10 Questions on Dragon Strength :D

[Anton S.]

Another bonus question

Bonus Question 13

From what I have read so far, Dragon Strength and the kungfu it engenders are as close to invincible as possible. Does Dragon Strength kungfu have a nemesis? Although it operates at such a high and advanced level (of the mind), can it be defeated by the mundane and prosaic? I believe a poor practitioner of Dragon Strength would be easily defeated by an expert boxer, but as a martial art in its own right, is there an inherent weakness in Dragon Strength that its nemesis (if any) can take advantage of?

Sifu Zhang Wuji



Answer

There is no nemesis for Dragon Strength. The application of Dragon Strength techniques in combat is not in such a way that it is natural for another kungfu style to have a natural advantage over it.

This does not mean that a Dragon Strength practitioner cannot be defeated. As you have rightly said, a poor practitioner of Dragon Strength would be defeated by an expert exponent of Boxing or any martial art. But as a martial art, Dragon Strength has no nemesis and has been developed to such a high extent that there is no innate weakness which allows opponents to exploit them and win the combat without having to make extra effort.

There are two concepts here. There are different thought related. The first concept is nemesis, and the second is innate weakness. Nemesis refers to another kungfu style that has a natural advantage over the first kungfu style even when the first style is executed correctly. Innate weakness refers to a weakness naturally found in a technique even when it is executed correctly.

For example, kicking is a nemesis of Boxing. When an opponent uses Boxing, even when his Boxing techniques are performed correctly, by continuously kicking him, you have a natural advantage over him. Your advantage over him is not due his not performing Boxing well, but due to the particular ways of fighting in Boxing and kicking.

When a Boxer executes a punch, even when he executes it correctly, he throws his body forward. This is an innate weakness. Because of the way a Boxer punches, it is easier to strike him than, for example, if he had maintained an upright position as in kungfu. This innate weakness is due not to his not performing the Boxing punch correctly, but due to the way a Boxing punch is executed.

Understanding and applying these concepts of nemesis and innate weakness will enhance our combat efficiency

<End>

[Claudien S]

Totally beyond awesome

Looking forward to this course so much...

Thank You Sifu for being so generous with all of us. I am eternally grateful.

Thank you brother Anton for taking care of this Q&A thread

Blessings,
Claude

[Leo Shaolin]

Dear Sifu,

Thank you so much for answering my and everyone else's questions.

Your answers are totally amazing and I'm sure they brought everyone's understanding to a deeper level.

Thank you, Anton, as well for establishing this thread!

Best wishes,

Leo

[Anton S.]

Dear brothers, you are welcome! look forward to train together soon!

Bonus Question 14

As Dragon Strength is Sifu’s pinnacle, would it be right to say that it is not for the average student, even of Shaolin Wahnam? What should a student have attained before attempting to learn and practice Dragon Strength? Should there be a minimum level of internal force, or familiarity with other type of kungfu forms? As Sifu has explained, to execute Dragon patterns, one’s 6 harmonies must be perfect.

Sifu Zhang Wuji


Answer

The Dragon Strength course in Penang in December is not for any students, not even any Shaolin Wahnam students. In any art a student has to be ready to receive the teaching and the benefits of the art.

Even at a basic level, when a student is not ready, like not following instructions, often due to his not paying attention or thinking he knows more than the teacher, he will not benefit from the teaching.

The same principle applies to chi kung healing. An example will illustrate this clearly. In my early years teaching in Barcelona, a woman who could not move her arm, despite having seen many doctors and paying expensive medical fees, came to me for help. She was not a course participant. She just came during a short break to have some free consultation.

To me hers was a simple case like dim mark. Energy was blocked from flowing to her hand to let it move. I opened her blocked vital points and soon she could move her arm on her own accord – all done within 15 minutes!

However, on her way out, she replaced her bandage on her arm, though earlier I told her to throw away the bandage. I knew she would not be able to move her arm again, as limiting her arm movement with the bandage would restore the energy blockage. Had she paid me an expensive fee, which was marginal compared to the benefit she got, she would regain the normal movement of her arm. Because it was free, she could not believe that the simple treatment work, despite personally moving her arm during the treatment!

This is one important reason why we charge high fees for our teaching and healing. It is an important point for our instructors and healers. Don’t waste your time on undeserving students and patients.

As very high-level skills are taught at the coming Dragon Strength course in just a few days, course participants must be ready to receive the teaching and benefits. A student should be able to generate energy flow and consolidate energy, and perform kungfu patterns with six harmonies. Being familiar with other types of force training is a great advantage. A minimum level is to have an Intensive Shaolin Kungfu Course or an Intensive Taijiquan Course, or to have attained equivalent abilities. I have rejected some applications that I believe do not fulfill these requirements.

On the other hand, if a student is ready to learn for a long time and a teacher is willing to teach him, the student can start from stratch. He will have to learn all the preliminary skills, like entering into a chi kung state of mind, basic stances and footwork, waist-rotation and body-movement, six harmonies, generating energy flow and consolidating force, before he can embark on the special skills incorporated in Dragon Strength.

If everything is perfect, including a perfect student and a perfect teacher, the students may acquire the special skills and their benefits in five years. But most things are not perfect. He should be considered lucky if he could acquired the special skills in twenty years. 90% of kungfu practitioners all over the world will not have a chance to learn Dragon Strength the way it will be taught at the coming course. And of the 10% who have a chance, 90% of them will not acquire the special skills and benefits regardless of how long they practice.

It is just incredible that many of those who attend the course will acquire the special skills and benefits in just five days. This is because all course participants already have preliminary skills, and conditions are perfect.

<End>

[Anton S.]

next Bonus Question!

Bonus Question 15.

What weapons are most suited for Dragon force? Popular kungfu philosophy would say the sword and the spear, but in my experience, I have found that the sabre actually leads me into more coiling, twisting and flowing movements. Is it the case that done in the right state of mind, any weapon is suitable to be practised with Dragon force?

Sifu Zhang Wuji



Answer

Your are right. Performed in the right sate of mind, any weapon can be suitable to be practiced with Dragon force.

Nevertheless, the sword, especially the Traveling Dragon Sword, and the spear, especially the 13-Technique Traveling Dragon Spear, will be specially suitable.

<End>

[Anton S.]

the essence of Dragon force

Bonus Question 16.

It seems to me that the key Dragon movements are more expansive than all other forms that emulate animals except for the crane. I recall that during my Special Shaolin course, when Peter was performing his Dragon set, Sifu interrupted him and pointed to one movement where he stretched out both arms with a “Haaa” sound, and declared that “This is the essence of the set!”.

In contrast, the Tiger patterns have the element of pouncing and trapping, such as Hungry Tiger Captures Goat. I am not sure if I am reading too much into the movements, but the signature of a Dragon movement seems to be expanding while that of a Tiger appears to be converging, although like all good kungfu sets, each set/form has both aspects of expansion and convergence.

Sifu Zhang Wuji


Answer

You are right. Generally, Dragon patterns are expanding, whereas Tiger movements are converging. However, we should not read too much into their movements. All good kungfu sets and techniques have both extension and convergence.

The pattern Peter demonstrated at the course was called “Dragon Manifests Majesty”. It is the essence of Dragon force manifestation.

<End>

[Anton S.]

grande finale!

Bonus Question 17

I notice the similarity between your demonstrations of Dragon Strength Force and Fa Jing demonstrated by high level Taijiquan masters. I must admit that I am completely enthralled by this type of force.

Could you please explain the similarities and differences between the Fa Jing of Taijiquan which can blast an opponent away many feet, with what outwardly seems to be a mere flick of the arm, and the aspect of Dragon Strength Force that can explode from any part of the body? Or are these two expressions of internal force one and the same?

To illustrate the type and level of Taijiquan Fa Jing I am referring to, I've provided the following video of Master Qiao Song Mao demonstrating his Fa Jing:

Max


Answer

Dragon force in Dragon Strength and Taijiquan force manirested in fa-jing are different.

If you eximine closely the video provided by you at http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2nO3CtOv_D0 you will notice that the victim is not thrown very far away, and hie is not seriously hurt. He did not even have to perform any remedial exercise to recover from any injury.

In Dragon force manifestation, a victim is thrown many feet away and is badly hurt. When I demonstrated on Darryl many years ago in England, he said he felt like a locomotive ramming into him. He was dazed on the floor for some time, and had to perform chi flow to recover from the injury. If the damage is not immediately cleared, the victim can be in a very serious condition.

<End>

<All Questions Answered>

[Guest]

Thank you Sifu for answering these questions, I feel so lucky to go to this course and all the other one's this year!

Thanks Anton for posting the answers.

Sham.

[MaxP]

Thank you Sigung for taking the time to provide us with these amazing answers, for everyone who asked questions, and to Anton for administrating the thread.

I'm very much looking forward to returning to wonderful Malaysia

Warmly,

Max

[Kevin_B]

What an absolutely fabulous Question and Answer series. The best ever in fact.

Many thanks to Sigung for taking the time to pen such wonderful answers. My understanding of Dragon Strength has deepened so much by reading them. So much in fact that it feels almost like Sigung started to teach the course when the first answer was posted. Thank you so much Sigung. Your time and effort in writing the answers is deeply appreciated

Many thanks as well to Sifu Anton for orchestrating the thread so wonderfully. I look forward to meeting you for the first time very shortly Anton!

Happy Dragon Strength Preparations to everyone preparing!

See you all shortly in Penang.

Kevin

[Joan]

Dear Sifu and Shaolin Wahnam Family,

What a beautiful exquisite Q&A series.

Mile Bhuiochas to Sifu for his wisdom and generosity. We are very very blessed.

Thank you also to Anton.

With deepest respect,
Joan

[RyanS]

Dear Sigung,

Thank you for generously and warmly sharing your thoughts and knowledge in this magnificent Q&A, and thank you to Anton for organizing this thread. It is a wonderful and inspiring collection of tremendous wisdom.

I am deeply honored and profoundly excited to be included in the Dragon Strength courses next month. I look forward to the expansive and joyful journey that training promises to be.

With gratitude and respect,

-Ryan

[LeeWeiJoo]

Dear Sifu and Shaolin Wahnam family,

Thank you Sifu for sharing Sifu's great insight and wisdom.

Thank you Anton for facilitating the thread.

Thank you all for asking the important and much needed questions.

With Shaolin Salute,
Lee Wei Joo

[YunXiang]

Dear Sifu, Anton, and Shaolin Wahnam Family,

Thank you very much for this eye-opening thread. I benefit a lot from it!

Much thanks,
Mike

[Steffen]

Q&amp;A as pdf

Dear family,

my Sifu has kindly asked me to convert also this Question and Answer Series to a pdf file for easier reading. I was very happy to do so.

The complete Q&A on the Dragon Strength Chi Circulating Set can be downloaded here.

Please note that you can reach the questions directly by clicking on them in the Table of Contents.

I wish to thank Sitaigung again for his kind effort in answering so many questions and hope you enjoy the pdf.

Kindest regards,
Steffen