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Kung Fu are not only used for self-defense or physical training - but also contain many disciplines for living. Many religious and philosophical schools are believed to have influenced the Chinese martial arts.
One of these schools, Taoism, particularly influenced Kung Fu. The theory of Yin/Yang was especially important, forming the basic structure of Kung Fu. Yin and Yang, also known as tai chi, are described as a pair of forces that act in this universe. Since they continuously act together, they produce the harmony and order in the world. In Chinese, Yin means darkness and Yang means light. The Chinese symbol for yin/yang is comprised of two interlocking parts to show that they are complementary to and coexist with one another. Yin, which is the black part of the circle, represents the negative, passive, and internal, and the moon. Yang, the white part of the circle, represents the positive, active, and external, and the sun. There is a dot (of the opposite color) within each part of the circle to show the importance of balance in life-nothing can survive if they are entirely one or the other.
Symbol
of Yin/Yang
Likewise, in Kung Fu, one must be soft, but not entirely yielding, and firm, but not hard. A person must harmonize with his opponent, neither acting against the opponent's force nor totally giving in to it. Movements must follow those of the opponent, so that the opponent's force can be controlled and eventually use it against him. Both people's forces must complete each other, creating "oneness" between them.
This principle is also applied to the individual student. A person needs to develop both his external and internal so that his external work will harmonize with his internal work. In any style, there are hard and soft techniques. Some will contain soft and then hard movements, or vice versa. Regardless, Kung Fu students are encouraged to balance the two in their art, symbolically blending the yin and yang to achieve the ultimate aim-spiritual balance.
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