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SYNOPSIS OF MARTIAL ARTS
TAOIST TANTRIC KUNG FU
HISTORY OF SHAN FU JOW
LINEAGE MASTER
SHAN FU JOW PHILOSOPHIA
SECRET CHI KUNG SYSTEM
Forms / Iron Hands/Weapons & Training
About Us
Contact
Links
FAQ
REGISTRY OF INSTRUCTORS
ESOTERIC BUDDHISM
RANKING SYSTEM
OUTREACH WORLDWIDE PROGRAME
THE SPIRITUAL SYSTEM
PRODUCTS AND AIDS
IMPORTANT NOTICE
GUIDE TO MEDICINE
FREE MEDICINAL RECIPE FOR CHI
ROLE OF MEDITATION AND DIET
MY MARTIAL ARTS LINKS PAGE
DIET NUTRITION AND TRAINING
HOW TO SPOT A FAKE MASTER
INTENSIVE COURSES
TEMPLE STYLE YOGA
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| Taoist Traditions and Internal kung fu Kung Fu can trace its origins back some 4000 years to 2674 BC, when Emperor Huang Ti of China used a rudimentary form of martial arts called Chiou Ti as a form of individual combat and military tactic. In 2600 BC a new style of combat named Go-Ti came into being which had wrestling as its main focus. At the same time monks developed Cong Fu. This was a form of medical gymnastics designed to keep body healthy, mind alert, and spirit tranquil. In about 600 BC, Confucius declared it necessary to cultivate the martial arts. Lao Tzu (a Taoist sage), living at the same time, composed the Tao Te Ching (The Power and the Way), the original book and foremost source of Taoism. Taoism (pronounced "Daoism") is a philosophical system, but also a way of life and a method of achieving higher consciousness. Legend has it that it was passed down from a legendary culture, known as the "Sons of Reflected Light" some 14000 years ago. It taught scholarship, meditation and alchemy. Taoist principles are today still considered an important and relevant study, and many of its principles have been understood to be similiar to theories in modern, cutting edge, quantum physics and biology. Taoism became enmeshed with the arts of Cong Fu and Go-Ti, which by this time had become fused into one system. Taoist monks became Cong Fu/Go-Ti experts, and martial arts practitioners began to follow Taoism. This Cong Fu/Go-Ti system formed the beginnings of what we now know as Kung Fu. Although the term has many meanings, for example "hard work", it can be best understood as "patient accomplishment" - the mastery of a skill through the investment of time and energy. (Kung means "energy" in Chinese and Fu means "time"). Therefore when a person has mastered a particular skill, he may be said to have "kung fu". The term became associated with martial arts because the mastery of any martial arts system requires years of dedicated practice. History of Taoism: Tao (pronounced "Dow") can be roughly translated into English as path, or the way. It is basically indefinable. It has to be experienced. It "refers to a power which envelops, surrounds and flows through all things, living and non-living. The Tao regulates natural processes and nourishes balance in the Universe. It embodies the harmony of opposites (i.e. there would be no love without hate, no light without dark, no male without female.)" 2 The founder of Taoism is believed by many to be Lao-Tse (604-531 BCE), a contemporary of Confucius. (Alternate spellings: Lao Tze, Lao Tsu, Lao Tzu, Laozi, Laotze, etc.). He was searching for a way that would avoid the constant feudal warfare and other conflicts that disrupted society during his lifetime. The result was his book: Tao-te-Ching (a.k.a. Daodejing). Others believe that he is a mythical character. Taoism started as a combination of psychology and philosophy but evolved into a religious faith in 440 CE when it was adopted as a state religion. At that time Lao-Tse became popularly venerated as a deity. Taoism, along with Buddhism and Confucianism, became one of the three great religions of China. With the end of the Ch'ing Dynasty in 1911, state support for Taoism ended. Much of the Taoist heritage was destroyed during the next period of warlordism. After the Communist victory in 1949, religious freedom was severely restricted. "The new government put monks to manual labor, confiscated temples, and plundered treasures. Several million monks were reduced to fewer than 50,000" by 1960. 3 During the cultural revolution in China from 1966 to 1976, much of the remaining Taoist heritage was destroyed. Some religious tolerance has been restored under Deng Xiao-ping from 1982 to the present time. Taoist Beliefs and Practices: Taoism has provided an alternative to the Confucian tradition in China. The two traditions have coexisted in the country, region and generally within the same individual. Tao is the first-cause of the universe. It is a force that flows through all life. "The Tao surrounds everyone and therefore everyone must listen to find enlightenment." 4 Each believer's goal is to become one with the Tao. The priesthood views the many gods as manifestations of the one Dao, "which could not be represented as an image or a particular thing." The concept of a personified deity is foreign to them, as is the concept of the creation of the universe. Thus, they do not pray as Christians do; there is no God to hear the prayers or to act upon them. They seek answers to life's problems through inner meditation and outer observation. In contrast with the beliefs and practices of the priesthood, most of the laity have "believed that spirits pervaded nature...The gods in heaven acted like and were treated like the officials in the world of men; worshipping the gods was a kind of rehearsal of attitudes toward secular authorities. On the other hand, the demons and ghosts of hell acted like and were treated like the bullies, outlaws, and threatening strangers in the real world; they were bribed by the people and were ritually arrested by the martial forces of the spirit officials." 3. The Three Jewels to be sought are compassion, moderation and humility.Taoists follow the art of "wu wei," which is to let nature take its course. For example, one should allow a river to flow towards the sea unimpeded; do not erect a dam which would interfere with its natural flow. One should plan in advance and consider carefully each action before making it. A Taoists is kind to other individuals, largely because such an action tends to be reciprocated. Taoists believe that "people are compassionate by nature...left to their own devices [they] will show this compassion without expecting a reward." 5 The Yin Yang symbol: This is a well known Taoist symbol. "It represents the balance of opposites in the universe. When they are equally present, all is calm. When one is outweighed by the other, there is confusion and disarray." 4 One source explains that it was derived from astronomical observations which recorded the shadow of the sun throughout a full year. 5 The two swirling shapes inside the symbol give the impression of change -- the only constant factor in the universe. One tradition states that Yin (or Ying; the dark side) represents the breath that formed the earth. Yang (the light side) symbolizes the breath that formed the heavens. "The most traditional view is that 'yin' represents aspects of the feminine: being soft, cool, calm, introspective, and healing... and "yang" the masculine: being hard, hot, energetic, moving, and sometimes aggressive. Another view has the 'yin' representing night and 'yang' day.5 However, since nothing in nature is purely black or purely white, the symbol includes a small black spot in the white swirl, and a corresponding white spot in the black swirl. Ultimately, the 'yin' and 'yang' can symbolize any two opposing forces in nature. Taosts believe that humans intervene in nature and upset the balance of Yin and Yang. The next major development followed a drift away from the Buddhist influence and back into the Taoist influence. In 1417 a Taoist monk Chang San-fung invented a radical new element of kung fu known as "soft fist" or "internal style". This is a slow, relaxed and mystical style, as opposed to the older styles, which were hard and externally orientated. Chang San-fung believed that the intensive physical exertion of the former styles of Kung Fu was against Taoist philosophy. The focus instead should be on internal energy and harmony. Taoist temples became centres of Kung Fu knowledge. One such existing internal style derived from the Taoist way is "Tai Chi Chuan" or "Mind Fist".Taoism TANTRIC TAOIST SPIRITUAL KUNG FU SYSTEMS What is less known is the facts of advanced secretive Taoist practices which were totally banned by the so called orthodox Taoist monasteries of China of those days. Few very advanced Taoist monks who chose to be highly unorthodox in thier behaviours and training regimen were either banned from monasteries or had to live in isolation. Afetr all what were these practises? why were they banned? why did they differ so radically from the other Taoist monks? these special monks who were a class of highly trained adepts in the best of Taoist kung fu skills and even hybrid Siulam skills practised a rather eerie but fascinating spiritual system of Black Buddhism or Tantric Buddhism which laid great emphasis on mantras (incantations), on mudras (symbolic gestures) and on mandalas (symbolic diagrams of deities and cosmic forces), as well as on magic and a multiplicity of deities.Tantric Buddhism probably began around 300 AD as an esoteric development among small circles of initiates, passed down from guru to pupil. It gathered momentum after 600 AD, and was espoused by the rulers of a kingdom known as Uddyana (possibly around Peshawar in modern Pakistan) and by the Pala dynasty in Bengal (750-1150). There was ample communications between the practising tantric masters of the east with those of China due to the then heavy trade influx. These methodology were so bizarre that an entire collection of books have to be written to elucidate its nature. These arts and traditions were never ever disclosed to the outside world and would only be genuinly handed down from one master to his student. One such master monk would or could have only one or two students who were specially initiated in such arts and then led through to conquering the dark forces of nature and spirits.The arts passed down to Great Grand Master .Yue was carefully handed down to GrandMaster.Tiger who was not only initiated ritually but blessed by the only living patriach of those banned monks. MORE LATER UPDATED PLEASE! |
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