What is Yi? 意
It literally it translates as intention, desire, wish or to anticipate. But in wing Chun Ling Tung Gong it represents much more.
When training Wing Chun Ling Tung Gong we must use 意 Yi. Always ensure that your muscles are loose and there is no stiffness in the joints, this is only achieved after the preparatory developmental physical training has been successfully completed and always move with the same consistent speed, trying to improve each time.
The sub characters that make up the character for Yi 意 are Laap, Joek and Sam
- 立 Laap – translates to “straight up, establish, to set up, immediately” But there is more to this character than meets the eye. You will notice that the way the character is drawn it is in perfect balance. The little stroke at the top is directly in the middle and is supported on the cross stroke by the two vertical strokes that sit either side of the center line.
- 曰 joek – translates literally to ” to speak or to say”. But the old language has more depth contained within, and the meaning when used in this context is slightly different. The master will not “tell” directly, he will use indirect speech and other methods to convey the message to his student that guides and persuades them to move in the right direction for their learning. So that the student can discover through experiencing and learn for themselves, rather than just regurgitating the information back to the sifu.
- 心 sam – translates to “heart, intention” which shows how much importance is placed on the character and it’s meaning, and we must train with all of our heart in order to achieve the highest levels.
When you train 100% and have everything working together, it will happen naturally and you will be using Yi. If you have to think about using Yi then you are not using it. If you try and force something to happen, then again you will not be using Yi.
Qi Gong and Internal strength are connected yet they are different. We use Qi Gong to develop internal strength. Like a muscle needs to be exercised to get stronger, so to do we need a method to exercise internally that develops and maintains inner strength.
Having the theoretical knowledge is helpful for comprehension but it is the experiential knowledge that is most beneficial and also the hardest to attain.
Wing Chun Ling Tung Gong’s methods have been passed down from master to student for generations to ensure that the benefits are not only understood but also experienced by the dedicated practitioner.
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