Adult martial artists may find Kung Fu for Philosophers in the December 8th online edition of The New York Times food for thought. In essence, its author, Professor Peimin Ni thinks we should understand kung-fu not just as a martial art but instead as a commitment to excellence in “the pursuit of the art of living well.”
Although professional philosophers are Professor Ni’s target, adult martial artists will no doubt see the relevance of the article for them.
Professor Ni begins by citing an illuminating news story, Battling Clichés in the Birthplace of Kung Fu, as reported in Canada’s The Globe and Mail about the legendary Shaolin Temple in China, which many regard as the birthplace of Chinese martial arts, if not all martial arts.
A monk at the Temple is quoted as saying that “many people have a misconception that martial arts is about fighting and killing. It is actually about improving your wisdom and intelligence.”
Or, I think to put it more precisely, we cultivate wisdom and practical intelligence though the practice of the arts of war, which is undeniably what the martial arts should primarily be about. As a practitioner of the Japanese martial arts might put it, martial arts are first about bujutsu.
Yet the Shaolin monk and his colleagues are correct. There is more to the martial arts than mere technique or, worse, empty displays of acrobatic virtuosity. Again, as a practitioner of the Japanese martial arts might put it, martial arts are not only about bujutsu but also about budo, the martial way.
Budo is about a vision of the world and a code of conduct. It is a commitment to live one’s life in pursuit of excellence and this pursuit manifests itself in a myriad of practices that extend beyond the dojo floor and even the battlefield.
Bujutsu without budo is barbaric. Budo with bujutsu is defenseless.
Your comments are invited.
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