the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Nice source for understanding Confucius issues

https://youtu.be/gAU0i-ywBBU



Interesting take of harmony:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXtgDEAnoRo

Part 3: Family in the Confucian System. Professor Roger Ames (Beijing University)

Thanks Bob.
One of the best examples and references I have heard in decades.

taiwandeutscher wrote:But, as a sinologist, I'm rather sure, that they did not have real influence on TJQ as a martial art. That was only name-giving for face, not much more.

That’s the important part. Furthermore, too many people are distracted by complex theories from the effective training. Those theories may be clever, peculiar, and even applicable to their lifestyle, but never adding much to the development of their TJQ skill.

Well then, I guess we are lucky that there are so many shining examples of the effectiveness of Tai Chi as a martial art.

I’m yet to meet someone who became a fighter by studying philosophy. Chinese or otherwise

Scholar Warrior
Nothing wrong with understanding both

I’m afraid that the whole notion of scholar warriors got most of its traction during the late Qing and existed more as an intellectual gymnastics artifact than anything producing actual warriors. Unsurprisingly it caught attention of all kinds of New Age people in the 70’s and on in the West.

Not like I’m against studying philosophy or history, I’m a huge fan of both, actually. It’s just about avoiding to be delusional that one is a substitute for the training. Too many people fell prey to this misconception.

HotSoup wrote:I’m afraid that the whole notion of scholar warriors got most of its traction during the late Qing and existed more as an intellectual gymnastics artifact than anything producing actual warriors. Unsurprisingly it caught attention of all kinds of New Age people in the 70’s and on in the West.

Not like I’m against studying philosophy or history, I’m a huge fan of both, actually. It’s just about avoiding to be delusional that one is a substitute for the training. Too many people fell prey to this misconception.

Philosophy was never a substitute for training and never will be. Never was!
When the Warrior settles down, then he has the time for his tea events, his painting,etc but I believe in a society like USA, it is an impossiblity to see the distinction and even live it.
I have encountered this many times with some of my tai chi colleagues . Because they have not studied taijiquan, they see all tai chi as Yang style, they do not see or understand the other main taijiquan styles and they refuse to see a distinction. One of them even told me my taiji was not working because I forgot to put my garbage out......

Look at what is currently going on in US society and we see the mindset of the collective!

Hung I Hsiang called his school Wen Wu
I don’t see him as a flower child of the 70’s

Not like Hong Yixiang was famous for his scholar achievements

He is known for being a fighter sure
But the other side existed
Even if he lacked in the scholar he still had enough respect for it to name his school after it
His son certainally follows both paths
I have known many teachers equally wrapped in both cloths

It was the neo-confucians that introduced the concept of Wuji give birth to Taiji which contradicted the teaching in the Yijing and Daodejing. This created a very different world view from traditional Chinese thoughts.

Yeung wrote:It was the neo-confucians that introduced the concept of Wuji give birth to Taiji which contradicted the teaching in the Yijing and Daodejing. This created a very different world view from traditional Chinese thoughts.

Hm, the term was used early on, in Daodejing, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Huainanzi, Liezi.

taiwandeutscher wrote:

Yeung wrote:It was the neo-confucians that introduced the concept of Wuji give birth to Taiji which contradicted the teaching in the Yijing and Daodejing. This created a very different world view from traditional Chinese thoughts.

Hm, the term was used early on, in Daodejing, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Huainanzi, Liezi.

An inconvenient truth! LOL

taiwandeutscher wrote:

Yeung wrote:It was the neo-confucians that introduced the concept of Wuji give birth to Taiji which contradicted the teaching in the Yijing and Daodejing. This created a very different world view from traditional Chinese thoughts.

Hm, the term was used early on, in Daodejing, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Huainanzi, Liezi.

Nope. Wuji and “Wuji er Taiji” are Zhou Yi’s expressions.

In the Daodejing, nothingness is Wu and being is You. But I can’t really see how Zhou Yi’s explanation would contradict the Daodejing.

Taiji is mentioned once in the Yijing, but with no explanation and in the commentaries compiled by Zhou Yi.

Xunzi, Huainanzi, Liezi? I would want a source of where and how what is mentioned? I don’t remember seeing either Taiji or Wuji in those.