Wu Dang internal school

[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JdAe7100JU

CCTV documentary on Wu Dang.

some highlites:

1. Wu Dang MA was based on shaolin "external" and built on or further developed. It stresses that use things in stillness to overcome things in movement (yi jin zhi dong) and use softness/gentleness to overcome hardness (yi ruo ke gang).

2. In 1416, Ming emperor (Zhu Li) built purple forbidden city in beijing, and he also built Wu Dang temple. He named it great mountain great peace palace (da yue da he gong). actually, the construction started 3 years earlier than the building of the forbidden palace. He recruited about 30,000 both civilian and military architects. It took about 10 years to finish.

3. The reason for the big construction is to encourage daoist monk Zhang San Feng to come out and meet up with the emperor.

4. Zhang San Feng only wore a piece of thin clothes. Sometimes he would eat a lot and sometimes, he may go without eating for days. He always travelled.

5. Legend said Zhang created Wu Dang Nei Jia Quan, while he was on Wu Dang mount. However, there was no historical or written record for this.

However, at the time, practice of MA was always secretive and also monks do not disclose whatever they are doing to gain fame.

[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1moPcwhVc_A

legend of Zhang San Feng.

formation of internal school.

1. Shaolin fist methods, theory and practice were fully developed during Ming dynasty.

Speed and power were the goal of practicing MA. Faster and stronger hand wins over slower and weaker hand. However, nobody may garantee that we are always faster and stronger than our opponents. What to do ? if we are the weaker one?

2. At the end of 14th century and the beginning of 15th century, people living in the central plains had to fight stronger and faster northern tribes. We were outnumbered, too. What to solve the military predicaments?

So everyone was waiting for a novel theory to solve the problem of how to defeat a stronger opponent.

The weapons of spear, sword etc are called cold weapons or leng bing qi.

The weapons of firearms, guns, bombs etc are called hot weapons.

3. legend said that Zhang learned Shaolin MA very well, while travelling, he also learned many styles of CMA. He eventually came to Wu Dang Shan and research everything he learned so far. One day he came up with the ideas that how to defeat a stronger and faster opponent. He was inspired by watching a bird fighting with a snake.

4. if you hit the head of a snake, its tail would respond. If you hit the tail, the head would respond, too. If you hit the middle abdomen, both the head and tail would both respond. From this, Zhang realized how to be hard even with softness.

5. In late Ming, Wang Zhong Xi and Wang Bai Jia wrote 2 books that first recorded Zhang San Feng created something that is opposite to Shaolin fist.

6. Shaolin MA stressed the practice of the skin, muscle, tendon and bone. It also talked about nei li. However, they still focus on developing to be stronger in body. The saying goes that "a strength will defeat 10 skills". meaning no matter what fighting methods you use, as long as I am stronger thatI may overtake/win over you.

7. Nei Jia Quan stressed practice of Jing Qi Shen. practice of yi (intent).

[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AX7jFCmP7U

1. Zhang based on the theory with daoist philosophy. Zhou Yi or the book of change was written by Zhou Wen Wang.

The central theme is to change (bian). there are 2 opposing elements in everything. yin and yang. In boxing theory, gentleness and hardness, stillness and movement are 2 elements at play in fighting. Nei Jia Quan do not have many hand methods but they may turn or change into many and many variants.

2. Lao Zi proposed that everything is going toward its opposite. so it is possible that soft may overcome hard and weak may overcome strong. In MA, if your moves going to far out, you will be susceptible to the opponent.

For example, two people are pushing against each other. Both increased opposing forces. All of a sudden, you yield to the side, the opponent would fall by his own pushing force. The timing is everything.

Nei Jia Quan avoid the strong points and go at the weak points of the opponent. Where the opponent is strong, we do not oppose or intercept or bu zhao bu jia. Where the opponent is weak and open, we go at it. That is how the soft and weak may overcome.

3. Nei Jia Quan also stress close in then attack. tie shen jin da.

4. Nei Jia Quan stress start late like a guest. The opponent starts attack first like a host. So we are still and wait initially. In the end, we switch roles from being a guest to a host.

5. these principles may be showned in Ba Gua Zhang for example.

demo by Zhang Quan Liang.

a. use things in stillness to overcome things in movement (yi jin zhi dong). we do not move and may get the opponent before or while he is in movement from his first to second move.

b. avoid the real and attack the empty. (bi si ji xu)

c. gentleness and hardness help each other. (kang rou xiang ji)

[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iAdyRvvQ2o

1. As a matter of fact, daoist priests practice MA so that they may protect themself while travelling. daoists persue harmony with everything in nature. the sun, the moon, the mountain, the river etc.

Priest Jia practices breathing Tu Na and sitting meditation at particular time daily.

Tu Na is to breath in fresh air and exhale CO2. Dao Yin is to guide and lead Qi circulating in the body. They are called practicing the internal exlixir or lian nei dan.

The idea of nei dan practice was very old. Only at high level of nei jia quan practice, we would attain a similar level of nei dan shu.

So Tu Na and nei dan practice are incorporated or part of your MA practice.

2. The practice of qi gong would enhance one's health and fitness.

3. Shaolin MA at high level also has practice of inner qi or nei qi. The concept of Qi and Xue (blood) is unique. Shaolin also has the concept of Qi and nei gong. However, nei jia quan focus and stress it.

4. Daoists like to dig a cave and practice MA in it without distraction. This is considered the best way to improve faster. The main reason is that we my quiet our mind and body without worldly distraction.

For example, you pick a spot close to a cliff and practice standing posture or zhan zhuang there. If you do not concentrate enough, you would fall.

5. Daoist temple was an imperial temple in Ming dynasty. So there were a lot financial and good environment for the priests at the time. Wu Dang mount has good weather and enough rains. 1/3 herbs recorded in beng cao gang mu may be found in Wu Dang Shan. Thus it is an idea place for daoist priests to practice and cultivate themself.

6 In contrast, Shaolin temple was involved in fighting wars in Ming dynasty. There were monk soldier regiments. So practice of MA was an organized activity in Shaolin. Shaolin fighting monks were considered elite troops. They were ordered to carry out a lot of missions including fighting a war.

7. Ming emperors were impartial to daoist priests. They were provided with food, clothers, and many farmers. They were specially treated without any worldly interruption. So they may practice wholeheartedly.

[SPJ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkD2tDd2q08

1. MA practice was among daoist priests only. The practice did not spread into civilian circles.

2. As the Ming was replaced by Qing, Wu Dang temple was no longer in favor. Many priests left the temple or dao guan. The daoist priests then started to pass along their MA practice, theory, tactics and strategy into civilian circles.

[AllanF]

When was this on? I can't belive i keep missing all these shows! Dam you work, dam you!

[SPJ]

Yes. Nei Jia Quan episode continued in this thread.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=653

overall, it is a very good program recently aired in China.