Symbolism in internal Chinese Martial Arts

[GrahamB]

Part 1
http://www.internalartsinternational.co ... ts-part-1/

[GrahamB]

Part 2

http://www.internalartsinternational.co ... ts-part-2/

[GrahamB]

Part 3

http://www.internalartsinternational.co ... ts-part-3/

[Bob]

Great material! You can subscribe at the website and there is also great material on Xing Yi.

I personally think Bisio's organization has caught the market for traditional Chinese martial arts ala bagua, xing yi etc. etc.. His referenced material is solid and his explanations are very clear. Love his material.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=18655

Bisio Impt of Symbolism Chinese IMA Pt 2

Post by Bob on Wed Jan 30, 2013 1:56 pm

http://www.internalartsinternational.co ... ts-part-2/
The Importance of Symbolism in the Chinese Internal Martial Arts – Part 2

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=18945

5 posts • Page 1 of 1

Importance of Symbolism Pt III Bisio Bagua/Neijia

Postby Bob on Wed Mar 06, 2013 4:40 am

http://www.internalartsinternational.co ... ts-part-3/

The Importance of Symbolism in the Chinese Internal Martial Arts – Part 3
Posted on March 1, 2013.

Continuing the discussion of the importance of Symbolism in Chinese Martial Arts, Part 3 delves into Yi Jing (I-Ching) symbolism which pervades all of Chinese thought and culture, including the internal martial arts.

Yi Jing Symbolism

The Yi Jing (I-Ching) has been such an important part of Chinese thought and culture for the last three thousand years that any brief discussion, even if confined to its relationship to the nei jia, will necessarily be incomplete. Yi Jing symbolism pervades not only the language of the internal martial arts, but also the overlapping disciplines of Daoist meditation, internal alchemy and traditional Chinese medicine. Richard Smith eloquently summarizes the importance of the Yi Jing in Chinese Culture:

The study of the Changes or Yi Xue is a black hole within the China field, a dense and immense space that allows no possibility of escape for anyone drawn by its immense pull. Still, by almost any standard, the Classic of Changes is one of the most important documents not only in Chinese history, but arguably in world history as well.[1]

That being understood, we will attempt to scratch the surface of Yi Jing thought and symbolism in relationship to the nei jia.
. . .

Conclusion
Hopefully these examples adequately illustrate the pervasiveness and importance of symbolism in Chinese thinking, language and culture. The old masters and those of the present generation of masters all came of age with these symbols embedded in their consciousness. As Westerners studying Chinese martial arts, we have to extend ourselves to understand and incorporate these images into our own thinking processes and training. In the same way that the “300 Spartans” conjures up a whole series of images, historical connotations and interrelationships for a Westerner, Zhang Fei Steals a Horse (a Ba Gua movement that references a character from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms) creates a wealth of associations for a Chinese person that influence the way they think, feel and practice.

http://www.internalartsinternational.co ... ts-part-3/


Posted on January 27, 2013.

[DeusTrismegistus]

Very nice articles, thanks for the links.