(reproduced from http://shaolin.org/answers/ans15b/jul15-1.html)

Chi kung works on energy resulting in good health, vitality and longevity, whereas gentle physical exercise only works on the physical body, like loosening joins and muscles

Question 1

I’m writing to ask about the combination of Chi Kung practice and recreation in China.

On your site I’ve seen information about certified instructors and heelers in different countries, but there’s nothing mentioned about China.

— Svetlana. Russia

Answer

I am sorry I would be unable to give a satisfactory answer on the combination of chi kung practice and recreation in China for the following reasons.

Our view of chi kung is quite different from that of most chi kung practitioners in China. We consider what they practice as gentle physical exercise, and not chi kung. Chi kung is an art of energy, but what most practitioners today in China do is to work on their physical body, like loosening joints and muscles, and not on their energy.

As an analogy, which may give a clearer picture, what most Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) practitioners today practice is external Taijiquan movements and not Taijiquan. Taijiquan is an internal martial art, but there is nothing internal, and nothing martial in what most Taijiquan practitioners today practice.

In both chi kung and Taijiquan, the forms used by most other practitioners and by us in our school, Shaolin Wahnam, are the same. The difference lies in how we practice the same forms. Most chi kung practitioners in China practice the chi kung forms as gentle physical exercise; we practice the same forms as an art of energy. Most other Taijiquan practitioners all over the world practice the Taijiquan forms as external movements; we practice the same Taijiquan forms as an internal martial art.

This is our view. You should also get the views of those whom we consider practice chi kung as gentle physical exercise, or Taijiquan as external movements.

Nevertheless, there are masters in China who practice chi kung as an art of energy, and there are masters in the world, including in China, who practice Taijiquan as an internal martial art. But they are few and rare, and may not be interested in teaching their arts.

On the other hand, I am competent to give a satisfactory answer on the combination of chi kung practice and recreation in our school. While there are many other benefits, like good health, vitality, longevity and peak performance, we take our chi kung practice as recreation, and not as endurance as many other chi kung practitioners may regard their practice. If you learn from us, you will soon discover that the three golden rules of practice in our school are (1) not to worry, (2) not to intellectualize while practicing, and (3) enjoy your practice.

This difference between recreation and endurance is more noticeable in the various styles of kungfu practiced in our school. In most other schools, kungfu training is characterized by endurance, epitomized by the term “ku lian”, which means “bitter training”. In our school the key word even in kungfu training is “enjoy yourselves”. It is almost a joke.

Chi kung, but not gentle physical exercise, is excellent for therapy. Many of our students overcame their so-called incurable diseases, like cancer, heart problems, diabetes, chronic pain, depression and addiction, by practicing chi kung learnt from us. Those who are already healthy prevent these so-called incurable diseases from happening, and are daily full of joy and vitality.

Please take note that “therapy” here means healing yourself, not healing others. In other words, our chi kung practice enables our students to heal themselves if they are sick, and remain healthy if they have no illness. If they want to be a chi kung healer to heal others, they must first become a good chi kung student, then be selected to attend special courses on chi kung healing.

My website contains information about activities, including certified instructors and healers, in various countries but not in China, because it describes activities as they are, and we have not expanded to China. If people in China believe that they can benefit from our activities, we shall gladly expand there. It is worthy of note that the expansion of our activities worldwide is spontaneous, initiated by dedicated people in the countries themselves.

Question 2

I would like to combine recreation, therapy, relaxation with Chi Kung practice. Is it possible to do in one of your health cultivation centres. I have recently come across the book by Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit, “The Art of Chi Kung”, and I’ve realized that it’s exactly what I need.

Answer

If you like to combine recreation, therapy, relaxation with chi kung practice, I would recommend that you attend my Intensive Chi Kung Course. You may also be amazed at the many other benefits that you may not even dream about. Please see my website for details, and apply to my secretary for registration.

Thank you for the kind words about my book. Many people have kindly told me that it is the best book they have read on chi kung.

Kungfu is for fighting — using kungfu techniques, not kick-boxing or techniques of other martial systems

Question 3

I want to learn kungfu.

— Ali, Pakistan

Answer

Many people want to learn kungfu, but end up learning kungfu forms or kick-boxing instead. Learning kungfu fomrs or kick-boxing is fine, but it is different from learning kungfu.

Before you learn kungfu, or any art, it is wise to know what that art is. This may sound trite or unnecessary, but it will not only save you a lot of time but also prevent you from much injury.

For convenience we may classify kungfu into three types: ordinary kungfu, good kungfu, and great kungfu.

Ordinary kungfu is for self-defence. There are also other arts of self-defence, like kick-boxing, karate and taekwondo. The main difference is their forms. Kick-boxing uses kick-boxing forms, karate uses karate forms, taekwondo uses taekwondo forms, and kungfu uses kungfu forms.

There are different styles of kungfu, like Shaolin, Taijiquan, Praying Mantis and Baguzzhang. Praying Mantis kungfu forms can be very different from Baguazhang kungfu forms.

About 90% of those who say they practice kungfu only perform kungfu forms. Strictly speaking they do not practice genuine kungfu because they cannot apply their kungfu forms for fighting. Many of them may not admit this fact. Some may not even realize it.

Of those who practice only kungfu forms and cannot use their kungfu forms for fighting, 70% of them perform their kungfu forms for demonstration. Past masters referred to such demonstrative kungfu forms as “flowery fists embroidery kicks”. 30% of them use kick-boxing or other martial techniques, but not kungfu, for fighting.

I would like to clarify that personally I have nothing against them. What and how they choose to practice is their right and business. Actually many of those who practice “flowery fists and embroidery kicks” are very nice people – the type of people I would like to have tea with, though I disagree with their concept and practice of kungfu.

So, kungfu is quite rare. Kungfu is for fighting. But the great majority of those who say they practice kungfu, cannot use their kungfu for fighting, though some of them are good fighters using kick-boxing or other martial techniques.

For every 100 persons who say they practice kungfu, only about 10 can use their kungfu for fighting. In our classification, we call this ordinary kungfu.

But kungfu is not just for fighting, though combat efficiency is its most basic requirement. Good kungfu contributes to health, vitality and longevity. While the percentage of those who practice genuine kungfu is low, only about 10%, amongst those who practice genuine kungfu, the percentage of good kungfu is high, about 70%. So about 7 out of the 10 practitioners of genuine kungfu have good health. They also have high moral values.

Amongst those who practice “flowery fists embroidery kicks”, the percentage of good health is also very high, about 90%, or about 63 of 70 practitioners. But they cannot be said to practice good kungfu, not even ordinary kungfu, because they cannot use their kungfu for combat.

Why is the percentage of good health amongst “flowery fists embroidery kicks” practitioners, 90%, higher than that of genuine kungfu practitioners, 70%? It is because genuine kungfu practitioners engage in combat where they may tense their muscles to generate mechanical strength. Those who practice kungfu forms but use kick-boxing or other martial techniques for combat do not have good health because they sustain a lot of injury which is routinely left unattended to.

Great kungfu, which is not only for combat and good health but also for spiritual cultivation, is very rare. Only 1% of those who say they practice kungfu may have a chance to practice great kungfu.

Please take note that spiritual cultivation is different from moral cultivation, though they are closely related. A morally cultivated person is kind and considerate, but he may or may not believe in his own spirit. He may think that he is only a physical body. Spiritual cultivation is the cultivation of the spirit. A spiritually cultivated person is relaxed, peaceful and happy, and at high levels may have glimpses of Cosmic Realty.

Please also take note that spiritual cultivation is non-religious. Any person of any religion or without any professed religion can cultivate spiritually. Spiritual cultivation will enable a religious person to be a better follower of his own religion because it makes his religions teaching come alive.

To sum up, kungfu is rare. Most people practice only kungfu forms, and use kick-boxing or other martial techniques when they have to fight. Genuine kungfu may be ordinary, good or great. Ordinary kungfu is for fighting. Good kungfu is for fighting and good health. Great kungfu is for fighting, good health and spiritual cultivation.

It is a golden opportunity to be able to practice great kungfu. But because kungfu today is so debased, the public generally does not have a good impression of kungfu practitioners. They think of them as rough and aggressive. In fact it is the resvers. A genuine kungfu practitioner is gentle and considerate to others, relaxed and happy to himself.

Question 4

I often feel more powerful after training a Small Universe session rather than an Iron Wire session.

— Steven, USA

Answer

If all other things were equal, Iron Wire will produce more internal force than Small Universe. On the other hand, Small Universe will give better health benefits than Iron Wire. This is relative. Iron Wire, when practiced correct, also gives very good benefits for health. Small Universe also produces internal force.

But many people practice Iron Wire wrongly. They perform it as isometric exercise which also produces much strength. But it produces big muscles which are detrimental to health.

For you other things are not equal. You have learned both Iron Wire and Small Universe, and can perform them well. More significantly, you gain the benefit of breadth and depth, which enhance both your Iron Wire and Small Universe as well as all other arts. Hence, different from the norm, your Small Universe generate more internal force for you than Iron Wire.

There may be various reasons which we don’t need to worry about, but will discuss here for intellectual pleasure. A likely reason is that having learnt Iron Wire, you know how to develop internal force using the force method. When you practice Small Universe, your flow method enhance the internal force earlier created by your force method, making you more powerful than had you employed only the force method.

A Small Universe Course in Penang

Question 5

Can Small Universe be used as the sole method for training internal force? If so, is the internal force generated from Small Universe classified as flowing force?

Answer

Yes, you can use only the Small Universe to generate internal force. But because you also know other methods, it is wise to use the other methods too, even once a while.

Yes, the internal force generated from Small Universe is classified as flowing force. Because of our benefit in breadth and depth, we can convert the flowing force into consolidated force, and vice versa, if we like.

You need not worry whether which method will give you the optimum benefit, because even if, without your knowing, you have chosen a relatively less effective method, you will still produce a lot of internal force and other benefits.

As an analogy, if a man uses method A he earns 4 million dollars a month, but he uses method B he earns only 3 million dollars a month, which is by proportion considerably less. But he needs not worry and makes himself stressful which method to use. Even if he earns only a million dollars a month using any method and performs below par, he still has more money than his needs.

But if he earns four thousand dollars a month using method A, and only three thousand dollars a month using method B, he needs to be sure he uses method A. Earning 25% less income in this case makes a difference.

Question 6

By practicing the Small Universe daily and training Iron Wire once in awhile, does my Iron Wire force dissipate from the circulation from Small Universe? I believe the answer is no from personal experience, but I would be very grateful if Sigung could confirm.

Answer

You are right. The answer is no.

For other people without our benefit of breadth and depth, not only the Iron Wire force will dissipate, it may interfere with his Small Universe training.

This is because of the magic of chi flow that we have. We can convert flowing force, or a portion of it, into consolidated force, and vice versa.

An Iron Wire Course in Lisbon

Question 7

I’ve been trying to slowly incorporate Iron Wire back into my training regimen by practicing every other day. However, I find that the force generated from Small Universe often spills over into my Iron Wire practice, making the Iron Wire sessions too powerful.

Answer

This is quite normal in our school because of our benefit of breadth and depth. Yours and many other people’s examples in our school answer a question some of our instructors initially asked, which was whether they should focus on what they already knew or learned new material.

Our advice to students, which is quite ridiculous to other people if not a joke, is to tell our students train less, not more. Don’t over-train. Use the time you save and the internal force and mental clarity you gain from your training to get a good girlfriend.

Question 8

Could Sigung kindly provide training advice as to how to proceed with Small Universe and Iron Wire?

Answer

If you earn a million dollars a month when your needs are ten thousands, you need not worry about the best working procedure. Just carry on working the way you have been doing, with the three golden rules of working, namely don’t worry, don’t intellectualize, enjoy the work. Even if you earn only one tenth of your potential, you still earn ten times your needs.

This is the same as internal force training. You change “dollars” to “units of internal force”. If you generate a million units of internal force a month when your needs are only ten thousand units, you need not worry about your best training procedure. Even if you generate only one tenth of your potential, you still have ten times more force than your needs. Just continue training the way you have been doing, but taking care not to over-train, following the three golden rules of practice, namely don’t worry, don’t intellectualize, enjoy your practice.

Is it fair to say that you can generate a million units of internal force? Let us do some comparison. Suppose a student in another school is lucky enough to train internal force, and he develops 20,000 units of internal force a month. You develop 1,000,000 units, which is 50 times more. So the question is whether it is justifiable to estimate that you are 50 times more efficient.

You develop so much force in just one session. From practical experience of students training internal force, it is reasonable to say that he does not develop a similar amount of force in 50 days. So the estimate is justified.

Is it reasonable to say that a person’s needs to carry on life healthily are 10,000 units of internal force? By leading a healthy life is meant that he is not sick nor in pain, he can eat and sleep, and do his work and enjoy his play. We assign 10,000 units of internal force to carry out such activities.

Not many people have a change to train internal force. We assign 20,000 units to a person who has genuinely and successfully trained internal force. In other words, a person with internal force will have double the amount of force to carry out the normal life of a healthy person. From everyday experience, this is a reasonable estimate.

(reproduced from http://shaolin.org/answers/ans15a/jun15-3.html)

According to chi kung philosophy all diseases can be overcome

Question 1

Can you tell us more about heart to heart transmission?

— Dagmar, Germany

Answer

Heart to heart transmission is self-explanatory. It means the transfer of knowledge, skills, wisdom or realization from the heart of the teacher to the heart of the student. However, like many arts such as chi kung and spiritual cultivation, the uninitiated may still not understand the meaning even when it is clearly explained.

A good example is “chi”, or energy. Students in our school do not ask what chi is because they realize its meaning through direct experience. But many chi kung practitioners still ask what chi is despite having practiced chi kung, or what they think is chi kung, for many years. It is because they do not have a direct experience of chi.

All great arts are not merely taught by a teacher to his students, but are transmitted by him to then from heart to heart. It is failing to appreciate this fact, mainly due to a lack of direct experience, that many people think, mistakenly, that they can learn great arts from books or videos, or that all teachers of these arts are the same.

It is also due to a failure to appreciate this fact that some people ask me what chi kung exercises they should practice to overcome certain illness. It is not the kind of exercises they perform, i.e. the techniques, but how they perform them, i.e. the skills, that are crucial in enabling them to overcome illness. In other words, even when they know the best techniques but lack the necessary skills, they would not overcome their illness. Skills are best acquired from a competent teacher. On the other hand, even when a person has only mediocre techniques but good skills, he may overcome his illness.

It is because of our understanding of this fact about techniques and skills, that we have become very cost-effective in our training. Indeed, we are cost-effective to a ridiculous extent, that our students can attain in one month what it takes even masters a year to attain!

Masters take a much longer time to attain similar results because they do not differentiate between techniques and skills. They practice appropriate techniques dedicatedly and develop the necessary skills unknowingly, which may happen haphazardly. Only when the necessary skills are present during their training that the desired benefits result. Hence, they do not have the great advantage of accumulated benefit even when they practice everyday, because, as they are unaware of them, the necessary skills do not occur every time they practice.

This understanding between techniques and skills constitute a crucial part of heart to heart transmission. It is skills that are transmitted from heart to heart, not techniques.

Let us take Cosmic Shower as an illustration. An excellent technique for Cosmic Shower is Carrying the Moon. Students may practice Carrying the Moon correctly and diligently, but they may not have a cosmic shower. Indeed, most of them do not have even an energy flow. They practice the technique as gentle physical exercise, not as an art of energy.

Some of these dedicated students may eventually, but without their conscious awareness, develop the skills of generating an energy flow. Next, usually after many years, a very few of these dedicated students may experience a cosmic shower after they have unknowingly developed the necessary skills.

Our students are very lucky. When they take a course on Cosmic Shower, the necessary skills are transmitted to them. By applying these skills they can have a cosmic shower in just one day! As I mentioned earlier, this is ridiculous, but true.

How do our students know that they have a cosmic shower? In principle it is the same as asking how do people know they eat an orange or drink some coffee. They know from direct experience. Our students know they have a cosmic shower as surely as those eating oranges or drinking coffee know they eat oranges or drink coffee. Those who have no experience of a cosmic shower, eating oranges or drinking coffee will not know regardless of how well the events are described to them.

The transmission must be from heart to heart, not merely giving instructions from mouth to ear. Let us take an example. A teacher may ask his students to relax, which incidentally is a very important requirement in any internal cultivation. The instruction comes from the teacher’s mouth, and enters the students’ ears. But the students may not be relaxed. No matter how well they perform the techniques, they will not get the benefit of the art.

On the other hand, when a teacher from our school asks his students to relax, it is transmitted from his heart to his students’ heart. He sincerely wants his students to relax so that his teaching is successful, and his students genuinely want to relax so that they derive the benefit of the training. When I teach a class on Cosmic Shower, I sincerely want to impart the necessary skills, and the students genuine want to follow the instructions so as to get the desired results.

Question 2

Are you able to treat schizophrenia? My son has audio hallucinations. They began in 2006. He was treated by a grand qigong master. The voices subsided for 2 years. They returned he recieve another treatment. However eventually the treatments stopped being effective. He continued his qigong exercises and herbs. It was not successful. I am still hopeful qigong can help. Are you able to successfully treat him?

— Cathy, USA

Answer

According to qigong philosophy, there is no such a thing as an incurable disease. In other words, all diseases, including schizophrenia, can be overcome by practicing genuine, high-level qigong.

However, this does not necessarily mean that all patients will be cured of their diseases if they practice genuine, high-level qigong. This is because other factors besides genuine. high-level qigong are at work in overcoming diseases. For example, if a patient does not practice correctly or sufficiently, or his illness has gone beyond a threshold, he would not be cured even when he has a rare opportunity to practice genuine, high-level qigong.

Nevertheless, we are happy and proud to say that many people who suffered from schizophrenia completely recovered their good health after practicing qigong learnt from us. This webpage gives some examples of remarkable recovery. You can also find many other examples from my website and at our Shaolin Wahnam Discussion Forum.

I would recommend that your son attend my Intensive Chi Kung Course. Please apply to my secretary for registration if your son wishes to attend. Besides overcoming illness, the course gives many other benefits.

The opening pattern in the Taming Tiger Set is an excellent way to train internal force

Question 3

One thing that confuses me, though, is the methodology of training. The sifu told me that the first two stages of his school’s training were predominantly external, followed by internal cultivation.

I remember you mentioned that during your training with Uncle Righteousness, he emphasized using strength and striking a wooden dummy. I also remember that one of your sihings who specialized in the Triple Stretch set broke a staff he was using when his internal force shook through it.

Did Uncle Righteousness teach in a similar way to this school, first emphasizing ‘using strength’ and then teaching internal force in later levels, for example when teaching Triple Stretc

— Fredrick Chu, USA

Editorial Note: Fredrick’s other questions can be accessed at June 2015 Part 2 issue of the Question-Answer Series.

Answer

Almost all schools other than the so-called internal schools train in this way. They start with external training. Because of their dedicated training over a long time, they develop internal force, often without calling it internal force.

The so-called internal schools start with “soft” training (but not internal training). Even when their students are dedicated over a long time, they never develop any internal force, though sometimes some of them talk about internal force as if they have it.

This was the reason why your sisook, Anthony Spinicchia, told us in Hawaii that he found “external” masters had more internal force than so-called “internal” masters.

Our school is a rare exception. We have external and internal, hard and soft training right at the start.

Question 4

I’ve noticed that the students who are more senior than me were using a lot of tension when practicing the greeting pattern and beginning section of the Taming the Tiger set. Sifu wrote a blog post recently hypothesizing that some students who saw their masters demonstrate force in a manner that caused their hands and arms to vibrate, tried duplicating the vibration, but with muscular tension. Many of the demonstrations I’ve seen on YouTube of practitioners from the Hoong Ka lineage show a lot of tension with their lineage greeting pattern, Five Animals set (especially the Dragon section of the set), and Iron Wire.

Answer

You sifu is right. The masters had internal force, and the students did not have. The students imitated the external form of the master without knowing its inner significance. This is known in Chinese (Cantonese) as “zi kei phew ye pat zi kei nui”, which my Wing Choon master, Sifu Choy Hoong Choy, often said.

The obvious external appearance was the vibration of the master’s hand due to his internal force. The students did not have internal force, but they imitated the master’s movement. So they purposely shook their hands, moving their fingers. Their action was voluntary, whereas the master’s action was involuntary.

This imitation was most noticeable in Silat, the Malay art of attack and defence. I believe in its early history, Silat was much influenced by Baguazhang. Many Baguazhang masters from the Chinese imperial guards came to Indonesia and Malaysia (called Malaya at that time) to teach the guards of the local sultans. The masters had much internal force and their hands vibrated. The locak students tried to imitate them, with the result that today many Silat practitioners purposely move their fingers often without knowing why.

At least these Silat students do not harm themselves. These movements are often called “bunga” or “flower”, i.e. meant for show. Their combat applications are called “buah”, or “fruit”.

But tensing their muscles in their attempt to produce force, like what many Hoong Ka students do, can be very harmful, and worse, their harm is insidious. Their tension is due to practicing internal force training methods, especially in Iron Wire, as isometric exercise. They can develop a lot of power, but the power comes from muscular strength and not from internal force. Some of them even go a step farther by lifting weights.

A tell-tale sign of their mistake is that they have big muscles. It is alarming that they don’t seem to realize that masters like Wong Fei Hoong and Lam Sai Weng, who were very powerful, did not have big muscles.

Sifu Wong Chun Nga demonstrating Golden Bell where he took strikes by a chopper without sustaining any injury from Sifu Mark Appleford

Question 5

I want to avoid using muscular tension, as my personal experience is that I’ve gotten better results through internal force training. To avoid using tension, should I instead emphasize consolidating and vibrating my internal force (and later letting it flow) instead of using muscular tension?

Answer

It is unwise to use muscular tension even if you don’t produce any internal force. It is just silly to use muscular tension when you know how to produce internal force with appropriate methods even if the internal force produced is less than muscular strength. It is very silly if you have personal experience that the internal force produced is better than muscular strength from muscular tension.

You just avoid muscular tension. You don’t have to purposely emphasize consolidating and vibrating your internal force and later letting it flow. You just practice the methods as you have learnt them, without adding anything extra.

If your sifu or whoever competent teacher teaching you does not ask you to consolidate force, you don’t have to consolidate force. If he asks you to consolidate force, you consolidate force.

It is actually very simple. If your teacher asks you to do ABC, you just do ABC. You don’t do ABC and then add D. You also don’t do CBA or EFG.

Of course you must, before you started to learn from a teacher, ensure that he is competent, and his students have the result practicing the art will give.

Question 6

To link up with my questions with the Small Universe above, are Hoong Ka practitioners known for attaining the Small or Big Universe? I remember hearing in the discussion forum that some people felt the Iron Wire set was akin to a Forceful Small Universe.

Answer

Hoong Ka practitioners and practitioners of any kungfu style normally do not attend the Small or Big Universe. Only rare masters, after many, many years of dedicated training may attain the Small Universe, and rarely the Big Universe, and often without their conscious knowing.

Only a few people at masters’ levels had a chance to learn the Small Universe. Even these masters took about 10 years or more to attain it. They would give a celebration on attaining the Small Universe.

It was, and still is, to most other people outside our school, ridiculous to attain the Small Universe in a special course of a few days. Attaining the Small Universe in my Small Universe Course is the norm, not the exception.

But strictly speaking these successful course participants did not attain the Small Universe in a few days. They had already spent at least two or three years, usually more, accumulating their chi at their dan tian. I took a few days in the course to activate their small universal chi flow.

Why do our students take two or three years to attain the Small Universe when past masters took more than ten? One important reason is that we understand the underlying philosophy. Another important reason is that we differentiate between techniques and skills. A third important reason is that we employ the best techniques and skills and have accumulative effect.

Lau Ka Kungfu is well known for its staff

Question 7

As an interesting side note, when I asked the Hoong Ka sifu about his school’s Iron Vest and Golden Bell, he said that some of the benefits he most enjoyed about were a greatly enhanced immune system, longevity, and overall youthfulness. Since he is about 59, but he looks 30 and is very physically fit and agile in addition to being full of laughter, I’m very certain he has attained good levels in his training.

Answer

The Hoong Ka sifu is an inspiration.

Those who harm themselves by lifting weight or generous exchange of blows, are angry and depressed, and look 59 when they are just 30, should learn from this sifu’s example, if not actually from him in person.

Question 8

I also had a question about some kung fu history. According to the Hoong Ka sifu, some schools of Hoong Ka incorporated Lau Ka kung fu into their training, and this school is one of them. I began learning a set named Lau Ka Kuen and it feels similar to the feeling I get from practicing the Cross-Road at Four Gates set. Could you explain a little about Lau Ka kung fu’s history and general characteristics?

Answer

This is no surprise as both Hoong Ka Kungfu and Lau Ka Kungfu came from Southern Shaolin, and Cross-Road at Four Gates was the fundamental set at the southern Shaolin Temple at Quanzhou.

After the burning of the southern Shaolin Temple at Quanzhou, the Venerable Chee Seen built another southern Shaolin Temple on the Nine-Lotus Mountain. This second southern Shaolin Temple was also burnt, and some masters escaped.

One of these Shaolin masters escaped to Guangxi Province in the western part of South China and taught Shaolin Kungfu to Lau Sam Ngan.

Lau Sam Ngan was his nick-name, which means “Three-Eye Lau”. During a sparring using staffs with his master, he was hit on the forehead, and a scar remained like a third eye.

Lau Sam Ngan spread this style of Shaolin Kungfu, which was name after him, meaning Lau Family Kungfu. It is a hard, external style, using low stances and short strikes. Lau Ka Kungfu is well know for its staff.

How to Flow and Press, and be Safe

In the previous three combat sequences, we leaned three attack techniques using hand strikes at the top, middle and lower parts of the opponent. We also learned the corresponding defence techniques. In this combat sequence, “Hang a Golden Star at a Corner”, we learn attack techniques at the sides, i.e. left and right. These four modes of attacks — top, middle, bottom and sides — represent the whole range of directions any hand strikes can come from.

If you can execute a middle attack using “Black tiger Steals Heart”, i.e. a middle thrust punch, you can also execute other forms of middle attacks by changing the hand form and the stance. For example, instead of using a thrust punch you may use a palm strike, and instead of using a bow- arrow stance you may you use a false-leg stance. Similarly by varying the hand forms and stances of the other modes of attacks, you can have an unlimited range of attack techniques.

Poise Patterns	White Snake

On the ther hand, if you can defend against a middle thrust punch, you can also defend against other forms of middle attacks. In other words, if you can effectively use “Single Tiger Energes from Cave” to counter “Black Tiger Steals Heart”, you can also counter his attack even if he uses a palm jab instead of a thrust punch, and uses a unicorm step instead of a bow-arrow stance, or any other hand forms and stances. The same principle applies to the other modes of attacks. Hence, when you are efficient in defending against these four representative hand strikes, you can defend against any hand strikes.

Golden Dragon	Precious Duck

We use “Black Tiger Steals Heart” as a representative middle hand strike, and “Single Tiger Emerges from Cave” as its representative defence. For some reasons, such as to gain techniical or tactica advantages, we may use another middle attack technique instead of the “Black Tiger”. Similarly we may use another middle defend technique instead of the “Single Tiger”. But we shall leave these considerations to later lessons. At this stage, it is sufficient to focus on these four representative attacks and defence so that we can develop the necessary combat skills to apply these techniques well.

Hand Sweep	Golden Star

Generally, skills are more important than techniques — a fact most martial art students today are ignorant of. Another important fact they are ignorant of is that skills, as well as techniques, need to be systematically acquired — not just read from a book or a webpage. Hence, traditional kungfu masters did not allow their students to engage in free sparing unless they were ready. But due to their ignorance, present-day students rush into free sparring. Not only they do not acquire skills and techiques, they hurt themselves unnecessarily.

Briefly, the skills we have learnt include right timing, right spacing, right judgement, quick decision, instantaneous change, fluid miovement, footwork adjustment and safe coverage. If you are not sufficiently proficient in any of these skills, or worse if you do not even know what these skills mean, it is better to go back to the previous combat sequences for more training.

Single Tiger	Poise Patterns

Two new skills are introduced in this sequence training: the skill of flowing attack and the skills of pressing attack. As your opponent sweeps at your low punch at “Precious Duck Swims through Lotus”, you flow with the opponent’s momentum and swing your attacking arm upward in a curve into a “horn punch” at his temple, simultaneously you press in a small step and guard his sweeping hand. If you do not cover his hand, he may pierce it into your side ribs or bowels. Hence, this attack movement involves three skills: the skills of flowing attack, or pressing attack, and of safe coverage.

“Hang a Golden Star” is a short range attack but involves much movement. Thus, due to this innate disadvantage it is not a commonly used attack technque. But there may be situations, such as this one, where it may be useful.

OVERVIEW

Poise Patterns	White Snake	Golden Dragon	Precious Duck
Hand Sweep	Golden Star	Single Tiger	Poise Patterns

How You May Avoid a Heavy Object Crashing into You

After you have developed some reasonable skills in correct timing and correct spacing — two of the most fundamental skills in combat application — you can proceed to developing the skills for fast judgment, quick decision and instantaneous change. This combat sequence, White Snake Shoots Venom, is effective for developing these three skills.

In the previous combat sequence, “Black Tiger Steals Heart”, you are used to defending against the opponent’s middle strike. Suddenly he changes his attack to a top strike. You have to judge correctly, make a quick decision and apply the appropriate defence.

Poise Patterns	Black Tiger

In this sequence, the attack is purposely reduced to only two choices, a middle hand strike or a top hand strike. If there are too many choices, as in free sparring, it would be difficult for the defender to judge, thus defeating the purpose of developing the skill of judgment.

Before this, there is no need to make any judgment because there is only one pre-arranged mode of attack. Now only one of many controlled factors is released, marking the first step in judging and decision making — to judge whether the attack is aimed at the top or at the middle and to decide what response to make. Only very gradually, the control is released. If too many controlled factors are released suddenly, the training would become brawling, not developing skills.

Single Tiger	Black Tiger

The two skills of judging and decision are closely related. At this stage the decision is premeditated, i.e. it has already been made for you (basing on the rich experience of centuries of past Shaolin masters) so that you can focus on right judgment and right response. In other words, if you judge the attack aims at your top, you respond straightaway with “Golden Dragon”, if it aims at your middle, you respond straightaway with “Single Tiger”.

Later, when you are more skilful and have a greater range of techniques, you may insert decision making before your response. For example, when you have judged that the attack is aiming at your top, you may decide which of a number of alternatives you will respond, depending on what advantages or situations you wish to create.

Single Tiger	White Snake

Suppose your opponent makes a top attack but you misjudge it to be a middle attack. So you respond with “Single Tiger Steals Heart” instead of “Golden Dragon Plays with Water”. It is a mistake, and in a real fight the opponent’s attack may have pierced into your throat or eye. But, of course, in training your partner would stop a few inches before target.

Untrained persons would just freeze, not knowing what to do. But you don’t. You just tilt your body slightly forward to your side, and simultaneously change your tiger-claw into a dragon-form and “thread” it upward, deflecting the attack. Your partner would have stopped his attack momentarily for you to implement the belated move.

Initially you would be hesitant. There would be a gap of a few seconds between realizing your wrong judgment and making the appropriate changes. But gradually you would reduce the gap until eventually the change would be instantaneous. You would have developed the skill of instantaneous change.

Golden Dragon	Poise Patterns

These skills are, of course, very useful in our everyday life. In the business world, for example, there is a saying that a bad decision is better than no decision. So, if your host asks whether you prefer chicken curry or beef steak, don’t say you don’t know. Make a decision.

Shaolin students are trained not just to make decisions fast but also correctly. But if we make a wrong decision, we do not just remain frozen, and blame others or ourselves; we make correction immediately.

Suppose a heavy object is crashing onto a person. Often, taken by surprise he remains motionless. But you would have jumped aside elegantly. What makes the difference? You have undergone systematic training but he hasn’t.

OVERVIEW

Poise Patterns	Black Tiger	Single Tiger	Black Tiger
Single Tiger	White Snake	Golden Dragon	Poise Patterns

From 1st April 2015 onwards, all transaction in Malaysia are subjected to a 6% Goods and Service Tax (GST). Our school will absorb this tax. Fees for courses conducted in Malaysia are inclusive of this 6% GST.

Shaolin Wahnam Kuala Lumpur would like to wish all family and friends a prosperous Happy Chinese New Year!

Initially I had no intention to issue any statement on the accusations against a former instructor of our school allegedly raping some students as well as subsequent allegations against me that I condoned such behavior. However, after discussion with three of the most senior family members of our school, and following their advice, a statement to explain the issues as well as the stand of our school, Shaolin Wahnam, concerning these issues, will be helpful.

The reasons for not issuing a statement earlier regarding the accusations were as follows:

1. The accusations were just accusations. They have not been proven.

2. My utmost concern was to help victims, if the accusations were true, to recover and get on to normal life. I believed most of them, if not all, would not like their affairs to be made public. I was quite sure the accused person, regardless of whether the accusations were true, would not like a public statement. I believe a public statement would do more harm than good.

3. I did not have sufficient evidence to justify issuing a statement. I only had one piece of evidence. In that only evidence, the victim was traumatized but she said that no force was used on her.

4. Without going into the legal technicalities of the term “rape”, I did not believe the accused person raped any women. He might (or might not) have enticed the women into having sex with him, and the women might (or might not) regret the sexual relationship later on, but I did not believe he physically forced them into sex.

5. The accused person is my student, and I regard all my students like my children. I would not denounce my children based on accusations.

6. Suppose the accusations were true. Our school or I would not be in a right position to investigate, decide and mete out punishment. We lacked both the authority and the resources. The investigation should be carried out by the police, decided upon by a jury, and the punishment, if found guilty, meted out by a judge. Issuing a statement is prejudicial.

The reasons for not issuing a statement earlier regarding the allegations that I condoned sexual abuse were as follows.

1. The allegations were certainly not true. We have clearly stated that we do not tolerate sexual abuse. I do not want to waste time on false allegations, just like I do not want to waste time on people who alleged that chi kung could not overcome illness or kungfu could not be used for fighting. I believe that the truth will eventually shine.

2. In terms of sexual relationship, I am a traditionalist, though I have been “softened” by Western culture. In combat application for example, I rarely choose female students as my sparring partner because I do not want to give a false impression of an instructor exploiting his female students in sexual matters. I am also not in favor of a teacher, who is like a father, marrying his own student.

Yet, when two of our former chief instructors who were closely connected with these accusations, Anthony Korahais and Rama Roberto, asked me for my opinion when they wanted to marry their own students, I gave them my blessings. This was because by the time they asked me they were already advanced in their relationship, and more importantly I believed the women they intended to marry would become good wives for them. These examples indicating my views on sex showed that issuing a statement on the false allegation would be redundant.

3. Wouldn’t issuing a statement attract more students to join our school? It might, but I would prefer these people who could not tell false allegations from truth not to learn from us. If people can be so easily misled by smear campaigns against me despite obvious facts to the contrary, I would consider them undeserving.

It is worthwhile to remember that we are not an organization where students can demand explanations from us based upon their whims and fancies, but as we provide elite teaching, students have to prove themselves worthy to learn from us. This policy is not born of vanity, but of walking our talk of teaching deserving students. After all, we teach students secrets that masters might not even teach their own daughters.

4. Wouldn’t issuing a statement prevent some instructors leaving our school? It might, but I would prefer these instructors to leave our school! This may seem odd to many people, but a brief explanation can make it clear. I have been very generous in my teaching. Some people have rightly asked whether such generosity may lead to great teachings going to wrong people. My answer, more for myself than for the public, is that in the highest teachings, there is a natural test to filter out the undeserving from the deserving.

I regard the current issues as such a test. If disciples whom I generously taught the best arts, and some I actually saved from dying, like Anthony Korahais and Rama Roberto, could desert me based on some unproven accusations and false allegations, I consider that they failed the test. Amongst other things, it was a test of their compassion and wisdom. They lacked the compassion to forgive, and they lacked the wisdom to see that their action brought harm rather than good.

It is the first time I explain such a test in public, though some senior disciples may have guessed at it, and less experienced instructors who were puzzled why I did not take action when dissatisfied instructors, current and former, bad-mouthed me behind my back, would now know the reason that I regarded the matter as a test. I have evidence, for example, that Anthony Korahais wrote private e-mails to instructors and students instigating them to go against me. I am proud that except two who resigned as instructors and one who resigned from our school, all the rest passed the test. Another reason is that I believe in free choice. Instructors and students are free to leave the school, or me, if they are unhappy.

Then, why do I make a statement now? It is because of the recommendation of two very senior disciples. They rightly pointed out that students wanted to remain in our school, but with allegations of sexual abuse going on they also wanted to feel safe, and they would like to know what actually happened.

We certainly do not tolerate sexual abuse in any form. This policy is very clear in our school. Our students are very safe from any form of abuse. We practice the Ten Shaolin Laws which is a practical guide to high moral living against abuse of any form, and we start every lesson with smiling from the heart, which sets our spirit free that rejects abuse. The accused person had voluntarily resigned from our school, so irrespective of whether the accusations were true or not, our students are not exposed to his teaching and interaction.

It is pertinent to mention, as some people have been misled by smear campaigns that they have become confused, that the accusations of sexual abuse are not leveled against me but on another person, whose students, still learning from him, are presidents and vice presidents of international corporations and include a Nobel Prize winner, and these accusations are just accusations, and in my opinion, these accusations, still unproven, are much exaggerated. Many other people, for example, also have consensual extra-marital sex, but it is not called sexual abuse.

On the other hand, many people, including non-Shaolin Wahnam members, have kindly commented that I lead an exemplary life, and am a role model for them to follow. I am very proud that I have one and only wife, happily married for more than 40 years, and I have a very happy family of five children. At the same time I am very clear that it is none of my business to interfere with whom Shaolin Wahnam members, male and female, choose to have sex, within their marriage or outside it.

Many people have also kindly commented on my compassion and wisdom. For example, every month for more than 10 years I quietly gave money to 10 people, whom I do not even know, and irrespective of race, culture and religion, to help them feed their family. Later I gave money every month to 5 needy mothers, whom I have never met and also irrespective of race, culture and religion, to buy milk for their babies. It was also due to compassion, besides wisdom as doing so would traumatize alleged victims, that I refused to publicly denounce the accused, a compassionate action that probably triggered off some resignation from our school. As I have mentioned earlier, I prefer them to resign as our school practices compassion and wisdom.

We can have a clear picture of the matter by briefly narrating its events. These events were facts, in contrast to opinions. Facts refer to what actually happened, whereas opinions refer to our interpretation of the facts. For example, the accused person having sex with women was a fact. To regard these events as rapes or as mutually pleasurable experiences were opinions.

In December 2012 Antonio Colarusso told me some accusations of sexual abuse against the accused. This was the first time I knew of these accusations. I asked Antonio for evidence so that I could effectively investigate into the matter. But Antonio declined. Soon Antonio resigned from our school, but sincerely thanked me for my teaching which he said had changed his life.

I confronted the accused with the accusations. He denied all of them. He admitted he had sex with some women, but all the relationships were consensual and all occurred outside Shaolin Wahnam classes. As a form of goodwill, he voluntarily resigned from our school in March 2013, and requested that when the time was right he could be reaccepted into the school.

Soon after the resignation of the accused, and immediately after some successful courses on the Blue Mountain where Rama Roberto was the main owner, and immediately after an enjoyable holiday in Guatemala with all expenses paid by Rama, who also fiercely complained to me about the accused, Rama resigned from our school. Rama said that his resignation had nothing to do with the accused, though many of us in Shaolin Wahnam thought otherwise. Rama’s reason for his resignation was that he disagreed with the policy of the school. He also sincerely thanked me for my teaching.

When the initial fury from the accusations had subsided, some sympathetic instructors approached me about the possibility of reaccepting the accused into our school. I intended to, but received from Anthony Korahais a long list of accusations against the accused. Although the accusations were not proven, I shelved the idea of restoring the accused into our school as I felt the time was not right.

In November 2014 an organizer who did not know about the accusations although he lived in the same region as the accused, invited the accused to some courses. When Anthony Korahais saw the accused in a group photograph, Anthony Korahais wrote me a rude e-mail demanding an explanation. I replied that I did not have to give him any explanation. In December 2014 Anthony Korahais left our school and denounced me as his sifu. Soon after this Darryl Collett also left our school and denounced me as his sifu. Robin Gamble and Jeffrey Segal resigned as instructors, but remained in our school, and thanked me for my teaching.

Anthony Korahais’ post on his website, which he later took down, gave an impression that I condoned sexual abuse. This is categorically not true, and Anthony Korahais should know it. Our stand on sexual abuse is very clear. I have mentioned it before and I want to repeat it here. Our school and I do not tolerate sexual and any other form of abuse, and we ensure that our students are safe from any abuse. It is a fact that except for the woman whom Anthony Korahais brought to see me, not a single person out of more that 60,000 students we have and more than 40 years of my teaching, has ever complaint to me that he or she has been abused by anyone in our school.

Please note that this is different from some former instructors alleging that the accused sexually abused many women. This is their opinion. But it is a fact that except the woman whom Anthony Korahais brought to see me, not a single student out of more than 60,000 over 40 years of teaching has complaint to me that he or she has been abused by anyone in our school.

I am very proud of the woman who gave me my only evidence. My utmost concern was to help her overcome her traumatic experience and get back to normal life. She is now happy in our school, and lives life joyfully.

Wong Kiew Kit
Grandmaster, Shaolin Wahnam Institute
30th January 2015

It is my great pleasure to announce that my Sifu, Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit, will be conducting an Intensive Chi Kung Course and Intensive Kung Fu Course in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in March 2015!

INTENSIVE CHI KUNG COURSE

12th to 16th March 2015
Holistic Health Cultivation Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Training Fee: 1200 euros

It may be incredible but this course covers all important chi kung skills in just a few days ranging from a basic level to a master’s level, including skills like entering into a chi kung state of mind, generating an energy flow, tapping energy from the Cosmos, self-manifested chi movement and directing energy to massage internal organs.

Many people have overcome chronic pain and so-called incurable diseases by practicing the exercises learned in this course. Others have reported good health, vitality and peak performance. No prior chi kung experience is required for this course. Those attending may have some ideas of the content of the course by clicking here, here and here.

Please click here for more details of the course, and contact the Secretary or the Honoray Organizer for registration.

INTENSIVE SHAOLIN KUNGFU COURSE

16th to 22nd March 2015
Holistic Health Cultivation Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Training Fee: 1800 euros

This course, originally meant to enable kungfu instructors to have internal force and be able to use Shaolin Kungfu for combat, covers all important aspects of Shaolin Kungfu from basic to advanced levels, attaining six harmonies to training of energy and mind. It is a course every kungfu practitioner should attend. Those attending need to have some prior kungfu or other martial art experience.

To derive the best benefits from the course, those attending are requested to familiarize themselves with the 16 basic combat sequences. They may also have some ideas of the content of the course by clicking here, here and here.

Please click here for more details of the course, and contact the Secretary or the Honoray Organizer for registration.

Shaolin Wahnam Institute Kuala Lumpur would like to wish all a safe and festive                          Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Let’s all forgive and be grateful in this holiday spirit.

To err is human, to forgive divine!

AN ANALYSIS OF ANTHONY’S CAMPAIGN

by my Sifu, Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit

Here is an analysis of Anthony Korahais’ campaign at http://flowingzen.com/14351/why-i-le…fter-17-years/ which will give insight to the issue.

People are misled to believe I am the wrongdoer. The name of the wrongdoer is not mentioned, but mine is. The focus of the campaign is how evil I have been.

There is no attempt to identify the wrongdoer. Anthony has declared he is not going to bring the case to court. The campaign does not help to prevent similar events happening again. There is also no attempt to help the victims. Indeed the campaign may revive the traumatic pains that the victims may have previously overcome.

To Anthony and those who resigned as instructors over this matter, the “wrong” that I have done is that I did not publicly renounce the accused, but I am made to appear as if I condoned sexual abuse despite the fact that I have mentioned many times that I don’t. Anthony’s statement that I have all the evidence is not true.

The only evidence that I can confirm is a woman who confessed to me. All the rest is unproven accusations. I have also stated that though the accusations are unproven, it does not mean they may not be true.

The reasons why I did not publicly denounce the accused are as follows:

1. I did not, and still do not, have sufficient evidence. I did not want to act as prosecutor, judge and executioner all in one person based only on accusations.
2. Bringing the issue into the open would adversely affect the victims, who probably did not want their affairs to be publicized.
3. I wanted to give the accused another chance. I hoped he would change, irrespective of the accusations which had yet to be proven.

Anthony is now teaching as his livelihood the very arts he has learned from me. He also often mentioned that I had saved his life. Publicly renouncing one’s sifu is bad enough. Running a campaign to smear the sifu who saved his life is far worse.

Anthony’s motives for running this campaign may be interpreted differently by different people, but it is a clear example of repaying kindness with vengeance.

Originally there was a long list of comments following Anthony’s post, including a courageous victim who described how my teaching had helped her overcome her trauma and lamented that Anthony was steering people away from me. Anthony has taken out the comments. The early comments praised Anthony for his action. The later comments raised the issue of Anthony betraying me, his teacher who saved his life. I would take the opportunity here to thank all those who, on their own accord, have spoken kindly for me.

It is shocking that by his own admission Anthony has been sick, his financial situation deteriorates and his married life strained during the two years he preoccupies himself with these accusations when he is teaching an art that is meant to give good health, good luck and happiness. From the chi kung perspective, the main cause is that Anthony’s heart is blocked by vengeance.

Christmas is a time for forgiveness besides rejoicing. Everyone, including Anthony, has a choice. Block the heart with vengeance and indignation, or forgive and be compassionate and open the heart to blessings of good health, good luck and happiness. There are many beautful things in life than clinching to grudges in the heart.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Everyone.

Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit,
22nd December 2014.