Why Wudang Wushu is called Neijia Kung Fu

Wudang Wushu, historically, is also known as Neijiaquan, or Wudang Internal Martial Arts. But why is it called Neijia Kung Fu?

Throughout history, there have been many interpretations of the term "Neijia", each with its own opinion.

"Internal" was first described in the Ming and Qing dynasties, the master of park science Huang Zongxi "Nanlei Wenji" in the "Wang Zhengnan epitaph". Wang Zhengnan for the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty, Simei (now Xi Jiang Ningbo City), a local Wudang boxing master, under the single Sinan. From Wang seven generations back to the founding ancestor of the school Zhang Sanfeng. Wang Zhengnan epitaph" in the cloud "...... there is the so-called internal, with the static brake, the offender should be hand that pounces (or as a servant), so don't shaolin for the external, covered in the song of zhang sanfeng ...... "from the". Huang Zongxi "has the so-called internal" the use of the word, it can be seen at that time, "internal" that not only has been commonly used, and has been along for a long time. However, Huang's statement seems to stick to the "static brake, the offender should be hand to pounce" of the "static" for the "internal", "dynamic" of the "offender", "the offender", "the offender", "the offender", "the offender", "the offender", "the offender", "the offender", "the offender". "offender" as "outside" of the enemy object and the characteristics of the fight.

Some people believe that the "inner family" is Zhang Sanfeng to call himself a Confucian. Because the monk called the people outside the square, Zhang Sanfeng does not regard himself as a monk, to the light and dust and called "internal". In reality, this claim is not tenable. Because, Zhang Sanfeng both want to call himself a Confucian, he had been to Confucianism Jinshi did the official, why not resign from the official not to do, preferring to be a square outside of the person it? Here must be mentioned in particular, the history of the Northern Song Dynasty Zhang Sanfeng said (represented by Huang Zongxi) and the Yuan Ming Zhang Sanfeng said, quoted in this paper for the Yuan Ming Zhang Sanfeng. Some people think, shaolin boxing called foreign, because shaolin temple is buddhist, buddhism is from india, india is a foreign country, so it is called foreign. Wudang Quan from Wudang Mountain, Wudang Mountain is Taoism, Taoism is China's native religion, in the country, so Wudang Quan called internal. This argument seems to be very reasonable, the actual still untenable. Because, although Buddhism from foreign countries, but when the monk are Chinese people, not only Buddhism after the introduction of classical theory according to the Chinese people's understanding of the understanding of the translation, has Chinese characteristics, and the Buddhist martial arts are still in the Chinese native martial arts. Therefore, according to this to divide the external, internal still can not be self-explanatory. Of course, some people have argued that the two schools of Buddhism and Taoism have never been separated by a gateway, so of course Zhang Sanfeng can be Taoism is the country's religion, Buddhism is a foreign religion to classify the internal and external family. But these people do not know, in Zhang Sanfeng's exposition of Taoist writings, there has never been a gateway view, and holds the view that Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism are one. He held the view that the three religions were united in the search for truth, and that there was a similarity of understanding among the three religions. And in history, Wudang Mountain is the Taoist and Buddhist two long-term **** exist. So this kind of argument is also not at all stable footing. Others believe that historically, Shaolin monks are good at expressing themselves with martial arts skills and love to show their form outside, so they are called externalists. And Wudang Taoist people are clear-minded, hate the mountain is not high, hate the forest is not dense, return to the hidden are too late, never show the protagonist, and, the higher the skill, the more they do not let people know. This focus on the inner characteristics of the party can be called internal. This argument seems to be reasonable, but still show insufficient justification. Because, monks also have a love of hidden people, and Taoists also have light exposure. Moreover, for the hidden and obvious, is not at all to determine the standard of cultivation of kung fu, and many Taoists also believe that the real cultivation of kung fu is in the downtown area. Zhang Sanfeng, despite his unpredictability, was often seen in the world. Moreover, his Wudang Taijiquan has taught many disciples outside the Taoist school! In addition to the above, there are also to rigid and flexible division of external and internal say, there are also to attack and defense division of external and internal say, there are also to kung fu hard and soft division of external and internal say, there are also to the geographical North and South division of external and internal say ...... some of these, it is even further away from the topic. On the internal and external home of the combined present explanation, Huang Zongxi's "there is the so-called internal home, with the static brake, the offender should be hand to pounce" for one. And Qing - Cao Bingren "Ningbo Fu Zhi" is also explained as "external ...... its law is mainly in the wrestling people, and jumping and jumping, or lose the sparse, so often get multiplied by people, the internal ...... its law is mainly in the enemy, not in trouble is not hair, hair then When the must be destroyed, the gap can be multiplied ......" and Huang Baijia "Zhaodai series of books," "internal boxing," said: "Since the external to Shaolin, the art is fine. Zhang Sanfeng both refined in Shaolin, and thus turn it, is the name of the internal. It can be said that the latter three say "internal" explanation are more correct, but the shortcomings lie in not making things clearer. For example, Huang Baijia said the Northern Song Dynasty "Zhang Sanfeng both in Shaolin, and thus turned, is the name of the family", then, this "inside" of the article on a "turn" word. This "flip" word "flip" is what? Cao Bingren said that the external style is "mainly for fighting people", while the internal style is "mainly for fighting the enemy". It seems that this "flip" is a change from attack to defense. The actual purpose of turning from attack to defense? Huang Zongxi said, is "quiet braking, the offender should be hand that pounces". In fact, here, its meaning is not yet finished. The real meaning of the family is to be centered around the Taoist practice of internal alchemy to explain the main purpose to be clear. So, what is the purpose of refining internal alchemy? Zhang Sanfeng of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties answered in his "Taijiquan Song", "I want to push the end of the intention, to prolong life and immortality." The purpose of practicing internal alchemy is to get rid of diseases and prolong life. Therefore, when he created Wudang Taijiquan, he put health care in the first place. Taijiquan was regarded as a kind of dynamic gong method for practicing internal alchemy. Zhang Sanfeng believes that: "If only to get Taijiquan method, do not know the work of the mystery, ignore, this is no different from alchemy without medicine, medicine without alchemy, not that can not get on the road to longevity, that is, the outside of the kung fu, but also will not be able to achieve" (Mr. Xiao Tianshi edited by the Free Press, Taiwan, published "Essence of the Taoist Collection, the second collection"). The Secret of Zhang Sanfeng's Taiji Alchemy"). The "external kung fu" here refers to the technical combat kung fu. Therefore, the first thing that internal martial arts do is to achieve internal cultivation, and on this basis, they are incidentally effective in generating technical combat. In other words, internal cultivation is the foundation, and technical combat is the end. According to the personal experience of some contemporary internal kung fu masters, it is also believed that, to learn internal kung fu, if from the very beginning one has always taken the technique as a stop to exercise, then one will always be unable to enter the door. Only with the starting point of raising into life, in the line of work in the end, static in the end, in order to see the success day by day. Taijiquan in the technical function of the "static brake, the offender should be hand that pounces", that is, the practice of internal alchemy in the "silent and immobile, feeling and then pass" the specific performance of the external, it is in the technical performance on the performance of the highest state is a kind of weak system of strong, slow victory over the fast, powerless to fight powerful, The innate natural instincts of "four two pushes a thousand pounds". Of course, this kind of innate natural instinct actually refers to the ability of the Tao, and does not refer to the innate physiological qualities. As Wang Zongyue, an authoritative theorist of Taijiquan, said in his "Discourse on Taijiquan", "There are a lot of side doors in this technique. Although there is a difference between the potential, but not outside the strong to deceive the weak, slow to let the fast ear. Powerful to beat the powerless, slow hand to let the hand fast, are all innate natural ability, not about learning strength and also have." The "innate natural ability" he mentioned here refers to the innate physiological quality, and the "learning ability" he mentioned here refers to the ability to learn the Tao and be in line with the Tao. Because, Taijiquan is treated by Dan Taoists as a kind of dynamic work of Dan Tao. The so-called innate physiological qualities of ordinary people are regarded as acquired in the theory of internal alchemy, and are not the innate qualities that are in accordance with the Way. By adopting this kind of dynamic power, through the progress of "learning power", i.e., kung fu, one can step by step approach the innate nature of the Tao and be in harmony with it. Wang Zongyue was not unaware of its rationale, but just adopted the common saying in order to make it easy to understand. Its overall strategy, tactics, and even its underlying philosophy are different from that of the external martial arts, and are precisely the opposite of each other. While the internal martial arts and Taoist philosophy have always been a complete system, the external martial arts are not, and its martial arts techniques and training methods are not in the same system as the Buddhist meditation and its Buddhist theories. Strictly speaking, what we know today as Waijiaquan does not represent the original Chinese Buddhist martial arts, but is only a collection and distillation of ancient Chinese practical martial arts. In 1928, Yangzhou Jin Yiming in his book "Wudang Boxing Secrets" in the "Introduction" to the "outside" of this "collection and refinement" of the special phenomenon described. He believes that the early Buddhist boxing and its later popular boxing in society is very different, "Buddhist boxing early this Hui used to nail people to defend the use of the enemy". In ancient times, because of the Buddhist Zen Gong like quiet and do not like to move, the monks sit for a long time, the spirit appears to be tired, and the knees and legs are stiff and deformed, which causes the whole physiological adverse changes. Buddhism is to cultivate a soul beyond the body shell, such meditation but the body are spoiled, no good shell, the soul from where to repair it? Therefore, the opportunity of meditation is still to practice the way to strengthen the body. Therefore, Shaolin Temple Dharma masters not only passed down the "marrow" work, but also according to the theory of medicine Fei Dao and traditional Chinese massage and martial arts, the creation of the transmission of the "tendon" work, is an auxiliary of Zen Gong. Therefore, the early Buddhist boxing, from this point of view, not only and the Taoist early boxing body with, the theory of law is similar, and in the "wash your ears and listen to the marrow", "Yi Jin" work on the basis of a certain degree of development. But as Mr. Jin Yiming also said, however, "This is the truth of Shaolin boxing, is not easy to light transmission of the art of laymen, non-Shaman Shi Zi can not penetrate the three obscurations. Because it is profound and subtle, the Buddha and stubbornly do not pass on, so the original Buddha that is the original Shaolin boxing gradually known to the world. Then, with the rise and fall of Buddhism, the boxing payer will also gradually rare, more unknown to outsiders.

As far as I know, since the Tang and Song dynasties, Buddhism and Taoism in the theory and practice of monastic methods, mutual exchange and penetration, complementary very strong. In the Wudang Mountains, Buddhism and Taoism **** exist, Zen also learn Tao, Tao also learn Zen, this Dan Gong as the essence of boxing, Buddhism and Taoism are not different, **** with the study, because of the emphasis on the internal Dan, internal power, internal maintenance, so called the internal family. Mr. Jin Yiming went on to testify that: "Since the Wei and Jin Dynasty, since the Tang and Song dynasties, the change, during which the fine clothes of the people running around in ten directions, so that the Buddhist exercise of physical exercise of Zen Gong for the preparation of combat and self-defense. During the period of loyal and righteous, treacherous and cunning in and out of the empty more I do not know how many. Although the world is slightly aware of its art, but keep it a secret. At that time, Zhang Sanfeng came into being, with the talent of the great posture, the wisdom of the man, lamenting its art can not be seen in the world, but the opposite see cynicism in the people, so to be research and refinement, and then change its secret method of combat and self-defense, and the main secret of the enemy, awarded to the disciples, the writing of transcripts, the world, and the school was then the great rise." From this can be seen in the see, shaolin late boxing is not shaolin buddhist original "authentic", but since ancient times in china has not gone through the philosophical theory of the forging of the social and practical martial arts. This is of course called a long history of practical martial arts, is a technical confrontation, the person's innate physical and mental advantages to determine the winner. This is what Wang Zongyue called "innate natural ability". This advantage is: fast system slow, strong over weak, powerful to beat the powerless, a thousand pounds of pressure, and so on. Compared with the internal boxing, one emphasizes the outside, one emphasizes the inside; one is clumsy, one is clever; one is strong, one is soft. Therefore, the previous generation of internal boxing (such as Huang Baijia) from the practice of experience, Zhang Sanfeng created internal boxing is in the "Shaolin" on the basis of the combination of Taoist theory of health research to create a thousand hammered and refined. Therefore, future generations of scholars can Zhang Sanfeng's internal boxing essence "to get one or two of them, has been enough to win the Shaolin" (this "Shaolin" refers specifically to the Tang and Song Dynasty to the Shaolin Temple popular boxing, that is, to the power, speed, and strength of the advantages of the enemy's heavy outside of the boxing). Then, in other words, learn internal boxing shall not enter the door, or learning is not refined, may not be able to win the "Shaolin". Of course, when we say that the late Shaolin boxing is a practical martial art that has not been forged by philosophical theories since ancient times in China, the "practical" of "art" means that it is mainly a kind of accumulation of experience, which also includes a certain aspect of its later borrowing of Neijiaquan. Some of the early Shaolin styles that have survived to the present day, such as Xingyiquan, are a different matter, and can also be called Neijia. In this sense we can see that there is also a distinction between internal and external Shaolin Buddhist boxing, and there is also a distinction between internal and external Wudang Taoist boxing. The difference between internal and external is never the difference between Buddhism and Taoism, but it is the difference between the water content of boxing without internal work, health care, and the strength of the technique. Qing Dynasty Zhou Shujuan finishing compilation of the "increase in the performance of the Yi Jin Wash Marrow internal work charts", the second volume of its "inside and outside the work of discernment" said: "Where the act of internal work, more than borrowing outside the auxiliary, from the inside to the outside, inside the strong and the outside of no not firm. The line of external work more fake internal help, external strong and internal long will be injured. Dan Jing, the outer run in the inner, and the inner guide, inner work. Inside the guide in the outside, and outside the runners, external work. He such as all take in the outside, not between the inside, outside work in the outside work outside also. Purely seek in the internal, regardless of its external, internal work in the external work outside also. Between ...... inside and outside, one must not fail to recognize." This discourse can be regarded as the internal and external family discernment of Buddhist boxing, which is completely consistent with Zhang Sanfeng's viewpoint. In ancient times, internal martial arts schools stood on the standpoint of health maintenance, i.e., on values, and distinguished between internal and external schools, and regarded themselves as "superior". Objectively speaking, the existence of any school of martial arts, it is not extinct, and can be developed, have proved that it has its own rationality and its own advantages, we can not today from the self-judgment of a certain value of the internal and external martial arts to the mechanical arbitrariness of the superiority and inferiority. Of course, it should also be said that the Wudang Taijiquan created by Zhang Sanfeng during the Yuan and Ming dynasties (to be precise, Zhang Sanfeng was only the master of the Wudang internal martial arts and its revitalizer) was only created in the Wudang Mountains, and there was a symbol of the sect "Wudang," but this sect was not the exclusive property of a certain religious family, and it represented a large number of Chinese martial artists of an era! It represents an era in which a large number of Chinese martial artists were liberated from subjective pragmatic empiricism, and took a subliminal leap towards the study of objective philosophical theories and their guide to the practical essence of martial arts. There are three bases for proving the above viewpoints: First, Zhang Sanfeng's viewpoint on Taoism is based on the "integration of the three religions" of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. He believes that Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism in the study of the universal truth of the universe in the essence of the understanding is **** common, only in the practical aspects of different emphasis. Therefore, his theory of Taoism has always grasped the philosophical essence and theoretical source of the three religions. Secondly, in the process of its conception, Wudang Neijiaquan not only inherited many Taoist techniques from previous generations, but also absorbed Buddhist techniques (such as "Marrow Cleansing" and "Yi Jin" sutras, etc.), Confucian techniques ("Xin Zhai" and "Sitting in Forgetfulness", etc.), and medical techniques (Hua Tuo's "Five-Animal Play", etc.), making it an excellent example of traditional Taoism. It is an all-round integration and refinement of the essence of traditional kung fu. Thirdly, in the process of formation, development and dissemination of Wudang Neijiaquan, although it has a certain religious color that has nothing to do with the content (such as honoring the god Xuanwu, honoring Taishang Laojun, honoring Grandmaster Sanfeng, or even deifying the origin of the boxing method), in the process of inheritance, in terms of the mainstream, in terms of the requirements, it never holds any gateway views, and is adept at spreading it widely in the society at large, including Taoist sects, Buddhist sects, the social intelligentsia class, and the general public. folk. As a cultural dissemination, which undoubtedly reflects the broad-mindedness.