The Six Virtues of Shaolin Kung Fu

Teachings of Shifu Wu Nanfang

Practising Shaolin Gulun Kung Fu is a long path of cultivation.

Why do we study this art? Because Shaolin Temple is the ancestral home of Chan Buddhism. It contains Chinese Daoism, Chinese Confucianism, and Indian Buddhist culture — forming a uniquely distinctive Shaolin cultural system.

The purpose of studying this art is to better understand the relationship between human life and nature. To make your body healthier — improving the body's physiological functions and maintaining normal metabolism. Only in this way can we better serve humanity.

To truly grasp the essence of gong fu, we must uphold the six-character mantra in our practice.

一、德 Dé — Virtue

The first character comes from Confucian thought, the thought of Confucius — it is Virtue.

Virtue is the moral quality of one's thinking. It allows you to maintain an upright spirit. You must not harbour ill will or crooked intentions.

Only with good moral character can you cultivate an upright spirit. With an upright spirit, your qi channels can truly remain unblocked, and you can better embody gong fu.

Virtue is a quality of the heart-mind, a moral quality, a wisdom-filled virtue. This moral character is absolutely crucial.

二、善 Shàn — Kindness

The second is Kindness. Kindness is a compassionate heart. It comes from Buddhist culture.

Having compassion in the heart. A sense of gratitude. Being better able to help those who need help.

Kindness is internal, a quality of the heart. Buddhism speaks of illuminating the heart-mind to see one's true nature — it arises from within. Only through this inner formation can it be reflected in everyday life as a presence of virtue.

Kindness is compassion. It is fully expressed in our daily lives.

三、勤 Qín — Diligence

The third character is Diligence. It means being industrious.

In your daily practice, when Shifu passes gong fu on to you, you must treasure it and have a sense of reverence. Only through diligence can you realise the inner substance of what Shifu teaches.

If you lack diligence and just get by, it is only superficial.

Do everything meticulously. Put your whole heart, your whole body and mind into it.

This diligence comes from Chinese Confucian thought.

四、恒 Héng — Perseverance

Next is Perseverance. Perseverance comes from the culture of the natural world — Chinese Daoist culture.

It embodies a Chinese saying: water dripping through stone. 滴水穿石.

Practising gong fu cannot be achieved overnight. You must bring forth this water-through-stone spirit to your study. An iron bar ground into an embroidery needle — this is perseverance.

At every moment, I must persist in training.

One must embody the great wisdom of Virtue, the inner compassion of Kindness, the industriousness of Diligence that does not fear hardship.

Perseverance is a kind of tenacity — the spirit of climbing mountains.

五、诚 Chéng — Sincerity

The fifth is Sincerity. Sincerity is keeping one's word.

No pretence. No false intentions. Be solid. Be real. Treat everyone with your genuine heart.

Sincerity is about relationships between people — in life and in one's actions. It is an inner truthfulness. Not deceiving others. Not harming others.

Sincerity reflects a person's moral heart, a person's kindness. Loyalty.

As a disciple, from the first day I meet Shifu, I never deceive Shifu. I tell Shifu the truth. What it is, is what it is.

If something is black, you say it's white — that is wrong. If something is black, you say it's green — that is wrong.

六、悟 Wù — Awakening

The last character is the great wisdom of Chan Buddhism — Awakening.

Awakening means that in the many affairs we encounter in life, one must achieve a heart-mind clear as a mirror.

Before doing anything, think three times then act.

Be clear within yourself: things that harm others must not be done. Things that cheat others must not be done. Things that deceive others must not be done. Things that violate heaven and reason must not be done.

All of this requires an awakened heart-mind.

If you lack an awakened heart-mind, everything falls into chaos. You cannot distinguish right from wrong. You lose the moral baseline of being a human being.

Summary

This six-character mantra always spurs us on in our cultivation — to deeply understand the meaning of each character, then apply them in our daily lives.

Only then can we maintain a good mindset, a righteous spirit, a state where body, mind, and qi flow freely.

Only by maintaining such a state can we better cultivate gong fu.

Our qi flows more smoothly. Our heart-mind is more still. Our energy becomes more abundant.

Only then can we truly realise the inner meaning of gong fu — and the gong fu culture transmitted through Shaolin Temple's ancestral lineage over 1,500 years.

六字真言 — The Six-Character Mantra

一、德 Dé — Virtue (Confucianism) 二、善 Shàn — Kindness (Buddhism) 三、勤 Qín — Diligence (Confucianism) 四、恒 Héng — Perseverance (Daoism) 五、诚 Chéng — Sincerity 六、悟 Wù — Awakening (Chan Buddhism)