Tag Archives: narberth kung fu

Twelve Animals of Hsing-I

The twelve animals of Hsing-I are the sparrow, hawk, tortoise, phoenix, monkey, cock, swallow, snake, eagle, bear, tiger, horse, and dragon. Their spiritual characteristics, along with the five elements (metal, water, wood, fire, and earth) comprise the Hsing-I system. It is an internal system and is therefore most concerned with the cultivation of chi. When chi is held in the lower abdomen, or tan t’ien, the body will be harmonious and stable. When chi erupts from the tan t’ien, power is produced to work the force of the will. The power is held within until it is used and then regenerated. Every movement contains the theory of yin and yang, or “true not true.” Every movement must be both creative and destructive and combine the “long and short.”

Five Elements of Hsing-I

The five elements of Hsing-I were developed by observing and imitating the essential qualities of natural forces.

hselements

Water always seeks its own level flowing downward and accumulating or sinking in. Fire, being less dense than water, rises. Wood can be made into a variety of shapes, either curved or straight. Metal can be forged, melted, refined, and made pliable or unyielding. Earth is the source of nourishment and can generate all other elements.

In Hsing-I theory, the basis of the complementary relationships among the five elements is defined by the principles of mutual creation and mutual destruction. According to the principle of mutual creation, metal creates water, water creates wood, wood creates fire, fire creates earth and earth creates metal. In nature, the geological and chemical forces at work within the earth serve to create metal. Metal itself becomes liquid as it melts when encountering sufficient heat. Water, combined with the nutrients of the earth, creates wood. With the proper application of friction and heat, wood, in turn, creates fire. When wood is reduced to ashes, it becomes a component of soil thus creating earth. The principle of mutual destruction holds that metal, in the form of tools, such as saws and axes, can destroy wood. The elements of water overcomes fire. Wood can overcome earth by depleting the minerals and nutrients which make it fertile. Fire consumes wood and earth traps water in depressions and dams.