– by Yuan Tao
Yuan Tao was the free fighting champion of Fukien / Fujian Province of southern China in 1934. He is written of in R.W. Smith’s text “Chinese Boxing” and also taught free fighting to Jeet Kune Do teacher Tim Tackett.
The National Art of Boxing inherent in Traditional Chinese Culture, has been practiced from ancient times. Here, I beg to enumerate the advantages of practicing this art:
- To practice the National Art of Boxing is the way to make the muscles of your body bright and lively. If the muscles are not bright and lively your movements will not be quick-witted and the circulation of Ch’i and blood in your body will be hindered or obstructed.When practicing you have to use various methods to expand your muscles in order to increase their elasticity. Unwrought muscles with less elasticity are called “dead muscles”. Practiced or “wrought” muscles with great elasticity are called “lively muscles”. The process of expanding the muscles is just like the process of refining raw iron into steel. It has to go step by step. The movements of the National Art of Boxing are all matched with the lines of curves and spirals which enable the muscles to be bright and quick witted to the fullest extent.
- By practicing the National Art of Boxing the Chi and blood in your body will be circulated freely which is good for health. If you only exercise and pay attention to the external muscles the Chi and blood in the body cannot be circulated freely which is the course of all diseases. Your Chi and blood cannot be circulated freely unless you (really) know how to mobilize and cultivate the Chi. Every movement of the National Art of Boxing is coordinated with the mobilization of the Chi.The Classics say, “Mind (“I”) arrives and the Chi follows and the Chi arrives and the energy follows”. This is the secret of this art. The mobilization of the Chi is like flowing water in the river. The stream will not be long and will not run continuously if there is no source. The cultivation of Chi is to sink the Chi to the Tan Tien from where the Chi will circulate through the whole body. This is called “The Chi with source which is long with foundation. Besides the cultivation of Chi you must also abstain from sex and bad habits, get rid of depraved thoughts, regulate the heart and attempt to attain sincerity (in order to) cultivate the body and heart.If you attain all these you will not only enjoy excellent health but also have the natural greatness of a soul.
- The practice of Chinese National Art of boxing can make the internal organs of the body strong. The internal organs in the body are like the important machine parts of a motorcar and the muscles are like it’s outer surface. The Chi and blood are like gasoline used by the motor car. If the machine parts are in disorder you cannot run the motorcar very fast even though the outer surface is sound and the gasoline tank is full. So it is more important to strengthen the internal organs of the body than the external muscles.There are three ways to strengthen the internal organs of the body:(a) an exercise of high and low jumps. This exercise must be moderate. If excessive it is harmful to the internal organs. (b) an exercise of expansion and contraction by inhaling and exhaling. This movement can improve the wriggling of the internal organs and increase their potentiality. To mobilize the Chi is the best method of improving the expansion and contraction of the internal organs. (c)The exercise of ripple style turns. This exercise enables the internal organs to move in a systematic order without the defects of clash and friction and take in account all directions. The National Art of Boxing and Swimming belong to the same style and are beneficial to health.To practice the National Art of Boxing can make the marrow full in the bone. The decadence of the body is due to dead muscles and the hindrance of Chi and blood and most important is due to the dried up marrow in the bone which becomes brittle and the joints of the bone like the machine parts of a motorcar without mobile oil, are stiff and obstinate. The Classics of the National Art of Boxing say, “Practice (train) secretions or essence (ching) to become Chi and mobilize the Chi to penetrate into the bone and become marrow.”So to exercise the National Art of Boxing is the only way to fulfill your marrow in the bone. Indigestion, T.B. headache, waist pain, paralysis, influenza, etc. all can be cured by practicing the National Art of Boxing. It is so important to the people’s health and I advice everybody to adopt the Chinese National Art of Boxing.