Three Stages of Chinese Wushu Practice
6 min readAfter thousand of years of growth，Chinese Wushu has developed into many schools of thoughts and each school has its own special practice methods and techniques.As a knowledge system，though classified into several categories and schools，all Chinese Wushu follow similar practice methods.
According to the common disciplines of Chinese Wushu，the Kungfu exercises can be divided into three stages or levels，including refining spirit into qi（visible strength），qi into vitality（invisible strength），and vitality into void（refined strength）.Refining the spirit into qi refers to the primary stage and attaches great importance to exercising basic techniques，eliminating excess tension anddeveloping strong strength.Refining qi into vitality is the intermediate stage and gives profound attention to eliminating strong strength，cultivating soft strength and nurturing internal force by Xingyiquan.Refining vitality into void refers to the senior stage and gives great importance to exercising extreme soft strength and accessing the supreme level of combined boxing and morality.
Monument of Wushu practices，the Qing Dynasty，unearthed at Mount Yuexiu in Guangzhou The Wushu learners repeat the basic techniques to gradually eliminate the excess tension and cultivate the strong strength during the primary stage.
The basic technique is the introduction to Kungfu and consists of stance，footwork，arm，waist，finger and eye exercises.After mastering the basic techniques，one can start quan（boxing），which is the actual beginning of the primary stage.The basic technique exercises are regarded only as the preparation work for this stage.
Quan Jing from Volume 14 of New Chronicle by Qi Jiguang，the Ming Dynasty Created by Qi Jiguang，it is a simple style and practical.
Refining the spirit into qi aims to refine strength. One who does not use his natural strength in Wushu fighting uses his raw power or excess tension. Such strength will fade away with the aging of physiological functions and does not belong to the strength of Wushu. The strength of Wushu refers to the immediate explosive power that relies on physical coordination generated by the soul on his waist. Such power is strong and fast-and can hit objects as suddenly as a flash of lightning.
The immediate explosive power is the burst of strength from key joints of the human body, including the shoulders, elbows, wrist, crotch and knees. Strength from whichever joint belongs to the resultant strength of the human body on the basis of the synchronous cooperation of joints and instantaneous explosion of power. Visible strength can be produced without preparation when the practice reaches a certain degree. The Wushu learner can generate great power by joint movements in limited space, and such power is commonly referred to as cunjin(explosive strength).
To resolve problems in the primary stage, one must learn Chaiquan (splitting set exercises).
Chaiquan means to split the offensive and defensive movements from the set exercises and study the functions and usage of the movements in real combat. Chaiquan is one of the key trainings in technique exercises.
After learning the basic techniques and several set exercises, one can learn Chaiquan to practice several actions, which lays a firm foundation in hand, footwork, eye and body exercises.
Simultaneously, one can gather the qi scattered in the body in dantian to eliminate the excess tension and grow strong strength. Once the excess tension is eliminated completely, the body will be full of strong strength, spirit and vitality. The body then becomes strong, and the steps steady. The visiblestrength has been achieved, while the exercises benefiting the bones are completed. This brings one to reach the level of refining spirit into qi.
People who complete the primary stage are usually strong and vigorous, and have sharp eyes.
Sometimes, they are hot-blooded, unyielding, impetuous and proud of their martial art techniques. If they pursue further study to enter a senior level, such characteristics can be refined.
Refining qi into vitality refers to the intermediate stage, where one completes the exercises to benefit the muscles and grow invisible strength. Invisible strength refers to soft strength. However,”soft”in Wushu doesn’t mean”weak,”but”flexible.”The invisible strength integrates soft and strong strengths, which supplement each other. The stage of refining qi into vitality is meant to eliminate strong strength and grow soft strength. This stage is the second period of strength improvement.
Refining qi is key to this stage. In fact, one shall learn to gather the qi scattered in the body in dantian during the primary stage of refining the spirit into qi, during which one cannot control the flow of genuine qi(zhenqi).
After years of exercise to help improve the internal organs, the strong strength gradually fades away, and the soft strength grows and the congenital qi(yuanqi) thrives. Those who harness invisible strength are often clear-minded and full of energy. If they encounter a difficulty, they could react very soberly and rarely respond with their hands or fists.
LiJinglin performing Taiji Jian in 1930 LiJinglin(1885-1931) was the vice curator of Central Guoshu Academy at that time.
One who completes years of hard exercises for invisible strength will have a further understanding on the extensive and profound martial art techniques.Such individuals are often found to be easy-going and lacking in arrogance as a result；they also do not show off their martial art techniques，nor bully others.When the exercises，which benefit the muscles，are completed，one will also notice improvements in figure and looks.Firstly，the figure becomes increasingly thin and healthy，with no troubles of obesity.Secondly，one can walk with a spring in their step，without a reel or a stagger.Thirdly，the eyes become as sharp as lightening when fighting against the enemy，but at other times the eyes remain clear and affable.When one has no such violent looks，the person has reached the stage of refining qi into vitality.
Refining vitality into void is the senior stage of both Wushu and exercises meant to benefit theinternal organs.One shall complete the exercises to benefit marrow and gain refined strength.The invisible strength will be developed through the refined strength after reaching the state of extreme soft strength and flexible power.The higher level of strength does not exclude the Wushu movements and techniques for attack and defense.
Refining vitality into void is the most senior levels of training for the central nervous system and reaction capacity of the human body.According to the traditional Chinese Qigong theory，the stage of refining vitality into void shall be done at the upper dantian，a round range close to“muddy pellet”（niwan gong）；the stage of refining qi into vitality shall be done at the middle dantian，a round range in the rear of zhongwan and jiuwei plexus；the stage of refining spirit into qi shall be down at the lower dantian，a round range a round range under the belly button.The exercise ranges are gradually raised from the bottom-up.The key to refining vitality into void is to achieve”void”and”quiet.”The void refers to the modest inner center，while quiet refers to the normal mood.
Yi Lu Hua Quan transcribed by the author of this book at Kaifeng，Henan province in 1971 Wushu masters who reach the level of refining vitality into void are often generous，courteous and open-minded people.One who completes the exercises of refined strength can be called a Wushumaster，who is gentle，elegant and appears free from worry.These masters have clear eyes，and their eyebrows come to a healthy red sheen in the middle，which is a sign of brilliant achievement in Wushu.However，such an accomplishment is difficult to achieve.
If an intelligent person begins to learn Chinese Wushu at 1o-years-old without any interruption under the guidance of a famous Wushu master in a sound environment，it takes somewhere around 20 years for this person to complete the long journey of the three stages.That means a real Wushu master is at least over the age of 3o.And sometimes，the journey can take even longer.Doing exercises to benefit the internal organs is also related to age，experiences and cultural awareness of the learners.Generally speaking，middle-aged individuals are better able to understand the true essence of Wushu and complete the long journey of Wushu exercises from the easy to difficult and complicated stages.Therefore，those who gain great achievements in Wushu shall be over 4o years old.
