San Szu Ch'uan - Martial Philosophy

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Martial PhilosophyThe San Szu Ch'uan system is not a new form of boxing, nor is it a hybrid system based on External and Internal arts, nor a hybridization of the internal arts or "Nei Jia" as we find in the modern "Wu Dang" style of T'aiji Ch'uan (which is not to be confused with the original, legendary "Wu Dang" T'aiji origins of Cheng San-Feng), nor in the hybrid Wu (Hao) T'aiji variant of Sun Lu-Tang who wished to fuse Hsing I Ch'uan and Ba Gua Zhang into T'aiji). Instead, San Szu Ch'uan is a name given to the approach and curriculum originating from the "Three Temples" of the infamous Shao Lin, Wu Dang and the more esoteric, legendary Taoist temple of the Heaven Mountains which taught martial arts that took many dedicated years of mastery of the essentials of fighting to even be able to correctly learn. Part of this latter system was the so-called "Missing" or "Lost Step" which Ba Gua Zhang became famous for; fusing

the Kuo Bu and Bai Bu stepping with elements of the millennia old Taoist martial Chi Gung (previously called "Dao Yin"), "Eight Pieces of Brocade" (Gu Ch'uan Ba Duan Jin).Whilst hybridization of the three primary art forms called the "Nei Jia" by Sun Lu Tang, is possible (and exists in various forms), these arts are already so inherently advanced, that to present a systematic form of hybridization would be naïve to the martial reality the the practitioner would learn a very little about a lot of things. Similar to this is the problem faced with practitioners of what unfortunately became the systemization of "Jeet Kune Do," a poignant philosophical synopsis of martial truth by Bruce Lee (Jun Fan). Bruce Lee vowed in the closing pages of his "Tao of Jeet Kune Do" that his teachings should not become a "system." Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened and in the decades that would follow schools cropped up all over the world promising to teach Bruce Lee's

methodology (a methodology that he knew would be different for everyone), by merely focusing on cross training. These schools limited themselves from the outset by sticking to some of the styles that Bruce Lee and his close friend and training partner Daniel Inosanto had studied in. For years, only a cursory level of instruction in Wing Chun, Kali, Silat, Savate, Mauy Thai, Brazilian Jujitzu and the like became the focus of such schools. In effect, the students would dig many holes, searching for water, but never dig long enough in any one place to reach it. Those who did devoted enormous years to their studies and never approached the level of skill they could have if they had delved into the Internal Systems.As internal martial artist Bruce Kumar Francis came to find out upon journeying to "secret" Japanese high level Karate training; what you learn as fundamentals in the internal systems is taught at high levels in many external lineages. Chen Pan Ling

accurately noted that Shao Lin moves from external hardness to internal power, whilst Wu Dang moves from internal power to manifestation of that power in external hardness; though neither necessitating (nor in the latter case allowing), external tension.On one level, the external methodologies have a good point of view that cannot be ignored. After all, Sun Lu Tang – who coined the phrase "Nei Jia" claiming that Hsing I, T'aiji and Ba Gua all belonged to one "Internal Family" – was already a master. Dong Hai Chuan, the founder of Ba Gua Zhang was also a master of martial arts, as were individuals such as Yang Lu Chan, who journeyed to the Chen village to learn the internal martial art T'aiji that the Chen clan learned often from the age of 3 and 4 years old.To understand this matter requires an understanding of the differences in Occidental and Oriental cultures with regards to martial training. In the West today the youth learn baseball, soccer and the

like in Physical Education classes. In China, they learn basic Kung-Fu. Many people know basic fighting techniques in Chinese culture. This is the heritage, their "National Art" or "Kuo Shu" as the Chinese Government renamed "Wu Shu." To study the internal arts immersed in such a culture is logical. By the time one could make such a decision on their own, they would likely have already grasped basic martial principles. Otherwise, if it were imposed upon them, they would likely have been trained thoroughly in the internal systems from an early age.It is said that it takes 5 years to master Hsing I (certainly the most overtly martial of the Nei Jia), 10 to master T'aiji and 20 to master Ba Gua. However, with the ego-centric quest for personal power in the West, and the incessant desire of the Occidental world to "milk the minds" (as Zulu Shamans termed it), of other cultures we see a new wave of youth who want to learn the "inner teachings" and "internal secrets of

power" in a weekend course, or by reading a Mantak Chia book. This is just not the reality. "Kungfu" or "accomplishment" comes only through "Gung" or "Kung" (Work, or Effort) and "Fu" (Time). There are no "secrets" as T'aiji master Cheng Man-Ching so oft said, and at the same time, there are no shortcuts.Thus, the unfortunate by-product in the Western trends in martial arts today, is that we see many people lauding the superiority of the internal martial arts; something which is indeed factual. At high levels of many lineages we see internal arts being taught and applied to what had previously been a purely external practice. The great masters of the internal arts were themselves were often first grounded in external schools, and the basics of fighting.Can a skinny T'aiji master knock out a 300 pound giant with one punch? Absolutely. Can a Ba Gua master successfully take on up to eight attackers? It is certainly possible. However, is it likely that someone

can exclusively study T'aiji Ch'uan for even 7 years with no martial background besides it and do this? It is statistically unlikely. And is it likely that someone who studied Ba Gua for even 10 years could take on 8 or even less raging attackers at once? Again, it is statistically unlikely.What we find in the Kwan throughout the West today instead are false hopes and assurances that the technical superiority of any of the Nei Jia once mastered will automatically empower and enable the practitioner (read that, the economic patron of the school investing them with these false hopes), with the abilities of the legendary ancients, or even of modern masters of these systems of with decades of experience.It is said – by those too numerous to list – that it is the journey and not the destination that is the focus. As such, it must be understood that a true martial artist, and especially an internal martial artist, is a practitioner for life. It is not something

where a person attains a black sash and is "done." As Bruce Lee said somewhat jokingly, "Belts are for holding your pants up." Similarly, the Chinese sash was primarily for holding the internal organs tight, preventing hernias and the like. Nei Jia did not until modern times have such ranking systems; though teaching in the West has made the imposition of them useful teaching aids since this is not an inherently martial culture.The reality is that one should not be learning T'aiji to knock out someone twice their size. One should not be learning Ba Gua so they can fight many people. One should not be learning Hsing I so they can devastate others. The true internal master practices martial arts because within the journey itself lies their personal – physical, psychological and spiritual – refinement and path of perfection. If one is learning to aggress others, and this intention does not mature and become shed like the cocoon of a caterpillar, then they are

hijackers of the internal systems, and are exploiting them for the purposes of their own egos. As such, white, yang or active, is the color of the sash of the beginner. When one is a black sash, a yin or passive color, they have in theory matured and do not act with aggression, and haughtiness.The San Szu curriculum teaches the basics of martial arts, the basics of self-defense and physical training right from the start, juxtaposed with basic T'aiji and Chi Gung training so that as one progresses in their efforts, their internal knowledge and abilities will correlatively evolve. That is, to learn joint locks or "Chin Na" it makes no difference if one has learned internal or external martial arts. Surely "Sticking Hands" training of the internal arts will help one apply the Chin Na, but the Chin Na themselves are simply a matter of physics and have nothing to do with strength nor with Chi.Similarly, in the West there are many who train multiple attackers in

Ba Gua at a slow motion, stop and go speed that is falsely reassuring. Multiple attackers are told when to move and make one move only. Then they stop and the defender moves in response. This does NOTHING to train real world reaction time and speed. All of the internal power in the world will not stop you from getting hit if you are slow, nor from failing to connect a strike with an opponent who is far faster than you.As well, it is said by all of the great T'aiji masters that T'aiji Ch'uan is two speeds, very slow and very fast. However, often T'aiji application is practiced at speeds that, though faster than form work, are incredibly slow compared to full contact fighting or even light sparring. Chen Pan Ling correctly taught that one should first practice very slowly to learn the mechanics, the postures, the focus and intent. Then, once mastered, one should practice very fast. Then, finally they should return to slow once again and they will find that their

"slow" T'aiji can be executed very lightly, quickly and martially. The speed of T'aiji Ch'uan is not "slow" or "fast," it is whatever speed your attacker is. Thus, it is said "Leave after but arrive first." That is, the attacker is the aggressor. You do not attack first. He makes the first move, the act of aggression and you meet him before he connects. Internal practice can help you move faster, but without speed you will not be able to do this no matter if you can sense, move and focus your chi or whether you are a purely external fighter.As such, the basic stance training, kicking, combinations, hand drills, Chin Na, Shaui Jiao and form work is taught right away without over-emphasis on the complexities of advanced teachings. One will also learn internal training, but their abilities to defend themselves or manifest martial accomplishment will not be limited to their progress in the internal development. Instead, they will naturally progress internally and in so

doing will naturally add depth to their training and physical movements, combinations, forms, and various manners of self-defense. In so doing, the training of the traditional Shao Lin variety will be complimented by internal training. It will not be as digging two separate shallow holes, but will instead be as digging one hole with a shovel and gradually being taught how to dig more efficiently, without expending as much muscular force and the like; thus allow you to dig DEEPER and shovel up more at once without exhausting yourself. These techniques for "digging" cannot be taught all at once to a person who does not know how to correctly dig a hole. Instead the person must be taught to dig a hole. They must be handed a shovel and told how to dig. But as they get used to it they can be given tips, and eventually their shoveling becomes skillful and advanced.In effect, the true ultimate manifestation of martial arts becomes a natural form of hybridization that is

unique to everyone's body type, personality and personal likes and dislikes. What works best for the individual is learned through training in this manner; not by enmeshing all of the systems together, nor by teaching a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Instead, by learning in a systematic manner where progress is both consistent and unlimited does true mastery become achievable. In this manner, a person can become a skillful fighter in the years before mastering Hsing I, T'aiji or Ba Gua, and yet they can simultaneously be approaching mastery in all of those styles; in fact complimenting and accelerating their abilities in each by their training in what is traditionally called "Shao Lin Kung Fu."Read more on this subject in booklet #1 of "Introduction to Advanced Mechanics and Internal Application of Power," available for $13.95 via Pay Pal to ThreeTempleshttp://www.threetemples.com/

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