Survival·Live·Life: Three Boundary Theory Of Wushu Cultivation

Edification, a long-established practice, can increasingly be found in all aspects of life as a type of governmentality. On the basis of relevant records – ancient and modern, home and abroad – main educators in the traditional Chinese edification system are emperors, the gentry and clans; and the edificatory themes embrace survival, livelihood and life as three phases of edification. Accordingly, this discourse proposes the research hypothesis that martial arts edification involves three such stages of development as ―survival‖, ―livelihood‖ and ―life‖, and systematically explores the content, style, approach and efficacy of martial arts edification by means of literature research, field study and oral history studies.Edification of survival comes the first. The ability to survive is our instinct, the requisite for a human to exist in the world. Any edification, therefore, begins with survival lessons. In martial arts edification, specifically, it is achieved by ―increasing self-protection skills‖, ―improving measures of self-defense‖ and ―developing mental toughness‖. ―Self-protection skills‖ are of prime importance for a man to survive. As Michel Foucault suggests in his disciplinary theory, all parts of body should receive intensive training systematically until they are powerful enough to combine into a single massive force; the body is trained into an ―indestructible‖ attacking tool by reformulating a ―natural body‖ into ―a subject of fighting‖, ―natural style of fighting‖ into ―arts of attack‖, and ―natural breathing‖ into ―reverse abdominal breathing‖. In the second place, we are trained in rather than being born with ―self-defense‖. Martial arts in this sense significantly increase the trainees’ alertness, ability to deal with emergencies and ―teamwork‖ awareness, thereby improving their self-defense measures when their life is threatened. Martial arts, in the third place equip the trainees with remarkable endurance and courage, whereby their ―mental toughness‖ is developed. In short, the survival edification of martial arts can be defined as attack-and-defense lessons and training that increase survival skills, improve self-defense strategies and develop mental toughness, hence turning the trainees into strong men in the world.―Livelihood‖, the second stage of martial arts edification combines the education of moral codes, ethic, and life style since edification can also be interpreted as exerting subtle changes on one’s way of living. Morality is of first and foremost significance for anyone who practices martial arts as it is the foundation for establishing objectives and disciplines in this field, and for commenting on martial-arts events and practitioners. Secondly, ―ethic education‖ in a sense is the art of government. The disciple ritual, for instance, emphasizes the unity between the master and apprentices, and among the disciples of the same school, reminding the martial artists to abide by the rules and do their duty. Thirdly, practicing martial arts would gradually become a habit, or a way of life for martial artists to build themselves up and increase their combat abilities in case of getting into any trouble in everyday life. In this aspect, martial artists are made virtuous talents by virtue of the edification in morality, ethic and life style.The meaning of life lies in pursuing increasingly noble causes. Thus, the last stage of martial arts edification is about ―life‖, helping the martial artists to form a sensible understanding about the value and significance of their life from three aspects. Firstly, be an upright swordsman, which has been what martial artists aspire to be since middle Tang Dynasty. It requires them to be both adept at martial arts and righteous, the purposes of life edification and the life-long goals of the martial artists. Secondly, be a member of the elite who care about the mass. Martial artists usually find the meaning of their life in assisting the government with daily administration, safeguarding their village and resolving civil disputes. Thirdly, be a world-saving patriot. Sense of vocation and responsibility are requisite virtues for a martial artist. For example, disciples who learn Wing Chun Kung Fu are edified to ―fight on the battlefield for the country‖; ―To run the country well and give the people peace and security‖ is an aim for those who practice ―Plum-blossom Boxing‖; similarly, it is the intention of the martial artists expert at ―Shape and Thought Boxing‖ to ―safeguard the country‖; the ―new version of martial virtues‖ of Shaolin Temple require its followers to ―invigorate the nation‖. Thus, martial artists would protect men of their nation from being attacked, or fight the enemy on the battlefield without hesitation, or pass on their skills to others so as to encourage martial spirits in the event of national crisis. Briefly speaking, the life edification in martial arts cultivates patriotism and moral character towards the martial artists, making them heroes that live up to the significance of their life.To sum up, martial arts edification, divided into three stages – survival, livelihood and life, instructs the martial artists in martial skills, morality and life attitudes by Kung Fu or boxing practice, through which they come to understand how to arm themselves against danger, how to cultivate their inner kindness and how to use their martial skills in noble causes, and eventually becoming strong, able and heroic men.