Gate of Nine Dragons—Searching for Kung Fu (English Version)
Author: Laurence Brahm
Publisher: Open Page, 2024
Binding: softcover, 332 pages
Language: English
Description:
The first part of this book Searching for Kung Fu recalls my own journey over decades in the search for both the most traditional Kung Fu practices and the philosophical teachings embedded within. It begins as a teenager studying Karate in America, learning from one of the great Okinawa masters Shihon Kenneth Funakoshi. Realizing that the root of Karate is actually Kung Fu, the journey brought me to China, to the legendary Shaolin Monastery seeking the source of Kung Fu. During these years I have had the opportunity and privilege to train under many of China’s great masters whose stories and philosophies are imparted in this book. I am sharing the story of my journey, as it is really the shared journey of every martial artist.
The second part of this book The Gate of Nine Dragons reflects nine key Kung Fu principles presented through the traditional “Nine Dragon Sons.” These are nine Kung Fu concepts that can be understood as a code shared by and belonging to every school of martial arts. As a code this set of nine principles represent a set of integrated mind-set values that we can adopt in our daily lives: Perseverance, Loyalty, Balance, Change, Centering, Harmony, Flow, Emptiness, Non-violence.
These nine Kung Fu principles can be understood as nine stages of training, nine aspects of Chinese philosophy, or nine values shared by martial artists offered here as a code.
九龍門：尋找功夫 (Chinese Version)
Author: Laurence Brahm
Publisher: Open Page, 2024
Binding: softcover, 244 pages
Language: Chinese
簡介
本書主要探討高層次的功夫，分兩部分：第一部分是記錄龍安志從少年開始多年來尋找功夫之旅，接觸面十分廣闊，是非常珍貴的經歷，他通過功夫的實踐，增進了對世界及自我的了解，尤其認識到東西文化的區別。對所有武術愛好者有很好的參考價值。
第二部分介紹他由拳入道高層次的感悟，通過他對東方文化的了解，指出九層練功方法舆中華傳統文化、道德修為境界的關係。更指出武術一家，不論外家內家，都是殊途同歸，非常透徹地介紹了拳學最終乃身體與心靈的融合，讓大家清楚明白拳學的最高目標，是少有極為精闢的見解，值得大家進一步探討研究。
霍震寰 - 亞洲武術聯合會榮譽主席、中國香港武術聯會會長
在我看來，天地人三者，恰好對應着中華武學修為的三個層次。地，代表着忍、忠、平這三個基本要素，它是武術修行的基石；人，則蘊含着易、中、和三大修身要素，它體現了武術修行者的品格與修養；而天，則代表着無、空、武三種境界，它是武術修行者追求的至高目標。
我深信，止戈為武並非意味着放棄武術，或是不能動武，而是強調我們應該有能力掌控動武的時機和方式。要想控制他人，首先必須能夠控制自己，無私無畏。通過運用「武」的手段，處於「空」的狀態，並加強「無」的修為，可以有效防止衝突，維護和平。這，正是中華武術的精髓所在。
杜德平 - 第七屆北京市武協主席