Time to chill out.

[Richard Kerr]

When did he go to honen? Where did he study with Chun seh?

Sorry but these are questions that he knows the answers to and I trust to be the true answers. They are questions however I have never asked as I have never doubted his schooling.

[Richard Kerr]

Where is your esoteric weapon based art? Shaolin KF teach some edged discipline?

Thanks! you seem well rounded enough if you had a bit of grappling to add to your Judo I might be scared of you?

I have been taught Fatal flute staff form and have been practicing with Nunchaku for about three years. I got a Tanto as a gift from my school on my Black belt grading, but I have never owned a full length sword or practiced with one though. Maybe this should be the next stage in my training, (after I have Mastered myself of course).

[jingshen]

to be perfectly honest richard the website throws up several questions regarding the school and it's lineage.

From what i can gather the time when your teacher was at the shaolin temple in honen takes him through the cyltural revolution. Itwould have been inpossible for him to gain access or study at this time.

Also the shaolin arts taught before and after the communist takeover and ensuing changes are totally different with then later being modern wushu as is taught at the temple and its surrounding schools today.

Personally i think its is not only good to ask these questions of a teacher but is actually quite neccesary.

Im not saying anything other than ask the question. What you do with the answer is entirly up to you.

Why were you given a japanese knife ?

please dont think this is an attack, im just curious.


kind regards

Jingshen

[Richard Kerr]

to be perfectly honest richard the website throws up several questions regarding the school and it's lineage.

From what i can gather the time when your teacher was at the shaolin temple in honen takes him through the cyltural revolution. Itwould have been inpossible for him to gain access or study at this time.

Also the shaolin arts taught before and after the communist takeover and ensuing changes are totally different with then later being modern wushu as is taught at the temple and its surrounding schools today.

Personally i think its is not only good to ask these questions of a teacher but is actually quite neccesary.

Im not saying anything other than ask the question. What you do with the answer is entirly up to you.

Why were you given a japanese knife ?

please dont think this is an attack, im just curious.


kind regards

Jingshen

Your post intregues me as you have asked me another question that I have not myself. You are right in saying to recieve a Japanese weapon for a Shaolin grading is unusual, I have never actually questioned this either.

I feel you are right about it being virtually impossible to enter the Monhastery at the time specified but some things just are, and I have reason to believe that my Grandmaster was, and still is something a bit special in that he was Master appararent at a very young age. He was also Grandmaster Chun Seh's nephew.

Grand Master Chun Seh was a very kind natured man that because of his nature shared his kindness with many people he met and helped. This is probably why the sifu's, Masters, Grandmasters, Sages, and Abbots at the Monastery that Grandmaster Chun Seh knew already, trusted Grandmaster Chun Seh's word.

My Grandmaster actually has spoke of how the Chinese were very selective about who entered the Monhastery. The Chinese were apparently also very racist at the time he was taught, but this did not deter him as he was very determined and also very passionate about his chosen Art.

You are right I should question such things, but I suppose I am really guilty of drifting, or going with the flow too much, as they say. I don't doubt my Grandmasters word anyway so if he say's this is how it was then I believe him.

I believe that if the practitioner has good intentions, in that they intend to use their chosen Art only for good reasons then they truly do deserve to be taught. I know that their were people and probably still are people that only learn Martial Arts for wrong reasons these people are a discrace to themselves and their teachers.

These horrible people will also never reach the level of Master let alone Grandmaster unless they are learning a bastardised system of Martial Arts that is. In which case they have wasted their lives completely.

Thankyou for your curiosity jingshen. By the way what does jingshen mean?

[jingshen]

My undersatonding of the meaning of the word jingshen is roughly of 'spirit'.

I competed in Wushu for many years and one of my coaches Mr Li Yan Long from Heibei used the word to describe the fighting spirit, fortitude and determination it is neccessary to display in competition.
The rules for wushu have changed many times over the years but when I competed part of your mark was placed on the amount of martial spirit you could display.

A good example of this is if you were ever lucky enought ot see someone like Li Yan Long perform at the moment just before he would burst into action his eyes would open and focus on a point in the distance. The intense look in his eyes and the projected spirit was fantastic to watch.

[jubaji]

My undersatonding of the meaning of the word jingshen is roughly of 'spirit'.

Kinda depends on which hanzi you are talking about, right?

[Richard Kerr]

My undersatonding of the meaning of the word jingshen is roughly of 'spirit'.

I competed in Wushu for many years and one of my coaches Mr Li Yan Long from Heibei used the word to describe the fighting spirit, fortitude and determination it is neccessary to display in competition.
The rules for wushu have changed many times over the years but when I competed part of your mark was placed on the amount of martial spirit you could display.

A good example of this is if you were ever lucky enought ot see someone like Li Yan Long perform at the moment just before he would burst into action his eyes would open and focus on a point in the distance. The intense look in his eyes and the projected spirit was fantastic to watch.

Excellent post, I believe the phylosophy of the continuous flow of oppossing forces to create balance between Yin and Yang energy is included in the jingshen concept, correct me if i'm wrong though. I feel a sudden erge to do some serious research on the concept of jingshen.

Thankyou again. Your posts have some how inspired me.

[Kungfoolery]

I think any form of physical activity is good, but they need to be tailored to the results you want. If someone wants a lot of fat burning, Muay Thai and Savate would be great. If one wants explosion, amatuer wrestling. And so on...

[Richard Kerr]

I think any form of physical activity is good, but they need to be tailored to the results you want. If someone wants a lot of fat burning, Muay Thai and Savate would be great. If one wants explosion, amatuer wrestling. And so on...

Yes indeed this is true, and the trick is not to over do it and burn yourself out. It's always a good idea to have a bit of fuel left in your reserve tank. I hope you understand what I am saying.

Another thing that is worth me adding is that good health is far more important than strength and power. Oh and one more thing I want to add that is good old plain and simple common sense I sometimes forget, don't believe everything you hear.

[Kungfoolery]

Sometimes I think low intensity and longer work outs is more fun for martial arts.

[Richard Kerr]

Sometimes I think low intensity and longer work outs is more fun for martial arts.

I think your right, but if your fighting in competition you obviously have to train hard enough to reach a high level of balance. This as you have just said can take the fun out of training.

I found I had learnt a lot less training to prepare for competition than I do when I am under no pressure. This is why I think it is good to chill out and relax sometimes, and enjoy your art, instead of pushing yourself to the limint all the time.

On the other hand while practicing some traditional Martial Arts you can learn a lot just from the intense physical side. This can later with experience enlighten your mind also. Thus taking you up the levels but keeping your mind and body more balanced.

The understaning of such things is the essence of our training as Martial Artists and what my Master refers to as my Kung.