The Aim and ethics of kung-fu-----A Speech for the Anniversary

Category: Wushu Festival
The Aim and ethics of kung-fu-----A Speech for the Anniversary
    Chee Kim Thong (a famous Wu Zu Quan master, the founder of Malaysian Body-Building Exercises Union, the chairman of the International Wu Zu Quan Organization)
     Now there is a misunderstanding among us generally called Kung-fu experts, i.e. when we talk about the aim of learning Kung-fu, simply to strengthen the body or to use Kung-fu to fight and help others is the very goal of studying Kung-fu. In fact, it mistakenly takes the effect as the cause, although it sounds great. If we do not study the cause but only the effect at the beginning of practice, it is practical and useful neither, nor distracting our attention and hindering us to go forward.
     The most important for any Kung-fu practitioner to do is to build a healthy body, eliminate such diseases as disorder and illness in his spirit and heart. It is quite need for us at the very beginning to build a good moral character, and to be courteous by restraining ourselves whenever facing any trouble or infuriation whatever. In other words, to improve our skill level and to conquest the enemy is by our ethics. First of all, it is also quite necessary for one to build a peaceful mind himself and try to do his best from using Kung-fu practically.
     By analyzing the structure of Chinese characters as pictograph, we should better understand what the character of “µ(ethics)” implies, and better help us grasp its real meaning well. For example: “Two ‘¸ê’ plus one ‘½ð’ is ‘Ç®’.” And “‘¸ê’ plus ‘Ö¹’ is ‘Îä.’ The implication of money has been known well by the public, but the implication of Kung-fu has still been understood only by a few people.
     Stopping Fighting' the meaning of this two Chinese characters is stopping fighting in the world. It is concerned with our purpose. There are two ways to stop fighting: One is that we stop fighting first, calm down ourselves and think about the ethics. This is called the ethics of Kung-fu. The other is to stop others' fighting. This requires us to do our best to mediate the dispute and prevent the fight to happen. The second way expresses ethics while we are using Kung-fu.
     The Kung-fu practitioner particularly needs to know the two ways well, treating others with consideration, abide by the law as well as all the right principles and keep your honesty first everywhere. Liu Zongyuan, a famous writer in Tang Dynasty, said, "One doesn't know how to treat others as his friends, but insists on doing something at his own strong will and behavior merely depending on some advantage, he will surly be responsible for what he did." This saying is still useful for us, and I hope my posterity can take it seriously. If one abandons his behavior and pursues some material enjoyments, sooner or later, he will lose his good will and perseverance. Without right will and ethics, one is not a Kung-fu lover but a desperado.