|
Written by Albert Wong
|
When one talks about martial arts, one naturally thinks of its fighting aspects. Rarely, are the moral aspects of martial arts mentioned. Historically, Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian philosophy have influenced the moral aspects of Chinese martial arts. Over time, this has given birth to a martial code of conduct known as Wude. Wude, or martial morality, is an important concept in Chinese martial arts referring to a general set of principles that a martial artist should follow. In the past, cultivation of Wude was considered to be more important than the physical aspects of martial arts training since becoming a better person is more important than becoming a better fighter. Regardless of the differences between individuals, Wude provides a general foundation upon which an individual can become a better person. The two main aspects of martial morality are Morality of Deed and Morality of Mind. |
Between Morality of Deed and Morality of Mind, Morality of Deed is considered the most important as it governs how we interact with others. Morality of Deed is composed of Humility, Respect, Righteousness, Trust, and Loyalty. Humility keeps an individual from being satisfied with themselves' and keeps them open to self-improvement and learning. Respect is at the heart of all strong relationships and begins with a respect of the self. Without self-respect, it is impossible to properly respect others and to have others respect you. Righteousness relates to doing what is right, regardless of the difficulty. Trust helps to build strong relationships and earn respect. Of the different types of trust, the most important is self-trust. Developing self-trust improves your self-confidence and earns the trust of others. Loyalty is the basis of trust between two people. Without loyalty, even the strongest of relationships can be broken. | | 
|
Morality of Mind is concerned with cultivating the self, focusing on the development of the inner spirit and mental strength. It is composed of Will, Endurance, Perseverance, Patience, and Courage. Will is the most important aspect of Morality of Mind and enables us to succeed in developing the other aspects of Morality of Mind. Developing a strong Will enables us to overcome the emotions that prevent us from achieving our goals. Through developing a strong Will, our Endurance, Perseverance, and Patience is developed in turn which enable us to succeed in accomplishing our goals. Courage refers to the ability to act wisely in the face of fear rather than the absence of fear. By having Courage, we are able to act on the other virtues of Wude without being held back by fear.
Wude is a moral code that anyone can apply to in his or her life whether you are a martial artist or not. It is my belief that each person needs to find his or her own principles and purpose in life. For me, developing my own Wude is an important aspect of my life both now and in the future. Sifu often includes Wude in his teachings. He believes it is an essential part of our training. |
|
User Articles