powerful
punches, such as a skilful boxer (using Western boxing)? If you try to block his
punches, you commit the error of confronting his strong points. One useful
strategy is to ignore his punches and concentrate on attacking his lower body, as
illustrated in Figures 11.29 and 11.30. You will notice that the strategy here is
“Avoid his strong points, attack his weak ones”; and the tactics is “Long against
short”.
Fig 11.29 Side Kick to the Opponent’s Abdomen

Fig 11.30 Clutch Kick to the Opponent’s Knee

We start this chapter on tactics and strategy with some invaluable advice from
Sun Tzu; it is also fitting to conclude with another quotation from this great
strategist, who provides us with the insight that when we observe a master
defeating a formidable opponent, we can see the particular technique employed
to secure victory; often we also know the tactical considerations behind the
techniques used, but most of us may not be aware of the underlying strategy
from which the tactics and techniques are evolved.

People know the tactics I employ for securing victory,
but no one knows the strategy from which victory is evolved.

12: THE FASCINATING FORCE OF SHAOLIN
MASTERS

(Various Kinds of Force in Shaolin Kungfu)

Shaolin Kungfu is not meant for hurting others but for saving lives and
helping people towards enlightenment.

Basic Force and Specialized Force

To be a good fighter it is not enough to know fighting techniques, possess
combative skills like spacing, timing, and fluid movement, and have a sound
understanding of tactics and strategy. The successful fighter must also have
sufficient force to back up his techniques and skills, and good speed to execute
them efficiently.
Skills, power, and speed are closely related, and are collectively known
as gong (pronounced as “kung”), a Chinese concept that has no suitable
equivalent in English, but for want of a better term, is translated here as “force”.
The importance of gong in kungfu is evident from the fact that the term
“kungfu” (spelled as “gongfu” in Romanized Chinese) actually refers to the
attainment of gong, rather than an accumulation of fighting techniques.
Gong or force may be classified as basic or specialized; external or
internal; and as arts of power, arts of energy or arts of lightness. These different
classifications and descriptions of force are meant for the convenience of study,
and should not be taken as rigid compartmentalization, as some people used to
exclusive division in western science may presume. Moreover, because of the
cultural and linguistic difference between English and Chinese, terms or
concepts that are perfectly logical in Chinese may appear odd in English. As one
of the objectives of this chapter is to present to western readers some important
concepts of force originally expressed in the Chinese language, readers are
requested to exercise some patience if they come across terms or descriptions
that may be problematic due to cultural and linguistic differences. But their
patience will be amply rewarded as these concepts, little known in the west, are
of as much philosophical as well as practical value. The methods to develop
some examples of this fantastic force are explained in the next three chapters.
Basic force is holistic and transferable; it may be applied to any part of
the body, and for different functions. For example, if you have a good storage of
intrinsic energy you may, if you know the methods, channel it to your head for
clear thinking, to your hands for powerful strikes, or round the ren and du
meridians for stamina (see Chapter 20). Specialized force, on the other hand, is
localized and particular; it is usually focused at one specific part of the body and
for a particular purpose. For example, if you have developed specialized force at
your head in an art called Iron Head, it is specifically used to break an
opponent’s bones in combat or granite slabs in impressive demonstrations, but
not normally used for clear thinking or channelled to other parts of the body for
other functions.
Certain types of basic force are essential to kungfu training. In the
English language, they are more appropriately referred to as basic skills,
indicating that the Chinese concept gong incorporates both force and skills. At
the beginning stage of kungfu training, these skills include various stances and
footwork, fundamental techniques and simple methods to develop the minimum
power to apply these techniques. At a more advanced stage where kungfu
patterns are applied for combat, these basic skills include timing, spacing, and
fluid movement that we have learned in Chapter 10. “Basic” here means
“forming the foundation” or “very important”. Hence, anyone who wishes to
excel in kungfu should pay much attention to these basic skills, which are
referred to in Chinese as “basic force” in one of the main ways in classifying
force.

Three Levels of Force

Another main way is to classify force into external and internal. External force is
sometimes called “gang” or hard force; and internal force called “rou” or soft
force. The division is arbitrary, and the description is provisional, because
sometimes it may not be easy to classify certain force as external or internal, and
internal force can be very hard, too. Besides, the English equivalent “soft” does
not adequately convey the meaning of the Chinese concept “rou”; thus,
expressions like “soft force can be more powerful than hard force”, which is
perfectly acceptable in Chinese, may seem funny in English.
In the Shaolin teaching, the lowest level of force is hard, external force,
such as Iron Legs for whirlwind kicks, developed after having kicked at a tree
trunk more than a million times. Such kicks are extremely powerful and fast, and
very effective for fighting, yet this type of force is not highly valued in Shaolin
Kungfu because its training is not only rough and painful, but may cause
irreversible damage to the legs; its application is limited (unless you want to be a
professional kick-boxer) and is therefore not cost-effective; and the nature of
training tends to make the practitioner violent and aggressive.
The intermediate level is soft force, which may be external or internal,
such as fast, agile movement (which is considered as external) or well-
coordinated breathing resulting in good stamina (considered as internal). This
type of force is superior to hard, external force like Iron Legs because not only it
is useful for fighting, it also contributes to our work and play. Moreover, all the
setbacks of hard external force mentioned in the previous paragraph are absent.
Someone with Iron Legs may break the opponent’s hands or head if the
opponent is ignorant enough to block them or too slow to move away. But if you
are fast and agile, and have good stamina, you have a good chance to defeat Mr.
Iron Legs if you are trained in the various Shaolin techniques, skills, and
strategies described in the previous chapters. If both of you are totally untrained,
but you are fast and agile, and he only has iron legs, you are still in a superior
situation — in combat as well as in daily living.
The highest level of force is both hard and soft, external and internal,
such as Cosmos Palm, where the exponent can cause serious damage without
leaving any outward mark, and Golden Bell where the exponent can withstand
strikes and even weapon attacks without sustaining injury! This type of force
usually begins as soft and internal, and is often so described, but it can manifest
as hard and external at the advance stage.
Someone may ask, not without good reasons, what happens if a master
with Cosmos Palm strikes another master with Golden Bell. This depends on the
relative force of the two masters. If the Cosmos Palm is very much more
powerful, it will damage the Golden Bell. If it is the reverse, the Golden Bell
will bounce back the force and hurt the Cosmos Palm! But the injury of either
one, if any, will be far more serious if he had not been trained in the respective
advance force.
Nevertheless, it is not just because of their highly desirable martial
functions that these arts are considered to be of the highest level of force. These
arts are excellent for promoting health, vitality, and longevity, enabling the
exponents to put more life into their years, and more years into their lives. It is
obvious that the kind of force that is both hard and soft, external and internal is
superior to force that is only soft externally or internally, as the former includes
and surpasses the latter.

Power, Energy, and Lightness

Another useful practice is to classify force as the arts of power (ying gong), the
arts of energy (qi gong or chi kung), and the arts of lightness (qing gong). In this
classification, the translation of the Chinese term gong into English as “force” is
most inadequate; thus I prefer to use the word “arts” instead of “force”.
The arts of power refer to hard force, which is usually external but may
sometimes be internal. Some examples of these powerful arts include Iron Palm,
Iron Arm, Iron Head, Iron Leg, Stone Lock, and Eagle Claw. It is commonly
said that Shaolin Kungfu is well known for its arts of power, which is true but
which may be misleading if understood superficially, for it may wrongly imply
that soft and internal force, and the other arts of energy and of lightness, are not
significant.
The arts of energy, sometimes called internal arts or nei gong, refer to the
application of intrinsic energy to enhance combat efficiency. Some examples of
famous Shaolin energy arts are Iron Shirt, Golden Bell, Cosmos Palm, Diamond
Palm, One Finger Zen, Golden Finger, Marvellous Fist, Cosmos Breathing,
Small Universe, and Big Universe. As mentioned earlier, Chinese terms and
descriptions are often used provisionally; they should not be taken as rigid
scientific names meant for exclusive sets. The Chinese term for this class of
energy arts is referred to as chi kung, sometimes as hard chi kung; the term “chi
kung” is also used collectively for all kinds of arts dealing with energy that may
not be related to kungfu. In fact, in later chapters we shall read about some
aspects of Shaolin Chi Kung that are specially meant to cure illness, promote
longevity, and develop spirituality, and have no combative functions normally.
A similar example of such linguistic complication can also be found in the use of
the term “Chinese” in the English language. When we refer to a citizen of China
as a Chinese, he may not actually be Chinese, i.e., of the Chinese race (e.g., he
may be a Manchurian or a Mongolian); whereas a Chinese (like one staying in
America or Australia) may not be a Chinese, i.e., a citizen of China.
The third class in this classification is the arts of lightness, which is a
figurative term to describe a class of specially trained abilities that may be
generally summarized as being exceptionally fast and agile. Some examples of
these lightness-arts include Thousand Steps, Running on Grass, Running on
Water, Plum Flower Formation, Through the Woods, Walking on Baskets, and
Light Body Skill. In Chinese, these terms are poetic and meaningful. In the
history of kungfu, some Shaolin masters were known for their ability to run
extremely fast, run for very long distances, and jump very high.
My master lived near a river when he was a small boy. One day he saw
an old man literally run across the river, which he knew was deep. He told me he
actually pinched himself to ascertain he was not dreaming. Even at that early
age, my master knew he witnessed a very advanced kind of qing gong or the art
of lightness called “Running on Water as if on Land”. For many months he
waited for the old man to appear again, but to no avail. Understandably, most
people would not believe it is possible to run on water unless they see it with
their own eyes.

An Invaluable Lesson

My master also told me a lesson that he would never forget. He started to learn
Northern Shaolin Kungfu very early. His was a traditional way whereby the
student followed the master like an apprentice, serving the master in all his
personal needs, and getting two square meals in return, besides learning the
master’s art. Every morning he had to wake up early to run with the master. First
they ran along the sleepers of a railway track, skipping over one and then more
sleepers as they progressed, so as to widen their steps.
Later his master marked out ten trees in a circle in a forest. They started
running together, but soon his master, despite his age, was far ahead. Then the
old master would be out of sight. Next the old master would come up from
behind, and as his old master overtook him, he would be given a whack and be
scolded for being slow. This went on for many months.
One day my master, who was then a young student, decided that he had
enough. When the old master asked him to train, he said, “No, I have enough of
your beating!”
“You’ve been making good progress,” the old master said.
“What progress? You said you would teach me kungfu, but all that I have
learned was running and being hit.”
“But I have been teaching you kungfu. If you stop halfway, you’ll waste
all your previous effort. Are you going to train?”
My master could catch a wink from his master’s wife, signalling to him
to carry on training. But he had made up his mind. He told me that at that time,
kungfu to him meant punches and kicks and elaborate patterns, just like what
many students erroneously believe today. “No, I’m not going to continue,” he
insisted.
The old master was getting angry. “I’m asking you seriously the third
and last time. Are you going to train with me? I want to remind you again that if
you stop now, you are going to waste all your previous effort in your kungfu
training, which is a great pity.”
“What kungfu? It’s just running and being hit. No, I’m not going to train,
even if you skin me!”
 “Since you have made up your mind, follow me and I’ll show you what
kind of kungfu I’m teaching you.”
They went to an open space at the back of the house. There was a high
wall with pieces of broken glasses on top of the wall purposely placed by the
builder to prevent burglary.
“Now watch carefully. Don’t blink your eyes,” the old master said. He
went to the bottom of the wall, folded his long robe and tucked it into his waist
slash, bent his knees slightly, and sprung up from the spot high into the air with a
sweep of the long smoking pipe he habitually carried with him, brushed aside
some pieces of glasses, and stood motionlessly on the high wall with one leg and
arms spread out like an elegant crane! The old master stood majestically on the
wall for a few seconds, then jumped down and landed gracefully without making
any sound!
Immediately my master knew this was qing gong, the arts of lightness.
He prostrated before the old master, apologized profusely for his rashness, and
begged the master to accept him again. No, the master said. It was a tradition
among old masters that if they asked you three times, thus giving you an
opportunity thrice, and yet you refused, they regarded that you were not destined
to learn their art.
My master said that was his greatest regret for failing to learn a priceless
art, but it provided him with an invaluable lesson: he resolved that if found a
good master next time, he would do whatever the master commanded. Hence,
years later when he met a good master of Southern Shaolin Kungfu, at a time
when he himself was already an accomplished fighter, he did just a seemingly
simple movement with a finger on the horse-riding stance (the “Art of One-
Finger Shooting Zen” explained in Chapter 5), and hardly anything else for three
years, because his master asked him to do so. His effort was richly rewarded as
he succeeded in the rare, advanced art of One Finger Zen, which is applied to the
technique of dian xue (or dim mark in Cantonese) where the exponent can cause
serious injury with only a finger and often without the opponent knowing.
He also had an immediate consolation. Pitying him, his simu, the old
master’s wife who tried to help him by signalling with a wink, taught him a
kungfu set called Seven Stars. Indeed, it was while teaching me Seven Stars that
my master told me this case history. He also asked me, “Suppose a fragile-
looking lady meets an agile, powerful kick boxer in combat. How could she
defeat the opponent?” The Shaolin Seven Stars Set is a good answer because it is
built upon techniques and tactics meant for a woman or a comparatively weaker
person against an exponent with hard, external force.

Iron Palm and Cosmos Palm

Probably the best known example of hard, external force in Shaolin Kungfu is
the Iron Palm. It is classified as external because the main part of its training is
by external means, such as hitting sandbags and thrusting the palm into iron
filings. It is classified as hard because its function is visibly destructive, such as
breaking bricks and smashing bones. Yet in the hands of a master, Iron Palm can
be manifested as soft and internal force. For example, meeting the challenge of a
Russian who had brought in a trained horse to insult the feebleness of the
Chinese people in this early twentieth century, the famous Shaolin master, Gu
Ru Zhang, used his Iron Palm to hit the horse only once. The poor horse dropped
and died. There was not a trace of injury on the surface of the horse, but when it
was operated on, it was found that its internal organs were badly damaged.
Ordinarily, if a master strikes his Iron Palm on a horse, its flesh will be
smashed up. Although Gu Ru Zhang used Iron Palm, what he demonstrated was
actually the effect of Cosmos Palm. Someone has given a vivid, albeit
exaggerated, description to contrast the Iron Palm with the Cosmos Palm as
follows. If a master strikes an Iron Palm on a wall, the wall will collapse. If
another master strikes the same wall with a Cosmos Palm, nothing will happen
to the wall, but the furniture behind the wall will be damaged.
The Cosmos Palm is internal and soft. It is generally classified as internal
because its main training is by internal means, such as breath control and
meditation. It is classified as soft because the actual palms of a master of this art
are soft and gentle, without telltale signs like disproportionate large size, callus,
and toughness, which are common characteristics of the Iron Palm, and the
effects of its application are without the potent destructive features of a hard
force.
In Sifu Ho Fatt Nam’s school, Iron Palm training was one of the basic
requirements for his advanced students. I had practised the Iron Palm for some
time, striking my palms on a bag of iron filings when one night he said to me,
“You have fine palms like a lady’s. Don’t spoil your palms with this hard
training.” For a moment I thought that would be the end of my force training.
But my master continued, “I’ll teach you Cosmos Palm instead.”
I bet many people would be very surprised if shown some training steps
of the Cosmos Palm; they seem so unrelated to developing force. I was taught to
move my arms in an apparently simple manner, coordinating my breathing and
making appropriate sounds. There was no hitting of sandbags, thrusting palms
into granules, or any hard conditioning at all. I was more surprised when a few
months later I could break a brick with my lady’s hands. Then my master taught
me Cosmos Breathing, which led me to the wonders of Shaolin Chi Kung, and
later he taught me meditation, which gave me glimpses of the greatest
achievement any being could attain here or anywhere! This change of training
from Iron Palm to Cosmos Palm was certainly one of the best blessings in all my
Shaolin practice.
I am glad that I had no need to use the Cosmos Palm in combat, although
I was involved in real fighting a few times. Nevertheless, there were two
interesting occasions that confirm for me the potential damage the Cosmos Palm
can inflict.
There was an old, unwanted papaya tree in my garden to be cleared
away. For fun, I struck the tree trunk a few times using my Cosmos Palm. When
a workman sawed the trunk to discard the tree in parts, he was surprised to find
that the interior of a certain section was blackened although its exterior was
intact, and all other parts were normal. This section was exactly where I applied
the Cosmos Palm on the trunk.
After kungfu training a few of my advanced disciples and I discussed the
application of the Cosmos Palm in an incredible art known as “Hitting a Buffalo
Behind a Hill”, where force could be passed through a person unhurt to injure
another person behind! As some were keen to know how the first person could
be unhurt, I demonstrated this to them. I hit each one of them on one arm near
the shoulder and asked them to feel the effect on the other arm. But it was very
important that they be relaxed, for if they tensed their bodies, their tension could
block the flow of internal force, thereby hurting them. All of them felt the effect
on the other arm; some even felt a flash of energy across their bodies. Wong Yin
Tat, my senior disciple who specializes in the art of Iron Shirt whereby he can
take punches and kicks without sustaining injury, tensed for a moment.
Two days later Yin Tat, who had never been sick since practising Shaolin
Kungfu, felt feverish with a cough and pain in his chest. At once he knew it was
due to our experiment with Cosmos Palm. I opened some relevant vital points
and transmitted chi (or energy) into him to clear away his energy blockage. It is
interesting to add that my son, Wong Chun Nga, who could see into organs, saw
a cloud of dark energy inside his chest, and when I transmitted chi into Yin Tat,
he saw a beam of greenish golden energy issuing from my fingers to disperse the
dark energy. Yin Tat also performed some remedial chi kung exercises, and a
few days later he was completely cured. Some people may find this hard to
believe, but it was all true.
As I have spent many years practising the Cosmos Palm, but have never
used it for actual fighting, is it a waste of my time? Certainly not. The internal
force that I have developed in my Cosmos Palm has enabled me to help
countless people. For example, children with various types of pain often had
their pain relieved after I had placed my palm over their troubled spots; many
adults at my chi kung seminars had an immediate experience of chi after I had
transmitted chi to them; old people with degenerative illnesses usually sped up
their recovery remarkably after I had improved their energy flow using the
energy of my Cosmos Palm. These performances reduce my intrinsic energy,
thus making my Cosmos Palm less potent for combat, but as many Shaolin
masters have said in different words, Shaolin Kungfu is not meant for hurting
others but for saving lives and helping people towards enlightenment.

13: PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF POWER
TRAINING

(Shaolin Iron Palm and Iron Arm)

Have mercy on your opponent if ever you have to use your kungfu on them.

Important Factors for Force Training

After reading about the fantastic effects of kungfu force in the previous chapter,
many readers would have the impression that the methods to develop kungfu
force must be elaborated and kept as top secret. They would probably be very
surprised if shown the once-secretive methods, for except some internal arts, the
training procedures of most types of kungfu force are so bafflingly simple that
many people may question whether these methods really produce the incredible
results claimed for the various types of force. I can assure them that if they
practise the recommended methods correctly and persistently over a reasonable
period of time, they will certainly derive the effect attributed to the force. Indeed,
the “top secret”, without which no one who attempts force training will ever
succeed even if he knows the method, is “training correctly and persistently over
a reasonable period of time.”
The “correct” methods of many interesting types of kungfu force are
explained in some detail in this and two subsequent chapters. The “persistent”
training will of course have to be done by you yourself. A good book may
supply invaluable information, a master may provide the personal guidance that
will enhance your development, but no one (and no drugs) can do the training
for you. Persistent training means practising for about half an hour (some force
training may need a longer time) every morning and evening or night without
fail. You may practise just once every day, but the attainment of your force,
understandably, will take a longer period. It is permissible if you miss your
practice once a while, but your overall training must be regular. On the other
hand, it is not necessary, sometimes even injurious, to train more than required.
Regarding a reasonable period of time needed for attaining the force,
masters in the past advised that “three years is required for small success; ten
years for great success.” If you train for the Iron Palm, “small success” is
something like making a big hole in a brick wall with one strike; “great success”
will cause the whole wall to collapse. Translated into fighting situations, an Iron
Palm of small success can kill an ordinary person with just one strike. This
explains that in kungfu philosophy, the exponent would take great care not to be
hit even once; exchanging blows generously, as is quite common among
combatants nowadays, was unthinkable in kungfu fighting of the past.
Because of changed conditions, the standards of kungfu then and now are
vastly different. Even an average student in the Shaolin Monastery could easily
strike a hole in a wall; a master’s power would be unbelievable to a modern,
uninitiated person. Nowadays just breaking a brick with a palm strike is a
remarkable achievement. Hence, for our modern purpose, if you train daily for
one year, you should attain small success; and three years for great success.
A common question many students have in mind, but feel uncomfortable
asking, is whether they can have sex during the period of training. In the past,
masters asked their students to abstain from sex during the training period; if this
proved too demanding, they should at least abstain for the first hundred days,
which constitute the foundation-laying stage. As mentioned above, conditions as
well as standards aimed at are now different; nowadays masters generally advise
their students to carry on their normal sex lives in moderation. With sex added to
the training, the period required to attain the desired force will be longer, but
most agree that it is wiser to maintain sanity (and sometimes family harmony)
than sacrifice it for rapid force development.
Of the three kinds of classification of force described in the previous
chapter, the triple division of force into the arts of power, the arts of energy, and
the arts of lightness is most comprehensive, as it also incorporates the principal
features of the other two classifications, such as basic and specialized, external
and internal. Hence, we shall adopt this classification for the purpose of
describing force training. Two examples of the arts of power are explained in
this chapter, and other examples of the arts of energy and the arts of lightness are
explained in the following two chapters.

Training for Iron Palm

The methods for the training of the various arts of power, or hard force, such as
Iron Palm, Iron Arms, and Iron Leg, are astonishingly simple. Although there are
some finer points that most students would not know unless revealed by a
master, and which we shall study presently, generally anyone who may know
nothing about martial arts persistently strikes his palms, arms, or legs on a
sandbag, pole, or some suitable objects a hundred times every day for three years
will inevitably develop the Iron Palm, Arm, or Leg. If he is aware of the finer
points, he will not only attain his force in a much shorter time, but also avoid the
unfavourable side-effects that uninformed practice may bring. Why, then, do
very few people achieve such powerful arts as the Iron Palm or Iron Leg? It is
because very few people have the patience and self-discipline to sustain training
for the required length of time.
Prepare a rectangular striking bag made of canvas about one foot by two
feet. It is preferable for the bag to be of two layers, so as to prevent its content,
which will have been rendered to dust after repeated hitting, from filtering
through the bag into your nose. Fill the bag with a mixture of black beans and
green beans of about equal portions. Place the bag at a suitable height (about two
and-a-half feet) on a firm support. Place a piece of clean canvas over the bag, so
as further prevent its dust from getting into your nose. Shaolin philosophy insists
that no matter what or how we train, it should contribute to our well-being, and
must never affect our health or physiological function unfavourably. We do not
want students to have, for example, powerful palms but suffocated lungs.
Go into the horse-riding stance in front of the bag, which should be at
about your waist level. Take a few deep breaths and focus your mind at your dan
tian, which is an energy field about three inches below your navel. Be alert and
relaxed.
Then raise your arm high above your head, gently breathing in as you do
so, Fig 13.1. Focus your chi or intrinsic energy at the centre of your palm, where
there is a vital point known as lao gong. Drop your arm smoothly and strike the
bean bag firmly, gently breathing out as you do so, Fig 13.2. It is very important
that you must not use strength, and must not tense your arm or any part of your
body! This is a crucial secret of the training method. Most people erroneously
think that the more strength you use, the more force you will develop. It is not
so. If you use strength or tense your arm, you impede the flow of internal force
from your dan tian to your palm.
Fig 13.1 Raising the Palm High Before Striking

Fig 13.2 Striking the Bag Firmly and Squarely

Let your palm strike the bean bag firmly and squarely; look at the palm with
your eyes and focus your chi at the centre of the palm. Leave the palm in contact
with the bag for a few seconds and relax. Then raise the same arm above your
head and repeat the procedure for about ten times.
After about ten strikes with one palm, repeat the routine with the other
palm. This constitutes one form of striking with the palm known as pai, or “slap”
in English.
Repeat the same procedure, first with one palm and then with the other,
using another form of striking known as pi, or “chop”. Here, the striking point is
the edge of the palm, Fig 13.3. The focus when the arm is raised above the head,
and when the palm is chopped onto the bean bag, is at the striking point.
Fig 13.3 The Striking Point of “Pi” or “Chop”

Then the third form of striking, known as yin or “stamp”, where the striking
point is the base of the palm, is similarly performed, Fig 13.4. Thus, the whole
sequence consists of three parts — pai or slap with the whole palm, pi or chop
with its edge, and yin or stamp with its base — and each part consists of ten
strikes with each hand, making a total of sixty strikes.
Fig 13.4 The Striking Point of “Yin” or “Stamp”

After the whole sequence of sixty strikes, drop both palms at your sides, bend
forward slightly from your horse-riding stance, Fig 13.5 (a), and jump to bring
your feet together, simultaneously breathing in gently with your nose and
bringing your hands up in front to your chest level with both palms facing
upward, Fig 13.5 (b). Then, as you gently breathe out through your mouth, turn
your palms to face downward and slowly lower them to a position in front of
your abdomen, Fig 13.5 (c). Drop your hands and let your arms hang naturally at
your sides. Focus your chi at your dan tian in the abdomen, Fig 13.5 (d).
Fig 13.5 Bringing Chi to the Dan Tian
(a)

(b)

(c)
 (d)

Next, wash your arms and palms in a basin of a warm medicinal concoction, the
ingredients and preparation of which will be given later. While your hands are
still wet, perform another sequence of sixty strikes. Jump to bring your feet
together, drop your hands, and focus your chi at your dan tian as before. Then
gently close your eyes, relax and remain at this Standing Meditation with eyes
closed for a few minutes. Do not think of anything in your standing meditation;
you will probably feel power swelling at your palms.
At the conclusion of the training session, wash your arms and palms in
the warm medicinal concoction again. Let the concoction on your hands dry by
itself. If your palm is injured during the training, rub some medicinal wine onto
the injured parts after the arms and palms are perfectly dry. Avoid contact with
water on the injured part for about an hour after you have applied the medicinal
wine. It is not necessary to apply the wine if there is no injury. However, if the
medicinal concoction is not available, then apply the medicinal wine at the end
of the training irrespective of whether there is any injury or not, and keep away
from contact with water for an hour.
You must stand properly at the horse-riding stance throughout the
process of striking the bean bag sixty times; otherwise your training is merely
mechanical, missing the internal part where force is developed at the dan tian
and channelled to the palms during striking. Being able to stand at the horse-
riding stance for some time is a prerequisite. However, if your stance is unable to
last the whole sequence, you may pause after each part. In other words, after
striking with one form of the palm, you may jump up to stand with feet together
for a while before proceeding to the next form. On the other hand, as you
progress, you should gradually increase the number of strikes with each palm
form, so that you may be making hundreds of strikes in one session.
After practising for about three months, you can change the content of
the striking bag from beans to sand. After another three months, change the sand
to marbles, pebbles, or ball bearings. If these are not available, you can continue
with sand. You should practise twice daily for about a year. In the past, Iron
Palm training included thrusting the palm into iron filings. Such a drastic step is
not recommended nowadays.

Preserving Sensitivity and Relieving Injury

At least once a week throughout the training, at any convenient time, place eight
beans or grains of sand on a table on your side. Using your thumb and a different
finger at one time, pick out one grain and transfer it to the other side. Repeat
with the other hand. Later, use threads or hairs instead of beans or sand. The
purpose of this “yin” aspect of the training is to balance the “yang” aspect, so
that the sensitivity and utility of the hands are not impaired.
Application of medicine is necessary in hard, external training to serve
two important functions: to cure injuries sustained during the training, and to
enhance the progress by gendering better blood and chi circulation. The Chinese
names and appropriate amount of the ingredients of the medicinal concoction,
which is called “Soothing Muscles and Livening Blood Concoction for
Washing”, are as follows:

shen jing cao 12 grams
hai tong bi 12 grams
zuo qin yuan 12 grams
da du huo 12 grams
shan gou teng 12 grams
chuan hong hua 12 grams
da dang gui 8 grams
ru xiang 8 grams
mo yao 8 grams

This prescription is an herbal mixture, not a chemical compound; thus, if one or
two ingredients are unavailable, the mixture can still be used. The ingredients are
placed together in a basin with water and brewed over a small fire until the
concoction boils for a few minutes. It is allowed to cool until lukewarm for use
in bathing the arms and palms or other relevant parts of the body for force
training.
 Immediately after use, add some water to the concoction and boil it
again. Cover the concoction to prevent dust and micro-organisms from getting
in, and keep in a suitable place for use in the next training session, when it is
boiled again and then allowed to cool till lukewarm for bathing. Each mixture
may be used about ten times. Add water when necessary.
The following are the Chinese names of the ingredients of the medicinal
wine, generally known as medicinal wind for injuries sustained from falling and
being hit. Like above, this prescription is an herbal mixture, so it still can be
used even if one or two ingredients are not available:

gui wei, ru xiang, mo yao, chuan hong hua, zhi ke, mu xiang, tao
ren,
chuan gong, jin jie, chi yao, hu gu, ji geng, chen xiang, zhi zi, dan
pi.

Obtain 12 grams of each ingredient and soak them in about three pints of white
rice wine for around two months. Then pour out the medicinal wine, which is
now ready to be used, to be kept in suitable bottles. Discard the residue.
The above kungfu medicine can be used not only for Iron Palm training,
but also for other types of hard conditioning like Iron Fist, Iron Arm, and Iron
Leg. If such medicine is not available, an effective and convenient alternative is
chi kung therapy, such as the chi kung exercise known as “Lifting the Sky”,
explained in Chapter 4. As a substitute for the kungfu medicine, the chi kung
exercise should be performed before and after the hard force training, gently
visualizing during standing meditation that chi flows harmoniously down the
body and its relevant parts (such as the palms) to cleanse away any injury. It is
not advisable to practise hard conditioning without kungfu medication or chi
kung therapy, because if injuries sustained unwittingly during training are not
relieved, they may cause serious side-effects later on.

Rolling Bamboo for Three Years

Having powerful arms is obviously a big advantage for effective fighting. One
Shaolin method, which is as effective as its name is esoteric-sounding, is called
“Rolling Bamboo”. This method is incorporated in the following story, which
also reveals some vital lessons of kungfu in general and force training in
particular.
A young man from a rich family was very interested in kungfu. His
father employed many kungfu instructors to teach him, hoping that one day he
would become a kungfu expert. But as expected of rich pampered sons, the
young man was not ready to endure the hardship associated with force training,
so his instructors, in order to justify the attractive salaries received from his
wealthy father, taught him a lot of beautiful kungfu sets and patterns.
“Son, how is your kungfu progressing?” the father was fond of asking
him.
“Very good, father; sifu has just taught me another new set.” (Sifu means
“master”.)
The father was very proud of his son, and whenever there was any social
function he would ask his son to demonstrate, and all those present would say
what beautiful kungfu he could perform. Soon the father and son became
arrogant.
One day the father and son were involved in a brawl with some people.
The father asked the son to teach them a lesson, but instead they were badly
beaten. The father was very angry with his son for being so useless in actual
fighting, and the young man was so ashamed of himself that he ran away from
home, vowing never to return until he had become an efficient fighter.
The young man went up a mountain to beg a Shaolin monk, the
Venerable Tie Pi, to teach him Shaolin Kungfu. “I’ve practised useless kungfu
for many years,” he said to the monk.
“Show me your useless kungfu.”
After viewing the young man’s performance, the monk said, “It is you
and not the kungfu that is useless!”
 “Then, master, please teach me some kungfu that can be used for
fighting.”
“You are not ready for fighting; you are only fit to roll bamboo!”
“Roll bamboo?”
“Yes. Go to the woods, and bring me some round bamboo stems.”
The young man was very happy, thinking that now at last he could learn
some real kungfu. Soon he came back with round bamboo stems.
“Now place a bamboo stem on a table. Stand at the horse-riding stance
and roll the whole length of your arm over the bamboo. Do it every day,” the
monk told the young man.
Fig 13.6 Rolling Bamboo on a Table

The young man had heard that great masters taught students only after testing
their patience, so he resolved to do whatever the master asked him to. He rolled
one arm, then the other, then both arms over the bamboo stem, causing it to roll
under his arm along the table. He persisted, and rolled his arms thousands of
times over the bamboo stem the first day, but the master paid no notice of him.
The next day he did the same thing, yet the master paid no attention.
After the third day, he gathered enough courage to ask the master, “Sifu,
I have been rolling my arms over the bamboo for three days. When can I start to
learn kungfu?”
“Continue rolling!” the master commanded. “Practise your own kungfu
whenever you are tired of rolling the bamboo.”
So he kept rolling the bamboo every day. After three months, he asked
the master again, “Sifu, when can I start to learn kungfu?”
The master told him angrily, “Continue rolling! If you don’t want to roll
bamboo, you can go home.”
Going home without becoming a good fighter was the last thing he would
do. He had no choice but to keep rolling bamboo. Soon he found that the
bamboo broke easily when he rolled his arm over it. But what impressed him
most was the kungfu performance of his shih-xiong (senior classmate), who
attended to his master in the temple.

He’ll Break Your Arms

After one year he approached his master again, “Sifu, I’ve been rolling bamboo
every day for one year and I’ve broken many bamboo stems and also a few
tables. Can I start Shaolin Kungfu, or at least can I practise sparring with Shih-
xiong?”
“He’ll break your arms! Now place the bamboo below the table surface,
instead of on it, supported by one or both of your arms, and keep on rolling. You
can leave any time if you are dissatisfied.”
Fig 13.7 Rolling Bamboo Below a Surface

Another year passed, with more bamboo stems and tables broken. After rolling
bamboo for two years, the young man thought he would at last begin Shaolin
Kungfu. But when he approached his master, the monk asked him to roll stone
rollers on a stone table instead of rolling bamboo; nevertheless, the master
allowed him to spar with his shih-xiong. The young man was surprised his shih-
xiong had so much internal power.
The third year passed, and he had also broken a few stone rollers. He
gathered all the courage he had and asked his master, “Sifu, I’ve been rolling
bamboo and then stone rollers for three years. When can you teach me kungfu?”
“You can pack your things and go home,” the master said. The young
man was astonished. He knelt and apologized for his rashness. “Sifu, I’m sorry if
I have annoyed you, but I really want to learn Shaolin Kungfu. Please have
mercy on me.”
“I’ve taught you Shaolin Kungfu, and you have done remarkably well.
Go home; your parents are waiting for you. Have mercy on your opponent if
ever you have to use your kungfu on them.”
On his way home, the young man encountered four robbers. Finding no
money on him, the robbers were angry. One of them started to punch him.
Spontaneously the young man blocked the punch. The robber bent down
groaning with pain; his arm was fractured. Another robber executed a kick. The
young man blocked and fractured the robber’s leg. The third robber smashed his
staff onto his head; he blocked and broke the staff. The fourth robber slashed his
broadsword at the young man, who deflected it and broke it into two pieces! The
robbers begged for mercy.
Only then did the young man realize what wonderful Shaolin Kungfu he
had developed. The Iron Arm, like the Iron Palm, is classified as specialized,
hard, external force. He prostrated in the direction of his master, and knocked his
forehead three times on the ground as a sign of gratitude.
His wealthy father threw a grand party to welcome him home. People
were eager to know what he had learned from the famous Shaolin master, the
Venerable Tie Pi. “I only learned rolling bamboo and stone rollers,” he said
solemnly. Someone commented, “I thought Tie Pi was a great kungfu master; so
he only knew rolling bamboo!”
“How dare you insult my master!” the young man retorted, automatically
banging his arm on the table. The solid table broke into a few pieces.

14: SECRETS OF THE ENERGY MASTERS

(Developing Cosmos Palm and Iron Shirt)

Considering all these factors, it is not unreasonable to say that Shaolin
Kungfu is the greatest martial art in the world.

The Greatest Martial Art in the World

Many people, understandably, will vehemently oppose the claim that Shaolin
Kungfu is the greatest martial art in the world, but if they are willing to listen
rationally to the arguments substantiating this claim, they may concede its
validity. First of all, it needs to be clarified that claiming Shaolin Kungfu to be
the greatest martial art does not imply that one who practises Shaolin Kungfu is
necessarily a better fighter than one who practises another style of martial art. If
someone practises even a simple art well, he will probably be more efficient than
another who practises a profound art badly.
Moreover, practising a profound art well usually needs more time; hence,
at the early stage, a person practising an art that is solely meant for fighting
usually can fight better than another practising a martial art that also promises
other non-fighting benefits. For example, a Thai boxing student can fight fairly
well only after six months of training, and he may easily defeat a kungfu student
who has spent six months learning only stances and basic patterns. But if you are
looking for greater achievements than mere fighting, then Shaolin Kungfu can
offer much more than Thai boxing or any other martial art.
Below are the areas where Shaolin Kungfu compares more favourably
than any other martial arts:

1. Shaolin Kungfu patterns are aesthetic to watch and of a great variety. A

performance of Shaolin Kungfu is power, elegance, and beautiful form in

poetic movement.

2. The fighting techniques in Shaolin Kungfu are more extensive than in

any other martial art. While many martial arts specialize on only one
category of fighting, such as Western boxing on punching, taekwondo on
kicking, judo on throwing, and aikido on holding, Shaolin Kungfu not only
possesses all these techniques, there are some Shaolin techniques (like the
Horse Back-Kick, the Crab Hook, and the Phoenix Fist) that are not found
in any of the other arts.

3. The range and depth of “force” in Shaolin Kungfu far surpass those of

any other martial arts. The various types of force training in many other
 arts, like punching sandbags, kicking at poles, and carrying weights, are
comparatively simple; many types of Shaolin force, like Cosmos Palm,
Golden Bell and One Finger Zen, are incredible to other martial artists.

4. The rich theories for effective combat accumulated in Shaolin Kungfu,

like the principles and songs summarized in poetic expressions of effective

techniques, tactics, and strategies explained in previous chapters, reveal a
depth and scope that is not found in other martial arts. (Even Taijiquan,
with its exceedingly rich philosophy, cannot be compared with Shaolin.)

5. While the belief that top performance in fighting ability or sport

deteriorates after age thirty may be true in many martial arts, it is not true in
Shaolin Kungfu. Shaolin masters are youthful and energetic even after fifty,
and their fighting competency increases with age! This is because Shaolin
training involves the internal besides the external, and internal development
is not limited by chronological age.

6. While practising some martial arts are actually detrimental to health

(sustaining injuries that are not treated, and becoming aggressive and
violent), Shaolin Kungfu training contributes to health physically,
emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Taijiquan is excellent in this respect,
but Shaolin is even better because its development is both external and
internal, whereas Taijiquan focuses more on internal development.

7. Besides health, Shaolin Kungfu contributes greatly to vitality and

longevity. The vitality of a Shaolin disciple is often revealed in the sparkle

of his eyes. In comparison, if you observe carefully you may notice that the
eyes of martial artists of many other styles are often dull and yellowish,
indicating that they suffer from untreated insidious injury endured through
sparring. Shaolin Kungfu has an advantage in this respect over other martial
arts because it incorporates chi kung and medicine, both of which
contribute to vitality and longevity, whereas other martial arts do not. Chi
kung is also an important aspect of Taijiquan, thus enabling Taijiquan to
have this advantage like Shaolin, but there is comparatively less emphasis
on Chinese medicine in Taijiquan.
 8. Mental freshness as well as mind expansion are significant benefits of

Shaolin Kungfu, derived especially from practising meditation, which

forms an integral part of the Shaolin arts. Taijiquan, which also places
much importance on meditation, has these benefits, too. Meditation is not
an integral part of other martial arts; if it is ever practised, it is usually
treated as supplementary.

9. The philosophy of the Shaolin arts is extensive and profound, sometimes

touching on aspects that modern science is now rediscovering, such as the

concepts of the interchangeability of energy and matter mentioned in
Shaolin Chi Kung, and the various levels of consciousness in Shaolin
meditation. Studying Shaolin Kungfu at advanced levels is opening vistas
of Eastern wisdom.

10. The highest achievement of Shaolin Kungfu is spiritual fulfilment,

irrespective of one’s religion. No other martial arts, except Taijiquan, have

such a noble aim. Even in Taijiquan this supreme aim towards spiritual
fulfilment is not as explicitly stated as in Shaolin Kungfu.

Considering all these factors, it is not unreasonable to say that Shaolin Kungfu is
the greatest martial art in the world. We shall have a better perspective if we
recall that Shaolin Kungfu was first initiated by the great Bodhidharma as an aid
to enlightenment in the Shaolin Monastery, the foremost temple of the Chinese
Empire, which probably enjoyed the highest level of civilization in the world at
that time. The above ten factors show the potential benefits one can get from
practising Shaolin Kungfu, but of course he must be ready to work hard and be
blessed with a generous master. It is a Shaolin tradition that the advanced arts
are taught only to selected disciples, so he must also prove that he is worthy of
the arts. On the other hand, if someone learns only kungfu form and mistakes it
to be Shaolin Kungfu, as many people do, he may not even achieve the
minimum requirement of self defence.
Force training is a very important aspect of any style of kungfu. Many
people have heard of the saying: “If you only learn kungfu form but never
develop kungfu force, your kungfu will be futile even if you learn a lifetime”,
but not many people really understand its meaning, and less still put it into
practice. Two examples of hard force, or the art of power, are explained in the
previous chapter; in this chapter two examples of internal force, or the art of
energy, are discussed.

The Palm That Can Kill or Heal

An interesting feature of Shaolin Kungfu is that while it is a very effective
martial art, fighting is not its only objective. The Cosmos Palm is a remarkable
expression of this feature. While the Cosmos Palm can cause serious damage to
an opponent in combat, it can also bring much benefit in healing. The Cosmos
Palm is an advanced internal art, and should be trained only with the supervision
of a master. The methods described below are meant for knowledge rather than
self practice.
The foundation of the Cosmos Palm is the continuous flow of cosmic
energy in the body attained through the art of the Small Universe or micro-
cosmic flow. If the exponent has not attained the Small Universe, he should at
least be able to perform Abdominal Breathing or Cosmic Breathing (see Chapter
20).
After having acquired the Small Universe (or Abdominal Breathing, or
Cosmic Breathing), practise Forceful Windmill as follows. Standing upright with
feet together, thrust one palm in front as in Fig 14.1 (a), with a “her-it” sound
coming from the abdomen. Next raise the palm upward, simultaneously
breathing in through the nose, Fig 14.1 (b). Then lower the palm in an arc,
simultaneously breathing out with a continuous “shss” sound coming from the
lungs, Fig 14.1 (c), and ending at the original position, Fig 14.1 (a), with an
abrupt “sher” sound. The performing palm and arm should be terse with force
throughout the circulating movement, while the rest of the body is relaxed. Drop
the palm and arm after the “sher” sound and relax. Focus chi or intrinsic energy
at the dan tian in the abdomen. Repeat the process about ten times with the same
hand. Then repeat with the other hand. Increase the number of repetition as you
progress. Close your eyes and remain at Standing Meditation for a few minutes,
feeling internal force developing at the arms and palms.
Fig 14.1 Forceful Windmill
(a)
(b)

(c)
Next practise Pushing Mountains. Stand upright with eyes closed and channel
intrinsic energy to flow round the body in the Small Universe or micro cosmos a
few times. Then, while the Small Universal flow is going on, place both palms,
facing forward, at chest level, Fig 14.2 (a). Breathe in and visualize cosmic
energy flowing into your abdomen. Push both palms out, Fig 14.2 (b), breathing
out at the same time. Do not use strength, but visualize intrinsic energy flowing
from your back through your arms to your palms. Bring back both palms, Fig
14.2 (b), breathing in gently into the abdomen and visualizing cosmic energy
flowing into you. Repeat a few times. Then visualize a mountain in front. As you
push out your palms, visualize pushing away the mountains not with any
strength but with your chi or intrinsic energy; and as you bring back your palms,
draw the mountain towards you. Repeat between twenty to a hundred times. The
Small Universe is simultaneously flowing while you are pushing and
withdrawing your palms. Increase the number of repetition as you progress. At
the end of this procedure, drop the arms and stand at meditation for a few
minutes, feeling the flow of cosmic energy to the palms, Fig 14.2 (c).
Fig 14.2 Pushing Mountain
(a)
(b)

(c)
After a few months of pushing mountains, do not drop the palms immediately at
the end of pushing at least a hundred times, but hold the extended palms and
arms stationary, as in Fig 14.2 (b) above, for about five to twenty minutes. The
palms and arms are at right angles, the elbows straight, and the shoulders
relaxed. Imagine that your arms are very powerful. Then turn your palms so that
they face upward, and imagine that you are carrying the sun and the moon in
your palms, Fig 14.3 (a). Your elbows are straight and shoulders relaxed. Stand
at this Carrying the Sun and Moon position for another five to twenty minutes.
Next bring the sun and moon to the sides of your body, Fig 14.3 (b), and remain
stationary at this poise for a further five to twenty minutes. Your elbows should
be bent sharply and pointing backward, and your shoulders relaxed. Then turn
your palms to face downward, slowly lower them, and remain at Standing
Meditation for about ten to thirty minutes. Gently visualize two balls of energy
at the centre of your two palms, Fig 14.3 (c).
Fig 14.3 Carrying the Sun and Moon
(a)
(b)

(c)
At various parts during your training, you may feel that you are highly
energized. But you must not feel any pain, especially at your chest. If you feel
pain, which is a warning sign of faulty practise, you must stop immediately.
Serious injury may result if you do not heed the warning sign of pain. Remedial
chi kung exercises, like Lifting the Sky (Chapter 4) and Self Manifested Chi
Flow (Chapter 18), can relieve the injury.
After at least a year of daily practice of the above exercises, you may test
your Cosmos Palm on a brick. Support the two edges of a brick lengthwise, and
place another brick over it, as shown in Fig 14.4. Stand at any suitable stance
near the two bricks. Focus your chi or intrinsic energy at your abdomen, and
then at your striking palm. Look at the middle of the lower brick and focus your
mind there for a few seconds. Then strike the top brick any way you like with
your Cosmos Palm, but visualize your internal force going through the top brick
to reach the middle of the bottom brick to break it. You will find the bottom
brick broken but the top brick is intact!
Fig 14.4 Breaking the Bottom Brick with Cosmos Palm
When you have succeeded in attaining the Cosmos Palm, you are blessed with a
pair of wonderful healing hands. Hence, although the Cosmos Palm is usually
classified as a specialized art for striking, its force can be used for many general
purposes. For your own sake, do not be so unwise as to create bad karmic effect
for yourself by hurting others with your Cosmos Palm; rather, accumulate
blessings with your Cosmos Palm by helping others and saving lives.
If you are worried that you may accidentally hurt your sparring partner
with your Cosmos Palm, take comfort that the most important factor here is the
mind and not the palm. Even if you strike your partner with your palm, but if
you do not use your mind to channel intrinsic energy to hurt him, he will not be
hurt. A Shaolin poetic expression advises that when your palm is in contact with
an opponent,

Focus energy at dan tian, relaxed and calm,
When striking, power issues from your palm.

Similarly, if you wish to transmit chi or energy to another person to help him
relieve pain or cure illness, first focus your chi at your dan tian (the energy field
at your abdomen), be relaxed and calm, then think of chi flowing into him from
your pointed finger(s) or palm. It is a great blessing to do so, as you donate your
chi, which is more valuable than blood, but you must be very careful not to drain
yourself. You must also avoid backflow of negative energy from him, especially
if he is gravely sick. This can be done by withdrawing your hand immediately
after transmitting chi. It is advisable to cleanse yourself, especially after treating
gravely sick patients, then replenish your chi. One effective way is to perform
Lifting the Sky; for the first few times, think of negative chi flowing out of your
hands as you lower them; then think of good cosmic energy flowing into your
abdomen. You will notice that in all these activities, it is your mind rather than
your physical actions that bring about the desired effects.

Withstanding Attacks with Iron Shirt

While it is not difficult to classify Cosmos Palm as soft and internal, and Iron
Palm as hard and external, it is not so easy to classify Iron Shirt, the art of
energy that enables the exponent to withstand attacks without sustaining injury.
Many people consider it internal as it involves chi or intrinsic energy; others
consider it external as it involves hitting with external tools. But all agree that it
is hard force. Nevertheless, while Iron Shirt is normally categorized as a
specialized art for protective cover, its force can be used for purposes of general
health, thus reminding us that the various classifications of force is not rigid
compartmentalization but for the sake of convenience.
The basis of Iron Shirt is the Small Universe, which is also the
foundation for many types of advanced arts. Some students practise Iron Shirt
without the Small Universe, or without any chi kung foundation at all. They only
use the external methods of conditioning through hitting, as explained below.
This is not accepted in Shaolin Kungfu, because without the internal foundation,
not only the exponent cannot advance far and therefore may be hurt by an
opponent using hard force, but also the training itself may cause unwitting
injury, and if the injury is not relieved through the accompanying chi kung
practice, it will accumulate and result in serious consequences, which contradicts
the Shaolin philosophy that any training must contribute to the exponent’s
health. Iron Shirt, like Cosmos Palm, should be practised with a master’s
supervision. The following description, therefore, is meant for knowledge rather
than self practice.
The intending practitioner therefore must practise Small Universe for at
least a few months. If he does not have the Small Universe, he must at least
practise Abdominal Breathing or Cosmic Breathing to enhance his energy level,
and Self Manifested Chi Flow to relieve any unwitting injury during practice.
Prepare about eight canes, each about an inch in diameter and fifteen
inches in length. Soak the canes in medicinal wine (like the one given in the
previous chapter) for about ten minutes. As medicinal wine may be costly, an
economical alternative is to hold each cane vertically above a bowl, pour a cup
of medicinal wine down the whole length of the cane letting the wine to soak
into it, and reuse the wine collected at the bowl. Repeat a few times. When the
canes are dried, tie them into a bundle.
 Start the training with Small Universe for about five to ten minutes. Then
hit the inner side of the whole length of your arm about thirty times from the
shoulder to the fingers with the bundle of canes. Repeat with the outer side,
upper side, and lower side of the same arm, so that every part of the arm has
been hit. Repeat the procedure with the other arm.
Fig 14.5 Hitting the Arms

You should be relaxed and your breathing natural during the hitting. Initially the
hitting should be gentle, but later as you progress, you should increase the force
of the hitting. The increase should be gradual so that you do not sustain any
injury.
After hitting both arms about 240 times, perform Self Manifested Chi
Flow, then Small Universe. Complete with Standing Meditation, gently thinking
of your dan tian.
After about two weeks of daily practice, add hitting your legs in the same
way. Then add hitting various parts of your body, including your head, with an
interval of about two weeks for each addition. The procedure is as follow: Small
Universe, hitting various parts of the body, Self-Manifested Chi Flow, Small
Universe and Standing Meditation. After a few months, you will be hitting
yourself hundreds of times per training session.
Fig 14.6 Hitting the Front of the Body
Fig 14.6 Hitting the Front of the Body

Fig 14.7 Hitting a Side of the Body

Fig 14.8 Hitting the Back of the Body

 Fig 14.8 Hitting the Back of the Body

Fig 14.9 Hitting the Head

If you have someone to help you in your training, ask him to hit you with the
bundle of canes. You may find it quite pleasant, especially if he hits you hard!
This is not because you have become masochistic, but because the hitting helps
to spread chi over your body.
After practising daily for six months, instead of hitting yourself with the
length of the cane-bundle, you can ram yourself using one end of the bundle, Fig
14.10. Later, change the bundle of canes to a bag of pebbles or iron bearings.
Use a double-layer bag if possible to prevent dust of the pebbles or even iron
bearings filtering through the bag and getting into your body. Once a fortnight,
soak the pebbles or iron bearings in cold water, so as to remove any dust that
may result from constant knocking inside the bag. Dry in a cool place before
filling back into the bag for use. Do not dry in the sun, because the heat of the
sun absorbed in the pebbles or iron bearings is not conducive to your health
when you use the pebbles or iron bearings for hitting.
Fig 14.10 Ramming with One End of the Bundle

If you have no chi kung base in your Iron Shirt training, you must take an herbal
concoction once a fortnight to relieve any injury sustained unwittingly during the
training. If you include Small Universe or Self Manifested Chi Flow in your
training, the concoction is not necessary. The following herbal mixture, known
as “Harmonizing Chi and Enlivening Blood Concoction”, is helpful:

chuan hong hua 12 grams
su geng 12 grams
ji ke 12 grams
sa ren 12 grams
 tou ren 12 grams
xiang fu 12 grams
chi yao 12 grams
gui wei 10 grams
hou bu 10 grams
su mu 10 grams
mu xiang 10 grams

Brew the mixture in three bowls of water over a small fire until about eight-
tenths of a bowl of the concoction is left. Drink the concoction when lukewarm.
Keep the residue for the next day and brew it again in three bowls of water until
about eight-tenths remains. Drink the concoction when lukewarm, and discard
the residue.
To test your force, ask a friend to punch you gently at first, then
gradually harder and harder until he punches you with all his might. Next ask
him to kick you, again from gently to all his might. If you are adventurous, strike
yourself with a sharp weapon, such as a meat chopper; you will be surprised that
you are not hurt.
There are a few important points to bear in mind. Having Iron Shirt does
not make an exponent invincible; although he can withstand attacks from an
ordinary opponent, he can still be injured if the opponent has tremendous force.
There are some vital points, like the eyes, throat, and reproductive organs, where
even an ordinary opponent can cause injury to an Iron Shirt exponent. Hence, it
is folly to let your opponent know that you have Iron Shirt. Similarly, although it
may be impressive to demonstrate Iron Shirt publicly, where strangers are
invited to strike the exponent, it is not a wise thing to do.
If the benefit of the Iron Shirt is just for you to take punches and kicks, it
is not worth the time spent on training it. Unless you harbour such wishes like
becoming a stuntman or a professional boxer, and apart from bolstering your ego
in risky public demonstrations, there are not many occasions to use this art in our
modern law-abiding society. But the Iron Shirt has other invaluable functions.
The spread of chi over your whole body gives you radiant health, and your
protective iron shield makes you tough — psychologically as well as physically.

15: THE FAST, THE AGILE, AND THE
MARVELLOUS

(Marvellous Responses and the Arts of Lightness)

The response is so superb, usually with an element of surprise, that the
opponent himself cannot help marvelling with awe and admiration at it

Techniques, Force, and Speed

Suppose you have four combatants: one is physically strong, another is skilful in
using techniques, the third has tremendous kungfu force, and the fourth is fast.
Who do you think is the best combatant, and who the worst?
A Shaolin axiom says, “Strength cannot match techniques, techniques
cannot match force, force cannot match speed, and speed cannot match the
marvellous.” It means that if you can apply techniques skilfully, you can defeat
an opponent who depends only on his mechanical strength. If he pushes you, for
example, do not resist, but retreat a step, pull him following his forward
momentum, and trip him to fall face-on. If he gives you a punch, do not block
his massive fist, but step aside and kick at his side ribs. You must never let him
catch you. However, if he ever catches hold of you, grip one of his fingers, strike
his weak spot like kicking his shin, then immediately bend his finger outward
against its natural leverage to release the hold. All these examples illustrating the
first part of the above Shaolin axiom involve the skilful application of
techniques. However, if you only know kungfu form but are ignorant of its
application, you will have little chance with a strong opponent.
The second part of the axiom states that you may know a lot of
techniques, and may be skilful in applying them, but in a real fight if your
opponent has tremendous kungfu force such as Iron Fist or Iron Leg, he is likely
to beat you. You may be very elegant and stylistic in your movements, and have
actually hit him many times; he can be clumsy and unskilful, but if he succeeds
in ramming his Iron Fist or striking his Iron Leg only once into you, you will be
out of action with a few broken bones. You will notice that kungfu force here is
different from the physical strength of the earlier combatant.
Imagine a seven-year-old black belt fighting a massive brute who has no
knowledge of martial art. If it is a non-contact friendly match, the child will
easily win on points; in real combat, the brute merely walks in, ignoring the
opponent’s ineffectual strikes, and fells the child with one merciless blow. This
resembles the situation many years ago of so-called kungfu practitioners who
had never sparred before, fighting professional Thai boxers in boxing rings. On
paper, these so-called kungfu practitioners described how effective kungfu
patterns were against the seemingly simplistic Thai boxing techniques, but in the
ring they could not even survive one kick of the Thai boxers’ Iron Leg.
 But if you are fast and agile, the Iron Leg or Iron Fist cannot hit you, and
therefore is ineffectual. Obviously, Thai boxing exponents are good fighters not
merely because of their forceful kicks, but also because they are extremely fast.
The third part of the Shaolin axiom says that even if the opponent has
tremendous force, if you are fast enough to avoid his attack and strike him in
return, you are a better combatant. Even if you do not have tremendous kungfu
force like the Iron Leg, if you are fast enough to strike his vital spots like his
temples, neck, or groin with some ordinary strength, you can put him out of
action.
My master, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, used to remind me that hard force like
Iron Leg and Iron Palm is “dead kungfu” whereas speed and agility are “live
kungfu”. Of course he did not imply that hard force is not useful (otherwise Iron
Palm training would not be an essential practice for his advanced students); he
meant that possessing hard force by itself does not necessarily make a good
fighter, because an opponent, unlike a granite slab in demonstrations, does not
remain motionless to allow you to strike him.
There is another Shaolin axiom which says, when literally translated, that
“hundred techniques might as well be one speed”. It has two related
interpretations, according to the situation. One, it means that if you intend to
practise one hundred techniques, you might as well practise one technique so
well that you can execute it in great speed. Two, an opponent may be familiar
with countless techniques, but if you are fast you can defeat him irrespective of
the technique you use to strike.
There is an interesting story of a classical kungfu expert nicknamed Fast
Fist. He specialized in only one pattern — the simple straight punch, but he
could inflict it so fast that it became an “ultimate pattern”. It was “ultimate”
because if he ever used it, he would surely be victorious. His opponents might
attack him in various ways, including some complex moves that would need
much skill to escape from, such as a nine-step continuous attack using different
parts of the attacker’s body to strike different parts of the opponent’s body. If
Fast Fist were to counter each of these nine attacks, he would be defeated. But
he understood the tactics of avoiding the opponent’s strong points, and of
employing his own strongest point to strike at the opponent’s weakness. So he
did not bother to defend against the nine-step attack, but simultaneously
executed his “ultimate” fast punch at a time when his opponent was
concentrating on attack and thus might slacken in defence. Fast Fist won on
speed, his punch striking the opponent and therefore hurting and throwing the
latter off balance before the first of the nine continuous attacks could reach its
target. This split-second implementation of his “ultimate pattern” was the result
of years of dedicated training. It was “ultimate” not because there was no
defence against it, but it was so fast that the opponent could not defend against
it, though he knew how.

Marvel with Awe and Admiration

Is it logical, then, to forget about force and techniques, and concentrate only on
speed? No, mere speed, like mere force or techniques, is not enough to clinch
victory. Unless you always aim for his vital spots like his eyes and groin, a
strategy which the compassionate Shaolin philosophy prohibits, your strikes will
not be effectual even if you are fast, unless your strikes are backed up with some
force. Even if one were to be so inhumane as to maim an opponent by always
striking at vital spots, he still needs techniques for the attack. The Shaolin axiom
illuminates the relative importance of techniques, force, and speed, which are
often collectively known as gong (or kung), but never suggests that any one of
the three factors can replace another.
Moreover, speed is not the highest factor in combat. The fourth part of
the axiom says that speed cannot match the marvellous. By “marvellous” is
meant that the response is so superb, usually with an element of surprise, that the
opponent himself cannot help marvelling with awe and admiration at it, although
this marvellous response may be natural or spontaneous to a master. The
marvellous response gives a sense of being “just right” in all aspects, though it
may be directly related to one particular aspect, like that of techniques, force,
speed or other factors.
Let us examine some examples. Figure 15.1 illustrates a “hook punch” to
an opponent’s temple. This is the first of a nine-step attack, and is often a feint
move to distract the opponent. My second attack, a two-finger jab at his side
ribs, is ready to strike the opponent the instant he responds to my hook punch.
Fig 15.1 Feint Opening with a Hook Punch
But my opponent, Mr. Fast Fist, ignores my hook punch, irrespective of whether
it is a feint or real attack, and strikes out his lightning straight punch at an
important energy field known as tan zhong at the middle of my chest. Fig 15.2
shows the effect of his superior speed: his punch reaches me before either my
hook punch or my finger jab could complete its course.
Fig 15. 2 Victory Due to Speed

However, to his great surprise, this effect of speed does not happen, because I
overcome speed with “the marvellous”. Instead of finding his punch at my chest,
he finds my palm jab at his carotid artery, Figure 15. 3, and he certainly is
pleased that (thanks to the Shaolin teaching on compassion) my palm merely
touches his neck instead of jabbing right into the artery. I achieve “the
marvellous” by slightly rotating my waist to move my chest away from his
punch and simultaneously changing the hook punch at his temple to a palm jab
at his neck, and changing the intended two-finger jab to a hand guard against his
arm, all in one smooth action without interrupting the original momentum. The
onus of this marvellous response is on skilful use of techniques, though all other
factors are also “just right”. Despite its speed, the opponent’s fast punch could
not hit me because I have moved the target away, and this changed movement is
not a new, fresh movement, but a continuation of a movement that is already on
its way. Its application, of course, requires much skill.
Fig 15. 3 Executing the Marvellous to Clinch Victory
Figures 15.4 and 15.5 illustrate another marvellous response based mainly on
force. In the midst of executing my hook punch, I find his straight punch coming
at my tan zhong. Following the forward momentum of my attack, I raise my
back heel so that my tan zhong is moved slightly upward and forward, Fig 15.4.
In this way his punch crashes not into my tan zhong, which is a vital spot with an
important energy field, but into my upper stomach, which, if I have protective
force like Iron Shirt or Golden Bell, can take his punch without sustaining
serious injury.
Fig 15.4 Moving the Tan Zhong away from Attack

As his punch comes into contact with my body, I move my front leg a slight step
forward, bend my body diagonally downward, change my hook punch at his
temple into a tiger claw at his neck, and change my two-finger jab into another
tiger claw at his elbow — all these actions are performed simultaneously, Fig
15.5. At the very moment my opponent expects his lightning punch to hit me, he
finds his attacking wrist dislocated, while one tiger claws grips crucial vital
points at his neck preventing him from moving away freely, and another tiger
claw grips his elbow preventing him from bending his arm to nullify my body
attack on his wrist. Of course, earlier I must make sure that my protective force
can take his striking force.
Fig 15.5 Dislocating the Wrist with the Body

Figure 15.6 illustrates why the combined forward movement of the opponent’s
arm and the diagonally downward movement of my body dislocate the
opponent’s wrist.
Fig 15.6 Mechanics of the Dislocation

Fig 15.7 also illustrates that speed cannot match the marvellous. As I find a fast
punch rushing at me while I am executing a hook punch, I immediately
discontinue the hook punch, move my body backward by shifting my body
weight to my back leg (thus moving my chest away from the opponent’s punch),
and kick up with my toes at the elbow of the opponent’s attacking arm, Fig 15.7,
dislocating the elbow.
Fig 15.7 A Marvellous Response Based on Speed

It may appear that this kicking at the opponent’s elbow to dislocate it is the
easiest of the three examples of marvellous responses. But if you try out the
three sequences, you will probably find it is the most difficult. The difficulty lies
not in the technique, which is comparatively simple though unexpected, nor does
it need specialized force to dislocate an elbow with a kick. The difficulty is in its
speedy performance. Unless you are well trained, you are likely to be hit before
you can shift your body backward, because this shifting involves stopping your
forward movement, then starting a reverse movement backward. As it involves
two opposite momentums, it needs much skill and more time to perform than the
other two examples of spontaneous responses where the action is continuing the
original momentum. Hence, the onus of the marvellous in this case is speed,
whereas that of the other two is technique and force, respectively.

Some Considerations in Speed Training

Speed, of course, is a very important factor in any martial art. Even in Taijiquan,
where practitioners normally perform Taiji patterns slowly during practice,
speed is essential in combat — a fact unfortunately and surprisingly many Taiji
students themselves are not aware! In Shaolin Kungfu, the arts of lightness
incorporate specialized methods to train speed and agility.
Attaining speed is not simply trying to be fast. If you try to perform your
kungfu movements fast without proper methods, you are likely to be panting for
breath, inexact in form, and lacking in force. It is not uncommon to find that
when martial artists try to execute their techniques with power, they generally
slow down their movements; when they try to be fast, they generally become
short of breath. Properly trained Shaolin disciples, on the other hand, come out
of their fast, forceful kungfu performance in solo practice or sparring as if they
have come back from a leisurely walk! A Shaolin tenet advises: “Powerful but
not tardy; fast but not breathless.”
Before attempting a programme of speed training, consider some
important principles:

1. The lung capacity must be enlarged to hold more air to meet the extra

requirement of speed; otherwise the exponent will be short of air.

2. The breathing rate must not quicken when movements quicken;

otherwise the exponent will be panting.

3. The meridian system, which may be translated as the circulatory and

respiratory systems in this case, must be improved so that not only more
chi, or extra oxygen, can be effectively channelled to the relevant tissues,
but also toxic waste can be readily disposed off; otherwise the exponent
becomes tired easily.
4. There must be adequate preparatory exercises to stretch the necessary

muscles; otherwise the exponent becomes muscle-bound and clumsy.

5. There should be meditative exercises to develop mental freshness;

otherwise bodily speed will be hampered by mental indecision.

6. There must be sufficient practice so that reaction is not only fast but

spontaneous; otherwise the exponent becomes hesitant.

7. The training should be gradual so that the various body systems have

sufficient time to adjust to new levels of speed and power; otherwise there
 may be insidious ill effect on the exponent’s health due to sudden stress and
tension.
8. The attainment of speed must not be at the expense of other combat

factors, like form, force, balance, and flexibility; otherwise the advantages
gained in speed will be offset by the resulting weakness of these other
factors.
9. Breathing must be regulated and well-coordinated with movements;

otherwise both speed and force will be affected.

The first four above points are well-provided for by Shaolin Chi Kung. Point 4
also suggests that weight training which develops big muscles is not suitable for
speed. But if employed appropriately, weights can be of much help to speed and
force training. The fifth point is provided for by meditation. The last four points
concern training methods and will be discussed below, whereas the other points
are explained in various parts of the book.

How to Attain Speed

Can you remember how you attired yourself when you were a child? You might
have taken half an hour just to put on a shirt or a dress, but now you can do so in
a minute. The amazing thing is that you have never consciously attempted to
increase the speed, yet you can now put on your attire so much faster. The
reason is that all this time you have been practising unconsciously, with the
result that putting on your attire has become a habit and is therefore rapid. This
gives an idea that if we practise our kungfu patterns until we have become very
familiar with them, then we can perform them rapidly. The following is a useful
method for training speed, without sacrificing form and force, in solo set
practice; the same principles can be applied to combat sequences and sparring.
Understandably, unless you are already familiar with kungfu training, it is
difficult (but not impossible) to learn such arts as correctness of form, force, and
speed from a book; it is therefore advisable to seek the help of an instructor.
The basic Shaolin set, Cross-Roads at Four Gates (Chapter 6), is used as
an example. At the first stage, perform the set with special attention to
correctness of form. The whole performance takes about three minutes. You
need to practise this stage daily for about three months, towards the end of which
you should perform the whole set in a rhythmic flow of beautiful form.
At the second stage, which will also take about three months, practise the
set correctly with special emphasis on force. For example in Pattern 3, Thrice
Threading of Bridge, channel inner force to the two fingers; in Pattern 7, Single
Dragon Emerges from Sea, punch out with all your might. You must of course
maintain correctness of form in your set. Initially, you take one breath for each
pattern, breathing in at the start and breathing out at the completion of the
pattern. You should also remember that force is different from brutal strength.
As you progress, you will find that your one breath may be sufficient to
last you for two or three patterns; but you must not at any time be out of breath.
Hence, whenever you feel that you have used up about seventy percent of your
current breath, gently take another breath. Generally, when you strike, as in
Single Dragon and Black Tiger, breathe out explosively with a “her-it” sound
from your abdomen, and immediately let about 30 percent of your chi sink into
your abdominal dan tian (energy field). It is very important that this sinking of
chi into your abdomen must not be forced; feeling pain in your groin is a
warning that you have forced down the chi.
 You also need about three minutes to perform the whole set with accurate
form and force. Towards the end of the third month (or the sixth month from the
beginning stage), you will be able to perform the set correctly and forcefully, yet
you will not be tired at the conclusion of the performance.
At the third stage, which also takes about three months, you concentrate
on speed, of course without neglecting correctness of form and force. The
general procedure is as follows. Perform a series of related pattern while
comfortably holding one breath; explode with a “her-it” sound as you strike;
immediately let the remaining chi sink into your abdomen (it is very important
not to force the sinking); breathe in deeply but gently as you begin the next
series of related patterns.
In the Four Gates Set, the general procedure described above does not
apply to the first three patterns, because they are meant to generate overall chi
flow for the whole set and have special breathing techniques of their own.
Briefly breathe into the dan tian in Pattern 1, breathe out, and sink the breath in
Pattern 2, have three breaths in Pattern 3 to coordinate with channelling chi to
the two fingers, and complete the pattern with focusing chi at the dan tian.
The general procedure starts with Pattern 4. Take the first deep breath at
the start of Pattern 4, and perform right through to Pattern 10 with 70 percent of
this breath, sinking the remaining 30 percent after the Horse-Riding Punch so as
to store the chi at the abdominal dan tian (energy field). Take the second deep
breath and perform till Pattern 15, storing 30 percent of chi at the dan tian as
before.
Take the third deep breath and perform till Pattern 20. Patterns 21 to 26
are to be performed with the fourth deep breath. Perform Patterns 27 and 28
without worrying about your breathing, then breathe in fully, i.e., the fifth deep
breath, as you jump back, and continue to Pattern 33 with the same breath.
Perform Pattern 34 without worrying about the breathing, breathe in at Pattern
35, and breathe out with chi focused at the abdominal dan tian at the completion
of the set at Pattern 36.
Besides the special breathing techniques at the beginning three patterns
to generate chi flow, and the concluding two patterns to store chi at the
abdomen, the whole set is to be performed in five breaths. The sequence of
patterns between the breaths are executed as if they are each one long continuous
pattern. In other words, the whole set is performed in five breaths as if it consists
of five patterns. If you practise well, you can perform the set correctly and
forcefully in less than a minute, which is more than three times faster than when
you first started nine months ago.
Although this method, which I learned from Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, is very
effective for training speed, it is not usually regarded as an art of lightness, and
not even labelled with a special name, because it is a basic procedure in our
kungfu set practice. The expression “completion in one breath” is frequently
used in connection with this method. We may, for the sake of reference, call this
the “one-breath technique”.

Plum Flower and Through the Woods

Plum Flower Formation is one of the well-known Shaolin specialized arts of
lightness. Its special purpose is to train agility.
Draw five circles, about a foot in diameter, on the ground in the pattern
of a plum flower, Fig 15.8. Move about in various stances and directions on this
plum flower pattern, but your feet must at no time step outside the circles. After
about a month of daily practice, draw more circles and practise similarly.
Fig 15.8 Moving About on Drawn Circles

After another two months, use five inverted bowls instead of circles, and move
about freely on the inverted bowls. Your feet must at no time be off the bowls.
Remember to wear suitable shoes so that if you accidentally break a bowl, its
broken pieces will not cut your foot. After one month, add more inverted bowls
to your practice, Fig 15.9.
Fig 15.9 Moving About on Inverted Bowls
After three months of daily practice on the inverted bowls, insert five short poles
in a plum flower pattern into the ground about a foot high, Fig 15.10. Practise
various footwork on the poles. Add more poles after a month, and practise for
another two months.
Fig 15.10 Moving About on One-foot Poles

Next, practise on five poles about four feet high, Fig 15.11. Add more poles after
a month, and practice various kungfu movements, including kicking and
jumping, on the poles for another two months.
Fig 15.11 Kungfu Movements on Four-Foot Poles
Then practise on five poles about seven feet high, Fig 15.12. After a month, add
more poles to practise kungfu sets or combat sequences for at least two months.
If you have a partner who also practises Plum Flower Formation, spar with him
on the poles. Needless to say, any slip may cause injury.
Fig 15.12 Plum Flower Formation
You can also use these seven-foot poles for another art of lightness known as
“Through the Woods”, which is also useful for training speed and agility.
Although it is better to practise “Through the Woods” only after you have
succeeded in “Plum Flower Formation”, or vice versa, so that you can
concentrate in one art at a time, you may, for various reasons, practise them
together. For this specialized art of “Through the Wood”, instead of practising
on the poles, you practise on the ground in the midst of the poles.
There are three parts in this training, and you should practise daily for at
least four months for each part. You may, if you are ready, practise two or all the
parts at the same time.
First, plan out a sequence of useful and varied foot movements. Go into
the “woods” of these poles and perform these foot movements without touching
any poles at all, Fig 15.13. If you touch a pole, you have to start all over again.
Initially move slowly, but increase you speed as you progress so that eventually
you move very rapidly. Also, lengthen the sequence and make the movements
more elaborate. Practise for at least three months. Later, incorporate appropriate
hand movements as you go over your footwork sequence. You may strike the
poles as if they were opponents, but any strikes, by your hand, leg, or any part of
your body must be performed while you are on your move; you must not let any
striking affect your continuous, fast movement through the woods.
Fig 15.13 Moving Through the Woods

Then move about freely in the woods of poles performing various kungfu
patterns for a period of five minutes without touching any poles, except your
purposeful strikes on them, which must not affect your smooth movement. If you
touch any pole (except your striking), start afresh. In other words, you can move
about in any direction in the woods for a set period of time without touching any
pole. Gradually increase the speed of movement and the period of time.
Next, move from one end of the woods to the other end without touching
any poles (excepting striking them), imagining that these poles are armed
enemies and you are going through them untouched. The arrangement of the
poles should be fairly long for this practice. Move slowly at first, paying
attention more to agile shifting and dodging than to speed. Gradually increase
your speed so that you can pass through the column of armed enemies swiftly. If
you have wondered how kungfu experts can escape unhurt from swarms of
armed attackers, as is sometimes depicted in movies, you now have a method to
develop such an ability.

16: DRAGONS, PHOENIXES, TIGERS AND THE
MOON

(A Brief Survey of Kungfu Weapons)

Besides the hedonic principle to preserve tradition, there are also practical
reasons why weapons are practised in kungfu today.

Why Classical Weapons Are Still Practised Today

When we mention martial arts in our present twentieth century, we usually think
of unarmed combat for sport, sometimes for self defence. In most martial arts
today like karate, judo, aikido, taekwondo, kick boxing, and Taijiquan, weapons
play a minor role in their practice. This is not the case in Shaolin Kungfu,
especially if it is taught in the traditional manner, because weapons form a
significant part of the training.
In classical China, martial art in general, known at different times as
wuyi, wushu, or jiji, referred not just to unarmed and armed combat among
individuals, but also included horseback fighting, archery, mass attack and
defence, manoeuvres and traps, and military strategy. Specialized martial sports
like wrestling and boxing, which were performed for entertainment rather than
for actual fighting and were already popular as early as the time of Shih Huang
Di in the 3rd century BCE, were known as “juedi” and “shoupo” respectively.
But after the invention of firearms in the modern period, classical
weapons like spears and swords have lost their former importance in mass
warfare or individual fighting. Why then are classical weapons still practised in
Shaolin Kungfu?
Classical weapons have become an integral part of the kungfu tradition,
so that even if there were no practical functions, many masters consider it a
moral obligation to preserve the tradition and teach kungfu weapons as an art
form by itself. Indeed, some masters consider one’s kungfu training is
incomplete if he has not learned any kungfu weapons. A performance of kungfu
weapons is also very spectacular to watch. Kungfu literature has often described
an artistic performance of a spear as a wandering dragon, of a sword as a nimble
phoenix, and of a scimitar (often called a broadsword) as a ferocious tiger.
Besides the hedonic principle to preserve tradition, there are also
practical reasons why weapons are practised in kungfu today. Training with
weapons is a continued development of unarmed training. For example, after a
student is proficient in his unarmed kungfu set practice, he can further improve
his force, speed, and stamina if he performs the same set by holding some
weights such as dumbbells. A more interesting and profitable way is to practise a
set holding short but heavy weapons, like “round hammers” and “double rods”,
Fig 16.1. When he can perform such weapon sets well, he will even be better
when he performs unarmed sets without having to hold these weighty weapons.
If he uses a heavy long weapon instead of a short one, such as a “crescent-moon
spear”, a “guan-dao” (a form of halberd), or a trident, Fig 16.2, he will further
improve his stances and footwork, which can be profitably transferred to
unarmed combat.
Fig 16.1 Round Hammers and Double Rods

Fig 16.2 Crescent-Moon Spear, Guan-Dao and Trident

Third, each type of the wide range of kungfu weapons is constructed for at least
one, but usually more combative functions. Daggers, for example, are used
mainly for stabbing, round hammers for hitting, spears for piercing, and battle
axes for chopping. You may use a dagger to chop your opponent, or a battle axe
to stab him, but you are unlikely to achieve desirable results. As different
weapons exhibit special features, training with weapons develops those skills as
well as emphasizes those techniques that are particularly related to the weapons.
For example, if you wish to use a dagger effectively, you need to maintain close
range with your opponent so that you can stab him easily; but if you use a spear,
you would keep a distance from him so that you can take advantage of the length
of the spear. Thus, training with a dagger or a spear will provide you with the
skills and techniques that you can transfer to unarmed fighting for close- or long-
range fighting, respectively.
Some weapons require special skills, or gong, to use them efficaciously.
Sharp eyesight is required for spears, agility for swords, and good horse stance
for halberds. These skills are needed for other weapons and unarmed combat,
too, but they are particularly necessary for these weapons. In a good training
programme, besides practising a spear set, the exponent should also practise the
relevant skills; just as in an unarmed set, he should practise such skills as speed,
spacing, and fluidity besides merely performing the patterns of the set.
One helpful method to develop sharp eyesight in using a spear is to
suspend a ring about six inches in diameter and pierce the spearhead into this
ring using various patterns from different directions. When the exponent can be
successful every time he pierces his spear into the ring, he proceeds to piercing
into a moving ring. Then he uses three rings instead of just one, and later he may
use more rings arranged in different patterns. As he becomes proficient, he
reduces the size of the rings. He may suspend the swinging rings from a fixed
point, hang them from a slowly moving ceiling fan, or arrange them in four
directions. Fig 16.3 illustrates a continuous piercing of the spear into pre-
determined rings using different patterns. When such a skill is transferred to
unarmed combat, the exponent would be able to strike at predetermined spots on
the opponent’s body accurately. This transfer of skills from weapon training to
unarmed combat is another reason why weapons are still practised today.
Fig 16.3 Training in Sharp Eyesight with a Spear
The fifth reason is that many common things can be improvised as weapons. A
broken bottle, for example, can be used like a dagger, a spike like a spear, a
bicycle chain like a “soft-whip”, a hard stick like a “copper rod”, and a meat-
cutter like a scimitar. Training with classical weapons therefore enables us to
defend ourselves efficiently against opponents using such improvised weapons,
as well as enables us to use improvised weapons if necessary. Although classical
weapons are not normally found in public, some knowledge of and practice in
their use are still useful for self defence.

Classification of Weapons

The range of kungfu weapons is both extensive and bewildering. In a
documentary text of the Shaolin Monastery, The Secret Book of Complete
Shaolin Weapons, hand-written and illustrated by Venerable Su Fa and
Venerable Te Qian, who describe the weapons used by well-known Shaolin
masters, 220 different types of weapons are recorded. Many of these weapons
are exotic. Fig 16.4 illustrates some of such exotic weapons: Mountain-Chasing
Whip used by Venerable Fu Ju of the Song Dynasty, Eight-Branched Tree used
by Venerable Hui Ju of the Yuan Dynasty, Tortoise Ring used by Venerable
Xuan Jin of the Ming Dynasty, and Snake-Shaped Key used by Venerable Jing
Xiu of the Qing Dynasty.
Fig 16.4 Exotic Shaolin Weapons

There have been many attempts in kungfu history to classify the diverse range of
weapons. The popular phrases “five weapons” and “eighteen weapons” represent
some of these attempts at classification. During the Zhou Dynasty (11th to 5th
century BCE), the “five weapons” as mentioned in the Book of Rites referred to
ge (long weapon with a sickle-like blade at the end), shu (long weapon with a
horn-like structure), ji (crescent-moon spear), mao (lance), and gong-shi (bow
and arrows). As there are often no English equivalents for the Chinese weapons,
Chinese terms are used in this chapter to name the weapons.
Fig 16.5 Five Weapons in Ancient Times
Much later during the Han Dynasty (3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE), the
Book of Han referred to the “five weapons” as mao (lance), ji (crescent-moon
spear), gong-shi (bow and arrows), jian (sword), and ge (long sickle-like
weapon). The term “five weapons” was used idiomatically to suggest a variety
of weapons, and should not be taken to mean that there were only five types or
groups of weapons. For example, jian (sword) was widely used in prehistoric
times; archaeological finds reveal a lot of copper swords, but jian was mentioned
as one of the “five weapons” only in the Han but not in the Zhou period.
Weapons like yue (battle-axe), chui (mace), and dang (spear with a crescent
blade), Fig 16.6, were already popular in ancient China, but they were not
mentioned in the “five weapons”.
Fig 16.6 Yue, Chui and Dang

The term “eighteen weapons” became widely used since the Song Dynasty.
Different authorities designated the “eighteen weapons” differently. During the
times of the Song and Yuan Dynasties (10th to 14th centuries), the “eighteen
weapons” referred to the following, as illustrated in Fig 16.7:
1. mao (lance); 2. chui (mace); 3. gong (bow); 4. nu (mechanized

bow); 5. chong (pipe-like weapon to shoot out darts); 6. bian (whip); 7.

jian (rod); 8. jian (sword); 9. chan (spade); 10. zhua (claw); 11. fu
(hand axe); 12. yue (battle axe); 13. ge (long sickle); 14. ji (crescent-
moon spear with hook); 15. pai (shield); 16. bang (cudgel); 17. qiang
(spear); 18. pa (trident).

Fig 16.7 Eighteen Weapons (Song and Yuan Dynasties)


During the Ming Dynasty (14th to 17th centuries), the “eighteen weapons”
denoted the following;
1. gong (bow); 2. nu (mechanized bow); 3. qiang (spear); 4. dao

(scimitar); 5. jian (sword); 6. mao (lance); 7. dun (shield); 8. fu (hand

axe); 9. yue (battle axe); 10. ji (crescent-moon spear); 11. bian (whip);
12. jian (rod), 13. gao (pole); 14. shu (long weapon with a horn-like
structure); 15. cha (fork); 16. pa-tou (rake); 17. mian-sheng (roped
weapons); 18. bai-da (empty-hand combat).
 Fig 16.8 Eighteen Weapons (Ming Dynasty)

Although the names of many weapons are the same in both the Song-Yuan list
and the Ming list, their illustrations may be different. This is because there were
different forms of the same weapon, or because the weapon might have evolved
into another form.
In recent times during the Qing Dynasty (17th to 20th centuries),
“eighteen weapons” were interpreted variously. One popular interpretation was
to classify the “eighteen weapons” into nine long weapons and nine short
weapons as follows, Fig 16.9:
1. qiang (spear); 2. ji (crescent-moon spear); 3. gun (staff); 4. yue

(battle axe); 5. da-pa (trident); 6. da-dao (halberd); 7. chan (spade); 8.

mao (lance); 9. sheng-biao (roped spear); 10. dao (scimitar), 11. jian
(sword); 13. gou (hook-sword); 14. jian (rod); 15. bian (soft-whip); 16.
guai (clutch); 17. chui (round hammer); 18. bi-shou (dagger).

Fig 16.9 Eighteen Weapons (Recent Times)

Besides these regular weapons, there are also “extra-ordinary weapons”, such as
butterfly knives, three-sectional staff, big sweeper, wolf-teeth staff, iron-pen, and
three-pointed spear, Fig 16.10. There is another class called secret weapons,
such as darts, marble missiles, protection-mirror (worn over the chest under
clothing), and hidden knives (such as at the tips of shoes), Fig 16.11.
Fig 16.10 Some Extraordinary Weapons

Fig 16.11 Some Secret Weapons

Everyday tools like umbrellas, short benches, stools, and walking sticks, Fig
16.12, may also be used effectively as weapons, especially if we understand
some basic principles. If you use an unopened umbrella like a stick to hit an
assailant, as many untrained people do, it is unlikely to produce efficacious
results, because the springy ribs and folded cloth of the unopened umbrella
would cushion off the blows even if you could hit him. If you wish to hit him,
you should use the umbrella handle, especially if it is hard, and you should aim
at vulnerable spots like his head, neck, upper arms, elbow, fingers, knees, and
shins. The most destructive part of an umbrella, however, is its pointed tip. If
you use it to poke at an assailant’s face, neck, solar plexus, or side ribs, you can
often hurt him sufficiently for you to escape.
Fig 16.12 Common Tools as Weapons
 Fig 16.12 Common Tools as Weapons

An obvious weakness of an umbrella poke, unlike a sword thrust, is that the

opponent can easily grasp the umbrella. One efficient way to overcome this
problem is illustrated in Fig 16.13. When your opponent grasps your umbrella,
use your free hand to hold the tip of the umbrella, move forward slightly (but
make sure his front hand could not strike your face), simultaneously pull the
umbrella tip towards yourself and strike the umbrella handle at the opponent’s
temple. Besides striking him, the turning movement of the umbrella acts on a
weakness of his grip, thereby releasing his hold of the umbrella. Kick his groin
or shin as a coup de grace.
Fig 16.13 Using an Umbrella as a Weapon
(a)

(b)

Ferocious Tigers and Nimble Phoenixes

Among the great variety of kungfu weapons, the four most popular today are the
dao (scimitar), the jian (sword), the qiang (spear), and the gun (staff).
The dao (pronounced as “t’ao”) is a generic name for a group of different
blade weapons with only one sharp edge. The nearest English equivalent is
“knife”. The most common type of dao or knives is the dan dao, meaning “single
knife”, which may be translated as “scimitar”. Fig 16.14 shows some examples
of dao.
Fig 16.14 Some Examples of Dao or Kungfu Knives

Why does the dao or knife use only one sharp edge; isn’t it more advantageous
to have both edges for cutting? The dao uses only one cutting edge instead of
two because both the shape and structure of the weapon (i.e., its form) as well as
the application of the dao patterns (its function) are such that using one cutting
edge gives the exponent the best technical advantages. To realize the most
destructive functions of the dao, such as chopping, cutting, slashing, and
sweeping, Figures 16.15 and 16.16, the blade should be sharp at one edge but
thick and heavy on the other so that its destructive power is enhanced. The blade
is asymmetrical and convex at the sharp edge so as to increase its cutting
effectiveness. Because of these factors, a double-cutting edge would be a
hindrance.
Fig 16.15 A Chopping Technique of a Dao
 Fig 16.16 A Sweeping Technique of a Dao

The Chinese language makes a clear distinction between a dao, or a kungfu knife
like a scimitar, and a jian, or a Chinese sword. A knife has only one cutting edge,
whereas a sword, in the Chinese context, is always double-edged. Hence, what is
often called a sword by western readers, such as the Japanese Samurai Sword, is
regarded as a knife in Chinese because it uses only one cutting edge. The
techniques and skills in using a knife (such as a scimitar) and a sword are vastly
different; indeed their difference can easily be suggested in the description of a
knife by the Chinese as a ferocious tiger, and a sword as a nimble phoenix. Thus,
the translation of the Chinese “dao” as “broadsword”, as is often done in some
kungfu books written in English, is inappropriate in this respect.
If we attach a long handle to a dao, we have a da-dao (pronounced as “t’a
t’ao”), which literally means “big knife”. Fig 16.17 shows some examples of da-
dao.
Fig 16.17 Some Examples of Da-Dao

In classical China, da-dao or Big Knives were weapons used by generals on
horseback fighting. The famous warrior of the Three Kingdoms period (3rd
century), Guan Yu, who is sometimes described in English as the Chinese God
of War, but actually it is more appropriate to call him the God of Righteousness,
is perhaps the most celebrated exponent of the da-dao. His special da-dao is
known by a poetic name, “The Knife with a Green Dragon and the Crescent
Moon”. This kind of da-dao is commonly called “Guan-dao”, meaning the Knife
of Guan.
The jian or sword is a good contrast to the dao or knife. A sword
exponent seldom uses techniques like chopping, cutting, slashing, and sweeping,
the principal techniques in using a knife; the forte of the sword is thrusting and
slicing, which are not suitable techniques for a knife such as a scimitar. Figures
16.18 and 16.19 show the thrusting and slicing techniques of the sword.
Fig 16.18 The Thrust of the Sword
 Fig 16.19 The Slice of the Sword

To use a sword like a scimitar, such as clashing the sword with the opponent’s
weapon or swinging the sword around one’s body as is often done with a
scimitar, is a sure indication of ignorance in differentiating the principles
governing the use of a sword and a knife. A Chinese sword is a light, dainty
weapon; clashing it with the opponent’s heavy weapon may result in the sword
being broken into a few pieces.
When using a scimitar, an exponent often swings it around his own body
because such movements give him certain technical advantages. Such circular
swinging, known in kungfu term as “covering the head and surrounding the
body”, provides the exponent with good protective coverage, enables him to
manoeuvre his comparatively heavy scimitar swiftly, and adds power to his
attacking patterns. However, such “covering the head and surrounding the body”
is almost never used with a Chinese sword, because as it has double cutting
edges, such movements would hurt the exponent himself, and because it is
comparatively light it does not need the circular swing to aid momentum and
power.
As the Chinese sword is light and dainty, how does the exponent block
an opponent’s attack, especially if the latter uses a heavy weapon? Imagine, for
example, that you are using a sword and your opponent chops down with a
heavy scimitar; or he sweeps at your waist with a solid staff. If you block the
scimitar or the staff with your sword, your sword will be broken into pieces.
Hence, a swordsman almost never blocks! As a good tactician, he avoids
the weakness of his weapon and exploits its strong point. Clashing the light
sword with a heavy weapon is a weakness; capitalizing its lightness for agile
manoeuvres is a strong point. Figures 16.20 to 16.25 illustrate an application of
the sword against the vertical chop of a scimitar and the horizontal sweep of a
staff.
Fig 16.20 shows an opponent moving in to chop me with his scimitar.
Instead of blocking or retreating, both of which would be disadvantageous to me,
I move forward slightly, slanting my sword to slice at the opponent’s wrist, Fig
16.21. His attack would be unable to hit me because I have moved away from
the target, and my sword intercepts his attacking wrist (not scimitar). As he
retreats his arm and body, I follow immediately with a sword thrust, Fig 16.22,
but in line with the Shaolin philosophy of compassion, I stop just inches away
from his throat.
Fig 16.20 to 16.22 A Sword against a Scimitar
Fig 16.20

Fig. 16.21
 Fig 16.22

An opponent sweeps his staff at my waist, Fig 16.23. As his staff approaches, I
move my back leg a small step backward and lower my body to let his staff
sweep past me, Fig 16.24. Immediately I move my body forward and thrust my
sword at his throat, Fig 16.25. Again, out of compassion, I stop a few inches
from his body.
Fig 16.23 to 16.25 A Sword against a Staff
Fig 16.23
 Fig. 16.24

Fig. 16.25

The King and the Mother

While the scimitar and the sword are short weapons, the spear and the staff are
long. Just as the scimitar and the sword offer some interesting contrast — the
former is ferocious like a tiger, whereas the latter is gentle like a phoenix; the
spear and the staff also illustrate some distinctive difference.
The spear, or qiang in Chinese, is sometimes regarded as the king of
weapons, because technically a pierce from a spear is the most difficult to defend
against. Throughout Chinese dynastic history, the spear was the choice weapon
of most generals. Figures 16.26 and 16.27 show two typical spear patterns.
Fig 16.26 Spear Thrust at Bow-Arrow Stance

Fig 16.27 Reverse Thrust at Unicorn Stance

Why is the spear pierce a superior technique? As a spear is comparatively light,

and a piercing attack travels in a straight line, a spear pierce can be extremely
fast, almost like an arrow, with the advantage that the spear expert may change
the direction of his pierce according to how his opponent moves, whereas an
arrow once released maintains a fixed course. Second, the destructive properties
of a spearhead are not just its point, but also its sharp sides which act like an
extended dagger. So, even when an opponent has dodged the sharp point of the
spearhead, the exponent may cut or slice the opponent with its sharp edges.
A spear pierce is made not by holding the spear shaft firmly with both
hands and moving both hands forward, like what is done in thrusting with a
staff; rather the front hand holds the spear shaft for leverage, and the back hand
pushes the spear forward, Fig 16.28. Hence, not only is the pierce swift, but the
recovery of the spear after piercing is also very fast. As soon as the exponent
pierces his spear, he pulls it back. In this way he overcomes the two principal
counters against a pierce or thrust attack, namely grasping the shaft of the
piercing or thrusting weapon, and getting past the attacking point into the
exponent. In other words, because the pulling back of the spearhead is so fast, it
is difficult for the opponent to grip the spear shaft, or to move past the
spearhead.
Fig 16.28 Thrusting a Staff and Piercing a Spear
(a)

(b)

Fourth, even if the opponent can grasp the spear shaft, a skilful exponent can
circle his spear in such a way that the sharp point or sides of the spearhead can
cut the opponent’s wrist or arm. Fifth, if the opponent succeeds in moving close
to the exponent, thereby overcoming the advantage of the spear’s length, the
exponent can offset this weakness by pulling the whole spear shaft behind and
use the spear like a dagger. Thus, if all other things are equal — the only
difference being one uses a spear and the other uses another weapon — the spear
exponent will defeat his opponent because of technical advantages.
Does this mean that a spear is always better than other weapons? No,
because in real life the presumption that all other things are equal, is almost
never valid. If you have much strength, you may prefer to use a trident, which is
a heavy, massive and long weapon. By manipulating the three throngs of the
trident, you may break the spear, or dislodge the weapon from the opponent. If
you are versatile, you may prefer a crescent-moon spear, or the ji, instead of the
orthodox spear, or the qiang. The ji, which is classified as a light, long weapon,
has the functions of a spear, a big-knife, a trident, a staff and a hook-sword all in
one! By a skilful application of the ji, you may “lock” the spear, and glide down
the spear shaft to cut the opponent’s hands.
But traditionally, the dan dao or scimitar offers an interesting counter
against the qiang or spear. A match between the spear and the scimitar may be
described as a match between a dragon and a tiger, which is an idiomatic way of
saying a fierce but balanced fight. Being a short and light weapon (although it is
comparatively heavier than the sword), the scimitar is versatile enough to meet
the fast and subtle techniques of the spear. While the spear pierce is deadly, the
“trimming” of the scimitar along the spear shaft to cut the spear exponent’s
hands is a formidable challenge. Further, if the scimitar exponent can master the
technique of “weaving flowers” — whereby the scimitar is spun round so swiftly
like a fast moving fan — he is able not only to deflect the piercing attack of the
spear, but also to slash the opponent with his spinning blade.
While the scimitar, the sword, and the spear possess sharp edges to cut
the opponent, with threat of possible death, the staff or gun (pronounced as
“goon”) does not. Thus, the staff is considered to be a merciful weapon, although
if used by an expert it can also be deadly. The staff, understandably, is the most
popular weapon among Shaolin disciples, whose training pays much attention to
the cultivation of compassion. According to a legend, the monks at the Shaolin
Monastery found it cruel to injure their opponents with pointed or blade
weapons; so they removed the spearheads of their qiang (spear) and ji (crescent-
moon spear), and the blades of their dao (big knives) and ge (long sickles), to
retain only the long handles.
While the spear is sometimes regarded as the king of weapons, the staff
is honoured as the mother, because the techniques of most weapons, including
the spear pierce, the sword thrust, and the “weaving flowers” of the scimitar can
be found in the techniques of the staff. It is quite amazing that a simple looking
stick, if applied expertly, can give rise to so many elaborate patterns. In the early
7th century, thirteen monks from the Shaolin Monastery, using only plain staffs,
helped Li Shi Min to subdue oppressive warlords using a wide range of weapons
to set up the famous Tang Dynasty.
Staffs are of two main types, long staffs about seven feet in length and
usually taper slightly at the attacking end, and ordinary staffs about five feet and
both ends are usually of the same size. Long staffs were formerly used for
horseback fighting; they were later shortened for ground combat. Two staff
techniques are illustrated in Figures 16.29 and 16.30.
Fig 16.29 The Thrust of a Long Staff

Fig 16.30 The Dot Technique of the Ordinary Staff

 Fig 16.30 The Dot Technique of the Ordinary Staff

There are also other types of staffs, such as the short staff which is like a baton,
the small sweeper or small two-sectional staff, which spread to Japan as the
nunchaku, the big sweeper or big two-sectional staff, and the versatile three-
sectional staff, Fig 16.31.
Fig 16.31 Some Other Types of Staffs

According to the Shaolin tradition, the staff was first introduced by Jinnaluo, an
Indian Buddhist monk serving as a cook at the monastery. Every day he used a
huge, long stick to stir a gigantic pot of rice in the monastery kitchen. Once, a
band of brigands wanted to rob the temple. Jinnaluo defeated them single-
handed with his staff. After that he taught the fighting art of the staff to the
monks. A temple in his honour still stands in the Shaolin Monastery today.
Numerous generals also contributed much to the development of the
Shaolin staff. After his army was defeated by the Tartars, the Song general Yang
Wu Lang escaped to Wu Tai Mountain to become a monk. Influenced by the
compassionate teaching of the Buddha, Yang Wu Lang repented his earlier
killing, and removed the spearhead of his famous “Yang Family Spear”,
converting his spear into a long staff. The celebrated staff set of Southern
Shaolin Kungfu, known as “Wu Lang Pakua Staff” is reputed to originate from
him.
The great general of the Ming Dynasty, Cheng Da You (also known as
Cheng Zong Dou), who repulsed numerous Japanese invasions, was another
Shaolin disciple. His “Compendium of Shaolin Staff Techniques” written in
1616, which is one of his many works on military strategy and martial arts, has
since remained an authority on the subject. His “Shaolin Knife Techniques”
greatly influenced the development of the Samurai Sword in Japan.

17: THE SPIRIT OF SHAOLIN

(Teaching on Morality, Righteousness, and

Compassion)

Shaolin disciples are obliged to spread love and happiness to all people,
and Shaolin masters are obliged to nurture talents and pass on the Shaolin
arts to deserving disciples.

The Ten Shaolin Laws

It is very commonly said among those who practise kungfu that the greater aim
of their achievement is not superior fighting but moral cultivation.
Unfortunately, this noble aim more often hangs on their lips than finds
expression in their actions. Despite their claim to moral cultivation, many
kungfu and other martial art exponents are egotistical, intolerant, aggressive, and
arrogant. This is especially so among those whose training is mainly on external
techniques and combative skills, with little or no emphasis on internal force and
meditation.
Shaolin philosophy has always stressed the moral aspect in its kungfu
training. If we recall the origin of Shaolin Kungfu, we shall remember that it was
initiated by the great Bodhidharma for strengthening the monks in preparation
for spiritual growth. Morality is the basis of all spirituality; if one is not morally
pure, it is impossible to attain the highest spiritual fulfilment. This is not mere
polemics, but a timeless universal truth, because the mental imprints of immoral
living on the mind, though unconscious to that person, will manifest as rebirth in
a lower station of existence in his future life. A mind that is predominated by
greed or fear, for example, is likely to result in a rebirth in the animal realm.
A good indication of the moral cultivation as taught in the Shaolin
tradition is found in the following Ten Shaolin Laws that we in the Shaolin
Wahnam School pledge to uphold and practise. These Shaolin Laws transcend
all culture, race, and religion.

1. Required to respect the master, honour the Moral Way, and love fellow

disciples as brothers and sisters

2. Required to train the Shaolin arts diligently, overcoming all hardship,

and as a prerequisite to be physically and mentally healthy

3. Required to be filial to parents, be respectful to the elderly, and

protective of the young

4. Required to uphold righteousness, and to be both wise and courageous

5. Forbidden to be ungrateful and unscrupulous; forbidden to ignore the

laws of man and heaven

6. Forbidden to rape, molest, do evil, steal, rob, abduct, or cheat

7. Forbidden to associate with wicked people; forbidden to do any sort of

wickedness
 8. Forbidden to abuse power, be it official or physical, or to oppress the

good and bully the kind

9. Obliged to be humane, compassionate, and spread love, and to realize

everlasting peace and happiness for all people

10. Obliged to be chivalrous and generous, to nurture talents and pass on

the Shaolin arts to deserving disciples

Respect for the Master

Respecting the master and honouring the Moral Way, known in Chinese as zun
shi zhong dao, is the first and foremost moral principle of kungfu exponents of
all schools. In the past, kungfu students treated their master like their father,
whose orders would be carried out without question, and whose authority
accepted with prostration. Would students carry out orders which appeared
unreasonable, such as chopping firewood with their bare hands, or transporting
water in containers with holes in the bottom? Shaolin disciples would, without
any doubt. They would face a dilemma only if the orders conflicted with the
Moral Way, which represents all the written and unwritten moral codes generally
accepted by all societies. If Shaolin disciples were asked, for example, to steal
somebody’s wife, or to cause grievous hurt to the innocent, the dilemma was not
whether they should carry out the orders, but whether the authority they had
previously respected had already ceased to be a master.
Understandably, many modern westerners may consider the students’
total obedience to their masters as servile or foolish, and their prostration to their
master as ridiculous. Nevertheless, it was because of such complete compliance
to and reverence for their master that the students could derive the best benefits
in their training. Their obedience was not due to their dull intelligence or an
oppressive culture, but to their complete trust that whatever their master asked
them to do was for their benefit, and to their deeply felt gratitude that their
master would teach them secrets that he might not even tell his wife or children.
Such a trust and gratitude would be hard to come by in today’s societies, east or
west.
Kungfu training is a very demanding and exacting process, calling for
great self discipline. Someone has said that if you can endure kungfu training,
you can attempt anything. A Shaolin disciple has to practise some kungfu
techniques not just many times but thousands of time, not just when he first
learned the techniques but every day for numerous years, until he has mastered
those techniques. The onus is not to learn techniques after techniques, but to
repeat, repeat, and repeat selected techniques until accuracy, force, and speed in
their application are attained. If you wish to master a certain kicking technique,
for example, you have to practise this technique tens of thousands of times.
However, before a Shaolin student commences serious kungfu training, he must
ensure that he is physically and mentally healthy. This can be achieved through
Shaolin Chi Kung, which will be explained in some detail in the next three
chapters.
Being filial to parents, and respectful to the elderly, known in Chinese as
xiao ching jing lao, is a well-established virtue in eastern societies, and is a
tradition certainly worth keeping. In modern western societies where personal
freedom is greatly valued, and where some children call their parents by first
names, their concept of filial piety or respect to the elderly is understandably
different from that of the east. In eastern societies it is often the norm that
whenever the father or an elderly person speaks, the sons and daughters or adults
of a younger generation, even if they are public celebrities, merely listen (but not
necessarily agree). It is considered rude and unbecoming for them to openly
oppose the father or elder, although they may hold different opinions.
On a personal note, whenever I was with my master or with an elder, I
would not sit unless he was properly seated. In my life so far, which has given
me more than fifty years of abundant joy, I have only two regrets: one, I regret
that I could have been more kind and loving to my father; and two, I regret that I
could have been more kind and loving to my mother. These regrets are more
painful as I realized a bit too late, after my parents had left this world, that such
kindness and love can be readily expressed in simple, daily deeds like taking
them for a walk in the garden, or taking time to listen and talk to them on their
fond memories — simple deeds that all of us can easily do if we want to and are
probably more meaningful to parents than extravagant gestures like buying them
a castle.
Do not be grossly mistaken that being filial to parents or respectful to
elders is a sign of weak character. Do not jump to conclusions that if, out of
respect, an oriental is not outspoken against an elder’s viewpoints it necessarily
means he accepts them gullibly. He may express his different opinions, but when
he is in front of elders, he always does so politely, taking care not to hurt their
feelings.
Once, when the Buddha came across a pile of dried bones besides a road,
he prostrated before it to pay respect. Ananda, the Buddha’s attending monk,
asked:

The Buddha is the greatest teacher in the three spheres of existence, and the
compassionate father of all beings of the four modes of rebirth. He has the
deepest respect and reverence of the entire order of monks. Why does he
 now prostrate to a pile of dried bones?

The Buddha said as he had led countless previous lives, and these bones
belonged to beings who also had led countless previous lives, it was probable
that the bones were those of his parents and ancestors of his former lives. The
Buddha then described the boundless kindness parents had for their children, and
explained that even if a person were to carry his parents on his shoulders for
thousands of aeons, or during a famine cut his own flesh to feed his parents as
many times as there were dust motes, he still could not have repaid his parents’
boundless kindness. When the Buddha, regarded by many as the greatest teacher
of men and gods, could humble himself to prostrate to the bones of his former
parents, what traces of vainglory could be left to prevent us to be filial to our
parents?

Great Blessings to be Born Human

Just as a Shaolin disciple is respectful to elders, he is protective of the young.
Young children, irrespective of who their parents are, should be given every
opportunity to laugh and play. Indeed, adults can learn an invaluable
philosophical lesson from children: their joy and laughter are not dependent on
material wealth at all! But they need to be free from fear and hunger, oppression
and adult interference.
Long-standing feuds between well-known families or different kungfu
schools were not uncommon in the kungfu history of old China. Sometimes the
head of one family or school would lead his side, usually reinforced with
mercenary kungfu experts, for an all-out attack on his enemy. If the attackers
were victorious, the outcome was always barbaric and gruesome, where even
small children were not spared. The barbarians reminded themselves of the
ignoble saying that “when clearing grasses, eliminate their roots; otherwise,
when the wind blows in spring, new grasses will grow”, which means that they
would not permit any survivor so as to eliminate the possibility of revenge. Any
Shaolin disciples involved in such senseless cruelty would be expelled without
question.
On the other hand, masters engaged in deadly duels often voluntarily
adopted as his own the children of the opponent he killed. These children were
very well taken care of, usually given priority over his own children, for the
master regarded any sacrifice as some form of repentance for his killing. The
dilemma of these children when they had grown up and discovered that their
beloved “father” was actually their father’s killer forms a recurrent theme in
many kungfu stories.
It is significant to note that at the time of adoption, the master had no
doubt that one day his adopted children might be a serious threat to him — he
was familiar with the saying about the spring wind and regenerated grasses; yet
he would have no hesitation to give the adopted children the best he could,
including teaching them the secrets of his kungfu, because to him this was
simply the right thing to do. When the inevitable moment came, the old master
often gallantly asked his adopted children to kill him to avenge their father’s
death. Of course, for those with a different philosophical perspective, the
master’s belief and action may appear silly or ridiculous; but from the
perspective of Chinese kungfu philosophy, such belief and action represent some
of the highest expressions of righteousness.
Yet, if the master or his adopted children were familiar with the moral
teaching of Shaolin, they would be spared their mental pain and emotional
suffering. In the first place, according to the Shaolin teaching, engaging in a
deadly duel is to be avoided. There were many occasions when kungfu experts
challenged Shaolin masters, and the masters merely walked away. This,
interestingly, is a notable contrast with the thinking found in some other martial
arts. For example, many martial artists of the Japanese tradition would consider
it a great disgrace if they failed to stand up to an open challenge. Should they be
defeated in the challenge, they may commit ritual suicide as an honour.
It is a part of Shaolin philosophy to respect the views of others; hence, I
would not comment on the above Japanese tradition, which certainly has its own
philosophical justification. But if a Shaolin disciple commits suicide because he
has been defeated in a challenge, he will be considered not only stupid but
grossly immature. There is no shame to be defeated by a worthy opponent,
especially if one has put up an honest fight to the best of his ability; but if he
wins by dishonest means, it would be a disgrace. There is a Chinese saying that
“if you come across a high mountain, be reminded that you can come across
another mountain that is higher; if you meet an expert fighter, be reminded that
you can meet another fighter who is even better.”
According to the Buddhist teaching, it is a tremendous blessing to be
born a human. We should therefore use this very rare opportunity to make life
rewarding for ourselves and for others. It is both silly and immature to take one’s
own life because of some misplaced pride or glory.
On the other hand, taking someone’s life is robbing him of his most
precious possession, and the murderer will undo lifetimes of his own
accumulated blessings. If the adopted children mentioned above could appreciate
this teaching, as well as the teaching on the rare occurrence of their human lives,
they would realize, if they could react with calmness and compassion, that as the
old master was instrumental in bringing them up, he was the source from which
their tremendous blessings flow. Hence, killing the old master was cutting off
their own source of blessings, in exchange for karmic retribution possibly in the
form of mental pain and emotional suffering. The first of the five fundamental
Buddhist precepts on moral purity is not to kill — others or themselves. The
other four are not to steal, not to lie, not to engage in licentious sex, and not to be
intoxicated.

Calmness and Compassion

Concerning the need or otherwise engaging in a duel, and the benefit of a calm
and compassionate response, my own experience may serve as an illuminating
example. Many years ago, when chi kung information was not as popularly
assessable as it is today, my school and I were concertedly and publicly
challenged and ridiculed by some well-known kungfu and chi kung masters
because, according to them, we were making arrogant and misleading claims
like chi kung could be used to relieve a wide range of diseases, chi kung could
enhance kungfu performance, and chi could be transmitted over great distance.
The validity of the above first two claims are now beyond doubt (they are also
recorded in classical chi kung and kungfu texts, though these texts were kept as
secrets), and a subsequent month-long public experiment conducted by a
national newspaper on me confirmed that distance chi transmission is real. But at
that time, I was personally insulted, suggesting that my claim to my Shaolin
lineage was spurious, and that my students’ demonstrations of chi kung and
kungfu were faked.
My inner disciples and I decided to take up a public challenge to a
kungfu contest, issued by an instructor from a famous kungfu school. We
intended to suggest a three-tier fight, with me as the grandmaster of my school
meeting their grandmaster who was undoubtedly a highly accomplished kungfu
expert, three masters from our school meeting three of their masters, and our
three students meeting their three students. We fancied it would probably be the
fight of the decade, maybe of the century, for our school and theirs were the two
best known in the region at that time.
Looking back, I am glad that this fight of the century did not take place,
because my master, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, rushed from his retirement to instruct me
to stop all preparation for the fight immediately.
“But, Sifu,” I tried to reason, “we sincerely believe we have at least a 60
percent of winning.”
“That’s precisely why you must stop. It’ll be better if you lose, for then
that will be the end of the matter. You can be sure that if you win, and I have no
doubt you can, there will be no end.”
“We are not fighting for any self glory. In fact we know that even if we
win, we may be injured, some even badly. But we’re ready to sacrifice for the
name and honour of our school.”
“Don’t be silly and immature,” my master said. “If an action brings harm
to others but not to ourselves, we will not do it. Now we have an action that will
bring harm both to others and to ourselves, yet you want to proceed!”
“But our honour is at stake,” I said.
“What honour?”
“We have been accused of being fraudulent. We have been insulted
publicly.”
“Were you really fraudulent?”
“Of course not!”
“Then the question of defending your honour does not arise. As the
accusation is false, there is no need for you to defend. What you call ‘honour’ is
just a ‘false-name’, an attachment to vainglory. Regarding what you call
‘insults’, you should, as taught by the Buddha, respond with calmness and
compassion, and not with anger.”
“But what about the challenge? Should we just ignore it?”
“Did their grandmaster issue a challenge in black and white?”
“No, it was issued orally by one of his instructors in public.”
“There you are. If you had responded with and compassion instead of
with anger, you would have realized that the instructor does not represent his
grandmaster or his school. Besides, he may have made a challenge in a fit of
anger, which you should rightly ignore. Even if a challenge is issued, it does not
mean you have to accept it.”
Then my master gave me some invaluable advice, which may
paradoxically appear trite until we take time to investigate its profundity. He
said, “Make friends, not enemies. It is easy to get into animosity, but very
difficult to get out of it. Don’t waste your precious Shaolin arts on quarrels
which may loom large and important from a narrow spatial or temporal
dimension, but which are actually petty if we view them from a wider
perspective. Use the Shaolin arts to help people, to relieve suffering, and save
lives, worldwide and for all time.”

Righteousness and Compassion

While Sifu Ho Fatt Nam is well known for his moral consciousness, my other
master, Sifu Lai Chin Wah, is famous for his righteousness. He was actually
better known by his prestigious nickname, Yi Sook, which means “Uncle
Righteousness”, than by his own name. My kungfu and chi kung school, Shaolin
Wahnam, is named after them, as a small token of appreciation for their kindness
and generosity in passing on the Shaolin arts to me. I also learned Shaolin Wuzu
Kungfu from Sifu Chee Kim Thong, and Shaolin Wing Choon Kungfu from Sifu
Chou Hoong Choy. My lineage from the Shaolin Monastery is as follows.
Sifu Lai Chin Wah learned from three masters, Ng Yew Loong, Chu
Khuen, and Lu Chan Wai. Ng Yew Loong learned from Chan Fook, who was
reputed to have practised kungfu at the southern Shaolin Monastery in Fujian.
Sifu Ho Fatt Nam learned from seven masters, one of whom was Yang Fatt
Khuen, the successor of the Venerable Jiang Nan, the Shaolin monk who
escaped from the inferno when the Manchurian army razed the southern
monastery to the ground. Only the monastery gate remains today, and the
Chinese government has erected a stone tablet to indicate the former site of this
monastery.
In the spirit of righteousness, many kungfu experts who descended from
the southern Shaolin tradition willingly gave their lives to the noble cause of Dr.
Sun Yat Sen’s revolutionary work to overthrow the Manchurian Dynasty. Again,
viewed from a different cultural background, deeds that were considered
righteous by the kungfu community may seem odd or even foolish by other
peoples. If a kungfu exponent promised his mentor that he would do anything for
him to repay his kindness, the kungfu exponent literally meant what he said. For
example, if the mentor, for some legitimate reasons, asked the kungfu exponent
for his left hand, the latter would just chop it off for the mentor. If the mentor
was in trouble, the kungfu exponent would sacrifice even his own family to save
the mentor. The Chinese saying, “once a word drops onto the ground, even a
good steed cannot retrieve it”, meaning that “once a promise is made, it must be
kept no matter what happens”, was highly valued and practised in the kungfu
community.
Nevertheless, unscrupulous people may contort the meaning of
righteousness for their selfish benefit. Under the pretext of righteousness, many
gang leaders demanded their followers to do their bidding, such as extortion,
robbery, and murder, and to bear the consequences on their behalf if these
wicked schemes failed. Actually, the question of righteousness does not arise
here, because the required actions are not right in the first place. Righteousness,
including the will and effort to honour one’s words, is applicable only when the
relevant thoughts and deeds conform to high moral values. Hence, Shaolin
philosophy teaches that what is needed in upholding righteousness in not sheer
bravado, but wisdom and courage, mellowed with compassion.
The life story of my master Uncle Righteousness also provides me with
some interesting examples of compassion. Uncle Righteousness was a
traumatologist, i.e., one who is trained in “die da” (pronounced as “t’iet t’a”) or
traumatology, that specialty of Chinese medicine dealing with injuries sustained
through “falls and hits” such as dislocation, fractures, muscular pains, and
internal injuries.
The following represents a typical case. A poor man sustained a fracture
from a fall; incidentally, rich people, because of their way of life and work,
seldom suffer from traumatological injuries. After receiving treatment (including
medicine) from my master for a few months (the time needed for his fracture to
heal properly), the patient would say, “Sifu, I’m from a poor family. Since the
fracture, I have not been working, but I still have to support my large family.
Please have mercy on me. Charge as little as you can.”
What the patient said was almost always true. The common procedure of
requiring the patient to pay a substantial deposit before a modern orthopaedic or
any specialist would treat him, was never the practice of my master, Uncle
Righteousness. Instead, he would give the patient a kind look, draw out all his
money from his pocket, and say, “I’m sorry this is what little money I have, but
take it and buy some good food for yourself and your family. Remember you
need good food to replenish your lost chi and blood.” Some of my master’s
friends often teased him, saying that he would never be wealthy. I recall he told
me a few times, “If you want to make money from medical practice, do not
specialize in traumatology.”
Judging from today’s standard, it is no surprise if some readers find it
hard to differentiate between righteousness and foolishness. It is lamentable that
barely half a century after Uncle Righteousness’s time, many people are already
asking sneeringly, “How much does a ‘liang’ of righteousness cost?” (A ‘liang’
is a Chinese weight measurement of about 50 grams.) However, true Shaolin
disciples are determined that righteousness, compassion, and other worthy
values do not go down to the dogs.
Of course, compassion is more than merely giving money to needy
patients. The ideal of compassion is best symbolized in the Bodhisattva, an
enlightened being who voluntarily postpones his (or her) entry into Buddhahood
so as to return to the phenomenal world to help others. In the Shaolin Monastery,
the principal halls for worship are not dominated by gods or prophets pointing
the way to heaven, but are dedicated to two of the most popular Bodhisattvas in
Mahayana Buddhism, Guan Yin (or Avalokitesvara) and Di Zang Huang
(Ksitigarbha), who have vowed to save suffering humanity on earth and
tormented souls in hell.
Compassion in the Shaolin spirit is not limited to any race, culture, or
religion. Shaolin disciples are obliged to spread love and happiness to all people,
and Shaolin masters are obliged to nurture talents and pass on the Shaolin arts to
deserving disciples.

18: WONDERS OF SHAOLIN CHI KUNG

(The Link between Physical and Spiritual

Development)

At a higher level, it helps the practitioner to be in tune with the cosmos,
harmonizing his vital energy with cosmic energy, hence linking his physical
development to his spiritual development.

Kungfu, Chi Kung, and Zen

One of the harder problems I face in my many years of teaching is to convey to
my students, including some advanced ones, the tremendous scope and depth of
the Shaolin arts. Some of my students had attained high levels in other styles of
martial arts before they practised Shaolin Kungfu from me. When they learn
Shaolin techniques that they can effectively, and often surprisingly, use to
overcome combative situations that they had previously thought to be
impregnable, they are certainly very impressed. Then, after they can perform
exotic kungfu weapons in poetic motion, and have achieved fantastic force like
“Iron Palm” and “Iron Shirt”, they might think they have learned all there is to
be learned. They find it so hard to believe if I tell them that what they have
attained is actually the beginning of the higher Shaolin arts. This stage of their
development marks a crucial point: if they are proud, they will probably remain
at this level as a formidable fighter, and miss the greatest gifts Shaolin can offer
them.
If they are humble enough to seek further, they will proceed to the next
level, the fascinating world of Shaolin Chi Kung, where they might achieve feats
that they would not even have dreamed possible, such as passing energy through
walls, astral travelling, seeing into the past or future, and healing others from a
great distance! There is no doubt that these feats, incredible though they may be,
are true, for not only are they recorded in authoritative texts, but they have also
actually been performed by my disciples and me.
The wonders of Shaolin Chi Kung will be described in this and the
following two chapters. However, those who are ambitious to acquire these
abilities should realize that except for the first skill in the examples above, i.e.,
passing energy through walls, and other skills that are comparatively easy to
attain, advanced chi kung skills need to be learned from a master or at least a
qualified instructor. Readers are reminded to pay heed to the warnings at
appropriate places in this book where techniques are described for their
information, and not for self training.
On the other hand, readers need not be unduly worried about such
warnings, which are usually concerned with faulty chi kung practice, and which
are often given by masters or in books. It is certainly true that faulty practice
may result in harmful side effects - in chi kung as well as in all forms of
learning. But practising chi kung is generally safer than practising most sports,
such as football, jogging, and swimming. This of course does not mean we do
not pay attention to the warnings, which often reflect the masters’ or authors’
sense of responsibility towards their students or readers, but if students follow
the relevant instructions and advice with reasonable care, they can be assured
that their chi kung practice will be a very rewarding experience.
The division of the most important Shaolin arts into kungfu, chi kung and
Zen or meditation is for the sake of convenience. Although many people,
including masters, specialize in one of them, sometimes even to the extent of
losing sight of the other two outside their specialization, these three arts actually
form a continuum of personal development from the physical through the
energetic to the spiritual. Chi kung, the art of energy development, is therefore
the link between the physical training of kungfu and the spiritual training of Zen.
While an ideal, but not necessarily the only, approach in the training of
the Shaolin arts is to progress from kungfu to chi kung, then to Zen, every one of
the three arts is infused in every other. Even in the most elementary kungfu
movements, correct breathing coordination which is an aspect of chi kung, and a
focused mind which is an aspect of Zen, are necessary. Chi kung and Zen are
required in the training to acquire the three most advanced arts in Shaolin
Kungfu, which are also considered as “the three ultimates of martial art”, namely
“Shaolin Marvellous Fist” (Shao Lin Shen Quan), “Palm of Striking Across
Space” (Pi Kong Zhang), and “One-Finger Zen” (Yi Zhi Chan). Kungfu
literature mentions that a master with “Shaolin Marvellous Fist” can hurt an
opponent within a hundred and eight steps without physical contact; with “Palm
of Striking Across Space” he can within seventy-two steps injure someone
behind a wall without damaging the wall; with “One-Finger Zen” he can strike
the vital points of an opponent within thirty-six steps! By now, hopefully,
readers would be used to incredible feats of Shaolin masters; more amazing feats
are in store as you read on.
The set of exercises known as “Eighteen Lohan Hands”, which was the
forerunner of Shaolin Kungfu, forms the basis of Shaolin Chi Kung. Another set
of exercises known as “Sinew Metamorphosis”, which was the forerunner of
Shaolin Chi Kung, forms the basis of internal force training in Shaolin Kungfu.
All these exercises must be performed in a meditative state of mind or Zen. The
focus on breathing in and out as a means to achieve a one-pointed mind in Zen
practice, is an important aspect of chi kung. All these examples show that
kungfu, chi kung and Zen are integrated.
 Zen is not necessarily attained in a formal, cross-legged meditation
posture; it may be attained while the student is performing a kungfu form or a
chi kung exercise. For example, in Spain my disciple Douglas had some
interesting Zen experiences while practising chi kung although he had not started
Zen formally. In a chi kung practice, he first felt an intense separation of his
inside and the outside, then, miraculously, this separation disappeared
completely.
Zen or meditation is the highest of the Shaolin arts. Just as a highly
accomplished kungfu master would find it hard to believe that his
accomplishment, in the holistic perspective of the Shaolin teaching, is only a
stepping stone to the higher achievement found in the development of energy in
chi kung, a chi kung master would find it hard to believe that his fantastic
achievement is actually marginal when compared to the greatest attainment in
Zen! If we wish to compare the greatest attainments in kungfu and chi kung,
which are certainly remarkable and even incredible by themselves, with the
greatest attainment in Zen, if it is ever attained, it is like comparing a drop of
water with the boundless ocean! Why this is so will be explained in later
chapters; meanwhile, let us have some sound understanding of Shaolin Chi
Kung.

The Legacy of Bodhidharma

Like Shaolin Kungfu and Zen, Shaolin Chi Kung was first initiated by the great
Bodhidharma, an Indian prince who renounced the throne to teach Zen
Buddhism at the Shaolin Monastery in 527 CE. He taught the Eighteen Lohan
Hands and the Sinew Metamorphosis to the monks to aid their meditation. It is
said that Bodhidharma also taught another set of chi kung exercises known as
“Cleansing Marrow”, but while the literature on Eighteen Lohan Hands and the
“Classic of Sinew Metamorphosis” has been passed down the generations to us,
the “Classic of Cleansing Marrow” is now lost. From secondary records
purported to describe “Cleansing Marrow”, these exercises probably resemble a
genre of chi kung exercises known as “Self Manifested Chi Movement”, which
will be described in more details later.
Eighteen Lohan Hands is a set of eighteen dynamic chi kung patterns.
“Lohan” is the Chinese term for the Sanskrit “Arahant”, who is an enlightened
being in Hinayana or Theravada Buddhism. Because of the long history of
Eighteen Lohan Hands, during which time it has undergone many modifications
and innovations, the individual patterns practised by different schools may
differ. In my Shaolin Wahnam School, the eighteen Lohan patterns are as
follows:

1. Lifting the Sky
2. Shooting Arrows
3. Plucking Stars
4. Turning Head
5. Merry-Go-Round
6. Angry-Eyed Punches
7. Carrying the Moon
8. Nourishing Kidneys
9. Three Levels to Earth
10. Dancing Crane
11. Carrying Mountain
12. Drawing Knife
13. Pushing Mountain
14. Separating Water
15. Presenting Claws
 16. Windmill Hand

17. Lift-Heel Squatting

18. Rotating Knees

The first eight exercises are similar to the set of exercises known as “Eight
Pieces of Brocade” (Ba Duan Jin). The original objective of the Eighteen Lohan
Hands was “to loosen muscles and bones” so that Shaolin monks could practise
meditation for longer periods. But these exercises have developed in depth and
scope, and are now excellent for promoting health, vitality, and longevity, as
described in Chapter 4, which also explains Pattern 1 (Lifting the Sky) and
Pattern 9 (Three Levels to Earth) of the Eighteen Lohan Hands. Aspirants keen
to learn Shaolin Kungfu but who are too weak for vigorous training will benefit
much if they start with Eighteen Lohan Hands.
Fig 18.1 Eighteen Lohan Hands
18.1.1

18.1.2
18.1.3

18.1.4
18.1.5

18.1.6

18.1.7
18.1.7

18.1.8

18.1.9
18.1.10

18.1.11

18.1.12

18.1.13
18.1.13

18.1.14

18.1.15
18.1.16

18.1.17

18.1.18

While the exercises of Eighteen Lohan Hands are mainly concerned with
“external” movements, those of Sinew Metamorphosis are mainly “internal”. In
Sinew Metamorphosis training, the practitioner stands stationary at twelve
postures, and by means of subtle movements, such as of his fingers, toes, and
wrists, he generates his internal energy to flow harmoniously along various
meridians as well as strengthens his internal tissues and sinews. The twelve
postures and subtle movements are as follows:

1. Pressing palms
2. Lifting thumbs
3. Clasping thumbs
4. Clasping fists
5. Lifting body
6. Jerking elbows
7. Lifting heels
8. Lifting wrists
9. Lifting elbows
10. Lifting fists
11. Clasping fingers
12. Stretching arms

Fig 18.2 Sinew Metamorphosis
18.2.1
 18.2.2

18.2.3
18.2.4

18.2.5
18.2.6

18.2.7
18.2.8

18.2.9
18.2.10

18.2.11
 18.2.12

Sinew Metamorphosis for Internal Power

The following is a brief description of two of the Sinew Metamorphosis
exercises. Stand upright, be relaxed and alert. Close your mouth and clench your
teeth firmly. Place the tip of your tongue at your upper gum above the front
teeth. (Do not worry if you are wearing dentures; perform the exercises the same
way as if you were not.) Fill yourself with chi, or energy — this is done
mentally, not physically.
For “Lifting Thumbs” (Pattern 2), drop your two arms, with elbows fairly
straight, in front of your thighs. With the fingers clenching in a fist, move both
thumbs outward and upward forty-nine times, Fig 18.3.
Fig 18.3 Lifting Thumbs

For “Lifting Body” (Pattern 5), raise your arms straight above your head, with
the fists loosely clenched and the thumbs facing the back. Your raised arms
should be a few inches away from your ears. Raise your heels slightly, about an
inch or two above the ground. Next clench both fists firmly, lower your elbows
with some strength as if you are pulling your body up, and raise your feet as
much as you can to stand on your toes. Then return to the starting position, with
arms straight above, and heels slightly above the ground. Repeat forty-nine
times. See Fig 18.4.
Fig 18.4 Lifting Body
Although these exercises appear simple, they are actually very powerful. If you
find tension in your chest after practising Sinew Metamorphosis, performing
“Lifting the Sky” of the Lohan Hands (see Chapter 4) or Self-Manifested Chi
Movement (to be explained later) will relieve the tension. If tension persists or
pain results, stop practising the exercises; you probably have been performing
the exercises incorrectly.
As Sinew Metamorphosis is principally concerned with strengthening, it
forms the foundation of many types of force training in Shaolin Kungfu, and
later in other styles of martial art. Shaolin Chi Kung for force training has been
explained in Chapter 14. As these Sinew Metamorphosis exercises had
undergone various transformations, although its fundamental principles
remained when they were adapted by martial artists through the centuries for
their various needs, many people may not recognize the prototype in the
numerous force training methods found in different martial arts today. For
example, the “Golden Bridge” (Fig 18.5) in Shaolin Kungfu, the “Three-Circle
Stance” (Fig 18.6) in Taijiquan, and the various “Zhan Zhuang” or Standing at
Static Stances (Fig 18.7) in Bagua (Pakua) kungfu — all of which are meant to
develop internal force — owe their origins to the principle of tissue
strengthening in Sinew Metamorphosis.
Fig 18.5 Golden Bridge in Shaolin Kungfu
 Fig 18.6 Three-Circle Stance in Taijiquan

Fig 18.7 A Zhan Zhuang Pattern in Bagua Kungfu

Later these twelve Sinew Metamorphosis exercises, with some modification,
were also performed with the practitioner sitting cross-legged. They are then
known as the “Twelve Pieces of Brocade of Shaolin”.
While practically all Shaolin masters and students who have dedicated
their lives to the Shaolin arts gratefully honour Bodhidharma as their First
Patriarch, some scholars, Chinese as well as non-Chinese, most of whom have
never practised any Shaolin arts before but who base their conclusion on often
second-hand sources in their ivory towers, eloquently argue that Bodhidharma
was only a myth, invented by interested parties to boost their standing —
although overwhelming evidence including imperial documents, temple histories
and architectural records indicate that Bodhidharma taught at the Shaolin
Monastery in the 6th century. Many of these Shaolin masters and students were
highly intelligent and distinguished, like great monks, emperors, generals, and
state ministers. Hence, it is amazing, if not insulting, that many people tend to
accept uncritically the scholars’ claim, implying that generations of Shaolin
masters and students had been duped.
These scholars say that Sinew Metamorphosis as well as Eighteen Lohan
Hands were not taught by Bodhidharma, but were a later invention by the
Chinese themselves who might not even belong to the Shaolin tradition. Shaolin
disciples are generally not bothered with this argument; what they are interested
is whether the exercises produce the results as claimed; the name for the
exercises — Sinew Metamorphosis, Twelve Pieces of Brocade or otherwise — is
merely a convenient symbol for reference. It is of course the readers’ privilege to
choose between arguing until their chest aches, and practising them to attain
health, vitality, and internal power. If you are doubtful whether such seemingly
simple exercises can develop internal power, the best is to practise them, such as
“Lifting Thumbs” and “Lifting Body” of Sinew Metamorphosis, twice a day for
three months to judge for yourself.

A Chance to Test an Incredible Art

Would you believe it if you are told that by practising some appropriate chi kung
exercises, you may move without your volition, such as swaying like a happy
willow tree, dancing gracefully and spontaneously, or even making funny
noises? Again, in line with the Shaolin philosophy that one should accept the
teaching not on faith alone, but on his understanding and experience, you can
test the validity of the above statement yourself by practising the following Self-
Manifested Chi Movement exercise.
Before going into the method of the exercise, it is good to understand its
philosophy. Self-Manifested Chi Movement, also called Self-Induced Chi Flow,
and known as Zi Fa Dong Gong in Chinese, is a genre of chi kung exercises. A
whole school of chi kung can be built upon just these self-manifested exercises.
Probably the most famous set of self-manifested exercises is the “Five-Animal
Play” invented by the great second century Chinese physician, Hua Tuo.
The movements spontaneously performed by a practitioner while he is in
the midst of the exercise are “involuntary” in the sense that they are not caused
by him consciously, but caused by a “subconscious”, enhanced, and harmonious
flow of his own vital energy inside his body. But at all time, the practitioner is
fully aware of his situation, and he can influence or stop his spontaneous
movements if he wants. There is definitely nothing occult or religious in this
exercise.
Because of various factors — such as his bodily and mental conditions,
the nature and site of his illness if any, and the type of exercises used to induce
the movements — different people or the same person at different times, will
move differently. Some may hardly move, others may move vigorously, but
most sway gracefully, sometimes moving off from their starting position.
Sometimes the movements or sounds may be odd or comical, but whatever they
are, a beginning student should not be worried, as the movements and sounds are
the natural ways your own body and mind react to the working of your own vital
energy flow, stimulated by the chi kung exercise, to give you the best benefits.
Laughing or crying during the exercise, for example, is a form of emotional
catharsis; rolling on the ground or hitting yourself is a form of self healing.
The following four points are very important:
1. You must not be disturbed during the exercise. If someone approaches,

 for example, indicate to him to wait. Should you be disturbed or affected in
any way that causes your chi or vital energy to be deviated in its flow,
remedy the situation by performing the whole exercise again at your earliest
convenience to bring your chi flow back to proper alignment.

2. You must not resist your energy flow. This means when you feel your

energy is moving you do not attempt to stop the movement. However, at the
beginning stage before you have learned complete control, if your
movement starts to become vigorous, gently tell yourself to slow down.
You will find that your body always obeys your mind.

3. Never stop abruptly; always bring your movement to a graceful halt

whenever you wish to complete the exercise. Remain still for at least a few
seconds before moving away from your position.

4. Practise in a safe place, preferably in an open outdoor space if the

weather permits. There must not be any sharp or pointed objects nearby. Do
not practise near any sharp drop, such as a balcony or an open window of a
high building. Though this exercise is excellent, it cannot make you fly
should you accidentally drop over the balcony or window.

Self-Manifested Chi Movement

The following is the method to induce self-manifested chi movement. Stand
upright and relaxed, with feet slightly apart. Use your middle finger, left for men
and right for women (but if you forget, it does not matter much) to press gently
on your navel about ten times. Then drop that hand, and use the middle finger of
the other hand to massage the crown of your head about three times.
Next perform a series of exercises to induce chi flow. Many different
exercises can be used; the five selected below constitute a good combination. As
the exercises are means and not ends themselves, you need not worry about
performing the form of the exercises exactly.
First, perform “Lifting the Sky” about ten times as follows. Straighten
both arms in front, with both palms facing the ground, Fig 18.9 (a). Bring the
straightened arms continuously forward and upward, Fig 18.9 (b),
simultaneously breathing in gently; then press both palms upward towards the
sky, Fig 18.9 (c), gently holding the breath. Next, lower the straightened arms to
your sides, Fig 18.9 (d), gently breathing out in the process. (Refer to Chapter 4
for detail of this exercise.)
Fig 18.8 Lifting the Sky

Continue with “Windmill Hand” as follows. Bring your right arm continuously
forward and upward, Fig 18.10 (a), simultaneously breathing in gently. Continue
the arm movement backward and downward, Fig 18.10 (b), breathing out gently.
Repeat with the same hand about ten times. Then repeat with the other hand
about ten times. (Note that the “Windmill Hand” here is “soft”; whereas the
“Forceful Windmill”, as part of the Cosmos Palm training described in Chapter
14, is “hard”.)
Fig 18.10 Windmill Hand
(a)

(b)
Continue with “Kicking Crane”. Turn to your right side, spread out both arms,
and kick out your left leg, pointing the toes in front, Fig 18.11. Then lower your
left leg, turn left-about to your left side, spread out both arms, and kick out your
right leg, pointing the toes in front. Let your breathing be natural. Repeat the
procedure about ten times.
Fig 18.11 Kicking Crane
(a)

(b)
Continue with “Double Dragons”. Bring both hands to both sides at breast level,
with your palms facing the ground. Move the palms, fingers pointing forward,
out in front by straightening your elbows, bending your body slightly forward
and breathing out simultaneously. Then bring your palms back to your sides at
breast level, still with fingers pointing in front, bending your body slightly
backward and breathing in, Fig 18.12. Repeat the procedure about twenty times.
Fig 18.12 Double Dragons
(a)

(b)
Continue with “Fish-Flip”. Drop your hands at both sides and do not worry
about them throughout this exercise. Continue bending your body forward about
45 degrees and backward about 45 degrees, Fig 18.13, about twenty times. Let
your breathing be natural.
Fig 18.13 Fish-Flip
(a)

(b)
After completing this sequence of exercises — Lifting the Sky, Windmill Hand,
Kicking Crane, Double Dragons and Fish-Flip — close your eyes (if you have
not already closed them), stand upright and be totally relaxed. Follow the
momentum as you begin to sway or move in any way; do not resist the
movement, but tell yourself to slow down should your movement become too
vigorous. Make whatever sound if you feel like it. Enjoy the self-manifested chi
movement for about five to ten minutes. (Later, when you are proficient in this
exercise, you may continue for a longer period, but never too long that you
become tired; and you may open your eyes during your practice if you wish.)
However, if after the sequence of exercises you are still not moved by
your vital energy, stand upright and relaxed with your eyes close. Gently think
of a cascade of energy flowing down in all directions from your head to your
feet. Repeat this thinking or visualization gently for a few times, and when your
body starts to move, follow its momentum and enjoy the self-manifested
movement. If there is still no spontaneous movement after a few times of
thinking of or visualization the energy cascade, it does not matter; just remain
standing in the meditative state for a few minutes, and complete the exercise as
described below.
After enjoying the self-manifested chi movement or induced chi flow,
gently bring your movement to a graceful stop. Remain still in the standing
meditation for a few minutes without any thought or care in the world. Then
gently think of your abdomen for a few seconds. Rub your palms together to
warm them, and then warm your eyes with your palms as you open your eyes.
Gently massage your face and then walk about briskly to complete the whole
exercise. You will probably find it one of the best experiences you have ever
had.
 This Self-Manifested Chi Movement exercise is very effective for
clearing away toxic waste, opening energy blockages, and balancing energy
levels, thus curing a wide range of illness and promoting physical, emotional,
mental, and spiritual health. At a higher level, it helps the practitioner to be in
tune with the cosmos, harmonizing his vital energy with cosmic energy, hence
linking his physical development to his spiritual development.

19: CURING “INCURABLE” DISEASES

(Shaolin Chi Kung and Chinese Medicine)

In case some readers may feel that this hope of recovering from their so-
called incurable illness is too good to believe, let me remind them that true
Shaolin disciples, in accordance with Buddhist precepts — though true
Shaolin disciples need not be Buddhists, and many aren’t — do not tell lies.

Chi Kung for Curing Illness

Would you believe that people suffering for many years from hypertension,
asthma, diabetes, peptic and duodenum ulcers, arthritis, rheumatism, insomnia,
migraine, sexual inadequacy, and even cancer, and had been told that these
disease were incurable, could be cured by practising Shaolin Chi Kung?
I myself, who had practised and taught Shaolin Chi Kung for many years,
found it hard to believe that practising the same set of chi kung exercises could
cure such a wide range of different illnesses. I had read about the wonderful
healing effects of chi kung from classical chi kung literature, but at that time I
was quite disinterested in these claims because — thanks to Shaolin Kungfu —
my students and I were (and still are) very healthy and fit. We practised Shaolin
Chi Kung not for health or curing illness, but for enhancing kungfu abilities. We
did not have living examples to prove or disprove the chi kung claims of curing
so-called incurable diseases.
This changed when I began teaching Shaolin Chi Kung to the public. All
along I knew that Shaolin and other kinds of chi kung were excellent for
promoting health, though I was not too sure if they were equally effective for
curing “incurable” diseases, despite the fact that years ago Shaolin Chi Kung
cured my migraine, sinus problem, and haemorrhoids. I reasoned to myself that
if I were to reserve Shaolin Chi Kung only for selected disciples, who were
already fit like fiddles, those who were weak but for various reasons did not
practise kungfu — in other words, those who needed Shaolin Chi Kung most —
would be denied the opportunity. So I selected patterns from Shaolin Chi Kung
that are not too exacting to practise but are effective for promoting health, and
taught them to the public without their having to train in Shaolin Kungfu first.
The result was overwhelming. For the first time I actually saw for myself
the marvellous effects of chi kung curing so-called incurable diseases, and it
gave me the inspiration that one day I would convey this wonderful hope to
countless suffering patients. By now there are literally hundreds of patients who
have had their so-called incurable diseases cured after practising chi kung from
me. In case some readers may feel that this hope of recovering from their so-
called incurable illness is too good to believe, let me remind them that true
Shaolin disciples, in accordance with Buddhist precepts — though true Shaolin
disciples need not be Buddhists, and many aren’t — do not tell lies.

Harmonizing Yin-Yang

How chi kung can cure these alleged incurable diseases can be explained by two
important principles: harmonizing yin-yang and cleansing meridians. Great
Chinese physicians have advised that “if yin-yang is harmonious and the flow of
energy in the meridian system is cleansed, illness will not occur.” To those who
think that the conventional western medical paradigm is the only correct view,
this advice may appear simplistic, if not downright ridiculous. But if they care,
for their own sake, to study it more deeply, they will find that it is, like a most
profound mathematical formula, a summation of a tremendous amount of great
medical truths expressed in the shortest possible way.
To understand the concept of yin-yang harmony, we must first have a
clear picture of what yin-yang means. Yin and yang are not the two primordial
forces of the universe, nor the male and female principles in the cosmos, as
many western writings on Chinese philosophy misleadingly suggest. Yin and
yang are merely symbols, and as symbols they can refer to different things or
concepts in different situations. Basically, yin and yang symbolize two opposing
— yet complementary — aspects of reality.
In Shaolin Kungfu, for example, we may refer to form as yin, and
application as yang. If a student learns only the form of kungfu but does not
know how to apply it for combat, he lacks yin-yang harmony in his kungfu
training.
In health and medicine, the natural resistance of a person is referred to as
yin, and all exo-pathogens as yang. If his resistance is inadequate to meet an
attack of germs, expressed in Chinese medical concept as excessive yang, his
yin-yang is disharmonious.
Our natural ability to secrete the necessary hormones or chemicals at the
right time and place is symbolized as yin, and all the cholesterol, sugar, calcium,
and other pollutants that get into our systems are symbolized as yang. Even
when a person takes food low in cholesterol or sugar, but if his organs or glands
(many of which are still unknown to us) are not functioning properly, expressed
as insufficient yin, he will be sick due to yin-yang disharmony.
We are, by nature, able to handle stress and other emotional hazards, and
this is expressed as yin-yang harmony. But if a person becomes mentally or
emotionally unstable, expressed as insufficient yin, or if the stress and hazards
become too overbearing, excessive yang, he may have psychiatric problems.
Hence, whether the disease is contagious, organic, or psychiatric, it is
caused by yin-yang disharmony. Harmonizing yin-yang, therefore, is the logical
way of overcoming illness at its root cause. The premise in Chinese medical
thinking is that health is our natural birthright. We are by nature healthy; if
illness occurs, it is only a temporary state when certain systems in our bodies
(and minds, as the Chinese never alienate mind from body) fail to function as
they should. According to Chinese medical philosophy, the ultimate cause of
illness is internal; therefore, illness can, and should, be relieved by correcting
internal faults.
What happens, someone may rightly ask, if an immediate, external factor
causing illness is unreasonably excessive? If, for instance, a person drinks an
overwhelming amount of liquor, or is exposed to an overwhelming amount of
radioactive waste dumped by an inconsiderate manufacturer, would his natural
life-sustaining systems be able to neutralize the harmful alcohol or radiation? In
such cases, the problem is no longer medical; it becomes a question of suicide or
murder.
In contrast, western medical philosophy tacitly presumes that the ultimate
cause of illness is external. In western medicine the onus is to define the external
cause — such as bacteria, cholesterol, or stress; then to provide an external
means to overcome the cause. This crucial philosophical difference between
Chinese and western medicine has far-reaching significance, as will be discussed
later.

Clearing Energy Blockage

The Chinese go further than curing illness; their greater aim is to prevent illness
from occurring in the first place. From the Chinese perspective, prevention and
cure belong to the same continuum of health care, and both can be realized by
clearing the meridians of blockage so that chi or vital energy can flow
harmoniously. If a person is already healthy, ensuring harmonious energy flow
will prevent illness from occurring; if he is sick, it will cure him of his illness.
Harmonious energy flow can be achieved in many ways, such as physical
exercise, taking appropriate herbs, massage, and acupuncture, but the best and
most direct way is practising chi kung.
How does harmonious energy flow prevent and cure illness? Every part
of our bodies are intimately linked by our elaborate meridian system, through
which our chi or vital energy flows. In western medical terms, this meridian
system incorporates our feed-back system, immune system, transport system,
disposal system, self-defence system, and self-regenerative system.
If disease-causing agents enter our body, such as through a cut into our
blood, through breathing into our lungs, or through eating into our digestive
tract, our body is alerted by our meridian system to this new situation of
temporary yin-yang disharmony. Our whole bodies’ resources are then
mobilized to meet this new challenge, like channelling “defence energy”, known
as wei chi in Chinese medical terminology, and which probably corresponds to
antibodies in western terms, to overcome the foreign invaders, and the disposal
system activated to clear away any resultant dead cells. If the foreign invaders
are substantial, our body will call up reserve energy from the “great spleen
collaterals”, and if needed, from the “eight wondrous meridians”.
All these necessary activities to overcome the foreign invaders, such as
alerting the whole body and mobilizing the required forces, are possible if our
chi is flowing harmoniously. If there is some blockage, for example, between the
invaded site and the “great spleen collaterals”, reserved forces may not be
adequately channelled to restore the yin-yang balance.
If you think that all this description is merely speculation, be assured that
such overcoming of foreign invaders by our body systems is happening all the
time in every one of us, usually without our conscious knowing. If you think one
must take antibiotics to overcome contagious diseases, you will be amazed that
the number of diseases all the antibiotics in the world today can cure is
miserably small. Some western experts believe that if not for our own wonderful
defence and other systems, no one can be alive for more than ten minutes!
Not only are we invaded daily by countless deadly micro-organisms,
many of which are still unknown to medical scientists, we are also constantly
polluted by harmful substances and bombarded by lethal radiation. Yet, we
remain alive and healthy — thanks to our yin-yang balance and harmonious
energy flow.
All the time, cholesterol is clogging our blood vessels, sugar is flowing
into our blood stream, acid is pouring into our stomach, pollutants are choking
our lungs, calcium is solidifying in our kidneys, and other harmful substances
are blocking cells, tissues, and other organs. Yet we are not sick, because as soon
as the accumulation of these harmful substances reaches a critical level, as soon
as excessive yang is registered by our meridian system, chi in the form of
electric impulses will instruct the respective parts of our bodies to produce the
right chemicals in the right amounts at the right places to neutralize the harmful
substances so as to restore our yin-yang harmony. Only when chi flow is
blocked, when yin-yang is disharmonious, illness like high blood pressure,
diabetes, peptic ulcers, asthma, kidney stones, and other organic diseases occur.
Similarly, our wonderful body systems prevent and cure us of cancer,
thousands of times without our knowing, despite the lethal radiation and sea of
carcinogens all around us. In fact, curing degenerative diseases, including
cancer, is the hallmark of chi kung therapy; I have hundreds of cases to
substantiate my claim.
Another remarkable achievement of chi kung is preventing and curing
psychiatric disorders, which are referred to as “illness of the heart” in Chinese
terminology. According to Chinese medical philosophy, the cause of psychiatric
disorders, like that of somatic diseases, is ultimately internal; that is why the
same external situation, like anxiety in work or disappointment in failure, may
be psychotic to one person but not to another.
The yin-yang disharmony in emotional health which causes psychiatric
illness is related to various zang chi, or energy of the various organ systems,
which also causes organic diseases. If the chi at the lung meridian system is
disharmonious, that person’s ability to bear grief is affected; if it is at the kidney
meridian system, he is prone to fear; at the liver meridian system, prone to anger;
at the heart meridian system, he may be unable to accept joy; and at the spleen
meridian system, he tends to worry excessively. A person whose lung energy is
blocked, for example, feels depressed easily, whereas one who lacks kidney
energy would be in a state of shock and nervousness. Chinese medical scientists
summarized such knowledge from their years of empirical studies into the
principles of the five elementary processes of metal, water, wood, fire, and earth,
which some scholars merely reading these terms at their surface meaning,
ignorantly but arrogantly say are metaphysical or superstitious.
Instead of persuading a patient who suffers from depression to believe
that the world is a laughing stage, or reasoning with a nervous patient that his
fear is unfounded, we can teach them chi kung exercises to promote smooth flow
of their lung energy and kidney energy respectively. When they have achieved
harmonious energy flow at their respective organ systems, they will improve
their emotional balance, with the result that they can, on their own, become more
cheerful and realize their fears are actually unwarranted.
If you have wondered why a chi kung master can be so relaxed even
when he faces a situation which will be stressful to most other people, you can
have a good guess at the answer now. As the meridian system of the master is
clear, whatever stressful emotions like grief, fear, anger, and worry that most
other people with energy blockage would succumb into, will be flushed out by
his harmonious energy flow. This also explains why a person who is anxious,
worried, or angry will feel better after letting out his pent-up emotions on a
dummy, or after some vigorous sport; and a grief-stricken person will experience
some relief after a good cry. Vigorous sports, crying, laughing, and shouting are
indirect ways of generating energy flow; practising chi kung is direct and
methodical.

Chi Kung for Curing Cancer

The first time I saw Maria, she looked old, haggard, and depressed; she suffered
from breast cancer, and already had three surgical operations to remove her
tumour. Despite her operations, which were “technically successful”, her cancer
kept coming back. She was also on a powerful course of chemotherapy, which
made her weak, nauseous, and bald.
I opened some relevant vital points on her body, transmitted some chi
into her, and helped her to experience self-manifested chi movement. At first she
swayed gently, then she performed some spontaneous dance-like movements.
But the most memorable part was when I asked her to smile from her heart. I
said, “Don’t worry how you do it, but do it. Smile from your heart.” She did that.
Douglas, my disciple who was with me throughout the therapy session, and I
were amazed to find the smile from her heart transformed Maria from an old-
looking, depressed patient to the young, beautiful woman she really was. At the
end of that therapy session, I asked Maria to give a blessing to anyone she liked.
Maria practised at home the self-manifested chi movement exercise I
taught her. A few days later she came for her second therapy session. At first
Douglas and I almost could not recognize her. She had changed so much just
over a few days: she was no longer the haggard, depressed Maria we first saw;
she was young, cheerful, and even bouncing with energy!
She did her self-manifested chi movement exercise beautifully. Her
spontaneous movement resembled a graceful dance, and she wore a smile on her
face most of the time. Halfway through the therapy session, she asked me if it
was alright for her to sing while in her self-manifested chi movement, for she
simply felt like singing. I felt very happy for her, for I knew very well that she
was on the sure path of recovery. She concluded the session with a blessing for
someone she liked.
After the practice she told Douglas and me that the chi kung experience
was fantastic. She confessed she was sceptical at first, but soon discovered the
benefits were just unbelievable. She said that even after the first session, the pain
in her head and upper body that she had suffered for some time disappeared as if
by magic.
All these happened only two weeks ago. At the time of writing, Maria
has not recovered, but from her response and from my experience with cancer
patients, I can safely predict that her recovery is a matter of time. Probably six
months later when she goes for a medical test for cancer, the result will be
negative.
I chose her case for illustration here, instead of others who have been
proven to have recovered from cancer, partly because hers is very remarkable,
and mainly because it readily comes to mind as I write. Cancer can be cured, and
many have been cured. This is a serious claim, made earnestly, for it pains my
heart to know that, for some reasons, while millions are suffering in
dehumanizing agony, a proven cure for cancer that is cheap and should be easily
available is still unknown to those who need it. I will be happy and ready to
work with sincere organizations desirous to test my claim, and to share the
knowledge and skill of curing cancer with others.
Cancer is only frightening if we view it from the western medical
perspective. The renowned oncologist, Dr. D. W. Smithers, explains that cancer
is “just a shortened way of saying something that cannot be simply defined.”
Because western experts fail to pinpoint the cause or causes of cancer, they are
quite helpless in providing a cure.
However, if we view what the west calls cancer from the Chinese
perspective, immediately its morbidity vanishes, because according to Chinese
medical philosophy there is no such thing as an incurable disease. In fact cancer
is unknown in traditional Chinese medical literature; the nearest term to it is
“poisonous growth”, which the Chinese has never considered to be fatal or
incurable. The term ai, which modern Chinese use to refer to cancer, is a
translation from English, and is not a traditional Chinese medical concept.
How, then, would a traditional Chinese physician describe a patient who
suffers from a condition (or conditions) which the west would conveniently call
cancer? The Chinese physician will not call it “cancer”, or by any word with a
similar meaning, simply because the concept of cancer does not exist in Chinese
medicine. He will, as in all other diseases, describe the condition of the patient,
not the condition of the disease. He may, for instance, describe the patient as
“having poisonous heat at the liver meridian”. Another patient, whom a western
doctor would similarly describe as suffering from cancer, may be described
differently by the Chinese physician, according to the patient’s pathological
condition, like “having false-fire at the intermediate level”. Interestingly this
phenomenon of the same “stuff” appearing as different “reality” falls perfectly in
line with Buddhist philosophy. What appears as water to us, for example, is fire
to ghosts and spirits, and as crystals to gods. (Please ignore the previous
sentence if you do not believe that beings other than what we can see, exist in
other dimensions on our puny earth, or in other parts of our boundless universe.)
This difference of perspective means the difference between life and
death for the patient. If he is described as suffering from cancer, it is tantamount
to saying he is going to die, usually painfully. According to the western medical
paradigm, as the cause of illness is unknown, the cure is unknown, too. Cancer is
“incurable” not because there is no cure available, but because it is not known
what actually is to be cured.
If the same patient is described as “having poisonous heat at the liver
meridian”, or “having false-fire at the intermediate level”, it is telling him that
the cause of his temporary state of ill-health has been defined, and the logical
step in restoring him to his natural state of good health is to overcome the cause
of his ill-health. According to the Chinese medical paradigm, all illness can be
cured because it is natural and normal to be healthy. If the patient’s “poisonous
heat at the liver meridian” or “false-fire at the intermediate level” is eliminated,
then his disease, irrespective of what label it may be called, will be relieved.

Thematic and Holistic Approaches

If the patient can remedy the temporary faults in his own body systems, thus
restoring them to their natural functions, cancer or any disease can be cured. In
Chinese medicine many approaches can be used to restore the patient’s natural
functions, such as acupuncture, massage therapy, physiotherapy, external
medicine, herbalism, and chi kung therapy. For diseases like cancer where the
external causes are unknown and the internal causes hard to define, practising
chi kung is the best approach. This is because while the other approaches are
generally thematic, i.e., diagnosing the causes, then prescribing the appropriate
therapeutics to correct them, chi kung is generally holistic, i.e., treating the
patient as a whole person, without the need to address the particular cause of the
illness directly.
For example, if an acupuncturist diagnoses a patient as having
“poisonous heat at the liver meridian”, he will manipulate appropriate acu-points
to release the “poisonous heat” at the liver meridian. He will also manipulate
other acu-points to detoxify and flush out the “poison” that has spread to other
parts of the body, to strengthen the kidney system so that its effect can benefit
the liver, and to stimulate the gall bladder meridian and clear the lung meridian
so that energy at the liver meridian can flow smoothly. Should the causes of the
disease be different, he will use different therapeutic principles and methods. His
approach is therefore thematic.
An herbalist treating this patient will employ the same therapeutic
principles, such as eliminating the “poisonous heat” at the liver meridian,
detoxifying and flushing out the “poison”, strengthening the kidney system, and
promoting smooth energy flow. But his method will be different. Instead of
needles, the herbalist will use appropriate herbs to achieve the same therapeutic
objectives. His approach is also thematic; he prescribes the therapeutics
according to the causes of illness.
Chi kung therapy is generally holistic, although thematic treatment is
also possible. Indeed, many cancer patients have their so-called incurable disease
cured by practising from me the same chi kung course which also cures others of
a wide range of disorders, like asthma, diabetes, gall stone, high blood pressure,
heart problems, kidney failure, peptic ulcers, rheumatism, insomnia, depression,
nervousness, sexual inadequacy, and infertility.

How Does Chi Kung Cure Illness

How is it possible that the same chi kung exercises can cure different diseases?
If we view it from the western medical paradigm, such as from chemotherapy,
probably the most representative of western medical practice today, which
dictates that a particular drug is prescribed for a particular disease, or from
surgery, considered by many as the most advanced of western medical
technology, which conveniently cuts off the diseased parts, this concept of chi
kung as a panacea for all ills would appear ludicrous as well as primitive. But if
we remember that the western medical paradigm is not the only way we can use
to view health and medicine, and if we examine the topic from a different
perspective using the Chinese medical paradigm, which actually has successfully
and continuously served the world’s largest population for the longest period of
history, we shall find this holistic effect of chi kung in curing illness logical and
scientific.
Put in a nutshell, chi kung therapy can achieve holistic healing of the
patient because its principal function is cleansing meridians and harmonizing
yin-yang. It can achieve this purpose excellently because of the natural
characteristic of chi to flow to where it is needed most. Chi flows from high
energy levels to low energy levels, just like water flows from high to low places.
Where energy levels are lowest are sites of illness, irrespective of whether the
illness is contagious, organic, or psychiatric. For example, if there is insufficient
energy to overcome pathogens at an infected site, a contagious disease like
influenza develops; if an organ does not have sufficient energy to function
naturally, an organic disorder like kidney failure occurs; if the “heart”, which is
generally translated as the mind in English, lacks the energy to accommodate
stressful situations, a psychiatric problem like intrapersonal loneliness results.
Often the low energy level occurs at a site not because there is
insufficient overall energy in the body, but because of energy blockage that
hampers smooth flow of energy to where it is needed. The blockage may occur
at different scales, such as at the cellular scale at certain nerves which may cause
hormonal imbalance, or at an organic scale at the coronary artery which may
cause a heart attack. Almost always the root cause of a blockage at the organic
scale, which eventually results in a structural defect such as arteriosclerosis
(hardening of arteries), has its origin as a functional disorder caused by energy
blockage at the cellular level.
 Practising chi kung clears energy blockage, especially at the cellular and
sub-atomic levels, with the beneficial effects gradually spreading to the levels of
tissues, organs, and the whole body including the mind. When vital energy is
increased and its flow harmonious, yin-yang balance is achieved. Thus, if there
is an infection, symbolized as excessive yang, reserved energy, symbolized as
yin, will overcome it. If there is insufficient energy at a particular organ for its
normal functioning, or inadequate yang, energy tapped from the cosmos and
transformed into vital energy of the body will be channelled through a better
system of energy flow to that organ to overcome its lack. If the mind is
inadequate in handling stress, which may be expressed as mental yin
insufficiency, the mind is expanded, expressed as increasing mental yin, so that
now it can cope with stress effectively.
Similarly, cleansing meridians and harmonizing yin-yang can cure
cancer. It is sickening but true that cancer has made some people very rich, and
these people, wittingly or unwittingly, have vested interest to ridicule any claim
to cancer cure, while cancer patients and their families suffer helplessly, often
unnecessarily! On the other hand, it is heartening to note that everyone literally
has cancer thousands of times in his lifetime, but the equal thousands of times
cancer is cured by his own body systems without him knowing. Generally, all
people are exposed to the same cancer-causing agents, but only in a
comparatively small proportion of people, whose yin-yang is disharmonious and
energy flow impeded, does cancer surface as a clinically recognizable disease.
Of the many schools of chi kung that can overcome cancer and other so-
named incurable diseases, Shaolin Chi Kung, in my opinion, is the best because
of the following five reasons. While some schools make use of only one or two
categories of chi kung exercises, Shaolin Chi Kung uses all; its comprehensive
repertoire therefore provides a wider scope to meet the different needs of
patients. Second, Shaolin Chi Kung is very powerful; it produces effects in
fifteen minutes what may take an hour in other types of chi kung. Often the
benefit is immediate; although it needs a few months of daily practice before
cancer or other diseases can be cured, after a Shaolin Chi Kung session the
patient can immediately feel beneficial effects like deep relaxation, joy, and
elimination of pain. It is certain that his (or her) quality of life will improve.
Fourth, Shaolin Chi Kung involves the mind, whereas many other types
of chi kung are only physical; this allows the patient to reach heightened states
of consciousness that can be rewardingly employed to speed up his recovery.
Finally, Shaolin Chi Kung touches on the spiritual, irrespective of one’s religion;
many of my patients who were dejected and lost because of their suffering found
new hope and meaning in living.
What are the suitable chi kung exercises for curing cancer and other so-
called incurable diseases? Appropriately selected exercises from Eighteen Lohan
Hands and Self-Manifested Chi Movement, like those described in the previous
chapter, are suitable; but exercises from Sinew Metamorphosis and most other
martial art chi kung or “hard” chi kung are not. Quiescent breathing and
meditation, to be explained in the next chapter, are also suitable for patients with
some chi kung experience, but not for beginners.

20: THE INTERNAL COSMOS

(A Marvellous Art called the Small Universe)

An exponent of the Small Universe is a living example of radiant health: he
is physically fit, emotionally stable, mentally alert, and spiritually peaceful.

Man as Miniature of Cosmos

Many people have heard of the Chinese concept, which is also found in many
other great civilizations, that man (including woman, of course) is a miniature of
the cosmos, but not many know why this is so. This concept may be explained at
three levels — physical, energetic, and spiritual — which are actually closely
related.
At the physical level, the stuff that makes us is the same as the stuff that
makes the universe. Centuries before our scientists, great chi kung masters since
ancient times have mentioned that both we and the universe are made of the
same chi or energy. The following story of Chuang Tzu (Zhuang Zi), the great
fourth century Taoist master, is illustrative of the physical unity between man
and the cosmos.
Hui Zi visited Chuang Tzu to pay his last respects to the latter’s wife who
had just died. He found Chuang Tzu drumming on a basin and singing.
“Your wife had lived with you and reared your children. Now that she
has passed away, it is not enough you do not weep but you even beat music and
sing! Isn’t it too much?”
Chuang Tzu replied, “Of course I feel for my wife. But then I thought:
man originally had no life; not only that, he had no form or spirit. From the
midst of formlessness, spirit is born, then form and then life. Now my wife is
transformed back from life to form to spirit and to formlessness, like the passing
of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and she is now the same as the cosmos.
If I wail and weep, it only shows that I am ignorant of this great cosmic truth.”
At the energetic level, ancient Chinese scientists and philosophers
discovered that there are different types of energy in the universe, and they used
various ways to classify them. Irrespective of the manner of classification, there
is a direct relationship between cosmic energy in the universe and vital energy in
man. Numerous terms have been used to describe this cosmos-man
correspondence, such as “cosmos-man unity” (tian ren he yi), “one body of
formlessness” (hun ran yi ti), “myriad things are one” (wan wu wei yi), and “one
energy throughout the universe” (tong tian xia yi qi).
The various different types of cosmic energy may be divided into two
main groups known as zenith energy (su tian) and nadir energy (zai quan), which
correspond to man’s vital energy flowing in the conceptual and the governing
meridians, or ren mai and du mai. In other words, the flow and interaction of
zenith energy and nadir energy in the cosmos are similar to those of the
governing energy and conceptual energy in man. The famous art of chi kung that
connects the energy flow in these two meridians is known as the Small Universe,
or the Micro-Cosmic Flow.
Cosmic energy is often classified into five types according to their
characteristic behaviour, and they are symbolized by the five elemental
processes of metal, water, wood, fire, and earth. These five types of cosmic
energy correspond to the five types of vital energy found in man’s internal yin
organs, namely lungs, kidney, liver, heart, and spleen, and their related yang
organs, namely colon, urinary bladder, gall bladder, intestines, and stomach. If
an alignment of heavenly bodies, for example, generates good metal energy in
the cosmos, it will also be propitious for water energy. Similarly, an increase of
lung energy in man will also nurture his kidney energy.
Chinese scientists have also classified the different natures of cosmic
energy into six types, known figuratively as cold energy, hot energy, dry energy,
damp energy, windy energy and fiery energy. Chinese physicians have found
that while the positive effects of these energy types are good for man, their
negative effects correspond to the six external causes of illness, which are
figuratively termed as cold, heat, dryness, dampness, wind, and fire.
At the mind or spiritual level, man is not just a miniature of the cosmos;
if he attains enlightenment, which is the highest attainment any being can
achieve, he realizes and directly experiences that he IS the cosmos! In his
cultivation to achieve this supreme achievement, he may have glimpses of this
ultimate reality, and he realizes in his moment of beauty and inspiration that the
skin which presumably separates him from the rest of the cosmos is actually
illusory, that there is in ultimate reality no difference between him and the
universe!
The actualization of cosmic reality is taught in all the world’s great
religions, and is specially emphasized in Buddhism. The Heart Sutra, which is
one of the most important scriptures in Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism,
says:

Form is not different from emptiness; and emptiness is not different
from form.
 Form is emptiness; and emptiness is form.

These famous lines, more often quoted than understood, teaches that in his
spiritual cultivation, when an aspirant expands or transcends what he previously
and ignorantly thought was his personal mind, he attains Universal Mind where
he and the cosmos IS one.

The Small Universe

If you wish to experience the internal cosmos in you, practising an advanced art
of chi kung called the Small Universe, or the Micro-Cosmic Flow, is a good
move. It is prefixed “small” for two reasons: to differentiate from the real
universe, and to differentiate from a more advanced art of chi kung called the
Big Universe, or the Macro-Cosmic Flow, where vital energy is cultivated to
flow continuously through all the twelve primary meridians directly related to
the internal organs. Do not be misled by the adjective “small”; the Small
Universe is actually one of the greatest arts of energy known to humanity.
The Small Universe was originally developed by Taoists long before
Bodhidharma introduced chi kung in the Shaolin Monastery. Because it is a
marvellous art, Shaolin monks, who are Buddhist, learned it from the Taoists
and have valued it very highly. Hence, in Shaolin Chi Kung there are also many
typical Taoist terms and concepts like cosmos (hun yuan), spirit (shen), and will
(yi); in Buddhist terms these concepts would normally be called void (kong),
mind (xin), and consciousness (shi), although there is some difference in
connotation.
The Small Universe is highly appreciated by all the three groups of chi
kung practitioners: those who practise chi kung for health, for martial art, and for
spiritual training. Summing up the beneficial effects derived from practising this
art, past masters have said, without exaggeration, that “if one attains the
breakthrough of the Small Universe, he will eliminate all illness.” The truth of
this statement has been time-tested, and has been amply substantiated by my
students who have achieved the Small Universe. Radiant health is achieved with
the Small Universe because it is a comprehensive and in-depth way of cleansing
meridians and harmonizing yin-yang, as explained in the previous chapter.
In the past when a kungfu master achieved the Small Universe, he often
gave a banquet to celebrate his success. The ability to maintain a continuous
flow of vital energy throughout the conceptual (ren) and governing (du)
meridians when the breakthrough of the Small Universe is attained enables the
practitioner to have tremendous power and stamina. Moreover, the Small
Universe not only acts as a safety precaution against possible harmful effects due
to faulty training, but also speeds up the developmental process in advanced
martial art chi kung such as Iron Shirt, Golden Bell, and Diamond Palm.
 In spiritual cultivation, the Small Universe enables the aspirant to merge
his personal spirit with the Cosmic Spirit, or in Buddhist terms to transcend his
individual mind to realize the Universal Mind. Taoist masters use the Small
Universe as one of their chief methods of cultivation. Chi or vital energy is first
circulated round the “small universe”, then accumulated as a pearl of elixir in the
“dan tian”, or field of elixir, at the abdomen. This pearl of elixir, figuratively
called the “divine foetus” in Taoism, is imbued with the aspirant’s spirit,
gradually nurtured and eventually released from the crown of his head as an
immortal. In Zen Buddhism, this pearl of elixir, known as “inner illumination”,
is cultivated until it expands beyond the illusory boundary of the skin so that
inner and outer illumination becomes one or the void in ultimate reality.

Achieving the Small Universal Flow

Obviously such an advanced and fantastic art as the Small Universe should be
practised with the personal supervision of a master. Self practice without proper
guidance often results in serious harmful effects.
During one stage of my Small Universe training, I felt solid and stable
like a rock. Eager to test my attainment, I asked my wife to push me. She did so
at a wrong time, and my chi deviated. Except for some yellowish tint in my
otherwise bright eyes, there were no visible signs at all to indicate anything was
wrong, but I felt feverish and unsettled. It took me a few months of remedial
exercise and medication to recover. The important point is that if an informed
person like me, training with a master’s supervision, could develop such serious
harmful effect due to a comparatively minor mistake, it is not difficult to
imagine what risk a beginner would face if he is stubborn enough to attempt self-
training despite clear-cut warning. Thus, the description below is meant for
knowledge, not for self-practice.
There are different methods employed by different schools to achieve the
Small Universe. The method used by us in our Shaolin Wahnam School is as
follows.
There are five stages: Abdominal Breathing, Submerged Breathing, Long
Breathing, Forceful Small Universe Breathing, and Gentle Small Universe
Breathing. Each stage must be attained before progressing to the next one.
Stand upright and relaxed. Smile from the heart and keep the mouth
slightly and comfortably open. Place both palms gently above the abdominal dan
tian or field of elixir. Use the palms to deflate the abdomen, and breathe out
gently through the mouth, simultaneously visualizing (or thinking) that negative
energy or stale air flow up from the body and out through the mouth, Fig 20.1.
Pause for a short while. Then release your palms on your abdomen, breathe in
gently through the nose, and visualize good cosmic energy flowing into you.
Pause for a short while. Repeat the breathing out, pause, breathing in, pause for a
suitable number of times, the number depending on the nature and progress of
the practitioner.
At the end of the Abdominal Breathing exercise, close your eyes (if they
are not already closed) and stand relaxed at Standing Mediation. Gently think of
a pearl of energy at the “qihai” energy field at your abdomen. “Qihai” means
“sea of energy”.
Fig 20.1 Abdominal Breathing

At the second stage of Submerged Breathing, the outward form is similar to that
at the first stage. But as you deflate your abdomen to breathe out through your
mouth, visualize a stream of vital energy flowing from the qihai energy field at
the abdomen to the “huiying” energy field between the anus and the end of the
spinal column, Fig 20.2. “Huiying” means “meeting of two yings”. As you
breathe in gently through your nose, visualize a stream of cosmic energy flowing
into your qihai energy field. Repeat for a suitable number of times. At the end of
the Submerged Breathing exercise, stand at Standing Meditation, close your eyes
and gently think of a pearl of energy like a silvery moon at your huiying energy
field.
Fig 20.2 Submerged Breathing

At the third stage, stand relaxed as before, but as you breathe in gently through
your nose, visualize a stream of cosmic energy flowing down right to your
huiying energy field. As you breathe out through your mouth, visualize a stream
of your vital energy flowing from the huiying energy field near the coccyx up
the whole spine to the “baihui” energy field at the crown of the head, Fig 20.3.
“Baihui” means “meeting of hundreds of meridians”. Repeat for a suitable
number of times. After the Long Breathing exercise, remain at Standing
Meditation and visualize a pearl of energy like a golden sun at the crown of your
head.
Fig 20.3 Long Breathing

In the fourth stage of Forceful Small Universe, breathe in using your chest
instead of using your abdomen as in the earlier breathing methods. As you
breathe in cosmic energy gently through your nose, your chest rises and your
abdomen falls, Fig 20.4. Place the tip of your tongue at your upper gum just
above your front teeth. Simultaneously visualize a stream of vital energy flowing
from your huiying energy field near your anus up the spine to your baihui energy
field at the top of your head.
Then breathe out about 70 percent of your chi (or breath) gently through
your mouth, placing the tip of your tongue at your lower gum just below your
front teeth; your chest falls and your abdomen rises. Simultaneously visualize a
stream of vital energy flowing from your baihui energy field down the front part
of your head and body to your qihai energy at your abdomen. Then gently
swallow the remaining 30 percent of your chi with your saliva into your
abdomen, and visualize a stream of vital energy flowing from your abdomen to
your huiyin energy field, thus completing the continuous stream of vital energy
round your body in the ren mai and du mai, or the conceptual and governing
meridians. Repeat for a suitable number of times. After this, close your eyes at
Standing Meditation, and visualize your vital energy flowing continuously in the
Small Universe.
Fig 20.4 Forceful Small Universe at Standing Upright
When you can perform the Forceful Small Universe fairly well while standing
upright, progress to practising the art at the Cosmos Stance, Fig 20.5. The
procedure is the same, except the stance is different. But at Standing Meditation
at the end of the practice, the feet are together as before.
Fig 20.5 Forceful Small Universe at Cosmos Stance
In the final stage of Gentle Small Universe, revert to abdominal breathing, but
remain at the Cosmos Stance. As you breathe in gently through your nose, your
abdomen rises; place the tip of your tongue at your upper gum and visualize a
stream of cosmic energy flowing into your qihai energy field at your abdomen.
As you breathe out gently through your mouth, your abdomen falls; place the tip
of your tongue at your lower gum and visualize a stream of vital energy flow
from your qihai down to your huiyin at your anus, up the spine to baihui at the
head, then down again to your mouth, thus completing the micro-cosmic flow of
the Small Universe. Repeat for a suitable number of times. Then bring your feet
together to stand upright at Standing Meditation, and visualize the continuous
flow of the Small Universe.
Fig 20.6 Gentle Small Universe

Breakthrough and Time Difference

The aim of the Small Universe is to attain what is called a “real” breakthrough of
the ren and du meridians, in contrast to a “false” breakthrough. In a “real”
breakthrough, the ren and du meridians are continuously filled with chi flowing
in a never-ending circuit; there are no gaps in the stream of energy through the
two principal meridians round the body. In a “false” breakthrough, the two
meridians are not continuously filled; there is only a “bubble” or some “bubbles”
of energy going through the two meridians round the body, and there are wide
gaps in between where there is no energy flow. The breakthrough is termed
“false” because the energy flow is not a never-ending stream, and the “bubbles”
of energy may be diffused to other parts of the body resulting in energy blockage
again.
Fig 20.7 Real and False Breakthroughs

A false breakthrough, which is also beneficial although its benefits are far, far
behind those of a real breakthrough, may be attained in a few days with
appropriate chi kung exercises, such as those from Self-Manifested Chi
Movement. A master with relevant techniques may induce a false breakthrough
in a practitioner in a matter of minutes.
A real breakthrough obviously needs much longer time to achieve. In the
past when conditions were different and the standard demanded of chi kung was
very high, practitioners might take more than ten years to achieve a real
breakthrough. Now in my chi kung school if all the three factors of
methodology, teacher, and student are ideal, students take only about six months
to accomplish a real breakthrough in the Small Universe!
Why is there such a big difference in the time needed to attain the Small
Universe? It is due to the big difference in the three factors of methodology,
teacher, and student. I myself took three years to accomplish the Small Universe,
and in my times it was considered a very remarkable achievement.
In the past when chi kung information was scarce (as it was the norm for
masters to keep their secrets), the methods used by many past practitioners might
not be the best available for achieving the Small Universe. Naturally, if the
methods were inferior, even if they led to the Small Universe, it would take a
much longer time.
As evident from chi kung literature, two commonly used methods in the
past were “Abdominal Breathing” and “Visualization at Silent Sitting”. The
practitioner performed Abdominal Breathing for such an extended time that his
vital energy “overflowed” and ultimately completed the Small Universe. In
Visualization at Silent Sitting, the practitioner sat cross-legged in meditation and
used his mind power to will his vital energy to accomplish the small universal
chi flow.
The setbacks of these classical methods when compared to the modern
one described earlier are easily discernible. If the practitioner had not cleared
that part of his ren meridian between his navel and his anus, prolonged
abdominal breathing might result in a “bloated” abdomen. If the other
practitioner in the Visualization at Silent Sitting did not have sufficient vital
energy to start with, and did not know how to tap cosmic energy to increase his
energy volume, his visualization alone was unlikely to produce the small
universal chi flow.
The second factor in the training of any art involves the teacher. In the
past masters purposely tested the patience and suitability of students, especially
in learning such an advanced art as the Small Universe. When my master taught
me the Small Universe, he did not tell me it was the Small Universe; he merely
showed me a seemingly simple posture and told me to practise it daily without
further explanation. He left me at that for a few weeks — though he secretly
supervised me — until he found I had developed sufficient foundation for the
next stage of the training. Many of my classmates could not continue simply
because they had not practised enough for the required foundation, and they
missed this fantastic art without even being aware of it.
But the most important factor in the training of any art is the student
himself. Even if he has the best method and the best teacher, but if he himself is
not willing or not ready to practise, there will be little or no accomplishment.
The modern student compares very favourably with his olden counterpart in this
respect. A student who has easy access to chi kung knowledge, knows exactly
what he is aiming at, has his training programme methodologically set up by a
sympathetic teacher, is inspired by the proven success of his fellow classmates,
is more willing and ready to put in daily effort to acquire the Small Universe
than his counterpart in the past who might not even know what art he was
training.
But there is definitely a significant difference in the standard of the art
between a practitioner in the past who had spent ten years on it, and a modern
student who has trained for only six months. Although the breakthrough of the
Small Universe in both persons is real, the energy flow of the past practitioner
was a huge column, whereas that of the modern student is only a tiny stream.
What we gain in time, we have to sacrifice in standard, but if the modern student
continues to practise, he, too, can acquire a huge column of energy flow. Yet for
our modern purposes, even a tiny stream of energy flowing never-endingly in the
ren and du meridians provides us with tremendous benefits, which can be
confirmed by signs indicative of the Small Universe.

Signs of Real Breakthrough

What are the signs to tell us that we have attained a real breakthrough of the
Small Universe?
First, if you have attained the Small Universe, you will have eliminated
all illness if you have any, and will be spared all illness in your future life! This
is guaranteed by generations of past masters. An exponent of the Small Universe
is a living example of radiant health: he is physically fit, emotionally stable,
mentally alert, and spiritually peaceful. So if you still suffer from any pain or
disease, you have not achieved a real breakthrough of the Small Universe; if you
have practised the art before yet you are still not healthy, you have merely
learned the techniques but not acquired the “force”.
Second, attaining a real breakthrough in the Small Universe provides you
with a never-ending supply of energy. As soon as some energy from your small
universal flow is used up, it can be readily replenished from the cosmos. Hence
you have tremendous power and stamina for martial art, sports, and work.
Shaolin masters could spar for hours without becoming tired because they made
use of their Small Universe. For Lao Ker Yew, my student of about seventy-
years-old, the Small Universe not only cured him of about a dozen diseases
including kidney problem, arthritis, rheumatism, and hernia, but also enables
him to out-last opponents three times younger in games like badminton!
There are also many signs that frequently show up during the Small
Universe practice. Some students actually feel a stream of energy flowing round
their conceptual and governing meridians; others experience sensations of
electric sparks or warmth. Feelings of dull pain, sour sensations, and needles
prickling at diseased sites are common; these are indications that their vital
energy is working to relieve the practitioners of their illness. An almost certain
sign is a pulsation at the anus, and later a quivering effect at the lips when the
lower and then the upper gaps between the ren and du meridians are bridged.
Pulsation at the crown of their head and a sensation like shampooing the hair are
also frequent.
During meditation in the Small Universe, many students have interesting
and extraordinary experiences, such as feeling as if part or whole of their body is
missing, and psychically seeing their pearl of energy in their abdomen or their
energy flow in various parts of their body. As their mind has expanded, many
practitioners are surprised that many problems which puzzled them before now
appear to be very clear. The physical world also looks more beautiful. Some feel
that they have been merged with the void. All these beautiful experiences are
expression of their spiritual development.
Yet all these achievements of the Small Universe, and all other arts of
Shaolin Chi Kung including the more advanced Big Universe, as well as all the
fantastic accomplishments in Shaolin Kungfu like Cosmos Palm, Golden Bell,
and the arts of lightness are like a drop of water in a boundless ocean when
compared to the highest attainment in Zen, if it is ever attained! This is because
however great or marvellous the achievements in chi kung or kungfu may be,
they are concerned with our present one life, whereas the highest achievement in
Zen solves for us here and now the myriad problems of life and death, liberating
us from the endless cycle of countless births and rebirths to attain everlasting
bliss.
That was why the Buddha, Bodhidharma, and many other great minds
willingly gave up their throne to seek, and help others to seek, this greatest
achievement. Of course, for those who are not ready, this endeavour does not
make sense. Nevertheless, the last six chapters, which are to me the most
important chapters of this book, provide the philosophy and methods for this
spiritual quest, irrespective of one’s religion. But before that, let us study in the
next two chapters, two other worldly Shaolin arts, namely traumatology and
poetry.

21: DO NOT WORRY IF YOU HAVE BROKEN
YOUR BONES

(An Introduction to Shaolin Traumatology)

In Chinese traumatology, of which the Shaolin tradition is the most famous,
treating a patient injured with a fracture is not merely setting the bone,
dressing it in a plaster cast, and leaving God do the healing.

A Unique System to Treat Injury

What would you do if you accidentally sustain a powerful punch or kick from
your sparring partner? I was appalled to learn that many instructors routinely
ignore such injuries sustained from sparring or similar injuries from sports like
football and gymnastics. This is probably one reason why many students and
even instructors are not healthy as evident from their dull eyes and complexion,
although they are physically fit, because the untreated injuries accumulated in
their sparring have insidiously weakened their body systems.
A student once told me that when he had trouble breathing after
sustaining a kick, his instructor merely asked him to bend his body a few times,
then jump about to let his blood flow! If an injury is serious, the victim is rushed
to a hospital, but often doctors are unsure of how to treat the injury except
checking and ensuring that the victim’s heart and other essential systems are
functioning properly.
Such injuries, however, are always treated competently by kungfu
masters. It is usual for kungfu masters to know traumatology, that branch of
Chinese medicine specializing in the treatment of injury. Shaolin traumatology is
the best known in China, and probably the best system for treating injury in the
world, as will be substantiated in this chapter. All four of my kungfu masters
were traumatology experts. Traumatology belongs to kungfu as well as to
Chinese medicine, and is unique in the world. As far as I know, in no other
martial arts or medical systems do we find a specialized discipline dealing with
injury.
The Chinese make a distinction between sickness (bing) and injury
(shang): sickness is caused by the internal failure of the body to harmonize with
the environment, whereas an injury is inflicted externally. For example, if germs
enter your body and you fail to overcome them because of certain internal failure
of your body systems, you suffer a sickness. If you fall and have a cut, despite
your healthy bodily functions, you sustain an injury. Normally your body is able
to harmonize with the new environment of excess germs entering through the
cut, but if it fails to do so then a sickness may follow.
The formal term for traumatology in Chinese medicine is shang ke,
which literally means the knowledge of injury; but it is better known by its
colloquial kungfu term of “die da” (pronounced as “t’iet t’a”) in Mandarin, or
“tit ta” in Cantonese. “Die da” or “tit ta” literally means “falls and hits”, which
are two principal causes for the types of injury treated in traumatology, such as
bruises, sprains, cuts, dislocations, fractures, internal blood clots, energy
blockage, and damage to internal organs. As traumatology is a wide and deep
subject, its description in this chapter is necessarily a brief introduction.

Various Types of Injuries

Injuries may be conveniently divided into two classes: external injuries of skin,
muscles and bones; and internal injuries of blood, energy, and internal organs.
Skin injuries may be open such as a cut where the skin is broken, or
closed such as a bruise where the skin is intact. An open skin injury may be
simple, like a wound caused by a sharp weapon, or complex, like the skin and
flesh being smashed up by an Iron Palm strike or a motor accident. Similarly, a
closed skin injury may be simple, like a blood clot in the flesh, or complex, like
a serious internal haemorrhage affecting internal organs. An open, simple skin
injury may not necessarily be less serious or urgent than a closed, complex one.
For example, if an open, simple cut is deep enough, the resultant loss of blood
can be immediately life threatening.
Injury to muscles is very common among adults, whether during martial
art training or in daily life. Most patients who consult traumatologists today
complain of muscle injuries like twisted necks, sprained angles, or back pain
often caused by blood blockage due to damaged muscles. Muscle injuries may
be caused by a direct, impact force, or by a spiral, turning force. Simple muscle
injuries restrict bodily movements, while serious muscle injuries interrupt energy
flow and affect internal organs.
Bone injuries are classified as external because bones are outside body
tissues, in contrast to injuries to blood, energy, and internal organs, which are
within the body tissues. If an injury affects only the bone surface, it is classified
as minor; if it involves joint dislocation or fracture, it is regarded as major.
Simple dislocation and fracture usually do not present much problem, but
complex bone injuries like a dislocation has affected the nervous system or a
fracture has pierced an internal organ must always be left to a competent
specialist.
While injuries to the skin, muscles, and bones are considered external,
injuries to blood, vital energy, and internal organs are internal. It must be born in
mind that the classification is meant for convenience. Blood flow and energy
flow are always affected, or “injured” in Chinese medical terms, in any form of
injuries.
There are two main kinds of internal blood injury, namely irregular blood
flood and internal blood blockage. Irregular blood floor, figuratively called
“angry blood”, refers to blood flowing outside its proper places, i.e., blood
vessels. It can be caused by a violent impact, such as from a powerful blow of a
martial artist, a fall from a high place, or a motor accident, with symptoms like
the patient vomiting blood or blood oozing out from various orifices. The injury
could be more serious, though less frightening outwardly, if the “injured” blood
does not flow out “irregularly” but is lodged in the patient’s body as internal
blood blockage. Although such injuries pose a great problem to conventional
doctors, they can be readily treated in Shaolin traumatology.
Another area where the west can learn much from Shaolin traumatology
and Chinese medicine involves injury of chi or vital energy. In fact, according to
Chinese medical philosophy all sickness is ultimately caused by disharmonious
energy flow, or “energy injury”, which can result in a breakdown of the body’s
natural defence system against contagious diseases, disruption of the functions
of internal organs causing organic illness, and blockage of emotional energy
bringing about psychiatric problems. In traumatology, the term “energy injury”
generally refers to deviated flow and blockage of vital energy in the body.
Deviated energy flow can be caused by intense negative emotion or a
sudden distraction to mental concentration. An intense fright, for example, may
cause energy to flow wildly, resulting in loss of urinary or excretory control.
Prolong deviated energy flow makes the patient fidgety and nervous. Taking
tranquilizers, as is common in western medicine, is merely attending to the
symptoms, but not the cause of the disorder.
Blocked energy can be inflicted by a kungfu master using “soft” or
internal force to strike an opponent without leaving any external mark. It can
also be caused by the person himself in faulty training of advanced kungfu. Such
injuries of vital energy can lead to serious complications, such as disorientation
of motor nerves, weakening of the feedback system, or dysfunction of internal
organs. Unless the physician or therapist is well versed in Chinese medical
philosophy or a medical system with rich knowledge of energy connections, it
may be difficult to discern the relationship between these serious disorders and
energy blockage. Doctors trained in conventional medicine are quite helpless
when faced with such disorders, because chi or vital energy is not in their
medical vocabulary.
When patients with serious energy injury submit themselves to elaborate
and expensive medical tests, the machines often say there is nothing clinically
wrong with them. I have had many patients with such experiences; this is
because western medical instruments at present do not measure vital energy. But
if the same patients consult kungfu masters or Chinese physicians, just by
looking at the patients’ faces or listening to the way they speak, even before
feeling their pulse and attempting other means of diagnosis, the masters and
physicians can easily tell that the patients’ energy flow is seriously blocked or
deviated.
Injury to internal organs can be directly caused, such as by a kick to the
liver, or indirectly caused like a strike to a vital point by a kungfu master who
knows “dian xue” (“dim mak” in Cantonese”) whereby the energy blockage at
the vital point affects its related internal organ. A direct injury is usually
structural damage, whereas the damage of an indirect injury is usually
functional.
By “dotting” or striking the “qimen” vital point below the opponent’s
ribs, for example, a master can interrupt the function of the opponent’s liver,
resulting in serious but insidious injury. If a western specialist examines the
liver, he will find nothing structurally wrong with it; if he tries to increase the
function of the malfunctioning liver by injecting hormones or by other medical
means, he would aggravate the injury, because the fault lies not in the liver but at
the qimen vital point. As a rough analogy, the specialist’s action is like charging
more electricity directly to a bulb (and thus may damage it) when the fault is an
interruption of the flow of electric current at a major intersection. A Shaolin
master could restore his liver function by releasing the energy blockage at the
qimen vital point.
Faulty training of kungfu force or a sudden influx of tremendous
negative emotion can also injure an organ. For example, striking a palm on a
sandbag unremittingly and without proper medication or chi kung cleansing
exercises may harm meridians that affect the heart or the eyes. Tremendous grief
injures a person’s lungs, making him vulnerable to pulmonary diseases. Taking
vitamins to strengthen the injured organ or its system, or taking antibiotics to kill
the micro-organisms that attack the organ, is only an ad hoc means treating the
symptoms. A traumatologist would first eliminate the cause that injured the
organs, then use appropriate means to restore the damaged function and structure
of the organs.

Therapeutic Principles in Traumatology

After a brief survey of various types of injuries commonly met in traumatology,
let us examine some essential therapeutic principles before studying the
therapeutic methods. The following three principles are very important.

1. Balance between local and holistic treatment
2. Attention to both external and internal injury
3. Coordination between static and dynamic approaches

Suppose a student broke his arm in a sparring practice. Setting the fracture
properly, which is the local treatment, is only part of the traumatologist’s task.
He must bear in mind that the local fracture will have repercussion over the
whole body; thus, holistic treatment is also necessary. The traumatologist should
ensure, for example, that the patient’s blood flow and energy flow are back to
normal, his defence system is strengthened to prevent possible exploitation by
external as well as internal disease causing agents, and all organs carry on their
normal functions. In other words, he must ensure balance of local and holistic
treatment, and he must remember that he is treating not a fracture but a patient.
A fracture is considered an external injury, but the traumatologist must
remember the internal damage caused by this external injury. The fracture results
in blood flowing out of its blood vessels, and as the skin is not broken, the
disorderly blood flow will cause an internal blood clot. The blood clot, together
with tiny bone fragments not only affect a proper setting of the fractured bone,
but also interrupt smooth flow of blood and energy urgently needed at the
injured site. Thus appropriate measures, like external application of herbs and
internal taking of medicinal concoction, must be taken to clear the internal
blockage.
Moreover, the traumatologist must strengthen the patient’s liver and
kidneys, the two organs particularly affected by a fracture, as they have to work
extra hard to regulate and strengthen the blood and bones respectively. The
traumatologist does not like his patient to recover from his fractured arm at the
expense of his weakened kidney or liver. All this represents paying attention to
both external and internal injury.
 While it is important to immobilize a fractured bone after it is properly
set, it is also essential to maintain its normal dynamism as a living organ, and not
relegate it as a superfluous limb temporary cast aside during the period of its
healing. This is the principle of coordination between static and dynamic
approaches.
Comparing the standard approaches between western orthopaedists and
Chinese traumatologists is illuminating. A western orthopaedist usually casts the
arm in plaster of Paris to immobilize it. The cast is broken only after a few
months when the fracture has been healed. This breaking open of the plaster cast
is often of much trepidation, with the patient and often the orthopaedist hoping
that the arm they have not seen for a few months would turn out satisfactorily.
The orthopaedist routinely accepts a small margin of displacement so long as the
function of the arm is restored.
On the other hand, a Chinese traumatologist uses splints and bandages to
immobilize the fractured arm. Some people may think this method primitive, but
they are unaware that the traumatologist prefers this to the plaster cast (which he
could use if he wants to), because of its many advantages. First, it spares the
patient the agony of stretching the surface of the plaster of Paris when the real
itch is the arm below it. Second, the splints and bandages can be replaced easily,
thus permitting the traumatologist to apply and change appropriate medication
on the fractured bone for various important purposes like easing pain and itch,
clearing blockage, draining away dead cells, and promoting energy and blood
flow to speed up recovery. Third, within reasonable limits, this ‘sprints and
bandages’ method enables the patient to move his arm close to normal
conditions so that his arm would not be shrivelled after a few months of un-use,
and he would not have to perform follow-up physiotherapy exercises to use his
arm again.
But the most important advantage of using splints and bandages instead
of plaster of Paris for immobilization is that it allows the traumatologist the
ability to check the alignment of the fractured arm at all times and to correct the
slightest dis-alignment as soon as it occurs, so that perfect alignment is expected,
instead of being left to chance as often is the case in western treatment. Chinese
traumatologists regard immobilization by means of plaster of Paris as
unsatisfactory because although the arm is fixed externally, internal movements
like blood flow, muscle twitching, and tendon jerking do affect bone alignment.

Treating a Broken Bone

With an understanding of its therapeutic principles, we are now ready to study
how a traumatologist treats a patient with a simple fractured arm. For
convenience, the treatment may be divided into three stages: initial, middle, and
concluding.
First the traumatologist tells the patient not to worry and assures him that
his injury is under control, which is the truth, for if the traumatologist feels that
any case is beyond his ability he must not treat it. It is a basic ethical principle
that a healer treats his patients only within his confidence and ability. Of course,
if a case beyond his ability is immediately life-threatening, he should provide
first aid as best as he can to sustain life and redirect the case to proper
professionals.
If there is swelling at the fracture site, the traumatologist will reduce
swelling and stop pain before treating the broken bone. As patients are usually
anxious to have their broken bones mended immediately, the traumatologist
should explain that it is better to reduce pain and swelling first, and that
fractured bones can be left unattended even for a few days if they are properly
immobilized by bandages.
Reducing swelling and pain, as well as clearing blockage and promoting
blood and energy flood can be easily achieved by applying stuck-on medication
of appropriate medical mixtures with herbs like pu huang (Typha latifolia), da
huang (Rheum officinale), mo yao (Commiphoria myriha), and ru xiang
(Pistacia lentiscus).
When swelling has subsided, the affected part is gently massaged with
medicinal wine, delivering a local anaesthetic effect, and then the fractured bone
is carefully set using appropriate manipulative methods. In Shaolin
traumatology, these manipulative methods to set dislocations and fractures are
given poetic names like “Across the Plain into the Cave” (for dislocation of a
spinal vertebra), “Playing with the Unicorn” (for dislocation of the femur), and
“Drawing the Precious Sword” (for fracture of the ulna).
This setting of the fractured bone is the most crucial part in the treatment
of fractures, and it demands great manipulative skills and experience. If the bone
is not properly set, the arm will be deformed when healed. Healing a fracture
with deformity, such as the arm is slightly shorter or its function is restricted, is
probably the worst thing that happens to a conscientious traumatologist, for the
patient will carry the deformity for life. Any ethical traumatologist will therefore
make doubly sure that both the function and the normal appearance of the
fractured limb are restored.
The traumatologist also prescribes medical recipes for internal
consumption such as “Tou Ren (Semen Perisae) Decoction” and “Xi Jiao Di
Huang (Cornu Rhinoceri and Radix Rehmanniae) Decoction” to clear internal
haemorrhage and correct disorderly flow of blood. Clearing internal
haemorrhage and correcting “disordered” blood, two aspects often neglected in
western treatment, are very important; otherwise the production of new blood
and its harmonious flow will be affected, thus hindering speedy recovery.
At the middle stage of treatment, the main objective is to restore the
natural functions and abilities of the patient. In Chinese medical terms, this is
known as “restoring good”, as compared to the initial stage of “eliminating evil”,
i.e., eliminating all pathological factors like swelling, pain, blood and energy
blockage, and the fracture itself.
In “restoring good” the traumatologist is guided by the following three
techniques: “harmonizing nutrients and stopping pain”, “joining bones, muscles
and tendons”, and “loosening muscles and cleansing meridians”.
In “harmonizing nutrients and stopping pain”, the traumatologist restores
the natural self-curative and self-regenerative abilities of the patient, and at the
same time removes whatever pain his injury may cause him. The pain may be
local or general, at the fracture site or elsewhere. Localized pain, for example,
may be experienced in the arm due to a resultant energy blockage, or spread over
the whole body in the form of anxiety. Restoring the patient’s natural abilities
and eliminating pain can be achieved by means of external or internal
medication, or both.
The principle of “joining bones, muscles, and tendons” is to ensure that
the set bones are properly aligned, dead cells are cleared away, blood and energy
flow is harmonized, bone production is increased, and muscle and tendon
functions are improved. Medicinal recipes like “Decoction for Correcting Bones
and Creating Blood” and “Powder for Comforting Muscles and Activating
Meridians” are prescribed. If the traumatologist is also well versed in chi kung,
he can transmit vital energy to the patient to stimulate better blood and chi flow.
If needed, appropriate physiotherapy exercises may be recommended.
 The principle of “loosening muscles and cleansing meridians” is for
overcoming pathological conditions like energy and blood stagnation, residue of
blood clot, stiffness of muscles and joints, and rheumatic pain. “Bolus for
Comforting and Strengthening Tendons” and “Decoction for Joining Bones and
Activating Blood” are helpful medicinal recipes. Any chi transmitted to the
patient will be a great help.
At the concluding stage, the main objective is to nourish the patient so
that he becomes as healthy and fit, or even healthier and fitter, as he was before
his injury. Four fundamental principles to achieve this objective are
“invigorating energy and nurturing blood”, “nourishing spleen and stomach”,
“nourishing liver and kidneys”, and “warming and clearing meridians”.
As the patient has used up much of his vital energy and blood for his
recuperation, and has not been doing regular exercises, it is necessary to
replenish his energy and blood to restore his natural resistance to diseases. The
“Eight Precious Herbs Decoction” is an excellent recommendation. It is also
necessary to restore his appetite by strengthening his spleen and stomach
systems. The “Strengthening Spleen Nurturing Stomach Decoction” is a good
choice.
During recuperation, the liver and the kidney systems work extra hard to
replenish injured muscles and bones. Nourishing the liver and kidneys, like
taking the “Six Herbs with Da Huang Pills”, is helpful.
A patient undergoing a long period of treatment often suffered from
stagnation of vital energy and blood, as well as from external pathogenic causes
like “wind”, “dampness” and “cold”. These problems can be overcome by
“warming and clearing meridians” with such medicinal recipes like “Ginseng
Purple Gold Pills” and “Ma Gui Warming Meridians Decoction”. Remedial chi
kung exercises, like appropriate selections from the Eighteen Lohan Hands, are
very helpful.
In Chinese traumatology, of which the Shaolin tradition is the most
famous, treating a patient injured with a fracture is not merely setting the bone,
dressing it in a plaster cast, and leaving God to do the healing. The
traumatologist, equipped with a comprehensive framework of therapeutic
principles and making use of all the main approaches in Chinese medicine,
including massage therapy, herbalism, external medicine, and chi kung therapy,
treats the patient holistically, and not just the injury.

22: THE SONGS AND POETRY OF SHAOLIN

(Describing the Grandeur in Rhythm and Rhyme)

Jade mountains and fragrant clouds start the spiritual realm.
Pearl forests and rains of flowers still the heart of Zen.

Emperor’s Praise and Master’s Advice

The above poetic couplet was written by the famous Emperor Qian Long of the
Qing Dynasty for the Bodhidharma Chamber of Shaolin Monastery. Poetic
couplets, which follow certain literary rules like tonal values and mutually
matching meanings, are a unique form of Chinese literature. The two lines of a
poetic couplet are frequently hung one line at each side of an important portal.
“Jade mountains” in the top line of the above poetic couplet harmonizes
with “pearl forests” in the bottom line in both tonal values and matching
meanings. The two Chinese words yu xiu for “jade mountains” spoken in an
“falling” tone, harmonize with zhu lin for “pearl forests” spoken in an “even”
tone; “jade” and “mountains” harmonize with “pearl” and “forests” in meaning
respectively. Other expressions like “silver streams” or “golden pavilions” will
be inappropriate because they are not congruous in tone or meaning. Similarly,
“fragrant clouds”, “start” and “spiritual realm” harmonize with “rains of
flowers” (written as “flower rains” in Chinese), “still” and “heart of Zen” (“Zen
heart”) respectively. “And” and “the” in the English translation are not necessary
in the original Chinese. The poetic couplet in the Chinese language reads
elegantly yet majestically as follows:

Yu xiu xiang yun kai fa jie
zhu lin hua yu jing chan xin

The beauty of the couplet, however, lies not merely in its harmonious music
created by certain literary rules, or its being composed by an emperor, but in the
subtleness and depth of meaning. Jade mountains and pearl forests aptly describe
the marvellous environment of the Shaolin Monastery, with five summits known
as “Five Bosom Peaks” in the background, and surrounding trees which blossom
as if with pearls.
“Fragrant clouds” is a familiar term in the opening praises in Buddhist
scriptures which are chanted daily in the monastery. “Spiritual realm” is a gentle
reminder that the aim of the Shaolin Monastery is for dedicated aspirants to seek
spiritual fulfilment. “Rains of flowers”, besides portraying the blossoming scene
in spring, is another familiar Buddhist term indicative of the coming of
enlightenment. “Still the heart of Zen” suggests that Zen, or the highest spiritual
fulfilment, is transmitted from heart to heart, and its attainment reveals the
undifferentiated tranquillity of cosmic reality.
Another interesting and profound poetic couplet of Shaolin is as follows,
with its English translation below it:

Miao fa fa zhong sheng miao fa
Qi gong gong shang jian qi gong

In wonderful techniques are created more wonderful techniques
Upon marvellous force is revealed further marvellous force

This poetic couplet, written not on doorways or walls but in the hearts of many
Shaolin disciples, is a guiding principle in my Shaolin Wahnam School. Its
teaching has been illustrated many times in this book. For example, in the
chapters on kungfu techniques, there are many situations where it appears as if
the exponent simply has no way to get himself out of the opponent’s wonderful
technique, such as being locked in a seemingly unbreakable manner, or being
kicked at while both hands are held. Yet, in the nick of time, the Shaolin
exponent not only neutralizes the opponent’s wonderful technique, but reverses
the situation more wonderfully that the opponent even in his defeat cannot help a
feeling of awe and respect.
To many people breaking a brick with a palm strike is a marvellous feat.
It is more marvellous when they find that the palm is not rough and tough, but
soft and gentle. If the master puts one brick on top of another, and by striking the
top brick with the Shaolin Cosmos Palm he breaks the bottom brick while the
top brick is intact, it is even more marvellous. Upon such marvellous force,
further marvellous force is revealed when the master uses his Cosmos Palm to
heal people, in an incredible but seemingly simple way, of so-called incurable
diseases.
The above poetic couplet was said by a great master of Southern Shaolin
Kungfu in the Qing Dynasty, the Venerable Xing Yin, who was the most senior
disciple of the First Patriarch of Southern Shaolin Kungfu, the Venerable Zhi
Shan. Their names, like the names of all great monks, are meaningful and poetic,
too, showing that the Chinese choose names with deep thought and care. “Zhi
Shan” means “Extreme Kindness”, and “Xing Yin” means “Retreat to Cultivate
Amidst the Almond Grove”. “Almond grove” is a figurative term in Chinese
meaning “circles of scholars”, indicating that the Venerable Xing Yin, like many
other Shaolin masters, are expert in both the martial as well as the scholarly arts.
Being well versed in both literature and kungfu, known as wen wu shuang quan,
is the ideal of a cultured person.

Breadth of Kungfu in a Song

Shaolin Monastery is rich in poetry. Not only emperors, poets, and scholars have
written beautiful poetry to praise in much of the Shaolin arts is also recorded in
poetic writings called “songs of secrets”, or ge que. It is quite amazing that
virtually all the main points of such an extensive field like Shaolin Kungfu are
summarized in the following poetic song.

Shaolin Kungfu includes eighteen different arts
The fist is the source of fighting techniques
Unarmed combat lays the foundation for weapon sets
Force training is superior to punches and kicks
Vital energy to be channelled, applied and tapped
Train the hands, legs, body, footwork, and eyes
Strengthen bones and muscles and other body parts
Tell real from false, separate front from behind
Employ the palm, the fingers, and the punch
Comprehend principles besides developing skills
Let the mind be fresh and the heart relaxed
The art of breathing can be dynamic or still
When alone it is suitable to develop force
With partners train how to spar and fight
The secret of success is diligent practice
Mastering the arts use both brain and might

The meaning of the above ke que or song of secrets is self explanatory, yet the
following comments are helpful. Shaolin Kungfu is extensive, and includes all
the eighteen classes of kungfu weapons. Any person who wishes to use any
weapon well must first put in some time and effort in unarmed combat, as it
provides the foundation for all weapon sets.
It is important to develop force and skills, not just learn kungfu form;
otherwise what is accomplished is not real kungfu but some form of
demonstrative art disparagingly called “flowery fists and embroidery kicks”. Chi
kung provides the basis energy for force training, and includes the art of
channelling energy to wherever we want, applying energy for effective combat,
and tapping energy from the cosmos.
In Shaolin Kungfu, not just the hands or legs are trained; it includes
training all parts of the body, footwork, and eyesight. Not only the external body
parts are strengthened, but also the bones, muscles, and internal cells, tissues,
and organs. In this training, as well as in all other aspects of the Shaolin arts, the
student must be able to differentiate real benefits from apparent ones, and
progress systematically from elementary to advanced levels. For example,
merely striking the fist or kicking the leg brutally onto some hard training
material gives only false or apparent benefits, because not only the power
developed is limited as it is mechanical, but such superficial training may cause
irreversible damage to the form, function, and other aspects of the hand or leg. In
contrast, training that brings real benefits involves strengthening the hand or leg
intrinsically and enhancing their natural functions.
In combat, all aspects of the factor in question should be fully used. For
example, in using the hand, the Shaolin exponent does not limit himself to only
one particular manner such as punching, but includes other hand forms such as
various types of palm and finger attacks. When he employs punching, he does
not limit himself to only one form of punching, such as the level punch, but
includes other forms of punching like the cup-punch, phoenix-eye punch,
leopard punch and elephant punch.
The Shaolin exponent does not only develop force and skills, but also
understands the underlying principles of the techniques he uses as well as over-
all combative principles. For example, he does not merely learn a certain
defensive technique against some attack situations, but he also understands why
this particular technique is preferred to other techniques, what necessary force or
skill he should have to execute it competently, and in what situations this
technique would not be suitable. Mental freshness, emotional stability, and
breath control are also studied.
Shaolin Kungfu training can be carried out alone or with partners, and
both ways should be practised. Yet the most important single factor of becoming
a master is diligent practice, without which all these priceless guidelines become
useless. A Shaolin master is not one who merely has might; he also has brain.

Songs of Energy and Compassion

The following verse, or song of secrets, highlights the crucial points in chi or
energy training, which as mentioned in the preceding verse is the basis of force
development, which in turn is superior to practising kungfu form.

Circulation of chi is graceful and gentle
Application of chi is forceful and fast
Moving forward the breath shoots out
Moving back in comes the breath at last
In rolling momentum the body moves
In the midst of movements come the strikes
Being so fast their forms unseen
Hitting the opponent without respite
What’s the secret of this marvellous skill
Correct breathing and being inwardly still

The above song advises that if the aim in chi kung training is to circulate chi or
vital energy, the breathing and bodily movements are graceful and gentle. But if
the aim is to apply vital energy, as in combat, the breathing and bodily
movements are forceful and fast. For example, in the practise of Cosmos Palm,
the exponent breathes in and out gently, and moves his arms gracefully to build
up internal force. But if he uses the Cosmos Palm to strike an opponent during
combat, he would do so forcefully and fast, breathing out explosively at the
same time.
Generally, when movements are forward, such as in executing a punch or
a kick, the exponent breathes out, but when the movements are inward, like
pulling back a punch or retreating his body to “swallow” an attack, he breathes
in. During combat, breathing is coordinated with momentum so that bodily
movements are like huge waves overwhelming the opponent. In the midst of
these overwhelming movements the Shaolin exponent shoots out his attacks so
fast that the opponent cannot even see their forms properly, and thus the
opponent is hit before he even realizes what has happened! What is the secret of
this marvellous skill? It lies in correct breathing and in being inwardly still.
Sometimes a verse or song of secrets can be very concise. The whole art
of Shaolin qin-na, or holding and gripping the opponent’s vital points, can be
crystallized into the following stanza of only twenty-eight words! This song of
secrets is my own composition, drawing inspiration from the teachings of past
Shaolin masters to help me have a clearer perspective of qin-na, which happens
to be one of my favourite arts. The song is listed below in Romanized Chinese,
first in its original sound in Cantonese (my native tongue), then in Mandarin
(which is used for all other verses and poems in this book), to give readers a feel
of its rhyme and rhythm, which unfortunately are lost in its English translation
that follows.

Chet sap yi pa kam na sau
Sim lam wai hsin pa cheng lau
Fen khen chor jit na yuit fatt
Shen hei fai chuk keng kong yau
Qi shi er ba qin na shou
Shao lin huai shan ba qing liu
Fen jin cuo jie na xue fa
Shen qi kuai su jing kang rou

Seventy two techniques of holds and grips
Compassion is shown in this Shaolin art
Tear muscles, dislodge joints, grip vital points
Spirit and energy, speed, force, soft and hard.

Most people, including those who practise kungfu and understand Chinese, may
not understand the verse, because it is purposely written in such a way that even
if readers know all the words in the verse, they still will not know its meaning
unless they have been initiated.
The first line of the verse reminds the initiated, i.e., one who has
practised and understood the art, of all the seventy-two techniques of the Shaolin
art of qin-na which he has learned. The second line reminds him of the Shaolin
philosophical teaching on compassion, which dictates that the art of qin-na is
specially meant to subdue an opponent without maiming or killing him. How
this can be done is summarized in the third line, listing the three main areas of
applying qin-na to combat, namely tearing the opponent’s muscles, dislocating
his joints, or gripping his vital points.
All these tactics effectively put the opponent out of action, but without
hurting him seriously so that he can later seek a traumatologist to relieve the
temporary inhibiting injury. If you strike an opponent’s heart or kick his liver,
you may maim or kill him. If you lock his arms and legs, or throw him onto the
ground (unless this breaks his bones), he will fight again once you release the
lock, or he gets up from the fall. But if you tear his muscles, dislocate his joints
(but not break his bones), or grip his vital points, he will be temporarily
inactivated.
The fourth line indicates that to achieve this objective of effectively
subduing the opponent without hurting him permanently, the exponent must be
mentally alert, full of energy, fast and able to use both hard and soft force
competently. In other words, if he merely knows the gripping techniques and
may even be successful in applying them, but if he lacks the mental freshness,
intrinsic energy, speed and internal force, he will still be unable to subdue the
opponent effectively.
This song of secrets therefore describes all the four aspects of qin-na,
namely:

1. Form — the seventy two techniques
2. Philosophy — compassionate fighting; effectively subduing an opponent
without permanently hurting him
3. Application — tearing muscles, dislocating joints, gripping vital points
4. Force — mental freshness, abundant energy, speed, hard and soft force

Exquisite Charm of Shaolin

There is no lack of poetry about Shaolin. Among the many poets and scholars
who have sung poems to praise Shaolin Monastery in every dynasty are some of
China’s best. Due to space constraints, only three poems from the classical
period and one poem from our modern time are illustrated below.
All the poems and verses in this chapter, as well as elsewhere in this
book, are taken from Chinese originals, and are translated by me, always
keeping to the original meaning and spirit. If readers do not find any poetic
beauty in them, the fault lies in my translation. The earlier “songs of secrets” in
this chapter are termed “verses”, rather than “poems” because although, at least
in their Chinese original, they have metre and rhyme, and often insight (into
kungfu), they are usually devoid of personal emotion, which is considered by
many literary critics as an essential feature of poetry.
The following poem is by Shen Quan Qi (656–714), who greatly
influenced the form and development of the famous lu shi of Tang poetry. Wu
yen lu shi, a poem of four or eight lines with five words to each line, was the
most popular poetic genre from the Tang Dynasty.

A Visit to Shaolin Monastery

This accompanying song to visit the precious site
Strolling many times along the forests of pearls
The frost on the pagoda of flying ducks is old
The dragons’ pond deep with many years unfurled
Oh the magnificence of the temple after rain
With the great hall glowing in the autumn shade
The returning road shrouded in evening mist
With mountain cicadas chanting in leafy cascade

The beauty of this poem, as typical of the romanticism of Tang poetry, lies in its
saying little yet saying a lot. Unlike the verses quoted earlier that supply
invaluable advice concerning the Shaolin arts, Shen Quan Qi’s poem says
nothing substantial on physical matters. Its description of the picturesque
Shaolin Monastery environment with its “forest of pearls”, magnificent temple,
glowing hall, autumn mist, and chanting cicadas, though elegant by itself, does
not add much to factual knowledge. The “pagoda of flying ducks” and the
“dragons’ pond” were past landmarks on the mountain, but had not been
preserved to the present days.
But its beauty lies in its poetic music and the delicate outflow of
emotions aroused by the exquisite charm of the rustic scene, and conveyed to us
by the poet to enrich our emotional experience. For Shen Quan Qi, usually
preoccupied with imperial duties, like many of us busy with hectic modern
living, the delicate balance of calm and grandeur of the Shaolin environment as
revealed in the poem would be both soothing and exhilarating.

Symbolism in Shaolin Poetry

One of the most famous poets of Chinese literature is Bai Ju Yi (Po Chu-i, 772–
846), also of the Tang Dynasty, which is regarded by many people as the golden
age of Chinese poetry. Despite his demanding job as the Minister of Internal
Security, he often visited the Shaolin Monastery and left many poems in its
praise. Bai Ju Yi was a keen student of Zen, but was also much influenced by
Taoist philosophy. In his retirement he dedicated his life to poetry and wine, and
was known to his friends as the “Recluse of the Fragrant Mountain”. The
following poem praising the Shaolin Monastery was written in a poetic genre
known as qi yen lu shi. The original Chinese composition is made up of eight
lines consisting of seven characters on each line, and is also a very popular form
of Tang poetry.

Visit to Shaolin Monastery from Longtan Monastery, dedicated to
fellow travellers

Six or seven fellow travellers wearing peasant cloths and shoes
Flowers in hand, stepping over green grass towards a rippling stream
The moon at Nine Dragons’ Lakes is reflected in a glass of wine
Three drafts of cypress breeze vibrate musical strings of dreams
While strong and healthy one should visit this scenic and sacred place
The freshness and coolness make us forget the heat of the summer air
Previously I knew only of riding a crane to fly beyond the clouds
But now I know of becoming a saint here free from worldly cares

The romanticism of Tang poetry is evident here as in the previous poem, but
while the former is purely hedonic, with Shen Quan Qi pouring out his exquisite
emotion spontaneously, this poem is also symbolic, suggesting that Bai Ju Yi
here is a master craftsman besides being an artist. His craftsmanship is seen in
his subtle, perhaps unconscious, exposition of Zen and Taoist philosophy.
 “Longtan” (pronounced as “loong th’an”) means “Dragons’ Lakes”.
Longtan Monastery in Shanxi Province was related to Shaolin Monastery.
Situated near nine lakes, where according to legends dragons came down to
frolic, it was a favourite retreat of the famous Empress Wu Ze Tian and her
daughter Princess Peace. (In Chinese culture, dragons are majestic divine
creatures bringing peace and prosperity.)
Although Bai Ju Yi was an imperial minister, he preferred wearing
peasant clothing like his fellow travellers when he visited Shaolin Monastery,
suggesting the simplicity of Zen. On the other hand, his liking for wine is
indicative of his Taoist influence, as drinking wine in cheerful company is a
typical Taoist practice. Three drafts of breeze coming from a cypress tree is a
symbolic way of saying three experiences of Zen as taught in the Shaolin
tradition, and these experiences awaken in him aspirations towards spiritual
development.
“Freshness and coolness”, while describing the actual pleasant weather
conditions at Shaolin, is a symbol for Buddhist wisdom; hence it can be
interpreted that Bai Ju Yi found his attainment of Buddhist wisdom helped him
to cope with the demands of his ministerial duties. Previously he aspired to ride
a crane to fly beyond the clouds, which means to practise Taoist cultivation to
become an immortal. But having practised Zen and found refuge at the Shaolin
Monastery, he discovered he could attain enlightenment here and now.

Legends Recalled in Poetic Beauty

The next poem is by Li Yun Zhong, a professor of the Imperial University in the
Song Dynasty. Besides its poetic value, it contains historical interest as it
mentions some famous legends in Zen Buddhism.

Staying a Night in Shaolin Monastery

Meeting Ambassador Song Yun at Pamir Heights
Holding one shoe going west, without knowing why
In the mountain attain the art of calming heart
He severed his arm while snow fell from the sky
Striking the ground, clouds reflected in streams
Flower of five petals blossoms from this place
No need to stare at image of the shadow rock
Spiritual body is all over the mountain face

This poem, like Bai Ju Yi’s poem above, is written in the poetic genre called qi
yen lu shi, meaning “poetry of seven words to a line composed according to
some special rules of metre and rhyme patterns”. But unlike Bai Ju Yi’s poem,
which can be understood by readers at least at the surface meaning, even without
being aware of their underlying symbols, Li Yun Zhong’s poem would be
incomprehensive if readers do not know the significance of the legends involved.
Both poems are, of course, a contrast to Shen Quan Ji’s poem, which captivates
us not by its contextual meaning but by its exquisite feeling.
Staying in Shaolin Monastery stimulated in Li Yun Zhong nostalgic
reflections on some important Shaolin legends about Bodhidharma spreading
Zen Buddhism in China. First the poet recalls the miracle about the ambassador
of Northern Wei Dynasty, Song Yun, meeting Bodhidharma at the Pamir
Heights, holding only one shoe in his hand, and going westward.
 “Where are you going, Master?” the ambassador asked.
“I’m going home.”
“But why are you holding only one shoe?”
“You’ll know when you get to Shaolin Monastery,” Bodhidharma
replied.
When Song Yun arrived at Shaolin Monastery, he learned to his great
surprise that Bodhidharma had passed away. The monks were more surprised
when Song Yun told them that he had met Bodhidharma at the Pamir Heights
going westward. “That’s impossible,” they exclaimed. “In fact we buried his
body in the hill behind the monastery.”
When they dug up the coffin and opened it, they found nothing inside
except the other shoe. “Our master has gone home,” they said, “and he has left
one shoe as evidence of this seemingly impossible happening.” They all
prostrated three times in the direction of the west in honour of Bodhidharma, the
First Patriarch of the Shaolin arts.
Then the poet reflects on how Hui Ke, the Second Patriarch, attained “the
art of calming heart” from Bodhidharma, as described earlier in Chapter 2. To
show his determination in Zen cultivation, Hui Ke severed his arm in the snow.
Later when Bodhidharma visited Hui Ke recuperating in a cave behind the
Monastery, the master found that there was no water supply nearby. So he struck
the ground with his monk’s staff, and presto, water flowed out forming four
streams, each with a different taste of sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and
tartness!
Bodhidharma transmitted the “heart of Zen” to Hui Ke, who transmitted
it through three generations of patriarchs to Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch. From
Hui Neng, regarded by many as the Chinese Buddha, Zen later developed into
five schools.
In the last two lines of the poem, Li Yun Zhong says that Zen is found
not just by staring at the Bodhidharma’s image imprinted in the “shadow rock”
(please see Chapter 2); he says that wherever one looks, he can see Zen because
the Spiritual Body of the Buddha, which is the Buddhist term for the Supreme
Reality, is everywhere. This last line shows the poet’s profound understanding of
Buddhism. He suggests that spiritual fulfilment is realized not just by orthodox
methods like worshipping a divine presence, or faithfully accepting the teaching
of a past master, although these methods may be suitable for many people, but
the highest spiritual fulfilment can be realized directly now and here if we are
spiritually awakened.

A Modern Poem on Shaolin

The modern poem below is by Yan Chen (b. 1911), who is one of the best
known poets of modern China. His poetic works have been translated into
English, Russian, Japanese, Persian, and Korean.

The Road to Shaolin

The road to Shaolin is long, very long,
Rubbing shoulders and continuing heels along
the way, with dust flying high.
For what reasons do you go there?
With what curiosity, and what dreams?

The famous Pagoda Forest is now tranquil.
Eternal life does not necessarily come
to those who yearn for it.
Only Songshan remains evergreen,
And the mountain stream still flows clear.

The road to Shaolin is tortuous and steep.
Along the way are found men and women
who have come from four directions.
What do you seek by going there?
Do you go with faith or go with doubt?

 Great masters are sparse like morning stars.
To accomplish great attainments
necessitates great sacrifice.
Look at the foot impressions at the training hall,
A deep imprint every step has made.

The returning road is very long and also short.
The returning road from Shaolin is tortuous and also even.
What are you thinking all along the way?
The breeze is so gentle, the sky so blue.

A drop of water will not dry in a river.
Creativity and success, all start with your first step.
Cleanse the dirt from your heart, the whole
body becomes light and happy,
Only in the happiness of other people can
you find your greatest happiness.

A modern poem is often open to different interpretations, and readers may like to
attempt their own. Explaining some terms, and providing some guiding
questions may be helpful.
Pagoda Forest refers to the large collection of pagodas or stupas a few
hundred metres from the monastery proper, where the “crystals” or relics of past
great monks were kept. Songshan is the mountain system that includes the
Shaoshi Mountain where Shaolin Monastery is situated. Deep foot impressions
are left in the Shaolin Kungfu training hall today as a result of continuous
stamping of monks’ feet in the past.
The general theme of the poem that different people have different
aspirations as well as different approaches and results in their pursuit of the
Shaolin arts is quite clear. What is the significance of mentioning that the
famous Pagoda Forest is now tranquil, Songshan remains evergreen, and the
mountain stream still flows clear? Why does the poet say that the breeze is so
gentle and the sky so blue? What is the intention of saying a drop of water will
not dry in a river? Perhaps most importantly, how would you cleanse the dirt
from your heart? What strong emotions or hopes has the poet aroused in you?
For me, the four concluding lines of the poem are most inspiring, and the
Shaolin arts have provided me both the philosophy and methods to find my
greatest happiness. Different people, understandably, will interpret the dirt in
their heart differently, according to their own level of personal understanding
and development.
The Shaolin arts provide the principles and practice for our physical,
emotional, mental, and spiritual development, irrespective of our religious
profession or even the lack of it. Describing the same progress in different terms,
the Shaolin arts enable us to actualize fully our physical body, energy body and
spiritual body, through kungfu, chi kung, and Zen. Hence, from the Shaolin
perspective, at the highest level cleansing the dirt from our heart is clearing the
phenomenal illusion that has been shrouding our mind, so that we can, as
mentioned in an earlier poem, see transcendental reality everywhere. In Zen
terms, it is “going home” or “seeing our original face”.
The attainment of this highest spiritual fulfilment, known as Zen in the
highest Shaolin arts, can be achieved by people of any race, culture, or religion.
To have a clear understanding of transcendental reality, called variously by
different peoples such as God, Allah, Brahman, Tao, and the Tathagata, is an
intelligent step towards this highest attainment, and will be explained in the next
few chapters.

23: THE DIVINE AND THE COSMOS

(The Magnificence and Universality of All Religions)

Despite our superficial differences, we are all fellow travellers along
similar spiritual paths aspiring to the same cosmic reality.

A Meeting Place of Many Religions

Many readers must be surprised to discover that throughout history people of
different religions — Taoists, Confucianists, Christians, Muslims, and others —
have voluntarily stayed and practised the Shaolin arts in the Shaolin Monastery,
though it is regarded as a Buddhist monastery. There are three good reasons for
this happy situation.
Buddhists have never regarded Buddhism as a religion as the west knows
it; they regard Buddhism as the highest teaching open to all people. In other
words, Buddhism is not exclusive only to professed followers, nor the followers
prevented from accepting other religious teachings. Also, there is nothing
whatsoever in the Buddhist teaching that belittles the beliefs of other religions.
Second, Shaolin masters never attempt to convert any students into
Buddhism. In fact, those who wished to be ordained as Buddhist monks literally
had to beg to be admitted. Many Buddhists believe that converting a pious
believer in any religion into Buddhism may slow down his path to spiritual
fulfilment because he is already on his way in his chosen religion.
The third reason is most heart-warming. Despite their outward
differences in ritualistic practice by the populace, all the major world religions,
as revealed by the greatest of their respective masters and scriptures, are similar
in their aims and aspirations. Even the methods the high priests and the adepts
employ in seeking spiritual fulfilment, as well as the spiritual ecstasy they
experience during the fulfilment, are similar. Perhaps this has to be so, if Reality
or Truth is one, though it can be interpreted in different languages and cultures,
and at different levels.

Universality of World’s Religions

This fundamental universality of the world’s great religions can be readily
verified if we examine their highest teachings. In Hinduism, the supreme aim is
to unite Atman, the spirit in man, with Brahman, the Universal Reality. The way
to achieve this unity, or yoga, is through meditation. The Upanishads, the holy
books of the Hindus, teach that:

Brahman is all. From Brahman come appearances, sensations, desires,
deeds. But all these are merely name and form. To know Brahman one must
experience the identity between him and the Self, or Brahman dwelling
within the lotus of the heart. Only by so doing can man escape from sorrow
and death and become one with the subtle essence beyond all knowledge.

Taoism is amazingly similar to Hinduism. In fact, in the above quotation if we
replace the term “Brahman” with “Tao”, it can readily express the essence of
Taoist philosophy. The supreme aim of Taoists is to be united with the cosmos
or Tao. The way is also through meditation. What is Tao? Lao Tzu, the Patriarch
of Taoism, said:

It is nebulous
Before the existence of heaven and earth
Soundless, formless, independent and eternal
Forever evolving, forever transforming
Can be said to be the mother of everything
I don’t know its name, therefore call it Tao
If forced to describe, will say it’s great
Great until there’s no limit
Limitless until it’s infinite
Infinite until it returns to its original point

The supreme aim of Buddhism is attaining nirvana, and the essential path is
meditation. Nirvana is a state of enlightenment when we experience reality as it
really is, when, as illusion has been dispersed, we become one with Reality. The
great second century Buddhist master, Nagarjuna, whose writing forms the core
of Mahayana Buddhism, says in his classic Madhyamaka Karika (Treatise of the
Mean):

Coordinated here or caused are separate things,
We call this world phenomenal.
But just the same is called Nirvana,
When view without Causality, without Coordination.

What Nagarjuna means is that in our normal waking consciousness, we see the
world of phenomena existing as separate entities, which are dependent upon a
complexity of causes and coordinates. We regard a thing or event as real because
it is caused by another thing or event, or because it is compared to a manmade
coordinate. However, when our mind is purified so that we can see Reality,
when there are neither causality or coordination, the same world as
undifferentiated and eternal is called nirvana.
Jaideva Singh summarizes the essence of Nagarjuna’s philosophy
succinctly:

The Absolute and the world are not two different sets of reality posited
against each other. Phenomena viewed as relative, as governed by causes
and conditions constitute the world, and viewed as free of all conditions are
the Absolute. The Absolute is always of uniform nature. Nirvana or the
Absolute Reality is not something produced or achieved. Nirvana only
means the disappearance of the fabrications of discursive thought.

In different words, Hinduism, Taoism, and Buddhism expound the same spiritual
fulfilment: going beyond the illusionary phenomenal world to be merged with
the Absolute Reality, where duality has disappeared, where there is no difference
between the subject and the object, between the knower and the known. When
this is attained, the personal self dissolves itself into the timeless, spaceless
Absolute, breaking away from its countless cycles of births and rebirths, rising
from its mundane human level to that of the divine, and accomplishing eternal
life. John Blofeld, who is a Buddhist, describes this aim beautifully. Although he
was referring to the Taoists’ quest for immortality, his description can be applied
to any religion:

The aim is to return to the Source by undergoing an apotheosis that can be
best be hinted at in words. The illusory ego falls away, yet nothing real is
lost. Spirit, freed from its bonds, returns to Spirit, not as a dew-drop
destined to form an insignificant particle of a vast ocean, but as the
boundless returning to the boundless. The liberated consciousness expands
to contain to be the entire universe! Could there ever, ever be a more
glorious endeavour?

Divine Manifestations of Supreme Reality

Not all people, understandably, can reach a stage of mental and spiritual
development to comprehend and appreciate fully this returning to our eternal
Source, this realization of our innate immortality. Great teachers of the
respective religions have to present to the common people this profound
universal Truth in simpler, picturesque form, or even initially to teach them
moral values in the form of parables as a preparation for their later spiritual
development.
A universal approach is to personify the abstract Absolute Reality into a
Divine Being or Beings, such as Lord Vishnu, Lord Krishna and Lord Ganesa in
Hinduism; Primordial Lord of Heaven, God of the Earth, and the Eight
Immortals in Taoism; Amitabha Buddha, Manjusri Bodhisattva, and Guan Yin
Bod Satt (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva) in Mahayana Buddhism. It is a gross
mistake to think that these Divine Beings are mere concepts or symbols. These
Divine Beings are more real and meaningful to their followers than the
philosophical abstraction of Absolute Reality; and have helped the followers in
countless, concrete ways.
However, even with divine help, one must put in personal effort if he
wants to achieve the highest spiritual fulfilment. The Divine Beings, who are
necessary for those devotees who may not yet have attained the required
development for understanding the profound truth, are manifestations of the
Supreme Reality. In the Bhagavad-Gita, the Supreme Reality speaks through Sri
Krishna:

Men whose discrimination has been blunted by worldly desires, establish
this or that ritual or cult and resort to various deities, according to the
impulses of their inborn natures. But it does not matter what deity a devotee
chooses to worship. If he has faith, I make his faith unwavering. Endowed
with the faith I give him, he worships that deity, and gets from it everything
he prays for. In reality I alone am the giver.

The main methods to achieve the highest spiritual fulfilment are similar in all
these religions. Thus, a typical method in one particular religion may be easily
mistaken for that in another religion. As you read the methods taught by some of
their greatest teachers, see whether you can tell which one is Hindu, Taoist, or
Buddhist. Some technical names that may give the clue away have been replaced
by more general terms.

Listening to Soundlessness

When you meditate, your mind may be in your body, may be outside your body.
You cannot touch the mind to open it. You could only cultivate it patiently and
sincerely.
Place your mind at your third eye. Gradually, an internal light will shine
forth. Then, your physical body may disappear. You will feel that there is
another body besides your physical body. You will find another world besides
this world. The most marvellous part is when the internal light coalesces to form
your spiritual body. This is the secret that has been kept for millennia.
Your mind must be still and alert. If thoughts arise, your mind will be
scattered. If you are sleepy, your mind will become unclear. How to prevent
dullness and keep your mind still? Regulate your breathing, which must be
gentle and soft. Place your mind on your breath, and reflect on and listen to it.
How to reflect? This is using your eyes to view your breath internally.
How to listen? This is listening to your breath internally. When you listen, you
hear the soundlessness of your breath. When you reflect, you view the
formlessness of your breath.

Wisdom and Enlightenment

Be seated in a position that is firm and comfortable. The most famous posture is
the lotus posture. The aim is to achieve an effortless alertness, which may be
accomplished by thinking of the limitless expanse of the sky.
After mastering posture, the next step is to regulate cosmic energy by
means of breath control. This can be done in numerous ways: by stopping the
breath externally, or internally, or placing it at appropriate energy centres in our
body.
When breath control is accomplished, the breath may stop on its own
accord at any time the meditator concentrates upon an external or an internal
object, like a flower or an energy centre in his body. Then the covering of the
Inner Light is removed, resulting in dispersing ignorance and gaining control
over the senses. The mind becomes purified and accomplishes the power of
concentration.
Concentration is holding the mind within a centre of spiritual
consciousness in the body, such as the navel, the heart or the middle of the
forehead, or fixing the mind on your chosen Divine Ideal within your body or
outside it. Prolonged concentration leads to meditation, which will result in
wisdom. When, in meditation, the true nature of reality shines forth, undistorted
by the mind, that is enlightenment. All these must be practised regularly and
gradually, and stage by stage.

Looking At the Stilled Mind

When you meditate, you must make sure that your posture is correct and
comfortable. You may adopt the double lotus or single lotus position. Make sure
that your nose and your navel are in line. Sit motionlessly. This is regulating the
body.
Count your breaths in sets of ten. Your breathing may be controlled or
spontaneous. Place your mind on your breathing as you count.
When your breathing has become very soft, or when your mind cannot
focus on the counting, then change to following the breath. Again, the breathing
can be controlled or spontaneous. Gently focus the mind on breathing in and
breathing out. This is regulating the breath.
When the body and the breathing are well regulated, the next stage is
regulating the mind. This is attained by keeping the mind still, and you may
experience vital energy inside your body and cosmic energy outside mingling
freely through your skin.
To still the mind is accomplished in two ways: subduing any thought
from arising and overcoming the four common problems in meditation; namely
sinking, floating, slacking, and hurrying mind.
When the mind becomes sleepy, that is the sinking symptom. To
overcome it, focus at the tip of your nose. When extraneous thoughts arise in
your mind, that is the floating symptom. It can be overcome by focusing your
mind at your navel. When your mind is neither sinking nor floating, that is
regulating the mind.
Regulating the mind may be accomplished too fast or too slowly. When
the mind was full of thoughts before it was stilled, this is the hurrying symptom,
and the stilling of the mind is said to be too fast. This can be remedied by letting
go of the thoughts so that the mental energy flows downward. The slacking
symptom is when the will is lazy or mental reaction is too slow. This can be
remedied by quickly placing the mind on counting or following the breath. This
is controlling the mind.

What you have just read are three of the most famous methods, though more
often heard than known, in the respective religions in seeking spiritual
fulfilment. These methods are advanced, and are not meant for beginners unless
they are supervised by masters or competent instructors.
The first method is from a sacred text, “Teachings of the Pristine Golden
Flower from Saint Lu”, reprinted from the secret collections of the Dragon Gate
School of Taoism, and explaining a Taoist approach to immortality. The second
method is from the authoritative “Yoga Sutra” of Patanjali, the father of yoga,
teaching the union of the human spirit with the Universal Spirit. The third
method is from “Six Wondrous Gateways” of Venerable Zhi Yi, the founder of
Tiantai school of Buddhism, expounding six steps to tranquillity and insight
meditation for attaining nirvana.

The Spiritual Aspect of Confucianism

Readers expecting Confucianism to be a way of virtuous living instead of a
religion worshiping some divinities will be surprised that its spiritual aspect is
similar to that of Hinduism, Taoism, and Buddhism! Besides ancestor-worship
and Confucius-worship, which are traditional rites performed because of respect,
not because of any shamanistic benefits, Confucianists are generally
unconcerned about the after-life. (This does not necessarily imply they do not
believe in an after-life.)
Although Confucianism refers to one of the three major religions of the
Chinese, many people of other races and culture are actually Confucianistic in
their beliefs and way of life. If you happen to be well educated, interested in
sports and games, well versed in culture and arts, conscientious in community
welfare, concerned about a comfortable, righteous life in the present, and not
bothered about lives in the past or future, if any, then you, irrespective of the
religion you may profess or even claim not to profess, are aptly qualified to be
called a Confucianist.
The supreme aim of a Confucianist is to become an “ideal person”, or jun
zi, who is well versed in both the scholastic as well as the martial arts.
Nevertheless, many Confucianists today have neglected the martial aspect of a
cultured man, concentrating only on intellectual pursuit. To enhance their mental
faculties, Confucian masters advocate meditation. The Confucian master Chu
Hsi (Zhu Xi in romanized Chinese) advised, “Spend half the day on meditation,
and the other half on study.”
The intellectual achievements of the Confucianists are outstanding. If
you think that their achievements are only in arts and literature, you will be in
for some surprise. Expressing the intuitive wisdom that he gathered from
meditation, Zhang Dai explained:

The cosmos is a body of chi. Chi has yin and yang. When it disperses it
permeates all things; when it unites it becomes nebulous. When this settles
into form it becomes matter. When it disintegrates it returns to its original
state.

We cannot help wondering that had our modern physicists and astronomers read
about such ancient writings, their rediscoveries might have happened decades
earlier. Zhang Dai’s intuitive wisdom was not a rare exception; it was quite
common among many ancient masters, Confucian or otherwise. The records of
Confucian masters described below illustrate that although they seldom
deliberated on metaphysics or mysticism, their intuitive experience of the
cosmos is transcendental and spiritual, similar to those of Hindu, Taoist, and
Buddhist masters.

Hu Zhi: One day, suddenly my mind was enlightened; there are no
irrelevant thoughts. I saw all the myriad things in the world inside me,
making me exclaim that the whole cosmos is me.

Jiang Xin: Since meditating at the Daolin Temple, I have lost my fear of
death and my grief for my dead mother. Suddenly one day I experienced the
great Nature. The whole cosmos and I became one. There is no difference
between the outside and the inside of me. The whole phenomenal world and
my body became undifferentiated.

Lu Kun: In stillness, my mind is as big as the universe. It is void and silent:
there is nothing inside. But when I ask my mind, it is full of life; everything
is there.

These experiences verify the profound truth emphasized by the great Confucian
master, Mencius: “Everything in the cosmos is me; I am everything in the
cosmos.”

Entering God’s Kingdom

It is heartening — or disheartening, depending on one’s attitude — that while
there are great differences at the ritualistic level of the populace, at the
philosophical and spiritual level, Christianity and Islam are similar to Hinduism,
Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Because of cultural and linguistic
differences, the Supreme Being is known by different names, such as God,
Allah, Brahman, Primordial Lord, or Buddha; and is frequently personified as a
Provider and Saviour, who will reward pious followers in heaven. But for the
adepts at the highest level, salvation or enlightenment is attainable here and now,
with the absorption of world in mind, and the fusion of subject and object, when
the adepts merge into the immanent, omnipotent, omnipresent Supreme Reality.
In Christianity, the immanence, omnipotence, and omnipresence of God
is clearly stated in the Bible:

For all things were created by Him, and all things exist through Him and
for Him. (Romans 11:36)

There is one God and Father of all mankind, who is Lord of all, works
through all, and is in all. (Ephesians 4:6)

The aim of Christianity is to return to God’s kingdom, to be united with Him.
Where is God’s kingdom? Jesus himself explained:

Some Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come. His
answer was, “The Kingdom of God does not come in such a way as to be
seen. No one will say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is’; because the
Kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke, 17.20)

Let us find out from Christian masters how they realized this highest spiritual
aim. The great fourteenth-century Christian theologian, Meister Eckhart,
emphasized that God is Being, and that this true Being becomes manifest in man
in an inward journey.
 William James, the father of American psychology, said:

The basis of the (Christian mystic) system is orison or meditation, the
methodical elevation of the soul towards God. ... The first thing to be aimed
at in orison is the mind’s detachment from outer sensations, for these
interfere with its concentration upon ideal things. Such manuals as Saint
Ignatius’s Spiritual Exercises recommended the disciple to expel sensation
by a gradual series of efforts to imagine holy scenes. The acme of this kind
of discipline would be a semi-hallucinatory mono-ideism — an imaginary
figure of Christ, for example, coming to occupy the mind.

Not only are the methods of the Christians masters similar to those of other
masters, their experiences during their spiritual ecstasy are also similar.

Saint Teresa: In the orison of union, the soul is fully awake as regards God,
but wholly asleep as regards things of the world and in respect of herself.
During the short time the orison lasts, she is, as it were. deprived of every
feeling, and even if she would, she could not think of any single thing. ...
God establishes himself in the interior of this soul in such a way, that when
she returns to herself, it is wholly impossible for her to doubt that she has
been in God, and God in her. ... All that I know is that I tell the truth; and I
shall never believe that any soul who does not possess this certainty has
ever been really united to God.

Saint Benedict: He saw a light which banished away the darkness of the
night upon this sight a marvellous strange thing followed. The whole
world gathered — as it were under one beam of the sun, was presented
before his eyes. For by that supernatural light, the capacity of the inward
soul was enlarged. But albeit the world was gathered before his eyes, yet
were not the heaven and earth drawn into any lesser form than they be of
themselves, but the soul or the beholder was more enlarged.

As the knowledge reported here is not commonly available to ordinary people,
many readers may find the information revealed on these pages startling or even
disagreeable. It is worthwhile to bear in mind that such information is neither my
invention nor opinion; it is a report of the teachings and experiences of
established masters in their respective religions.

Returning to God

Fundamentally, Islam is similar to Christianity and Judaism, except that Muslims
regard Mohammed, not Jesus or Moses, as the final prophet. Some readers may
be pleasantly surprised that Islamic sciences, especially medicine, astronomy,
and mathematics, have contributed greatly to the welfare of all humanity.
In Islam, God or Allah is beneficent and merciful, as well as imminent,
omnipotent, and omnipresent. Their holy book, Koran, begins with singing
praises to God:

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,
The Beneficent, the Merciful,
Owner of the Day of Judgement,
Thee we worship; Thee we ask for help.
Show us the straight path,
The path of those whom Thou hast favoured,
Not of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray.

As in most, if not all, religions, the faithful are rewarded in the everlasting after-
life. The aim of Islam is the return to God. An Islamic master, Shaykh Hakim
Moinuddin Chishti, says:

Every scripture and every prophet from the first have said the same thing:
that we are created by a wise and loving Creator, and that the special
purpose of our existence is to endeavour to work our way back to Him. Our
objective in life is to regain union with God.

How do Muslims regain union with God? Let us learn from their masters. Dr.
Mir Valiuddin says that this is achieved by “muraqaba” or contemplation:

Muraqaba is to fix firmly in the mind that God ever watches over you.
 Muraqaba operates at two levels: external and internal. External
contemplation means “the turning away of the five emotional senses from
the world and all its creatures; and disengaging from them both in society,
and from vainglorious and meaningless thoughts when alone.” ... And
internal contemplation is nothing but the “guarding of the heart” (muraat
al-qalb). “It is the preventing the heart from thinking of anything
whatsoever, keeping it free from all vain thoughts, while sitting or reclining
in public or in private, and disengaging from it cogitating on the past or the
future. While engaged in contemplation if the thought of even prayer or
worship comes, it should be negated at once, because this will bring
contemplation from a higher to a lower level.”

While the common devotees wait for the next life, the masters can attain union
with God here and now. The similarity between Islam and the other religions
discussed earlier — both regarding the beliefs of the populace as well as the
aspirations and methods of the highest adepts — is remarkable.
The Muslim master gives us an illuminating account of spiritual
fulfilment:

Tajliya-i-Ruh or the “illumination of the Spirit” implies the filling of the
human spirit with the effulgence of the Vision of God, and the fervour of
His love. ... In all individual human souls the same Universal Spirit has
manifested Itself according to the aptitudes of the individual essences. ...
For the illumination of the spirit it is necessary that every relationship that
the spirit has formed, after entering the body, with this world through sense
of perception and knowledge, should be gradually severed, for it is their
relations and attachments with this world that form a veil and keep the spirit
remote from God. Anything to which the spirit is attached, and in whose
love it is imprisoned makes it its bondsman.

As in any religion, shallow understanding can be dangerous. Dr. Mir Valiuddin
clarifies the following crucial point. Of course, “love”, below, refers to spiritual
love.

According to the Sharia, ittihad or “oneness with God”, if understood in the
literal sense, is sheer unbelief and blasphemy ... For those who look behind
 the veil, other than God does not exist. God is the only Being, and none
exists besides Him. ... In the terminology of the Sufis, what is meant by
ittihad is the state of the lover in which he is absorbed completely in the
contemplation of his beloved, and in that state he does not behold anybody
except his beloved (halat-i-istighraq). This is the highest reach of love’s
journey.

This important point has been explained by the famous 12th century master,
Muhyyuddin Mohammed Ibn al-Arabi, who also emphasized the universality of
God. Najib Ullah says:

The fundamental principle of his system is the “unity of being.” He says
that there is no real difference between the Essence and its attributes, or, in
other words, between God and the universe created by Him. ... Al-Arabi
believed that the primary function of men is to reveal his divine nature, and
those among men who reach perfection are the prophets and saints.
Muhammed, the Seal of Prophet, was the most perfect of men. But, Ibn al-
Arabi recognized the divine manifestation in other men, and the divine truth
in other religions.

Describing his union with God, another master, Mansur al-Hallaj, ecstatically
exclaimed:

I am He whom I love and He whom I love is I.

Although many followers of the religions may be surprised at the conclusion,
when we carefully examine the teachings of their highest masters, we can clearly
find that not only the aims, but also the principal methods and spiritual
fulfilment of the world’s major religions — Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism,
Confucianism, Christianity, and Islam — are basically similar. This does not
merely explain why disciples from different religious background could train
together happily in the Shaolin Monastery, but more significantly it rightly
reminds us that, despite our superficial differences, we are all fellow travellers
along similar spiritual paths aspiring to the same cosmic reality.

24: VARIOUS VEHICLES OF ENLIGHTENMENT

(The Beauty and Wisdom of Buddhism)

When he attains liberation, it is not because his teacher says so or it is
described in the scriptures, but because he really knows and personally
experiences it.

An Amazing and Inspiring Religion

If we ask people what they would like to become, should they be given a wish,
many would want to be a prince or a king, especially in classical times. What,
then, do you think of real princes and kings voluntarily forgoing their luxury and
power to become monks so as to lead, and help others to lead, more rewarding
and meaningful lives? There were many such cases in the history of Buddhism.
These princes and kings were not deranged in thoughts nor forced by
circumstances; they were in fact some of the finest minds the world has ever
produced, making historic decisions at the prime of their lives that have greatly
benefited humanity.
Besides Gautama Buddha and Bodhidharma, other great royal
personages in Buddhist history include An Shih Kao, a Parthian prince who
declined the throne; Kumarajiva, son of a Kucheaan princess; and
Subhakarasinha, king of Orissa — all these were Buddhist monks who had
sacrificed luxurious lives in the palace to brave deserts and snowy mountains to
bring Buddhism from India to China. What is so great or beautiful about
Buddhism, for which the Shaolin Monastery was built, and which inspired these
great monks, and other important people, like Emperor Liang Wu Di of China
who entered a monastery three separate times during his reign as a menial
worker, or Emperor Harsha of India who publicly and proudly kissed the feet of
Xuan Zang (Hsuan Tsang) as a form of highest respect when this Chinese
pilgrim was in India in quest of Buddhist scriptures? Many people, including
Buddhists who have not yet studied the philosophy adequately, will be amazed
at the depth and wealth of the Buddhist teaching.

The Historical Buddha

Millions of years ago, a poor man and his mother were crossing the sea when
their ship sank. As he was dying, he wished some day to be able to ferry safely
countless beings on the perilous journeys from life to life. This was born the
thought, which grew stronger and stronger with each succeeding life, until
Dipankara Buddha declared, for the first time, that the extraordinary ascetic then
living as Sumedha would be born as Gautama Buddha, our historical Buddha,
the twenty-fourth in the long line of Buddhas from Dipankara.
Siddhartha Gautama Sakyamuni (623–543 BC) was born as the only
prince to King Suddhodana and Queen Maya of Kapilavastu in today’s Nepal.
He was a prince of great courage, strength and beauty, and lived his early life in
abundant luxury. At twenty-nine, after the birth of his only son, Rahula, by his
wife, Princess Yasodhara, Siddhartha made the Great Renunciation, leaving his
family and worldly pleasures to seek salvation for suffering humanity.
He first learned from the most renowned ascetic teachers of that time,
such as Arada Kalama and Udraka Ramaputra. But after six years of the most
austere practice which weakened him physically, he still could not find the
answers he sought. After recovering his strength from taking milk provided by a
female cowherd, Sujata, and realizing the futility of the two extremes, asceticism
and worldly pleasures, he chose the middle path, and meditated under a bodhi
tree. On the forty-ninth day, he vowed that unless he attained complete perfect
enlightenment, he would not come out of his meditation.
He meditated throughout the night, and attained four dhyana, or levels of
consciousness. At the first level, he witnessed the whole of his previous lives; at
the second, he understood the rebirth cycles of all sentient beings; at the third, he
eliminated all sensual desires and achieved the highest wisdom; and at the fourth
level at dawn, he saw the “original face of reality”. Gautama, therefore, attained
samma samadhi, or supreme enlightenment, and was henceforth known as the
Buddha, or the Enlightened One.
Soon after Gautama Buddha’s enlightenment, Brahma leading a host of
gods, devas, dragon kings and other heavenly beings requested the Buddha to
teach the dharma, or the spiritual law. The Buddha preached the Avatamsaka
Sutra (the Flower Adornment Sutra), but it was so profound that very few
understood it. Hence, for the early part of his teaching, the Buddha taught a
simplified form of the scriptures, the Agamas, to prepare common people for the
later advanced dharma. Two merchants, Trapusa and Bhallika, who provided the
Buddha with food, and Sujata the cowherd became the Buddha’s first male and
female lay disciples, or upasakas and upasikas respectively.
Three weeks later, the Buddha went to Sarnath where he gave his first
public sermon on the Middle Path and the Four Noble Truths, and established
the sangha, or the order of monks. His earlier teachers became his first clerical
disciples, or bhiksus. Some of the influential people of the time who became the
Buddha’s early bhiksus were Sariputra, Maudgalyayana, Upali, and Ananda.
Later, the Buddha accepted female clerical disciples, or bhiksunis.
For the next forty-five years, the Buddha spread his dharma to help
people to be liberated from suffering. Records show that he had never uttered a
harsh word, and he treated all people, kings or paupers, equally and respectfully.
He practised what he preached, and no one could find a fault with which to
condemn him. His hallmarks were compassion and wisdom. He taught not only
humans, but also gods; in fact the number of heavenly beings who attained
deliverance from his teaching was larger than that of humans!
One day at Vaisali, at eighty, a devotee unknowingly offered him some
contaminated food. The Buddha knew the food was poisonous, but rather than
hurting the unwitting devotee, he ate it. Then he went into meditation, and
passed away serenely, entering parinirvana, or the final nirvana. Many kings
attended his cremation and brought back his relics to their kingdoms as national
treasures. The Buddha’s parting words to his disciples were: “Life is transient;
work hard for liberation.”

Main Features of Buddhism

The Buddha’s teaching was initially transmitted by word-of-mouth; it was
written down only a few hundred years later. The huge body of Buddhist
religious and philosophic literature is collectively known as the Tripitaka, or the
Three Baskets of sutras (scriptures), vinaya (monastic rules), and sastras
(treatises), which, more than seven hundred times the size of the Bible, is the
most extensive collection of religious works in the world. It is no surprise that
even the majority of Buddhists have only a superficial knowledge of Buddhist
philosophy.
If you ask conscientious Buddhists how do they work for liberation,
some may say they follow a highly virtuous way of living, as prescribed in the
Noble Eightfold Path; some become lost to the outside world in their daily
recitation of scriptures in front of a statue of a Buddha; some totally immerse
themselves in answering an illogical question known as gong-an (koan in
Japanese), like what is the sound of clapping with only one hand; while others
focus their mind on an elaborate, esoteric design of circles and triangles known
as a mandala. All these are established Buddhist methods, and if the devotees
work hard enough, they will one day attain liberation. Yet, they are so different
from one another that those devotees who are familiar only with their own
chosen method, may vehemently protest that the others are non-Buddhist!
This apparent confusion can be cleared up when we realize that there are
three traditions of Buddhism, namely Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana; and
in each tradition there are different sects or schools which may appear to
contradict one another — adding to the richness and depth of Buddhist
philosophy. All the sects of Buddhism, however, follow the same common basic
precepts and doctrines, which are characteristically Buddhist and aim to attain
nirvana. The variations are actually the result of historical, geographical,
cultural, and developmental differences.
Before we study the three traditions of Buddhism, let us look at their
common factors. All of them honour Siddhartha Gautama Sakyamuni as the
historical Buddha, and accept his teaching as the foundation of their philosophy
and practice. The Buddha’s teaching is beautifully summarized in his own
words:

 Avoid doing evil,
Do good,
And purify the mind.

The most outstanding features of Buddhism, exemplified in the life of the
Buddha himself, are compassion and wisdom. A true Buddhist is always loving
and kind to other people, respective of their culture, race, or religion. In the
spread of Buddhism throughout the ages, not a drop of blood has been shed nor a
harsh word said against another religion.
Manifesting wisdom, a Buddhist disciple is frequently asked not to
accept Buddhism on faith alone, but evaluate it according to the best of his
knowledge and experience. This does not necessarily mean that faith is irrelevant
in Buddhism, nor decision based on one’s knowledge and experience is always
correct. But it means, at the highest level, that when he attains liberation, it is not
because his teacher says so or it is described in the scriptures, but because he
really knows and personally experiences it. Purifying the mind is the pathway to
such attainment.
Two fundamental concepts in Buddhism are karma and the illusion of the
phenomenal world. By karma is meant that whatever we are now is the result of
our past thoughts, speech, and actions. We are, therefore, responsible for our
own destiny. If we do good, we will be rewarded in the future, not by God or any
external power, but as an inevitable unfolding of forces or happenings issuing
from our good effort. Buddhism, therefore, does not believe in fatalism or
determinism.
Buddhism does not depend on Grace. A Buddhist achieves liberation due
to his own effort, not because of divine charity. This principle is particularly
important in Theravada Buddhism; while in Mahayana and Vajrayana
Buddhism, Bodhisattvas and other enlightened beings may help the devotee in
his effort.
Buddhists believe that our phenomenal world is illusory, and we are
deluded because of our ignorance. This does not mean that our everyday things
and events are not real. The chair I am sitting on is solid, and the being I call me
has been me since I was born — that is, if we experience the phenomenal world
at our ordinary consciousness. But when we are enlightened, we know that there
is vast expanse of “empty space” amidst the atomic particles that make up the
chair, and that literally millions of individual cells in our body are destroyed and
created each time we breathe in and out. We appreciate these truths not because
modern science tells us so, but because we realize them in our deep meditation.
Buddhism is often divided into two main approaches, Hinayana and
Mahayana, from which Vajrayana is derived. As Hinayana, meaning the Small
Vehicle, may sound disrespectful, a more polite term, Theravada, which means
the Council of Elders, is now commonly used, although historically Theravada
was one of the Hinayana schools.
At the second Grand Buddhist Council at Vaisali, about a hundred years
after Gautama Buddha entered parinirvana, philosophical differences between
the Sthaviras, or the Elders, and the Mahasanghikas, who reflected the majority
opinion, led to a split into two branches of Buddhism. The Mahasanghikas
coined the term Mahayana, meaning the Great Vehicle, to represent their system;
and called the Sthaviras, Hinayana.
Today, Theravada Buddhism is prominent in Sri Lanka, Burma,
Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia; Mahayana Buddhism in China, Japan, Korea,
and Vietnam; and Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet and Mongolia. Theravada
Buddhism is sometimes called Buddhism of the Southern Transmission; whereas
Mahayana Buddhism, the Northern Transmission.

Theravada — Buddhism of the Elders

The principles and practice of Theravada Buddhism can be expressed through
the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths propound
that life is full of suffering; the cause of suffering is craving; to eliminate
suffering, we have to eliminate craving; and the way to accomplish this is to
follow the Noble Eightfold Path.
The Noble Eightfold Path includes the following eight precepts: right
speech, right action, right livelihood, right views, right intention, right
concentration, right effort, and right mindfulness. The eight steps can be classed
into three groups, known in Theravada scripture written in Pali as Tividha Sikha,
or Threefold Training: right speech, action, and livelihood as Sila, or moral
purity; right views and intention as Panna, or full knowledge; and right
concentration, effort, and mindfulness as Samadhi, or enlightenment.
Sila and Panna are preparation for Samadhi, which is realized through
meditation. This means that unless a person practises meditation, which may be
in various forms, he cannot attain the spiritual goal in Buddhism. It is indeed
astonishing that many Buddhists are not aware of this important fact. The
Venerable Paravahera explicitly says:

In all time and at all places it (meditation) is the only means to the
attainment of final deliverance, the eternal happiness taught by the Buddha
as Nirvana.

Some people who understand the Theravada teaching superficially, especially
the first noble truth, often commend that Buddhism is pessimistic. Deeper
understanding readily shows otherwise. To say that life is full of suffering is
courageously and succinctly stating a universal truth. Very few people
throughout the history of humanity can even dream of a life more luxurious and
glamorous than Gautama’s. His father, King Suddhodana, forewarned by a
prophecy that his only son would one day leave the palace to seek an answer to
mankind’s suffering, went to the extent of prohibiting anyone mentioning a
sorrowful word or displaying a sorrowful gesture in front of the prince.
Gautama was so well looked after that he hardly had any worldly need
which could not be fulfilled. Yet when he secretly went out of the palace to meet
his people, the sight of birth, old age, sickness, and death manifested to him
human suffering that no one could avoid. But such suffering was nothing, as he
was to learn later when he inflicted torture upon himself in his ascetic practice, if
compared to the suffering of samsara, the endless cycle of births and deaths.
Buddhism does not merely reveal life’s suffering; it is mainly concerned
with providing a practical way to overcome suffering and attain everlasting joy
in nirvana. Nirvana is not annihilation, as some people erroneously believe;
nirvana is a pristine state when the mind, free from mundane desires and
attachment, experiences the Supreme Reality.
If you ask people what they consider as the most pleasurable experience
in life, if they are normal and honest, many will say it is sexual fulfilment. Yet
many great spiritual teachers, who undoubtedly had experienced sexual
fulfilment before, explicitly stressed that sexual pleasures are simply
incomparable to spiritual bliss, which is — hundreds, even thousands of times,
more joyous than carnal delights. Of course, such bliss cannot be described; if
you wish to experience it, work hard along the proven methods suggested in this
book, or along the religious paths of your choice.

Mahayana — Buddhism of the Great Vehicle

Mahayana Buddhists accept all the teaching of Theravada Buddhism, which they
regard as preparation for more profound knowledge and wisdom. The
knowledge and wisdom of Mahayana Buddhism, as recorded in their
voluminous literature, are startling, and they concern not only arts and religion,
but also philosophy and science.
One of the greatest Buddhist masters of all time was Nagarjuna, who
lived in India in the second century, and whose earthly appearance and
contribution to Buddhism had been predicted by the Buddha himself. Among his
many works, Madhyamaka-Karika, or Treatise on the Mean, which provided
much foundation for Mahayana philosophy, illustrates some crucial, though little
known, differences with Theravada philosophy. Modern scientists who care to
study his work, will be amazed that this great master expounded the void and
relativity — two of the greatest discoveries of modern science — more than
eighteen centuries ago.
By the time of Nagarjuna, both the Theravadins and the Mahayanists had
analyzed all physical, emotional, and mental phenomena in the universe into
dharmas, or subatomic particles or forces; and they classified these dharmas in
ways more profound than what our chemists and physicists do today to elements
or particles! The Theravadins explained that according to the principle of
pratityasamutpada, or the principle of dependent origination, there is a causal
relation between the temporal sequences of real entities. However, the
Mahayanists said that the very nature of pratityasamutpada explains that all
dharmas are relative; hence all phenomena, which owe their apparent reality to
dharmas, are devoid of objective existence. Nagarjuna said:

Since there is no element of existence (dharma) which comes into
manifestation without conditions, therefore there is no dharma which is not
sunya (devoid of real independent existence).

Another delicate difference between Mahayana and Theravada expounded by
Nagarjuna concerns nirvana. Both Theravadins and Mahayanists have
questioned whether nirvana is a transformed state of mind or another dimension
of being. Although there are statements to show that nirvana has a metaphysical
basis, the emphasis in Buddhist literature is on nirvana as a transformed mental
state.
Theravadins say that nirvana is eternal (nitya), blissful (sukha), and the
opposite of phenomena (samsara). On the other hand, Nagarjuna says:

Nirvana is that which is neither abandoned nor acquired, it is neither a
thing annihilated, nor a thing eternal; it is neither destroyed nor produced.
... Nothing of phenomenal existence (samsara) is different from nirvana,
nothing of nirvana is different from phenomenal existence.

Mahayana Buddhists believe that attaining nirvana does not involve a change of
objective order, but is a subjective transformation. If defilements and
phenomenal existence were ultimately real, nothing could change them. The
change, therefore, is in our outlook: the transformation is psychological, not
ontological. When we understand the Buddhist concept of nirvana — either from
the Mahayanist or the Theravadin viewpoint — it becomes obvious that those
who think Buddhism is nihilistic are grossly mistaken.
Another philosophical difference between Mahayana and Theravada
Buddhism is their spiritual ideal. A Theravadin aspires to be an Arahant, a
worthy being who has perfected himself and won enlightenment. However, an
Arahant does not feel any responsibility to help others to gain enlightenment,
because he believes that since liberation is a personal affair, everyone has to
work for it himself.
A Mahayanist’s ideal is a Bodhisattva, one who has attained bodhi, or
perfect wisdom, and become a Buddha, but he postpones entering Buddhahood
so as to help other sentient beings to achieve enlightenment. To a Bodhisattva,
liberation is a universal aspiration, not just a personal accomplishment. The most
outstanding characteristic of a Bodhisattva is bodhicitta, or universal love
resulting from transcendental wisdom. Hence, while the attainment of nirvana is
the supreme aim in Theravada Buddhism, in Mahayana it is the realization of
Buddhahood for all humanity, as everyone has Buddha-nature in him.
Perhaps the most decisive difference between Theravada and Mahayana
is their concept of Buddha. Contrary to popular belief, even Theravadins do not
accept the concept that the Buddha is all that Siddhartha Gautama represents.
Hence, the statement that Siddhartha Gautama is the founder of Buddhism is
incorrect, as there have been many Buddhas before him.
According to Buddhist philosophy, the Buddha has three bodies, namely
the transformation body (nirmanakaya), the reward body (sambhogakaya), and
the spiritual body (dharmakaya). Both Theravada and Mahayana hold similar
views regarding the transformation body, like the visible human body of
Gautama, and the reward body, which the Buddha may use to appear in different
forms and at different times in different dimensions. But there is a vital
difference in their views regarding the spiritual body.
In Theravada Buddhism, the dharmakaya or spiritual body of Buddha
represents the sum of all qualities and teachings of all Buddhas. When a devotee
takes refuge in the Buddha, for example, he takes refuge in the dharmakaya, not
in the person of Gautama.
In Mahayana Buddhism, the dharmakaya of the Buddha is the
omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent Supreme Reality, of which Siddhartha
Gautama is a manifestation in our historical time to save suffering humanity. In
the Lotus Sutra, one of the most important scriptures in Mahayana Buddhism,
the Eternal Buddha, personified for the comprehension of ordinary people,
explains that:

All Buddhas take the one vow:
“The Buddha-way which I walk,
I will universally cause all the living
To attain this same Way with me.”
Though Buddhas in future ages
Proclaim hundreds, thousands, kotis,
Countless ways into the doctrine,
In reality there is but the One-Vehicle.

Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch of Chan (Zen) Buddhism, mentioned this point
explicitly:

 The pure nature of Supreme Reality is the real Buddha.

There are many schools of Mahayana Buddhism. Though their practical
approaches to achieve enlightenment may be different, even seemingly
contradictory at times, their philosophy is similar. The major Mahayana schools,
their philosophy and methods will be discussed in the next chapter, with special
reference to Chan (or Zen) Buddhism, of which the Shaolin Monastery was the
fountainhead.

Vajrayana — Buddhism of the Mystics

It is inspiring to note that the great missionaries instrumental in spreading
Buddhism were princes and princesses. While Mahinda and Sanghamitta, the
prince and the princess of Asoka the Great, brought Theravada Buddhism to Sri
Lanka in the third century BCE, from where it blossomed to other places,
Padmasambhava, the prince of Udyana who declined the throne to become a
monk, was mainly responsible for the development of Vajrayana Buddhism in
Tibet in the eighth century, and later spread to Mongolia. An interesting
prediction by Padmasambhava that has come true is that “When iron birds fly in
the sky, Tibetans will bring Buddhism to the land of the white people.”
Earlier about CE 640 Mahayana Buddhism was brought to Tibet with the
marriage of Princess Khrican of Nepal and Princess Wen Cheng of the Chinese
Tang Dynasty to the famous Tibetan king Song-Btsang-Sgam-Po. However,
there was strong opposition from other nobles who followed Bon-po, the native
religion. In CE 741 epidemic and flood devastated Tibet, and lightning and
thunder struck the palace. According to legend, these were caused by hostile
spirits of the Bon religion.
The king invited the scholar-warrior Padmasambhava to Tibet to subdue
these Bon spirits. The compassionate Padmasambhava, who possessed
tremendous Tantric magical powers, did not destroy these spirits, but converted
them into Buddhism. Hence, Tibetan Buddhism became a blend of Mahayana
Buddhism, Tantrism and Bon religion, to be known as Vajrayana Buddhism.
“Vajra” means diamond, and also the void. Vajrayana means the Diamond
Vehicle, suggesting the many facets of the Void in Buddhism.
From Mahayana Buddhism, the Vajrayanists derive the concepts of
sunyata (void), karma, impermanence, and the rare opportunity of being human.
The universe is void; we regard phenomena as absolute reality because of our
ignorance, which results in samsara, the endless suffering of births and rebirths.
The cause of samsara is karma, which manifests the effect of past thought. Our
past karma leads us to our present life, which is impermanent, a split second in
the long painful cycle of births and rebirths. But to be born a human is an
extremely rare opportunity, an effect of meritorious deeds done in past lives. So
we, as humans, must make precious use of this rare opportunity to liberate
ourselves from karma and samsara, to attain nirvana, which is everlasting bliss.
 From Tantrism, the Vajrayanist inherits some practical tools, like mudra,
mantra and mandala, to help him attain nirvana. A mudra is a particular position
of the body, especially the way of holding the fingers, and is mystically related
to one’s consciousness in meditation. A mantra is a special way of intonating,
silently or aloud, a particular combination of sounds with mystical powers. The
most famous mantra is “Om mani padme hum”, which means “Hail to the jewel
in the lotus.” A mandala is a mystic design, usually of geometrical shapes,
symbolizing certain cosmic forces. The mudra, mantra, and mandala correspond
to the bodily, pranic (or breathing), and visualizing aspects of meditation. Skilful
application of mudra, mantra, or mandala may produce psychic abilities; a true
Buddhist, for his own sake as well as others’, will never abuse these abilities for
unethical purposes.
Tantrism also provides the Vajrayanist the technique of visualizing
spiritual beings for redirecting his emotional energies. These mental images may
be beautiful or horrendous, depending on the emotions. This explains why you
may see wrathful deities in Tibetan religious art. A controversial influence of
Indian Tantrism on Vajrayana Buddhism is sex. In Tantric belief, sexual
copulation symbolizes the union of male and female energies of the cosmos.
While celibacy is strictly followed by monks of Theravada and Mahayana
Buddhism, some sects of Vajrayana Buddhism allow their monks to have wives
and possess properties.
The third important influence that gives Vajrayana Buddhism a typical
Tibetan colour and outlook is the native Bon religion. In Bon belief, there are
heavenly and earthly spirits that guard the treasures of the cosmos. Shamans and
Bon priests are required to mediate with these spirits concerning various human
affairs, like birth, death, marriage, sickness, agriculture, warfare, and any
important national activities. Elaborate rituals are involved. These spirits,
however, were subdued by Padmasambhava, and together with Bon rituals were
incorporated into Tibetan Buddhism. The great liberation through hearing in the
Bardo, popularly but misleadingly known in the west as recitation of the Tibetan
Book of the Dead — which is a series of attempts to remind the consciousness
(or soul) of the dead that he is actually an integral part of Reality, thereby
helping him to attain immediate liberation is much influenced by the Bon
religion.
The path to enlightenment in Vajrayana Buddhism, as in Theravada and
Mahayana Buddhism, can be divided into three stages: ethics, meditative
stabilization, and wisdom. The following is a brief description of Vajrayanist
cultivation as explained by the Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso.
The Vajrayana ethics consists of avoiding non-virtues — like killing,
stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, senseless talk,
covetousness, harmful intent, and wrong view; and fulfilling vows — such as
vows of personal liberation, of Bodhisattvahood or of Secret Mantra.
Meditative stabilization is abiding the mind one-pointedly, without
distraction, on any virtuous object. The meditator must initially create calm
abiding in the mental continuum, and then create special insight. To cultivate
calm abiding, he must abandon the five faults of laziness, forgetfulness, laxity,
or excitement, failure to apply “the eight antidotes” when needed, and failure to
concentrate even when laxity and excitement are absent. The eight antidotes are
faith, aspiration, effort, pliancy, mindfulness, introspection, intention of
application, and equanimity.
When calm abiding is achieved, the meditator cultivates insight by
progressing from the Desire Realm through the Form Realm to the Formless
Realm, and from the Desire Level through seven other levels to the Peak of
Cyclic Existence Level. When meditating progressively on these nine levels, the
meditator passes through four concentration stages, and then contemplates on
limitless space, limitless consciousness, nothingness, and the peak of cyclic
existence. The effect of this attainment is that the meditator, if he wishes, may be
reborn as a god in the form or formless realms.
Rebirth as a god, however, is only an intermediate stage of spiritual
development. The highest stage is to attain Buddhahood, which is accomplished
by training in special wisdom. The meditator, in his human form, investigates
and analyses the suchness of selflessness of persons and of phenomena. In other
words, he cultivates the special wisdom of realizing that in ultimate reality both
he and phenomena are void. A principal method to accomplish this is the
esoteric practice of Secret Mantra, taught only to specially initiated disciples.
The Dalai Lama summarizes the approach as follows:

Through becoming skilled in the techniques of putting concentrative
emphasis on internal winds or energies (rlung, prana), channels (rtsa,
nadi), essential constituents (khams, dhatu), and so forth, the mind enters
into the sphere of the Great Seal (phyag rgya chen po, mahamudra) of clear
light devoid of dualistic elaborations. Through being absorbed in this yoga,
the resultant Wisdom Truth Body of a Buddha is achieved.

Hence, the practice of Secret Mantra is a form of chi kung, similar to the Shaolin
art of Big Universe. It is quite clear that “concentrative emphasis”, “energies”
and “channels” in the above quotation correspond to “meditation”, “chi” and
“meridians” in the Shaolin arts, and “essential constituents” probably refers to
“dan tian” or energy fields.
In both Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhism, as well as in Mahayana
Buddhism, which will be further described in the next chapter, meditation is the
essential path to enlightenment. Meditation is called “Dhyana” in Sanskrit,
transcribed into Chinese as “Chana”, which is usually shortened to “Chan”, from
which the Japanese term “Zen” derives. The school of Buddhism that
emphasizes meditation is Chan or Zen Buddhism, of which the Shaolin
Monastery is the fountainhead.

25: ANCIENT WISDOM ON MODERN SCIENCE

(A Survey of Various Chinese Schools of Buddhism)

You will be amazed at the Buddhist wisdom which the latest physicists,
astronomers, biologists, psychologists, and other modern experts are only
now rediscovering.

Was Mahayana Buddhism taught by the Buddha?

If you think that practising Buddhism is merely praying to the Buddha, you will
be in for a big surprise. If you read Buddhist scriptures, provided you understand
their deeper meanings, it is like reading an encyclopaedia of modern science.
You will be amazed at the Buddhist wisdom, which the latest physicists,
astronomers, biologists, psychologists, and other modern experts are only now
rediscovering.
Some people who think that Buddhism is only a moral way of living
claim that Mahayana Buddhism is not the original teaching of the Buddha, but a
later development based on Nagarjuna’s teaching. Consequently, they say that
all Mahayana sutras, including famous ones like the Amitabha Sutra and the
Heart Sutra that are recited daily by literally millions of Buddhists throughout
the world, are forgeries!
One of the most admirable statements countering this claim is made by
the Venerable Hsuan Hua, the famous Buddhist master in America, who says
that if the Mahayana sutras he is translating and spreading are not the true
teachings of the Buddha, he is willing to go to hell to atone for false teaching.
The courage and confidence shown by the Venerable Hsuan Hua are of the
highest order, for any master at his level knows that thoughts and words are
reality, a concept modern scientists are beginning to investigate. The Venerable
Hsuan Hua clarifies that his statement is not made rashly, but as a result of deep
understanding and experience.
Virtually all the important teachings characteristic of Mahayana
Buddhism are found in Theravada sutras, which record the earliest teachings of
Gautama Buddha. Typical Mahayanist concepts such as numerous Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas, various heavens where pious followers may go to, creation of the
universe and life in other world systems, and nirvana as the direct experience of
transcendental cosmic reality, are mentioned in various Theravada texts,
although Theravada Buddhism generally puts little emphasis on them. Because
of space constraints, only a few examples, all taken from Theravada sources, are
illustrated below.
The Buddha says in the Udana Sutta that “There is an Unborn, an
Unbecome, an Unmade, an Uncompounded. If there were not this Unborn,
Unbecome, Unmade, Uncompounded, there would be no escape from the born,
the become, the made, the compounded.” This is a description of what scientists
would call the unified energy field. Buddhists call the realization of this Unborn
nirvana, i.e., the direct experience of transcendental cosmic reality.
The Buddhavamsa Pali, or the History of the Buddhas, gives a historical
account of Gautama Buddha and many Buddhas before him. At the start of this
important Theravada work, the Buddha explains that he was Sumedha
Bodhisattva in a previous life, and he went through the necessary paramitas,
which form a typical feature of Mahayana training, in his cultivation to attain
Buddhahood. Gautama Buddha also says that Ajuta Bodhisattva, who is now
residing in Tusita Heaven, will appear as the next Buddha.
Professor Edward Thomas reports that “it is in these (Sarvastivada)
documents that we find the earliest form of the bodhisattva doctrine.”
Sarvastivada is an early school of Hinayana Buddhism, from which Theravada
evolved. The Bodhisattva doctrine is a Mahayana teaching that characteristically
differentiates Mahayana from present day Theravada Buddhism.
Another common misconception that many people think is a later
Mahayana invention, is that metaphysics and cosmology are absent in original
Buddhism. They must be very surprised to find that Theravada works describe
the twenty-four heavens of our world system, known as the Saha world, in
details. Astro-physicists investigating into the multi-dimensional universe theory
may get some helpful ideas from these Buddhist scriptures, which describe,
among many other things, that just above our human realm is the
Catumaharajika Heaven, or Heaven of the Four Great Kings, who are
Dhataratha, Virupakkha, Virulhaka, and Vessavana. The next time you see huge
statues or images of these four heavenly kings, like the ones found in the Hall of
Heavenly Kings in the Shaolin Monastery and in other large Mahayana temples,
remember they were originally taught by the Buddha in Theravada scriptures,
although Theravadins today are generally unaware of them. The Buddha also
mentioned in Theravada suttas that in his previous lives he was the all-powerful
Brahma, the God of the Brahma heavens, as well as Sakka, the ruler of gods.
Some readers, having been conditioned by the so-called objectivity and
empirical facts of Newtonian science for the last three centuries, may think such
Buddhist teaching as illusory and superstitious. They must be surprised to find
out that according to the Buddha’s teaching what they consider as objects and
facts are equally illusory. But they will probably be more surprised that many
leading scientists today lament “the echoless, empty caverns of Newtonian
space.” An associate professor of physics, Roger Jones, says:

Bare empty space is a relative new conception — one that would be alien,
unfamiliar, and incomprehensible to people of primal and ancient cultures.
If we think of these earlier views of space and time as naive, misinformed,
and anthropomorphic, we must at least recognize the sense of home,
security, and support the earlier conceptions of space gave to those who
believed and dwelt in them. We have given up this nourishing quality of
space — of our abode — at our peril.

He also says:

There are indications that we may be filling space once again with meaning
and substance, as in earlier times. In Einstein’s general theory of relativity,
space-time becomes equated with matter and energy themselves, and even
with gravity. In modern quantum theory it is the empty vacuum of space
itself that is seen as the source of all matter and energy in the physical
universe.

Theravada scriptures describe Buddhist cosmology in some detail, with accounts
on the universe expanding, and thousands and thousands of galactic systems
with thousands and thousands of suns and moons. In the Digha Nikaya, written
fifteen centuries before our astro-physicists suggest that life on earth might be
seeded from outer space, the Buddha gave an interesting description of how life
originated in our world:

There they dwell, made of mind, feeding on joy, self-luminous, moving
through the air and glorious, and there they abide for a long, long time.
During that period the world was one mass of water and all was utter
darkness. No moon, no sun, no constellations or stars could be seen, there
were no months or fortnights, no years or seasons, nor was there male or
female — beings were just beings. And after a long, long time, a savoury
scum formed over the surface of the waters where those beings were. It
looked like the skin that forms on hot milk as it cools. It had the colour of
quality ghee or butter, and it was sweet like the taste of pure white honey.
Then some being of a greedy nature said: ‘I say, what can this be?’ and
 tasted the scum with its finger. When it did this, it liked the taste, and a
craving arose. Then other beings did the same thing, and craving arose in
them too. So they began to break off pieces and eat them. And as a result of
this, their self-luminosity disappeared, and as a result of that, the moon and
the sun, night and day, months and fortnights, years and seasons all came
into being.

All these teachings, which are now considered to be characteristically
Mahayanist, are of course familiar to Mahayana Buddhists and are common in
Mahayana literature. The important point is that although they are not normally
taught in Theravada Buddhism, claimed by some as the original Buddhism, they
are found in Theravada scriptures still extant today.
Nevertheless, Mahayanists are generally not too worried over whether
Mahayana or Theravada or any other form is the original Buddhism. This is
probably the reason why that despite so many points — historical, philosophical,
psychological, and canonical — in their favour, Mahayana masters have not
come forward in any organized manner to settle such scholarly disputes, which
they would reckon as squabbling over who the archer was instead of attending to
the victim shot with the arrow. In other words, they are more concerned with
whether the methods they practise help them and others to attain enlightenment,
rather than whether the methods were really taught by Gautama Buddha. Based
on records, the number of adepts achieving enlightenment through Zen far
exceeds that in any other school.
The Buddha is of course honoured as the greatest teacher in all Buddhist
schools, but if there are other teachers who can also contribute to the
enlightenment process, it would be sheer arrogance if not folly for neglecting
them. Thus, in Zen Buddhism for example, there are two main categories of
meditation to attain enlightenment, known as Tathagata Zen and Patriarch Zen.
Tathagata Zen refers to the type of meditation taught by the Buddha, and
Patriarch Zen by Bodhidharma. Most Zen disciples in the Shaolin Monastery as
well as in other Zen monasteries use Patriarch Zen because it is most direct and,
from experience, more effective.
This does not mean that Patriarch Zen is superior. Because of their
different nature and needs, other people may find Tathagata Zen better; still
others may need alternative methods. Of all the world’s great religions,
Buddhism has the widest range of cultivation methods, and of the three Buddhist
traditions Mahayana Buddhism offers the greatest number of approaches.
Mahayana literature says there are 84,000 gates to the spiritual realm, which is a
figurative way of saying there are different methods or expedient means to meet
the varied needs and development stages of aspirants.

Various Schools of Buddhism

Because of differences in interpretation, emphasis, local needs, and other factors,
there were already numerous schools of Buddhism in India before the Buddha’s
teachings were first written as sutras around the beginning of the Common Era.
Traditionally there were eighteen schools, but different authorities list these
eighteen schools differently. The following list, adapted from Professor Edward
Conze, is useful. The ten Mahayana schools were Mahasanghika,
Ekaryavaharika, Lokottaravada, Bahusrutiya, Prajnaptivada, Caitriya,
Purvasaila, Aparasaila, Rajagirika, and Siddharthika. The eight Hinayana
schools were Sthavira, Pudgalavada, Sammitiya, Dharmottariya, Bhadrayaniya,
Sannagarika, Vibhajyavada, and Sarvastivada. Theravada, which is now the
most prominent if not the only existing Hinayana school, is derived from the
Vibhajyavada.
When Buddhism spread to China in the first few centuries of the
Common Era, both Mahayana and Hinayana were well represented. There were
at first ten major schools, six of which were Mahayana — San Lun
(Madhyamika), Nie Pan (Nirvana), Di Lun (Dasabhumi), Jing Tu (Sukhavati),
Chan or Zen (Dhyana), and She Lun (Samparigraha); and the other four were
Hinayana — Pi Tan (Abhidharma), Cheng Shi (Satyasiddhi), Lu Zong (Vinaya),
and Ju She (Abhidharmakosa). But by the 7th century when Chinese Buddhism
experienced its golden age during the Tang Dynasty, there remained only one
Hinayana school, the Lu Zong or Vinaya School, among the eight famous
Chinese Buddhist schools existing then. The other seven Mahayana schools were
San Lun, Jing Tu, Zen, Tian Tai (Lotus School, developed from Nie Pan
School), Hua Yen (Avatamsaka, developed from Di Lun School), Fa Xiang
(Vijaptimatrata, developed from She Lun and Ju She Schools), and Zhen Yen
School (which was transmitted from India).
The Lu Zong or Vinaya School was founded by the famous monk Tao
Hsuan (Dao Xuan, 596–667), and is based on the strict vinaya or monastery code
developed by the Buddha. There are about 250 rules for monks and 350 for nuns.
(The actual numbers may vary among different schools.) This vinaya code is
also followed by Mahayana monks, who, nevertheless, made some minor
modifications like taking another meal in the evening beside the only one in the
morning, and growing their own food instead of begging from the public. The
Buddha did say that changes could be made to minor rules according to the
needs of the situation.
Of course, major rules have to be obeyed strictly. The most important are
the following four Parajika Rules, failing which the offender would be expelled
from the monastic order: no sexual intercourse (even with an animal, and even if
it is asked), no stealing, no killing of a human, and no false claim to ability not
really possessed. Other rules forbid a monk to be alone with a woman in a
secluded place, to have more material possessions than are permitted, or to
behave in any unbecoming manner in public or in private. Lesser rules forbid a
monk to wear makeup, to sleep on a luxurious bed, and to indulge in public
entertainment. It is worthwhile to note that the aim of the rules is not to restrict
the monks’ freedom but to help them in their spiritual cultivation.
If you wish to practise Buddhism, do not be flabbergasted by these strict
rules, for they apply to monks only and not to lay followers. This, of course,
does not imply double standard of discipline; unlike lay persons, monks have
renounced all worldly matters for spiritual development. So if you meet any
monks who indulge in sex, possess flashy cars, or hoard gold, you have good
reasons to suspect.
There is no excuse for a monk to have sexual activity; the Buddha made
it very clear that sexual abstinence is the foremost vinaya rule. Why is
abstinence from sex so important in the monastic order? Certainly not because of
any misguided connotation that sex is “bad”, but because it is the most difficult
desire to be subdued, and as desire will generate karmic effect (in the form of
mental vibrations) leading to rebirth, the monk will be unable to break off from
his samsaric cycle to achieve nirvana.
Readers wishing to know why the world is neither false nor real, but
relative would be interested in the San Lun or Three Treatises School, which is
based on two treatises of Nagarjuna, Madhyamika-karika (Treatise on the Mean)
and Dvadasa-dvara (Twelve Gates), and Sata Sastra (Treatise on Hundred
Verses), a treatise of his disciple, Aryadeva. These three treatises were translated
by the great Kumarajiva from Sanskrit into Chinese about 400 CE, marking the
beginning of this school in China. Of his numerous disciples, Seng Zhao (374–
414) was instrumental in formulating the doctrines.
The main philosophy of this school is that the nihilistic view of reality,
i.e., viewing reality as absolute nothingness, and the objective view of reality,
i.e., thinking that the external world is real, are both perverse; ultimate reality is
the mean between these two extremes, and can only be comprehended relatively.
In other words, the external world, though not ultimately real, is relatively real,
and is necessary for our worldly existence as well as for achieving actualization
of ultimate reality or nirvana.

Heaven, Zen, and the Lotus

If you want to be assured of going to heaven, you may like to find out about the
Jing Tu or Pure Land School, which is the most popular school of Buddhism
today. The Jing Tu School is based on the Amitabha Sutra, Amitayus Sutra, and
Meditation on Amitayus Sutra, and its main cultivation method is reciting the
name of Amitabha Buddha. It is therefore also called the Amitabha School.
It is estimated that in Japan alone, where the Pure Land School is known
as the Jodo School from which is branched out the Shin School and the Ji
School, more than half her population are followers. Its popularity amongst
Chinese Buddhists in China and elsewhere is reflected in their custom of their
saying, “Ami-Tuo-Fo” when others would say “how are you”, “thank you”, or
“God bless you”.
“Ami-Tuo-Fo” means Amitabha Buddha, who is another Buddha
different from Gautama Buddha, and who has vowed that whoever follows his
teaching sincerely will be reborn in Sukhavati or the Western Paradise billions of
light years from our world. Some readers may think this promise by Amitabha
Buddha too good or too ludicrous, but its philosophy can be explained
“scientifically” and its validity substantiated by some of the best minds in human
history. It is too complex to go into details here, but it may suffice to say that
since all phenomenal worlds, including heavens and hells, are in reality a
creation of mind, the methodological and devoted cultivation of the Pure Land
School subtly prepares the devotees to experience what their minds create. Do
not be grossly mistakenly that this Western Paradise is only imaginary; it is as
real to the devotees as the physical world is now real to you. After all, your so-
called external world is also a creation of your mind a fundamental Buddhist
teaching, interestingly, being seriously investigated and confirmed by the latest
science.
Zen Buddhism, the school of Buddhism practised in the Shaolin
Monastery, and is probably the next most popular Buddhist school after the Pure
Land School, is sometimes described as the cultivation method meant for the
best minds. For those who are ready, it is the fastest method because it points
directly at Buddha nature, attaining enlightenment in an instant. This means that
instead of emphasizing the study of scriptures as in Theravada Buddhism, or
investigating into whether ultimate reality is “empty”, “real” or “relative”, or
whether it is mutually arising or merely ideation as in other Mahayana schools,
Zen practitioners seek to perceive ultimate reality directly.
This does not mean that Zen Buddhism pays no attention to scripture
study or investigation into reality; but it means that Zen practitioners do not want
to be over involved in such activities that they mistake scripture study or
meditative investigation as direct experience of ultimate reality. In Zen terms,
they do not want to mistake the finger that points to the moon as the moon itself.
The paramount way to experience cosmic reality is through meditation.
Throughout the centuries Zen masters have employed extraordinary methods to
test and sometimes to stimulate such a direct cosmic experience, and these
occasions have been recorded as gong-ans, or koans in Japanese. The philosophy
and practice of Zen will be explained in more detail in the next two chapters.
The Tian Tai School, named after the Tian Tai Mountain in China, was
founded by the great monk Zhi Yi (538–597), whose childhood was filled with
miraculous events. For example, at birth a celestial light illuminated the whole
sky, and at seven he could recite a whole sutra after listening to it once. Zhi Yi’s
greatest contribution was his classification and systematization of the
tremendous amount of the Buddha’s teaching, which sometimes appear
contradictory to uninformed people, into “Five Periods and Eight Doctrines” as
follows.

Five Chronological Periods:

1. Avatamsaka (Flower Adornment) Period — first seven days,

emphasis on cosmic reality

2. Agama (Transmission) Period — first ten years, emphasis on moral

purity and elimination of suffering

3. The Vaipulya (Development) Period — next eight years, emphasis

on compassion and the development of the Bodhisattva doctrine

4. The Prajna (Wisdom) Period — next twenty years, emphasis on

emptiness
5. The Pundarika (Lotus) Period — last seven years, emphasis on

attaining Buddhahood

The Buddha’s teachings are also classified into four groups according to
methodological approach, and another four groups according to philosophical
content, making eight doctrines together.

Four Methodological Approaches:

1. Instantaneous Approach — for the best minds, where

enlightenment can be instantaneous, as in the Avatamsaka teaching and Zen

2. Gradual Approach — the followers are led to progress from

elementary to advanced levels, as in the Agama, Vaipulya, and Wisdom

teachings
3. Mystical Approach — when the teaching is transmitted in a manner

not easily explicable, as the transmission of Zen, or the teaching of mantras

4. Indeterminate Approach — when many followers may listen to the

Buddha at the same time, but interpret his teaching differently

Four Philosophical Doctrines:

1. Pitaka Doctrine — the elementary teaching found in the Agama

sutras, taught in Hinayana Buddhism

2. Common Doctrine — the teaching common in Hinayana and

Mahayana Buddhism
3. Special Doctrine — taught to advanced followers like the

Bodhisattvas
4. Round Doctrine — the all-permeating, all-fulfilling, perfect doctrine

for the attainment of Buddhahood, as found in the Lotus Sutra

The Suddharma Pundarika Sutra, or the Lotus Sutra, is the most important in the
Tian Tai School. Hence, the Tian Tai School is sometimes known in English as
the Lotus School. In the Chinese language, however, the Lotus School refers to
the Pure Land School, because devotees are reborn in Western Paradise through
a lotus.
The basic philosophy of the Tian Tai School, considered by many as one
of the finest Chinese contributions to Buddhism, is that all phenomena are
devoid of real existence, and owe their appearances to the mind. This philosophy
is poetically expressed as yi nian san qian, which means all the phenomenal
worlds in the countless galaxies are due to a single thought. It is indeed amazing
that modern science comes to a similar conclusion only now. More amazing is
that Tian Tai adepts learned about such wisdom not from speculation, but from
direct experience through meditation. Their famous meditation, also developed
by Zhi Yi, is called the “The Six Wondrous Gates”, whereby the mind is first
stilled, then used to investigate into what ultimate reality is.

Reality, Appearance and True Word

Many people have enjoyed William Blake’s famous lines:

To see a world in a grain of sand
And a heaven in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour.

But not many people can understand how one can see a world in a grain of sand
or hold eternity in an hour. As a student of literature I used to interpret this
beautiful poem figuratively or symbolically, but now after my study of Zen I
believe that the poet is describing his mystical experience literally. Hua Yen
philosophy explains why a Bodhisattva can see a whole cosmos at the tip of his
hair. This may be appreciated at two levels. At the phenomenal level, the tip of
the hair, while minute at our human scale, can actually be a cosmos to even
smaller beings at the sub-atomic scale. At the transcendental level, the hair tip is
the whole cosmos, because there is in reality no boundary separating the hair
from anything else. Similarly Hua Yen philosophy explains that time is only a
human construct: in ultimate reality an hour is eternity.
The Hua Yen School, founded by Du Shun (557–640), is based on the
Hua Yen or Avatamsaka Sutra, meaning Flower Adornment Sutra, which is an
expression of the enlightenment experience of the Buddha himself. Within the
first week of his enlightenment and still sitting in his meditation position, the
Buddha gave a majestic sermon on cosmic reality to heavenly beings who had
gathered around him, but the teaching was too profound even for the gods to
understand.
The Buddha explains that an enlightened being realizes that his so-called
individual self is actually the vast, unlimited universe, where there is no duality
between the knower and the known. This transcendental cosmic reality may also
manifest as countless phenomena, which are illusory and relative, brought about
by a matrix of causes and conditions. Modern science calls the transcendental
and the phenomenal dimensions the implicate and the explicate orders
respectively.
 Ordinary persons, who are deluded by their gross senses, see phenomena
as separated and differentiated; in reality, phenomena are only appearances,
brought about by dharmas that are independently arising and mutually
penetrating. This concept becomes meaningful to us only after modern science
has explained that phenomena are made up of sub-atomic particles that are
constantly arising and penetrating. But all these are a dream; in the realm of
enlightenment, everything is eternally tranquil; all phenomena, the mind, and the
Buddha are not three entities but one undifferentiated whole.
If the Ultimate Truth, called by various names like the Tathagata,
Brahman, Cosmos, God, and Allah, is undifferentiated and eternally tranquil,
why do we in our ordinary consciousness perceive this Spiritual Body of the
Supreme Reality as separated and differentiated entities? In scientific terms, if
the universe is ultimately an unbroken spread of energy, if an elementary particle
actually has no defined boundary, why do we see a particular collection of
particles as a tree or an elephant, whereas a living cell in the tree or elephant
may see the same collection as its own universe? Of all the Buddhist schools, the
Fa Xiang School probably explains this phenomenon most thoroughly.
The Fa Xiang or Mere Ideation School, founded in China by the great
monk of the Tang Dynasty, Xuan Zang (Hsuan Tsang, 596–664), and his
disciple Kui Ji (632–682), was a continuation of the Yogacara School of Asanga
and Vasubandhu in India. When Xuan Zang returned from India after his famous
pilgrimage of sixteen years, he stayed for some time at the Shaolin Monastery to
translate into Chinese the Sanskrit works he had brought back.
The basic Fa Xiang philosophy is that the world is ideation only, which
means the external world does not exist independently by itself, but the internal
ideation presents an appearance of it as an external world. This Buddhist concept
is now expressed by scientists as the multi-dimensional hologram.
The mind, which is the most important principle in the Fa Xiang School,
is classified into the following eight kinds of consciousness: eye-consciousness,
ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-
consciousness, mano-consciousness or sense-centre, manas-consciousness or
thought-centre, and alaya-consciousness or storage-centre. What a human sees as
an elephant, a bacterium may see as a universe, whereas a fairy may see nothing.
This is because, among other factors, a human, a bacterium, and a fairy possess
different alaya-consciousness, which Jungian psychologists would call collective
mind. Modern scientists who are puzzled why we all see a table as a table, and
not as a cow or a chair, although that table is actually a creation of our individual
minds, would be glad to learn that our minds, though different, share the same
alaya-consciousness common to humans.
Zhen Yen or Mantra means “True Word”. The Zhen Yen School was
transmitted to China from India by Subhakarasinha (637–735), Vajrabodhi (663–
723), and Amoghavajra (705–774). It is representative of the third and final
(until now) developmental stage of Buddhism, and is known as Mantrayana,
Tantrayana, or Vajrayana; the earlier two developmental stages being Hinayana
and Mahayana. Thus, the Mantra School is also called the Tantra School, or Mi
Zong in Chinese, meaning the Secret School. Vajrayana Buddhism is now
widely practised in Tibet and Mongolia.
There are three typical differences between Hinayana or Theravada and
Mahayana on one hand and Vajrayana on the other. Even the highest Theravada
and Mahayana teachings are public properties, but Vajrayana is taught only to
initiated students. Theravada and Mahayana monks are strictly celibate, and their
lay followers are forbidden to have immoral sexual activities, whereas some
Vajrayana sects use sex as a means of spiritual cultivation. Even Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas are supplied with female consorts! Third, Theravadins and
Mahayanists regard Gautama Buddha, or Sakyamuni Buddha as he is more
widely known in Mahayana, as their paramount teacher, whereas Vajrayanists
place more importance on Vairocana Buddha, who is regarded as the Spiritual
Body of Gautama.
Besides, mantras, mudras, and mandalas are extensively employed in the
Zhen Yen School. A mudra is a particular way of holding the fingers during
meditation; a mandala is a symbolic diagram consisting mainly of circles,
squares and triangles representing various cosmic spheres where Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas reside.
A mantra, representing the true words of the Buddha’s Spiritual Body, is
a mystical combination of sounds, usually in a phrase and often with
supernatural effects. A long mantra, running to many sentences, is called a
dharani. Mantras are employed for entering into meditation, praising Buddhas,
Bodhisattvas or other deities, protection against evil forces, exorcism, escaping
from calamities, identification with a particular Bodhisattva, developing psychic
powers, and other similar uses. Mantras are also used in Theravada and
Mahayana Buddhism, though its use is not as extensive as in Vajrayana. Mantras
are found in other religions like Taoism, Hinduism, and Jainism too. The
following is an example of a Buddhist mantra for soothing local deities:

Namo saman tuo mutuonam Om
Tiwai tiwai saboha

While mantras are usually in Sanskrit, the following praise in Chinese to the
Buddha and Bodhisattvas at the gathering of the wisdom sutras, chanted daily in
the Shaolin Monastery before the recitation of the Heart Sutra, is regarded by
many as a mantra:

Namo ban ruo hui shang fo pu sa

Hence, Shaolin monks and secular disciples not only practise kungfu and chi
kung, appreciate poetry and chant mantras, but have access to Buddhist wisdom
that only now the latest sciences are beginning to study. Yet the rarest
opportunity is to have not just a deep understanding of profound philosophy but
a direct experience of the greatest achievement any being can ever attain. This
will be explained in the next chapter.

26: THE BEAUTY AND PROFUNDITY OF ZEN

(Some Philosophical Considerations for Zen Training)

This cosmic glimpse is always inspiring and exhilarating, where the adept
directly experiences the beauty, grandeur and magnificence of
transcendental reality, where he realizes for himself that what masters have
said like transcending space and time, breaking down the illusory barrier
between the knower and the known, is true.

What is Zen?

“What is Zen?”
“A brick.”
“What is Tao?”
“A piece of wood.”

The above is a celebrated conversation between a Zen monk and Shi Tou (700–
790), a great Zen master of the Tang Dynasty, recorded as a gong-an (or koan in
Japanese) for posterity. Most people have difficulty understanding a gong-an
because of at least the following two reasons. One, they do not know the purpose
of a gong-an; and two, they do not know that Zen has a few related meanings.
A gong-an is a Zen story that actually took place (and recorded by
specially assigned monks) whereby a Zen master used often extraordinary verbal
or non-verbal means to awaken his student spiritually, or to test if he had such an
awakening, known as wu, or satori in Japanese. In the above gong-an, it was not
Shi Tou’s intention to explain what Zen was; his purpose was to awaken the
monk to Zen, sometimes called Tao.
“Zen” is the Japanese word for the Chinese “Chan”, which in turn is
derived from the Sanskrit “Dhyana”. At its lowest or basic level, Zen means
meditation. It is not restricted to Buddhist meditation: thus yogis, who may be
Hindu or of other religions, practise Dhyana, too; Taoists and Confucians also
practise Chan.
The meaning of Zen at the intermediate level is a glimpse of cosmic
reality. This cosmic glimpse is always inspiring and exhilarating, where the
adept directly experiences the beauty, grandeur, and magnificence of
transcendental reality, where he realizes for himself that what masters have said
like transcending space and time, breaking down the illusory barrier between the
knower and the known, is true. This is wu, an experience that he can never
forget, an awakening that will transform his life from the physical to the divine.
The supreme meaning of Zen is Ultimate Reality itself, called variously
by different peoples as the Buddha, Tathagata, Cosmos, Brahman, Allah, or
God, or by mundane names as sunyata, or void, and energy field. Attaining Zen
at this supreme level is the fulfilment of all religions, and is known as nirvana or
enlightenment in Buddhism. It can be attained here and now.
Zen is sometimes used as a short form for Zen Buddhism, that school of
Mahayana Buddhism with special emphasis on attaining enlightenment
instantaneously using meditation as the paramount approach. Zen was
transmitted by Bodhidharma in 527 CE from India to China, where Zen
Buddhism, or Chan Buddhism as it is known in Chinese, originated as an
institutionalized teaching at the Shaolin Monastery. It reached its golden age in
China during the Tang Dynasty from the 7th to the 10th centuries, and spread to
Japan during the Song Dynasty in the 13th century.
In the gong-an above, how could Shi Tou help to awaken the monk by
telling him that Zen was a brick, or Tao a piece of wood? It should be
remembered that this gong-an was not an isolated occurrence; the monk stayed
in the monastery with the master, and had been undergoing Zen training,
especially meditation, for many years. In this encounter, the master hoped to use
a verbal means to achieve a non-verbal effect. In other words, instead of giving
an intellectual answer, which would set the monk thinking, Shi Tou gave a
seemingly illogical answer which, he hoped, would stop the monk’s thought,
jerking him into an awakening. Should the monk be awakened and have a
glimpse of ultimate reality, he would, in his wonderment, discover that Zen was
really a brick and Tao a piece of wood, because in ultimate reality there is no
separateness and no differentiation.

Chinese Invention and Taoist Origin?

Some scholars have said that Zen was a Chinese invention; others that it was
developed from Taoism! Both these statements are rejected by virtually all
Chinese Zen masters, and it is not difficult to see why, if we study its history,
philosophy, and practice from the Zen perspective, and not from the perspective
of scholars, who are mainly Confucianist in attitude.
Practically all Chinese Zen masters traced their lineage to Bodhidharma,
who was the twenty-eighth Patriarch in India and became the First Patriarch in
China. The Buddha transmitted Zen directly to Mahakasyapa, the Indian First
Patriarch, who in turn transmitted “the marvellous mind of enlightenment”
through twenty-six Indian patriarchs — including Asvaghosha (11th Patriarch),
Nagarjuna (13th Patriarch), and Vasubandhu (20th Patriarch) — to
Bodhidharma.
The evidence of Bodhidharma teaching Zen in the Shaolin Monastery is
so overwhelming that unless scholars are ignorant of the evidence, it is
incredible how they could say Bodhidharma was only a myth. Temple records,
imperial histories, official diaries, personal writings, and other documents clearly
show Bodhidharma’s activities in China. The cave where Bodhidharma
meditated for nine years, the pavilion where he transmitted Zen to the Second
Patriarch, and the First Patriarch Temple built in his honour are still found in the
Shaolin Monastery today.
To say that Zen Buddhism developed from Taoism is equally untenable.
This mistake probably started when some scholars, who were expert in Chinese
literature and philosophy but knew little about Zen, speculated that the great
monk Tao An (313–385) and his distinguished disciple Hui Yuan (344–416)
initiated Chan (Zen) Buddhism, because they practised meditation, which in
Chinese is often written as “Chan”. What these scholars might not realize is that
here the name “Tao” and the term “Chan” are not related to Taoism and Chan
Buddhism respectively; just as when the monk asked “What is Tao” in the
quotation at the head of this chapter, “Tao” means the Ultimate Reality or
enlightenment, and does not refer to Taoism.
If the scholars had investigated deeper, they would have found that the
“Chan” or meditation Tao An and Hui Yuan practised was Anapanasati (please
see the next chapter), the meditation of the Sarvastivada School, which is similar
to Theravada meditation practised today, but different from Zen meditation.
More importantly, although both Tao An and Hui Yuan, like other great monks,
were familiar with Confucianism as well as Taoism, there was little Taoist (or
Confucian) philosophy or practice in the Buddhism they preached. Tao An, for
example, was dissatisfied with the method of early translators using Taoist terms
for Buddhist concepts; Hui Yuan said that Buddhist thought was far ahead and
more profound than that of Confucianism and Taoism. There is also no record of
any Zen Buddhism in China in the interim hundred years between them and the
arrival of Bodhidharma.
In the development of Zen Buddhism in China, not a single one of the six
Chinese Patriarchs had any significant Taoist influence. All the first three
Patriarchs — Bodhidharma, Hui Ke, and Seng Can — taught at the Shaolin
Monastery; the other three — Dao Xin, Hong Jen, and Hui Neng — taught at the
Dongshan Temple and the Bao Lin Temple, which were typically Buddhist
temples directly related to Shaolin.
Zen masters talked about no mind, Buddha-nature, Bodhisattvas and
return to society to help others — all these are characteristically different from
the Taoists’ yin-yang, cosmos, immortals, and retreat to mountains to avoid
worldly affairs. Zen monks shaved their heads bald, abstained from meat and
wine, and practised celibacy strictly; whereas Taoist priests valued their typical
head-buns, often drank wine, and played chess in merriment, and were permitted
to have wives and children. Zen monks referred to the Heart Sutra, the Diamond
Sutra, and other Buddhist scriptures, which are distinctly different from the Tao
Te Ching, the Chuang Tzu, and other Taoist texts in both style and substance.
The typical meditation method of Zen practitioners is to keep the mind
void, with the mind abiding at nothing. This is characteristically different from
the typical Taoist method of meditation where visualization is used extensively.
Meditation techniques frequently employed by Taoist adepts, like nurturing vital
energy into “divine foetus”, and visualizing specific deities residing at particular
energy fields inside their bodies, are considered “perverse” by Zen masters as
these techniques cause thoughts to arise, therefore conflicting with the Zen
technique of aiming for the state of non-thought.
Thus, whether it is from the perspective of history, canonical works,
daily mode of living, philosophy, or spiritual cultivation, Zen and Taoism are
distinctively different. Anyone who has actually gone through either Zen or
Taoist training, instead of merely reading from some second-hand material, will
find it hard to see how Zen Buddhism could have developed from Taoism. In
this respect I am lucky to have some firsthand experience: my master, Sifu Ho
Fatt Nam, was well-trained in Taoism before his Zen cultivation.

Main Doctrines of Zen Buddhism

Not recorded in language and words,
Transmission beyond the tradition,
Directly pointing at the mind.
Entering Buddhahood in an instant.

The above lines originally spoken by the Buddha to Mahakasyapa when the
World-Honoured One transmitted Zen to the Indian First Patriarch, and later
propagated by Bodhisattva, summarize the main features of Zen Buddhism.
They also show the principal doctrines in Zen Buddhism, illustrating how
different they are from Taoism.
The first doctrine, “Not recorded in language and words”, indicates that
in Zen Buddhism the essential teaching is passed on from heart to heart, or from
the mind of the master directly to the mind of his disciple, and not in the form of
learning from written records of past masters. In Buddhist terminology, it is the
direct transmission of “cosmic wisdom” from master to disciple, without
depending on “language wisdom”. This means the disciple has a direct
experience of cosmic reality as a result of the master’s transmission, and not as
the result of his description in words. This is different from Taoist instruction
which often depends on words, written or spoken.
Indeed, all the advanced arts of Shaolin are transmitted from heart to
heart. For example, when I teach Shaolin Cosmos Breathing to a student, I
personally show him the techniques and guide him in his practice, often
channelling my vital energy into him to stimulate his energy flow. Thus, his
cosmic chi flow has some of my chi, passed on to him during training. In this
way, I transmitted, not merely taught, Shaolin Cosmos Chi Kung to him. Had I
written or tape-recorded the same teaching instructions in words and he followed
the written or spoken instructions exactly, instead of learning from me directly
the result would be very different.
“Transmission beyond the tradition” means that the Zen teaching was
taught in a way different from the traditional way of other Buddhist schools. For
example the Buddha transmitted Zen, or enlightenment, to Mahakasyapa by
means of a golden kumbhala flower without uttering a word. This was different
from his normal way of preaching to his disciples. Mahakasyapa transmitted Zen
to Ananda when he told Ananda to take down the banner hanging at their
temple. This sudden order, which seemed unrelated to what they were doing
then, jolted Ananda’s mind, resulting in his enlightenment instantly.
Such transmission beyond the tradition is unique in Zen; it is not found in
Taoism or any other systems of spiritual cultivation. This is another reason why I
say that anyone who has practised Zen will find it difficult to see how Zen could
have developed from Taoism. The third doctrine, “Directly pointing at the
mind”, shows that Zen is practical and direct. When asked what Zen or Tao was,
instead of giving a lengthy, philosophical discussion or a profound answer
clothed in symbolic language as many Taoist masters would do, the Zen master
Shi Tou simply said it was a brick or a piece of wood! Superficially the reply
appeared ridiculous, but actually it was an astonishingly practical and direct way
to help the seeker experience Zen or Tao.
A Taoist master would never have replied in this way: in the long history
of Taoism, not a single Taoist worth his name had said Tao was a toad, a lump
of clay, or something as “outlandish” as a Zen master would say. Perhaps the
farthest any Taoist master had ventured was that romantic and lovable Chuang
Tzu (4th century BCE) who said, in his striking rhetoric to show Tao is
everywhere, that it is found in an ant, a weed, broken pieces of pottery, and a
heap of dung! It illustrates a crucial difference between Taoist and Zen
teachings. Chuang Tzu and other Taoist masters describe Tao; from them we get
an intellectual description. Shi Tou and other Zen masters direct us to Tao; if we
are ready, we get an intuitive experience.
A typical answer to the question “What is Tao?” is something like the
following poetic lines from the great Taoist master of the Song Dynasty, Zhang
Bo Duan (984–1082), who explained what modern science would describe as the
creation of matter from neutrons, protons, and electrons:

Tao from the void is born an energy whole
From energy whole yin and yang unfold
Yin and yang combine to become three rings
Three rings regenerate to form myriad things

“Entering Buddhahood in an instant” illustrates a characteristic feature of Zen
Buddhism, which expounds that every person has Buddha-nature. Buddhist
masters, perhaps more in Zen Buddhism than in any other schools, teach that
everyone is originally enlightened, i.e., everyone is originally the Eternal
Buddha! But due to ignorance he is deluded into thinking of himself as an
individual imprisoned in his body, and also thinking of countless phenomena as
reality when these phenomena are actually appearances brought about by various
causes and conditions.
This, again, is a crucial philosophical difference between Zen and
Taoism as well as all other great religions. Except their greatest masters whose
realization that at the highest spiritual attainment they and the cosmos (also
called God by some religions) are one is similar to the Buddhist enlightenment,
as discussed in Chapter 23, Taoists and aspirants of other religions in general
aim to liberate their imprisoned souls from their physical bodies so as to become
immortals or go to heaven in their present life or the next. They also regard all
phenomena in heaven as real. In Zen and all other schools of Buddhism,
becoming an immortal and going to heaven are only intermediate goals, and all
phenomena whether on earth or in heavens and hells are illusory. The ultimate
goal of Buddhism, especially Zen Buddhism, is to transcend the phenomenal and
attain ultimate reality, i.e., nirvana.
When a Zen adept attains enlightenment, he realizes that selves and
phenomena are illusion; in ultimate reality there is no separateness and no
differentiation. His delusion is due to thoughts arising. The very moment he
attains a state of non-thought or no mind in meditation, he regains his original
enlightenment instantly, i.e., he enters Buddhahood in an instant. The Zen
school, which considers this meditation of no mind as the direct approach to
enlightenment, is called Cao Dong (Chao Tsung) Zen, which later spread to
Japan as Soto Zen, and which is a good contrast to Lin Ji (or Rinzai) Zen that
uses gong-ans (or koans) extensively as an aid to enlightenment. Although
different schools of Zen had been practised in the Shaolin Monastery, the most
important is Cao Dong Zen.
Zen wisdom accepts and surpasses Taoist thought. The Taoist teaching of
the mutual transformation of energy and matter, as suggested in the above
quotation, is also taught in Buddhism, but while the Taoists, like modern
scientists, regard it as an absolute truth, the Buddhists regard it as relative. In
other words, Taoists and scientists (perhaps with the exception of those who
normally use relativity and quantum mechanics as their reference frames) regard
“the interaction of three rings to form myriad things”, or the interaction of
neutrons, protons, and electrons to form atoms, as ultimate reality, and the laws
governing them as applicable everywhere in the universe. Buddhists regard all
this as “real” only relative to our present set of conditions, and to our local realm
of existence. Should our conditions or locality be changed, the phenomena may
appear differently. If we had the wisdom-eye of a Bodhisattva, for example, we
might see not just “three rings and myriad things”, but much more, like what
scientists refer to as “dark matter” that we (ordinary mortals) have never seen
even with the most sophisticated scientific instruments, but which scientists
believe constitutes 99 percent of our known universe. If we happened to be in
another galaxy, such as in Amitabha’s Western Paradise, what we called
neutrons, protons, and electrons on our puny earth might not exist there, or even
if they existed they might not form atoms.
Such Buddhist wisdom was, and has been, a crucial aspect of Zen
philosophy — even when Zen Buddhism first started in China. Without such
wisdom, gong-ans like Zen being a brick, or clapping with one hand, would be
meaningless. It is therefore not logical to say that Zen Buddhism drew its
philosophy from Taoism, which did not have the kind of cosmic wisdom
characteristic of Zen. Indeed, many masters already well-versed in Confucianism
and Taoism changed to Buddhism because they found the Buddhist philosophy
and goals amazingly more beautiful and profound.

The Easiest or the Most Difficult

Practising Zen is the easiest approach to enlightenment, or the most difficult —
depending on one’s perspective and readiness. The whole discipline of Zen
training can be put in one word — meditation. All that is required in the training
can be said in one sentence — sit comfortably in a lotus position, close your eyes
gently, and keep your mind blank! Isn’t that easy? You need not have to know
any doctrines, study scriptures, listen to sermons, say prayers, recite mantras,
worship the Buddha, God or any Divinity, or worry about your soul or the after-
life.
In theory, Zen is the easiest. If you are ready, and just do this correctly —
sit comfortably in a lotus position, close your eyes, and keep your mind blank —
you will achieve enlightenment, i.e., the greatest achievement any being can
achieve, in an instant!
But in actual practice, this approach may be the most difficult. It may
sound odd, but sitting comfortably itself may not be easy! Some people cannot
even sit comfortably on a chair; they feel restless after only a few minutes.
Sitting in a lotus position, even if they are prepared to put up with some
discomfort, is difficult for most untrained adults. Keeping the mind blank is
worse; some people have told me it was the most difficult thing they had ever
attempted.
While Zen is easy for those who are ready, physically, emotionally,
mentally, and spiritually, it is the most difficult for the unready. That is why
many aspirants have practised meditation, Buddhist or otherwise, for more than
ten years, yet they receive little effect.
How does one know whether he is ready? As a useful guide, if you are
sick or have pain in your body, you are not ready physically. Good health is a
prerequisite for spiritual development. For a person suffering from a peptic ulcer
or backache, for example, long hours of meditation will not only be unlikely to
help him progress spiritually but also may aggravate his illness or pain. He
should therefore overcome his illness and bodily pain before embarking on
spiritual training. Shaolin Chi Kung is excellent for relieving illness and pain,
and Shaolin Kungfu for providing radiant health and vitality.
A person is emotionally unready for spiritual training if he cannot relax
or if lacks emotional stability. If he is nervous, easily frightened, prone to anger,
or worries unnecessarily, he should overcome his emotional problem before
attempting Zen cultivation. From the experience of many students with such
emotional problems, conventional psychiatric treatment was not very helpful;
they had their emotional problems overcome by practising Shaolin Kungfu or
Shaolin Chi Kung, which are also excellent for teaching people to relax at will.
If you have difficulty focusing your mind in meditation or in your daily
activities, often find your mind wandering aimlessly, are easily fatigued in
mental work, or muddled in thinking, you are mentally unready for spiritual
training. It should be known that Zen meditation demands much mental effort
and energy; if the mind is weak, it is unsuitable for spiritual cultivation. Again,
Shaolin Kungfu and Shaolin Chi Kung are very helpful for strengthening mind.
In the next chapter, we shall learn two meditation methods to help the mind to
focus.
What is spiritual readiness? If a person has no urge to seek beyond his
physical needs, to find out what his origin was and his destiny will be, he is
spiritually unready. Morality is the basic requirement of all spiritual training, and
should be cultivated according to his own religious teaching. In Buddhism the
basic moral cultivation is to practise the five precepts of not killing, not stealing,
not telling lies, not involving in licentious sex, and not taking intoxicating
drinks.
Some readers, imbued with the western concept of “positive thinking”,
may complain that these moral rules are negative, emphasizing don’ts rather than
dos. This attitude is an example of dualistic thinking, a mistaken rationalization
that “don’t kill” is the opposite of “save lives”. These five precepts are the
minimum requirement of the first of the three-fold teaching of Buddhism:

Avoid all evil
Do good
Purify the mind

Logically, if one cannot even fulfil the most elementary requirement, i.e.,
avoiding all evil, it is premature to talk of doing good. Hence, from the Buddhist
perspective, it is incongruous for a millionaire who earns his fortune through
cheating (which is a form of “stealing” in the five precepts) to act like a
charitable man.
 Performing charity is one of the ways a Buddhist can do good. Charitable
acts can be generalized into three classes. At the lowest level is the charity of
giving material aids, like food and money, to the needy. The middle level of
charity is giving service, like tending the sick and saving lives. The highest
charity is in giving teachings, especially spiritual teachings, like distributing
religious texts and reciting scriptures whereby lost souls who happen to be
around may hear, learn, and be saved.
The spiritual aspirant must clearly know the aim of his cultivation. If he
is unclear of what he will achieve, when he eventually achieves, he is likely to
waste much time. He should therefore be familiar with the teaching of the
highest teachers of his chosen religion, or, if he professes not to have a religion,
of his ideal philosophy of life.
In the Shaolin Monastery, most spiritual aspirants aim for the highest
achievement, i.e., attaining nirvana or enlightenment. It is also called attaining
Zen, Tao, Bodhi, Buddhahood, or seeing the original face. When this supreme
goal is attained, the adept is no more his personal self, which actually is an
illusion, but literally becomes the whole universe or the Eternal Buddha!
Others, who have taken the great compassionate Bodhisattva Vow,
voluntarily postpone their own Buddhahood, so that they can come back to our
world or to other worlds as highly spiritual beings to help others. They cultivate
to become Bodhisattvas, in their present lives or subsequent ones.
Lesser minds aim to go to heaven. It is relatively easy to go to heaven: in
the Buddhist teaching there are more than twenty heavens in our Saha world,
which probably corresponds to our solar system, and literally billions of heavens
in other stars and galaxies. Spiritually advanced cultivators can decide which
heaven they wish to go to!
All these spiritual aims can be realized through Zen training. The basic
meditation is quite similar, except that the vow the aspirants make and the
particular way they direct their mind are quite different. Practical Zen training
will be explained in the next chapter.

27: METHODS OF ZEN CULTIVATION

(Sutras, Mantras, and Meditation for Spiritual

Training)

Acquiring blessings through reciting sutras to develop compassion is one
way of spiritual training; acquiring merits through meditation to develop
wisdom is another. Hence, reciting sutras and practising meditation are the
two essential daily tasks in all Zen monasteries.

Meditation of No Mind

When my master, Sifu Ho Fatt Nam, taught me Zen meditation he said, “Sit
comfortably in a lotus position, close your eyes gently, and keep your mind
blank.”
Its simplicity and directness, and with hindsight I would add
effectiveness, caught me by surprise. I thought that the technique of Zen
meditation would be very “deep” and complicated. Nevertheless, like a good
student, I did what my teacher taught.
Because my legs were stiff from my early training of the Horse-Riding
stance without performing the complementary leg stretching exercises, I could
only manage a cross-legged sitting position. So I asked my teacher, “Can I use
the cross-legged position instead, or even the simple sitting upright position on a
stool?”
“No,” my master replied, “you must use at least the single lotus position.
Many people have achieved high levels, including psychic powers, using the
cross-legged or the simple sitting upright position, but if you aim for the highest
you must use the double lotus, or at least the single lotus.”
“But my legs are too stiff.”
“Then practise leg stretching exercises,” my master said.
After two years my legs were flexible enough to attempt the single lotus
position, Fig 27.1.
Fig 27.1 Single Lotus Position — Buddha Pose

I also asked my master, “Can I focus my mind at my abdomen, or at my third

eye?”
“We do that in Taoist meditation, and also in Shaolin Kungfu and chi
kung,” my master explained. “Focusing the mind at the dan tian (the energy
field at the abdomen) develops a tremendous amount of jing chi (vital energy). It
is very good for kungfu. Some Zen practitioners also use this method, and when
this pearl of energy expands, fills the whole body and merges with the cosmos,
enlightenment is attained. This is called silent-illuminating Zen. We look into
this illuminating pearl silently. Then, when the time is ripe, this internal
illumination merges with the external illumination of the cosmos, and nirvana is
achieved.
“Focusing the mind at the yin tang (the third eye) or at the bai hui (the
crown of the head) develops shen chi (spiritual energy). When the yin tang is
opened, psychic powers are accomplished. When the bai hui is opened, the soul
may be liberated from the body and becomes a heavenly saint. Taoists use this
opening of the bai hui, known as kai qiao, to attain immortality.”
“Achieving immortality! Isn’t that wonderful?” I exclaimed.
“In Buddhism, attaining immortality is not the highest goal,” my master
explained. “To be a saint or an immortal in heaven is still existence in the
phenomenal realm. The supreme aim of Zen is ‘to jump beyond the three
realms’; that is, to transcend all phenomenal realms and realize the Ultimate
Truth. This is attaining Buddhahood.”
Much later I realized that this meditation of non-thought or no mind my
master taught me was the same meditation taught by the Sixth Patriarch Hui
Neng, which was transmitted down the generations by the First Patriarch
Bodhidharma at the Shaolin Monastery! Keeping thoughts away, or the state of
non-thought, which is quite different from eliminating thoughts already in the
mind, is comparatively easy for me because I was adequately prepared after my
years of kungfu and chi kung training where both one-pointed meditation and
visualization were practised.
This non-thought or no-mind meditation is known as Patriarch Zen. In
Tan Jing, or Platform Sutra, one of the most important scriptures in Zen
Buddhism, the Six Patriarch explains:

What is meant by zuo chan or sitting meditation? In our teaching, when
there is no obstruction whatsoever — externally to all entities and space,
 internally no thoughts arise in the mind — that is zuo (sitting). Perceiving
the original nature without any perturbation is chan (meditation). What is
chan ding (dhyana-samadhi, or cosmic stillness)? Externally being free
from all characteristics is chan (dhyana), and internally being unperturbed
is ding (samadhi).

In the above quotation, the Six Patriarch explains that in the Zen meditation
taught by him, the meditator sits still without any external and internal
interference. Externally there is no obstruction; i.e., in his meditative state, he
has transcended space. All external objects have ceased to have any reality to
him (although other people in their ordinary consciousness still see him as an
individual person differentiated from other objects). Internally there is no
thought in his mind; i.e., he has transcended time. His mind and the Universal
Mind is the same infinity. This direct experience of ultimate reality, which is
tranquil and undifferentiated, is Chan or Zen.

Praises and Vows in Spiritual Cultivation

For those who are ready, the meditation of no mind described above is sufficient
for them to attainment a Zen awakening or even enlightenment in an instant. But
it must be remembered that even if an aspirant is ready he still has to practise
diligently for many years before that cosmic instant may happen.
For others who wish to have more preparation or some variety in their
spiritual cultivation, the following methods, which are practised in the Shaolin
Monastery and other Zen monasteries, are helpful. Students need not follow the
sequence listed below, and they may choose whichever methods they find
suitable.
It is worth emphasizing that if they are not ready physically, emotional,
or mentally, they should practise Shaolin Kungfu and Shaolin Chi Kung or any
other appropriate arts to equip themselves. The information supplied in this book
is sufficient for spiritual preparation, but of course it is recommendable to read
more from authentic sources. It must be stressed again that morality is the
prerequisite of all spiritual training. An immoral person practising methods
meant for spiritual development, such as meditation and mantra recitation, may
acquire some psychic abilities, but he will inevitably ruin himself. This is a
cosmic truth.
It is helpful, but not essential, to place an image or any visual
representation of a Buddha, Bodhisattva, or Deity of your chosen religion on an
altar for your daily “service” or devotion. Different cultures and religions
perform religious services differently. The following is performed in Buddhism,
as in the Shaolin Monastery.
After you have cleansed yourself, offer a joss stick, flowers, water or
lighted candle to the Buddha or the Bodhisattva. If these external offerings are
not available, place your palms together in prayer and bow sincerely. Then sing
or chant the praise to the Buddha or Bodhisattva three times. The following is
the praise in Chinese to Sakyamuni Buddha, followed by its English translation:

Namo Ben Shi Shi Jia Mou Ni Fo

Homage to our teacher Sakyamuni Buddha

The praise to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva or Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa (pronounced
like “Kuan Shi Yin Bodh Satt”) in Chinese, and its English translation are as
follows:

Namo Da Bei Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa

Homage to the Great Compassionate Guan Shi Yin Bodhisattva

You may chant the praises in English or in any language you wish.
After chanting the praise three times, prostrate once or thrice as follows.
Start with palms together in the prayer position, Fig 27.2. Kneel down, place
both palms facing downward on the ground in front, gently knock the head on
the ground, turn both palms to face skyward with the arms still on the ground,
Fig 27.3, then stand up with palms in prayer position.

Fig 27.2 Palms in Prayer

Fig 27.3 Prostrating to Buddha or Bodhisattva

(a)
 (b)

Some people may feel uneasy prostrating to a Buddha, a Bodhisattva, or their

teachers, thinking it is degrading. I had similar feelings before, but when I
became more developed I realized that my earlier arrogance and egoism were
due to my spiritual immaturity. Even emperors, generals, and great monks
prostrated to Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and their teachers, not out of compulsion
but of gratitude and reverence.
It is illuminating to know that the purpose of prostration to Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas is totally for the benefit of the devotees. It makes not the slightest
difference to these enlightened beings whether any person prostrates to them, but
it makes a great difference to the aspirant. If he still harbours a sense of ego and
vanity, he is unlikely to progress much at the highest levels of spiritual training.
Prostration is one of the most effective ways to help him overcome his vanity
and ego.
The aspirant would have to modify his praise according to the deities he
places on his altar for his devotion. If the aspirant does not have an altar or
image of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, he can chant the appropriate praise towards
the sky. If he does not have any particular Buddha or Bodhisattva in mind, he
may chant the following praise to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas:

Namo Shi Fang Fo Pu Sa

 Homage to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of ten directions

After paying the appropriate homage, the aspirant reconfirms his vow in front of
the Buddha or Bodhisattva, said silently in his heart, spoken softly or aloud. He
can compose his own vow; below are some examples.

The following vow, taught by the Six Patriarch himself, is made by many Zen
cultivators:

Infinite sentient beings I vow to save
Infinite defilements I vow to abolish
The infinite dharma I vow to practise
The supreme Buddhahood I vow to accomplish

Those who are compassionate may take the Bodhisattva Vow; an example
follows:

All defilements I vow to terminate
The highest wisdom I vow to attain
To help all beings overcome suffering
The Bodhisattva way I return to maintain

The vow below is an example for those who wish to be reborn in heaven:

This marvellous teaching I vow to share
With all who wish to benefit from it
May we cultivate with unfailing heart
And be reborn in the land of bliss

Making a vow is important: it compels the aspirant to be seriously committed,
and it gives him direction for his spiritual training.

The Heart Sutra of Transcendental Wisdom

After reconfirming his vow, the aspirant may chant or recite a sutra. He may
stand, kneel, or sit in a lotus or cross-legged position in front of an altar or in any
suitable place. If the sutra is long, he may recite a part of it and continue in
another session.
The most popular sutra for recitation among Zen practitioners as well as
followers of many other Buddhist schools is the “Great Heart Sutra of
Transcendental Wisdom to Reach the Other Shore”, usually shortened to the
Heart Sutra. It is an incredibly amazing masterpiece; consisting of only 260
words in Chinese, the Heart Sutra presents all the important doctrines of
Buddhism! Understandably, in such an exceedingly concise form the Heart Sutra
is incomprehensible to most people, including many devotees who recite it daily.
If you think it is about gods and morality, prayers and devotion, you will be most
mistaken. The Heart Sutra explains what sunyata or the void is, and reveals
wisdom that our scientists are investigating into, as in cosmology, explicate and
implicate order, consciousness, relativity, and quantum mechanics! The Heart
Sutra translated into English is presented below. Don’t worry if you find it
difficult: most people do.

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, coursing deeply through prajna-paramita,
perceives the five skandhas are all empty, and overcomes all suffering and
calamity.

Sariputra, form is no different from emptiness; emptiness is no different
from form. Form is emptiness; emptiness is form. Feeling, thought, activity,
consciousness are also thus.

Sariputra, all phenomena are emptied of characteristics: non-arising, non-
ceasing; non-defiled, non-pure; non-adding, non-subtracting. Thus in
emptiness, there is no form, no feeling, thought, activity, consciousness.
There is no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and intellect consciousness. There
is no form, sound, smell, taste, touch and phenomena. There is no realm of
eye consciousness till no realm of intellect consciousness.

There is no ignorance and no termination of ignorance, till no age and
death and no termination of age and death. There is no suffering, no cause,
no extinction, and no path. There is no wisdom and no merits. Thus there is
no attainment whatsoever. Due to prajna-paramita, Bodhisattvas have no
obstruction of mind. Because there is no obstruction, there is no fear. Being
far from delusion and dreams, perfect nirvana is attained.

Due to prajna-paramita, Buddhas of the past, present, and future attain
anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

Thus know that prajna-paramita is a great divine mantra, a great mantra of
enlightenment, an unsurpassed mantra, a mantra that has no equal. It is
able to eliminate all suffering. This is really true, without falsehood. If you
recite the prajna-paramita mantra; say gate, gate, para gate, para samgate,
bodhi svaha.

At the completion of a sutra recitation, it is usual to chant the name of the
Buddha or Bodhisattva related to the sutra. The Heart Sutra is a description of
the enlightenment experience of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, or Guan Shi Yin
Pu Sa in Chinese. Hence, the following praise in Chinese is chanted thrice. The
English version, which you may use in place of the Chinese, is also given below.

Namo Da Bei Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa

Homage to the Great Compassionate Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa

After singing or chanting the praise three times, pay homage to the Buddha or
Bodhisattva by prostration once or thrice.

Spiritual Development through Sutra Recitation

The inevitable question many people ask is why recite the Heart Sutra when its
profound meaning is not understood. Different answers apply to different groups
of reciters. Monks in Zen monasteries recite the Heart Sutra because it is an
essential part of their daily service. This in turn is because reciting the Heart
Sutra has been a tradition passed down from the past, when reciting sutras, not
reading them, was (and still is) the main way of preserving the Buddha’s
teaching. As many monks were illiterate, only the elite had the opportunity to
study the profound wisdom of the Heart Sutra. But all monks had a chance to
listen to the explanation on the Heart Sutra and other sutras during daily sermons
in their monasteries.
Similarly, lay Buddhist followers recite the Heart Sutra because it is part
of their daily service performed at home. It is meritorious to recite sutras, and
many choose the Heart Sutra because it is short and popular. For various
reasons, which range from lack of good teachers or books to explain the sutra, to
sheer laziness to find out, most lay Buddhists do not understand the sutras they
recite, especially when the language in the sutras was written fifteen centuries
ago, and particularly the Heart Sutra expounding profound concepts in very
concise language. It is unbelievable but true that thousands of people are
chanting sutras daily without understanding their meanings, just like thousands
of people are performing kungfu without knowing their application.
The gist of the Heart Sutra that form is emptiness and emptiness is form
has been briefly explained in this book concerning sunyata or ultimate reality. If
you wish to find out more about the Heart Sutra, which will be a very rewarding
experience, please read my book The Wisdom of the Heart Sutra.
At the completion of the sutra recitation, the devotee transfers the
blessings just gained through the recitation to others, who may be human or
otherwise, still living or have departed from this world. He may, for example,
transfer the blessings to his spouse, his parents, his children, a friend who needs
help, strangers he has never met, hungry ghosts wandering aimlessly around, or
all sentient beings. This “transfer of blessings”, carried out by Mahayanists
virtually every time after have they recited a sutra is an example of the beautiful
doctrine of “saving others” in Mahayana Buddhism, for the promotion of which
the Shaolin Monastery was built. The following is an example of “transfer of
blessings”, which can be said silently, softly, or aloud:

May the merits accredited in this recitation
Be transferred to beings in all directions
And to my friends, parents and family
May they all be safe, peaceful, and happy

How does one earn blessings by reciting a sutra? A sutra is the teaching of the
Buddha, or sometimes of a Bodhisattva sanctioned by the Buddha as in the case
of the Heart Sutra. When you chant or recite a sutra, you accomplish three
meritorious acts. One, you increase your own wisdom; even though you may not
understand the sutra initially, the mental vibrations imprinted in your mind will
always remain, and the wisdom will manifest when the time is ripe in your later
life or future lives. Two, your recitation helps to preserve and transmit the sacred
teaching for succeeding generations. Three, when you recite a sutra you act as a
medium for the Buddha or Bodhisattva, so that other beings, like ghosts and
gods who are around though you are unaware of them, may have a chance to
benefit from the supreme teaching. Some gods may attain enlightenment as a
result of your sutra recitation! Giving spiritual knowledge is the highest form of
charity — higher than building orphanages and saving lives. You can imagine
the tremendous amount of blessings you acquire, and therefore the progress you
make in your spiritual training, when you recite a sutra.
In the Shaolin spiritual training, which is based on Mahayana Buddhism,
the aspirant is as much concerned with others’ welfare as his own. His spiritual
quest is not just personal salvation, but universal enlightenment. In accordance
with this doctrine, his spiritual training therefore involves the development of
both compassion and wisdom. Acquiring blessings through reciting sutras to
develop compassion is one way of spiritual training; acquiring merits through
meditation to develop wisdom is another. Hence, reciting sutras and practising
meditation are the two essential daily tasks in all Zen monasteries.

Chanting Mantras as Spiritual Training

Instead of reciting a sutra, some devotees may sing or chant the name of a
Buddha or Bodhisattva continuously for tens, hundreds, or even thousands of
times, usually in a rhythmic or musical manner. For example, the name of the
Bodhisattva of Great Compassion is frequently chanted:

Namo Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa, Namo Guan Shi Yin
Pu Sa, Namo Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa ...

Homage to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Homage to Avalokitesvara
Bodhisattva, Homage to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva ...

The Buddha who is frequently chanted, especially by those who wish to gain
rebirth in the Western Paradise, is Amitabha Buddha:

Namo Ami Tuo Fo, Namo Ami Tuo Fo,
Namo Ami Tuo Fo ...

Homage to Amitabha Buddha, Homage to Amitabha
Buddha, Homage to Amitabha Buddha ...

The chanting of a Buddha’s or Bodhisattva’s name, like the two examples above,
is a mantra, although many people consider that a mantra should be worded in
Sanskrit.
Chanting a mantra, like the name of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, is one way
to protect ourselves from calamities and evil spirits. If you are worried about a
natural disaster, a dreadful accident, or some malevolent devils lurking around
you, and you do not know what to do, you may attempt chanting a mantra. If you
think this is too ludicrous, you are, according to Shaolin philosophy, entitled to
your opinion; but you would have denied yourself a spiritual method that might
protect you, and at least give you some peace of mind.
 How does a mantra work to give protection? There are three levels of
operation. First, a mantra is a powerful concentration of spiritual energy that has
been conditioned by the mental vibrations of countless chantings. Next, there are
many guardian deities around who had previously benefited from the Buddha or
Bodhisattva, and who would protect the person chanting the Buddha’s or
Bodhisattva’s mantra. Third, chanting a mantra to call for help sends a signal to
the Buddha or Bodhisattva who would respond in some marvellous ways.
But can spiritual energy change physical events like a landslide or a
motor accident? These events are physical to us at our human level; at the level
of highly developed spiritual beings, a landslide, a motor accident, as well as
malevolent devils are just patterns of dharmas or sub-atomic forces and particles,
which can be manipulated by mind. Nevertheless, it is usually easier and
ethically more appropriate for the mystical operation of the mantra to get the
chanter out of the way of a physical disaster than to stop the disaster from
happening. All these sound strange to many people, but actually they are no
more strange than some of our modern gadgets, like pressing a few keys and a
friend thousands of miles away gets our letter in his fax machine.
A mantra can also be used to lead us into deep meditation. Sit in a lotus
position, close your eyes gently, and continuously chant the name of a Buddha
or Bodhisattva silently, softly, or aloud. Put your mind into your chanting; feel
every syllable of your chant, and hear every syllable in your mind. Initially
practise for about five minutes per session, but gradually increase the time for as
long as you feel comfortable. You must practise at least once a day. After a few
months your mind will become one-pointed.
This mantra-chanting meditation is a very good way to train your mind.
As you progress in this meditation, you will find that you can focus your mind
easily. You will also find your thinking has become clear, and you can
concentrate on mental work for longer periods.
You will also progress spiritually — in ways that are easier felt than
described. You may, for example, have no more fear for natural disasters or
accidents, and you may even feel that malevolent devils now are afraid of you,
although you have no intention at all to cause them any trouble. You certainly
will have inner peace, and perhaps also experiences or abilities that previously
you have never dreamed to be possible.
If you chant the name of Amitabha Buddha, such as Namo Ami Tuo Fo,
or just Ami Tuo Fo, in your meditation, you practise what is known as “Zen –
Pure Land Double Cultivation”, or chan jing shuang xiu in Chinese. You may
chant the Buddha’s name in English, such as Namo Amitabha Buddha, or just
Amitabha Buddha; or in any language. Chanting Amitabha’s name is the
principal method of cultivation in the Jing Tu or Pure Land School of Buddhism,
and the aim is to be reborn in Amitabha’s Western Paradise, which is also called
the Pure Land.
The main aim in Zen Buddhism, however, is to attain enlightenment here
and now, rather than to go to the Western Paradise in the after-life. But despite
their seemingly opposing aims, Zen cultivation and Pure Land cultivation can be
combined rewardingly. Pure Land practitioners use Zen or meditation to help
them recite the Amitabha Buddha mantra, or to visualize the Pure Land with a
one-pointed mind, as their method of winning rebirth in heaven. Zen
practitioners use the Amitabha Buddha mantra to tame their mind so that they
may later progress to no-mind meditation to attain nirvana in their present life.
Zen – Pure Land Double Cultivation practitioners combine both aims — to attain
the Pure Land here and now instead of in their after-life. This can be interpreted
in two ways: their meditation is so advanced that they experience the Western
Paradise while their physical body is still on this earth; or they attain nirvana
which is also called, figuratively, the Pure Land.

Meditation of One-Pointed Mind

Another apparently simple but efficacious method of meditation to attain a one-
pointed mind involves focusing the mind on breathing. This method, known as
Anapanasati, was taught by the Buddha himself, and is the chief meditation
technique in Theravada Buddhism as well as widely practised in many
Mahayana schools. In Zen Buddhism, it is called Tathagata Zen, but generally
Zen practitioners use it as a supportive method to tame their mind, after which
they progress to Patriarch Zen using the meditation of no mind.
The following is a brief description of this meditation of one-pointed
mind. Sit in the single lotus or double lotus position. Close the eyes gently, or
leave them half-closed, gazing absent-mindedly at the tip of your nose. You may
use the “close eye” technique, or the “gazing at nose” technique, but not both at
different times in the same meditation session.
As in all sitting meditation, your spine must be upright but relaxed, and
your head tilted slightly. You can place your palms comfortably on your knees in
what we call in Shaolin as the Lohan pose, Fig 27.4, or clasp your palms and rest
them below your navel on your legs in the Buddha pose as in Fig 27.1 earlier.
Fig 27.4 Single Lotus Position — Lohan Pose

Keep your mind free from all thoughts, breathe naturally, then gently focus on
your breathing. Be gently aware of your breathing out every time you breathe
out, and be gently aware of your breathing in every time you breathe in. It does
not matter if your breathing is irregular, but it is important that your mind must
be with your breathing all the time. After some time you will find that your mind
and your energy, expressed here as your breath, have become one unity. As you
progress, you may become unaware of your body at all; you are just mind-
energy.
In all meditation, you must not be disturbed during your practice. If you
are deep in meditation, a sudden disturbance may cause your mind to scatter,
which can be very uncomfortable and sometimes injurious. But there is a very
simple way to prevent this. Should any disturbance occurs, immediately tell
yourself that it will not harm you. Then, by a sheer but gentle act of will, keep
your mind intact, and continue your meditation.
If your mind is scattered, your chi flow is usually also affected. Self-
Manifested Chi Movement or selection from Eighteen Lohan Hands, followed
by Standing Meditation (see Chapter 18) will help to remedy the deviation.
When you feel better, practise mantra-chanting meditation or breath-focusing
meditation to strengthen your mind before attempting any no-mind meditation.
In our Shaolin Wahnam School, we believe more in quality than in
quantity. Thus, for beginners, we recommend that five minutes of meditation
when the mind is well controlled is better than thirty minutes when the mind
runs wild like monkeys and horses. As you progress you can gradually increase
your meditation time. If you can meditate well for fifteen minutes you would
have achieved fairly high levels. Only later, after many years of diligent daily
practice, or when you participate in a special meditation course taught by Zen
masters, should you attempt meditating ten or more hours a day in an all-out
effort to break through the phenomenal realm to see sunyata or ultimate reality.
Zen or sitting meditation in a lotus position is the highest of the Shaolin
arts. It should be practised with the supervision of a master or at least a qualified
instructor. However, if you cannot find a master or an instructor, and you are too
eager to practise, you must proceed carefully and prudently, and you should not
meditate for longer than five minutes at the beginning stage. Later as you
progress and are more sure of yourself, you may very gradually increase your
meditation time.
While Zen forms the core of Shaolin spiritual training, Shaolin is also
rich in many other methods for spiritual development, like reciting sutras and
chanting mantras. Some readers, especially those who practise kungfu or chi
kung, may protest that all the sutra reciting and mantra chanting described in this
chapter are not parts of the Shaolin arts. Let them be assured that all Shaolin
masters and disciples perform these sutra recitings, mantra chantings, as well as
prostration and Zen meditation every day at the Shaolin Monastery as an integral
part of their spiritual training. Indeed, as many readers may be surprised to find
out, throughout the long history of the Shaolin Monastery most Shaolin monks
spent more time reciting sutras and chanting mantras than practising chi kung
and kungfu.

28: IN SEARCH OF SHAOLIN MASTERS

(From Kungfu and Chi Kung to Zen)

You’ll find that what you in your delusion called your own nature is
actually the Buddha-nature, what you called your individual self is actually
the infinite, eternal Universal Mind!

Kungfu for Demonstration and Fighting

Once a young man who was very keen on martial arts witnessed an impressive
demonstration of kungfu. He was amazed; he never thought any martial art could
be so aesthetic to watch. The kungfu demonstration was strength, speed, and
beautiful form in poetic motion.
“What’s that?” he asked the demonstrator.
“It’s Shaolin Kungfu.”
“Can you teach me?”
“My Shaolin Kungfu is nothing,” said the demonstrator, who was around
twenty-years-old, about the same age of the inquiring young man. “If you want
to learn Shaolin Kungfu, I’ll be glad to bring you to my instructor.”
So they met the instructor, who was about thirty years of age. “Master,”
the young man asked politely, “can you please teach me Shaolin Kungfu? I saw
the most beautiful martial art demonstration by your student, yet he said it was
nothing.”
“Although I am an instructor, I can’t call myself a master. But you are
quite right to say my student’s art is nothing. Strictly speaking, his is not Shaolin
Kungfu; it’s only flowery fists and embroidery kicks.”
“I’m sorry, what’s that?”
“It means a demonstrative art beautiful to look at, but useless for
fighting,” the instructor explained. “The basic purpose of kungfu is for fighting,
not for pleasing spectators,” he continued. “But if you want to learn Shaolin
Kungfu, I’ll recommend you to my teacher. He’ll certainly do a better job.”
“Why do you say he’ll do a better job?” the young man was sharp to ask.
“I can only teach you fighting techniques; my teacher can teach you
kungfu force. He always says that the essence of kungfu is developing force, not
just learning techniques.”
The instructor’s teacher was about forty, yet he moved like a youth of
twenty-five, though he was tough and massive. But the most remarkable thing
about him were his hands, which were enormous and rough.
 “Master,” the young man asked, “how important is force training is
Shaolin Kungfu?”

The Search for Kungfu Force

“Very important! There is a saying that if you only practise kungfu techniques
without developing kungfu force, will be futile even though you may practise a
whole lifetime,” the master said. “Indeed, if you do not train force, you are not
doing kungfu, any style of kungfu, not necessarily Shaolin.”
“Can you please show me some kungfu force?” the young man
requested.
“I’ll show you a type of force called Iron Shirt. Punch me.”
The young man hesitated.
“Come on. Punch me,” the master commanded. “Punch me hard, with all
your might.”
The young man punched the master.
“Come on, harder, harder, with all your might.”
The young man punched with all his might, and almost dislocated his
wrist. The master beamed with satisfaction. “Now I’ll show you another kungfu
force, the famous Shaolin Iron Palm.”
The master piled three bricks, one on top of another. With seemingly
little effort he smashed the three bricks with a single stroke of his left palm.
The young man was spellbound. There was no trick, and the bricks were
genuine. “I would not believe it if I have not seen with my own eyes. The
method to achieve this Iron Palm must be very difficult.”
“The method is very simple,” the master said casually; “it is the
perseverance that is most difficult.”
“I’m sorry I don’t quite understand.”
“You can learn the method in five minutes. Get a sandbag and strike you
palms on it for half an hour. If you do that every day for ten years, you’ll be able
to smash bricks as easily as I do.”
“Ten years!”
 “That’s what I have done. But if you persevere even for a year, you
would have achieved something. Yet mine is only a rough art, as my teacher
used to say. Wait till you have seen his Shaolin arts; he’s a real master, whereas
I’m only half a master.”
“You can break bricks so easily, yet you call yourself half a master.”
“My master told me I had accomplished too much in the hard force, but
too little in the soft. Some people call me Iron Man, and they always do so with
due respect. My master also calls me Iron Man, always with a twinkle in his
eyes; he mocks me, but in good jest.”
“Mock you? You mean he can break six bricks?”
“He may not be able to break one with his bare hand. Iron Palm is not his
specialty. Once he told me, in his usual mocking way, that if he wanted to break
ten bricks he used a hammer, not his palm. He’s a jovial person; I respect and
love him.”
“Can he fight?”
“Certainly! Nobody would call him a Shaolin master if he couldn’t fight.
I’m no match for him, although he is much older than me.”
“How can this old master be able to match your Iron Shirt and Iron
Palm? If he strikes you, he breaks his wrist; if you strike him, you break his
bones.”
“Old master? He’s not old, only about fifty. When he struck me the last
time we sparred, I bent down with pain. Probably I shall break his bones if I
strike him hard, i.e., without control. The trouble is I can’t touch him; he’s too
agile.”
“Did he strike you with a hammer?”
“No, with only one finger.”
“One finger! Where did he strike you? Your eyes?”
“He will never strike me or anyone else in the eyes. Our Shaolin
philosophy of compassion does not allow that. I’m sorry I can’t tell you exactly
where he struck me; that’s our Shaolin secret. He struck me at one of the
“gates”, which are actually points — points that can penetrate the Iron Shirt.”
 “His finger must be stronger than iron to penetrate the Iron Shirt.”
“His finger that struck me is soft and gentle. Strictly speaking, it was not
his finger that struck me; it was his internal force channelled through his finger.”
“It must have taken you a long time to recover from that ... what’d you
call that? Internal force touch?”
“We call that the art of One-Finger Zen. It took me less than five minutes
to recover. My master opened the blocked vital point, channelled some of his
chi, or vital energy, to stimulate my own chi to flow, and in less than five
minutes I was back to normal. He’s a chi kung master, and he used his powerful
chi to cure me of the injury.”
“What master?”
“Chi kung. The art of energy.”
“The cure is so simple?”
“Simple, if you know how to release the internal energy blockage, and
possess the internal force to do so. If you lack either the knowledge or the force,
the patient will suffer for life, or may die after a short time.”
“Simply incredible! But may I meet your compassionate master?”

The Incredible Energy Flow

Although the compassionate master was fifty, he looked the same age as Iron
Man.
“Master,” the young man said, “can you show me the art of One-Finger
Zen?”
“Yes. If you don’t mind, I think you have some problem with your liver,
and your eyesight is failing you, despite your young age.”
“Fantastic! How do you know about my health problems; we have hardly
met! I feel some occasional pain at my liver, though my doctors could not tell
why. My vision sometimes gets blur; my eye specialist told me to get a pair of
glasses, but wearing them has not helped.”
“I can tell your problems from your face and your eyes. Your liver
meridian is blocked, thus causing you pain occasionally. As the liver and the
eyes are intimately connected, the energy blockage also causes your blurred
vision. Wearing glasses won’t help because the site of the problem is not at the
eyes, but at the liver meridian. Your doctors can’t tell what’s wrong with your
liver because energy blockage and the meridian system are not part of their
medical paradigm.”
“Can you help me to be relieved of these health problems?”
“I suppose so; I’ve helped many people with similar problems. Now you
stand here. Close your eyes. That’s right. Just relax. Don’t think of anything.”
With his eyes closed, the young man did not know what the chi kung
master was doing. But soon he felt as if a stream of warm water was flowing into
him, then it branched into a few streams flowing all over his body. The streams
of warm water moved his body! He tensed his muscles, preventing his body
movement.
“Relax,” he heard the master said kindly but firmly. “Don’t resist your
body movement. It’s your own chi moving you. Follow the momentum, and
enjoy the swaying movement.”
He relaxed, as instructed by the Shaolin master. Soon his body started to
sway, first gently, then quite noticeably. The movement was without his volition.
He felt strange, but he enjoyed his swaying movement. He felt as if he were
drifting in clouds.
After some time he heard the master’s voice. “Now slowly get your
movement to a gentle stop. Stay still for a while. Rub your palms together and
use them to warm your eyes. Open your eyes. Walk about briskly.”
The first impression the young man had when he opened his eyes was
that the world actually appeared clearer and more beautiful. “Thank you for this
wonderful experience. But can you show me your One-Finger Zen, the art that
kills with a finger?”
“I’ve just done that. But I’m concerned with curing illness and saving
lives, not injuring and killing. I’ve just used my One-Finger Zen to shoot some
chi into you to clear the energy blockage of your liver meridian.”
“It’s fantastic. When I first saw Mr. Iron Man smashing bricks with his
palms I thought that was the most fantastic thing I have ever seen. But it was
nothing compared to your One-Finger Zen shooting warm water into my body.
The most fantastic, however, was my own swaying without my volition. I
couldn’t have believed it.”
“It’s a matter of perspective. It’s unbelievable to you because you
haven’t seen or heard anything like it before, and it appears to be beyond reason.
But to me it’s common; I do that every day to tens of patients to help them be
cured of so-called incurable diseases. But there are even more fantastic things in
Shaolin.”
“Oh yes, why did I move without my own volition? It was also a very
pleasant experience.”
“That’s because your chi moved your body, and your self-manifested
movement helped to clear energy blockage.”
The Shaolin master then taught the young man some simple chi kung
exercises. “If you practise these exercises for about fifteen minutes daily, your
liver and eye problems should disappear in a week. Is that fantastic?”
“I’ll always remember your compassion.”
“Compassion is one part of the Shaolin teaching; the other part is
wisdom,” the master explained.
 “Wisdom? Can you tell me more about wisdom?”
“For that you should see my master, the old Zen monk up the mountain.”

The Search for Compassion

The young man climbed the mountain, with some difficulty, and finally found
the old Zen monk in his little temple. He was indeed old, with a long white
beard, yet he had a child’s complexion. The most noticeable feature about him,
however, was the look of joy and serenity on his face.
The Zen monk was prostrating before an altar. This prostration was a big
surprise to the young man, who thought to himself, “Here is the teacher of the
most fantastic Shaolin master I have ever seen or imagined, yet he prostrated
meekly like a child.”
The old monk did not rise to his feet after his prostration, but knelt before
the altar and started to chant. The young man could not understand the chanting
but he felt an inexplicable yet unmistakable feeling of peace in the atmosphere.
It was funny, he thought, but he even felt they were not alone in the temple!
Afraid that he might disturb the great master in his chanting, the young man
stood silently at the doorway, awed by the mystical surrounding which seemed
to be charged with energy.
At last the chanting was over. The old Shaolin master prostrated thrice,
after which he knelt again and recited what sounded like a short poem. The
young man heard something like ‘all beings be peaceful and happy’. Again the
master prostrated thrice. Then he walked towards a nearby table, looked towards
the young man and said, “Please come in and share some tea with me.”
“How did he know I was here?” the young man thought to himself.
“Perhaps he heard my footsteps; kungfu masters are very sharp.”
“I sensed your energy,” the monk said, as the young man walked
nervously towards the master. “Please be seated and feel at home.”
As the young man sat down, the fragrance of hot tea drifted into his
nostrils. It must be very good tea, he thought.
“It’s the best tea I have,” the monk said. “I’m sorry to have kept you
waiting, but I wish to complete my evening service.”
“Your Venerable,” the young man asked, “is that a Buddha on the altar?”
“She was a Buddha before, many aeons before our present Sakyamuni
Buddha, but she comes back as a Bodhisattva. She is Guan Yin Pu Sa, the
Bodhisattva of Great Compassion.”
“Why won’t you, your Venerable, have a Buddha at your altar?”
“The Buddha is everywhere; He is in the sky, in the tree, in you and me
and in every minute dharma.”
“What were you chanting just now?”
“The Amitabha Sutra, the sutra in which our Buddha, Sakyamuni
Buddha, teaches sentient beings how to go to heaven.”
“Why did the Bodhisattva need to listen to the sutra?”
“The chanting of the Amitabha Sutra just now was meant for other
beings like ghosts and nature spirits. I chanted it in front of the Bodhisattva so
that her divine presence can be an unfailing source of inspiration for all of us.”
“Ghosts and spirits? Do you really believe in them?”
“When I was young I used to laugh at people who believed in ghosts and
spirits, but now I have sufficient understanding and experience to justify my
belief. But you must not believe in them just because some people mention their
existence, otherwise your belief would degrade into superstition. You must
always base your beliefs on understanding and experience.”
“Are there any ghosts and nature spirits around here?”
“Not now, they have dispersed. But just before, many gathered around to
listen to my chanting of the Amitabha Sutra.”
The young man felt a shiver down his spine.
“You need not be afraid at all,” the monk said assuredly. “They are quite
harmless. In fact, they are more afraid of humans than humans of them. Our
attitude towards them should be one of care and compassion. Because of our
good karma, we have a very rare opportunity to be humans; we have many
benefits which ghosts and nature spirits do not have. For example, we have the
tremendous blessing to understand cosmic reality from the Buddha’s teaching,
whereas they are generally lost. Reciting sutras so that they, too, can benefit
from the Buddha’s teaching is therefore a great service to do. And you don’t
have to worry about the intricacies of human language: these ghosts and spirits
can pick out the meaning from your mental vibration.”
 The young man was touched. It dawned on him forcefully that the
Shaolin teaching of compassion involved not only humans but also other beings,
and that Shaolin masters did not merely talk about compassion but actually
practised it, like the chi kung master for humans, and this kindly old monk for
ghosts and spirits.

The Search for Wisdom

The old Shaolin monk took out a scroll from his pocket and rolled it open on the
table. It contained a poem written with a Chinese brush in bold Chinese
characters. The young man did not pay attention to the meaning of the poem
because he was attracted by the liveliness of the Chinese characters; they seemed
to come alive, vibrating with energy.
What beautiful, powerful calligraphy! the young man thought to himself.
“I’m glad you like the calligraphy, but you should pay attention to the
meaning,” the Shaolin monk said kindly. “The calligraphy is mine, but the
meaning, many times more beautiful than the calligraphy, is from the Venerable
Bodhidharma, our Shaolin First Patriarch.” The young man read the poem aloud:

I had my mind when deluded in former days
Now I have no mind in ultimate reality
Without mind, my mind still serves my ways
Using it in suchness as tranquil eternity

“I can’t make any sense at all from this poem,” the young man confessed.
“Not many can understand its profound wisdom. You have to find it
yourself later on, not so much from intellectual study, but from Zen meditation.
Nevertheless, the following few hints will be a helpful start. Once you have your
mind, thoughts arise, which will tie you down to the phenomenal world. Having
no mind means being free from the phenomenal dimension and actualizing
ultimate reality. No mind is the same as All Mind, or Suchness, which is tranquil
eternity. Although a Zen master has attained no mind, he still returns to society
to help others, and therefore he also operates in the phenomenal world.”
The young man was still puzzled.
“Keep this scroll as a present from me. You have come to ask for
wisdom. This is my answer.”
This was beyond the young man’s expectations. Besides murmuring
“thank you” a few times, more to himself than to the monk, he did not know
what else to say. Then, an uncanny feeling pervaded over him: the old Shaolin
monk had been reading his mind!
“I don’t mean to eavesdrop into your thoughts, or anybody’s thoughts,
but I can see your mind as easily as I see your face. In Buddhism, special
extraordinary powers are classified into six groups, and telepathy is one of
them.”
“How did you develop your power of telepathy?”
“I didn’t aim for it particularly; it came naturally with my Zen
meditation. Different people may develop different powers, but these powers,
though useful, are not essential for spiritual attainment.”
“Are such powers a form of wisdom?”
“Of course not. Wisdom is necessary for spiritual development; these
powers are not. Without wisdom, you cannot achieve nirvana.”
Almost without knowing what he was doing, the young man intuitively
knelt down before the Shaolin master, prostrated three times, then said,
“Your Venerable. I am dull and lost, and I have humbly come to seek
guidance. Please have compassion on me; show me the way so that I, too, may
have a chance to see the Buddha’s wisdom.”
“First of all you must know that the wisdom we are talking about is not
the same as the ordinary wisdom people have in mind. That’s why we call it
higher wisdom or transcendental wisdom. It is prajna in Sanskrit, transcribed as
ban ruo in Chinese. Ordinary wisdom, which includes all the knowledge
gathered by scholars and scientists, is phenomenal wisdom, i.e., wisdom
pertaining to the phenomenal world, which people because of ignorance, mistake
as reality. Transcendental wisdom, on the other hand, is about ultimate reality.”
“Your Venerable, what is the phenomenal world?”

The Search for Enlightenment

“The phenomenal word is the world we experience in our ordinary
consciousness,” the old master explained. “Phenomena include things and
people we see that we think are ultimately real, but are actually a creation of
mind.”
“Your Venerable, as I have said earlier, I am dull-minded. I thought the
chair I’m sitting on was real. You, your venerable, are certainly real.”
“All phenomena, including the chair, you and I, are relative and illusory,
not ultimately real!”
“What does that actually mean?” the young man asked in bewilderment.
“They are “real” relative to us. That is a chair to you, a chair to me, and
to other people. But to an ant, it is not a chair; it may be a small hill. A sentient
being from another realm of existence, such as a ghost, may not see you or me,
just as people normally do not see ghosts. Now this space in front is empty to us,
but to devas or gods it is a solid mountain. They build their palaces in our air,
which to them is a mountain. We are literally living inside their mountains just
as hell beings are living inside our earth.”
“I’m afraid I still cannot follow.”
“It’s not easy to understand higher wisdom. It needs a lot of Zen
meditation before prajna manifests. But let me give you a simpler example.
Look at those fish over there in the pond. To us they swim in the water. But to
the fish the water is non-existent; they do not see water and they move about in it
without obstruction. What happens if they get out of water into air? That, of
course, is our way of looking at the phenomenon. To the fish the same
phenomenon appears differently; to them it is getting into some solid material in
which they couldn’t move, something like a human getting into a rock.”
“I have never perceived a fish in this way before! Come to think of it, a
fish, with only its fish-intelligence, can never understand how we can move
about freely in their ‘rock’. But I still cannot understand why we are not real. If I
pinch myself, the pain assures me that I am real.”
“That’s true in our ordinary consciousness. But if you are awakened,
what we call wu in Zen, you will find that your body, which you think is solid
and differentiates you from the so-called external surroundings, is actually not
solid, and there is really no boundary between you and the so-called external
surroundings! You will find that you are a collection of dharmas, or elementary
particles, with a lot of ‘empty space’ in between. These dharmas are never static:
at one instance they are dharmas, at another instance they become kriya, or
energy. There is also no line whereby you can say this is my “inside”, and that is
my “outside”. There is simply nowhere you can tell where your ‘body’ begins or
ends.”
The Shaolin monk paused for a while to let the young man reflect on this
profound wisdom.
“With due respect to you, Your Venerable, and to be honest myself, I
must say I find it hard to accept that this is true.”
“In Buddhism we never ask you to accept anything on faith alone. Even
the Buddha did not do that. Out of great compassion, the Buddha shared his
greatest achievement with others, but he never insisted that others must follow
him, nor belittled other religions even if they differed substantially. He only
showed the way, the way he himself had travelled, and he advised his followers
to assess his teaching to the best of their understanding and experience.”
The young man remained silent, gratefully silent.
“But what I have just told you is still not the highest attainment. In our
Shaolin arts, a Zen awakening or wu is a confirmation and inspiration for even
greater attainment to come. The highest attainment, the supreme aim of Zen, the
apex of Shaolin training, is to attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, or the supreme
perfect wisdom, where even dharmas and kriya disappear, and ultimate reality
which is tranquil and undifferentiated is experienced. You’ll find that what you
in your delusion called your own nature is actually the Buddha-nature, what you
called your individual self is actually the infinite, eternal Universal Mind! This is
enlightenment or jie, the highest accomplishment any being anywhere can ever
attain.”




USEFUL ADDRESSES

Sifu Wong’s website: www.shaolin.org

Australia

Sifu Jeffrey Segal
Chief Instructor, Shaolin Wahnam Australia
PO Box 713
Northcote 3070
Victoria
Australia
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.wahnamaustralia.com/contact/SifuJeffreySegal.htm

Sifu Neil Kelson
Dr Neil Kelson
Brisbane, Qld
Australia
Tel: 61-7-33667280
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.wahnamaustralia.com/contact/SifuNeilKelson.htm

Sifu Steve Clarke
24 Towry crs, Vincentia, N.S.W. 2540
Australia
Tel: 61-2 44417708, 61-0431 279 521
Website: http://www.shaolinwahnamjervisbay.com

Sifu Michael Agar
6 Creek Parade, Northcote, Victoria
Australia 3070
Tel: 613 9419 2893, 61 411 328 142
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://threetreasuresshaolinarts.wordpress.com/

Austria

Sifu Sylvester Lohninger
Maitreya Institute,
Blaettertal 9,
A-2770 Gutenstein,
Austria.
Tel: 43-2634-7417
Fax: 43-2634-74174
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.maitreya.at/SHAOLIN-CHI-GONG-JUNI-2011-mit-
Grossmeister-Wong-Kiew-Kit/

Sifu Irene Hewarth
Linz
Austria
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.shaolinqigong.at

Sifu Mariangela Aime
Bennogasse 23/38, 1080 Vienna
Austria
E-mail: [email protected]

Canada

Sifu Jean Kay
Chief Instructor (Chi Kung), Shaolin Wahnam Canada
Tel: 1-416-979 0238
Fax: 1-416-979 0238
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Anton Skafar
13 Hermie Pl.
Kitchener, Ontario N2H 4X9
Canada.
Home: 1-519-576-5780
Cell: 1-519-635-6253
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu John Crispin
Georgetown
Ontario
Canada
Tel: 1-905-873 8769
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Gordon Pfeffer
Toronto, Ontario
Canada.
Tel: 1-416-220-5831
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Charles Chalmers
Box 217
Winlaw, B.C, V0G 2J0
Canada
Tel: 1-250-226-7116
E-mail: [email protected]


Sifu Joe Commisso
Tel: 1-647-3931650
E-mail: [email protected]


Colombia

Sifu Rama Roberto Lamberti
Chief Instructor, Shaolin Wahnam Latin America
Tel: 57-310-2651463
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.shaolin-wahnam-center.org

Sifu Piti Parra Duque
Shaolin Wahnam Colombia
Cra 78 # 128-90 apt. 601
Bogotá - Colombia
Tel: 57 310 281 7922
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Juan Pablo Parra Duque (Papalo)
Penta - Parra Duque & Asociados
Colombia.
Tel: 57-1-624 2680
E-mail: [email protected]

Costa Rica

Sifu Rama Roberto Lamberti
Chief Instructor, Shaolin Wahnam Costa Rica
Garden of Timelessness,
Blue Mountain,
Costa Rica.
Tel: 506-2742-5278
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.shaolin-wahnam-center.org

Sifu Simon Rodriguez
Shaolin Wahnam Costa Rica
Montaña Azul, Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica
Tel: +506 88931797 and +506 27425278
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.shaolin-wahnam-center.org

Denmark

Sifu Pragata Jean Blaise
E-mail: [email protected]

Ecuador

Sifu Jose Antonio Torres
Quito
Ecuador
Tel: (593) 22 896130
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.shaolin.ec/frontEnd/main.php

Sifu Kenya Araujo
Quito
Ecuador
Tel: (593) 22 896130
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.shaolin.ec/frontEnd/main.php

England

Sifu Ronan Sexton
England
Tel: 44-790-618 4047
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Michael Durkin
Manchester,
England
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Jordan Francis
4 Melchester Close
Gillingham, Dorset
SP8 4FB, England
Tel: 44-1747-821375
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.wahnam.blog.com

Sifu Tim Franklin
Tel: 07950 365879
Fax: 07950 365879
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.wingchoon.com/
Website:
www.fullyalive-chiflow.co.uk
http://fullyalive1.blogspot.co.uk/p/tim.html

Sifu Innes Maran
Manchester, England
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Barry Smale
Barry Smale MBACP (Accred)
11 Greville Park Avenue
Ashtead, Surrey
KT21 2QS
UK
Tel: +44 (0)1372 279658
Mobile: +44 (0)7900 243509
Clinics available in London and Surrey
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
www.fullyalive-chiflow.co.uk
http://fullyalive1.blogspot.co.uk/p/barry.html

Sifu Nicholas Jones
Tel: +44 (0)779 3142 221
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.wahnam.blogspot.com

Sifu Fleur Chapman
Tel: +44 (0)20 7735 4940
Mobile: +44 (0)7745 900 344
E-mail: [email protected]

Finland

Sifu Markus Kahila
Tel: +358 40 536 5314
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.shaolin-nordic.com

France

Sifu Maxime Citerne
Lyon
France
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
http://www.wahnam.fr
http://www.institut-anicca.com/

Germany

Sifu Kai Uwe Jettkandt
Chief Instructor, Shaolin Wahnam Germany
Kruppstr. 114
60388 Frankfurt
Germany
Tel: +49 69 90431954
E-mail: [email protected]
Websites:
http://www.shaolin-wahnam.de
http://www.cosmos-chikung.de

Sifu Anton Schmick
Shaolin Wahnam Germany
Wakenitzstraße 34f, 23564 Lübeck
Germany
Tel: 49-179-9177072
E-mail: [email protected]
Websites:
http://www.shaolinwahnam-nord.de
http://www.kungfu-luebeck.de

Sifu Irina Janicke
Shaolin Wahnam Germany
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.shaolin-wahnam.de

Sifu Benedikt Vennen
Shaolin Wahnam Germany
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.shaolin-wahnam.de

Indonesia

Sifu Joko Riyanto
Shaolin Wahnam Indonesia
Jalan Dipati Ukur 3 Bandung 40132
Indonesia
Tel. 62-22-250 6088
Mobile: +62-81-22 0 44977
E-mail: [email protected]

Ireland

Sifu Joan Browne
Chief Instructor, Shaolin Wahnam Ireland
Gortluachera,
Kilgarvan,
County Kerry, Ireland.
Home: 00353 (0) 646685877
Mobile: 00353 (0) 871212249
E-mail: [email protected]
Websites:
http://www.smilefromtheheart.ie
http://www.qigongprivateclinic.com
http://www.specialistcancerhealing.com

Sifu Mark Hartnett
Caum, Macroom
County Cork, Ireland
Tel: 353-85-1109353
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.smilefromtheheart.ie

Sifu Padraig Shanahan
Caum, Macroom
Newtown, Clarina,
Co. Limerick, Ireland
Tel: 353-61-353777 and 353-87-7543020
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.smilefromtheheart.ie

Italy

Sifu Attilio Podesta
Via Aurelia 1,
17024 Finale Ligure,
Italy
Tel: 39-019-600611, 39-335-6622193
Fax: 39-019-600611
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.puntaest.com

Sifu Riccardo Puleo
Via Don Gnocchi 4
20148 Milano
Italy
Tel: 39-02-4072787, 39-335-6072100
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Diana Regazzoni
Casciago- Varese
Italy
Tel: 39- 339-8620128, 39- 0332-824896
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Andrea G. Lombardi
Italy
Tel: 0039-347-86 63 007
E-mail: [email protected]

Luxembourg

Sifu Hendrik Dennemeyer
143, Ceinture um Schlass
L-5880 Hesperange
Luxembourg, EU

Malaysia

Sifu Wong Chun Nga
81 Taman Intan B/5,
08000 Sungai Petani,
Kedah,
Malaysia.
Tel: 60-12-492 6618
Fax: 60-4-422 2353
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Lee Wei Joo
Shaolin Wahnam Institute Kuala Lumpur
No 4-2, Jalan Damai Perdana 1/8B,
Bandar Damai Perdana,
Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000.
Malaysia.
Tel: 60-(0)16-9144685
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://shaolinwahnammalaysia.com/

Mexico

Sifu Piti Parra Duque
Shaolin Wahnam Colombia
Cra 78 # 128-90 apt. 601
Bogotá - Colombia
Tel: 57 310 281 7922
E-mail: [email protected]

The Netherlands

Sifu Darryl Collett
Amsterdam
Tel: +31-6-3441-0774
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.shaolinwahnam.nl

Sifu Roeland Dijkema
Oostzaan
The Netherlands
Telephone: 0642746389
E-mail: [email protected]

Norway

Sifu Omar Iversen
Oslo, Norway
Tel: +47 95 23 44 71
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.shaolin-wahnam.fi/no

Portugal

Sifu Riccardo Salvatore
Chief Instructor, Shaolin Wahnam Portugal
Tel: 351-21-8478713
Fax: 351-21-8478713
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.shaolin-wahnam-portugal.com/contactos.htm

Sifu Luis Morgado
Lisbon,
Portugal.
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://shaolin-wahnam.planetaclix.pt/index_por.htm

Puerto Rico

Sifu Angel G. Pérez Oliveras
Shaolin Wahnam Institute Puerto Rico
Urb. Santa Teresita
#63 Calle Teniente Matta
San Juan, PR 00913
Mobile: (787) 515-9545
E-mail: [email protected]

Russia

Sifu Julia Volunskaya
Moscow,
Russia.
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://chiflow.ru

Scotland

Sifu Mark Appleford
Chief Instructor, Shaolin Wahnam UK
Edinburgh
Scotland
Tel: +44 787 507 4646
E-mail: [email protected]
Websites:
http://www.zentreasures.com
http://fullyalive1.blogspot.co.uk/p/mark.html

Sifu Andrew Gerard Cusick
Glasgow
Scotland
Tel: ++ 44 (0)7954406219
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.qigongparadigm.com


Singapore

Sifu Zhang Wuji (Christopher)
Website: http://www.wahnamsg.com

Spain

Sifu Javier Galve
C/ Villamanin 19, 5 - 2
28011 Madrid,
Spain.
Tel: 34-91-4644016, 34-656-669790
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.wahnammadrid.org

Sifu Adalia Iglesias
Calle Cometa 3 atico,
08002 Barcelona,
Spain.
Tel: 34-93-3104956, 34-654-155864
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.chikung-bcn.com/

Sifu Jose Diaz Marques
C/ del Teatro 13,
41927 Mairena del Aljarafe, Servilla,
Spain.
Tel: 34-954-183 917 and 34-656-756214
Fax: 34-955-609354
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Inaki Rivero Urdiain
Aguirre Miramon 6-4 dch,
20002 San Sebastian,
Spain.
Tel: 34-943-360213, 34-656-756214
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.euskalnet.net/psicosalud/andorra.htm

Sifu Trinidad Parreño
Alicante - Spain
Tel: + 34-609441 170
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.chikungalicante.es

Sifu Laura Fernaindez Garrido
C/Rafael Herrera, 3 -1 C
Madrid 28036,
Spain.
Tel: 34-91-6386270 and 34-914-038002
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.wahnammadrid.org

Sifu Daniel Perez
C/Castillejos 433 2o 1a
08024 Barcelona
Spain
Tel: 34-650-389 120
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.shaolinbcn.com

Sifu Jorge Leon
C/Jaume Fabre, 2, 1-6
08019 - Barcelona,
Spain.
Tel: 34-669-871 141
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Manuel Tirado Lopez
Address: Madrid, Spain
Tel: 34 626 575 973
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://wahnam-taichichuan.es

Switzerland

Sifu Andrew Barnett
Chief Instructor, Shaolin Wahnam Switzerland
Landstrasse 118
7250 Klosters
Switzerland
Tel: 41-81-420-2250
Fax: 41-81-420-2251
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.shaolin-wahnam.ch

Sifu Roland Mastel
Shaolin Wahnam Bern-Zürich
Switzerland
Mobile: 0041/79 469 53 60
Email: [email protected]
Websites:
www.enerqi.ch
www.praying-mantis.org

Sifu Ronny Singer
Alisbachweg 5,
CH-6315 Oberägeri,
Switzerland
Tel: +41 76 424 03 96
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Andrea Zilio
Ausserdorfstrasse 16
8918 Unterlunkhofen (Zurich/Aargau)
Tel: +41 79 317 61 81
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.taichichuan-wahnam.ch

Sifu Adrian Zingg
Seftigenstrasse 68
3007 Bern
Switzerland
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Mauro Buccarella
Zuerich, Switzerland
Mobile: +41 79 436 29 04
E-mail: [email protected]

Taiwan

Sifu Mark Blohm
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.shaolinhealing.com
Shaolin Wahnam Institute Taiwan
67 Sui-Tang Street
Xinying District, Tainan City 730
Taiwan (R.O.C.)

Thailand

Sifu Robin Gamble
Hatyai,
Songkhla,
Thailand.
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.taichichuanthailand.com

United Arab Emirates

Sifu Yazdi Daruwalla
P.O.Box 6034
Sharjah
United Arab Emirates
Tel: +971 50 626 3058

United States of America

Sifu Anthony Korahais
Chief Instructor, Shaolin Wahnam USA
Gainesville, Florida
USA
Tel: 352-672-7613
E-mail:
Website: http://www.flowingzen.com

Sifu Anthony Spinicchia
Email: [email protected]
702-672-9563
72 W Horizon Ridge Parkway
120-191
Henderson, NV 89012
Website: http://www.elitechikung.com

Sifu Eugene Siterman
299 Carroll Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
USA
Tel: 1-917-803-9688 (mobile), 1-212-729-5829 (office)
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.grandmasterwong.com

Sifu Joshua Lawson
1769 Carroll Ave. #6
St. Paul, MN 55104
Tel: 763-412-7296
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Mark Blohm
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.shaolinhealing.com
Shaolin Wahnam Institute Taiwan
67 Sui-Tang Street
Xinying District, Tainan City 730
Taiwan (R.O.C.)

Sifu Matt Fenton
New Hampshire,
USA
Tel: 603-491-2379
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Gusty Voshell
Address: 1666 Lords Corner Rd.
Felton, Delaware 19943, USA
Tel: 1-302-632-2916
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Chris Didyk
St. Petersburg, FL, USA
Tel: 512-944-6640
E-mail: [email protected]

Sifu Christina Didyk
St. Petersburg, FL, USA
Tel: 727-542-2949
E-mail: [email protected]

Venezuela

Sifu Antonio Colarusso
Calle Pantin Edif Ultralub,
Chacao Venezuela 1060
Tel: +58-424-110-8830
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.shaolinwahnam.com.ve

Sifu Piti Parra Duque
Shaolin Wahnam Colombia
Cra 78 # 128-90 apt. 601
Bogotá - Colombia
Tel: 57 310 281 7922
E-mail: [email protected]


 Table of Contents
copyright
Other Books
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Introduction
1: A HEAVENLY VISION (How Shaolin Monastery Got Its Name)
2: THE FABULOUS SHAOLIN MONASTERY (Legends and Significance of
the Monastery Halls)
3: FIT FOR EMPERORS AND GENERALS (Precious Arts of Shaolin)
4: MOVEMENTS OF HEALTH, VITALITY, AND LONGEVITY (The Shaolin
Way to Physical and Spiritual Health)
5: POETRY OF STRENGTH AND COURAGE (The Philosophy and
Dimension of Shaolin Kungfu)
6: FORM AND FUNCTION IN MOTION (The Fundamentals of Shaolin
Kungfu)
7: FIGHTING IN BEAUTIFUL MOVEMENTS (Kungfu Application for
Combat)
8: FROM KUNGFU FORM TO COMBAT APPLICATION (Specific
Techniques to Handle Various Situations)
9: FROM ARRANGED TO FREE SPARRING (Practising Variation in Combat
Sequences)
10: FURTHER TRAINING FOR EFFECTIVE FIGHTING (Developing
Fundamental Sparring Skills)
11: CREATING OPPORTUNITIES TO SECURE VICTORY (Applying Tactics
and Strategies in Fighting)
12: THE FASCINATING FORCE OF SHAOLIN MASTERS (Various Kinds of
Force in Shaolin Kungfu)
13: PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF POWER TRAINING (Shaolin Iron
Palm and Iron Arm)
14: SECRETS OF THE ENERGY MASTERS (Developing Cosmos Palm and
Iron Shirt)
15: THE FAST, THE AGILE, AND THE MARVELLOUS (Marvellous
Responses and the Arts of Lightness)
16: DRAGONS, PHOENIXES, TIGERS AND THE MOON (A Brief Survey of
Kungfu Weapons)
17: THE SPIRIT OF SHAOLIN (Teaching on Morality, Righteousness, and
 Compassion)
18: WONDERS OF SHAOLIN CHI KUNG (The Link between Physical and
Spiritual Development)
19: CURING “INCURABLE” DISEASES (Shaolin Chi Kung and Chinese
Medicine)
20: THE INTERNAL COSMOS (A Marvellous Art called the Small Universe)
21: DO NOT WORRY IF YOU HAVE BROKEN YOUR BONES (An
Introduction to Shaolin Traumatology)
22: THE SONGS AND POETRY OF SHAOLIN (Describing the Grandeur in
Rhythm and Rhyme)
23: THE DIVINE AND THE COSMOS (The Magnificence and Universality of
All Religions)
24: VARIOUS VEHICLES OF ENLIGHTENMENT (The Beauty and Wisdom
of Buddhism)
25: ANCIENT WISDOM ON MODERN SCIENCE (A Survey of Various
Chinese Schools of Buddhism)
26: THE BEAUTY AND PROFUNDITY OF ZEN (Some Philosophical
Considerations for Zen Training)
27: METHODS OF ZEN CULTIVATION (Sutras, Mantras, and Meditation for
Spiritual Training)
28: IN SEARCH OF SHAOLIN MASTERS (From Kungfu and Chi Kung to
Zen)
USEFUL ADDRESSES