Issue 65 - Tse Qigong Centre

Cover: Grandmaster Ip Chun at the Ip Man TongQi Magazine is published by the Tse Qigong Centre.Its aim is to bring you information not readily availablein the West.Editor:Deputy Editor:Design Assistant:Assistants:Subscription:Legal Adviser:Proof Reading:Marketing/Distribution:Sweden:Michael TseDarryl MoyDavid DrennanSarahBloomfieldJohn HayesMartin GaleGill HarbachTony WalshYvonne DixonJessica BlackwellBarbro OlssonConsultants (Listed in alphabetical order):Columnists:Grandmaster Chan Chi HoGrandmaster ChenXiao WangGrandmaster Ip ChunGrandmaster Yang MeijunGlennGosslingJ. Reynolds NelsonDr. ShulanTangSihn KeiAdam WallaceReaders may contact any of our contributors c/oQi Magazine.We encourage all our readers to contribute articles, lettersor questions for possible inclusion in future issues ofQi Magazine.Articles appearing in Qi Magazine do not necessarily reflectthe opinion of the editor. Adverts appearing in themagazine are not necessarily endorsed by it or the editor.Exercises appearing in Qi Magazine are for referencepurposes only. Thus anyone wishing to study should seekqualified tuition.Michael Tse 2003.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may bereproduced, stored or transmitted in any way without thewritten permission of Michael Tse.Advertising: Qi Magazine has proved to be an effective wayof reaching a wide variety of people. All enquirieswelcome.For UK call: 0161 929 4485For USA call: (808)528 8501Subscription: Costs per year:UKUSAEuropeWorldwide£20 inc p&p.$35 inc p&p£25 (airmail) inc p&p.£35 (airmail) inc p&p.For UK/Europe/WorldwidePlease send payment in Pounds Sterling. Payment can beby Credit Card or Cheque, drawn on UK bank, payable toQi Magazine:Qi MagazinePO Box 59 Altrincham, WA15 8FS, UKTel:0161 929 4485 Fax: 0161 929 4489email: tse@qimagazine.comFor USA/CanadaPlease send payment in US Dollars. Payment can be byCredit Card or Check payable to Qi Magazine:Tse Qigong CentrePO Box 15807, Honolulu HI 96830Tel: (808) 528 8501 Fax:(928) 441 6578email tse@wildgooseqigong.comhttp://www.qimagazine.comISSN 1358-3778About 300 years ago was the QingDynasty period in China. During this timelived a woman who was a farmer butvery poor. One day she was ill, but stillshe went to work. After a few days shecould not go to work any more and shelay in bed every day. Her body keptgetting weaker and weaker, and she hadno energy to do anything. Sheknew that if she kept going likethat she would die.All her neighbours andfriends were farmers and pooras well. No one could reallyhelp her. One day oneof her friends said toher “I hear that in thenext town there is adoctor who is verygood. I think hemight be able totreat you.” Butthe sick womanappeared a littlebit worried andanswered, “But Ihave no money.How can I afford topay for the treatment?”Then thefriend looked at herand thought for a whileand then she said,“Perhaps if you writehim a letter telling himyour situation, he mightbe able to help you. Ifnot he can just refuseyou. You have nothing tolose.” The sick womanthought maybe her friendwas right and so she hada letter written to the doctor.A few days later a visitor came toher house. He introduced himself as thedoctor she had written to. The sickwoman was very surprised that he wasreally here. The doctor mentioned he hadreceived her letter and that he hadarranged his schedule to come there. Hethen started to treat the sick woman. Helooked at the woman for a while andafter some general conversation, he saidto her, ” Don’t worry. You will be all right.I will send someone to cook you thisherbal medicine for you and if you drinkit soon, you will be fine.”At that time, Chinese herbsneeded to be cooked with water for anhour or even more. Then the patientwould need to drink the soup, which isthe essence of all those herbs. Todaymany people take tablets instead as theycannot stand the long time for cooking,the smell and also the taste of themedicine. Of course there are stillmany people who prefer cookingthe herbs than taking the tablets.I myself prefer the traditional way.The doctor left the sickwoman. A while later, the womenstill could not believe what shesaw. There was someonestanding at her door with themedicine and they even cameand cooked it for her.After a few days the sickwoman found herself stronger.She very much appreciated thatthe doctor had come to her poorhome to treat her. She was veryembarrassed to mention aboutmoney, but the doctor did not evenask her. She believed him to be agood doctor with good morality.Still she wished she had somethingto give to the doctor. Then sheremembered that she had hiddensome money under her pallet along time ago, just a smallamount, but the woman stillthought that she should give itto the doctor as he had savedher life.However, when shelooked under her bed she couldnot find it. She was surprisedbecause she remembered shehad really had kept the moneythere. She also remembered therewas no body but her who had slept inher bed. She was always in her bed, sono one could get to the bed to take themoney. Then she remembered that thedoctor had come into her when she wasin bed, however, she could not believethat the doctor would take her money.Anyway, she planned to visit thedoctor to thank him for his treatment andearly the next morning she began to walkto the next village to visit him in his clinic.She waited until he had seen his patientsand had time to talk with her. He wasvery busy treating many sick people whoall seemed to trust him very much. In aContinued on page 7Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 1

1 Editorialwith Michael Tse.3 PO Box8 Good Things to ShareYour stories and thoughts to brighten the day.10 Swords part IIContinuing his look at what makes a good sword and whythere are different types and shapes of sword.By Glenn Gossling12 A beginners Guide to Chinese Herbs:Gou Qi Zi – Tree PeonyContinuing our look at herbs used in TCM that can be foundgrowing in your very own back garden.By Dr. Shulan Tang13 Fig and Sugar Cane DrinkA recipe of a refreshing and tasty drink.14 Acupoint Massage for Spine Pain and DiseaseMany people suffer from back problems. These simplemassage techniques can be used to help ease the suffering.By Zeng Qingnan & Liu Daoqing16 Chinese New Year – Shanghai StyleOn Chinese New Year Chinese people all over the worldcelebrate in the same way, but places like Shanghai addtheir own unique twist to the festivities.By J. Reynolds Nelson18 5 Elements of TaijiquanThe Five Elements are often thought about in TCM and FengShui, but as many of you know, they can be applied toanything. So how do they apply to Taijiquan?By Michael Tse20 Chinese Horoscopes for 2003The year of the Goat is upon us. How will this affect you?By Michael Tse21 Poems for Healthy Living Gong Part IHere are some of your offerings.30 Eating the Chinese WayChinese have many customs and rules of etiquette. Theseextend to the dinner table. When a non Chinese knows theetiquette Chinese people are always very impressed.By Sihn Kei34 Feng Shui Flying Stars for 2003As the energy of the New Year arrives, this changes yourFeng Shui. You can work what you need to change for yourselfif you know some key points.By Michael Tse35 Instructor InsightProfiling another instructor of the Tse Qigong Centre.36 Healthy Living Gong Part IIContinuing our series on the second set of Healthy LivingGong movements.By Michael Tse40 Know Your WorthIt is not always easy to live in another culture, especiallywhen certain customs are very alien to you. All you can dois to go along and see how to manage them.By Peter Anderssen42 Humanity Vs TechnologyThere seems to be a new gadget for everything that youmight want to do. However, the more we have the morewe seem to forget about who and what we are.By Adam Wallace43 Basic Self Defence Vs Weapons44 Feng Shui for the Living Room Part IVWhat makes the Feng Shui of your Living Room good andhow does it affect you?By Michael TseCover Feature...Cover Feature...Cover Feature...22 Opening of Ip Man TongSome people have said that WingChun Kung Fu is practised by over amillion people worldwide. This is dueto the efforts of Grandmaster Ip Manand this has made him one of themost influential teachers to have everlived. As a tribute to his life, teachingand skill, a memorial museum hasbeen built in Foshan, China, wherehe was born. The Ip Man Tong wasopened in November and it proved to be one of thebiggest celebrations in the Wing Chun world ever.By John HayesCover Feature...Cover Feature...Cover Feature...page 2 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

POBox POBox POBox...Time for ChangeHello Tse Qigong Centre and Qi Magazine readers,Happy New Year to you all! New Year is atime of change and new beginnings. This includesnew things in the Centre and Qi Magazine. Thefirst concerns membership. It will no longer includea polo shirt because supply prices for have risenquite high and we are not happy to increase themembership to cover this.Instead, we will lower the membership priceand offer a limited edition polo shirt which is available separately. NOTE, this is onlyavailable in March by advance order only. Once they have sold out, they will nolonger be available. These can be obtained through the Centre, ordering details areon the back inside cover.This polo shirt will be royal blue with the Chinese writing, “ Yat Jun Faat Gei”,which means “One True Level”. In Buddhism , it means that we should not look downat other people nor put up ourselves. We should not look at others as bad andourselves as good, but treat everyone with one true level.The other thing that will be changing this year concerns Qi Magazine. Thesingle issue cover price will increase slightly with the Mar/April issue, (£3.50/$5.95).In addition, in July, the magazine will begin to be produced on a quarterly basisinstead of bi-monthly. The page numbers will increase and feature some more newwriters and Chinese subjects. However, this change will help to reduce some of theadministration costs associated with producing and posting the magazine.We hope in the following future that the Centre and the Qi Magazine canhelp contribute even more to the people through opening of Chinese skill andphilosophy.Gong Hei Faat Choi!Recently, someone wrote to ask whateach of the Chinese writing hasmeant on the Tse Qigong Centre poloshirts over the past few years.1998 - Michael Tse1999 - Wild Goose Qigong2000 - Health First2001 - Simple and Natural2002 - Respect the Skill, Respect theTeacher2003 - One True LevelJoint ProblemsDear Sifu,I was hoping you would have thetime to answer a query I have. I haverecently had to retire early because ofknee problems. I have virtually nocartilage left and have osteo-arthritis inboth knees, having been told that in fiveyears or so time when my knees havedeteriorated further that I will have tohave the kneecaps replaced with artificialjoints.I have been involved in MartialArts for most of my adult life and theinjuries are in some way I believe aculmination of years of what are nowgenerally viewed as outdated andinappropriate training methods and jointstressing. I have your books and manyof your articles from QiMagazine on Qigong but findit difficult to stand for too longor put pressure on my kneesby bending them without themswelling completely up,becoming painfully inflamedand risking further damage. Isthere any type of exercisesystem or Qigong movementsthat you feel would be of anybenefit for me to persevere within helping with this problem.G. Alexander, Norfolk.Dear G,Thank you for your letter. Iknow that with your conditionyou must be in a lot of pain butyour attitude is very good andwill help you in trying to heal yourcondition. In the beginning, Irecommend that you do sittingmeditation.First find a straight-backedchair that is solid and lets youcomfortable sit forward on it withboth feet flat on the floor. Your backshould be straight, but nottouching the back of the chair atall. Make sure you pull back thefeet so that the Yongquan pointis in line with the front of theknees and place both palms flaton the thighs. Close your eyesand mouth and breathenaturally through the nose. Tryto let go any thoughts and justlet everything happen naturallyin the body. You may feelQi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 3

warmth in the hands and feet and kneesor even some tingling, but this is naturaland is just the Qi going to heal all theblockages in the body. Try to do for fiveminutes a few times a day. Then slowlybuild up to fifteen minutes to half an houra day, either in the morning or before yougo to bed. If you find benefit and easingof your pain, then maybe you can considersome gentle exercises that will help takeyou onto the next step.The most important thing is to bepatient and let the body heal. Do not tryto be too quick for results as this will taketime. Eventually, you will find your mindmore relaxed as well and this will helpyour body to heal. When the body getsstronger, you can then try some standingmeditation for a short while and maybeeven some of the Balancing Gongexercises later.With kind regards,Michael TseHow Long?How FastDear Michael,I recently bought your book andwas fascinated with the wealth ofinformation on Qigong. However,I am not clear if the Qigongexercises should be done at a slow or afast rate, i.e., should one stay in thatposition for a certain time when onereaches the right position, (like in yogawhere you stay in a position usually tothe count of five), or should one do theexercises six times, as you suggested, ata fast rate.Thank you.Zorica L.Dear Zorica,Your question is a good questionand one which I think others have thoughtabout. Actually, in the style of Qigong Iteach, the movements are natural. NotMore Training“To be good, youneed internal strength andalso a clear mind and heart.”page 4 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003Dear Mr Tse,I have always loved martial arts. I’ve watched things like ninja turtles,Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Dragon Ball, etc. I like fighting with friends andI like being strong, but I can’t stand the thought of being a big, bulky idiotwith nothing but large arms.It’s been two years now that I have trained and I feel that I need more.I have been going over the Internet for information on Qi raising techniquesthat I could learn, but I’ve come up empty. I had one teacher for the psychictraining and have learned a little about meditating, but then myparents said not to trust him and to stop talking to him. There’s afighting tournament that when I am sixteen I can enter, but Ibelieve I need much more skill. I have two years tofinish training and would be pleased ifyou could send me some Qigong, KungFu or whatever else type of trainingtechniques you think I could use. Thanktoo fast, not too slow. If we do themovements too fast, then the Qi can notkeep up with the movement and if wedo the movements too slow, the Qi willbecome stagnant. The movementsshould also connect with your breathingand relaxation. In this way you will knowthe right speed to practise.Best wishes,Michael TseNo Good TurnDear Mr Tse,I have been practising WingChun for some time now, but I stillyou for your time.ChipDear Chip,Many people are attracted by theflashy, strong side of martial arts. Butthis is only external and covers only one side. To be good,you need internal strength and also a clear mind and heart to develop yourunderstanding of the art’s philosophy. Until you can bring both the physicaland mental together, then your skill will be limited. A good martial art skillshould be for life, not just when you are young. My Wing Chun teacher isalmost eighty years old now and his skill is very high.This is because he does not only use Wing Chun skill for fighting, but forhis life. A good martial art shows us how to handle any kind of situation. Forinstance, if someone is very angry and shouting at you, it is just like someoneusing a lot of energy to come forward in fighting. So for Wing Chun, the morethey use their energy to come forward, then the easier it is to control them. Weknow we should not use hard against hard. We wait until they have finishedusing their energy and then we can come forward. My suggestion is that youdo Ma Bo training. This is called Horse Stance training and is one of thefoundation stances for all Chinese martial arts. When you do, make sure yourback is straight. You can keep a higher posture initially but then try to get lowerand stay there. This will make your body stronger and your mind clear.Yours sincerely, Michael Tsecannot defend myself against the fast,continuous punches of Wing Chun. WhenI use a Tan Sau with Juen Ma to deflectthe first punch, I am always caught offguard by the second punch. My turningstance does not seem to be fast enough.Maybe I am using the wrong techniquein this situation? Do you have anysuggestions?Many thanks,ChristianDear Christian,Do not only use Juen Ma, usefootwork. Only use Juen Ma when thereis no space, but even then if you use Juen

Ma, you will still be using strength andyour opponent will easily catch you. Thebest bet is to step back and use footworkto avoid the punch. Then you do not needto use strength and the distance will bewidened so you will not get hit.Yours sincerely, Michael TseGood BedFeng ShuiDear Sifu Tse,In an older Qi Magazine (Issue 55May/June 2001), I read the article aboutFeng Shui in the bedroom. I’mspecifically interested in the chapterabout how high the bed should be: nothigher then two feet and a half. I do livein a very small room and to create spaceI consider getting a bunk bed and perhapsusing the space under the bed to hangup my clothes. Unfortunately, the articledoesn’t give any advice regarding suchcases or how to prevent bad energy whensleeping in a bunk bed. Perhaps you couldhelp? Thanks a lot in advance.MDDear MD,Building a bunk bed like thiswould not be very good as it willmake too many dreams as it is notgrounded enough. Your futurewill not have a goodfoundation. Wheneveryou have anything underthe bed, it means youhave things that are notcomplete and have a lotof things you still need tosort out. I hope this helpsyou.Yours sincerely,Michael TsePonderingon thePoundingDear Sir,I wonder if youmight be able to clarify aquestion for meconcerning Chen styleTaijiquan. I notice insome forms in theposture Buddha WarriorPounds Mortar thatsometimes the punchoccurs immediatelyand sometimes the punch occurs after.Could you please explain why? Is oneway right and the other wrong or areboth okay? Hope you can help me withthis. In anticipation of your reply. Thankyou very much.Regards,Derek BDear Derek,Both ways are right. Placing thefist to the palm before Pounding theAdvice for FatherMortar, this is seen more commonly inthe Old Frame (Laojia). In New Frame(Xinjia), we will straightaway hit the palm.The Old Frame, is like walking, you aremaking sure the movement is clear beforegoing on. The New Frame is like running,you are already clear. Either way you dowill not affect the level of your Taijiquan.Yours sincerely,Micheal TseDear Sifu,I should be most grateful if you could advise me on how I can help myfather. He is 70 years old and has never been a particularly healthy man. Hespent two years in a sanitorium as a teenager because he had TB. He hasalways had weak lungs and kidneys and has suffered from asthma and eczema.He has persevered with conventional Western medicine and has a collection ofinhalers, cortisone creams and pills.I have never tried to force my ideas on him as I believe that eachperson must come to their own conclusion about their life. However, I haverecently hoped that he would see how my health has improved through diet,TCM and martial arts training.His breathing has become worse this year and he has to go tohospital three times a year, where he needs oxygen and now uses anebuliser regularly. His pain has reached a level where he has finallyasked for my help and advice. He lives in Newcastle Upon Tyne and Ifound a Chinese doctor through the acupuncture council, who prescribedsome herbal tea for him.Whilst he is eager and willing to change, I wondered if I couldenrol him on some of your courses or bring him to Manchester tosee you for a one to one consulation. He is very weak and lacksthe energy and even though I advise him to walk around hisvillage twice a day, he gets tired doing this. I know certainexercises but he is so frail I am afraid to suggest the wrongthings to do. If you can offer any advice or suggestions, thenall of my family will be extremely grateful.Many thanks. Yours sincerelyG.SDear G,I completely understand what you say as my own father isnot well. However, practising Qigong still will benefit any kind ofcondition. If someone is stronger, they can do movement. Someone,like your father who is easily tired and whose body is a bit weaker,can do meditation instead. If he cannot manage a standingmeditation, then have him do sitting meditation. With sittingmeditation, it is important to keep the back straight and not dropthe head. He should sit forward, not leaning back, on the chairand relax the whole body. His feet should be flat on the floor andhis palms on his thighs. He should just breathe naturally throughthe nose. The more he can relax, then the easier his breathing willbecome and the more energy he will gain. You can see this posturein my book, Qigong for Health and Vitality. In the beginning, hemay find it a bit strange or uncomfortable, but if he can just relaxand take it easy and then slowly build up the time, then he will findbenefit.Best wishes, Sifu.Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 5

Hard Qigong IOctober saw Hard Qigong backby popular demand. The first level of theHeavenly River Monastery Hard Qigongwas taught and set the students off ontoa path chasing the feats exhibited by theShaolin monks.Excitement was high and therewas an expectant atmosphere at the startwaiting for the “special” techniques tobe revealed. The room was packed withover 30 students, but no-one seemed tomind the lack of space, as the coursehad been eagerly awaited by all (somehad even travelledfrom overseas totake part).During thecourse lots ofquestions wereasked about theexercises and thetheory behindthem, such as; “Ifthe body is goingto be hit, howdoes the qi know where to go?”A new batch of “Hard” men & womenand“How much sleep is enough to recover?”As some students had only everheard of Hard Qigong and never actuallyseen it demonstrated, they were giventhe opportunity to “test” the instructorwith punches and kicks.So with the course coming to anend there was only the test to discuss.This will take place in March 2003.by Mike BakerSwimming DragonGothenburg proved to be a bit ofa surprise in October as the snow fellearly this year.There were many old friends whocame to learn and also new ones whowere coming for the first time. Not onlythat, there were some people who hadstudied the form already, but whowanted to learn more of the fine detailsand principles behind the movements.Their attitude to their studies is anexample to all of us, as they were notonly keen to learn new things, but had adesire to perfect what they already knew.This is the only way to reach a good leveland for those who would also like to dothis there is a special session for theSwimming Dragon scheduled for April thisyear. Sometimes people are far too quickto say “Oh I know that already.”After two days of intense study,hard work and lots of laughing they allNews::::: Demos & Seminarscompleted form and to show that itagreed the sun came out greet us.Damo StaffFor the past few years the DamoStaff has been taught on a regular basisas it has always been hugely popular.It is a Northern Shaolin form thatcomes from Grandmaster Wu ChunYuen. It is fantastic to watch beingperformed. Standing and watching thegroup go through the movements youcould see the concentration andsatisfaction on everyone’s face,e s p e c i a l l ywhen theyf i n a l l yreached theend of theform.Everyonehad theirfavourite partof the formbut all foundthat theirfitness, posture and energy had improvedas well as their coordination and balance.This is the special thing about all theChunyuen forms they let you develop inmany ways, not just physically but alsoinside, they balance your mind and makeyou feel light and healthy.Xing SauXing Sau is another NorthernShaolin Chunyuen form. Unlike theDamo Staff, this is an empty hand form,but like staff it is no less dynamic or funto do. This was the second time this wastaught in Norwich and some people wereable to complete the movements.This form teaches you to moveyour body together in large sweepingmovements and also to make yourEveryday we receive many letters from people all over the world, sometimes asking for advice,sometimes just sharing their experience. Unless specifically asked otherwise, we will considerthese letters for possible publication in Qi Magazine. In this way, we all come together like afamily and share and help each other. That is the reason I began Qi Magazine and particularlythe PO Box. - Michael TseIf there is anything you wish to share with others, any news or any announcements you wouldlike to make, send them to us. We also welcome articles (800 - 1000 words in length) on topicsappropriate.UKQi MagazinePO Box 59,Altrincham WA15 8FS. UK.email tse@qimagazine.composture straight. Sometimes you have tomove quickly, changing directions andthen hold a posture. This trains your mindto change very quickly and so your mindas well as your body becomes supple andstrong.There were some beginners whothought they might not be able to keepup, but they were assured that theywould be fine and sure enough there wasno stopping them.Falling Leaf GongThis was the first time this formwas taught in public. It was created bySifu Tse and takes elements of Qigong,Taijiquan and Drunken fist. Its principleis “letting go” and following the flow; assuch it is a very different exercise andexperience.Those who attended this firstcourse had no idea what to expect asnone of them had ever seen themovements before and at first they foundletting go more difficult than theyimagined, but once they managed tomake that mental adjustment they wereable to flow quite freely. Some of themovements required picking up therhythm rather than following a set patternand this often caused them hoots oflaughter as they ended up in completelythe wrong place.By the second day everyone hadbeen able to get into the swing of thingsand found it much easier. Somecommented on how it made theircirculation stronger and their skin feelvery soft, one lady’s husband has evencommented on it when she got homeafter the first day.Though this was the first time thiswas taught it will certainly not be thelast and a second session is planned laterin the year –don’t miss it.by Darryl MoyPlease write to:USATse Qigong CentrePO Box 15807,Honolulu, HI 96830. USA.email tse@wildgooseqigong.compage 6 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

traditional Chinese clinic, you could seethe doctor seeing his patients and couldalmost hear their conversation.There were almost no secrets.If there was somethingunusual, then the doctor wouldtalk to the patient individually.It was not private like now andalso, the doctor did not check thepatient as in the Western way,where sometimes the patientneeds to disrobe. A highlevel Chinese medicinedoctor did not even needto touch the patient. Hecould just look at themand almost know theirproblem by 80%. All hethen needed to do wasask a few questions toconfirm his diagnosis.This is like agood cook who can knowthe tastes and ingredientsby just smelling the dish. Agood mechanic can hear thesound of the engine and knowwhat is wrong with the car.Doctors today though, stillcannot tell the cause of anillness even with all the testsand checks that they do.Sometimes even if they doknow, they do not have anysolution. In the end, a patientbecomes very hopeless anddoes not know what to do.Luckily for the farmerlady, she had found a gooddoctor. When she came to talk to thedoctor, she thanked him for helping herand making her recover. The doctorlooked at her and she was better and sohe was happy for her. As the lady wastaking her leave, she asked the doctor, Iam sorry to trouble you, but after youleft, I kept wishing that I could somehowrepay you. However, I am very poor, butthen I remembered that I had a smallbit of money, five yuan, under my pallet.I wanted to give this to you, but when Iwent to look for it, I could not find itanywhere. I was wondering, did you takeit?”The doctor looked at her quietlyand then said to her, “Yes, I did take it.Here is the five yuan back.” He took thefive yuan from a drawer in his table andgave it to the woman. The woman tookthe money and turned and left the clinic.She was completely confused. There wasa question in her mind. She kept askingherself why he had taken her five yuan.She would have given it to him in theend.All the while she walked home,the more confused she became andeven gave herself a headache.When she got back, she decided tolie down and rest. Maybe her mindwould settle. As she lay down, sheadjusted the pillow to a morecomfortable position. As she movedit, she heard something drop ontothe floor from underneath thepillow. She leaned over tosee what it was and wasso shocked. It was the fiveyuan!She immediatelyfelt a chill on the back ofher neck. “The five yuanwas there all the time. Imade a mistake. Thedoctor did not take mymoney. I just forgot“Heaven gives us achoice to do eithergood and bad. Youmake the decision.”where I put it. It was inmy pillow, not hidden inthe bed.”Then the womanthought, “ Why would the doctor say hetook the money when he did not?” Shecould not understand and for the wholenight she could not sleep. Early the nextmorning, she went back to the clinicagain and waited until the doctor wasfinished with his patients. He wassurprised to see her again.She told the doctor. “Doctor, I washere yesterday, and asked if you if youtook my money and you said you did.However, I found the money when I wentback home. It was my mistake. However,why did you say you took my moneywhen you really did not?”The doctor said to the lady, “ I didnot want you to worry about the money.It would not good be good for yourhealth. So I said I took it.”She did not know what to say. Shemade the mistake to think the doctor wasa thief. But actually, he was a great man.He had only thought about her health.She dropped down on her knees toapologise to him, and she returned hismoney back to him along with her ownmoney. The doctor lifted her up and toldher not to worry and that her health wasthe most important thing.This is a true story. A good persondoes not think about their name andmoney, but just thinks about how to helpothers. Today we have lost these peoplebecause we do not let them come to us.We are like plants, and we can allblossom and release a fragrant smell ifwe have the right soil. A lot of times inyour life you can decide to help othersor destroy them. It is all based on yourheart and compassion. It is up to us togive them the right soil.Heaven gives us a choice to doeither good and bad. You totally makeyour own decision. For example, whenyou drive a car, you can give way to othersor you can push ahead. If you haverubbish, you can put it intothe bin or you can drop itonto the ground as litter.Everyday you see youroffice colleagues, but it isup to you whether or notyou say good morning orignore them as you walkpast. These are all smallthings, but doing gooddeeds are not about fameand money. Can you letgo, not fight for theposition? Can you use themoney you make for helping others whoreally need it or just for making your ownposition more comfortable?Fame and money are what mostof us chase after, but in the end, can wetake them with us? When you die,someone will replace you and spend themoney you made.In Hawaii, there is a temple calledYuk Fut. There is an elderly lady therewho is always helping out with things suchas cleaning and cooking and evenstaying when needed. You will not evennotice her many times. She just helpswithout even asking if you need it ordrawing attention to herself. For me, sheis a high level of human being.Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 7

I have two anecdotes I would like to share regarding happy feelingsWhen I was angry at my sister I went to my friend and told her all about it. She smiled and said, “Letsshoot her.” I was not sure if I had heard her correctly. “Lets shoot her!” she said again and made theaction of a gun with her fingers expressing the “pow, pow” bit.“No! That’s terrible!” I cried, “You see,” she said, “you really love your sister.”That’s true. The extremity of my friend’s advice made me laugh at the whole thing and forget about it.I love kids, I always try to spend a bit of quality time with them when they hang around mydoor step (I don’t have a garden). It does not matter whose children they are. I usuallyrelate to girls better probably as I’m female and there is still child in me. Anyway, italways surprises me when I am walking down the street and one of the girlsshouts “Hi” or one of them runs up to me for a chat. It’s a great feeling.Kids are the hub of our community and I think as adults we shouldappreciate that.Cassandra VollmerGood Things to ShareI am writing in response toyour request for amusingstories. It took place in 1958 inwhat was known as the RoyalMarine Amphibious School, nearPoole in Dorset.As a serving marine, I had beenconfined to barracks for a minormisdemeanour, these were notbarracks in the conventional sense,but vast open heath land coveredwith fern and gorse, with the oddwooden huts which we were billeted in.Then there were no boundary fences.It was Sunday afternoon and all the Marinesenjoyed some leave time and so the camp was totally deserted. Part of my punishment was to load two hugewheel barrows, the wheels were at least three feet high, with clods of earth and transport them to the other endof the camp all by myself. This was about 1 mile away.As I struggled up a steep incline pulling this very large wheelbarrow, a civilian Stoker walked towards me, havingjust finished his shift. As he approached, he smiled and said to me, “Jack (nick name), why don’t you take yourtrousers off?” I was flabbergasted, completely fazed by his remark. He then said, “Since you are working like adonkey, you may as well look like one.” I laughed so hard and my spirits soared!43 years later this memory stays as fresh with me as if it were yesterday.Brian Sprattpage 8 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003Have you ever been the recipient of a kind deed? Had someone help in times of trouble? Do you have aninspiring thought that may brighten someone else's day? Please send either by post or email to the address inthe front of the magazine. Mark 'Attention-Good Things To Share".

The more that you look at the detail of a sword’s construction the moreis revealed about its uses. Basically, a sword is made of two components, theblade and the hilt, but these can be divided into a number of elements.Swords - Part 2Chen TaijiquanAblade has three basic elements:the blade, the shoulder and thetang (or tongue). A hilt is madefrom a guard, handle, pommel andusually some nuts, bolts or rivets.The pommel is a metal shape atthe end of the hilt. It has severalfunctions. Firstly, it helps hold the handlein place. Secondly, it is normally a littlewider than the handle and so helpsprevent the sword slipping out of thehand. Thirdly and most importantly it actsas a counterweight to the blade. Withoutthe pommel most swords would be veryunbalanced and difficult to wield.The pommel is normally heldon by a nut thats c r e w sd i r e c t l yonto the tang.The handle isthe area that is held bythe hand. This is usually madeout of wood, which helps absorb theshock of impact, but it can also be madeof bone or antler. Sometimes the handlemight be covered with leather or cord.The important thing about the handle isthat it should be comfortable, easy tohold and fix firmly to the rest of thesword. If it is covered, the covering shouldbe firmly fitted so as not to come looseduring use. In Chinese swords you oftenfind a second nut and washer that fitsinside the pommel, which is used tomake sure that the handle is held firmlyin place. Handles come in a variety ofshapes. Lengthwise they can be convex,concave, straight or tapered. It is mostlya question of personal taste and comfort.In cross section the handle of Chineseswords tends to be elliptical. This is sothat the angle of the blade can becontrolled when cutting or parrying. Bycomparison, Western fencing swordshave round handles because they haveno blade and are not usedfor cutting. They arepurely a thrustingweapon.“Fencing swordshave no blade andare not used forcutting”The guard fits between the handleand the shoulder of the blade. It has twobasic functions: it stops the hand slippingonto the blade and it protects the handfrom being cut. On Chinese straightswords the guard is often quitedecorative, but functionally it is little morethan a small cross guard. The small sizeof the guard tells us that a full range ofmovement is essential in Chineseswordsmanship. Larger and morecomplex guards offer more protection(and can be used to strike with) butrestrict movement. Other commonelements to the straight sword guard areecussons that help lock the blade intothe sheath and a chappe, which fits overthe top of the sheath and so helps toprevent rain or moisture getting into thescabard and damaging the blade. TheChinese broadsword usually has an ovaldisk as a guard. Sometimes this is slightlycupped towards the blade which helpskeep the guard rigid as well as partlyacting as a chappe. The oval shape ofthe guard gives protection to the knucklesbut prevents fingering.Fingering is a technique thatinvolves either looping the forefinger overthe guard or pointing along the blade.This technique can make thrusting andstabbing more accurate but it has obviousrisks.The tang is the unedged portionof the blade that runs through thehandle. It is usually narrower than theblade itself and the area that juts outwhere it meets the blade is known asthe shoulder. The shoulder usuallysupports theguard. Ac o r r e c t l yproportionedtang ise s s e n t i a lbecause ithas to beable towithstand ane n o r m o u samount oftorque andstress whenthe sword is just being swung. If it is notstrong enough the handle will simplysnap off when a sword hits somethinghard. The tang will normally tapertowards the pommel and is normallywrought from the same piece of metalas the blade (though sometimes they arewelded on). The tang will also usuallyhave a softer temper than the rest ofthe blade so that it can absorb shock andvibrationto be continued... by Glenn Gossling.glenn@qimagaz ine.compage 10 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

Having covered many ailments over the years that can be treated byChinese medicine, I thought it would be a good idea to focus on individualherbs that are commonly found in the English countryside and gardens. Youmay be surprised by how useful they can be!A Beginner’s Guide to Chinese HerbsMu Dan Pi – Tree PeonyTraditional Chinese MedicineIn this article, I will discuss Mu Dan orTree Peony as it is known in English.The flower of Mu Dan, known as MuDan Hua (Hua meaning flower) is thenational flower of China. This flower isfound in some of the most famousChinese paintings, which are eitherwatercolours or hand embroidered silkcanvasses. The flower is usually pink incolour and can be as big as a plate, withgreen leaves. Often, Chinese calligraphywill be found alongside theflower painting, with wordssuch as ‘Hua Kai Fu Gui’ or‘Fu Gui Chang Shou’, whichsuggests that the flower isassociated with wealth,elegance and long life.The bark of the rootof Mu Dan is called Mu DanPi (Pi meaning bark or skin)and is one of the most usefulherbs in Chinese Herbalmedicine. Mu Dan Pi is bitterMu Dan Pi isbitter andpungent inflavour, andcool in propertyand pungent in flavour, andcool in property, and has thefunction of clearing toxic heatand cooling the blood. It istherefore very commonly usedin eczema, psoriasis and variousskin problems. In addition, it isgood for cystitis, blood in the urineand nosebleeds, where it is usedtogether with Chi Shao Yao, ShengDi Huang and Xuan Shen.Another function of Mu Dan Pilies in promoting blood circulation andremoving blood stasis. Thus, it plays animportant role in treating gynaecologicaldisorders, dysmenorrhoea, irregularmenstruation, as well as bruising. Hereit is combined with Dang Gui, Chi Shao,Tao Ren and Hong Hua.Lastly, Mu Dan Pi can calm LiverFire, resolve Liver Qi stagnation andlower rising Liver Yang due to stress. It isusually used with Zhi Zi and other herbsto soothe the Liver Qi. One of the mostpopular formulae for treating stress (DanZhi Xiao Yao Wan) contains Mu Dan Pi.Another Chinese herb, Shao Yao(common Peony) comes from the sameplant family as Mu Dan, and is commonin English gardens. Its flowers usuallyappear in Spring just after the daffodilscome out. The root of Shao Yao is alsoused in Chinese herbal preparations.There are two varieties of Shao Yao; withred flowers (Chi Shao Yao) and whiteflowers (Bai Shao Yao). Although BaiShao Yao and Chi Shao Yao are related,only Chi Shao Yao, with its bitter, sourflavour and cold property has similarindications and functions to Mu Dan Pi.by Dr. Shulan Tangshulan@qimagaz ine.compage 12 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

AcupointMassage forSpine Painand DiseaseThe older we get, the more common it is to have someproblems with spine. Many people suffer from pain andnumbness in the head, neck, shoulders, arms and even thehands. In more serious cases, the muscles may atrophy fromlack of movement and may even have paralysis and beunable to take care of themselves.Fig 1There are many things that can cause disease in thespine. Chinese medicine considers both internal andexternal causes of disease. Some external factorscausing spine diseases are attacks by wind, cold,dampness or other outside forces (like pollution,chemicals) that cause the Qi and the blood in the body tobecome stagnant.Internal factors are the gradual decline of the liver (whichrelates to blood circulation) and kidneys (which relates to themuscle, bones and marrow, including the brain).In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), treatment ofspine diseases will use not only herbal medicine for internaland external (by way of a herbal plaster), but it will also useacupoint therapy, self massage and exercise (Qigong). Qigongwill help to release the sick Qi in the body and to stimulate thefresh Qi and blood to flow. Acupoint therapy is stimulation ofthe pressure points which act like Qi doors to the body. Theyhelp to open the channels so that Qi can flow and any sick Qican be eliminated from the body.Qigong will help relieve muscle tension and spasms,improve blood circulation and will restore the metabolism ofthe bones and improve the resilience of the ligaments of themuscles surrounding the vertebrae.Self massage will help to support Qigong exercises andwill also stimulate the flow of Qi and blood. Self massage andFig 3Fig 2Qigong both help to widen the spaces between the vertebraeof the spine, helping to alleviate pressure that has built upthere. The exercises shown here use various acupuncture pointswhich can help those suffering from problems and also can beused as preventative for future diseases. The self massagetechniques are very simple and can be done at any time.page 14 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

Fig 4Fig 5 Fig 6Fig 7 Fig 8For soreness, pain and numbness in the hands:1. With the thumb, press the Hegu point on the aching sidefor thirty seconds. Fig 12. With the thumb and middle finger, press the Yangchi pointon the aching side for thirty seconds. Fig 23. Tap and gently prod the Quchi point on the aching sidewith the thumb for thirty seconds. Fig 34. With the index and middle fingers, tap and gently prod theShaohai point on the aching side for thirty seconds. Fig 45. Slowly press on the Quepeng point on the aching side withthe thumb and middle finger for one minute. Fig 56. Press the Jianjing acupoint on the aching side with the index,middle and ring fingers for one minute. Fig 67. Tap and gently touch the Fengchi acupoint on theaching side with the middle and index fingers for oneminute. Fig 78. Press on the Wangu point on the aching side with the middlefinger for one minute. Fig 8Self MassageGently rub the neck with the palm of the hand on bothsides of the neck equally. Do this gently and this will help towarm the muscles and stimulate Qi. Next rub from the top ofthe head back to the nape of the neck in small circular motions.Do this ten times. Rub the ears with the palms in small circularmotion, both backwards and forwards until they are warm andtingling.With the palm of the hand, grasp the opposite shouldergently and then release. Do this with the palm of the hand allthe way down from the shoulder on the outside of the arms allthe way down to the fingers. This will help to stimulate the Qiflowing down the hand channels and improve mobility. Makesure to rub downwards towards the fingers, not upwards.Afterwards, take a few minutes to sit quietly and let the Qisettle with the eyes and mouth closed and breathing naturalBy Zeng Qingnan& Liu DaoqingQi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 15

The five elements help us to understand the principles of nature. Theycan be applied to everything and anything. As such they can be used to helpunderstand Taijiquan forms and Pushing Hands.5 Elements ofTaijiquanpage 18 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

SouthFireEastWoodCentreEarthWestMetalNorthWaterWhen we study Taijiquan, first we need tounderstand the principle of Yin and Yang, suchas soft and hard, solid and light, left and right.The next step we need to know is about theFive Elements and how they relate to Taijiquan.Five Elements relate to the footwork, which includes forward,backward, left, right and centre. These directions connect tothe Five Elements. Front is south and is fire element. Back isnorth and is water. Left is east and is wood. Right is west andis metal. Centre is earth and is your centre of gravity.Five Element theory is one of the high levelunderstandings of Taijiquan, particularly, when we apply it toTui Shou (Pushing Hands). For example, when you are doingTui Shou with your opponent and his energy is stronger thanyou, stepping back is the best solution. We cannot hold or goagainst an opponent’s energy. Otherwise you may be pushedaway or hurt. Stepping back can help us avoid their energybut also allow us to use their energy. On the other hand, ifyour opponent is weaker, then you can step forward to pushthem away or control them.Sometimes it will come to the situation when youropponent is strong but only on one side. For example, if hepushes you on your left side, then you can use your right sideto push him back. The more you practise, the more you willfind that Tui Shou is based on a lot of changing and being ableto feel where the energy is coming from.Sometimes you may come across a situation where theenergy is fifty-fifty on both sides and you will stand still, untilyour opponent changes his energy. If he does not move, youshould not move. If he does move, you move even faster inthe right direction. It is all based on listening to the energy.During Tui Shou, once you have touched hands withyour opponent, you should straightaway read his energy andrespond to that. If he is too strong, you should let go. If he isweak, go forward. If his left side is strong, go to his right side.If his right side is strong, go to his left side. If you don’t know,stay still. Practising Taijiquan is moving yourself like a ball. Theball can roll in any direction. It can turn clockwise or counterclockwise.Sometimes the ball will be very soft, like cotton.Sometimes it will be hard, like iron. Also, sometimes the ballwill change shape. It may be long, or it may be short. The ballis very flexible and changeable. It is all based on thecircumstance.No matter how the ball moves, the centre of gravityshould always remain at the centre. This means no matterwhat movement we do, our Dantian will maintain the centreto keep us balanced. Once our centre loses balance, then it isover. When you do Tui Shou with your opponent, you are tryingto find and dislodge their centre of gravity in order to makethem lose balance. A higher level Taiji master will be veryquick to find out his opponent’s centre of gravity with lesseffort. A low level Taiji master will use a lot of effort, but stillwill not be able to find their opponent’s centre of gravity.Therefore, sometimes you ask yourself how much effort youhave to use to find your opponent’s centre of gravity. Tounderstand the principle of Taijiquan, it will also help you tounderstand the problems of your lifeBy Michael TseQi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 19

Chinese Horoscopes for 2003This year is the year of the water goat. Some people alsorefer to this year as the year of the sheep as well. Peoplealways like to know what will happen in the new year.Below I have tried to work out some general predictions foreach animal sign for the year. Maybe it will help you.RatOxTigerRabbitSomeone will take your advantage. Be carefuldriving. You will also meet new friends.This year will bring kind of a hard time. Your friendmay harm you. Take it easy. You may also have agood relationship develop.Things will be easier in the beginning of the yearbut hard work at the end. Friends will give you apresent.The year will be full of energy and full of surprises.Someone will leave you.DragonYou will lose some money and make some newfriends.SnakeHorseBe careful of your health this year. Business willdevelop and should make good money.You will learn some new things. Things will begood in the beginning but up and down in theend.Goat/SheepA lot of happiness and enjoyment this year, butwill be ill.MonkeyA senior person will help you. Somebody will giveyou surprise money.RoosterYou will have lots of travelling this year. Your mindwill be more open for new things.DogPigBe careful of someone talking bad of you. Do nottry to become too involved in too many otherthings. Spiritually, you will develop well this year.This year you will be strong and busy, but youmust be patient. Someone will help you.OpposingSpecial TriangleConclusionAll these predictions are not one hundred percent correct.There is a certain kind of energy that will happen generally forthese animals. We are all in a cycle. The twelve animals forma big circle. The year of the Goat/Sheep is the year and so willattract the most light from outside, but other animals whichare nearby will benefit, such as Snake, Horse, Monkey andRooster.However, all these animals form a certain bond tohelp out each other, like a family. For instance, Pig, Rabbitand Goat/Sheep all form a special triangle and so all will bestrong. The opposite animal to Goat is the Ox. This relationshipis like in the evening where there is less light. Therefore, thisis the weaker animal in the year 2003.It is the same as our life. We are in a circle:- sometimesgood, sometimes bad. Everytime we are in the bad situation,we should learn how to prepare ourselves in the future to begood, care more and help other people. Everytime you helpothers, they owe you and so eventually they will also help youin return.It is the same when you are in a good position, it iseasy to put down others and not be so considerate, and maybethink you deserve that good luck. This is a bad situation,because when your luck runs out, all your enemies will comeforward to attack you. Because we are always in a circle,sometimes we are in luck, sometimes we are in bad luck.Keeping good friends with people, helping out others, then itdoes not matter what circumstances you are in, either good orbad luck. In this way of thinking and acting, then every yearwill a good year for youBy Michael Tsepage 20 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

Finding JoyA boy emerges from sleep, stretchesCelebrates his awakeningGathers the gift of life to his centre.Poems forIt is foggy, he pushes the fog away.He is hungry. Catches fish in the pond.But somebody else wants breakfast.Golden Dragon appearsSharpens his claws on the old tree.Boy wants to climb the tree – too highSummons the magic ladder.Jade rungs carry him upUp to the Beautiful Ball.He looks for Treasure in the ChestAnd swings for Joy when he finds it.by Marie BallLongevityGathering berries left to the rightThe fog partsRevealing a fishing lake.Reflecting on the waterA sleeping dragon wakes.Remaining groundedYou notice an old tree andBegin to climb.Between the leavesAs the moon risesLight fallsRevealing a treasure chestUnder the water.Look deepThen let goLike a child swingingRemembering to gather againBefore returning home.by Carly CollingwoodFulfilling LifeOnce upon a time, thousands of years ago,Came a great skill, it is our time to knowHow to grow good hearts, be healthy, live longWe begin, collecting Qi to the DantianIn world that is often too bright, too loudSeparating the Fog to look for the CloudsImitate nature, from her the Qi poursBecome a Golden Dragon Stretching Its Claws,Breathe peacefully, be patient, Qigong will bring fruitsBe an Old Tree with Winding RootsStay humble, yet stand tall, be balanced, reachingFor the Jade Ladder Climbing to the Sky.From eight years to eighty, self healing for allAs simple as Holding the Beautiful Ball.Looking for Treasure at the Bottom of the ChestWe thank Grandmaster Yang Meijun with one heart from the West.Help your energy move freely, just like a Child SwingingPractise Healthy Living Gong for a life more fulfilling.by Emma ClaytonHealthy LivingGong Part IThe Silent ChampionStanding in stillness like a silent champion,He stands there and collects his Qi to the dantian,And stops for a moment in a silent shroud,While he’s separating fog to look for the clouds,Energies bending he now becomes fondOf catching the fish by the side of the pond.Thinking quite slowly he seems in a pause,As the golden dragon stretches its claws,From the depths of his stomach – his energy shoots,While he stands like an old tree with winding roots,As though on a mountain a thousand feet high,He’s on the jade ladder climbing up to the sky,Who is the one holding the beautiful ball,The spirit is ourselves and the champion is all,Forget all our egos, leave them for the rest,It’s like looking for treasure at the bottom of a chest,Happiness smiles just like a child swinging,As I realize the message the old masters are bringing.For Sifu and the Tse Qigong Centre, thanks.by George EasthamQigong JourneyBreathing deeply, I restore my QiAt last, I’m quite ready to goPushing aside the chill, dense fogTo reveal the silver cloudsWhose reflections float on the lily pondWhere sleek herons dive for KoiToo soon, the golden dragon awakesIts great claws stretching for preyIn terror, I grasp an old twisted treeAnd hide in its winding rootsThen, magically, a jade ladder appearsWhich I climb with amazing easeIn the crook of my arm is a beautiful ballShowing the treasure I seekThere in the bottom of an ancient chestI see a child on a swingI cry with joy at this moving sceneOf a soul awaiting rebirthby Elsie Mae GriffithsQi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 21

The 9 th and 10 th of November 2002 will be etched in thememory of all the Wing Chun practitioners who were fortunateenough to be able to make the trip to Foshan in the province ofCanton, South China. The two days were a celebration of themartial art of Wing Chun with the express purpose of openinga memorial exhibition to one of its most famous ex-residents,the legendary Ip Man.For those who may not be aware a few words about the subject of thisunique event. Grandmaster Ip Man passed away on the 1 st December1972 and his death came at a time when the world outside China wasbeginning to hear about him as the man who had taught Bruce Lee hisKung Fu. Because of the timing of his death and having had their interestawakened many felt disappointed and cheated that they could not discover moreabout the art of Wing Chun from the source. The burden of expectation andresponsibility fell to his sons and senior students who over the ensuing yearsdispersed throughout the world to make their way in life and to continue theperpetuation of the art of Wing Chun. In the early seventies I was involved in themartial arts and remember well the magazines and some of the newspapers ofthe time talking about the boom and the growing interest in the Martial Arts.Opening ofIp Man ToI had started training a year or two before the film, Enter the Dragon, hit thecinemas in the UK. The class I was attending went from ten to a class of seventyalmost overnight, such was the heat created by the Bruce Lee effect and I wasn’teven studying Kung Fu! Although Bruce Lee was an obvious factor in the spread ofhis fameOpeningthere was much to the character of Ip Man and his approach to Kung Fuofwhich indicated a man who took the responsibility that went with his ability veryseriously. His skill was obviously considerable but he was also an intelligent man

whose desireto pass on the skill ofWing Chun was as much a creditto him as his own ability.Twenty members of the TseQigong Centre travelled from Hong Kongfor the occasion to spend three days in Foshan.Although the trip was mainly for the celebrations wewere also looking forward to taking in the sights andvisiting some of the temples and the Chinese National TVfilm studio which was organised as part of the trip for ourbenefit by Grandmaster Ip Chun, our Sigong. A visit to Chinais an assault on the senses and although you see many thingsthat are obviously different much of what you see registers inthe subconscious and drip feeds back up to the conscious longafter you have had the physical experience. Most of the feelingsand thoughts that return via this route are positive and this, Ibelieve, is what makes the memory so special. Most of usoriginally from the West are drawn to China through our studiesof their martial and healing arts and trips like this reinforcemuch of what we see,hear and learn fromour studies.We werebased in HongKong to visit theWing Chun academyand payour respects toIp Sigong. Sigongretiredfrom travellingthe world lastyear so it wasgood to visit himin his hometown.Much ofthe credit for ourability to relax soquickly on arrivalmust go to the teamGrandmaster Ip Chun ispresented with a giftfrom the Ip Chun Academywho helped us negotiate the journey from Hong Kong acrossthe Chinese border and to arrive safely and on time at thePalace Hotel in Foshan. Particular thanks go to Leon Wong,Raymond Ho Patrick Leung and Eric who were very efficientand attentive ensuring that we were at the right place at theright time. This was achieved despite our coach driver’sprotracted two-hour game of chicken with other buses, coaches,trucks, motor bikes and cyclists. One particular incident saw aone handed swerve from outside acrossmiddle to inside lane between two trucks(just!) causing Jessica to bury her head in herhands preparing to depart this earth. Thedriver’s other hand by the way was being usedto conduct a conversation on his mobile phone. Ithas to be said that he delivered us to thedestination on time to the minute having given usone or two timely reminders of our mortality.Events of this size take some organisation and it wasobvious that much thought and consideration was given to theguests from afar who were treated royally both in terms ofaccommodation and catering. The only drawback was that oneof the hotel lifts wasn’t working and we were placed on the“The Ip Man Tongcelebrations tookplace in thegrounds ofthe FoshanAncestralTemple.”eleventh floor. So over the next few days we had plenty ofleg strengthening walks up and down pausing occasionallyto take in the view which on some floors was quite interesting.The sense of expectation was acute as we collectedand changed into tracksuits and commemorative T-Shirts issuedfor the event. Prepared for the next challenge of the day wegathered downstairs…this turned out to be lunch! Over theyears on his visits to the UK, Ip Sigong must have observedhow much we enjoyed eating Chinese food after his seminars,as the way I recall it we were always eating long after he hadfinished. He must have allowed for this in the planning as thequality of the food was superb and quantity had us all beatenat every meal and believe me we had some big eaters withus.The Ip Man Tong celebrations took place in the groundsof the Foshan Ancestral Temple, a site of local historical interest.It provided a very special setting, striking a perfect balancebetween the old buildings, steeped in history and the spaceand facilities required for such a large gathering of people. Inaddition to the Wing Chun activities and the main exhibitionthere were opportunities throughout the two days to viewpage 24 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

traditional Chinese opera, lion dancing, an exhibition dedicatedto Wong Fei Hung and a chance to purchase souvenirs.Following the short opening ceremony, the firstafternoon was to belong mainly to the first generation studentsof Ip Man who comprised Masters, Grandmasters and seniorSifus who performed demonstrations on all aspects of WingChun Kung Fu including the three forms, self defence, poleand butterfly knives. A roll on the drums and clash of symbolspunctuated each performance and was a continuous featurethroughout the demonstrations on both days. This musicalsupport came from a young troop of lion dancers who hadbeen involved in the opening ceremony andwere in attendance on the side of the stage.I was told that people from over 27 countrieswere present and whilst my tally did not reachthat figure it was obvious that all four corners of theglobe were represented on stage including USA,Australia, Germany, Hawaii, China and South Africa andseveral groups from the UK. It was interesting to observe howeach different Sifu laid different emphasis on aspects of theChi Man Tang and Mike Bakergiving a dynamic demonstration ofthe Wing Chun knives against astaffGrandmaster IpChun performsGann Sau forChinese TVQi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 25

Early morning departure to FoshanFoshan sky-lineThe packed hotel lobbyTaiji Fan demonstration to welcome the celebrations The traditional Lion Dance inside the Ancestral Temple The Ip ManTong buildingGrandmaster Ip Ching receives a gift on stageThe statue of Grandmaster IpMan greets the visitorsThe Ancestral Temple in FoshanThe wooden dummy hall where visitors cantry and emulate Grandmaster Ip Man, whosephotos line the wallsGroup photos the entrance of Ip Man TongThe exhibits highlighting the life of Grandmaster Ip ManThe signature wall, where visitors can leave theirmarkEnjoying the exhibits in Ip Man TongChi Man Tang tries his handpage 26 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003The exhibit of Bruce Lee

Darryl Moy & Simon Bedford gave a demonstration of Chi Sauforms and how the technique varied from school to schoolaround the world.In what seemed a very brief time the evening was uponus and time for a meal, which was taken buffet style withinthe grounds under the trees. It was dark by then and the dayhad been very warm and the cooling effect brought on by thedisappearance of the sun was welcomed. The lanterns andlights in the grounds of the temple gave the whole area adifferent perspective and everybody had peeled away into smallgroups to take a chance to sit and reflect on the day’s events.Our group had been up since 4.00 a.m. but were still full ofenthusiasm and energy and were checking and cross-checkingto ensure that they were not missing out on anything.The evening was a more sedate affair with many of theSifus giving short speeches on Wing Chun with some sayingwhat it had meant to them whilst others described theirinvolvement over the years. I think some of the translationswere dealt with economy as a five-minute speech for someended up to be a two-line translation but the message wasalways a positive one. Given the number of speeches, I feelthis was being done out of expediency rather than rudeness,otherwise I feel we may have been there until the early hours.With the speeches finished we all strolled back to the hotel toconclude the first day’s activities. Most of us were ready tocrash into bed after a nineteen-hour day to replenish our energyfor the next day’s activities.The next morning was given over to more demonstrationsfrom the students, grand students and great-grand studentsof Ip Man who all demonstrated the forms and applications ofWing Chun in as many permutations and formats as therewere countries represented. The Tse Qigong Centre wasrepresented by Darryl Moy, Chi Man Tang, Mike Baker andSimon Bedford. Darryl Moy and Simon Bedford demonstratedChi Sau (sticking hands) in a sequence of double hands, singlehand and blindfold training both on and off of a table. ChiSau is the cornerstone of Wing Chun and the primary way todevelop an appreciation of how to deal with an opponent. Forbeginners and experienced practitioners it offers a bridge todeveloping fighting skill without losing your teeth! Next upwas Chi Man Tang and Mike Baker who gave a polisheddemonstration of the weapons Baat Jam Dao against the Staff.Chi man wielded the knives to good effect demonstrating veryeffective cutting and blocking applications against Mike Baker’sattempts to break through with the staff.The demonstrations concluded and a major lunchensued…beaten again! The afternoon was given over to whatwas described in the programme as ‘sharing time’. Peopletook the opportunity to Chi Sau and impromptu sessions tookplace in various shaded corners all over the grounds. People“Students, grandstudents and greatgrandstudents of IpMan demonstratedforms & applications”John Hayes (the author) and Martin Gale buying souvenirsQi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 27

“The whole eventand memorialexhibition are atestament to therespect, honour andpride thatGrandmaster IpMan’s sons Ip Chunand Ip Ching havefor their father.”participated in testing their skill against strangers from aroundthe world and then went on to have their photograph takenwith them! Ip Sigong was interviewed by a Chinese TV crewand as part of their filming he demonstrated Biu Tze in front ofthe temple where everybody assembled to watch. This was tobe the concluding part of the day with everybody comingtogether for group Chi Sau as the sun was sinking drawing anatural close to the proceedings. It was interesting andenlightening to observe everybody rolling with each other andtesting their skill against different hands and learning how toadapt to survive against and occasionally overcoming theirtraining opponent.The whole event and the subsequent memorial exhibitionare a testament to the respect, honour and pride thatGrandmaster Ip Man’s sons Ip Chun and Ip Ching have fortheir father and an expression of how important it is that hislife and work are documented and commemorated for futuregenerations. The occasion saw the coming together of manybranches of the Wing Chun family tree to celebrate andcommemorate aman who had a significant influence on thespread of traditional Chinese martial arts throughout the world.The event had the blessing and support of the ChineseGovernment and attracted nation-wide interest through thepresence of national TV.Grandmaster Ip Chundemonstrated Biu Tzeat the Ancestral TempleAs a statement for posterity the Ip Man Tong was apositive affirmation of the health of Wing Chun around theworld and reflected a desire on the part of all involved toensure continued communication and development of the artgoing into the 21 st century. The story behind the organisationof the event and some of the views of Ip Sigong will be told inpart two which will include an account of the training experiencein Hong Kong. In conclusion I will leave you with some ancientwords of wisdom which cross generations, borders and religiousdivides.The Wise are Considerate‘By performing the seasonal ceremonies we pay ourappropriate respects to the cosmic forces and by performingmemorial services we pay our appropriate respects to ourancestral progenitors. He who comprehends the significanceof the seasonal ceremonies and of the memorial ceremoniesis as fit to govern a kingdom as to care for his own hand’.Words taken from the analects of Li Err ( Confucius) TheDoctrine of the MeanBy John HayesQi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 29

I suppose, like myself, you have visited some sort of Chinese restaurant nomatter what part of the world you hail from. There are a bewildering array ofthem, that sell a variety of dishes of varying quality.Eating the Chinese WaySome are no more than small ‘holesin the wall’ where you can get takeaway chop suey and sweet and sourpork, a sticky sweet-savoury confectionrarely ever found in the Chinese familyhome, while others are high class worksof art, with sparking fountains and subtlelighting with still not very authentic foodat a juicer price tag. Then there are thehidden gems found by word of mouth orblind luck where you can sink your teethinto mouth-watering morsels if you knowwhat to order. For Chinese speakers, thisis much easier to do, as often there is aspecial menu only in Chinese withdelicacies thought only to beenjoyed by the moreexperienced andhardier Chinesetastebuds. But ifyou are luckyenough to havea Chinesefriend, teacheror associate,then be adventurousandput yourself intheir hands andlet them order.The best is not toask what the foodis when it arrives,but just try it andenjoy. Most of thetime, if you approachit with an openmind, you will find it different but oftenvery good. There are some things thatare acquired tastes and textures. I wouldsay that some things, like cold jelly fish,sea cucumber, take a little more timeand practice to enjoy but are still verynice for the carnivore crowd. And forvegetarians, there are new kinds ofvegetables to enjoy.In the West, it is normal andexpected that the entrées be lifted offthe table and passed around to all theguests, with each person placing aportion onto their plate. However,Chinese style, dishes are placed in thecentre of the table where everyone hasa fair chance, improved by good chopstickskills. If you place the food on your plate,sometimes you will take too much andthis deprives someone on the other sideof the table of their portion.Another reason for taking onlyone thing at a time is that each dishshould have its own individual taste.When going out to eat to a Chineserestaurant, the more people the merrier.Going with a group of people lets youorder several dishes and then sharefamily style. In this way, you canexperience the five different tastes ofs a l t y ,bitter, sweet, spicy and neutral, washingit all down with hot Chinese tea. A goodorderer will try to balance the dishes, notgoing for all deep fried or heavily spicydishes. This is why in traditional Chinesestyle eating, guests will only take a smallportion or bite of one dish at a time.This allows you to experience and savourthe flavours of that dish without mixingit up with the tastes of the other dishesIf your host is being kind enoughto introduce you to the real Chinesecuisine, you can show your thanks byknowing more about how to eat properly.To be able to use chopsticks well, willdraw admiring glances and comments asit is truly a skill and shows you have putsome effort into appreciating the Chineseculture. The next step, once you havemastered the chopsticks is how to savourthe dishes themselves, rather than justknowing how to transport them to yourmouth.In China, it is traditional for riceto be eaten out of a bowl and a bite offood taken from one entree and thenbrought to the mouth with a bite of rice.This is why you see people holding therice bowl up to the mouth. Bowls aremade with a rim on the bottom so thatwhen held properly, even hotsoup or rice will not burnyour fingers while holdingit. In the West, it is moreusual to have a platethan a bowl, but youcan still use the plateto follow the sameprinciple of takingjust one thing at atime.If you are ina restaurant, youmay have one ofthe swish, twirlingcentre pieces thatallows you to spindishes around toyou, then normallythere will be spoonswith which you canthen place a smallbit of the food intoyour bowl. You should be mindful of theother guests when you size your portion.Smaller is more polite, even if it meansno second portion. Better this than beingseen as the hollow-legged Gwai Lo.If in doubt about rules ofetiquette, look at what your seniors orhost is doing. There have been manycircumstances in which I have beenunsure of the protocol, particularly whenvisiting new places. So I just wait andfollow one step behind the others andthat way I hope not to embarrass myselftoo muchBy Sihnkei.sihnkei@qimagazine.compage 30 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

Feng Shui -Flying Stars for 2003As the New Year is starting many of you wonder what effectthis will have on your Feng Shui and what you should do to tryand make life smoother for the year ahead. Here we look at thehow the energy is governed by the Nine Flying Stars of FengShui and how they relate to you.WoodIf you want to understand Feng Shui, you also need tocheck the energy of the year. This is a chart for the newChinese year according to the Chinese solar calendar,which begins 4 February. This is the beginning of springand what farmers will follow. But the new year thateveryone celebrates in China, belongs to the lunar calendarwhich is a different date.You can place this chart over a floorplan of your homeand office and find out which direction the energy comes fromfor money, relationship and even sickness and others. UsingWaterThe Five ElementsCreation CycleFireEastWoodSouthFire5 1 34 6 89 2 7WestMetalMetalEarth“If you use energy toexhaust it, then this iseasier.”MetalEarthNorthWaterFireThe Five ElementsControlling CycleWoodthe five element theory, you can use the appropriate elementcolour or representation to bring up the energy in that area.For instance, if you want to bring up the energy formoney, you look and see that this is the number eight. Thedirection this energy will come from is the West and is theelement metal. We know that earth supports metal, so youcan you use yellow colours in this area to bring up the energyfor money in that area. For energy that is not good, you canuse two ways, either try to control that energy or exhaust it.WaterEarthpage 34 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

Each number has its own specialenergy as below:-1. Travelling, relationship2. Sickness3. Argument4. Study, fame5. Power6. Money you work for7. Burglary8. Unexpected money9. PartyControlling the energy is more difficult and is like the boyputting his finger in the dam. It depends on how well you candefend. But if you use energy to exhaust it, then this is easier.The number three relates to arguments and is theelement earth. So the best is to exhaust the earth energy.Earth creates metal and like a mother nourishing her childduring pregnancy, she will use her own vital energy and essenceand so make herself weaker. If we use metal things, like whitecolours (representing metal) in this area, then it will help toexhaust the earth energy.For the number five, do not move furniture in this areaor have anything blocking this area. Particularly, do not do anyrenovations or construction in this area as it should be kept stilland open as it is like a Dantian.ConclusionHaving good Feng Shui is important, but somehow, Ialways find if your house has enough light, fresh air, space,and is clean and uncluttered, then your Feng Shui will not betoo bad. But if you have a bad temper, bad attitude, and arealways not happy, and are always moaning and complainingabout others and things and having argument with other familymembers, then even if you have the best Feng Shui house, itwill be damaged by your attitude.By contrast, if you have a good attitude, a nice nature,take it easy for things, and be patient, then even if you havean ordinary house, it will bring you good luck. This is the highlevel of Feng Shui. Yun Git Dei Ling, which means a goodperson will bring the good energy in a placeBy Michael TseTse Qigong Centre UKPO Box 59Altrincham WA15 8FS0845 838 2285+44 161 929 4485tse@qimagazine.comQi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 35

Healthy Living Gong Part IIContinuation of Part IIButterfly PlayingFig 1 Fig 2 Fig 3iiiiiiivvStand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width.Shift the weight to the left side so that the left knee isbent and most of the weight of the body on this side.The right leg should be straight. Lift up the arms tothe left side of the body. The left arm should befully extended above shoulder height, with palmfacing forward. The right arm is bent with palmfacing backwards. Fig 1Turn the palms so left palm now facingbackwards and right palm facing upwards. Fig 2While looking at the hands, shift the weight tothe right leg, letting the body follow. Whenleaning, your body should form a straight line,with the head in line with the right heel. At thesame time let the arms swing downwards in an arc alsotowards the right. The eyes should follow the hands.Fig 3-5Keep swinging the arms until they reach above the rightshoulder, the left palm facing forward and the right palmfacing backward. Fig 6.When hands reach above the left shoulder, turn the palmsand repeat movement on the opposite side. Continue toshift the body from side to side with arms following in asmooth arc. Posture should be leaning from side to sidebut not forward or backward at the waist. Fig 5-6iv. Repeat again on the right side.v. Repeat again i-iii, again and again.vi. When ready to finish, the movement, swing the arms upto the right side and bring the right arm down to the waistat the Dai Mai level and let fingers of right hand touch theleft Dai Mai point. As the right hand swings down, let theleft hand naturally open to the left. Fig 8-10vii. Now close the left arm at the waist over the right arm, alsoat the Dai Mai level. Fig 11Fig 4Fig 5BreathingBecause the movement demands quite a bit of strength,you can use two ways to breathe. You can either breathe inon one side of the movement and breathe out on the otherside, or you can just breathe naturally as you lean side toside.ConcentrationThis is like all the other movements in Healthy LivingGong which come from the waist. Always shift the weight firstbefore you move your hands. As you shift the weight, makesure the body and back leg are in a straight line. When youperform the hand movements on both sides of the body, it islike doing a figure eight. The most important thing in thismovement is to shift the weight before you move the hands.page 36 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

Fig 6 Fig 7 Fig 8BenefitsThis movement is for balancing the last movement,Foolish Old Man Moves the Mountain. Foolish Old Man Movesthe Mountain is for moving forward and backwards, but ButterflyPlaying is for moving left and right. Both together form a cross,which covers the four directions of north, south, east and west.If you just want to practise one of these, it would actually bebetter if you do both together. You might do Butterfly first andthen Old Man second and that is all right.It is not necessary do them in order. In Daoist theory,numbers are an important subject, and each number has itsown different meaning. Number four means four directions.Every direction has a different energy. East relates with liver,south relates with heart, west relates with lungs and northrelates with kidneys. The benefit of this movement is good forthe lungs and liver because left and right is related with liverand lungs. It is also good for strengthening the legs and waist,but the coordination is one of the hardest parts of thismovement.Fig 9History and backgroundThis movement comes from the Chen Style Taijiquanmovement called Seven Inches Shoulder. When you do this inTaijiquan, it is a very difficult movement which needs you to godown very far. This movement actually refers to a Chinese inch,so it is a little higher than the Western inch, but still it is quitedifficult to go have the shoulder go that low. For this movement,we should first just concentrate on leaning the body in the properway before we consider moving the hands. For Qigong, weshould think more about relaxation than hard work. The handmovements come from the flying of the butterfly in a figureeight. Because a butterfly is so light and relaxed, we shouldcopy this and do the movement in a happy way.Butterfly PlayingFig 10 Fig 11Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 37

7. Pulling Sprouts from the Fieldi. Stand with the feet shoulder width apart. Take a natural sized stepforward with the left foot. At the same time swing the right arm forwardabout one foot away from the body, Houxi point facing the LowerDantian, fingers pointing down. The left hand should swing behind thebody so that Hegu point faces the Mingmen point.Fig 1-2ii. Take a natural sized step forward with the right foot. At the same timeswing the left arm forward so the Houxi point faces the Lower Dantianand the right arm behind the body so that Hegu point faces the Mingmenpoint. Fig 3iii. On the third step, step diagonally to the left in a large step and shiftthe weight forward on the left leg. After completing the step, bendforward from the waist and point the fingers down toward the Yongquanpoint. Fig 4 -6iv. Stand upright and step backwards with the left foot, swinging the leftarm forward in front of the Lower Dantian and the right hand back infront of the Mingmen point. Fig 7v. Step back with the right foot and swing the right arm forward in frontof the Lower Dantian and the left hand back in front of the Mingmenpoint. Fig 8vi. Step with the left leg again, but this time, step diagonally in a largestep to the left and behind the body. Shift the weight forward to theright leg and bend forward from the waist and point the fingers to theright Yongquan point. Fig 9vii. After repeating several times, you can then change and repeat on theother side, this time starting with the right foot.Fig 1 Fig 2Fig 3Fig 4Fig 5BreathingBreathe naturally, because the movement is fairly fastand is a long sequence, so it is best to breathe naturally asotherwise you will be confused and cannot concentrate onthe movement.Fig 6page 38 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003ConcentrationDuring practice of Pulling Sprouts from the Field, ourmind should have a relaxed and happy attitude because thismovement helps us to reduce stress. When we step faster, itis bit like dancing and this will make you feel lighter andhappy. Make sure that the hands connect with the Dantianand Mingmen points and that when you make the big step,the fingers face the Yongquan point. The last step should bebigger and a little bit to the side, not just straight in front ofyou, otherwise we will lose balance.7. Pulling Sprouts from the Field

7. Pulling Sprouts from the FieldHistory/BackgroundOnce upon a time there was a young farmer. He wasvery lazy and did not like to work too hard in the fields. However,he liked having a good harvest. One day when he was in thefield working, he looked at the neighbour’s field and saw allthe spouts growing very tall. His own sprouts, though, werestill very small and short. He was not very happy about that.One evening he suddenly had a thought and he thenwent out to his own field. He began to tug up on all the smallspouts he had, wanting to make them taller than hisneighbour’s sprouts. He was so happy when he was done andwent back to his home singing. His sprouts were taller than hisneighbour’s now and that meant he did not have to work sohard and his harvest would be better than his neighbour’sharvest. The next morning he woke up feeling very satisfiedand so smiling we went along to his field. When he arrived atthe field, he was shocked! All his sprouts were died!This is a story we learned in primary school. Today Ilook back and see that it was a good lesson and clever way toeducate the children like that. Today our education fails toeducate children in how to behave and about cause and effect.Instead, we educate children in how to be rich and famous astheir goal. But if someone is so rich, then this means a lot ofother people will be poor. If someone is famous, then manyothers will have no name.For myself and also many other societies, a governmentthat teaches its children the importance of being kind andcaring for others instead of teaching them to go only for theirown benefit, will have more good fortune in the future. Asociety in which people help each other offers more than asociety in which everyone has advanced degrees but onlyconsiders their own welfare and not others. This story tells usthat in order to get good results, there is no shortcut withouthard work. Today, so many people expect something withoutworking for it. This story reminds us that to have good results,we should work for things step by step, not just try to get ashortcut.to be continued....By Michael TseFig 7Fig 8YongquanPointFig 9Fig 9bQi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 39

KnowYourWorthCulture Shock Part IIIPeople all over the worldhave different ways of doingthings. Often we go to differentcountries and expect things to bethe same as at home, but this isnever the case. You have to adaptto the way things are done by thelocals, as the saying goes “Whenin Rome do as the Romans do”.When you go into a shop and see goods with pricelabels, as someone from England you would tendto assume that the figure displayed would havesome relation to the price – wrong. If it sayscotton on the label then one may be temptedto think that the item in question is made out of cotton – notnecessarily so. The fact is that few prices are fixed, and thingsare not always what they claim to be on the label; if you wantcotton you have to know what cotton is. Even though I amnow fully aware of the going price of, say, a bottle of coke, Istill occasionally find myself having to argue the toss.Since we are living on a Chinese wage these exhaustingexchanges have had to become a part of daily life. If you looklike you’ve got the time and energy to argue you’ll probablyget what you want for the right price, if you look desperate inany way, forget it. The interesting thing that comes out of it isthat I find myself relying on all sorts of senses that did not playsuch a crucial role in life in England; for example when I startdiscussing prices with traders I now read their facial featuresand body language very closely. If I don’t know the going price,I rely on observation and instinct much more to decide if I’mbeing ripped off. It doesn’t always work but, as well as beingsomething that applies equally to martial arts, I’m aware thatthis is an important day-to-day survival skill here. On thesurface everything seems to be fluid, but underneath you needto be sure of yourself and rely on your own feelings, or you’llbe taken to the cleaners. I think the consensus here is that I’vescrubbed up rather nicely.I have met a lot of martial arts teachers, many of whomhave unquestionable ability; one guy demonstrated his Qi bymaking his wrist expand as I tried, in vain, to stop it. Anotherseemed to know so many forms it made my head hurt. In theend choosing someone to train with seemed more a questionof personality than knowledge. The obvious questions are: dothey and their students look healthy, what are their studentspage 40 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

like and do you feel comfortable? All of which are prettysubjective questions.From experience and from talking toother martial arts enthusiasts, many teachershere do not ask for payment – cue alarmbells and fanfare heralding one’s entryinto the web of guanxi. The standardphrase that people use is that theyjust want to be your ‘friend’, whichtranslates as ‘I have plans foryou’. If someone lets you payfor teaching they are doingyou a big favour, heave a bigsigh of relief and give themthe money - you are beingpartially released fromsome of the obligations ofguanxi. I ended uptraining with someone Iliked, who is unusual inthat he is verystraightforward andhasn’t treated me muchdifferent from hisChinese students, all ofwhom pay a small fee.The irony of course is thatwhen people arestraightforward in this wayyou’d be happy to help themif they asked a favour of you.My point about guanxi iswhat we would call ‘emotionalblackmail’ is a part of everyday lifein China and you have to be strongand clear in yourself to deal with it.“Guanxi iswhat we would callemotional blackmail”Often if someone is kind to you there’s a reason, and if youcan be manipulated you will be. The following is a scenariothat has repeated itself many times since we’ve been here:somebody you’ve never met, or only met once or twice,suddenly appears and offers you a gift, you do not want toaccept it but they are very persistent, they will lose face if yourefuse, if you accept it they will at some point appear on yourdoorstep asking for a favour (in our case English Teaching)which is their right since you accepted a gift from them. Doyou : a) Refuse the gift in the first place and let them loseface; b) Agree to teach their son, daughter, cousin, cat, dog,gerbil, etc. English; c) Act insane in the hope that they will allgo away; or d) Acceptthe gift but tell them you’re too busy andgive them a gift in return. Of course, theproblem is more complicated when theDean of your Department pulls the samestunt. Being confronted with this problemon a monthly, if not weekly basis, I find ithard to resist drawing analogies withpushing hands.That said, when you do form a real friendship withsomeone it is amazing what doors open and the extent towhich people will go out of their way for each other. In thesecases friendship often ends up approximating to familyrelationships with old friends often referring to each other astheir ‘brother’ or ‘sister’. In conclusion I would say that I havecome to value the clear guidelines and boundaries of the TseQigong Centre and the sense of family that anyone who hasbeen a member for any length of time feelsBy Peter AnderssenQi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 41

Humanity refers not only to mankind but also to the positive characteristicsexhibited by people, like compassion, kindness, and tolerance etc. Qigong fostersthese qualities, along the path to health, so practice benefits society as a whole.Humanity vs. TechnologyQi MattersIn today’s world of technology and‘pentium processors’ there are toomany people who feel morecomfortable communicating withcomputers than with other humanbeings. As we become as cold andunfeeling as the machines we operatewe are in danger of losing our humanity.Communication is a human skill,necessary for survival. It is dependent noton common language but an open heartand mind. In recent years less attentionhas been paid to educating children abouttolerance (of others), courtesy, andrespect etc. As the future generationsgrow up closed and selfishly motivatedtrue communication is lost.Ancient peoples lived simply,cared for one another, and were in directcommunion with nature. They werewiser, more intuitive, and more evolvedon a spiritual level. Overcrowding in thebig cities and increased crime rate breedscynicism, suspiciousness, intolerance, andaggressiveness, leading us further awayfrom our innate human nature. We failto grasp many things on the subtle levelas our minds are too cluttered.The brain is a great antenna whichcan receive ‘messages’ and‘information’. Despite progress in spacetechnology, quantum physics, andgenetic cloning etc. science is stillrelatively young; today it still onlyexplains a small percentage of the brain’scapabilities and functions. Westernscience has only recently concluded thatthe pineal and pituitary glands (locatedwithin the frontal lobes of the brain) arelinked to psychic phenomena, such astelepathy and ESP, while Daoists wereaware of this ‘precious square inch’(known more commonly as ‘Sky-eye’)many thousands of years ago.Mental telepathy is considered ahigh level of human skill. It is possiblebetween minds generating highfrequency waves, and those which areopen (honest), calm and clear. For mostpeople purest mental energy is blockedby desires and ambitions, or dishonestyand machinations, etc. In daily life themind is overused at work, then furtherdistracted by stimuli such as television,computers, the internet, and videogames, or else decimated by drink anddrugs, which is why the majority ofpeople never tap into the brain’s ‘hiddenpotential’ or even acknowledge itsexistence. The more this potentialbecomes lost over generations the moreit is compartmentalised into the realmsof the supernatural.Modern life is geared towardmaximum comfort and convenience, andso the masses are becoming increasinglylazy, portending a future health crisis.People prefer to drive around endlesslyin circles just to park closer to the entranceof a shop rather than walk a few extrayards. Capitalising on the public’sindolence one U.S. company hasintroduced a diet pill called ‘Exercise In ABottle’, and for $899 you can purchasea chairwith a built-in refrigerator in one armrestand telephone in the other (for orderingpizza delivery !), and massager. One intwo Americans are overweight, and onein three are obese. This is also due tothe lack of Qi within synthetic ‘foodtechnology’.The human body can adapt to allkinds of situations and possesses apowerful healing mechanism which canheal every illness under the rightconditions. Ancient peoples across thecontinents lived well over 100 years ofage. They did not die prematurely fromcancer or organ failure, but naturally, ofold age. Most diseases we face todayare from 21st Century living conditions:overcrowding, higher stress levels,radiation-emitting gadgets, poor dietaryhabits, pollution etc. Asthma barelyexisted 100 years ago and carpal tunnelsyndrome was unheard of, but now witheveryone using computers, seizures in thehands are commonplace.Apparently now over 10 millionAmericans suffer from ‘social anxietydisorder’, defined as “an intense andoverwhelming fear and avoidance ofsocial situations”. The ‘scientific’ cure is,of course, a pill which induces sweating,yawning, tremors, flatulence anddiarrhoea; the very things which aredeemed unacceptable in social situationsand ridiculed, thusdefeating theobjective.Despite constantachievementsin the scientificmaterial world thescience of‘humanity’ seemsto be in recession.There are currentlywell over 500organised hategroups in Americaalone, a neo-Naziresurgence inGermany, andglobal racism. Thehuman race remainsdivided by skin colours, cultural traditions,religious beliefs, language, and classstructure, and we are losing ourconnection with nature itself, the veryroot of our existence. At the end of theday we are not so much human beingson a spiritual path as spiritual beingslearning what it is to be human.Incorporating technology has become anecessity but we must not forget what itmeans to be humanby Adam Wallace.adam@qimagazine.compage 42 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

Basic SelfLow Knife AttackDefence vsWeaponsFig 1 Fig 2 Fig 3In the last few issues we have lookedat basic self defence techniquesagainst empty handed attacks andthen followed this to look at Qinna(locking) techniques. Now we turn ourattention to defending yourself againstan opponent who is carrying a weaponof some type. Once again, these are onlysome suggestions and should not beattempted unless you have qualifiedtuition.iiiiiiYour opponent is holding a knife inhis right hand and stabs towards yourstomach.Step back and sideways to avoid theknife, at the same time use your righthand to block his forearm. Fig 1With your left hand, quickly grab hisright wrist. You do not need to pull orpush it, just stop it from moving sothe blade become useless.High Knife Attackiv Attack the opponents chin with yourright elbow. Fig 2v Lift his right hand up, at the sametime quickly open your right arm,grab the back of his head and push itdown, making him bend forwards.vi Attack his face with your knee. Fig 3Repeat on both sides until the movementsare smooth an quick.Fig 4 Fig 5 Fig 6 Fig 7iiiThis time the opponent stabs towardsyour face. Fig 4Step to the side to avoid the bladeand block his arm with your left arm.Once again, quickly grasp his wrist tostop him using the knife again. Fig 5iii Strike his chin. Fig 6iv Using a Qinna technique, place yourright hand under his elbow andsuddenly lift it up, whilst at the sametime jerk down with your left hand tomake him drop the knife. Fig 7Again practise on both sides. Make surethat your can lock your opponent’s arm quicklyand strongly otherwise he will be able to attackyou with his other hand.Defence Against a Chair (Large Object)Fig 8 Fig 9 Fig 10 Fig 11i With any heavy object, it is better totry and avoid blocking it as it will bevery heavy and strong when it ismoving.ii Face your opponent and relax. Fig 8iii A heavy object must be swung at you.So wait for him to begin to swing itback. Fig 9ivvAs he swings back, kick his hip, thiswill cause him to loose his balanceand not be able to swing back at you.Fig 10As your foot comes down, close inand strike his head. Fig 11If you cannot make him lose his balance,then he will be able to swing at you. You canpractise by letting him swing at you and stayout of range, then when you feel you can closein enough, try the suggested technique. If youare not quite successful, then you should stepcloser to your opponent as he will find it hard toswing the chair at you.Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 43

Your living room is one of the most important rooms in your house.Often your home is centred around it and you spend most of your timewith your family in it. So it is important that the Feng Shui is right.Feng Shui for the Living RoomPart IV41. If you have a big mirror on the wall,you should not walk in and immediatelysee it. If so, it will cause stress and toomuch day-dreaming and fantasy.42. If you have a mirror in a place likethe corner where it is not too obviousand not too big, just big enough to lookat, then you will always see your ownmistake and correct yourself.43. If you have a mirror that is too big,then you have a big ego and concentrateonly on yourself. In the end, you bringup the unhappiness.44. If the mirror is covered or decoratedwith other things, then it means you havea lot of things you have not completedin your life and by the time youremember, it will always be a bit late.45. If the mirror is an odd or unusualshape, it means you will not take yourlife very seriously, and your relationshipsand your career will go up and down.A Mirror facing the door is not good“There are a lot of thingsyou have not completedin your life “A sensible sized mirror in the corner is the best option46. If the silvering on the mirror isdistorted or scratched, then it can affectyour health, particularly your skin andhair.47. If your sofa is too soft, it will easilycause back problems and cause you toalways be sleepy.48. If your sofa is hard, it will give youenergy to look forward to your future andcareer.page 44 Qi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003

Feng ShuiAn oddly shapedmirror will affect yourenergyA very large mirror is not good for you.A cracked mirror or onethat distorts your imageis bad Feng ShuiA sofa that is too softis not good for yourhealth49. If your sofa dominates the space in theliving room, it will mean you will becomelazy and will not want to work.50. If your sofa is too small and there is toomuch space in the living room, it meansyou will be lonely and your work andrelationships will be on hold and not startby Michael TseA small sofa meansyou will be lonelyQi Magazine Jan/Feb 2003 page 45