North Star Martial Arts
In depth discussions of internal martial arts, theatricality, and Daoist ritual emptiness. Original martial arts ideas and Daoist education with a sense of humor and intelligence.
Books: TAI CHI, BAGUAZHANG AND THE GOLDEN ELIXIR, Internal Martial Arts Before the Boxer Uprising. By Scott Park Phillips. Paper ($30.00), Digital ($9.99)
Possible Origins, A Cultural History of Chinese Martial Arts, Theater and Religion, (2016) By Scott Park Phillips. Paper ($18.95), Digital ($9.99)
Watch Video: A Cultural History of Tai Chi
New Eastover Workshop, in Eastern Massachusetts, Italy, and France are in the works.
Daodejing Online - Learn Daoist Meditation through studying Daoism’s most sacred text Laozi’s Daodejing. You can join from anywhere in the world, $50. Email me if you are interesting in joining!
In my next book I discuss the relationship of Nezha to Baguazhang. The pacifier is now one of the standard signifiers of the presence of the god Nezha, in Taiwan and Singapore. But in the late 1800s before the Boxer Uprising, a primary signifier of Nezha was giant weapons. That's why Baguazhang uses giant weapons.
Read MoreThis video of Wang Bo is fun. It is funnier that he is an orthodox lineage holder of Wu style Tai Chi from Wu Qianyou. My comment is that I like it. There is a deep process going on here, even if I don't know what it is. There is an openness to humor here, which too often lacking in martial arts. There is wildness, freedom, and unpredictability too.
I recently had a late night conversation with my teacher, Zhang Sanfeng. He explained the doctrine of Ready, Fire, Aim. This doctrine works across multiple Happenings of Being.
What is a Happening of Being? you might ask. Well, back in the 1970s there was an art movement called "The Happening." It was a big part of my childhood…
Read MoreI had a massive writing push this week. No time for a full post.
But I have a link to a wonderful article about famine in North China in 1876-1879. (From DisasterHistoriies.org)
The famine comes up briefly in my next book because 1876-1879 are the years that Dong Haichuan was teaching Baguazhang in Beijing. It is a confused issue. Dong Haichuan was supposed to have died in 1882. According to his tombstone, he only began teaching after he was released from service to the Su Prince--after he had become old.
There appears to be a cultural shift going on. In the past there was a small number of people who could have deep intellectual or kinesthetic conversations. The technology of video distribution is slowly changing that. Very few people have the concentration, focus, and appetite to read deep books. What is changing is that the few of us who can read, can now spread ideas via video. And we can talk to each other in front of massive rock concert sized audiences for several hours at a time. Books are still essential for deeper levels of engagement, but video has the capacity to make lots of people think.
Read MoreLast week I briefly posted about the Chinese view of Christianity. The Chinese idea of religion is inseparable from the state. Totally inseparable. Martial arts were part of religion, so they were part of the state. All of them. Even when martial arts were practiced by bandits, they were just a renegade part of the state. As the Chinese government evolves, it seems to be sticking to the idea that religion is part of the state and martial arts are part of religion, therefore--PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING MUST BE REAL!
Read MoreThe question, "Is Christianity a Religion?" may seem absurd. But it is the right question to ask when trying to understand Chinese Religion. The two videos below are excellent quick introductions to the problem of understanding Religion in China. I have been trying to tackle a more difficult problem which is how to get people to understand how Chinese martial arts were an intrinsic and inseparable part of Chinese Religion before the Boxer Rebellion. In fact, the modern attempts to separate, secularize, and de-spirit Chinese martial arts have failed
Read MoreSmall businesses need this kind of support. Local governments are the worst offenders, but state and federal government does it too. Small businesses need these Legal Strike Teams (LSTs) to fight for us when we are hit with red tape and other tricks of the swamp dwellers.
Read MoreI woke up. I did not remember the dream. But at the moment of waking I had a new understanding of how to move with my arms completely empty of intent. It was an accurate refinement of a longterm movement project. I was able to put it into practice right away. Did Zhang Sanfeng just visit me?
Read MoreThis news from Matthew Polly's new book Bruce Lee: A Life, cannot wait. Polly is a master writer and marketer. His book on Shaolin Monastery infused with the Burger King was genius. This one looks like it is going to be even better.
A place to train and learn about traditional Chinese martial arts, which are a form of religious theater combined with martial skills.
