Ziranmen philosophy

Martial arts are more than just physical training. They are systems that promote ethics, discipline, and personal development. Our martial training philosophy aims to integrate spirituality, physical training, and philosophy for holistic development. The focus is on mental discipline, emotional control, spiritual growth and physical strength. The philosophical teachings help practitioners to embody these values both within and outside the practice.

Ziran (Chinese: 自然; pinyin: ziran) is a key concept in Taoism that means 'It is so by virtue of its self', 'naturally; natural spontaneously'. According to the Taoist views of natural law, Ziranmen follows this principle as its own training guideline:

There is no beginning or end in movement,

There is no beginning or end in stillness, 

Change is instant,

Movement within stillness.

Both true and false, real and empty,

All actions are spontaneous,

Action without action.

This philosophy is based on the three foundations:

1. Taoism

Although the concept of Tao originates from ancient Chinese philosophy, it has been embraced by numerous great minds. As a profound ideology and theory, it has been extensively applied. It has guided various areas of study and culture in the East and West. Covering any possible area of human thoughts and actions, Taoist philosophy provides guidance through understanding the different paths that constitute a way of life. Many of these paths aim to balance the needs of the individual with the demands of society, offering valuable advice on achieving success and happiness in a changing world.

In Chinese, the word for 'life' contains two characters: Xing and Ming. Xing refers to the spirit, while Ming refers to the physical body. The two are inseparable and must be maintained for optimum health and happiness. Ziranmen training emphasises the importance of understanding the link between mental and physical health and recommends activities like meditation and physical training to release body tensions and reinforce Jing, Qi, and Shen - the three treasures of our lives.

We strongly emphasise that to maintain our health and happiness levels. One should cultivate one's spirit through activities such as theosophical understanding or study, meditation or other personal development, as well as physical training to cleanse and release the body’s tensions, creating internal and external space and thus enabling one to reinforce Jing, Qi and Shen, the three treasures of our lives.

The path we follow to achieve our life’s journey is: strengthening the body or Jing(essence) to convert into Qi(energy), cultivating Qi to convert into Shen (Spirit), enhancing the Spirit to transform into Xu (the great void, nothingness), and the final journey is uniting ‘Tian Di Ren 天地人’ (Heaven, Earth and Man) into one and returning to the Tao, the infinite. This is the inner alchemy (Neidan).

  • Natural spontaneity (自然而然)

The universe is in a state of perpetual movement and change - nothing remains the same. Within this constant change, there are patterns and cycles which we can learn to observe and anticipate. This understanding makes it easier for us to harmonise with our environment and plan our actions. On a martial level, we can use this theory to help plan our training strategy; for example, when you started your training, your flexibility, coordination, strength, and the connection between your mind and body may have felt lacking, but after a few sessions, you started to be aware of change and improvement. Through long-term commitment, as time passes, we can finally reach the state of spontaneity. 

  • One & Zero Philosophy

Along with the Yin Yang theory and Taoist philosophy, the most important philosophy behind Ziran Qigong is called Yi & Lin (One and Zero) philosophy. ‘Yi’ in Chinese means ‘one’; the shape of the character is ‘-’; ‘Lin’ means zero; it’s written like a circle ‘0’. Importantly, zero in this context means many, unlimited.

Grand Master Wan Lai Sheng stated in his book “Wu Shu Hui Zhong“ (a compilation of martial arts) that “Zi Ra Men Kung Fu is an internal martial art based on the principle that You有(‘being’ or ‘action’) stems from Wu无( ‘nothingness’ or ‘emptiness’ or ‘infinity’). He states that there should be no mind or tension during practice, no concern for matter, with all action arising spontaneously out of nothingness. Qi is the root, the foundation for movement; and spontaneous natural action is the way that follows, the manifestation of Dao.”

2. Traditional Chinese Medicine 

Dating back some 3000 years, Traditional Chinese Medicine is primarily based on the Philosophical concept that the human body is a small universe with a set of complete and sophisticated interconnected systems and that those systems usually work in balance to maintain the healthy function of the human body. TCM has a unique model of the body, notably concerned with the acupuncture and meridian system. Meridians are divided into Yin and Yang groups. Each Yang meridian is paired with a specific Yin meridian; there are 6 Yang and 6 Yin meridians in the body.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that the proper flow of Qi (vital energy) is essential for the proper functioning of the body. Any blockages, stagnation, or erratic flow of Qi can cause illnesses while regulating and harmonising Qi can enhance and maintain good health. TCM practitioners view the balance of Yin and Yang in relation to bodily fluids, emotions, memory, thoughts, and the soul as crucial. Diet, acupuncture, herbal remedies, massage, martial arts, and Qi Gong practices are some of the ways that can be employed to rebalance Qi. As you gain more knowledge about Qi, you can bring together your spirit (Shen), body (Jing), and energy (Qi) to improve your strength, wellbeing, and fighting skills.

Grand Master Wan Lai Sheng states that through the practice of Ziranmen, one can enhance Qi (energy), Shen (spirit) and Yi (mind), developing body awareness and sensitivity. Through training the mind and body as one unit, the Yi becomes nourished, and the body becomes strengthened. This benefits the practitioner’s physical wellbeing, harmonising internal and external power (Nei Wai Jin内外劲 ) by bringing the body and mind into harmony. The result is that one will enjoy a naturally happy, long and healthy life.

3. Martial Theory

The main aspects of martial theory in our school are derived from the teachings of the Grand Master Wan Lai Sheng. There are three components to the study of Ziranmen martial arts. 

 i). Forms

 A strong physical foundation is essential for martial arts. Practising specific forms increases your strength, flexibility, coordination and mobility. Repetition of your forms allows you to closely observe the workings of the mind and body. As your knowledge and experience builds, you can concentrate on their integration. 

ii). Fighting Techniques

Learning to defend yourself requires that you choose and practice several of your favourite techniques. Techniques include strategies for engagement and avoidance- defence and attack. Conditioning the body is also required to develop speed, power, endurance, coordination, reflexes and sensitivity. 

iii). Spirit

Forms and techniques are stepping stones to the higher levels of martial arts. At the highest levels, your entire being (mind, body, spirit and energy) is integrated. Your actions take place without thought, from the aspect of 'no mind' or 'big mind'. This is also sometimes known as 'spontaneous correct action'. As you have no preconceived notion of form and no deliberate plan of attack or defence, your movements are swift and unpredictable, your mind is free from thought and hesitation, and your power manifests effortlessly.

'Form is form, form is not form, 

 Movement is movement, movement is not movement, 

 Mind is mind, mind is not mind'

Martial Virtue 武德

Wu De is the Chinese martial arts code of appropriate social interaction. Ethics and etiquette are ingrained not only in the culture of China but also pervade throughout the philosophy that holds the society together. There are five points in Wu De: Respect, Humility, Trust, Virtue, and Honor.

Respect (Zun Jing; 尊敬)

The term respect means to acknowledge the feelings and interests of another in a relationship and treat the other at a standard that rules out selfish behaviour. Respect is derived not by behaviour but by one's attitude. Respect is appreciated as demonstrating a sense of worth or value of a person, a personal quality or ability. In martial arts, respect is the cornerstone of all the teachings of martial arts. In regards to Wu De, respect begins with the individual and manifests outward, meaning that those who respect themselves as well as others will, in turn, be respected. Respect must be earned as well as displayed. This is why we bow and why we use titles.

Humility (Qian Xu; 谦逊)

Humility is a quality that denotes an unpretentious and modest person. It involves controlling one's pride and ego, which can be detrimental to one's character and martial arts skills. When we let our ego and pride influence our rational judgment, our decisions become based on self-pride instead of facts. This leads to a shallow way of thinking and satisfaction with ourselves. Therefore, it is essential to practice humility in all aspects of our lives and keep an open mind to continuous learning. Remember to keep your cup of tea empty and learn something new every day.

"The taller the bamboo grows, the lower it bows." - Chinese Proverb.

Trust (Xin Yong: 信用)

Trust is the belief that an individual is of good character and will honour promises, follow policies, adhere to ethical codes and abide by the law. In martial arts, we make a commitment to ourselves, the school, and the teacher. When embarking on a new school or job, both parties expect to have a foundation of trust, including safety, compassion, and a mutual understanding of what is in each other's best interest.

Honour (Rong Yu; 榮譽)

Martial arts have many strong connections to honour. We honour our art, ourselves, and our ancestors by showing loyalty and having the will to train while simultaneously maintaining wisdom about our training. We should honour the people who came before us not because they were all superior but rather, as Sir Isaac Newton said: "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."

Virtue (Dao De; 道德)

The idea of virtue in Chinese thought pertains to the notion of character. The framework for this concept is given through the four classical virtues of temperance, prudence, courage, and justice. Temperance is moderation. When we engage in any activity, we should approach it with moderation in order to maintain rationality and balance in every facet of our world. Martial arts will enrich our life, not necessarily consume it. One of the goals in martial arts is to take the knowledge and self-discovery from the training hall and apply its principles to daily life.