Over the course of my 30 years of teaching Shou’ Shu’ the same question kept coming up. I pondered it constantly. Not only that but it became obvious that as students entered the advance ranks, the questions spontaneosly popped into their mind as well. It did not occur to the lower ranks. They were oblivious to the quandary that became so apparent to those of use that were beginning to understand the biomechanics. The seemingly magical biomechanics that, no matter how deep you dived into them, seemed to increase in sophistication beyond previosly unimaginable scope.
This question would typically arise around the fourth year of training in the best students. It coincided with the student’s own biomechanical development. When they reached a point that they exhibited what we call “flowing, focussed chi’. We’ll dive deeper into what that means and what mechanics are necessary for it’s achievement. For now lets just define it as a point in the students training where immense power is achieved effortlessly and continuosly. It is not just power in a single movement but instead it is power throughout all movement. It is a “way” of movement.
The question was asked differently but it was always obvious that the student had pondered it greatly before asking. They always had a look of extreme questioning. Like they were pondering existence itself.
The question was:
‘Where did this come from?”
And the reason that the question was asked with such engrossed pondering is that they had come to a point of understanding of the art that they could not imagine it being created by a man. Or by many men. Not in 300,000 years.
“It seems…….well…..divine”
They said it in different ways but the feeling they expressed was that it was not of human origin. Nobody could have thought this up. It took years to even see it at a basic level. Yet when ones eyes opened to it they could see “it”. The indescribable flow of energy. The beauty of pure transcendant human biomechanics.
I ussually just nodded and said, “I know, I don’t get it either”. There were no words to express the awe that we both felt. Only a recognition that we both felt it.