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Chen
Family WuDe (Martial Virtures)
Traditionally,
martial arts were not easily taught to anyone just off the street because
if the student misuses it for the wrong purpose, the outcome is irreversible
and nasty. Therefore, students often spent the first few years in wilderness
doing the basic work around the school, the purpose of that was for the
master to observe the character of the student. The true colour of the
person will be revealed from day to day and if the character of the student
justifies what the teacher saw, then the master will begin to teach the
student basic martial movements until he has proven to the teacher that
he’s a man of great character before the teacher instruct him the
secrets and even these the teacher may still keep the most deadly techniques
just incase one day the student turns against him.
Learning
martial arts can change a person just like religion can, you can change
to become a better person but if the student is not guided properly on
a correct path of life, the changes are not guaranteed for the better.
For this reason, good teacher will not only teach the martial arts side
only but the Way of life as well. The Way to a proper life for any human
being is the practice of disciplines, martial artist aren’t exceptional
as well. Without strict disciplines we will act impulsively and out of
character and the result could be futile. In order to be a person who
has Wude, we too must follow certain principles to justify that title.
The
Chen family has set their “Men Gui” (family disciplines or
Ancestral law) for their students to uphold in hope that we don’t
dishonor their family and the art that they preserved. The most important
aspect for taking up the disciplines is not only for martial growth but
spiritual growth as well. As a student of the Chen family, we need to
uphold these disciplines and try our very best to obey it.
Such
disciplines can be found on the Chen village website written in Chinese.
Here I am attempting to translate to English and hope it’s not far
from the meaning.
The
12 innate characters
-
Duan- Dignity and decency
-
Zhong- Loyalty
- Yi-
Righteous
- Gong-
impartiality
- Cheng-
Sincere
-
Yong- Courageous
- Ren-
Benevolence
- Zing-
Respectful towards elders and teachers
- Xin-
Trustworthy
- Hao-
Magnanimous
- Zheng-
Upright
- De-
Virtuous
The
20 discipline rules:
-
Do not bully others.
-
Do not stand with the strong to oppress the weak.
- Always
ready to help those who are in danger.
- Do
not commit unlawful act.
- Do
not use our skill for immoral act.
- Do
not be arrogant.
- Don’t
expose/ sell our skill indiscriminately.
- Do
not involve with gangs.
- Do
not waste our time in idleness.
- Do
not be boastful and show-off.
- Do
not compete with the arrogant.
- Do
not quarrel with the ignorant.
- Do
not be influenced by worldly possessions.
- Do
not seek for undeserved wealth.
- Do
not self indulged in intoxicant and lust.
- Do
not get involve in debt (neither personal nor public).
- Do
not use public office for personal gain.
- Do
not starve for fame and power.
- Don’t
be a traitor.
- Do
not neglect our training or waste our skill.
“An upright
person learns martial arts to keep his body healthy and strong. This is
the teaching of the Chen family”
“A
devious person learns martial arts to bully others. This is forbidden
in the Chen family”
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