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What comes to your mind when you think of kung fu? If your mind is filled with images of Shaolin Temple, Fist of Fury, or Kung Fu Panda, you wouldn’t be wrong. But for Laurence J. Brahm, an American documentary film-maker, the first thing that springs to mind is the concept of non-violence.
As Brahm explained, if you break down the character wu (武), another word for kung fu in Chinese, it consists of two characters: one is ge, meaning “dagger-axe”; the other is zhi, meaning “to stop”. So, the meaning of martial arts in Chinese is not the art of fighting. On the contrary, he said, kung fu is the art of stopping fighting.
Brahm’s relationship with kung fu dates back to the 1970s when he was a karate (空手道) student in Hawaii. “My master always told me that if you want to fully understand karate, you have to go to Shaolin in China. That’s where the origin is,” Brahm said. “Karate was developed under the influence of both northern and southern Shaolin. I wanted to get to the root of it.” In 1981, he managed to visit the Shaolin Temple for the very first time. When he was back from the mountain, his passion for kung fu and his desire to find out more were stronger than ever before.
Over the years, he has trained in many different styles, such as tai chi, Wing Chun (咏春) and Jeet Kune Do (截拳道), to understand all of them as a whole. “Martial arts can help us connect with our body, ... and also help connect us with our environment to increase our awareness,” Brahm said.
But to him, kung fu’s charm and values are far more than that. “Kung fu, in my eyes, is a mirror of Chinese culture,” he said. “China adopts a policy of not wanting to have conflict with other countries. ... It’s part of the psychology of the Chinese people.”
1. What does the Chinese character wu mean?
It means the art of stopping fighting/non-violence.
2. When did Brahm first start learning martial arts?
In the 1970s./During the 1970s.
3. Where did Brahm’s karate master advise him to go?
Shaolin in China.
4. According to Brahm, what can martial arts help us do?
It can help us connect with our body, and also (help connect us) with our environment to increase our awareness.
5. What do you think is the true meaning of kung fu?
Stopping fighting (with peaceful methods)./Non-violence.(答案合理即可)