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Kung Fu and violence

Isn’t it a contradiction that Kung Fu preaches not-violence but teaches in detail extremely lethal techniques (with bare hands, with weapons, etc.)?

Note – This article has been asked by one of our Core Course practitioners on Patreon (see how to attend our home study classes here Learn Kung Fu online: a beginner-to-expert course).

Apparently, this may sound like a contradiction but it is not, let’s see why:

The first thing that we must accept is that in every living creature there is a tendency to good and a tendency to evil
The fact of completely stifling the second in favor of the first is a dangerous illusion
Compressing our nature leads at least to frustration and in the worst cases, to excesses in the opposite direction

The key point is that the practice of Kung Fu aims to channel all our negative energy (that, in spite of ourselves, we often accumulate): in a safe and harmless direction.

A note by Master Kongling – Kung Fu allows us to transform from sacks that accumulate negativity to channels that route it (leaving us free). We could see this process as a sort of ecological recycling of the rubbish we inevitably produce.

Although to varying degrees, we all have negative energy (stress, anger, etc.) to address and a correct martial education can allow us to:

Recognize the moments in which it risks taking over
Limit the duration, occurrence and intensity of those moments
Eliminate their most negative effects and potential consequences

A note by Master Kongling – It is interesting to say that regarding in particular the last point is part of a serious self-defense path (read also Self-defense: 10 correct attitudes during a quarrel).

What really is “violence”?

In 6 Dragons Kung Fu, we call (physical) “violence”, the act of causing (or trying to cause) pain or simply the act of constricting (or trying to constrict) someone against his / her will (humans, animals, etc.).

Let’s see a few examples to understand.

This is violence

It is violence:

To attack anyone is not threatening our or others’ life
To attack anyone is not consentient and / or prepared to do it (even in a martial context)
Even touching a person against his / her direct voluntary will falls under the category of violent acts (no matter if without an intention of sexual harassment, mockery, etc.)
In certain circumstances, even the mere fact of threateningly occupying the personal space of others falls into the category of constraints (for example to prevent leaving or to exercise psychological coercion)
In some cases, even the simple fact of handling a proper or improper weapon (even “pacifically”) outside a martial training context (and especially in front of a non-practitioner) can result in a sort of “violent act”
…

Not all the examples made have the same severity, but they help us understand what we are talking about.

A note by Master Kongling – Naturally, it does not exist only physical violence, there is also the psychological one (verbal, etc.) and even if with the last points we are probably slipping toward it, it is a totally different matter that exceeds the current discussion.

This is not violence

On the other side, in our meaning, this is not violence:

To do even very intense sparring with a fully consentient and prepared training partner (read Sparring: everything you are asking yourself)
To practice impact conditioning (with a partner or alone, against something or ourselves, read Conditioning check for the impact)
To free the maximum level of aggressivity against inert or imaginary targets (read for example Basic Kung Fu exercises: Poles Training)
To study the most “terrible” combat techniques (read 6 Dragons Kung Fu: what does it teach?)
To defend life (when there is no other possible option, read Personal defense: the S.A.F.E. method)
…

A note by Master Kongling – Clearly it is more than understandable that those who observe from the outside can confuse these “utterances” with violent acts but it is only a question of understanding that the goal is giving the maximum, nothing more than this (as happens in all the sports). In our training sessions (eg. in the Core Course, read From white belt to black belt: your path), even in the solo practice, we always recommend imagining an opponent but never a specific one nor focusing on violence (it is simply a way to gain better and contextual results, read How to use emotions in workout and combat).

Who truly uses violence?

In a civil context, the real problem is ignorance and unpreparedness for violence. In many cases, indiscriminate and extreme aggressivity is applied by 2 types of people:

Those who do not know its consequences
Those who are not mentally and physically trained

The more the study of combat is rational, deep, gradual and serious:

The more it is avoided outside the friendly (sparring) and inevitable contexts (self-defense)
The more it is applied in a proportional way (even in the most extreme contexts)

In addition to this, the endless and profound process of real martial arts learning teaches patience and self-discipline, the two best friends of self-defense (read also Best martial arts for self-defense).

A note by Master Kongling – For example, there is something incredibly wrong if law enforcement needs 3-5 beloved agents to restrain an unarmed kid. It is very dangerous to put ordinary people on the street simply with a gun or a taser in the holster. Those who are unprepared do not know how to intervene correctly, those who do not know how to intervene correctly are afraid, those who are afraid easily try to exert the maximum strength at their disposal. Very wrong, very dangerous. The public force should always aim to use the minimum of necessary physical abuse, because whoever suffers it is and must always be considered an alleged criminal and until proven otherwise, a citizen to be protected.

Final notes

A few conclusive thoughts:

Does Kung Fu automatically eliminate negative energies? No, it can be a great way to learn to control ourselves but only if done with the right mindset (read what the risks of a too passive martial path are here Aguilar: the assassin “Shaolin monk” renegade from the Temple)
Do all the courses eliminate negative energies? No, in reality, it is not so common, it all depends on the quality of the instructors, not on the martial art (read Recognize a good / bad master: 5 characteristics)
Does it always work? No, Kung Fu is a human thing and as every human thing cannot work in all cases; there are inevitably limit conditions (mental illness, etc.) where the martial practice cannot be decisive, only a meliorative / soothing
Should everyone forcibly follow a martial path? Probably yes, maybe not a complete one but at least a brief introduction would be very useful (for example at school); said this, it must be stressed that for some people, any sport is more than enough to give vent to their negativity; the problem is that many others (normally the most dangerous) need something different, something that only a serious martial route can respond to
…

In the next article of this series, we will see practical examples of 6 Dragons Kung Fu’s positive effects on people of all ages (read 12 Things That change for 6DKF’s practitioners (mental)).

In-depth video courses

Mind self-Control hacks – How to take control over our mind
Meditation: how to start – A fundamental step to embrace the path of non-violence
Self-defense: not violent self-preservation – Everything that you can do to preserve your safety (before accessing violence)
How to build strong self-discipline – The key to success in martial arts and life

In-depth articles

The 6DKF’s diagram about the use of violence – The contexts where violence is allowed and the necessary rational path
The fighter and the warrior – The crucial difference between the two figures too often confused

Questions

Reply in the comments and share your experience:

What is violence from your point of view?

Author: Master Kongling

Founder of 6 Dragons Kung Fu.

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