Wu Gong Sayings
Wu Gong has many saying to encourage, ponder, and use to help our progress:
练武不练功，到老一场空。Lian wu bu lian gong, dao lao yi chang kong.
“Practice martial arts without practicing the essence, you will always be empty.”
This means that practicing the internal power, Nei Gong and Qi Gong, is central to martial arts and Tai Ji Quan. Many martial artists do not even know of their total potential. Others practice their art and then they feel something is missing; this is the lack of internal power and qi.
意随吸生 Yi sui xi sheng
形随意动 Xing sui yi dong
吸随形变 Xi sui xing bian
__ __ __ __ __ __
“The mind follows the birth of the breath.
Form follows the movement of the mind.
Breath follows the changing form.”
The last line is purposely left blank for students to figure it out on their own, then to ask the Master if it is correct.
This saying is distinctly from the Wei Tuo Lineage. The meaning is deep in meaning and practice. It is supposed to be pondered and reflected upon. To learn the meaning takes time.
文武双拳。Wen wu shuang quan.
“Intelligence and martial skills are double fists.”
Intelligence go hand in hand with fighting skills. Fighting with intelligence means one knows everything from basic knowledge of anatomy, proper attacks, blocks, body mechanics and even wisdom of life. Without intelligence, martial artists will become brute and unable to win fights, or better yet avoid fights all together. Intelligence doesn’t necessarily mean school smart, but using observations, reflections, and self studies of many subjects. The key part is to internalize the knowledge and use it without thinking about it.
“Medicine isn’t as good as food which isn’t as good as qi which isn’t as good as spirit.”
"Six Harmonies: Hand to Foot, Elbow to Knee, Shoulder to Hip and Mind to Intent Qi, Intent to Qi, Qi to Power."
“If you miss one day of practice, you feel it, if you miss two days of practice your Master notices, and if you miss three days of practice everyone will see it.”
“If you miss one day of practice you are set back 3 days, if you miss two days of practice you are set back six days, and if you miss three days of practice you are set back nine days of progress.”
“Mountain boys will beat up farmer boys and farmer boys will beat up city boys.”
The mountains are not flat and the ground is not as stable so growing up there the legs are stronger, balance is better and life is more difficult so the body is naturally stronger. Farm life (traditionally) is hard work so the body is stronger. In the city, life is easier. We don’t have to a lot of physical labor so the body is weaker and the land is flat for easy transportation so the body does not know what true balance means. Therefore, if all of these people are trained in martial arts, the city boys naturally have the disadvantage.
"There is always a taller mountain than the one you see right in front of you." This reminds us to be humble.