- combat versus sport
- history
- wu tao (martial ethics)
- shuai jiao
shuai jiao
Sifu said that in order to teach us combat shuai jiao, we needed the jackets, since they were designed to be more rugged and to stand up to the physical wear and tear of practice. he observed that what we've been using (e.g., t-shirts) wouldn't work.
he took a little time to discuss the differences between combat shuai jiao and sport shuai jiao. the obvious difference is that the combat version is more brutal in its throws, with the takedowns meant to be debilitating, to a degree much greater than the sport version. in addition, the combat version involves movements that are safer for the practitioner, in the sense that they don't expose you to the opponent, while the sport version does this.
also--and this he stressed and spent the most time on--the combat version has very different entries for the throws. the sport version tends to have become afflicted with opponents grappling each other, with them starting in a basic clench position square to each other with both hands grabbing the other person. Sifu says that in real life this is actually quite dangerous, since a seasoned fighter can use the clench as an opening to attack--the simplest move is to just kick you (particularly in the groin, which is highly likely in a street or battlefield scenario).
in combat shuai jiao, the intent is to avoid the clench, and instead to generate entries using a single arm or hand. he said this is safer, because you situate yourself at an angle to the opponent (and so decrease your exposed area), and are able to move much more quickly. in addition, you can switch arms and hands. furthermore, in combat shuai jiao, everything has to be done quickly, with the setup, entry, and throw all being done in a split second (in contrast, the sport version tends to be slower in the setup and entry). he reminded us this is the reason why he always has students become proficient enough that they can do takedowns on a 2 or 3-count lasting around a second--because this is the way he was trained, and it's been proven by police and military personnel.
we spent the remainder of class discussing Wutan history and the nature of wu tao (or martial ethics).
Sifu began by observing that in the Wutan school many students look to 2 major lineages in Liu Yun Qiao's background: Li Shu Wen and Gong Bao Tien. Sifu noted that there were some lessons here, as these 2 men were radically different personalities with radically different ethics. Li Shu Wen taught baji/piqua to Liu Yun Qiao, and was famous for being the "God of the Spear." Gong Bao Tien taught bagua.
Li Shu Wen was a fearsome person, with a history of violent confrontations and a record of kills that extended beyond count. personality-wise, he's often described as having a black heart, in the sense that he often killed for the simple reason that it gave him pleasure, and also allowed him to test his thoughts on combat and maintain his reputation as a supreme martial artist. in short, he was not a nice person. ultimately, his lifestyle caught up to him, because for all the invincibility and combat genius derived from his martial ability, he was still killed by the simple use of poison.
Gong Bao Tien, in contrast, was an almost diametric opposite. he actually avoided violence, to the extent that he would concede a challenger as a superior martial artist so as to not fight. he treated people well, and was generous, with a reputation of being very happy and gentle. of course, part of this was tied to his personal addiction to the mood-altering effects of opium. but generally speaking, he was a nice person. and despite his opium habit, he lived an usually long life.
Sifu noted that these 2 men essentially represent 2 extremes in martial ethics, with one using his ability to cause death and destruction, and the other using his to engender harmony and good will. he noted that Liu Yun Qiao in a way represented the person who has to choose between these 2 extremes. whatever the choice, there are very clear consequences for your actions.
Sifu observed that some people have argued that the historical context and personal backgrounds called for certain modes of behavior, with scholars noting the violent time period in China during the late 1800s and early 1900s, and how Li Shu Wen came from an illiterate, poor background and so had to struggle to make a life in this environment whereas Gong Bao Tien came from a well-educated, financially prosperous background and had the luxury of not having to struggle. Sifu recalled that many people in Wutan asserted this, and used it as a reason to uphold Li Shu Wen as a model figure.
but Sifu commented that this is not really an excuse. he said 1) the past is the past, and the issue is how wu tao applies in modern society, and modern society does not accommodate the presence of figures like Li Shu Wen, and 2) the goal of any martial art is ultimately to prevent violence, so as to stop the further spread of pain and suffering, since the world already has too much of it.
Sifu noted that this was incidentally one of the reasons he left Taiwan to come to the U.S.--because here he had the freedom to really think about wu tao, and put things in perspective.
Sifu finished by saying that it was important to understand wu tao, and to develop it. but importantly, he said it was important to do more than just talk or write about it, but to actually live it (i.e., not words, but actions); he said there is a big difference between talking about something and actually living something. he concluded by stating that this is the only way the world will become a better place.
since this is the only way the world will change.
No comments:
Post a Comment