WU DE (Virtues)
Virtues help purify a person and guide a person in life. It helps purify their mind and allow them to open a higher level of consciousness. All practices of old religions emphasizes this but this practice is lost in modern religion.
In Taiji & Chinese Martial Art (Gong Fu,) Wu De or Virtues are very important.
In Daoism, the practice of Wu De is called “Cultivating one’s character.”
In China for the longest time, Martial Arts masters and the Wu De preserved in their schools helped preserve the integrity of society. It was not any form of government or religion that created the harmonious effect of society but Wu De created a cohesiveness in society.
In Tai Chi, this purification process is also a mental form of preparing the mind. The purification process also allowed martial arts practitioner comprehend the deeper meanings of martial arts. Because spiritually their mind has reached a higher level of consciousness, they can merge lower level theories with higher (deeper) level of theories. Traditionally ALL Chinese martial arts school had their own virtues or code of conduct. Sadly I have seen the teaching of virtues fading in martial arts school especially in the U.S and bad students coming out of some of these schools. These students are arrogant and quick temper making them very aggressive. Virtues are not being embraced anymore in Chinese martial arts (Kung Fu) school in America. They may teach it but the virtues of the school is not being instilled in the students.
I will highlight a few of the Chen Taiji virtues but to get a better understanding of them it is best that I redirect you to one of my masters for Chen Taiji which is Cheng Jin Cai. GM Cheng Jin Cai has gradually changed this and the latest Wu De of GM Cheng Jin Cai for his school is preserved in his latest book “The Legend of Chen Tai Chi, Old Frame 38”
There is Wu De from Chen Village and another set of Wu De for each individual school.
Here are a few Virtues in Tai Chi:
Honor
– having integrity
Humility
– Giving up the Ego
– Giving up the desire “to be number one”
Compassion
– Having the ability to love and respect for life
Giving Praise (Credit)
Learn to give Praise will help you understand humility
Learn to give praise and you will build relationships
(This is highly emphasize in GM Chen Jin Cai book to the right “The Legend of Chen Tai Chi, Old Frame 38” p.291) Exercising Gratitude is very important in training and learning.
Discipline
Having patience and proper mind set will advance your training.