“The Chan Sect of Buddhist belief started with Dazun, and there are many Buddhist disciples that emphasize the study of the Way of the Mind. But few are those who know of the relationship between the Shaolin School of Wushu and Buddhist Xin Fa.

Shaolin Boxing has been passed down from the monks of the Shaolin Temple. But those that put the Way of the Mind first are few. Because this boxing art is very difficult to understand and hard to train, students often feel at a loss and unable to make progress and give up half way.

The highest state of Buddhist Xin Fa is the communication of good feelings -- now does the art of boxing have these type of demands? Yes! But few are those who can teach and those who have an opportunity to really learn are even fewer, because those who learn this boxing skill need great intelligence and have to fully understand its nature before they can achieve it. When Master and student train this type of boxing no sound is uttered, training is done with arms in contact, with corresponding internal qi, and as the breathing becomes refined, the more you practise the more well built it becomes, and the more relaxed one becomes.

By way of training 'qi' and 'yi' into 'gong' at the same time one should pay even more attention to the cultivation of kind feelings. All that the Shifu can explain and express are just a few guides to the Way. What is inside the student can only be known by him. So how to succeed? Just like when a person drinks water, only he knows how hot or cold it is.

This set altogether has 108 different hand techniques not including repeated hand movements, to train once you need 45 minutes. You should practise 3 times a day, in three time divisions, mornings, afternoons, and evenings. This will be extremely good for your health. This will push your ability to use it, your Spirit and magnificent vigour to new heights.

This Set includes the Dazun 9 Yang Gong, Wuji Gong, Tai Ji Gong, and Wuxing. Only the Dazun Jiu Yang Gong can make the internal qi pass step by step through the liver, spleen and lungs to inside the body and travel bit by bit to all the organs. No need to mention its use as a martial art, just this small section is enough to be effective in changing the tendons.

Newcomers to this style may find, within 3 months, that they have small problems. If small sores appear on the hand, sores will appear by the side of the buttocks. Otherwise you might get upset stomach and emissions will be malodorous and black. This is the qi working inside, sweeping out what is unclean from the internal organs. Sometimes it will seem as if you have a fever, or a cold, but if you see the doctor and take his medicine there will be no effect, but your spirit will not necessarily be lacking in vitality. This is the result of the true qi surging through the body. This is what is different about internal gong boxing.

Soft boxing is not necessarily internal gong boxing and hard boxing is not necessarily external gong boxing. Actually, the difference between internal and external gong boxing is whether, when someone is practicing a certain Form, that Form can make the internal qi flow inside and make the internal organs healthy. And afterwards be able to use the Mind to make the qi move, and cause the qi to become an air balloon to protect the body and transform the qi to jing that can be expressed by both hand and foot, and create outstanding internal jing.

This style looks for stillness in the midst of movement, using the method of movement to train quiet gong. The hand methods are very complicated and hard to remember, the demands of the movements and intentions are very fine. Even more, the student must practise the hand techniques to an extremely natural and skillful level. Having reached a really deep understanding, you must ignore the hand and foot techniques. Pay then close attention to the aspects of breathing. Afterwards even the aspect of breathing one can forget, having oneself empty. There is nothing there and also nothing that is not there - boxing without Mind and Mind without boxing".

Master Alan Tinnion is head instructor and director of Qi China International, a Martial Arts Academy founded in the UK. He has a doctorate in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Shanghai University of TCM and over 30 years experience in clinical and martial art teaching practice. For further details about Master Alan Tinnion and Grandmaster Chee Kim Thong, please visit www.cheekimthong.co.uk.