Over The Rainbow
There's a rainbow highway to be found Leading from your window pane To a place behind the sun Just a step beyond the rain...." J.C. Lodge
The movie "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" stirs up a perception that techniques alone are not adequate in order to achieve advanced level in martial art. 'Jade Fox' in the movie doesn't understand the ancient writing in the Wudang book, so her art stays at low level.
Does that hold true in Wing Chun Kuen? In my opinion, yes and no.
I don't believe that there is somewhere a secret writing that can make one a super martial artist overnight. However, I do believe one has to train in accordance to the principles written by the designer(s) of the system to get the most benefit from that system (if such writings exist.)
Why can't these so-called secret writing make one a super martial artist over night? In my opinion, in order to understand secret writing one has to have a solid attainment. As an example, if one already knows how to swim and found some good tips, one would be become better swimming or even open up a new paradigm in the understanding and performance of swimming. If one doesn't know how to swim, however, those tips are useless. So, blood and sweat is a major ingredient in success. There really is no short cut. If one doesn't kick 10,000 kicks, one simply doesn't know how to kick. To kick 10,000 kicks one needs time, blood, and sweat (kung fu).
Why does one have to train according to the principles written by the designer(s) of the system? In my opinion, this is a causal system world. It is not practical to just practice a certain set for 200 years, hoping one day to suddenly experience and enlightenment and become a super martial artist. Sure one can claim one's family has the secret set or special fook sau etc. But what if that set or special fook sau doesn't follow the principles of the system?
There is a Chinese saying say that "Using the Southern traffic rules to manage the Nothern traffic will mislead people." One can keep mystifying the set, making more secrets in the history, and claim advancement in the family lineage title but this is all hollow. It just will go no where. One's inner wisdom knows this when one gets to this far. Just ask one's own inner wisdom.
For me, to progress in one's martial art skill, one has to learn to "empty one's cup" and let the ego goes as much as possible even if one has the secret writing. In this world, everybody has some good and valuable points to share. No one is born perfect. With a strong ego, one will be stuck, blocking one's own progress.
Say, if I have the classical writings of one family and have a high reputation but for years don't understand a certain principle. I think and think. I search and search. Then, one day, I see a guy who knows and can apply the principle described in the writing. I then have a decision to make. I can admit my weakness, to ask him to be my sifu, to learn from him about this topic. Or, I can stay the way I was and spend next 200 years, if lucky, hoping it comes to me in a dream.
Of course, I can also try and steal from this person and pretend that is my achievements and lie to the world under the name of my family writing but that is not martial artists virtue (mo duk). Even though I have the writing, I was not certain until I saw this guy doing it. So, credit and respect has to give to be given to this person.
Stealing creates bad karma. If I steal, in my heart, I know I received the art dishonestly and I have to live with this burden for the rest of my life. So why not just ask the guy to teach me? Who is perfect and know it all any way? Get to the real world. Beside, people with high achievement understand we all can learn from each others. So, it is a very good thing to help each other progress even further.
In WCK there is a saying " Learning has no Junior or Senior, he who master the art is the teacher." Who is perfect and teacher and maha guru of all? No one in the real world.
Kuen Kuit (Boxing Formulae) say "Sucking and spitting similar to a rainbow (beyond the physical realm) generate tremendous power". If one is to fly beyond the rainbow, one first has to let go the heavy burden of ego.
If happy bluebirds fly Beyond the rainbow Why, then why can't I Why can't I and you too
Sing it with me, children Somewhere, somewhere over the rainbow Somewhere over the rainbow Somewhere, somewhere over