Chinese martial arts: From being shot and killed by the armed police during a mountain search to bec

In the early morning, just as dawn broke, the blue bricks in the courtyard were still covered with a thin layer of dew.

After washing up, Chen Hongwu went to the corridor and saw Chen Shi squatting by the well, scrubbing the bowls and cups that had been cleared from the banquet the night before in a wooden basin.

With sleeves rolled up high and head bowed low, the movements were light and steady, without even splashing water.

"Chen Shi," Chen Hongwu called out.

Chen Shi quickly wiped his hands clean on his side, got up and jogged over, standing with his hands at his sides: "Master, did I accidentally startle you?"

Chen Hongwu waved his hand, then glanced at him again: "You've been by my side for some time now, and I've never taught you a single martial art. Do you have any complaints?"

Chen Shi shook his head: "No, being able to stay by my master's side, have a full meal, and a roof over my head is already a blessing from heaven. I dare not think of anything else."

As he spoke, his gaze remained unwavering, and his breathing was even. Chen Hongwu glanced at him, realizing he wasn't faking it, and then nodded.

"There was a reason why I didn't teach you earlier," Chen Hongwu said slowly, taking two steps into the courtyard.

"You suffered from cold and hunger in your youth, so your constitution is as thin as paper. Your bone marrow is deficient, your qi and blood are weak and insufficient, and your five internal organs have never been properly nourished."

"With this physique, if you start practicing martial arts right away, you won't even be able to develop the power of Ming Jin, let alone master the horse stance. The ancients said, 'Medicinal supplements are not as good as dietary supplements, and dietary supplements are not as good as Qi supplements.' What you lack is muscle growth, blood nourishment, and strengthening your foundation."

"The human body is rooted in essence and blood. Only when the marrow is full and the bones are strong can one hone one's skills and strength."

"If you don't take care of yourself, and instead I teach you to stand in the Three-Body Stance and practice the Splitting Fist, not only will you not develop any skill, but I will also destroy your foundation."

Those who train excessively will decline day by day, eventually becoming withered and frail. Before mastering the art of boxing, they've already become sickly.

He spoke calmly, but Chen Shi's heart pounded in his chest.

"Fortunately, you've been eating and sleeping well these past few days, and you've been taking good care of yourself. Now that your foundation is building, you can start learning something."

Chen Shi's eyes suddenly lit up, but he suppressed it, bending his knees slightly, almost kneeling down.

Chen Hongwu put one hand on his shoulder and pressed him back to his original position.

"Today I'll teach you a stance, the Great Sage Stance."

He said he took a step back, facing east, with his feet shoulder-width apart.

His gaze was level, his back slightly hunched, like an old ape crouching on a tree branch.

Raise your left palm and place it in front of your eyebrows, like the Monkey King gazing into the distance; place your right palm behind your back, against your tailbone. Bend your knees slightly, with your kneecaps and toes pointing towards each other.

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name: 20 ...

When he moves, he's just like a monkey that has come to life.

Especially those eyes, darting left and right, so clever, as if they were about to pluck a peach from the tree at any moment.

"Stand in this stance without straining or sinking your dantian. Relax your whole body, yet remain relaxed without being scattered; let your eyes dart around, and let your mind follow your gaze."

Breathe in and out through your nose, fine and even, like a silkworm spinning silk. Stand for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, gradually increasing the amount. Seek spirituality within stability, and cultivate your energy within spirituality.

Chen Shi stared intently, not daring to blink.

Chen Hongwu straightened his hands and feet again and demonstrated the posture once more.

"The Great Sage Stance is the foundation, a skill for children. They can stand in it as young as four or five, regardless of gender."

Unlike the Three-Body Stance, it does not involve practicing spinal alignment like a dragon or sinking the shoulders and elbows. The Three-Body Stance requires the bones to be fully developed and the qi and blood to be relatively abundant in order to support the "dragon body and tiger frame".

If you practice the Three-Body Stance, your spine will be under too much strain, which is not a good thing.

"You must first learn how to use the Great Sage Stake; no matter how far it confines you, you will never be able to escape."

The old masters of martial arts, in the past, loved to use the Great Sage Stance to transmit their skills when teaching their disciples. This stance is for learning animalistic intentions and for opening one's innate potential.

Chen Shi seemed to understand, but only nodded.

Chen Hongwu lightly pressed his finger above Baihui acupoint: "The head should feel like it's suspended by a thread. Lift Baihui upwards and let the coccyx drop downwards. The neck should be relaxed and upright, like a monkey crouching on a branch, seemingly moving but not quite."

As Mr. Wang Mengzhai said, "To know the true essence of boxing, one must begin with standing meditation." But did you know that standing meditation is not just about standing?

The form remains still, but the mind moves first. The eyes must see far, the hands must hear the wind. This Great Sage Stance first trains sharp eyesight, second sharp ears, and third agile body.

"Those who are physically weak should avoid practicing brute force first. They should first practice spiritual strength and nourish their spirit."

When the spirit is abundant, blood naturally flows; when blood is abundant, bones naturally strengthen. Stand in the Great Sage Stance, spine like a bow, inner strength sinking into the heels. Over time, toes grip the ground like iron, and the soles of the feet become firmly rooted.

Chen Hongwu pressed down on his shoulder, pushing down that stiff, solid feeling.

"Don't use force, or you'll end up with a stiff, unnatural stance. The Great Sage's stance must be relaxed and focused on finding the essence within, with the five toes gently gripping the ground, as if not gripping, like stepping on a mudfish."

Chen Shi was thin but extremely focused, and in just a moment, the unease on his face faded.

As it gradually quiets down with the morning light, it really does resemble a little monkey hugging a tree.

"Good. Stand for the time it takes to burn one incense stick each morning and evening. When your back no longer aches, your legs no longer tremble, and your breathing is normal, then you can learn other things."

Just then, Chen Hongwu suddenly glanced towards the east wing corner gate.

"The Taoist priest has been listening for some time."

Xuanzhenzi emerged from the side gate, carrying a gourd in his hand, a rare hint of embarrassment on his face.

"Master Chen has sharp eyes." He stepped in, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "I got up early to find some hot water and strolled over here. I didn't expect to hear Master Chen instructing on stances. This... is a bit against the rules."

Chen Hongwu smiled and waved his hand, not taking it to heart.

"The Central Martial Arts Academy was established to break down barriers between different schools of martial arts. Standing meditation is not a special skill, but merely an introductory technique."

If someone hears this and goes back to stand up, that's a good thing. These days, it's wrong to keep your fists hidden.

"Besides..." He glanced at Xuanzhenzi, "The package that the Daoist gave me last night is no ordinary thing; it's worth hundreds or thousands of Great Sage Stakes."

Xuanzhenzi chuckled and didn't refuse.

The two stood there in the courtyard, with Chen Shi still standing beside them, not daring to be distracted.

During the conversation, we went from discussing the Great Sage Stance to the Three-Body Stance, and then from the Three-Body Stance to the stances that various schools of thought use as a foundation.

Xuanzhenzi said, "Our Chunyang Sect starts with a 'Sunrise Stance.' Facing east, with ribs spread, one elbow drops and the other rises. The sun represents pure yang, and qi enters through the pupils."

Chen Hongwu nodded: "Whether it's north or south, the key to stance training lies in the word 'cultivation.' At the beginning, listen to the form; after a while, savor the meaning. If the form is not there, the meaning will not arrive; if the meaning arrives, the form will naturally transform."

Xuanzhenzi narrowed his eyes: "Since Master Chen has already reached the pinnacle and is proficient in several disciplines, can he hope to achieve the Dan Jin level?"

Chen Hongwu looked eastward with his hands behind his back, and after a long while said, "Only when the six harmonies of the transformation of energy are gathered in the dantian can the dan energy be formed."

The Golden Elixir is not a pill; it is the unified essence of one's spirit and energy. Once the Golden Elixir is formed, the body's Qi and blood become as concentrated as lead, and physical strength remains undiminished for decades, like an old tortoise lying in a well.

Xuanzhenzi said, "Not only that, once the Dan Jin appears, the muscles and bones rotate internally like an axis, the power is not lost, and the spirit is not scattered."

Only then will one be qualified to utter the words "firm and indestructible." In my Wudang lineage, this is called "The Shackles Technique."

Chen Hongwu sighed: "But this Dan Jin, though simple to talk about, is extremely difficult to master. It doesn't rely on secret manuals, nor can it be controlled by one's master."

It all comes down to the word "grind," grinding you until all your hopes are gone, grinding you until you've bled three times over.

Those with profound skill may not necessarily have the right fate, and those with deep connections may not necessarily be willing to die. Neither can be forced.

Upon hearing this, Xuanzhenzi sighed deeply: "The so-called martial arts practice is like refining elixir; the elixir is in the Niwan point, and the path is under your feet."

"One is illusory, the other real; half in, half out; only by enduring the eight kinds of suffering can one understand. Only someone like you, who has faced life and death several times, could speak so clearly."