Kung Fu Maxims

[RenDaHai]

Hey Team,

When training Kung Fu, my old master would constantly be coming out with old sayings, maxims and principles which in themselves are a lesson in Kung fu.

I'm not going to pour them all out here, but I thought in the midst of Boring debates about MMA it might be an interesting topic. What old kung fu sayings, principles, etc. Have you heard, used, think are valuable wisdom?

I'll start the ball rolling!

One of Song Shan Shaolin Kung Fu's Cardinal Rules;

Xian Fan, Hou Gong

First Disrupt, Then Maneuver

There is no way to translate perfectly between Chinese and English. What the above means is this; Whatever the technique you want to use, you must first disrupt the opponent before you use it. I.e Never just attack an opponent, first create some kind of disruption. This doesn't necesserily mean a distraction or feint. It can be pushing his arm before you punch him for example, something that disrupts his otherwise balanced and ready position. In a block punch combo the block is the disruption.

So Any idioms, Maxims, principles or sayings anyone else wants to contribute?

[ginosifu]

Shaolin Creed:

1. I will develop myself in a positive manner to be gracious, humble and always show respect to others.

2. I will train diligently to develop self-discipline in order to bring out the best in myself and others.

3. I will use what I have learned in class only to defend myself and others and never use my skills abusively.

This is supposedly written somewhere at the Shaolin Temple.

Hands: Fists like shooting star, movements are distinct and well defined.

Eyes: Eyes like electric bulbs, although the eye may be looking at a specific object or direction, the mind must be aware of the 4 sides, the minds eye must cover all areas.

Body: Waist like bending snake, flexibility and agility are required in the proficiency of the art of kung fu. The waist plays an important role in the execution of all movements.

Footwork: Learning to use the fist is easy, learning to use the footwork is difficult. If the footwork is not fast, the fist is slow, if the footwork is not stable, the fist will be cluttered.

Spirit: The spirit is full of energy and vitality. A full concentration of the martial spirit is necessary if the movements are to be effective.

Breath: The breath must sink in. Breath control is of the utmost importance if progress is to be expected.

more Shaolin maxims

ginosifu

[MightyB]

Strike First
Strike Hard
NO MERCY!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eRNhKkCvSHM/TZmmHLZfRoI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/EBnMw_MnQrc/s1600/ckd2.jpg

[wenshu]

I got somethin real fo yo ass in these hands.

http://stupidcelebrities.net/wp-content/old_pictures/shonuff.jpg

[MightyB]

I got somethin real fo yo ass in these hands.

http://www.globalpost.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/gp3_small_article/iran_soccer_celebration_butt_grab_11-3-11.jpg

Fixed it for ya! :D

[Xian]

I remember an saying from Wing Chun Kuen Kuit.It somehow impressed me very much.
"People do not no the extent of my skills, but I know their abilities".


Kind regards,
Xian

[wenshu]

I got somethin real fo yo ass in these hands.
http://f.cl.ly/items/1d0X0o370A220Y3X0H2l/cain-smile-frown.gif
Herman Cain for President 2012

[MightyB]

Use soft (skill) to control hard (techniques), but use hard (techniques) to kill.

[wenshu]

A variation of this is a constant refrain in my school.


In Chinese there's a saying; "Lian wu bu lian yao, zong jiu yi bu gao" which means "martial arts practice without waist training, always remains just one step high". It talks about the importance of training waist power.

I hear something (a rough approximation) along the lines of mei zhuan yao mei lian gong. Have not turned the waist have not practiced gong fu.

[MightyB]

Use Fan Che methods to close the distance, once in tight, use mantis technique.

I can't remember it in Cantonese, but the rough translation went like this:

Fan Che falls like the rain, with tong long there's nowhere to hide (no defense).

[YouKnowWho]

Here are few maxims that I like to share here (the order is not important):

1. 1 is better than 1,2. 1,2 is better than 1,2,3.
2, Get both if you can, otherwise, get 1 first and get the other later.
3. Where your opponent's head goes, his body will follow.
4. Use the strong part of your body to against the weak part of your opponent's body.
5. Attack one direction and then attack the same direction again.
6. Attack one direction and then attack the opposite direction.
7. Strength can defeat 10 best techniques.
8. Skill beats fast, fast beats slow, slow beats no skill.
9. Everything has counters, only extream hardness and extream speed have no counters.
10. If your opponent punches you, run him down. If your opponent kicks you, run him down. If your opponent does nothing, still run him down.
11. Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer.
12. Offense is the best defense.
13. Act like a tiger and trying to eat your opponent alive.
14. To be kind to your enemies is to be cruel to yourself.
15. Force your opponent to play your favor game and not his.
16. MA is a big "cheating" game.
17. Aways has a plan in your mind and stick to it.
18. Put 100% power in your first 3 punches and your first 3 kicks. After that, if you just move your arm slightly, your opponent will sh!t his pants.
19. If you can kiss your enemy, you should be able to take him down.
20. If you don't spar for 3 days, your arms and legs will no longer be yours.
21. Froms are designed for "teaching" and "learning" only. It's not designed for "training".
22. There is still 100 miles apart between "knowing how to do in your head" and "being able to do on your body".

[MightyB]

Here are few maxims that I like to share here:

- 1 is better than 1,2. 1,2 is better than 1,2,3.
- Get both if you can, otherwise, get 1 first and get the other later.
- Where your opponent's head goes, his body will follow.
- Use the strong part of your body to against the weak pat of your opponent's body.
- Attack one direction and then attack the same direction again.
- Attack one direction and then attack the opposite direction.
- Strength can defeat 10 best techniques.
- Skill beats fast, fast beats slow, slow beats no skill.
- Everything has counters, only extream hardness and extream speed have no counters.
- If your opponent punches you, run him down. If your opponent kicks you, run him down. If your opponent does nothing, still run him down.
- Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer.
- Offense is the best defense.
- Act like a tiger and trying to eat your opponent alive.
- To be kind to your enemies is to be cruel to yourself.
- Force your opponent to play your favor game and not his.
- MA is a big "cheating" game.
- Aways has a plan in your mind and stick to it.
- Put 100% power in your first 3 punches and your first 3 kicks. After that, if you just move your arm slightly, your opponent will sh!t his pants.
- If you can kiss your enemy, you should be able to take him down.
- If you don't spar for 3 days, your arms and legs will no longer be yours.
- Froms are designed for "teaching" and "learning" only. It's not designed for "training".
- There is still 100 miles apart between knowing how to do in your head and be able to do on your body.

Too Awesome Master Wang! I think I'll turn this into a poster for my club's wall.

[ginosifu]

From the Angry Monkey Fist system:

Attack Suddenly !

Attack Violently !

Attack without end until the opponent submits or withdraws !

ginosifu

[RickMatz]

Strike First
Strike Hard
NO MERCY!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eRNhKkCvSHM/TZmmHLZfRoI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/EBnMw_MnQrc/s1600/ckd2.jpg

Sweep the leg!

[hskwarrior]

Shaolin:

"Attack like a Tiger, Defend Like a Virgin" :D:D:D

[GeneChing]

We've been running Kung Fu Wisdom on the last page since Our Nov Dec 2004 issue (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=543). Barring a few installments in the beginning, we run calligraphy of couplets and maxims from noted masters, along with literal and metaphoric translations. :cool:

Kung Fu Tai Chi. Subscribe. (http://www.martialartsmart.com/19341.html)

[Drake]

Shop smart: Shop martialartsmart.

[hskwarrior]

To practice in the presence of your own presence is to be one with yourself ~ :D

[dirtyrat]

when i saw the title of this thread, for a moment i thought "there's a kung fu version of that magazine?" ;)

[Iron_Eagle_76]

when i saw the title of this thread, for a moment i thought "there's a kung fu version of that magazine?" ;)

Of course there is, have you not seen Gene's ninjette centerfold of the month layout?;)

[hskwarrior]

Of course there is, have you not seen Gene's ninjette centerfold of the month layout?

Huslter just launched a new magazine called "Naked Ninjettes"

there is an article called "Naked Ninjettes in Nacho Nights"

I think this guy is their mascot.........LMAO

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jFyjh2goYtQ/TFQkft71SRI/AAAAAAAAAC0/_Yxpkh_uDh4/s1600/fat+naked+man+with+gun.jpg

[GeneChing]

I just did a Google image search on Nacho Ninjettes. Mostly, it led me straight back to this forum. Nevertheless, it was an amusing waste of a few minutes. I gotta get back to work now. :o


Shop smart: Shop martialartsmart.
Be Martial Art Smart, Shop MartialArtsMart. That's our slogan. I made it up myself. ;)

[brothernumber9]

some ubiquitous ones:

Use straight to break round. Use round to break straight.

No bridge, offer bridge. Bridge come, bridge over.

Use still to break movement. Use movement to break still.


One of my favorites for Hung Fut:
Fist is seed, Staff is teacher, Sun and Moon swords are mother and father.

[RenDaHai]

Awesome!

Great stuff @ everyone

YouKnowWho that was a great list, and Ginosifu yeah, Fists like meteors!

@Gene, Well, since 2004 is a lot of months! Can't you guys come out with a Kung Fu Maxims mini publication? You know sum them all up in one book. I'd subscribe but I don't think you deliver to DengFeng (although you should, that would be cool, then you could write on the front, now delivers to shaolin temple!)

[GeneChing]

There's some redundancy and some are just single or double characters. We focus on the calligraphy as well as the content.

ND04: yi dan er li san gong fu by Tu Jin-sheng

JA05: long by Li Yancai
SO05: shu jian by Chen Xiaowang
ND05: xue wu zhi jing by Jiang Jianye

JF06: zi xiang mao dun by Tu Jin-Sheng
MA06: jing qi shen by Chen Zhenlei
JA06: hu tuo she wei by Tu Jin-Sheng
ND06: hua quan, xiu tui by Tu Jin-Sheng

JF07: yi jiao tian xia dang wu you, ren jie si hai chong wen ren by Shi Deyang
MA07: wei lian quan, xian lian gong by Tu Jin-Sheng
MJ07: lian quan bu xi da, lin zhen shao fang fa by Tu Jin-Sheng
JA07: song shou by Yu Hai
SO07: yi gu zuo qi by Tu Jin-Sheng
ND07: merit is deep and vast, martial arts belongs to the world, Shaolin blossoms all over by Shi Deyang

JF08: shu jian by Yu Chenghui
MA08: wen yi pin xin, ywu yi guan de by Qian Yuanze
MJ08: wu by Shi Dechao
JA08: sa shuang ying zi by Grandmaster He Fusheng
SO08: he wu by Yu Hai
ND08: zi qiang bu xi by Jackie Chan

JF09: long by Shi Deci
MA09: yi xin yi xing by Tu Jin-Sheng
MJ09: wu wei by Chen Xiaowang
JA09: wei jing wei yi, nai wen nai wu by Guangdong Guanxi Lion Dance Assn.
SO09: jing qi shen by Sun Lei
ND09: wujian by Zhao Ziqiu

JF10: kuixing ti dou, du zhan ao tou by Tu Jin-Sheng
MA10: bai fa bai zhong by Tu Jin-Sheng
MJ10: di yi shan by Me Fei
JA10: hu by Fu Biao
SO10: Tamo by Tu Jin Sheng
ND10: gong fu ping ku lian, ao miao lai shen si by Chen Qingzhou

JF11: yi hai wu ya, wu dao wu ji, etc by Li Yancai
MA11: gongfu zahi liunian etc. by Chiu Chi Ling
MJ11: yue li tian zhong by Ding Yingtai
JA11: feng hu yun long by Hao Xingnian
SO11: chong wen shang wu by Zeng Nailiang
ND11: wu dao by Li Yancai

Of course, to get the translations, you'll need to get the back issues (http://www.martialartsmart.com/kungfu-magazine.html). ;)

[RenDaHai]

Cool!

Thanks Gene

[GeneChing]

Almost all of the calligraphy that we've run in Kung Fu Tai Chi belongs to our collection. A few pieces, like the one we'll be running in the upcoming Jan/Feb 2012 issue, belong to others, but we have a huge collection - almost all by martial arts masters who practice calligraphy. We've only framed about a 4th or 5th of it, as it's expensive to frame and we don't have that much empty wall space any more.

We discussed calligraphy here. (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43186)

[ShaolinDan]

"Win without fighting."
"One move to test. One move to win."
"Eat Bitter."
"The only secret is to practice."

[TenTigers]

Shaolin Creed:

1. I will develop myself in a positive manner to be gracious, humble and always show respect to others.

2. I will train diligently to develop self-discipline in order to bring out the best in myself and others.

3. I will use what I have learned in class only to defend myself and others and never use my skills abusively.

this looks more like the student creed developed by EFC, than a traditional maxim.
-jus' sayin..

[ginosifu]

Shaolin Creed:

1. I will develop myself in a positive manner to be gracious, humble and always show respect to others.

2. I will train diligently to develop self-discipline in order to bring out the best in myself and others.

3. I will use what I have learned in class only to defend myself and others and never use my skills abusively.

this looks more like the student creed developed by EFC, than a traditional maxim.
-jus' sayin..


Shaolin Creed:

1. I will develop myself in a positive manner to be gracious, humble and always show respect to others.

2. I will train diligently to develop self-discipline in order to bring out the best in myself and others.

3. I will use what I have learned in class only to defend myself and others and never use my skills abusively.

This is supposedly written somewhere at the Shaolin Temple.


I don't believe this either, but that's what they say. I think it's something like you said. Maybe one of those NAPMA guys went to Shaolin and asked if they put this statement somewhere on one of their walls so they can use it.

ginosifu

[bawang]

"those that exagerate martial arts and talk of fantasy, behead them"

"this business of killing people, do you think its supposed to look good?"

[Drake]

"Peace sells... but who's buying?"

[Lucas]

"Can you put a price on peace?"

[Drake]

"If there's a new way, I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time..."

[Lucas]

:D Heres one.

"I ain't the same person I was when I bit that guy's ear off."

[Drake]

"M-O-O-N, that spells traditional Chinese martial arts!"

[Lucas]

"I just want to conquer people and their souls."

[Drake]

"Good? Bad? I'm the guy with the gun."

[Lucas]

**** good way to kill off the rest of friday at work :)

"I love to hit people. I love to."

[Drake]

“Its only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything”.

[PalmStriker]

Learn to fry the fish in it's own oil.

[mooyingmantis]

Something I always told my traditional jujutsu students:

"Close enough to kiss, close enough to kill"

[Jimbo]

White knife goes out; red knife comes back.

[David Jamieson]

No ****ing in the gwoon!

[-N-]

"Attack must be vicious. As if you will kill even all his ancestors."

[-N-]

"Explode in a split of an instant. If you can see your own attack, it is too slow."

[jdhowland]

"A heavyweight's jab feels like a light-heavyweight's knock-out punch."

Floyd Patterson, American traditional kung fu master.


"Some have the speed and the right combinations. If you can't take the punches, it don't mean a thing."

Warren Zevon, astute observer.


"Don't worry about the other guy's technique. He has two hands--you have two hands. He has two legs--you have two legs."

Fong Kwan, Chinese American White Crane master.

[TenTigers]

just heard this one today. It's a keeper!

"If you hear the word, "Mother," don't wait for the second half."
:cool: