Tao Te Ching

This blog is primarily devoted to kenpo karate. But, from time to time I will spotlight other styles of martial arts and share with you what they are doing. Hope you enjoy.

While reading the forums over at the Shen Lung Kung Fu website, I came across a discussion on books. Shen Lung Kung Fu teaches one not only how to discipline their body (through martial training), but it also teaches one to discipline their mind. Students of Shen Lung have "bookwork" that goes hand in hand with their marital training. The three books that Shen Lung Kung Fu students study are The Tao Te Ching, The Art of War, & The Analects of Confucius.

One of their students summed up nicely the reason why they study these books.

"(Tao Te Ching) opens your spirit; (The Art of War) expands your reasoning...into the darker and less pleasant corners of reality; and (The Analects) Confucius brings you back to yourself and the humility of daily life."

I like this. It makes sense and, to me, would seem to greatly expand one's knowledge of the martial arts (particularly if you study a Chinese martial art). So, starting today I am going to begin my own study of these three books. I am hoping, that through my studies, I can come to a better understanding of humanity, and thus a better understanding of myself.

I am going to start with the Tao Te Ching. I found several websites that have English translations of the Tao Te Ching.Here is one of the translations I like the best, and here is another. Wikipedia also has an extensive list of English translations if you'd like to look through them.

Even though I am not a Shen Lung Kung Fu student, my style shares a lot with it. Kenpo, coming from China, shares a lot of the principles and flow of Kung Fu (In fact, kenpo can be classified as a type of kung fu). Hopefully, by following the insights of my friends in Shen Lung, I can become a better, more well rounded martial artist...and a better person.