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Spring 2003
Secret Lecture Series On March 7th, Grandmaster and Master Peck began offering classes on the finer strategic points of the arts. Classes are 6:00-6:30 pm on the 1st and 3rd Fridays and at 12:15-12:45 pm on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. See your teacher to sign up for these lectures. Calendar Events At ACCS in Croton-On-Hudson, NY
• Every Sunday: FREE lectures, noon to 1:30 p.m.
May 16-18: Workshop with Grandmaster
Chinese Mandarin Language Classes Offered Saturday Afternoons
Question for Grandmaster Q: As student, how did you handle the pressures of advancing in the arts? A lot is expected of advanced students and when I make a mistake, I feel I am letting down my teacher, my classmates and myself. I leave class feeling like a failure and if I avoid class I feel that I am cheating myself. The pressures of failure are overpowering the natural joy of learning the arts. How can I overcome this? A:
Shao-lin training is a method that focuses on your mind, how you control yourself, how you deal with mind and feelings, how you see yourself. It is a focus only on you not others. But most people are so conditioned by our society to be in competition with others that we feel a sense of failure if we don't succeed. These are the very reasons why we study, to become more in tune with what is really important and what is not.
To compare yourself to others is a big problem in life, because you will never be able to compete with every person you meet. This kind of thinking is not what Shao-lin is all about. Remember, Shao-lin monks are not interested in worldly competition; they are interested in mastery over the mind. As the saying goes, you are your own worst enemy; it is you that causes self pain, and dissatisfaction. Only when you come to realize that there is nothing or no one to compare to will your attitudes change for the better. I am a so called Master level, but I don't consider myself that at all. I am a mere student, trying to learn more about myself each day. My goal is to be kind to myself, self forgiving, and non-comparing. There are many who are better then I will ever be, but who is comparing? It goes on and on. When will you stop comparing and focus on what is really important? Your inner development! Shao-lin training should bring us closer to an understanding of ourselves. It should bring us a sense of self satisfaction for how we have improved ourselves. We can all do this, we all can improve in our own ways, and we all advance in our own ways. There is no one who is unaffected by this change, we all change for the better when we overcome our false image. We should just learn how to enjoy the Shao-lin experience; it is a growing experience in self mastery that is the true purpose of training. Whatever level you reach in Shao-lin is really of no significance, all that really counts is that you enjoy the self discipline and enjoy the learning process. Some will be great at the Shao-lin skills, while others may not be, but we can all enjoy the changes we make within ourselves. Shao-lin is interesting to learn and has something for each of us to master, and that something is called self mastery.
Trip Report: Impressions of Taiwan
The people I encountered in Taiwan were exceedingly friendly and accommodating. Some of the people I passed on the street were very excited to try out their English and I would often get hello's and how do you do's from them (even from the other side of the street). I would often overhear the children arguing if I was American or not before they would try out their English skills on me. The streets were great to walk around 3 am. At that time, there is hardly any traffic and the dinner street vendors are still out while the breakfast vendors are setting up. There is a calm around that time in Taipei (in the area I was in). Will and I did a lot of walking during these hours because our internal clocks were off, and I could barely contain my curiosity.
I was fascinated by the thousands scooters parked up and onto the sidewalks, by the warm moist air, and by the elder crowd that would hang out with the street vendors discussing young people and TV. Also, to the dismay of my scale, these walks afford many opportunities to sample egg/scallion pancakes, hot soymilk, roasted rice milk and a variety of crullers and my favorite pastry now, the taro bun. Yes, early morning hours turned out to be quite fulfilling! I found out from Sifu Mark Miller that Master David Chang teaches students primarily during the weekend, part of which is a free class offered to the public on Sundays. During the week he works in the Police Academy as an instructor.
Unfortunately due to my scheduled flight I did not have the chance to watch their class, but I was very grateful that our school offered so many classes to the eager student. Despite the 20+ hour flight there, I found myself wanting to spend a much longer time there—practicing mandarin, strolling the streets, and, of course, eating more taro buns!
Chinese Wuxia, Kung Fu Fiction Wuxia is a genre of Chinese literature that can be dated back to the first century BC. The term, wuxia xiaoshuo, means fiction about martial knights or wandering swordsman. These are great tales of martial chivalry, brotherhood and romance. During both the Tang and Song dynasty this type of writing showed up in the classical literary style. It was the Yuen and Ming dynasties that wuxia became ever so popular with novels such as Water Margin and The Outlaws of the Marsh. During the Manchu rule right through the Republic the genre seemed to diminish. The tradition survived only in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Unfortunately only a few are translated to English, but with the growing popularity of this genre more of Cha's novels are being translated. His stories are even being used and translated in the new wuxia or "kung fu comic books" that are published by Comics One (great illustrations and great stories). So who is the crowned prince of this genre? His name is Louis Cha (Jin Yong). Louis Cha is to wuxia what Steven King is to horror. He has written numerous novels and short stories. The Deer & The Cauldron, First Book By Louis Cha, translated and edited by John Minford
Now enter our hero or should I say "anti-hero," a teenager by the name of Trinket Wei. Trinket was born and raised in a brothel in the southern Chinese city of Yangzhou. He is a lazy practitioner of kung fu who is more in love with the romantic aspects of the art than he is in training. We follow the foul-mouthed Trinket through adventure after adventure in this roller coaster ride, can't put down novel. This is a great novel filled with amazing detailed martial arts training and fighting sequences as well as historical information. This book is finely detailed and a great read. The prologue is a bit lengthy, but once you start chapter one you will be glad you read it. It contains a much needed historical background. Also be sure to read the glossary of people, places and terms and pronunciation notes. It is a gem to have a novel with such built in tools to help you understand the unfamiliarities. John Minford, the editor and translator does a wonderful job and I thank him for it. I have read other Cha novels where the translation is slow and hinders the story. Minford on the other hand keeps a great pace and helps in making everything memorable. Martial brothers/sisters in arms or even just kung fu fans, do yourself a great favor and instead of watching crummy television between training, read "The Deer & The Cauldron, First Book" by Louis Cha. Oh yeah I almost forgot, like a great author should, Cha leaves you hanging in such a way on the last page that you almost immediately need book two. So some good advice would be to buy both book one and two at the same time so you do not go through Trinket withdrawal like I did.
Chinese New Year Celebration
ACCS celebrated the arrival of the year of the ram at David Chen's restaurant in Armonk on February 2nd. Thanks to Jennifer Cronk we all enjoyed beautiful decorations and traditional dishes. Most importantly, we were able to get together as a family and enjoy each other's company. Many of Grandmaster's teacher levels from the Brewster school were in attendance and it was a great opportunity for us to get to know them better. Master Peck was sorely missed at this year's festivities, but Grandmaster did a fine job of standing in for him when it came time to welcome new students into the family.
Promotions: Carrie Hesse - Teacher level - Tai Chi
Joel Goss - Disciple level, Tai Chi
Certificates of Merit:
Jennifer Cronk - Service to the Kwoon
Message from Grandmaster | Contributing Articles | Archives | Newsletter Write Grandmaster | Special Events | ACCS Schools All contents Copyright © 2002 American Center for Chinese Studies, All Rights Reserved. |
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This question often comes up in training. Many
students feel they have to accomplish some high degree of
mastery over the arts or they have failed. Nothing could be
further from the truth. The purpose of the study of Shao-lin
is to become a Master over your self, not others. There is
no competition amongst students there is only competition
with your self.
This novel takes place in the historical setting of the Qing
dynasty, twenty odd years in (approximate year 1666). On the
dragon throne sits the boy Manchu emperor Kang Xi. The
Manchus are seeking out members of China's underground known
as the Triads, but within the palace walls of the Forbidden
City lie secrets, deception and a huge conspiracy.
