Shen Fa?

[Elliot]

What is a "shen fa?"

thanks.

[Bao]

"body method"

[D_Glenn]

"身法 ShenFa - pose or motion of one's body in martial arts"


.

[Bao]

"身法 ShenFa - pose or motion of one's body in martial arts"


.

Nah, it just means "body usage". Everything you do with your body regardless what you do requires shen fa: drawing, playing tennis, fucking and whatevah you can think about. Many terms (most actually) that we use in CMA are very common words that chinese people use on a daily basis - including stuff people like to use in a more pretetious manner like "yin/yang" and "qi".

[D_Glenn]

Notice the quotation marks - that came straight out of chinese dictionary.

And it's not a common word that is seen in normal dictionaries.

.

[C.J.Wang]

Not sure how the term shen fa is used in China, but in Taiwan it is usually used in relation to martial arts and sports only.

[Elliot]

Thanks gentlemen,

Why do people use the Chinese term so much here instead of just saying "body use?"

[kreese]

What is "body use"? That's equally vague. Every area will have its own specialized jargon. Since we are talking about Chinese martial arts, there are a lot of apt Chinese words. Bothering to learn some of them, which can be done passively by paying attention for a while, was immensely useful for me when I started studying under a teacher that taught mostly in Chinese. Most of his students, from foreign countries, speak and understand Chinese. I'd read enough books on CMA and watched enough VCDs that I could follow a lot of what he was saying with absolutely 0 Chinese training. Not every language is translatable 1-to-1 into another language. There is a major part of CMA, at least "internal" stuff, that requires a major shift in one's thinking. New words can help with this.

Yes, some people like to throw around fancy words, and for them, these words take on a magical meaning. But we're not too concerned with these people now, are we?

[Franklin]

probably because much of the basic training is developing a certain way to connect and use the body
and connection and usage will vary depending on the style
or even vary within a certain style depending on the branch or the teacher's understanding or preference

this development will be termed the "shen fa"

where the term "body use" is a translation but will fail to catch the meaning in normal usage

one of my interpretations why Chinese terms may be better for such things with an English speaking audience is that they make us search for an understanding
something like "body use" could refer to something as simple as extending the hand- application is a strike
in a common way a student may think that this is how we use the body- just strike someone
without thinking about the deeper meaning
but if you say we are going to train some basics that will teach you how to use your body in a certain way that will manifest the "shen fa" of our system- it gives a little more depth to the understanding- where the student must then search for and come to an understanding of what the "shen fa" is



also it just sounds cooler to say chinese terms like "shen fa" while wearing silk robes


Franklin

[qiphlow]

also it just sounds cooler to say chinese terms like "shen fa" while wearing silk robes

the nail has been hit on the head.

[Doc Stier]

the nail has been hit on the head.

[Elliot]

So, if the meaning of "Shen Fa" is first translated to the English speaking student as "body use," and then explained in detail so the student understands what it means, it is then clearer to keep using the Chinese term?

Spooky logic.

It does sound cool though.

[Little Bai]

I'm not sure that 'body use' is a proper translation. I think the term 'body requirements' from the Chen-style book by Sim/Gaffney confers the meaning a lot better. Shenfa of course also relates to movements, but the most basic content of it are the requirements of correct body posture, at least in Chen-style. 'fa' can be translated as method, but the more common meaning is law or rule - it is also used to describe the buddhist precepts.

[Sprint]

Thanks gentlemen,

Why do people use the Chinese term so much here instead of just saying "body use?"

The whole of the English language is filled with words of "foreign" origin. I think it is one of the reasons English is so much used is because it absorbs concepts from other cultures so easily (OK the British Empire and Computing might have had something to do with the globalization bit). Anyway check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:L ... ign_origin for quite a good list.

[Bao]

What is "body use"? That's equally vague.

Chinese is an abstract language and sometimes it is vague because every character, word or term needs a context to make sense. Because Chinese is abstract and sometimes hard to understand, I never speak about "shen fa, qi, yin-yang". We should find western terms and throw away everything that can lead people to think that the arts has something to do with mysticism.

Yes, some people like to throw around fancy words, and for them, these words take on a magical meaning. But we're not too concerned with these people now, are we?

They don't understand Chinese, so they think everything that sounds chinese is fancy. But most words we use in CMA, like yin-yang and qi, are very common, everyday words. The common word for "weather" in China is "tianqi" - "heaven-qi". If you are angry, you say that you have too much qi. If you speak about healthy food, you that that it has good yin-yang etc.