ISSUE #1SINGAPORE

MAY 2013www.redwordtree.com

LEARNXINGYIQUANAND MASTERYOUR LIFE!

ISSUE SPECIAL:

Success Strategies

From An

Ancient Master!

REDWORDTIMES

Loooove!!!WeThingsISSUE #1

SINGAPORE

MAY 2013

www.redwordtree.com

PUBLISHER:RedWordTree Pte Ltd

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EDITOR:Lee Lin Cher

CONTRIBUTORS:Lee Lin Cher

Fazilla Nordin

Lui Natasha Amanda

DESIGN & CREATIVE:Fazilla Nordin

PHOTOS:Microsoft Office Clip Art

iStockphoto

DisclaimerThe information given here has beenreferenced from various articles, researchpapers, books and the web. It is intendedfor educational and informationalpurposes only and NOT as a substitute forprofessional medical diagnosis, treatment,training and advice. Neither the Publisher,Editor nor Author will be held responsiblefor the accuracy of the facts containedtherein, and any consequences that mightarise from the misapplication ormisinterpretation of what is written.

RightsAll rights reserved. No part of thispublication may be reproduced in any formor means without the written permission ofthe Publisher.

Hallofrom the Editor…Welcome to the inaugural issue of RedWordTimes. This is anonline publication of RedWordTree Pte Ltd, a copywriting agencybased in the Republic of Singapore.

Unlike other online magazines with a specific focus,RedWordTimes is about anything and everything we love. Aswriters with an artistic temperament, we don’t really care as towhether anyone will agree with what we have to say about certaintopics. We simply love what we love, and that will be the guidingprinciple to what we will write about.

Everything we write in this publication will be things, subjects,topics that the three resident writers of RedWordTree Pte Ltd love.Some of them will have scientific backing, some of them won’t;some will have public backing, others won’t. In fact, we might haveopinions that may be too controversial for our time. It doesn’treally matter: what matters is that we have a platform to writeabout things we love.

It is obvious that we have traits of narcissism and self-obsessionthat define what we do and what we write. We might possibly defythe primary rule of any publication, i.e. to write for a specificaudience. We are writing for ourselves and not for you.

So to begin, this newsletter/magazine/publication will start off withmy pet interest, Xingyiquan(形意拳). Xingyiquan(形意拳),orHsing-I Ch’uan as according to the Wade-Giles romanisationsystem of the Chinese-Mandarin language, is an internal Chinesemartial art form. My first exposure to this wonderfulmartial art started because of a severe bout ofillness that simply refused to go away; I was havingflu and fever intermittently, and the sicknesspropelled me to look for an exercise that wouldimprove my health. And that was when I stumbledupon Master Ge Chunyan(戈春艳),who wasteaching Xingyiquan(形意拳),Taijiquan(太极拳)and Baguazhang(八卦掌)atBafangwushu(八方武术)Training Centre atMarine Parade.

The practice of Xingyiquan(形意拳) hassince accorded me tremendous healthbenefits that would be too extensive todescribe here. But suffice to say, the art hasgone beyond just improving my physical well-being, and that’s why it is chosen as the veryfirst topic to launch RedWordTimes.

I hope that you will enjoy reading this articleas much as I have enjoyed writing it. And ofcourse, true blue to any old timer who grew upwith cheesy Wonder Woman, Green Hornetand Batman episodes, I will have to exhort youto “Stay tuned to the next episode of (dramaticpause) RedWordTimes.

Lee Lin CherEditor

Success Strategies from an Ancient Master

Fast, quick and instant – 21st century is all about getting what you want, right now, effortlessly. The prevalence ofmotivational and success seminars that promise fast-track results is testament to this get-it-quick phenomenon, andanything that hints at effortless achievement will be met with much enthusiastic response.

Yet, despite the thousands of dollars spent on such workshops and courses, the bulk of the general population remaingoal-less and unmotivated, and most of these workshop junkies go on to live mundane, ordinary lives, with nary a hint of thespectacular successes that they have been promised.

So what are the principles of success? Can anyone shed light on the process of success? Specifically, is there someonewhom we can emulate in our pursuit of success?

To answer these questions, one will have to look to Guo Yunshen (郭云深),a legendary Xingyiquan (形意拳 ; Hsing ICh'üan) master most known for his “half-step crushing punch” (Chinese: 半步崩拳 ).And while stories abound for this martialartist from a long time ago, two stories stand out, one involving his journey into Xingyiquan (形意拳), the other involving himbecoming famous for Xingyiquan (形意拳).

Guo Yun Shen’s JourneyInto XingyiquanIf nature had been allowed to take its course, Guo Yunshen (郭云深)might never have become the Xingyiquan (形意拳) master as weknow him to be. A direct and straight-cutting person, the young Guowas deemed to be too “violent and rough” for Li Luoneng (simplifiedChinese: 李洛能), a famous master of the art at that time. Thus,when Guo approached Li to learn from him, Li rejected him outright.

Not a man to give up easily, Guo would find a way to circumvent theobstacle laid in front of him. Disguising himself as a workman, Guogained access to Li’s residence, secretly observing the renownedteacher as he taught. The ritual would continue for the next threeyears, with Guo obsessing and perfecting his “crushing punch”(Chinese: 崩拳), a move very much in vogue at that time.

The time came when Guo had to unveil the truth. Paying a courtesyvisit to Li, Guo demonstrated a powerful and flawless “crushing fist”,which Li was particularly impressed. Convinced of his determinationand sincerity, Li agreed to teach Guo the secrets of Xingyiquan(形意拳), thereby setting the stage for Guo to become the mostremembered master in the history of Xingyiquan (形意拳).

Guo Yunshen ( ) – A Famed XingyiquanMaster

During his life as a career fighter in the ancient times, Guo had his fair share of duels and challenges coming from all cornersof China. However, one of the most notable events in his life was not his fights, but his imprisonment.

The reason for his incarceration was unclear. Some accounts state that he was thrown into jail for killing a local bandit; otheraccounts state that he was punished for killing another kung-fu master accidentally in a hand-to-hand battle. The actualreason is not important; instead, it was what he did in prison that made him stand out as a Xingyiquan (形意拳) master.

While in prison, Guo persisted in his Xingyiquan (形意拳) practice. Because of the restraints imposed on him by the ironshackles and fetters, Guo could only execute limited movements. As such, while he practised his all-time favourite “crushingpunch” in prison, he could only shuffle half a step forward each time instead of the full lunge. On top of that, his “crushingpunch” was also constrained because of the heavy shackles. His “crushing fist” combined with his half lunge forward wouldsoon come to be known as the “half-step crushing punch” (Chinese: 半步崩拳).

The three-year jail sentence soon came to an end. Guo, like a tiger unleashed, would go on to challenge and defeat manyprominent martial artists of his time. His “half-step crushing punch” would gain fame and renown by knocking out manyformidable opponents.

4 Lessons From Guo Yunshen’sXingyiquan 形意拳 Journey

1. If something doesn’t work, change the approach.

When Guo first approached Li to teach him Xingyiquan (形意拳), the latter rejected him for his “violent nature”.Instead of accepting the fate that he might never get to learn Xingyiquan (形意拳), Guo took another route, first bylearning the art surreptitiously, then presenting what he had mastered to Li. In the end, it was a proposition that Licould not refuse; Guo was too good for him not to accept.

2. Master one skill very well.

Unlike modern man who gets distracted by every novelty in town, Guo was focussed – to the point of obsession – inonly one move within the repertoire of Xingyiquan (形意拳)’s moves. He would later unleash the full prowess of his“half-step crushing punch” (半步崩拳),defeating multiple opponents in the course of his lifetime through this simplebut effective move.

3. Turn adversity into strength.

Going to jail might spell the end to most people, but for Guo, it was the time of his life when he would perfect that onemove that he was so in love with. The shackles and chains which bound him would become the tools of his training,building within him the strength and power that would make him a master of all times.

4. Never give up.

If there is one trait that makes Guo Yunshen (郭云深) stand out from the rest, it is his undying spirit of perseverance.He never took ‘no’ for an answer. Put him in a prison cell and he turned it into a dojo. Put shackles and fetters on himand he turned them into resistance-training machines. In short, Guo was dogged in pursuing what he wanted, andGod bless whoever stood in his way.

Other than putting yourself through military boot camptraining, one of the surest and fastest ways of buildingthe Guo Yunshen (郭云深) spirit from deep within isundertaking Xingyiquan (形意拳) training.

Loosely translated as “Form-Intention Boxing”,Xingyiquan (形意拳) is one of the three major internalstyles of Chinese martial arts – the other two areTaijiquan (太极拳 ;T'ai chi ch'uan) and Baguazhang(八卦掌) respectively.

Its seemingly aggressive, linear movements andexplosive power allows the practitioner to reach hisopponent quickly and to drive his blows through thelatter in a single burst. By focussing on one’s qi (气;chi), one would be able to drive his/her body forwardas a single unit, deriving power and momentum incombat. Yet, despite its seemingly outwardaggression, it is a power which originates from a calm,internal composure.

By practising Xingyiquan (形意拳), one would be ableto:

ü Imbibe the never-say-die attitude

ü Foster calm, focussed intent

ü Build deep, internal power

ü Cultivate a goal-oriented mentality

ü Develop a strong, grounded personality

Guo Yunshen (郭云深) was a warrior and a fighter tostart with, but it was Xingyiquan (形意拳) that furthermade him into the legend that he later became. Youcan be just as successful too, in your work, career andlife, if you begin Xingyiquan (形意拳) training.

How To Build TheGuo Yunshen ( ) Spirit

Where To LearnXingyiquan

(形意拳)In Singapore???Unlike Guo Yunshen (郭云深), you don’t have to disguise as aworkman to learn from a grand master. Neither will you need toscale the remote mountains of China to learn this wonderful art.Instead, one can just go to Marine Parade to learn Xingyiquan(形意拳).

Master Ge Chunyan(戈春艳) – five-time consecutive champion ofBaguazhang(八卦掌), multiple gold medal-holder of Chen-StyleTaijiquan(太极拳)and the Overall Champion in the women’scategory in wushu competitions in China – has been teachingXingyiquan (形意拳) in Singapore since 2004. As an all-roundmartial artist, Master Ge Chunyan(戈春艳)is also champion inLong Tassel Sword and Three-Person Sparring.

Other than that, Master Ge comes from the direct lineage of theXingyiquan (形意拳) tradition. As founder and Chief Trainer ofBafangwushu(八方武术)Training Centre in Singapore, MasterGe’s vision is to promote the culture and essence of wushu in theLion City and beyond. Interested members of the public cancontact her at +65 90253887 or visit her website atwww.bafangwushu.com.

About The AuthorThis article was written by Lee Lin Cherfrom RedWordTree Pte Ltd.

RedWordTree Pte Ltd is a copywritingagency that specialises in the writing ofarticles, newsletters, e-newsletters,websites, magazines, brochures, and allmanner of publications.

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