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The Chinese Knights-Errant in the Period from 700 to 200 B.C., Chinese Society Was Wracked by Turmoil and Internal Warfare

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The Chinese Knights-Errant in the Period from 700 to 200 B.C., Chinese Society Was Wracked by Turmoil and Internal Warfare 2674 B.C., when the near-mythical emperor Huang Ti won an important battle using martial artists. This proto-Kung Fu seems to have consisted mainly of weapons training, but it was a regimented system of combat much like later styles. The Chinese Knights-Errant In the period from 700 to 200 B.C., Chinese society was wracked by turmoil and internal warfare. Local lords were the supreme rulers of their domains, unconcerned about the country as a whole and constantly warring with their neighbors. In these troubled times, a new group appeared - wandering warriors who traveled through the small feudal states and fought for noblemen and common- ers alike. Their strict chivalric code would have satisfied a Knight of the Round Table; they had to succor the helpless and stand for right above all things. Their lofty ideals were matched by a high degree of martial skill. The Chinese knights-errant, also known as chun-tzu or gentlemen, were said to be superb swordsmen and masters of other arts, probably including early forms of empty- hand combat. Their philosophy was shaped by Confucianism, a philosophy that promotes public service, unselfishness and impartiality. As in medieval Europe, however, the ideals of the Chinese knights were not always followed, and some historians state that they rarely lived up to their leg- endary reputation. In some instances, they became nothing more than glorified mercenaries; in others, they themselves became feudal lordlings, contributing to the problem. Still, the ideal knights became models of good behavior and set the standards for many later would-be heroes. The Shaolin Temple During the 5th century A.D., a Buddhist temple was founded on the Shao- Shih mountain; it was called the Shaolin Ssu, meaning "Young Forest Temple." It became one of the most famous centers of learning for the budding Buddhist religion (see sidebar, p. 9). This is the place where Bodhidharma (see sidebar, p. 6) taught. In addition to his spiritual teachings, he is credited with imparting to his monks a series of exercises to increase their stamina so as to better withstand the strict mental and physical austerity that he demanded. These exercise techniques were not originally designed for combat, but soon a form of boxing became associated with the Shaolin temple. Called Shaolin Ch'uan Fa (Way of the Shaolin Fist), it eventually became the most famous style in the land. It became a matter of prestige to defeat a Shaolin monk or to join the temple. Neither was an easy task. According to the legends, would-be monks had to pass an arduous series of tests, both physical and mental, to begin learning the secret techniques of the temple. Acceptance only came after the prospective student underwent tests of patience and humility; he would be kept waiting for days, verbally abused and otherwise provoked into losing his temper. If he did, he would be summarily rejected. Thus, those who truly wished to learn were separated from the rest. The last test involved a master of the temple serving tea to the prospective stu- dents. If the students accepted the tea, they were dismissed for disrespect; they were supposed to refuse the offer and instead serve the master. Daily life in the temple was an arduous succession of physical and mental exercises. Students were expected to dedicate themselves solely to the Temple and its teachings, and were not permitted to leave; there are many tales of frus- trated students trying to escape the temple. Graduation from the school was even more challenging. A slightly watered- down rendition of the graduation trial was depicted in the TV pilot of the Kung Fu series. After strict questioning about Buddhist doctrine and philosophy, the physical examination began, testing both the monk's style and his restraint in using force; for a detailed description of the test, see the sidebar on p. 100. The final test was a maze, full of dummies and mechanical devices that were sprung as the student walked down the corridors. If the student failed to parry all attacks, he would fail the test (many monks underwent and failed the trial dozens of times). At the end of the maze waited an even harsher test: a red- hot metal cauldron filled with burning coals and weighing some 500 pounds. The only way to pass that last obstacle was to lift the cauldron and carry it out. During the process, the marks of the dragon and the tiger were branded on the monk's forearms, indicating the end of the test and marking the monk forever as a member of the Shaolin Temple. After almost a thousand years of splendor, however, the Shaolin Temple faced disaster. During the 17th century, a Chinese border tribe, the Manchus, conquered the rest of the nation and founded the Ch'ing dynasty. A number of monks were sympathizers of the old government and helped the underground groups that were fighting the new regime. Many would-be revolutionaries and members of the former government joined the Shaolin temple, using it as a cover. Eventually, the imperial government sent an army to arrest the Shaolin monks. This attack was successfully repulsed. A bigger army was dispatched and leveled the temple in 1735. According to legend, only five monks escaped TAOISM Taoism was founded by the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu (who lived roughly 580-480 B.C.). It is mainly a Chinese phi- losophy-religion, but it has influenced many parts of Asia, including Japan. Its influence on the martial arts is very deep. This ancient philosophy is very hard to understand, mainly because its practition- ers refuse to define it. Taoism is an anar- chistic philosophy - it asserts that people must remove themselves from society and live in nature, under primitive conditions. This is only a small part of its doctrine, however. Taoists believe that everything in the universe is part of Too. Tao can be lit- erally translated as "the Way" or "the Path," but can also mean "nothingness" or "emptiness." It is supposed to pervade everything, including living beings. Tao is composed of two opposing forces, the Yin and Yang, which make up the famous symbol of the divided circle. Yin represents negative energy, dark and cold; Yang is positive, white. They are opposites, but are linked together, and each carries a small part of the other. Every object and person carries Yin and Yang within. With this concept firmly in their grasp, the Taoists accept bad events with the same attitude with which they accept the good. It is all part of the balance, and things will change as the opposites interact. People must learn to live in harmony with the Tao. A Taoist PC should try to be above such things as greed, hatred and strong emotions (in game terms, he should either not have that type of Mental Disadvantage, or have several levels of Strong Will to resist them). A Taoist should also be cynical about the worth of worldly affairs; it should be hard to convince him to undertake a quest, for instance, unless he decided that it would help cure some imbalance in nature. Continued on next page . HlSTORY TAOISM Another principle of Taoism which has deeply influenced the martial arts is the idea of non-action (wu wei). Although many Westerners have interpreted this as laziness and apathy, wu wei does not real- ly promote idleness, but the removal of conscious intent in one's actions. Selfish motives create "active" movements; har- mony with nature begets "passive" actions. A passive action is one that occurs spontaneously, without conscious thoughts or desires disturbing it. This pas- sive principle can be better understood through its application to the martial arts. A normal martial artist practices his art until he believes he has mastered it; he knows the techniques that will bring results. When attacked, he counterattacks strongly and with deliberation. As a result, there is a clash of opposing forces. The martial artist may win, or the opposing force may be stronger and overcome him. A "passive" martial artist will practice his skill until it becomes part of his nature. He has absorbed the techniques to a degree that they manifest without thought. When attacked, he does not seek to oppose the attacking force; he moves spontaneously, in a harmonious way, and lets the attack "flow" around him. The attacker punches this master, but suddenly the target is else- where; instead of being hit, the master grasps the attacking hand and, effortlessly, he spins the enemy head over heels. To an observer, it looks as if the attacker had helped the master to perform the throw. A true master can never be surprised, because he does not need to think about what he is to do; his body will react. Wu wei can also be translated as "pas- sive achievement." A Taoist must strive never to disturb the harmony of nature. How this is to be done will vary depend- ing on one's personal interpretation; Taoism is a very individualistic philoso- phy. For some, to retreat from all worldly concerns may be the way. Lao Tzu, the leading mind behind Taoism, did just that. Others might wish to bring harmony into a violent and unbalanced world. This is a highly simplified version of a complex philosophy, of course. There is considerable debate among philosophers about what Tao, Yin and Yang and a myr- iad of other concepts truly mean. The doc- trine of Tao is not as popular as Buddhism in the Orient, mainly because its concepts are too complicated for most people.
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