Shaolin Wu-Yi Institute Philosophy

“Those who know the way do not speak of it. Those who are ever ready to speak of it do not know it.”

Many believe the only purpose for training in martial arts is to learn to fight. This is sad because the training of martial arts offers so much more than just fighting skills. Traditional Shaolin Kung Fu teaches the student to train both the body and mind to their highest levels so that he/she may live a longer and more fulfilling life. One of the most important aspects of Chinese Martial Arts is morality, in Shaolin Kung Fu there are two aspects of morality that are taught. The first is morality of the mind or thought which includes Will, Endurance, Perseverance, Patience and Bravery. The second aspect is morality of action which consists of Humility, Respect, Righteousness, Trust and Loyalty. These ideals are an integral part of the training curriculum at the Shaolin Wu-Yi Institute and are taught alongside the physical aspects of the art in order to help the student reach the highest levels of skill and try to approach self mastery.

The Chinese Bow

“Always try to be in communion with heaven and earth, then the world will appear in its true light. Self conceit will vanish and you can deal with any attack.”

The Shaolin bow is performed by joining the right fist with the left open hand. The closed fist represents the sun while the left open hand signifies the moon. The sun and the moon are the two great sources of light and when placed together they signify “Ming” which means bright in Chinese. The Ming dynasty (1368-1644) was an amazing era in Chinese history which saw an explosion in culture and art including Shaolin Kung Fu. When the Ming dynasty was overthrown by the Manchurians in 1644 the Shaolin Monks began to aid the Ming soldiers and rebels who were fighting to restore the Ming Emperor. During this time the hand signal for Ming was adopted as the Shaolin bow and all those who displayed this hand signal were holding themselves forth as agents of justice. This hand form has been continually used for hundreds of years and serves as a reminder that all who train in Shaolin Kung Fu must try to follow the path of wisdom, truth and righteousness in order to spread kindness and wellbeing to all they encounter.