SELECTION OF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
NOVEMBER 2022 PART 1
Note
: The Q & A Series will end on Apr 25 Part 1, but he Series will carry on as usual.
Grandmaster Wong and his wife
Question 1
One of my wishes is to find a good wife soon, to fulfil my responsibilities as a good son and to bring forth children so that my parents will be happy and have grandchildren to play with and spoil.
— Wei Joo, Malaysia
Answer
It is very important to have good thoughts always. Thoughts are real things, and they materialize.Every time we practice our arts, we smile from the heart. Smiling from the heart sets the heart free. In Chinese the heart means the mind. Hence we set our mind free, which is spiritual cultivation.
We must do so every day. We practice morality and spirituality. This is the highest art.
Hence you must always have good thoughts and smile from the heart. You will find a good wife, to fulfil your responsibilities as a good son and to bring forth children so that your parents will be happy and have grandchildren to play with and spoil. You must always be truthful to your wife.
Question 2
I read in your website that it's common for women to try to take down great men by defaming them. Why do women engage in this behaviour, and how do you survive such an attack by a woman if she tries to defame you, for example what would you do if a woman is gossiping about you behind your back?
— Bala, India
Answer
It won't be on my website. The webpages are on chi kung and kungfu, or on life in general.
There are many ways a great man could do. He could take the woman to court. This is the right thing to do.
Or if he doesn't take to woman to court, he may prove the woman wrong. He can, for example, mention the wrong deed of the woman in a newspaper.
If the woman is not serious, I would forget about the incident and carry on with my life. There are many worthwhile things to do. If the woman is serious and the harm is a lot, I would make use of the internet, and post some webpages.
Golden Bell
Question 3
I'm forced to travel soon to the USA for a financial matter.
— Rama Roberto, Costa Rica
Answer
If you need to travel to the U.S., you need to take the vaccine as the immigration will not allow you in if you don't have the vaccine.
Don't worry, our daily practice of chi kung will minimize or reduce to zero the undesirable effect of the vaccine. It will also give you good health, vitality, longevity, peak performance and spiritual joys irrespective of religion.
Question 4
In continuing my 30 opponents I am practising Golden Bridge right now as well as my combat sequences. Is this the correct procedure?
— Sifu Roeland Dijkema, Shaolin Wahnam Netherlands
Answer
In continuing your 30 opponent programme, you can attack first. You can attack preferably while your opponent is not ready.
Normally you do not let him know you have Golden Bell, or else he may attack your protective parts, like your eyes and groin.
You can also wait for his first move. You can bounce him off and strike him immediately. Or you can move aside and strike him, remembering to cover him.
In Golden Bell, slapping your body with your palm or fist from top down is to spread chi. Then, you can hit your groin and head.
Rocking on heels is to bring chi to your feet as well as to make you react very fast. Swing hips is to let chi go around the waist.
After some time, replace the palm or fist with a bean bag. Then use a bundle of sticks and then a pebble bag.
Taijiquan is a beautiful, wonderful martial art
Question 5
I am doing my best to teach on the open, in the same place you did teach when you first came to Puerto Rico.
— Sifu Angel Perez, Shaolin Wahnam Puerto Rico
Answer
You need to charge high fees. Charging high fees is actually for the student's interest, though many people may not appreciate it.
I believe that teaching online may cause chi kung and kungfu to become gentle, physical exercise.
Taijiquan, or Tai Chi Chaun in usual English, is a good analogy. At present there is nothing internal and nothing martial in the Taijiquan practiced today. Yet, Taijiquan is a beautiful, wonderful martial art. More importantly, it contributes to good health, vitality, longevity, peak performance and spiritual joys irrespective of religion.
Question 6
My Dragon Strength training is going very well.
— Dr Steffen Wankmueller, Germany
Answer
As you know very well, Dragon Strength is my favourite set.
It is best to practice the set in isolation, instead of practicing the whole set.
The forte of Dragon Strength is force training, and the set can be used to train any type of force, ranging from flowing force like Yang Style Taijiquan, to consolidated force like Shaolin Iron Wire.
Art of Flexibility
Question 7
I have practised the whole set every day, followed by some combat sequences. Now I have found that I can get even better result by isolating some force training followed by some combat sequences, like we did at the course, instead of performing the whole set.
Answer
My favourite is "Double Dragon Emerges from Sea". It is interesting that the uninitiated just perform external forms, while the initiated can practice flowing force or consolidated force.
You can start with flowing force. Then, you can consolidate your flowing force into consolidated force. It is wonderful to train Cosmos Palm. First you let the force be flowing. Then you consolidate the flowing force into Cosmos Palm. You may, if you like, let the force be flowing again.
There are not many combat sequences in Dragon Strength. You should focus on the 16 Basic Combat Sequences of Shaolin Kungfu. When you are good at them, you can readily beat other masters or professional fighters.
First you follow the instructions of the 16 combat sequences. Then you make adjustments, like spacing and timing. Next you imagine how your opponent will react when you apply your combat sequences on them. You may imagine your opponent countering, like giving you a kick or a felling technique, and you respond accordingly. If you are fluent, your opponent has no time to counter. He will just be driven to a wall.
However, a Dragon Strength master may dodge an opponent's attack and counter immediately. There is no need to move the feet when dodging; just move the body. Or he may attack as soon as the opponent attacks, with his arm bouncing off the opponent's arm.
Question 8
Would you please be so kind and give me some direction?
Answer
Your routine is good. Many people neglect flexibility.
You should focus on the Art of Flexibility. Pay more attention on combat sequences.
If you have any questions, please e-mail them to Grandmaster Wong via his Secretary at stating your name, country and e-mail address.
LINKS
Selected Reading
- How Chinese Medical Philosophy Can Enhance Western Medical Practice
- Across Beach Watch Fire
- The Void is Full of Conscioousness
- Kungfu Masters were Courteous even in Deadly Combat
- Applying Strategies and Tactics in Chin-Na Techniques