Chapter 24 Section 4 Self-restraint and self-improvement

With martial arts skills, you can't be brave and show off everywhere, but you also need to be polite and respect your opponent. If you don't have extraordinary self-restraint ability, you can't do it.Therefore, ancient Chinese martial arts put forward specific and strict regulations on all aspects of martial arts practitioners.For example, there are 10 precepts in Shaolin martial arts, which require Shaolin disciples to persevere in martial arts; martial arts are only used for self-defense, and no aggressive fighting is allowed; , female sex; do not easily pass on the art to the children of lay people, etc. ("Shaolin Boxing Secret")

There are "five precepts" in Yongchun White Crane Boxing: one is not to indulge in lust, the other is not to drink too much alcohol, the third is not to bully the elderly, the fourth is not to bully children, and the fifth is not to bully women. "Ten Precepts": refrain from being aggressive, refrain from being eager to win, refrain from being famous, refrain from liking for profit, refrain from arrogance, refrain from deceit, refrain from exaggeration, refrain from falsification, refrain from sowing dissension, and refrain from doing evil. "Four virtues": good at cultivating one's body, good at rectifying one's heart, good at prudent in one's actions, good at keeping one's virtue.

Obviously, the scope of these precepts is very wide and touches almost every aspect of a person's life.No wonder some people say that martial arts is a way of life. To keep one's behavior from violating precepts and consciously abide by precepts, one must strengthen self-cultivation in terms of morality. Of course, the ancient martial arts has its feudal and conservative side, such as: regard the words of the master as the bible, and dare not innovate;However, it does reflect that the Chinese nation loves peace, is not afraid of violence, is strict with self-discipline, and not only pursues superb martial arts skills, but also pursues the excellent qualities of a fulfilling spiritual world through moral cultivation.It is precisely because of their good martial arts that whenever foreign enemies invade and the nation is in crisis, heroes with high martial arts skills all stand up and serve the country with their own lives.Yue Fei, Qi Jiguang, the Shaolin monks who died in the war against the Japanese, Huo Yuanjia, etc. are their glorious representatives.

Today we should earnestly carry forward the essence of Chinese martial arts.