Excerpt from Live Life Like a Kung Fu Master

Introduction

Hello. My name is William Moy and many people view me as a master of Kung Fu. That's always interesting for me to hear and fully digest. That's because Kung Fu is an art at which you never stop learning and growing as an individual. Though I've been training and teaching Kung Fu for more than four decades, I'm still advancing on my own path toward a deeper understanding of the art, the world around me... and myself.

I initially learned Kung Fu from my father, Moy Yat, who in turn was instructed by his teacher, or sifu, Ip Man, one of the most famous Chinese martial artists of the last century. Perhaps you already recognize Ip Man's name from the multiple blockbuster films made about his life. Or maybe you know of him through his most famous student, the film/TV star Bruce Lee, who was an older Kung Fu brother, or si hing, to my father.

Before I go any further, allow me to pause for a moment in order to embrace you as my Kung Fu brethren as well. Whether you know it or not, on some level you have been a practitioner of Kung Fu since your earliest years. How so? If I called to you from across a semi-crowded room to let you know that I had just found your wallet on the floor, you would probably begin to take a step in my direction with an, "Oh, thank you," already forming on your lips. But in that instant, if I took you by surprise and tossed you the wallet from several feet away instead of directly handing it to you, your natural Kung Fu reactions would take over. You see the words "Kung Fu" literally translates to time and effort equals a skill. Catching things is something you've practiced your entire life. Your brain would also be simultaneously processing that I've tossed you a wallet and not a heavy stone. Visually, you would observe the arc of my toss. Without thinking, you would adjust the position of your hands and posture to align yourself with the wallet in midair, all the while accounting spatially for the people and objects around you.

Congratulations. That's a good amount of Kung Fu that you already possess.

My goal in writing this book is to increase your overall knowledge of Kung Fu, giving you the opportunity to hone and enhance the natural skills you have, while also opening the door to new ideas and techniques. This knowledge will not only serve you in a basic self-defense scenario, but in your everyday dealings with your family, friends, business associates, and even with strangers you encounter on the street. Chinese culture highly values people who possess good Kung Fu. But that phrase actually applies more to individuals who can control their lives and relationships while treating others respectfully than it does to those who are skilled fighters.

There are several hundred styles and systems of Kung Fu. My expertise is in a system known as Wing Chun Kung Fu, which is the most popular in the world today, practiced by nearly three million people. Legend has it that Wing Chun is the only martial art invented by a woman (Ng Mui, a member of the Shaolin Temple). Correspondingly, it relies more on physics–distance, balance and angles–than brute strength. It is a system that preaches simplicity and straightforward efficiency through its use of a centerline theory, traveling the shortest distance between two points.

This resulting efficiency has made me an accomplished multi-tasker in my busy life as a sifu, son, husband, father of two boys, and a responsible member of my community. And I'm confident that an increased understanding of the art will translate into prosperous outcomes in your life as well.

Of course, my Kung Fu won't be the same as yours. Why not? This is an individual art, which varies from practitioner to practitioner depending on their personality, attributes, and physical strengths and weaknesses. My father was a huge proponent of allowing his students to find their own Kung Fu, and I believe the same.

Along with multi-award-winning, bestselling author Paul Volponi, a longtime student of the art and Disciple of mine, I will introduce you to the fundamental concepts of the art. These concepts, as they apply to both self-defense and your daily challenges, will be accompanied by personal anecdotes and life examples provided by me and a wide spectrum of valued contributors, all in an effort to bring you closer to a life made better by Kung Fu. Naturally, we'll examine aspects of the Chinese culture which gave birth to, and influences the art so profoundly. Throughout the chapters, which contain simple drawings of mine to illustrate certain concepts, I will also direct you to approximately 20 YouTube videos that I have created especially for the readers of this book, allowing you to visualize many of the discussed techniques and forms.

My goal for this book is not to teach you how to fight, although I believe you will learn about techniques that may safeguard you from the potential negative and sometimes dangerous situations that we all encounter from time to time.

Wing Chun is a self-correcting martial art. That means that as you advance in your knowledge of the system, you will begin to make subtle adjustments to improve your Kung Fu. In essence, you will eventually assume the job of being your own sifu. Because after all, who understands your journey better than you.

But for now, I relish the role of being your teacher, and you may refer to me as Sifu William.

My father, Moy Yat, once told me that "Kung Fu gets into your bones and reflects on everything you do." Over the many years, I have found that statement to be remarkably true. I hope that, one day, you too will experience that kind of bonding with the art. And that you will truly learn to live your life like a Kung Fu master.

CHAPTER TWO

Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things. –Flora Lewis, award-winning journalist

Communication is our most vital tool in navigating the world around us, be it the spoken word, our overall body language, or a clearly defined glance, connecting our thoughts to others.

Physical Attributes

Speaking Kung Fu can take many forms. Of course, the art has its own language, its glossary of terms, most of which find their roots in Cantonese. This is an important reference point for practitioners around the world to compare and contrast ideas and theories concerning the art. It is also the best way for a sifu to ground their students in the basics, so they can effectively communicate with both their teacher and classmates. But the language of Kung Fu isn't confined to a list of vocabulary words. The art can also be communicated through a practitioner's body language.

For example, if a Kung Fu practitioner is approached in the street by a stranger, you may find their suddenly aligned hands held slightly out in front of them occupying the center line in a very relaxed manner. Perhaps only another practitioner of the art would read this as a subtle on-guard or safety position. However, if that stranger in the street approached the same practitioner in an over-the-top, aggressive manner, the spoken response would almost certainly be much different. You would view nothing subtle in the classic jong sau position, which can appear quite threatening with both arms fully extended in "knife-hand" positions.

<William Moy Sketch highlighting knife hands>

In many martial arts schools, belts are worn to identify a student's rank, ranging from white belts for novices, all the way up to black belts, often delineated further by stripes, for very experienced practitioners. Neither I nor my father, though, ever saw the need for our students to be designated in this manner. In place of belts, we used three distinctly colored shirts: white, green and red. Those shirts mostly served the purpose of letting other students know on which exercises their classmates were working, for whenever they paired-up to train together. That saved time, eliminating many repetitive conversations. But in reality, it wouldn't take one practitioner long, probably no more than a few seconds, to understand their partner's skill level. By putting your hands into the hands of one of your classmates and playing Kung Fu (we use the term "playing" to separate training from sparring or fighting, and to emphasize the joy in this type of one-on-one communication), you listen to the language they're speaking through their actions and responses, tenseness and relaxation, and understand where they are in learning the system. That's speaking the language of Kung Fu at its best. And it is often referred to as talking hands.

A Trio of Techniques

I'm going to introduce you to a trio of key Kung Fu terms that describe foundational techniques with which every beginner needs to become familiar. They are tan sau, fuk sau, and bong sau.

<All three terms below to be accompanied by sketches drawn by William Moy>

Tan Sau: The hand is fully supinated, with the palm facing up and the fingers pointing toward what would be an opponent's throat-level area. The arm is placed in front of the practitioner's sternum with the elbow anchored approximately a fist and a half (in length) away from the body, and positioned on the imaginary center line. This technique is superior for facilitating outward/upward movement with the energy flowing the direction of the fingertips.

Fuk Sau: The hand is pronated with the palm facing downward or inward. Again, the arm is placed in front of the practitioner's sternum with the elbow anchored approximately a fist and a half (in length) away from the body, and positioned on the imaginary center line. This technique is used for generating inward or downward movement. It is often used to control, block or cover strikes aimed below the head area.

Bong Sau: With your wrist on the imaginary center line and your hand facing toward the opponent's chin, the elbow, which is slightly above the wrist, is up and level with your shoulder. It very much resembles a bird's broken wing, and is the "wing hand" of Wing Chun Kung Fu. This technique is designed to facilitate up and outward movement. It is used to deflect straight attacks, while having a secondary ability to create openings.

Checking Yourself

In the physical absence sifu, or even a mirror, you can still check whether or not you are performing these three techniques correctly. How so? Start with a tan sau. If positioned correctly, you can change to either a fuk sau or bong sau without changing the position occupied by the wrist. As long as the wrist is on the center line and the elbow is correct, you're good. All three techniques can be checked that way, easily and swiftly transforming from one to another.

<Planned YouTube video by William Moy showing the techniques and how the meld into one another>

A Feel for Cantonese

You have probably noticed that all three of the techniques I've presented end with the word sau, which means "hand" in Cantonese. Tan sau translates as the receiving or dispersing hand. Fuk Sau translates as the hand that can tame an incoming force. Bong sau translates as a wing-arched hand, perfectly describing its structure.

Traditionally, during the warmups for our Kung Fu classes, students count out their repetition of exercises, such as punching and kicking drills, using the numbers one through eight in Cantonese. The numbers translate as yat (one), yee (two), sa(m) (three), say (four), mm (five), lok (six), chat (seven) and bah(t) (eight). It's a great way to practice the language and have it become second-nature.

(From My Life) Only As You Can

After immigrating to the US, my father would make annual trips back to Hong Kong to visit with family and friends. This included time spent with his Kung Fu family as well. In this regard, his two most important stops were to the grave of Ip Man–paying respect to the person who had assumed the role of his Kung Fu father–and to the local athletic association where he had trained along with his many classmates.

Upon returning from one particular trip, I remember my father recounting the story of meeting up with one of his classmates who had become a sifu, teaching a large number of local students. In bragging a bit about one of his students, that sifu told my father to keep his eye open for someone playing the art's first form, Siu Nim Tao (this text's succeeding chapter focuses on its importance) with an elegant and exaggerated flip of the hand. That struck a chord in my father's memory, recalling that this had been his classmate's signature move while doing that form. Graciously, my father said that he would look for such a student and treat him as his own. But in the back of my father's mind, he wholeheartedly disagreed with the premise of passing down such a signature. And that had to do with the necessity of each student speaking the language, or in this instance, the body-language of Kung Fu, using their own natural voice.

My father firmly believed that there were, in actuality, two distinct systems of Kung Fu. The first system is the one that has remained virtually unchanged for generations. That would consist of the order of forms, exercises and techniques teachers use to introduce, grow and ultimately refine the talents of their students. The second system, however, is less formal and much more personal. That one is reflective in how the Kung Fu looks and feels in its application by each individual practitioner. Those movements will be substantially influenced by the student's physical and mental makeup. Copying others without deviation is not a diagram to developing good Kung Fu, even if the person to be copied is your own sifu.

For example, Ip Man, because of his small stature played his tan sau rather high. But my father, who was over 6 feet tall, didn't need to do that. Despite learning from a martial arts legend, my father never tried to emulate how his sifu played that technique. That's because it would have been a mistake, translating to a technique that would have proved to be less effective. Instead, my father spoke the language of Kung Fu as it naturally flowed from him, and no one else. This is something that I have recognized in myself, developing my own Kung Fu, since my father was slightly taller and lankier than me. And as my student, I gladly pass this story and its lesson onto you: Be a true reflection of yourself in all of your communications with others.

Language exerts hidden power, like the moon on the tides. –Rita Mae Brown, novelist and civil rights activist


Multiple Kung Fu Voices

We all have experience communicating to others using our eyes and facial expressions to convey our immediate feelings. Often a stern or disappointed look in the direction of children or younger siblings can take the place of a wordy lecture they may have already heard many times over. That same type of silent expression can also make it clear to a stranger with whom we have become wary that we are confident in our ability to defend ourselves. Posture can be an important co-contributor in getting across that message as well. Always stand tall and confidently, even in the shadow of uncertainty.

Perhaps you've chosen not to make direct eye contact with someone on the street who appears ready to explode at the slightest personal encounter. That's actually a good bit of natural Kung Fu on your part, something you've probably honed through past experiences. But though a seasoned Kung Fu practitioner might avoid locking eyes with such a person, they would never shy away from continually taking in the whole picture, and watching that person's every movement in a subtle fashion. You never want to be blind to an unfolding scenario. Looking away, especially out of fear, during a potential encounter can cost you valuable time and real estate in your response, should your personal space be breeched before you can react. Kung Fu practitioners strive to never relinquish control of their circumstances or surroundings to an opponent. Instead, we deal with conflict on our own terms, trusting in our Kung Fu to put us in the optimal position, both to deal with and avoid such events.

We often choose to use our actual voices in self-defense situations. You might calmly speak to someone who is showing signs that they could become a threat. That's one way of exercising an aspect of control, with you dictating the tone. Or you might decide that a situation calls for a booming voice, maybe even one that uses some extremely harsh language, to dissuade someone. Obviously, your personality will have an influence upon your voice. But your instantaneous choices will largely be about your Kung Fu – what you are feeling, interpreting and anticipating at the moment you decide that you need to engage.

(Natural Kung Fu) Language and Our Brains

In learning Kung Fu, you will certainly start to pick up the names of varying techniques and concepts inherent to the art. Congratulations, you're on the road to acquiring basic words in Cantonese. Bringing another language into your life can influence you in many positive ways. For example, people who speak more than one language often develop strong cognitive abilities, tend to have a more open-minded view of the world, and are well-suited as multitaskers.

No one is saying that learning Kung Fu will make you bilingual, because it certainly won't. But your brain will be working its mental muscles to acquire the terms and their proper pronunciation. So don't be the type of student who says, I used the straight out arm with my palm opened flat. Instead, call the technique by its correct name, tan sau.

Professor Ellen Bialystok, a distinguished researcher in the field of psychology at York University in Toronto, Canada, was kind enough to speak to us on the subject of acquiring language: "Every single experience you have as a human changes something about your mind and brain. It's inevitable. So no one should be surprised that the languages we speak, and the way we use language, also changes our mind and brain. After all, using language is what we do with most of our waking hours.

If you're bilingual, all the languages you are able to speak are simultaneously active in your brain. It creates a situation where we should be continually confused and picking the wrong languages. But we know that bilinguals don't make those mistakes," said Professor Bialystok. "That's because the system in your brain that's responsible for what you're paying attention to starts developing the minute you're born. Who will feed me? Pick me up? Give me a hug? From the beginning, the attention system of those infants being raised in an environment where multiple languages are spoken is different from those raised in an environment with just one language. We can measure and document those differences. So the bilingual experience can change the way your brain interprets things through your entire lifespan."

So what about the idea of picking up words and phrases in another language later in life through a particular study, such as learning Kung Fu.

"Well, it won't make you bilingual and it won't change your brain. But the secret to successful cognitive aging is to maintain a high level of cognitive ability. To remain active and engaged in things that keep your mind and brain healthy. In short, anything that's hard for your brain, is good for your brain," noted Professor Bialystok.

Paul's Perspective: A Measured Response

As a high school English teacher, I've taught in many places where you have to set strict boundaries, including Rikers Island, the world's largest jail, and several day drug rehab centers. Over the years, numerous teens have become angry with me because I refused to let them control any classroom or space in which I was in charge. I've been threatened a number of times, usually by someone brand new to the environment, someone under intense pressure, who hadn't had a chance to build a relationship with me yet.

Over time, I developed a rather even-tempered response to those spur-of-the-moment, volcano-like threats. With a solid posture, while making complete eye contact with the teen, I'd reply, "Try not to hurt me, I'm such a nice guy."

In actuality, those words were a semi-challenge back in their direction. It let everyone in the room know that I was going to stand my ground. Only it was so low-key that the angered teen on the receiving end could accept it, and perhaps convince themselves that they had triumphed in some small way. That type of response also left the door open for me to better connect with them later on, often during the same class period after they had a chance to calm down and reevaluate their surroundings. Because in environments such as jails and rehab centers, if you kick everyone out of your class who's ever had a bad moment, you'll soon be standing there alone, and therefore, totally useless.

Life Applications

• You're a good singer. At karaoke night you get up to perform a song by one of your favorite pop stars. That's when you come to fully understand that your gift of song doesn't include the ability to hit the same high notes as your singing idol. On the walk back to your table, you decide that the next time you take the karaoke stage, you'll sing to your own strengths, and not someone else's.
• At a business meeting attended by lots of people, one of your coworkers raises their voice to you concerning an issue on which you have different opinions. Instead of raising your voice in return, you respond in a calm and even tone, adding a palpable pause for effect. This communicates to everyone that you are displeased, but not about to lower your standards concerning appropriateness.
• Someone stops you on the street and obviously needs help. That person speaks only Spanish, but you don't. You know a few Spanish words because you live in a community where a good number of Hispanics reside. The miscommunication is incredibly frustrating for both you and the person in need. So the next day, you decide to begin learning more Spanish.
• You're sitting at a crowded holiday dinner table with extended family. Someone brings up the fact that a couple there will soon celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. The speaker goes on to say that they can't wait to celebrate with the couple. Only that celebration is already planned, coming in the form of a surprise party. You're not completely sure that the speaker knows that. So you look directly at him, making full eye contact, while tightly fixing your lips together. Reading your body language, the speaker stops for an instant and then changes the topic.

Our language is the reflection of ourselves. A language is an exact reflection of the character and growth of its speakers. –Caesar Chavez, labor leader and activist

<Sidebar>

A Mostly Oral Tradition

For centuries, the history of Chinese martial arts–its systems, styles, techniques and lineage–was passed down, almost exclusively, via the spoken word. This includes generations upon generations of Shaolin monks, who produced no recorded manuals, and instead, passed down knowledge directly from the voice and example of teaching masters to the ears and eyes of practicing students.

The earliest written documentation of Wing Chun Kung Fu doesn't arrive until the nineteenth century. In fact, a highly-prized axiom of the art praises this passionate human chain responsible for securing its roots in future fertile ground. That axiom is Wing Chun Chuen Jing Tung, and translates as "Wing Chun authentically passing down."

The legendary Ip Man saw the world of martial arts changing and began to invest time and effort in supplementing the oral tradition. Prior to his passing in 1972, Ip Man had students film him demonstrating several of Wing Chun's forms. Ip Man also commissioned his student, Moy Yat, to carve many of the art's maxims, referred to as kuen kuit, onto chops or seals, which could be used to print when inked. In the original Cantonese, these maxims resemble a short, single-verse song/poem that rhymes, so it can be easily remembered and propagated among students.

Below is an example of those maxims, chosen by their reflection of material and ideas already presented in this text. We'll examine others in forthcoming chapters.

• A strong attitude and posture gives an advantage over your opponent.
• Have confidence and your calmness will dominate the situation.
• If you don't train hard when you're young, you will have nothing when you're old.

<End>

HONORED GUEST

Sammo Hung (Hong Kong)

If, up until now, your understanding of Kung Fu has come from the world of entertainment, then you've most likely been influenced by famed actor, director, choreographer and martial artist Sammo Hung (Hung Kam-bo), a living-legend in the Chinese film industry. At the age of 9, Hung joined the Peking Opera School, becoming the lead member of their adolescent performance group, where he would begin a lifelong friendship with an even younger member, who would eventually assume the stage name Jackie Chan (Chan Kong-sang).

"My upbringing in the Peking Opera School gave me a great foundation of acrobatic skills and agility," said Hung. "I'm not a Kung Fu master who studied a particular form of martial arts. I'm a filmmaker with a very diverse martial arts background. I started out as a stuntman while I was still in school, and I fell in love with movie-making."

Early in his career, however, Hung became aware of his own limitations as it pertained to his knowledge of the arts, and began to immerse himself in study.

"I realized that the Kung Fu I knew was insufficient to support the creativity I wanted to express on the screen, so I started spending more time and effort studying different forms of Kung Fu, enhancing my knowledge. Learning these different schools and disciplines of martial arts helped me greatly in choreographing my action movies."

What was Hung's main goal in his presentation of Kung Fu to a broad audience?

"I wanted my audience to leave the cinema feeling happy. Hopefully, they would find many of the fight scenes exciting, enjoying the storylines and relating to the characters I helped create. When my movies entertain people, I feel happy too."

In fact, Hung takes a lot of pride in being able to present Chinese martial arts, which he considers to have great value, to people worldwide.

"Like many different sports, I believe that martial arts is good for all youngsters to learn. It's a form of exercise which strengthens both the mind and the body. It also helps to develop essential qualities in people such as self-confidence, self-awareness and endurance," said Hung. "And obviously, it's not just about fighting. Every style has a theory and philosophy behind its teaching. It's not meant to be a weapon, but rather a discipline."

Now in his seventies, Sammo Hung has been part of approximately 130 films, including portraying Master Hung Chun-Nam in Ip Man 2 (2010). And though he firmly believes that martial arts is intended for everyone, he is quick to point out that each individual's journey will be different.

"Depending on your effort and the form of martial arts you're learning, there will be different insights and benefits from your exposure to Kung Fu," noted Hung. "It all comes down to the individual, not the culture."