Body and Mind together - Buddhism and Martial Arts as one

By Peter from Hungary 

I am from Hungary. I came to China because I am very interested in Chinese culture especially Buddhism and kungfu. Buddhism emphasizes the mind in training but also helps develop the body and harmonizes the mind and body together. You can be told the theory and principles of Buddhism but you can never understand it until you go and practice it yourself. I wanted to understand the connections between the body and the mind so I am also deeply interested in kungfu, health practice and Indian yoga.

I have studied a lot of Chinese kungfu and a number of different styles. But I hadn't found a complete system until one day I was lucky enough to come across an article by Wang Xiangzhai entitled “Quan dao zhong shu” and I suddenly the connection of the mind in kungfu. This article showed me how the theory and practice can work together in a scientific get simple way and made me see how kungfu and health can be trained together in one system. After this I managed to find the book “Real combat fighting methods of Yiquan” by Master Yao Zongxun which helped me to understand the scientific training principles of Chinese Yiquan. So everyday after finishing my Buddhism training I would practice standing exercises and testing force, after some time I found Buddhism and Yiquan have many similar points. Both can be empty and formless similar to water, the more you study ,the more they interest you.

After three years of study like this I feel my body becoming more flexible. I also have a new understanding of the body and mind working together. But without the help of a qualified master I still could not understand the subtleties of the art. I could still not use my practice in martial arts. So in 2004 I came to Beijing to meet Master Yao Chengguang. Master Yao's kungfu and personality are both very good and his knowledge on Yiquan is complete which is why I decided to study with him. After some time of studying with master Yao, my kungfu is getting better and I am having more fun in practice. Master Yao keeps no secrets to himself telling students everything. He says: ”Even when I tell the student everything, many still find Yiquan is hard to grasp so if I keep something to myself, how is Yiquan ever going to develop .”  Whether the student is from china or anywhere else in the world he treats everyone the same holding nothing back. It is master Yao's duty to develop and pass on Yiquan to the world. Whenever you talk to him you will find that his heart belongs to Yiquan and he is totally committed to it expansion.

In my opinion in China there may be many kungfu Master but to find one like Master Yao, with the knowledge and generosity in teaching, is very difficult. As a foreigner I have been extremely lucky to study with him.