TRADITIONAL GONG FU: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS GONG FU?

Gong Fu is a term most commonly applied to the martial arts. However, in the most accurate sense the term Gong Fu is the RESULT of a combination of ESSENCE and TECHNIQUE in any given field of human activity: for instance art and craftsmanship, sport, commercial enterprise, and even politics. However, the term ‘Gong Fu,’ a technical term in the Chinese language, has become by popular usage a universal one dealing with one particular field of human activity, Chinese Martial Arts.

WHY ARE DAOISM AND BUDDHISM CONNECTED SO DEEPLY WITH SYSTEMS AND STYLES OF FIGHTING AND SELF-DEFENCE TECHNIQUES?

The answer to these questions ultimately involves not speculation, theory, and discussion, but actual PRACTICE – action through training which is an ideal preparation for the self-discipline needed for spiritual development! Through the Practise and proper understanding of a wide variety of Gong Fu Forms whose origins date back to ancient times, and whose evolutions have spanned millennia, personal self-discipline is taught through training of a kind entirely appropriate to the self-discipline and rigorous self-mastery required for Spiritual Self-Possession.

This is the underlying reason why it is far from accidental that the most ancient and esoteric Chinese Gong Fu Forms and Disciplines are derived from on the one hand some of the greatest practitioners and teachers of the spiritual philosophy of Daoism, and on the other from the Founder (Damo) of the Chan (Zen) Sect of the Buddhist religion.

There is an historic reason too: The Shaolin Temple System became both extensive and very wealthy, and in times when brigandage was rife there was need of a special type of monk, the Fighting Monk, to defend the temples and the lands owned or protected by them. As regards the Daoists of old, their largely solitary lifestyle – for they not infrequently chose to live in the wilderness in order to pursue their contemplations the better, where knowledge of self-defence techniques were most vital - not to mention other reasons connected with internal alchemy (and distantly with Shamanism which made interest in the martial arts a natural development) further deepens the inter-relationship of the arts with those dedicated to spiritual pursuits.

IN TRADITIONAL GONG FU, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ‘ARTS’ AND ‘STYLES’?

The term ARTS in the context of martial ‘arts,’ in very simple terms refers to the ability of a practitioner to use technique to defeat mere force and physical strength of an opponent who could be both younger and much stronger than the martial arts practitioner.
There are essentially two major forms, INTERNAL (Neijia) – used to generate, retain, and direct QI - and EXTERNAL (Waijia) –used exclusively for hard fighting: (Internal and External arts are also sometimes known as soft (internal) and hard (external).
There are in addition LINEAGES of specific arts, and of course FAMILY ARTS, and the PERSONAL ARTS of famous Gong Fu Masters (such as Emperor Song – creator of TAI CHOR).
STYLES: refer to types of internal or external arts, and include the major division of boxing systems into Northern and Southern, and various Family styles of the internal and external arts: for example CHEN Style or LEE Style TAI-JI QUAN, or where Southern Boxing is concerned, the Family Styles of Hung Gar, Choy Gar, etc.

IN WHAT WAY DO THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ARTS DIFFER?

Internal and External arts are also sometimes known as ‘soft’ (internal) and ‘hard’ (external). The difference between the two is derived from the perspective of whether or not a system places predominant emphasis upon internal or external strength: effectively this means, ‘does or does not the system place major emphasis upon the generation of qi?’ In terms of tactics the difference is defined by the concept of placing particular importance on either a defensive or offensive approach to a combat situation. In reality these differences are subtle rather than clear-cut: A predominantly Soft/Internal system will always contain Hard/External elements in application, and a Hard/External system will contain a degree of Soft/Internal elements.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FORM AND A SYSTEM?

A FORM comprises a set sequence of movements and techniques in carefully co-ordinated combination designed for practical application in situations of defence or attack, pre-arranged with a partner, or freestyle (including real life combat situations).
A SYSTEM is comprised of a combination of individual forms which in their totality provide self-defence and fighting techniques for short range, long range, or a combination of short and long range combat situations.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN BOXING?

Northern and Southern boxing styles are general terms, but are most well-known in the context of the two major types of style of Shaolin Gong Fu. Visually and tactically-speaking the difference between the two centres upon the saying ‘Northern Legs and Southern Fist.’ Effectively, Southern Shaolin systems have far more developed hand techniques (and far less emphasis on kicks and use of the legs) and lower stances, while Northern Shaolin systems reverse this order of priority, having a generally much more extensive emphasis on kicks, higher stance, and less developed hand techniques.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WUJI AND TAI-JI?

The Wuji is much, much older than the Tai-Ji: indeed it is known as the Mother Art of the Tai-Ji, but is in fact the most ancient of all Internal Boxing Systems, its origins dating back to shamanic-legendary times some 4000 years ago. Tai-Ji, by contrast, the most well-known of Chinese Internal Boxing Systems, is of much more recent origin. Both arts are Daoist, and symbolically, Wuji represents the state of the unity of all things in a state of oneness and latent potential before creation, which itself is effected and unravels through birth of the yin and yang [out of the undifferentiated oneness of Wuji], and their eternal inter-play which ultimately cause the creation of all things, and the cycle of generation and decay.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL GONG FU AND CONTEMPORARY WUSHU?

Traditional Gong Fu, whose history stretches back at least some 4000 years, comprises many Systems of lethal fighting arts designed for application in fight and self-defence situations that can and have ever arisen in the circumstances of everyday life.
Contemporary Wushu is the National Sport of China, and is an adaptation of the traditional arts, with its origins beginning in the 1920’s - 30’s. Its appeal is almost totally visual – being closely akin to gymnastics and dance, and is referred to as ‘embroidered legs and flowery fists Gong Fu,’ by traditional martial arts practitioners - and should not in any way be confused with the Fighting Arts of TRADITIONAL GONG FU.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GRANDMASTERS AND MASTERS WHO LIVED, TAUGHT, AND FOUGHT IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20th CENTURY WORLD, AND THOSE OF TODAY?

In the China and South East Asia of today there exist no great grandmasters (for this elite category of highest level masters of the ancient and traditional arts has not been able to continue in the circumstances of the post 1949 world), and only a handful of – now very elderly grandmasters (Grandmaster Chee was one such of this elite and illustrious company, until his recent passing). As regards masters (as opposed to grandmasters), there are only a limited number of individuals whose knowledge and practise in technique and secret arts can justify such an honorific title on the grounds and by the standards applied in the age prior to 1949.
In the West, by contrast, in the world of today there exist not a few ‘grandmasters’ – whose credentials for assumption of this truly honourable title are not based on the criteria used prior to the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China, but rather upon highly convoluted technical and barely tenuous grounds.

As regards ‘masters,’ the West possesses but few who meet the strict criteria used of old, but many who of necessity disingenuously (or genuinely through ignorance of the significance of the title), use it in order to gain students and found and run Chinese martial arts schools. Sadly for the innocent and inexperienced students of these ‘masters,’ the glory and genius of the lineages and arts their teachers affect to use (but in fact insult) are never known or experienced, but in practise are tarnished: the ‘chop suey’ Gong Fu of pseudo ‘masters’ in comparison to traditional forms taught by real masters will be ever apparent!