Yesterday, I attended a lecture for a group of American students, visiting Shanghai as part of the “2009 SDSU China Summer Study Abroad Programme” jointly organized by ECNU and San Diego State University (SDSU). This workshop, organized by East China Normal University’s “Global Education Centre” again in cooperation with DDA, was about Chinese martial arts.
To be honest, although being a young Chinese, I only know a little about martial arts. The only information about it for me, has come from those kung fu novels and famous martial arts’ stars like Bruce Lee and Jacky Chan, etc. After going to this lecture, I found the profound point and meaning inherent in Chinese martial arts is that your mind should go before your movement. Only with your mind going first, then your heart and spirit can go with your mind and match up with your movements. After doing all these steps, you are finally able to use your maximum power.
The lecturer was a very famous Chinese martial arts master, Master Wu Mao Gui, with DDA founder Rose Oliver acting as the translator. Master Wu’s professional dedication and ethics and the vivid introduction to Chinese martial arts and Tong Bei Quan in particular, made me become interested in this traditional Chinese culture. Master Wu said that the way to exercise wushu is to be healthy both inside and outside. Being modest and nice to people is the way to practice your innermost being. Only being proficient at both the inner and outer energies, can you become a real master of Chinese martial arts. All of us marvelled at the exact movements that Master Wu performed. Master Wu is 63 years old now, but you can’t find any signs of age on his face. With black hair and a vital expression, he looks much younger than he really is. These are all the benefits that Chinese martial arts have bought him. Chinese martial arts can really cultivate one’s heart and mind and nature and is much better than those medicinal tonics. It reveals the profound and extensive side of traditional Chinese culture.
Afterwards, Master Wu conducted a lively and interesting interaction with the American students. Every movement he taught the students was very serious and valid and I could judge from their faces that the foreign students really had a good time. Master Wu taught them patiently step by step, showing the real demeanor of a master of wushu.
The spirit, essence and energy of Master Wu really impressed me a lot. He made me understand exactly what a person can get when he is fully immersed in the culture. As a Chinese, I think we should pay closer attention and get better acquainted with Chinese martial arts. Although it seems at first sight that wushu only consists of those particular form movements, actually, we should pay more attention to the practice of our hearts and spirits.
We can feel the vigor of wushu, understand its meaning and carry forward the spirit of wushu only by combining our bodies and hearts and minds together. Chinese martial arts embodies the Chinese national spirit, and the Chinese national spirit can be seen in martial arts.
Master Wu also mentioned that with the fast-paced development of our country, society is gradually neglecting these meaningful aspects of traditional Chinese culture. He really felt sorry and depressed about that; and the way I see it, we should try our best to carry on utilizing this unique culture and enable this way of cultural expression to keep circulating from generation to generation.
This kind of action is the best gift we can deliver to our offspring.
Fern