You call it kong-fu probably because Bruce Lee called it that way, and you’ve also heard its other names that are hard for you to pronounce: Kung-Fu, Wu-Shu, Wu-Kon, San-So, Kuo-Su…etc. You probably know that it is a general term that refers various systems and styles of the Chinese martial art systems, but really, all these to you is just a vague idea of some fancy moves, high kicks and potentially with some strange yelling and heavy breath which you think would be powerful in fighting.
Immediately you face a big problem once you decide to learn kong fu: What is the kong fu I want to learn? And if you do your homework and list the menu up, you will find at least hundreds (if not thousands) styles for you to pick. Just in the name of Shaolin temple, there are hundreds search results and for God’s sake if you are naïve enough to type “kong fu” or “Chinese martial arts” and ask Google for help, you are doomed.
After hours and hours of research, you still have no idea what kong fu is and you are certainly not sure the school you are about to enlist is going to give you what it has promised just because it is famous and with many students.
But all in all, kong fu is just a set of skills of how to use your body itself or leverage certain weapons to really do some damage to your opponent(s). And all the masters believe there exists a perfect way of doing it just like the physicists believe that there is one theory that explains everything.
As a result, it doesn’t matter what system you are in, or what style you are about to study, all kong fu styles can be stripped down into four elements that aim to one thing: Finish off your opponent as fast as possible while keep your own ass intact. And the four elements are:
1. The desired effects of the moves.
2. The right way of body movements for the moves to be effective.
3. The logic and reasoning behind effective moves.
4. The philosophy behind the design of the moves.
With a clear logic and reasoning of the moves, you will be able to follow the designed body structure and project your power onto your opponent through a track that is efficient and effective so that you can get the job done quickly. And in each style, there will be a specific philosophy behind the design of its moves about why it is designed in such way.
So, now you should know what are the right questions to ask your kong fu master: Why do we do these moves? How does it affect me and the opponent? How do I develop such power and what is the thinking behind all these moves? A good system will give you simple and clear answers to all the questions while the fake ones will lead you into confusion and doubts. Oh, by the way, when I say simple and clear, IT MEANS simple and clear. So if you hear some big talk about these how and whys, don’t pretend it means something to you and submit yourself to the gurus…
Now you should also understand what kong fu is. Simply put it: Kong-Fu is a general term of the skill sets that Chinese people use to hurt and kill the opponent(s).
Coming Up Next: Ch.3 Shouldn’t Kong Fu Be A Tool of Peace and a Way of Life?
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