Dr. Yang began training martial arts at the age of 15 under his White Crane master, Grandmaster Gseng, Gin-Gsao. Dr. Yang also studied Tai Chi under Grandmaster Kao, Tao. During his time at Tamkang College, Dr. Yang began to also train Long Fist under Grandmaster Li, Mao-Ching.
Dr. Yang has been involved in Chinese Kung Fu since 1961. He has taught for more than 40 years: 7 years in Taiwan, 5 years at Purdue University, 2 years in Houston, and 26 years in Boston. He has taught seminars all around the world, sharing his knowledge of Chinese martial arts and Qigong.
His 1982 Book, Shaolin Long Fist Kung Fu is an excellent introduction to the forms, techniques, and training methods of that traditional Chinese style of fighting. Its step by step instructions, numerous photographs, and in depth descriptions of movements and applications gives the reader a thorough education in the beginner and intermediate aspects of the art. But to many martial artists, the most valuable part of the book may be contained in the opening pages, where Dr. Yang describes the most important requirement for achieving true martial ability.
Page 9
MORALITY
"In Chinese society it is common for parents to send their children to receive formal training in martial arts. For the Western parent this may seem unusual because they think of martial arts as somehow encouraging violence. But for the Chinese parent the exact opposite is true martial arts is a way to train the child in good habits of mind and body. The Chinese community in general, and Chinese martial society in particular, have always believed morality to be an integral part of Wu Su [martial technique].
To understand the proper relation of morality to Kung Fu, two important points must be introduced. The first, and the most important fact in Kung Fu is that the level of achievement of any martial artist is directly dependent on his morality. If the martial artist is a bad person, then his ability can only reach certain limited levels, if the martial artist is a good person, then there is no real limit to what he can achieve.
This idea is admittedly strange to many Westerners. In the West an athlete such as a football or baseball player may be a heavy drinker, take drugs, engage in malicious actions and act immaturely, and yet it is believed that such overall behavior will in no way reflect on the athlete's actual or potential abilities. The Chinese martial artists obviously does not subscribe to the philosophy.
The second point relates to the defining of morality. some people hold the notion that morality is merely restricted to restraining themselves from stealing, lying, cheating, and other negative acts. For the Chinese martial artist such simple restraints are not enough. Morality for the Kung Fu practitioner is a total way of acting and thinking; morality, as a condition of life, is lived every second in thought and deed. If the martial artist is working, talking, playing, eating, or doing a thousand other activities, his way of being or morality is constantly a part of his character. In the actual training and mechanics of morality two categories are taught to every student; the morality of action and the morality of mind. These categories reflect the dual development of deed and thought.
The morality of action may be defined as how the martial artists should behave outwardly to the world. Five important traits compose the morality of action; they are humility, respect, righteousness, trust, and loyalty. The student should commit these ideals to memory. At this point let us being with humility.
In China there is a saying, "humility gains and pride loses." When a person is humble he admits, in a sense, that there exists something above him, or at the moment something beyond his reach. This attitude when closely examined is the foundation for all learning. If a student felt adequate and satisfied (pride) with what he had learned, then the ability to reach out beyond his scope would be destroyed. By being humble, the martial artist realizes that what he knows is next to nothing; there is always a gap to fill in by constant learning and practice. In this way "humility gains" by instilling in the martial artist the understanding that he is incomplete in his ability and thus must keep striving for perfection. The final outcome is a better martial artist in mind and ability.
From the above it is easy to see why "pride loses." Pride creates a feeling of satisfaction and adequacy. A mental block is created by giving the martial artists a false sense of achievement. The result is that growth and ability come to a halt. If the martial artist thinks he is good, then why should he practice as hard? If he isn't humble, there is no way to improve and reach high levels of ability; morality goes hand-in-hand with achievement.
Respect is intimately related to humility. If a person has humility it is easy to give respect because both traits involve the recognition of goodness in everything. Respect occupies a special position in the relationship between martial artists of all styles. By giving respect, dignity is gained for all martial styles. Respect and dignity give martial arts an importance beyond words; every person from the instructor to the beginning student realizes through respect that martial arts is not mere fighting, but something that strives for pure spirit. In this way respect for and obedience to the master become absolutely imperative, since it is the master who will be the guide to the higher levels of ability and spirituality.
Loyalty, righteousness, and trust complete the traits of morality of action. When the martial artists has righteousness he will stand up for justice and fight evil whenever he can; to fully complement the actions the martial artists must also have a good approach to life. Having trust means not that the martial artists will trust everybody, but that everybody can trust the martial artist. By showing his dependability and honesty, the student shows other people that his character will be guided by goodness.
Loyalty involves faithfulness to the ideals of family, culture, nation, and martial style. In particular, a student may someday be called upon to teach his particular style, which he must honor by teaching what he has learned to be the traditional aspects of his style. Without this loyalty, a style will undergo as many changes as there are instructors; in time the established forms which have been proven effective and which have identified the style though the ages will disappear. The death of the style will surely come about if this happens. There is always room for innovation, but innovation must occur within the context of an established tradition.
The second aspect of morality, the morality of mind, also has five major traits. They are: will, endurance, perseverance, patience, and bravery. Morality of mind, as contrasted to the morality of action, deals with the inward spirit or soul of the martial artist. Will, of all the traits, is the center point.
In China there is a saying, "If a man is a ship, the the will is the rudder." The martial artist must have something which stands determined to control and direct his energies. It is easy to say that everybody should have a strong will, but for the martial artist it is particularly important. For nearly all of his life, the true martial artist will devote at least three hours of every day for practice; only a strong will can push the martial artist to make this tremendous sacrifice. The will grows in importance once the student realizes that the study of martial arts is a lifetime commitment. Martial arts should not be a hobby which a person drops after a few months or years of practice. Devotion to a lifetime of martial arts requires a guiding force during the times of personal trouble, sadness, laziness, and self-doubt; only the will can provide such a force.
The other traits can be thought of as supporting the will. Endurance can be likened to the physical fuel or energy source of the will. If the body engages in difficult exercises or if the person is tired and sore, then it is endurance which keeps the body whole. If endurance is the physical fuel of will then perseverance and patience are the mental sources of energy for the will. In performing difficult tasks the mental as well as the physical side is affected; when the mind is in pain or is exhausted then perseverance and patience must be present. Sometimes weeks, months, and years of practice are required to perfect certain techniques; during these times the martial artists must never get discouraged. By having perseverance and patience the student will endure.
Lastly, bravery can be seen as the principle of action for the will. Bravery for the martial artist is the spiritual courage needed to face the truth. In facing the truth the martial artist must stand up to any situation and deal with it in an honest and courageous way. The martial artist will always meet the challenges of life head on whether in failure or in success. Secondly, bravery involves the courage to fight evil as the Shao Lin monks once fought evil. The martial artist must follow the example of the Shao Lin Temple and become an active agent for the establishment of justice and righteousness; if the principles of the Shao Lin monk can be followed, then the martial artist can make this world a much better place.
Many more points can be made about martial morality, but as the student makes each trait a part of his character he will find that some things become obvious. As an example, once humility becomes a living ideal the thought of showing off or being boisterous disappears. The martial artist will realize that showing off and boasting are the disguises of pride and limited martial ability."
Simply being able to hurt someone does not make you a martial artist. That is mere thuggery, and can be accomplished by anyone who is willing to aggress upon someone smaller and weaker than himself. A martial artist is built upon three pillars. Knowledge. Technical ability. And Morality. He is more than a brute. He is a thinking individual, possessed with great power, and devoted to right action. You can buy a black belt for next to nothing. But you will not understand the true depth of the Way until you turn within and work on your self. Martial arts is a path of self discipline, both the discipline to focus on your training, and the discipline to improve upon your own character.
All the punches and kicks in the world will never be equal to the strength of simply doing the right thing when called upon. In order to reach the highest levels of ability, you must work both inwardly and outwardly. In so doing, you will gain the strength to truly impact the world around you with more than just your fists.
Drills-
Beginner: Pay attention to your actions throughout the day. When you react to a situation with anger or hatred or frustration, stop and think about what you've done and why. Make a conscious effort to be patient and understanding throughout your day, and to act rather than react. Pay attention to the teachings of your instructors, and dedicate your training to those who have walked the path before you.
Intermediate: Be humble and patient. When someone criticizes your work or performance, rather than leaping to defend your actions, pause and consider what they've said. Even if they are wrong, you may have something to learn from their perspective. Be slow to anger and take offense, and quick to forgive and forget personal affront.
Advanced: Develop your self discipline. Spend time each morning and night practicing your techniques. Practice your foot maneuvers, your stances, your kicks and punches again and again, focusing on polishing and perfecting your material. Do not be content with good enough. Keep training. Keep improving. Temper your skill in the fire of your will.
Dr. Yang has been involved in Chinese Kung Fu since 1961. He has taught for more than 40 years: 7 years in Taiwan, 5 years at Purdue University, 2 years in Houston, and 26 years in Boston. He has taught seminars all around the world, sharing his knowledge of Chinese martial arts and Qigong.
His 1982 Book, Shaolin Long Fist Kung Fu is an excellent introduction to the forms, techniques, and training methods of that traditional Chinese style of fighting. Its step by step instructions, numerous photographs, and in depth descriptions of movements and applications gives the reader a thorough education in the beginner and intermediate aspects of the art. But to many martial artists, the most valuable part of the book may be contained in the opening pages, where Dr. Yang describes the most important requirement for achieving true martial ability.
Page 9
MORALITY
"In Chinese society it is common for parents to send their children to receive formal training in martial arts. For the Western parent this may seem unusual because they think of martial arts as somehow encouraging violence. But for the Chinese parent the exact opposite is true martial arts is a way to train the child in good habits of mind and body. The Chinese community in general, and Chinese martial society in particular, have always believed morality to be an integral part of Wu Su [martial technique].
To understand the proper relation of morality to Kung Fu, two important points must be introduced. The first, and the most important fact in Kung Fu is that the level of achievement of any martial artist is directly dependent on his morality. If the martial artist is a bad person, then his ability can only reach certain limited levels, if the martial artist is a good person, then there is no real limit to what he can achieve.
This idea is admittedly strange to many Westerners. In the West an athlete such as a football or baseball player may be a heavy drinker, take drugs, engage in malicious actions and act immaturely, and yet it is believed that such overall behavior will in no way reflect on the athlete's actual or potential abilities. The Chinese martial artists obviously does not subscribe to the philosophy.
The second point relates to the defining of morality. some people hold the notion that morality is merely restricted to restraining themselves from stealing, lying, cheating, and other negative acts. For the Chinese martial artist such simple restraints are not enough. Morality for the Kung Fu practitioner is a total way of acting and thinking; morality, as a condition of life, is lived every second in thought and deed. If the martial artist is working, talking, playing, eating, or doing a thousand other activities, his way of being or morality is constantly a part of his character. In the actual training and mechanics of morality two categories are taught to every student; the morality of action and the morality of mind. These categories reflect the dual development of deed and thought.
The morality of action may be defined as how the martial artists should behave outwardly to the world. Five important traits compose the morality of action; they are humility, respect, righteousness, trust, and loyalty. The student should commit these ideals to memory. At this point let us being with humility.
In China there is a saying, "humility gains and pride loses." When a person is humble he admits, in a sense, that there exists something above him, or at the moment something beyond his reach. This attitude when closely examined is the foundation for all learning. If a student felt adequate and satisfied (pride) with what he had learned, then the ability to reach out beyond his scope would be destroyed. By being humble, the martial artist realizes that what he knows is next to nothing; there is always a gap to fill in by constant learning and practice. In this way "humility gains" by instilling in the martial artist the understanding that he is incomplete in his ability and thus must keep striving for perfection. The final outcome is a better martial artist in mind and ability.
From the above it is easy to see why "pride loses." Pride creates a feeling of satisfaction and adequacy. A mental block is created by giving the martial artists a false sense of achievement. The result is that growth and ability come to a halt. If the martial artist thinks he is good, then why should he practice as hard? If he isn't humble, there is no way to improve and reach high levels of ability; morality goes hand-in-hand with achievement.
Respect is intimately related to humility. If a person has humility it is easy to give respect because both traits involve the recognition of goodness in everything. Respect occupies a special position in the relationship between martial artists of all styles. By giving respect, dignity is gained for all martial styles. Respect and dignity give martial arts an importance beyond words; every person from the instructor to the beginning student realizes through respect that martial arts is not mere fighting, but something that strives for pure spirit. In this way respect for and obedience to the master become absolutely imperative, since it is the master who will be the guide to the higher levels of ability and spirituality.
Loyalty, righteousness, and trust complete the traits of morality of action. When the martial artists has righteousness he will stand up for justice and fight evil whenever he can; to fully complement the actions the martial artists must also have a good approach to life. Having trust means not that the martial artists will trust everybody, but that everybody can trust the martial artist. By showing his dependability and honesty, the student shows other people that his character will be guided by goodness.
Loyalty involves faithfulness to the ideals of family, culture, nation, and martial style. In particular, a student may someday be called upon to teach his particular style, which he must honor by teaching what he has learned to be the traditional aspects of his style. Without this loyalty, a style will undergo as many changes as there are instructors; in time the established forms which have been proven effective and which have identified the style though the ages will disappear. The death of the style will surely come about if this happens. There is always room for innovation, but innovation must occur within the context of an established tradition.
The second aspect of morality, the morality of mind, also has five major traits. They are: will, endurance, perseverance, patience, and bravery. Morality of mind, as contrasted to the morality of action, deals with the inward spirit or soul of the martial artist. Will, of all the traits, is the center point.
In China there is a saying, "If a man is a ship, the the will is the rudder." The martial artist must have something which stands determined to control and direct his energies. It is easy to say that everybody should have a strong will, but for the martial artist it is particularly important. For nearly all of his life, the true martial artist will devote at least three hours of every day for practice; only a strong will can push the martial artist to make this tremendous sacrifice. The will grows in importance once the student realizes that the study of martial arts is a lifetime commitment. Martial arts should not be a hobby which a person drops after a few months or years of practice. Devotion to a lifetime of martial arts requires a guiding force during the times of personal trouble, sadness, laziness, and self-doubt; only the will can provide such a force.
The other traits can be thought of as supporting the will. Endurance can be likened to the physical fuel or energy source of the will. If the body engages in difficult exercises or if the person is tired and sore, then it is endurance which keeps the body whole. If endurance is the physical fuel of will then perseverance and patience are the mental sources of energy for the will. In performing difficult tasks the mental as well as the physical side is affected; when the mind is in pain or is exhausted then perseverance and patience must be present. Sometimes weeks, months, and years of practice are required to perfect certain techniques; during these times the martial artists must never get discouraged. By having perseverance and patience the student will endure.
Lastly, bravery can be seen as the principle of action for the will. Bravery for the martial artist is the spiritual courage needed to face the truth. In facing the truth the martial artist must stand up to any situation and deal with it in an honest and courageous way. The martial artist will always meet the challenges of life head on whether in failure or in success. Secondly, bravery involves the courage to fight evil as the Shao Lin monks once fought evil. The martial artist must follow the example of the Shao Lin Temple and become an active agent for the establishment of justice and righteousness; if the principles of the Shao Lin monk can be followed, then the martial artist can make this world a much better place.
Many more points can be made about martial morality, but as the student makes each trait a part of his character he will find that some things become obvious. As an example, once humility becomes a living ideal the thought of showing off or being boisterous disappears. The martial artist will realize that showing off and boasting are the disguises of pride and limited martial ability."
Simply being able to hurt someone does not make you a martial artist. That is mere thuggery, and can be accomplished by anyone who is willing to aggress upon someone smaller and weaker than himself. A martial artist is built upon three pillars. Knowledge. Technical ability. And Morality. He is more than a brute. He is a thinking individual, possessed with great power, and devoted to right action. You can buy a black belt for next to nothing. But you will not understand the true depth of the Way until you turn within and work on your self. Martial arts is a path of self discipline, both the discipline to focus on your training, and the discipline to improve upon your own character.
All the punches and kicks in the world will never be equal to the strength of simply doing the right thing when called upon. In order to reach the highest levels of ability, you must work both inwardly and outwardly. In so doing, you will gain the strength to truly impact the world around you with more than just your fists.
Drills-
Beginner: Pay attention to your actions throughout the day. When you react to a situation with anger or hatred or frustration, stop and think about what you've done and why. Make a conscious effort to be patient and understanding throughout your day, and to act rather than react. Pay attention to the teachings of your instructors, and dedicate your training to those who have walked the path before you.
Intermediate: Be humble and patient. When someone criticizes your work or performance, rather than leaping to defend your actions, pause and consider what they've said. Even if they are wrong, you may have something to learn from their perspective. Be slow to anger and take offense, and quick to forgive and forget personal affront.
Advanced: Develop your self discipline. Spend time each morning and night practicing your techniques. Practice your foot maneuvers, your stances, your kicks and punches again and again, focusing on polishing and perfecting your material. Do not be content with good enough. Keep training. Keep improving. Temper your skill in the fire of your will.
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