Chun Yuen Quan stresses the principle of continuous flow, and without it, the whip will not obey you. This flow is not just a physical skill but a mental one – to always be in the moment and never get stuck in rumination. Thus the whip is a formidable tool to train the body, but also the mind. This reflects back on the history of Shaolin Kung Fu. The Shaolin monks often lived in temples in secluded and wild areas. Here they would train martial arts to maintain their physical health and in order to protect themselves against bandits and wild animals. But being monks, life had a strong emphasis on meditation and the development of the spirit. In time, meditation and martial arts influenced one another and became complimentary. Martial arts helped develop a strong spirit which supported higher levels of meditation, while meditation helped develop calm and awareness of internal power which supported the martial arts.
The whip teaches many aspects of a strong spirit. It teaches you restraint – too fast or forceful and the whip will tangle or hit you before you have time to move to the right position. It teaches vigilance – too slow or sluggish and its weight will drag it down, again likely to hit or tangle you. It teaches patience – you must wait for the whip to be at the exactly the right place before you move your body. It teaches courage – you must be steadfast and unflinching as the whip whizzes close by your head and almost grazes the surface of your body. It teaches perseverance – you must keep practicing with many failures in order to achieve positive results and gain control of the whip.
Imagine a person with all these qualities – surely they could accomplish almost anything they set their mind to. A Shaolin monk would thus be well equipped to endure the arduous quest for enlightenment. In a more secular setting, such a person would be in a better position to succeed at their particular job or in their relationships, and generally to have a good life.
by Paul Hogg
Student Comments
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Very tricky when we’re stuck inside — at least on my whip I have the string knotted to represent the nine sections, so I was able to tie the handle off 3 sections and work with a shorter whip which avoids holding it partway down and then dealing with a dangling handle when we change hands. Still managed to pick up some new details though! Thanks Sigong for finding a way even when the weather says no!
Lee B
I enjoyed continuing the 9 section whip today. It was a very interesting seminar on the different fists and arm techniques in Chun Yuen Quan. It was fun to learn the new section where we throw the whip into the air and have to catch the other end. Looking forward to trying that outside! Thank you, Sigong. Best, Tom Hogg.
9 section whip is a challenging form but a lot of fun… thank you Sifu, a great seminar and an interesting lecture on the different fists in Chun Yuen Quan. Peter A
I found part seven of the Nine Section Whip series of seminars interesting having to think about where the different fists could be found in the Chun Yuen system. There were also some good discussions in the breakout rooms. Looking forward to next time. Thank you Sigong. Peter Hogg
Really enjoyed going through the different ways to use fists and arms in Chun Yuen Quan. Still need lots of practice with whip, and it’s quite a challenge keeping up with all the turns and changes of direction… but a lot of fun working on it with the group. Thank you Sigong. Sam
The discussion on the different types of fists within Chun Yuen was interesting. The 9 section whip is starting to get a little tricky but a lot of fun, especially with having to throw the chain up in the air and catch it. Looking forward to the next seminar! Andrew O.
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