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The
Golden Hook Hangs the Jade Vase
Cultivating the mind and
spirit is the underlying theme of Luohan Gung, one of
the oldest manuals, if not the oldest manual of Praying
Mantis kung fu. Every exercise of Luohan Gung works,
'to compel the qi to fulfill the spirit,' or
'regulate the breath and refresh the vitality.' The
rhyming verses of each page are written to inspire
us to develop and refine our essence, qi and spirit
through physical and mental exercises.
 Ultimately,
Luohan Gung seeks to change us into a Luohan; a realized
being with a mind unoccupied with idle thoughts and free
of desires for temporary pleasures and gains. Within
Luohan Gung the stated goal of achievement, of becoming
a Luohan, is not just this heightened state of awareness
but a durable physical body with completely focused and
preserved spirit, qi and essence.
The very last verse of the
final exercise of Luohan Gung, the verse which sums up
the entirety of Luohan Gung training, reminds us of our constant
goal; 'You must always cultivate the
mind.' The goal of
our training and of our life is to develop the mind and body of a
Luohan so that they are fit enough for the practice of self
cultivation.
The
True Man's Hour of Self-Cultivation
In the book Pu Ji
Fang-Formulas for General Relief, published in 1406,
we find the 'hour of zi' as the ideal time to begin
self-cultivation.
At the middle of the
night, during the hour of zi, when yang first arises
out of the division of yin, the true man begins his
cultivation.
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A true man is the one who
has grasped the way -the dao- of self cultivation. The
hour of 'zi' is 11pm and is that point when yin has
reached its extreme and divides into yang. The hour of
'wu' is the opposite of 'zi,' therefore they are often
paired together. In terms of time, this is when yin
divides and starts to become yang.
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Zi and
Wu |
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The famous diagram of yin and
yang becoming each other is called 'taiji tu.' |
The First Round of
Golden Hook Hangs the Jade Vase
This month I have provided the
complete Chinese
text along with my English translation so that anyone
who reads Chinese may comment on my translation.
Golden Hook Hangs the Jade Vase
Avoid
the Eyes Pass the Calf
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Working hard in the middle of the night is hard
on the body,
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The
sudden split of yin to yang separates zi from wu.
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A
complete adjustment of qi and breath moves from
leg to calf,
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Both hands avoid the eyes stretching tendons and
bones.
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Stretching tendons and harmonizing blood helps
cultivate the mind.
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Fold the body lay down the hands.
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Mind and thoughts are like restless gibbons and
horses incapable of being confined.
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If
the qi is weak and the strength is timid then
the blood is insufficient.
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Regulating the heart cultivates your spirit and
qi,
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You'll soon see the result and speedily attain
success.
Preserving the Spirit
'Regulating the heart' means to train and control the
mind and is also called 'preserving the spirit.' It is
to focus your conscious thought on a point like a beam
of light focused at a single spot. Your mind power is
exerted on itself 'exchanging yin and yang' while
preventing your conscious thought from scattering.
'Exchanging yin and yang' has several meanings, one of
which is a regulated breathing. The 'water and fire'
refer to essence, qi and spirit. Essence and qi for
water and spirit for fire. The point of mental focus
usually starts with the dantian.
Your body collects the essence, you can think of the
nutritional components you extract from your food. The
movement in the body is the qi and the application of
these are your spirit and vitality. The book Xing
Ming Gui Zhi of the Ming Dynasty tells us,
That which moves is qi, that which
concentrates is essence, that which is marvelously
applied is spirit.
This training is not easy and round two admits to the hardship one must endure in
preserving the spirit during the middle of the night.
Second Round
Fold The Body Preserve
the Spirit
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Gently
turn at
wei lu slowly fold the waist.
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Hurry both hands to the tip of the
toe.
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With a mouthful of qi press the
filled belly.
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Exercise water and fire exchange yin
and yang.
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Pull out the strength stretch the
tendons move your qi and blood.
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The monk enters the room of Zen to
endure an unbearable might.
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Practice your gung day and night
according to the prescribed time.
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You can't give up before reaching
success.
The Third Round
Round three Shifu taught us to stand in a horse stance
with upraised hands as can be seen performed by Shimu
April at the top of this page. In the following
illustration it seems like a
relaxing posture yet it is descried as if we "must hold
up the sky' The term 'three warm winters' is a literal
translation whose hidden meaning I have not penetrated.
In Qi Gung training 'winter solstice' is also another
way to say the 'hour of zi.'
Third Round:
Supporting the Sky with a Jade Column
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The
sky supporting palms lift with force.
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With
full qi comes a strong body.
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Use
all the strength of your legs.
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Sound
the 100 joints of tendon and bone.
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When
blood circulates yin and yang unite.
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When
qi moves vitality is refreshed.
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With
the success of this gung you'll have three warm
winters.
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Though
your strength is weak you must force yourself to
continue.
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Always
remain diligent through hardship.
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You
must always cultivate the mind.
The Practice
The actual postures are sitting on the floor as in the
first illustration then folding the waist and extending
the hands to your toes as in the 2nd illustration. After
you have finished this stretch several times you stand
up and perform the final posture holding it as long as
you are able.
When Shifu taught us the sitting portion of this
exercise we were often outdoors and we did it from a
standing position folding the body forward and raising
the body upward.
Luohan Follows the Way
In the end cultivation of the mind is not a goal to
attain but a path to travel. This is what the ancients
meant by the dao. The character, pictured here, is a
representation of an eye travelling about. Always in
motion and always seeking truth. The method is to always
cultivate the mind
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| The Dao -
The Way |
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