Seeking balance by moving: the millenary art of Kung Fu as an elevation of the spirit and control of the self
Within the rich Chinese national heritage, in addition to writing, ceramics, cooking and the Great Wall, there is another important symbol of the culture and identity of this country, an ancient and precious art, kung fu. This term, which literally translates as "exercise skillfully performed ", is used in a generic way to encompass all the traditional Chinese martial arts, which are then individually identified by specific expressions such as Ch'üan Fa for boxing or Chung Kuo Ch'üan for Chinese boxing and so on.
In fact, kung fu is born as an exercise of the body and the soul aimed precisely at raising the spirit, self-discipline and self-efficacy. Anyone who decides to learn the very ancient art of kung fu must be aware of having to tackle a rising path, a steep staircase made up of many steps, commitment and dedication. Only with daily practice and with the guidance of a wise teacher will it be possible to reach the top. In this journey of ascent and elevation of the spirit, the main objective is in fact to learn to guide and concentrate our internal energy, our potential, the Ch'i. In ancient times the Chinese believed that the Ch'i was a vital force able to pervade the universe, to make the stars move and to generate life, to permeate our bodies through the air we breathe. The word Ch'i actually translates as "breath" and the exercise aimed at channeling this internal energy, far beyond muscular or physical strength, is closely linked to breathing, to concentration on one's breath and therefore on one's thought . There are three fundamental stages in which the three different forms of inner energy are acquired. We start from the Ching, the essence, the external level of skills in which we learn the execution of the movements and the correct positions, a fundamental stage to then pass as we said to the Ch'i, the internal energy. Only by learning to let the inner energy flow, will it be possible to achieve real effectiveness in the techniques. But it is with the Shen, the mental or spiritual energy, that the stage of true skill, the true control of the self, the highest peak is reached.
At this point the practitioner and the kung fu will merge, they will become one, and it will be at that moment that the student will be able to wear the role of the master, choosing in turn a disciple to teach all the secrets of this very ancient practice , according to the dictates of an atavistic and immortal tradition. Just think of all the rituals that make up kung fu. Born at the time of Confucius, they are still today performed in the same way and in the same order as in the past, in all schools, such as the ceremony of greeting, reverence for the ancient Masters, relations between students, respect for the length of practice. In the greeting standing, for example, in which the right hand wraps the left closed in a fist at the height of the nose, is enclosed the principle that animates all the thought of Chinese philosophy and culture. The closed left hand represents the sun, while the right hand that wraps the other represents the moon. Sun and moon, light and dark, are nothing other than Yin and Yang, whose union is indicated through the formula of greeting.
And it is always according to the principle of Yin and Yang that the martial arts have been divided into two large groups, which are based on the two styles par excellence, the Shaolin and the T’ai Chi. If the first refers to the external characteristics of the techniques - therefore strength and speed - the second refers to the development of internal energy. For both, in any case, the balancing of forces and energies is fundamental, the harder and faster movements will give way to those softer and slower and vice versa, again according to the cardinal principle of Yin and Yang, of harmony that governs the universe, the harmony between heaven and earth, mind and body. But it’s the movement that underlies everything, the principle of vitality and energy. As Bruce Lee once said, "we must seek balance by moving, not standing still". The dynamic principles in fact, which include the five elements, wood, fire, earth, metal and water, together with the Yin and Yang, constitute the symbol of kung fu, represented by the five yellow petals of the plum blossoms and the tao, placed in the center of the corolla, to indicate the close link between the five elements and the manifestations of the earth, of the sky and of man, intersected in an unspeakable harmony. It is precisely symbolism, together with dogmas and a millennial ritual, as a real manifestation of a state of mind, that makes kung fu much more than just a sport, but a real forma mentis. Kung fu lives like this in everything we do, it is in the heart and in the spirit ... everything is kung fu.
