There is a core family of 'soft' or 'internal' Chinese martial arts which has developed beyond the principles of combat skills - many are deeply philosophical, spiritual and can lead to enhanced levels of mental and physical awareness (some are almost a form of moving meditation). Comprising Chi Kung, T'ai Chi, Hsing I and Pa Kua, these arts can offer practitioners a unique avenue of personal development.
As previously described, soft arts focus on using evasions, throws, leverage and pushes, rather than force to overcome an attacker. They are generally defensive rather than offensive and use an aggressor's own force to subdue them with the minimum of effort.The soft arts are also know as internal arts because they train you to use intelligence to overcome an aggressor (this is not saying that use of hard style is unintelligent, as they still demand a high level of skill). The hard arts will tend to require an intuitive physical response to a threatening situation as oppose to soft arts aiming for the ascendancy of the mind over the body, teaching the student to react naturally and calmly in a stressful situation.
History of Chinese Soft Martial Arts
The period from 500 BC to the birth of Christ saw the birth of the great philosophies of the East: Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism which are to this day still the pillars of Asian society and many martial arts. Taosim was formalised by the sage Lao Tzu and his successors between 600 and 300 BC, and at its heart lies the conviction that human beings are part of nature, and that key to understanding ourselves and the world we live in is increasing our understanding of nature. Tao ('the Way') is that single force which gives being, form, sense, and energy to all things. The best way to understand Tao is through study of the natural world and this principle is core to the soft arts (Five Elements and Twelve Animals to be discussed later).
Through the text of the Tao Te Ching (one of China's greatest literary masterpieces which captures the essence of Taoism), many physicians evolved a series of remedial exercises which entailed mimicking the movements of animals like the horse, tiger or dragon. It is though that these approaches were then eventually applied to fighting behavior of these animals thus forming the origins of the movements in the soft arts.
The Confucianist text the I Ching further extends the Taoist view of nature through time, arguing that reality is fundamentally fluid, a constant flow of events through which we pass in life. The philosophy of change therefore is deeply rooted in all arts and in particularly relevant to Pa Kua.
Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk, is also revered by many martial artists following his introduction of Wu Te -the 'martial virtues' of discipline, restraint, humility and respect for human life. Having attained enlightenment, Bodhidharma founded the famous Ch'an or Zen school of Buddhism where he is said to have taught the monks self-defence and acted as their spiritual guide.
It is the fusion of these main strands of Eastern philosophy that provides the foundation for the soft martial arts as they are practiced today. Although many of the soft arts are very different, they have all evolved form common postures and are devoted to balancing your inner energy (called Chi or Qi)
Chi Kung (Qi Gong)
Chi Kung is probably one of the simplest of the soft martial arts and is focused on molding or channeling the body's energy (Chi Kung's literal meaning is 'energy work'). While each of the soft martial arts is a complete system in its own right, it is common for students to practice them jointly, or progress from one to the next. Most commonly students begin with Chi Kung as it aims to instill deep natural breathing and to focus the balance and mind. Many Chinese master of Chi Kung are able to perform extraordinary feats of strength and endurance by developing the use of Chi and concentrating it in specific part of their bodies. It can also be practiced as a course of therapy in order to alleviate many types of illness or pain, since the basic movements are very gentle and there is little risk of injury or strain.
Ba Duan Jin - the Eight Fine Exercises of Chi Kung
It is believed that Chi is the driving force of the cosmos and human life, the energy that spurs us on to grow and develop as we pass through life. The Chinese believe that Chi also exists in the body and the basic aim of soft martial arts is to teach the student how to feel and channel this energy. Chi flows through our bodies through its own channels called meridians and it is further believed that Chi has its centre or home in the lower abdomen from where its can be stored or absorbed into the rest of the body. One of the first principles of the soft arts is to ensure the free flow of Chi through the body (a blockage can cause mental or physical illness). The way this is achieved is through natural deep breathing, relaxed and controlled exercise and sustained concentration. Ba Duan Jin (shown in the video above) a sequence of eight exercises is core to Chi Kung.
Hsing I
Hising I is most deeply influenced by the philosophy of Taosim, with its profound reverence for nature. It has the appearance of an external art, with movements performed in straight line, forward and back with a variety of punches, blocks & kicks. The practice of Hsing I is divided into two areas. The first is related to The Five Elements - fundamental concepts that are translated into human movements. Each element is assigned a specific function and series of movements and also associated to a specific organ in the body (practicing associated exercises where you have problems can allegedly also improve your health)
- Fire - Pounding or Cannon (Heart)
- Earth - Crossing or Sweeping (Spleen)
- Metal - Splitting or Cutting (Lungs)
- Water - Drilling or Screwing (Kidneys)
- Wood - Crushing (Liver)
The second area is The Twelve Animals, where each movement is inspired by a certain animal and embodies it's spirit and perceived intention. The exercises are Dragon, Tiger, Monkey, Horse, Crocodile, Cock, Sparrowhawk, Swallow, Snake, Crane, Eagle and Bear and in general are much more complex than the than the Five Element forms.
The Twelve Animals
Pa Kua
Pa Kua means 'Eight Diagrams' and refers to the eight simple patterns of parallel lines in the I Ching (the Book of Changes). The performer normally moves at high speed, whirling around in circles, swooping up and down and suddenly changing direction.The central essence of the art is change (performing it is know as 'doing the changes') and in this way it is very much aligned to the philosophy of Taosim and the belief that all things in nature are in a state of eternal and constant change. It can appear without structure at first glance and can be hard to learn, however the underlying principle is one of loss of form and the ability to be completely unpredictable. In this way it is possible to confuse an opponent by reacting instinctively to events as they unfold.
Pa Kua Forms
T'ai Chi
T'ai Chi is probably one of the most recognised Chinese soft martial arts and is generally well know for its great powers in instilling and maintaining health and fitness in people of all ages. T'ai Chi can help to improve circulatory and respiratory systems, and because of the concentration required to perform can induce a deep sense of calm and well being.
T'ai Chi brings together many of the principles from Chi Kung, Hsing I and Pa Kua. One of the most important principles is the idea of harmonising opposites, or bringing together and controlling opposite forces, The term T'ai Chi refers to the opposite poles of the the Ying Yang symbol which itself is perfectly balanced or harmonised.
The essence of T'ai Chi then is that in softness there is firmness and in yielding there is strength. Practically this means that the art achieves its efficiency as a self-defense system by combining opposite tendencies. If you are attacked, the first action is to yield before the attacker turning one's movements into harmony with the attacker's force. Through instilling agility, balance and control with practice of T'ai Chi, the defender is able to take a rooted stance that enables them to remain firm and in control and to use the force of the opponent's attack to unbalance or repel them.
T'ai Chi also teaches a number of ways to expel the energy of an aggressor, for example by pushing, locking or throwing, using pressure against the joints or sensitive points on the body. The aim is to achieve expulsion with minimal use of force, and use is made of a variety of kicks, punches and other blows mostly designed to neutralize an attack without inflicting serious injury. Many of these techniques are built into the T'ai Chi Short Form, shown in the video below.
T'ai Chi 24-Step Short Form
Like the other soft arts, T'ai Chi is deeply concerned with Chi, the energy that flows through the body and in this aims to bring balance to body, mind and spirit through specific movements, natural deep breathing and a calm state of mind. Many Chinese practice these exercises in the early morning, when natural Chi is thought to be most potent and readily absorbed by the practitioner.
Summary
In summary it can be said that there are a number of key principles that can be taken form these core Chinese soft martial arts and applied in general martial arts practice:
- Using the principles of deep breathing and concentration to channel one's inner energy or 'Chi'.
- Using breathing as a key way to remain calm, relaxed and focused in a stressful situation.
- For those that can master the channelling of Chi, the ability to use it in opposing, absorbing or repelling an attacker's force through many of the fundamental kicking, blocking and punching techniques taught within The Five Elements and The Twelve Animals
- Minimising exertion and use of strength with optimum use of the moves above (this ensures one does not tire too quickly in a fighting situation). This is achieved through small movements that are performed in well rooted stances with use of Chi.
- In addition, the smaller, softer and faster a move the harder it will be for an attacker to see and defend.
- Using the principles of change in Pa Kua to stay unpredictable in the face of an attack.
- General well-being and health benefits through practicing many of the techniques described and the added bonus of minimizing the risk of injury versus hard style (definitely important as you get older and take longer to recover from injuries!)
References:
The Book of Soft Martial Arts by Howard Reid
The Essence of Tao by Lao Tzu
Tai Chi Classics by Waysun Liao
Tai Chi Touchstones by Douglas Wile
