Martial Arts

The Internal Five Forms correspond to the Five Organs: the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. Where the qi (气) and strength (力) go, the posture follows; where the posture goes, the qi and strength are concentrated. Therefore, when qi and strength are abundant, the posture is effective, and when the posture is trained, qi and strength increase.

These internal and external harmonies are interconnected. When performing martial arts, the movement of the elbow and hand is driven by the back, which pushes the shoulders, the shoulders push the elbows, and the elbows push the hands.

"The Internal Three Harmonies (内三合) and External Three Harmonies (外三合) are the guiding principles of Da Liuhe Men. The Internal Three Harmonies align the mind, intention, and energy, while the External Three Harmonies synchronize the root, trunk, and tips of the body. Through these harmonies, the art achieves unity and adaptability in techniques, making them fluid, dynamic, and harmonious.

The Chán (Zen) Buddhist North Shaolín Monastery currently being reconstructed on Pan Mountain (盘山, Panshan) in Ji County (Jixian), 120 Km. north of Tianjin and 90 Km. east of Beijing in northeast China is in the imperial heartland of China and thus was exposed to much more direct aggression than the older Songshan Shaolín.

The Bailianjiao 白蓮教 "White Lotus Sect" was a millenarian movement with Buddhist traditions that several times in history ignited large-scale popular uprisings against the ruling…