Wudang Martial Monks

[Buddy]

"These Wudang guys say they're STILL sitting on Wudang teaching the old ways while everyone else was purged."

 

My grandmother said meat rots in the moonlight and she was an honest soul.

BTW thin weapons are for show ONLY. Terrible for the shenfa. In light (real, regular weight) weapons the weapon follows the body. For heavier weapons (dadao, dajian) the body follows the weapon.

[Spectrum]

All these replies are thought out and mindful. Thank you. I appreciate the reflection on the discernment of movement and particully the intent.

 

Assuming some Wudang lives on, what does its movements charactaristically represent?

 

These Wudang guys say they're STILL sitting on Wudang teaching the old ways while everyone else was purged.

 

What is this that Lung Hu Shan Mt. Taoists escaped the Communist spiritual enema?

 

http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/hwhp/china/biography.html

 

Excerpt: "Dr. Lily Siou Ph.D., Taoist Master Chang I Hsiang known to her students as Shih Fu Chang was trained from the age of six at the Lung Hu Shan Monasteries in China. She was sent to the monasteries during the troubled times of the early 1950s in China. Lily's parents felt she would be safer there. She did not see her mother again for 20 years."

Edited October 21, 2007 by Spectrum

[林愛偉]

All these replies are thought out and mindful. Thank you. I appreciate the reflection on the discernment of movement and particully the intent.

 

Assuming some Wudang lives on, what does its movements charactaristically represent?

 

What is this that Lung Hu Shan Mt. Taoists escaped the Communist spiritual enema?

 

http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/hwhp/china/biography.html

 

Excerpt: "Dr. Lily Siou Ph.D., Taoist Master Chang I Hsiang known to her students as Shih Fu Chang was trained from the age of six at the Lung Hu Shan Monasteries in China. She was sent to the monasteries during the troubled times of the early 1950s in China. Lily's parents felt she would be safer there. She did not see her mother again for 20 years."

 

 

Though Long Hu Shan is open to tourists they have a few high level masters still there keeping quiet. This is why they survived so to say. Chang Yi Xiang Shifu is very high level, and will be in China by the end of Oct till Nov. for teaching her students form Hawaii and China, as well as going to Hong Kong to attend the Grand Jiao Ceremony which happens once every 150yrs...as I am told by one of her close Disciples...one of my cultivation brothers.

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

[Spectrum]

Though Long Hu Shan is open to tourists they have a few high level masters still there keeping quiet. This is why they survived so to say. Chang Yi Xiang Shifu is very high level, and will be in China by the end of Oct till Nov. for teaching her students form Hawaii and China, as well as going to Hong Kong to attend the Grand Jiao Ceremony which happens once every 150yrs...as I am told by one of her close Disciples...one of my cultivation brothers.

 

Peace and Blessings,

Lin

 

Lin,

 

Interesting information on Long Hu Shan. Have you visited there? When will Shifu Chang be returning to Hawaii? I have a strong inkling to visit her school in Honolulu. Thank you and Kindest Regards, Spectrum

[nightwatchdog]

there's an intersting interview in Kung fu Taichi magazine this month with a Wudang Martial Monk:

 

http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/a...php?article=720

 

Unfortunately the article isn't available online, but that's the issue. I have to paraphrase because I don't remember the details precisely, but essentially this particular monk says that Wudang was "reopened" about 20 years ago by the PRC. Very similar story to Shaolin.

 

There were a few old monks still living there, who were basically trying to keep the temple from falling apart. Internal martial arts masters were invited to teach a group of young pre-teen kids at the temple, while the old monks taught them history, meditation, and so on. After a year, about a dozen of the kids took vows as monks, and recieved advanced training from the Martial artists and the old monks over a decade or so. The temple was then turned over to thier care, with the old monks staying on as a Council of Elders. The new monks run the place, see to the teaching of new monks, and lay people.

 

So basically it was "revived" in a very similar way to Shaolin. They had no electricity or running water until a few years ago. Aparently tourism there has been booming since "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", so the PRC has been pumping more money into the place. The monk interviewed has opened a training center in the U.S.A., and is hoping to be allowed to spread Wudang teachings internationally.

[VCraigP]

My Dharma Brother's Bagua teacher was approached by monks of Wu Dang offering a place at the temple if in exchange he would teach his Bagua Zhang there. The Master told the monks he wouldn't do it. Ofcourse they were upset, and asked why. THe Master said " I'm not Daoist enough...what if I say 'Namo Amitabha Buddha' or something? That's not going to shine right with Wu Dang now is it?"

The monks tried to talk him into it saying how they'll give him clothing to wear that looks Daoist, and support him when he is requested to go overseas to represent Bagua.

He said to them that his Bagua isn't Wu Dang Martial Arts, and it isn't proper to lie to people for the sake of having M.A. in Wu Dang.

 

 

 

I heard a similar story from what I consider a creditable source. A "monk" or "monks" from Wudang approached a master asking for instruction in a MA form which lineage is purported to derive from Wudang. Maybe there is some honest attempt to gather knowledge back to Wudang as well, but it is very easy to believe what is easily found there is no longer the full and authentic tradition.

 

From what I saw in Tibet a few years ago, the situation in temple/monestary there is similar. Many very young monks being allowed to carry on a "tradition". But is that tradition really still alive there?

 

Isn't this the way it has always been though? As soon as the masses learn where to seek to find real mystery schooling, it is no longer there, but in such a way as to leave doubt as to whether it was ever really there.

 

Never easy to find a real master. Maybe easier these days to gather some knowledge and travel a ways down the path, but never easy to carry to higher levels. As it is meant to be?

 

Craig

[nightwatchdog]

It appears that the monks are trying to "come clean" now, if you read the article. Unfortunately, they are not allowed to point out why this is happening in the first place... but most of us already know (I'll give you a hint, it rhymes with Cultural Revolution). This sad fact of life isn't the fault of the monks who came before, nor of the new monks who are trying to rebuild. This is the fault of a government who wanted to wash away these teachings because they interfered with the agenda of the day.

 

From what I gather, the monks at Wudang are trying very hard to be the real thing. Unlike the situation at Shaolin, the real ordained priests are keeping monks vows, following vegetarian diets, overseeing ceremonies for the public, observing daily meditation, and training martial arts. They are still actively seeking former members of the original temple (some of whom have returned I might add), as well as talented martial artitists who wish to share and train. If you don't like what you see there, they have requested instruction from numerous masters over the years. Anyone who feels they can do better is free to go and show.

 

Shaolin and Wudang are not what they were, but both temples have been destroyed and rebuilt many times over thousands of years. Wudang is still being rebuilt now. The question is, what will be taught there to future generations? If we expect good Wudang Gongfu, then it requires an effort on the part of the people who have benefited from the Wudang lineage being maintained long enough for them to learn a piece; Masters who are willing to share thier knowledge. If no one shares, how can we blame the monks for the "failure?"

Edited October 22, 2007 by nightwatchdog

[林愛偉]

Lin,

 

Interesting information on Long Hu Shan. Have you visited there? When will Shifu Chang be returning to Hawaii? I have a strong inkling to visit her school in Honolulu. Thank you and Kindest Regards, Spectrum

 

 

She should be returning by the end of November.I haven't visited there, but will once I am settled back in the states.

 

 

Peace,

Lin

[林愛偉]

I heard a similar story from what I consider a creditable source. A "monk" or "monks" from Wudang approached a master asking for instruction in a MA form which lineage is purported to derive from Wudang. Maybe there is some honest attempt to gather knowledge back to Wudang as well, but it is very easy to believe what is easily found there is no longer the full and authentic tradition.

 

From what I saw in Tibet a few years ago, the situation in temple/monestary there is similar. Many very young monks being allowed to carry on a "tradition". But is that tradition really still alive there?

 

Isn't this the way it has always been though? As soon as the masses learn where to seek to find real mystery schooling, it is no longer there, but in such a way as to leave doubt as to whether it was ever really there.

 

Never easy to find a real master. Maybe easier these days to gather some knowledge and travel a ways down the path, but never easy to carry to higher levels. As it is meant to be?

 

Craig

 

Hmmm... You know, once we see something for what it is , it is no longer what it was.

In the Dao De Jing, and Buddhist Sutras, as an outline for a person with wisdom, and awakening;

The sage stands in the background, influences the masses and disappears without a trace. If anyone were to recognize such a being, that being would run for the hills.

 

Kind of says something about how it works into todays society when we are looking for high level masters whom either run to our pockets, or keep a low profile. If there was such publicity on high level masters in today's world, there would be a massive craze for these people, and the teachings would have to be watered down...also, gov.s would be on the search for them indeed.

As long as the Sage, awakened one, does not influence the masses by standing before them, all is in harmony. Once the Sage claims recognition, there is resentment, anger, and dangerous situations ahead for the people and the Sage.

Simply because, if he who was once thought a Sage stands in front of the crowd in recognition and accepts it willingly and enjoyably indulging in the "I" of accomplishment, that being was not originally a Sage...just an ordinary person. Mix in with the crowd, unless you are a monk. Then if your a monk, be patient and quiet like the sage mixing in the crowd, and stay strict to your vows as a guideline of virtue and moral, behavior.

 

HAHA even some monks of both schools forget that they should be in the corner away from influencing directly. This is why there is much ego in today's monasteries, not all , but a good amount. Daoist and Buddhist monasteries alike.

 

 

 

:-D

 

Peace,

Lin

Edited October 22, 2007 by 林愛偉

[Oolong Rabbit]

It appears that the monks are trying to "come clean" now, if you read the article. Unfortunately, they are not allowed to point out why this is happening in the first place... but most of us already know (I'll give you a hint, it rhymes with Cultural Revolution). This sad fact of life isn't the fault of the monks who came before, nor of the new monks who are trying to rebuild. This is the fault of a government who wanted to wash away these teachings because they interfered with the agenda of the day.

 

From what I gather, the monks at Wudang are trying very hard to be the real thing. Unlike the situation at Shaolin, the real ordained priests are keeping monks vows, following vegetarian diets, overseeing ceremonies for the public, observing daily meditation, and training martial arts. They are still actively seeking former members of the original temple (some of whom have returned I might add), as well as talented martial artitists who wish to share and train. If you don't like what you see there, they have requested instruction from numerous masters over the years. Anyone who feels they can do better is free to go and show.

 

Shaolin and Wudang are not what they were, but both temples have been destroyed and rebuilt many times over thousands of years. Wudang is still being rebuilt now. The question is, what will be taught there to future generations? If we expect good Wudang Gongfu, then it requires an effort on the part of the people who have benefited from the Wudang lineage being maintained long enough for them to learn a piece; Masters who are willing to share thier knowledge. If no one shares, how can we blame the monks for the "failure?"

 

Well said nightwatchdog,

 

The Wudang masters in this video sure seem like the real McCoy.

 

[JoseFreitas]