Stupid Questions Looking for Quick Answers

[sergei]

I truly hope no one gets a negative impression of me for asking these simple questions, but could you guys please help clarify some things for me?

 

1) What is the relationship between Taoism, Tai chi, Qi gong, etc? Are these martial arts subsets of overlying Taoist beliefs or separate martial arts?

 

2) What is Kunlun and where can I find more information on it (such as Wikipedia) on the internet?

 

3) Is "qi" standard throughout? As in Qi in Tai Chi, Qigong, etc? I know that the Japanese like to think their version of Qi is an actual force while the Chinese Qi is rather ambiguous. Can someone clarify -

 

4) What martial arts are most wholly integrated with Taoism?

 

5) Would someone please briefly explain the different schools of Taoism to me?

 

6) What is Lei Shan Dao, and where would I go to learn more about it? (Book recommendations would help)

 

THANK YOU!!!

[Encephalon]

Replying to Stupid Questions Looking for Quick Answers

 

These are not stupid questions, but they don't have quick answers, and few people are interested in doing your basic research for you. Get a library card. Those Big questions can be answered very well by "Scholar/Warrior" by Deng Ming-Dao or "The Complete Book of Chinese Health & Healing: Guarding the Three Treasures" by Daniel Reid (imho).

[doc benway]

 

3) Is "qi" standard throughout? As in Qi in Tai Chi, Qigong, etc? I know that the Japanese like to think their version of Qi is an actual force while the Chinese Qi is rather ambiguous. Can someone clarify -

 

4) What martial arts are most wholly integrated with Taoism?

 

Excellent questions - I will briefly address two.

3) Qi = 氣 in Qi Gong 氣功 and means air or vapor but also refers to the energy or life force. Qi Gong means breath work, literally

Ji = 極 is the second character in Tai Ji Quan 太極拳 Ji means extreme as in the end or tip of something. Tai Ji refers to the Daoist principle of balance in the universe. And Tai Ji Quan is the martial art that makes use of the Daoist principle of Tai Ji in combat, which leads to the answer to number

4) Tai Ji Quan literally means the art of fighting based on the Tai Ji principle which is one of the core principles in Daoism. Therefore, IMO Tai Ji Quan is wholly integrated with Daoism. You can say the same about Xing Yi Quan (5 elements are used) and Ba Gua Zhang (Yi Ching) but I don't think it is as accurate in those arts. This is because only in Tai Ji Quan do you really see the philosophical principles clearly reflected in the martial movements and strategies. Just my opinion, of course.

[sergei]

so qigong and daoism are not that interrelated? what about the breathing techniques used in daoism, do they not relate to the ones used by practitioners of qigong?

[Stigweard]