Taoism and the Martial Arts - Taoism is Not Passive
Taoism is not passive.
To follow the Way does not mean you allow yourself to be abused, and it certainly doesn't mean that you stand by and allow others to be abused.
There is a story that I love:
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Two elderly Chinese gentlemen are sitting on a park bench, enjoying the day. One follows Taoism, the other Confucianism. A soldier comes into the park and, being filled up with his own power and self-importance, heĀ begins scolding the old men andĀ shouting for them to leave.
To drive home his rage, the soldier strikes the old Confucian, who apologizes, gets up,Ā and quickly walks away. Those who follow Confucianism are guided by duty, and see themselves as subservient to the government and authority figures.
Seeing the Taoist still sitting on the bench, the soldier raises his hand to strike.
The Taoist gentleman deflects the blow and with one quick movement, breaks the soldier's arm. The soldier scampers away in pain, while the old man remains seated on the ...
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Ken Gullette
I have practiced martial arts since 1973 and began studying the internal arts in 1987. My goal is to cut years off your development time by coaching you in the real skills for high-quality Tai Chi, Xingyi, Bagua. To see more about my bio, click the "About Ken" link on the menu at the top of this page.
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