Martial poetry

[jon]

I wanted to start a thread that had nothing to do with moaning about art vs art and was not a troll.... Only thing i could think of was a nice poem i really like. Its part of my schools moral and ethical code and writen by Lao Tzu. Ive also posted this on the main forum but thought i may as well waste everyone elses time here with it as well. Take out of it anything you wish, i hope you enjoy it


Tao Te Jing of Lao Tzu
[the classic of the way]

Only simple and quiet words will ripen of themselves.
For a whirlwind does not last a whole morning.
Nor does a sudden shower last a whole day.
Who is their author? Heaven and Earth!
Even Heaven and Earth cannot make such violent things last long.
How much truer is it of the rash endevours of man?
Hence, he who cultivates The Tao is one with The Tao.
He who practices virtue is one with virtue.
And he who courts loss is one with loss.
To be one with the Tao is to be welcome access to the Tao.
To be one with virtue is to be welcome access to virtue.
To be one with Loss is to be welcome access to loss.
Deficiency of faith on ones part, Entails faithlessness on the part of others.
Be reliable in all dealings.
This will lead to success.

One on tip-toe cannot stand correctly.
One astride cannot walk properly.
One who displays himself does not shine.
One who justifies himself has no glory.
One who boasts of his ability has no merit.
One who parades his own success will never endure.
In Tao these things are called "extrinsic trappings and extraneous neoplasms" which are loathed by all sensible beings.
Hence a man of Tao does not set his heart on them.

There was something undefined and yet complete in itself.
Born beofre Heaven and Earth.
Silent and boundless.
Standing alone without change.
Yet prevading all without fail.
It may be regarded as the Mother of the world.
I do know its name.
I style it "Tao"
And in the absence of a better adjective, I call it "The Great"



Sorry if this had nothing to do with anything i just think its an amazing peice of poetry and is still VERY relavent even in this day.
Anyone else got some martial poetry they feel they can post?
Anyone want to comment on the above?

[brucelee2]

Awesome. Hey Jon, I'm also a Hung Gar player. I love that poetry, and I love the Tao Te Ching. It makes me feel really good. If you're interested, I can give you the internet address where you can read/print out a free copy of the tao te ching.

[fiercest tiger]

"One when travelling by land avoids the rhinoceros and tiger; dodges arms and weapons when engaged in battle with a hostile army. He sees to it that the rhinoceros have no oppurtunity to use their horns; that tiger have no oppoyunity to use thir claws; that enimies have no oppotunity to use their weapons."

i spent many of days with my sifu and si-mo at the temple and watched, listened and learnt from him as well as my sihings at the temple.

rest in peace sifu!:)

jon,
thanks for the thread it brought back many memories for me.

cheers
Garry:D

[vingtsunstudent]

well i don't know what's goin' on with all us tough aussie boys & this girly poetry stuff but anyways.....
i find this one quite to my liking
the artist transends within himself,
and in that lonely region of stress
and strife if he is deserving and fortunate,
he finds the term of his appeal.
-joseph conrad
vts

[jon]

Thanks everyone for there imput and if anyones got anymore keep em coming i might post some more as well over the next few days.

brucelee2
Great to meet another Hung player, we are all family after all;)
That would be great if you could post the url for that site i would appreciate it.

fiercest tiger
Great poem with a nice message. Im sorry to hear of the passing of your sifu you have my condolences. From what ive read and heard he was a great man. You are very lucky to have had him as a Sifu and have reached the level you have under him, you have my respects.


vingtsunstudent
That was great as well seems to be quite a day for it, its funny that sometimes in the heat of everything going wrong you feel the most clarity.

Keep em coming people im enjoying this...
hehe now all we need is some mood lighting, fine food and wine and of course the girls:D

[fiercest tiger]

Are you lost?:p

[jon]

"as there's a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"

Then would you care to light the way?
We all just seek the light at the end of the tunnel anyway.
Couldn't resist;)

[meltdawn]

Lao-tzü

"Those who speak know nothing
Those who know are silent."
These words, as I am told,
Were spoken by Lao-tzü.
If we are to believe that Lao-tzü
Was himself one who knew,
How comes it that he wrote a book
Of five thousand words?

Po Chü-i (772-846)

[fiercest tiger]

i can only show you one divine landmark its called KINGS X, in sydney.
i guarentee you will either like it or hate it!:eek: its where the true SAGES hang out.;)

[fiercest tiger]

in my eyes a sage would be a herb with fragrant, greyish green leaves used to flavour food!:D

oh you mean SAGE? hehehe ok a wise man, having wisdom that he gained from experience.

you can say like me for instance...;)

[CLOUD ONE]

Haven't you seen the 'Wonderful wizard of OZ'?

All together now 'were off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of oz..........'

[jon]

I find your tone pretty odd not to put to fine a point on it.
I dont go in for games so maybe you might just like to point out why your supperiour to the rest of us mere learners.

"i see you've sealed your fate of doom"
-You see nothing my friend, you dont know me or have the slightest idea where im coming from or where im going.

"it was directed to yum cha,anyways read your own poem's jon"
-Well then i appologise for answering a public statement on a public forum...
"sorry guys couldn't resist as there's a difference between knowing the path and walking the path"
-Was addressed to us all actualy, sorry guys are your words not mine...
-As for reading my own poems your quite right, i havent. Im also a misguided person with no hope of making it in this world. So dont worry sui-fuw your secrets are safe from stupid Australians like me. Now excuse me whilst i crawl back into my deep dark hole...

Sorry if this sounds really narky but im yet to read a post from you thats not insulting or just plain pretensious in one way or another. Im glad your Hakka and im glad you learn kung fu in your family, im glad its pure and im glad your happy. Now want to come down off your high horse and join the rest of us mere mortals?
Sorry but i dont care how skilled you are, you rarely offer any good advice and simply sit on the sideline calling people incorrect. You remind me of those two old guys out of the muppets...
Ginger fist was great in that he had the guts to not only stick up for his beliefs but also hand them out. You just put others down but wont offer youself for the same scrutiny.
Poor form and doesnt inspire respect... I hope you dont play your fist in the same way as your words.

[meltdawn]

Good evening, water tiger...errrr, PAPER tiger. Amazing some people still beleive that you are really Chinese. Anyone ever talk to Hak Ga? They do not say "I am Hak Ga", they say "I am CHINESE."

Just to help you become more so, here are a few words meant for you from our dear friend Confucius.

Not to be known should not grieve you: grieve that ye not know men.

Look at a man's acts, watch his motives: can he evade you? Can he evade you?

A gentleman is broad and fair: the vulgar is biased and petty.

Listen much, keep silent when in doubt, and always take heed of the tongue; thou wilt make few mistakes. See much, beware of pitfalls, and always give heed to thy walk; thou wilt have little to rue. If thy words are seldom wrong, thy deeds leave little to rue, pay will follow.

And my favorite:

Study without thought is vain: thought without study is dangerous.

[Galadriel]

Hi guys,

Have a look at
www.geocities.com/choylayfut_itc
and once you have entered, click on "Wisdom".
There are loads of little wisdom things, from either the Tao Te Ching, or Bruce Lee, etc

Galadriel

[meltdawn]

Heh heh...

Quoting sui-fuw:

"meltdawn?
wheres your blah?not seen a blah blah blah blah on?

still reading blah blah blah i see,another blah iblah,how blah ublah i'm sure?but,your k.f,has it blah blah blah last meeting?your blah?why not blah to blah blah blah blah blah?are you blah blah blah blah blah if i'm blah ga?well if you blah blah blah,then it blah blah blah is it blah blah blah be blah in blah blah or do your blah blah blah blah,blah blah?"

"another blah you'll blah blah,thy own blah is blah blah blah blah"

I tried to repost and imitate your style, but it is indeed singular. My fingers refused to eliminate spacing adjacent to punctuation and misspell common words. Oh, and feel free to email me if you'd like some lessons on how to type in Chinglish. I teaching you.

[jon]

The 2002 Guiness book of records will include an entry for the worlds shortest length published text.
It is entitled 'How to make friends and influence people' and was writen by KFM board member Sui-fuw. Its half a page of insults and sui-fuw doing his best to sound mystical.
We should all take a step back and give him all the credit he deserves.


I get more out of fortune cookies i buy in the supermarket.

I should really stop ruining the mood of my own thread...

Btw Meltdown that made me laugh:)

[jon]

I have a nasty habit of jumping the gun...
Im sorry if i came on with all guns blazing that was pretty silly of me, i should have had a little more restraint.
Truth is i do respect you and do value your imput which is proberly the same reason i got angry reading your coments.
Im just a learner and often my emotion conflicts with my judgement. I did not mean to be quite so detrimental to you and im posting this just to say im not 'against' you in any way, shape or form and im sorry if ive come accross that way.
As for testing my kung fu, lol i think now that should be obvious...
I have a LOT to learn.

One thing though maybe im misunderstanding?
"btw meltdawn is gingerfist"
If thats true thats the best darn job of inventing a persona ive ever seen and i would say Meltdown deserves an award. I do find it also very hard to believe. Ginger was actualy VERY knowledgeable about SPM and if you read my thread on southern mantis on the main forum you will see he demonstrated a tiny bit of that knowledge just before leaving to never be heard from again. Meltdown is known for Lung Ying and im not sure how she would attain such knowledge about southern mantis in her system, dispite them both being of a Hakka orgin.
Im talking Ginger knew form names, training methods, power expression, linage he really did know a LOT and not just things you 'pick up'.
I think you may be mistaken there...

[meltdawn]

HAHAHHAHAHAHA!

That was your BEST post, sui-fuw!!! Really, I mean it, even better than when you and your buddy denegrated my female anatomy! Whew, I'm dying over here!!!

Now that I know who you are, I really can appreciate your humor.

OK, let me try my hand at this "imposter" thing...

"Hello, ni hao. I am study Hak Ga-Chinese kung fu. My home live in Australia and my Sifu live to Heung Gong. But Sifu pass Away one year pass so I teaching now and am study from Sibak. I not liking many post to speaking bad. My am study long to become have good kung fu. You maybe not study long? My Sifu also teaching me good mouth come good deed, bad mouth come bad deed. You Sifu not teaching you this? Ni go hai gang ho a?"

Sheesh, that took forever! You trolls are to be admired for your efforts.

[jon]

All i wanted to do was post a nice poem:(

Now look whats gone and happened. I took part in this too but now can we pwease return to the orginal topic.
Its so much nicer and more appealing than waging war over our keyboards no?

[fiercest tiger]

lol:eek:

[meltdawn]

I love a boy who knows how to push my buttons. ;)

[jon]

Somehow i always end up instigating an argument, even when im not trying:( In the interest of my thread not turning into a sifu bashing forum im going to attempt to return to the orginal topic.
If you guys want to insult each others sifu's please do so in private behind closed doors so the rest of us dont have to sit though it. A persons skills are in there own hands, not in the hands of there teacher and not in the hands of there linage. Im not saying this to anyone in particular... just please lets return to the orginal topic?

Seeing as very little we are posting actualy rymes we may as well open this up to little quotes and passages of text.
Im going to put mine up as an excert from the Book of Five Rings by Musashi.


The Book Of The Void
From Musahi's 'Book Of Five Rings'

The Ni To Ichi Way of strategy is recorded in this Book of the Void.
What is called spirit of the void is where there is nothing. It is not included in man's knowledge. Of course the void is nothingness. By knowing things that exist, you can know that which does not exist. That is the void.
People in this world look at things mistakenly, and think that what they do not understand must be the void. This is not the true void. It is bewilderment.
In the way of stategy, also, those who study as warriors think that whatever they cannot understand in their craft is the void. This is not the true void.
To attain the way of strategy as a warrior you must study fully other martial arts and not deveate even a little from the way of the warrior. With your spirit settled, accumulate practise day by day, and hour by hour. Polish the twofold spirit heart and mind, and sharpen the twofold gaze perception and sight. When your spirit is not in the least clouded, when the clouds of bewilderment clear away, there is the true void.
Untill you realise the true way, whether in Buddhism or in common sense, you may think that things are correct and in order. However, if we look at things objectively, from the viewpoint of laws of the world, we see various doctrines departing from the true way. Know well this spirit, and with forthrightness as the foundation and the true spirit as the way. Enact strategy broadly, correctly and openly.
Then you will come to think of things in a wide sense and, taking into the void as the way, you will see the way as void.
In the void is virtue and no evil. Wisdom has existence, principle has existence, the way has existence, spirit is nothingness.



Confusing i know but there is a lot of good messages in that passage and one or two i thought relevent to the matters at hand.
Hope someone liked it, if anyone is still around after all this.

[anton]

Not a poem but anyway...

'Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily. Every day when one's body and mind are at peace, one should meditate upon being ripped apart by arrows, rifles, spears and swords, being carried away by surging waves, being thrown into the midst of a great fire, being struck by lightening, being shaken to death by a great earthquake, falling from thousand-foot cliffs, dying of disease and committing seppuku at the death of one's master. And every day without fail one should consider himself as dead.
There is a saying of the elders that goes, "Step from under the eaves and you're a dead man. Leave the gate and the enemy is waiting." This is not a matter of being careful. It is to consider oneself as dead beforehand.'

-Yamamoto Tsunetomo

[CLOUD ONE]

In Wing Chun there is a saying-

Receive what comes.
Follow What leaves.
Go straight when there is an opening!

can anyone explain what this means?

"Hardness cannot be maintained. Softness offers no protection"

[fiercest tiger]

Is it better to not know than to need

or

to need and not know?

cloud one,
nice saying, pretty straight forward though!!:)

[tnwingtsun]

"To set the cause above reknown,
To love the game beyond the prize,
To honor while you strike him down,
The foe that comes with fearless eyes;
To count the life of battle good
And dear the land that gave you birth,
And dearer yet the brother hood
That binds the brave of all the earth."

- Sir Henry Newbolt

[tnwingtsun]

Deep Thought of the Day
When you're riding in a time machine way far into the future, don't stick your elbow out the window, or it'll turn into a fossil.
- Jack Handey

[meltdawn]

tnwingtsun

"I thought I heard a crow calling my name"
thought Caw.
-Jack Handey


AT A BORDER-FORTRESS

Cicadas complain of thin mulberry-trees
In the Eighth-month chill at the frontier pass.
Through the gate and back again, all along the road,
There is nothing anywhere but yellow reeds and grasses
And the bones of soldiers from You and from Bing
Who have buried their lives in the dusty sand.
...Let never a cavalier stir you to envy
With boasts of his horse and his horsemanship.
-Wang Changling


sui-fuw
You may know of my master, but you do not know my master, and you most certainly do not know his ethnicity. Your crude remark regarding a master's knowledge labels you well. What ever questions you seek to raise in other's minds can be answered by our association's website. It helps if one can read Chinese.

Direct defamation from behind your false front; indeed you must be aware of the danger of such words spoken, not written.

[Sow Choy]

Here is a different one,

I caught this on a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode last night. It has s a somewhat personal meaning to me at this time.

I think it goes like this;

Enemys who twirl their mustache are easy to spot, those enemys who shroud themselves in good deeds are camouflaged.

To mean it is a reminder that good people can go wrong very easily, and that doing good things doesn't justify and make you a good person all the way.

It was said by Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart), not sure if it's an old one or not, but I like only this series of Star Trek, have some good philosophy here and there.

[Sow Choy]

Here is a different one,

I caught this on a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode last night. It has s a somewhat personal meaning to me at this time.

I think it goes like this;

Enemys who twirl their mustache are easy to spot, those enemys who shroud themselves in good deeds are camouflaged.

To mean it is a reminder that good people can go wrong very easily, and that doing good things doesn't justify and make you a good person all the way.

It was said by Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart), not sure if it's an old one or not, but I like only this series of Star Trek, have some good philosophy here and there.

[fiercest tiger]

The quiet man is not necessarily wise,
but the wise man is quiet.:D

[Yum Cha]

Nice thread...

Cloud, did you see the excerpt from Musahi? Is it what you had considered Strategy before? From my point of view, a lot of the poetry in this thread could likewise be interpreted as strategy.

Just like 5 gates, 5 animals and 5 elements. Paradigms. Ways of viewing and organising what you begin know in more exacting and dedicated orientations for greater perspective and understanding.

Sui Fuw
You've been thinking about me! I hope you didn't miss me much. I had your favourite "Bo Li" at lunch this week. Very nice. I'm told it is noted for its inconsistancy though, some is much better than others.

[triskellin]

p.s lung ying dates over 1000 yrs [/B]

where did you hear that from? :)

[sanjia]

sui fuw : how would i dare if i didn't know,the point is you don't know me.so who could i be.master you say?this is questionable

Indeed this is questionable, so , who are you? What do you teach? or, What do you train?

Mark S

[Buby]

I see your working your magic again bro.:D


Melt & Trisk -
Why can't Lung Ying be a 1000yrs. old? Why only 300?

Hey, if it dates back to a 1000yrs., then maybe it did come from the internal YKM. :D (easy Melty...It's just a joke)

Buby

[sanjia]

sui fuw : san its a bit direct,and i'm not sure i could satify your courosity?but then again....?all you need to do is to see beyond the words for i'm a b/s artist to you now i'll let you know otherwise?

What is the problem with direct? You don't need to satisfy me at all, I just asked a question, if you don't want to answer it, well then don't!

Mark S

[triskellin]

Originally posted by sui-fuw

trisk,are you saying that it isn't?:) it was to md not you,don't take offence.information from me is nothing till you search for your self then you know your rites and wrong's.treat me also as a b/s artist for its true to you for now?


I am asking where you got the idea that lung ying is 1000 yrs old? Why do you need to reply to a very easy question with a whole paragraph of jibberish? :D

[sanjia]

sui fuw : ok san i won't is that clear enough

Clear as a glacial mountain stream, I can see right through it.
You with me?

Mark S

[triskellin]

Originally posted by sui-fuw
answer buby question then we'll talk?

i was talking to you, not buby. ;) :rolleyes: i am asking where you read that lung ying was 1000yrs old? capish? pretty simple question y'know. why don't you answer it?

[triskellin]

hey all i wanna know is where u got your info from. why should i answer buby's question in a reply to you? why does it matter to you how old i think my style is? don't you understand my simple question?? if you didn't want to answer, all you had to do was say no instead of insulting me from the start. talk about no social skills. me an egg? melty did you hear that? BAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! :D

[David Jamieson]

you guy's lost me here, I thought I would get to write down a neat martial poem here....

cest la vie :(

peace

[jon]

I orginaly posted this thread as way of getting away from the trolling and style vs style bashing. Obviously this is asking to much of some people...

PLEASE post your poem....
Not all of us are here to sit round style bashing. I would hate to think this thread is just another excuse!

To all those arguing about Lung Ying SHUT UP!! If you enjoy it and it works for you WHO CARES WHAT ANYONE SAYS!!!
Must we sit here and debate exactly how old the system is? Is there really any point? If the truth came out exactly what would that prove?

Sheesh we got Lung Ying, Bak Mei and YKM all involved in this, i thought you guys were all hakka arts and had a level of mutal respect for each other. Obviously i was deluded...

[meltdawn]

Jon writes:
"To all those arguing about Lung Ying SHUT UP!!"

Beg your pardon?

"If you enjoy it and it works for you WHO CARES WHAT ANYONE SAYS!!!"

We all must, otherwise we wouldn't be here trying to promote our arts.

"Must we sit here and debate exactly how old the system is?"

There is no debate. Sui-fuw posed a question, and out of three lung ying practitioners currently responding to this thead, none have felt an imperative need to answer. Several have questioned his sources.

Sui-fuw said
"p.s lung ying dates over 1000 yrs,your lung ying states2-300 yrs max,WHY?"
Since he claims this 2-300 years is stated as "mine", he must be making an ass-upmtion from the limited information presented on our school's website, much like reading a book's dust jacket and ass-uming one thus thoroughly understands its contents. There has been no such statement presented by myself on this forum, nor on the website, with regards to age of lung ying.

"If the truth came out exactly what would that prove?"

Truth becomes truth if it is believed. You don't know my truth and I don't presume to know yours. Every style, every family, every student has his own truths.

"...i thought you guys were all hakka arts and had a level of mutal respect for each other. Obviously i was deluded..."

Jon, you are a welcomed new member to this forum, and post quite a bit, with many good topics and appreciated insights. However, I don't care for your generalizations which include me. Please keep in mind that there is but one antagonist on this thread, and that individual has no respect for anyone. You knew this two pages ago :)

[Rolling_Hand]

Sui-fuw,
--* Sorry *

Why?
Here is my advice to you...
You can look forward to things getting easier, but don't let yourself lose that edge.

[jon]

Look im sorry to have attacked you both, i would likely have done the exact same thing so i cant really blame you. Its just I personaly have a level of respect for both of you, and i find it hard to sit back and watch you both scrap.

To Sui-fuw your insite is often quite extensive but your method of putting accross you point could occasionaly use some polish. It would be great if you could try and be more clear in your posts as to your direction. I know this is not your style, ive spoken with quite a few of a similar ilk. Still its not always easy to follow the grain and often misunderstanding rules the engagement. I actualy dont mind your intensions sui-fuw, but honestly the method my friend the method.
'Dont use force you will only break it'.

meltdawn
Im sorry you took that personaly, i didnt mean for my statements to have a personal effect. I was more just stating i didnt want people arguing over a styles age on my thread. Still its not MY thread really in the end and you guys certainly have a right to stick up for yourselfs. As you pointed out i have had my little explosion already;)

"However, I don't care for your generalizations which include me."
- Im sorry for lumping you into a basket, that was stupid and i dont like having it done to myself. You have my appologies...


As i say its just i respect both of you , its hard to sit here though you both arguing whilst trying to remain silent.


P.S to the best of my knowledge Lung Ying only states there particular linage[coming from LYG] is 300 years old they dont make judgements on the whole system. LYG [again this is just my knowledge please correct if im wrong] combined Lung Ying with his familys kung fu, hence his Lung Ying was basicaly different to what had gone before it. Hence a new linage and a new starting date. The seeds have been around MUCH longer, but getting accurate about that is next to impossible.

[tnwingtsun]

>Please keep in mind that there is but one antagonist on this thread<



Theres two now,ok,back to the point,Martial poetry anyone??


Kung Lek??



Someone stumble up to the mike and mutter..........................

[David Jamieson]

The body is the tree of enlightenment
and the mind is like a bright mirror stand
always cleanse them diligently
and not let dust fall on them

[David Jamieson]

Enlightenment is not a tree to begin with
Nor is the mind a mirror stand
since originally there was nothing
whereon would the dust fall?

[David Jamieson]

--from the i ching--

It does not further one
to commit transgressions
the only thing that furthers one
is to prevent transgressions


peace

[prana]

"cuts like a knife"

Hi all, wish you well :)

[David Jamieson]

ok, so those aren't really "poems" but hey, they relate to martial arts. :D

peace

[Yum Cha]

Many are the temptations that would draw us from the path,
and many are the trials that make our way.
The value of the journey is not in its ease, but in its hardship.

[sanjia]

sui-fuw : thanks for the compliment


What compliment? Obviously you are not 'with me'.

Mark S

[jon]

Ok another bit of meat for the grinder.
Not a poem but interesting never the less.


Tai Chi Chuan Treatise
By none other than..... Chang San-Feng ...... Da man himself.

Once in motion, every part of the body is light and agile and must be threaded together.
Chi should be full and stimulated, Shen should be retained internaly.
No part should be defective, no part should be deficient or excessive, no part should be disconnected.
The root is at the feet, ging is generated from the legs, controlled by the waist and expressed by the fingers. From the feet to the legs to the waist must be integrated, and one unified chi. When moving forward or backward, you can then catch the opportunity and gain the supperiour position.
If you fail to gain the oppotunity and catch the superiour postion, your mind is scattered and your body is disordered. To solve this problem you must look to the waist and legs.
Up and down, forward and backward, left and right, its all the same. All of this is done with Yi [mind], not externaly.
If there is a top there is a bottom; if there is a front there is a back; if there is a left, there is a right.
If Yi wants to go upward, this implies considering downward. If you want to lift and defeat an opponent, you must first consider his root. When the opponents root is broken, he will inevitably be defeated quickly and certainly.
Substantial and insubstantial must be clearly distinguished. Every part has a substantial and and insubstantial aspect. The entire body and all the joints should be threaded without the slightest break.

Now let it never be said i dont care for you people, im handing out GOLD, GOLD I TELL YA!!!