Some MA teachers only teach form without application?

All "secret" can be figured out. The question is how long will that take?

Not all "secrets" can necessarily be figured out—the real question is whether they can be uncovered within one’s lifetime.
Historical accounts describe knowledge being passed down only to select individuals or within specific groups, often restricting access to key teachings.

Within internal martial arts, there is a famous quote from Yang Chengfu: "If I don't tell you this, you will never learn it in your lifetime."

This reflects a traditional teaching approach that relied on hands-on instruction and oral transmission. Some essential concepts were never written down; instead, they were passed "from mouth to ear" and "from hand to hand."

If something is truly a secret, by definition, outsider wouldn't know it.
some things are "hidden in plain sight"

The stories of past masters may or may not be embellishments—depends on whether one has encountered current masters capable of demonstrating the same skills described in historical accounts. The skills commonly known, not commonly attained.

The phrase "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (臥虎藏龍, ) a Chinese idiom that means hidden talent and potential that is not immediately visible. It suggests that beneath an ordinary or calm surface, there are powerful or highly skilled individuals who remain unnoticed.
 
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"If I don't tell you this, you will never learn it in your lifetime."
It depends on whether you want to pass your knowledge to the next generation or not.

If you

- do, after you die, people will still remember you for your knowledge.
- don't, after you die, nobody will remember you.

Do you want to publish your research paper to proof that you are a qualified PhD, or do you want to hide your research paper and pretend you are nobody.

If you publish a Taiji book that only contain form without application, 1000 years from today, people will think that you are just a "Taiji for health" guy. You just miss your chance to prove that you do understand Taiji application. So, hold back information can only hurt your future reputation.
 
Those who practice are as the hairs on the ox, those who succeed are as the horns.

This means that often times (most times) those who succeed were taught by teachers who didn't understand.

Question is, whether or not you want to become a kungfu master. A member of the jianghu underworld, terrible and free, treacherous as the sea
 
Do you want to publish your research paper to proof that you are a qualified PhD, or do you want to hide your research paper and pretend you are nobody.

With those I meet and those I know,
Skill is judged by those who understand it.

At first touch, true ability is revealed.
We are nobody until we meet others—through those encounters, we become somebody.

What we become depends on our skill.


If you publish a Taiji book that only contain form without application, 1000 years from today, people will think that you are just a "Taiji for health" guy. You just miss your chance to prove that you do understand Taiji application. So, hold back information can only hurt your future reputation.

Kind of a problem—those writing about what they cannot do, sharing with a public that does not know. "Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know"

Yet, words spread, the unskilled become authorities in the eyes of those who cannot tell the difference, through words
they or others write. such is the world, the named becomes the reality of the nameless
 
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Those who practice are as the hairs on the ox, those who succeed are as the horns.

This means that often times (most times) those who succeed were taught by teachers who didn't understand.

Question is, whether or not you want to become a kungfu master. A member of the jianghu underworld, terrible and free, treacherous as the sea
Jianghu ! - are you speaking of wuxia or perhaps even manga fantasy ? Or do you mean the organized crime(triad) milieu ?
If the latter, what do you know about it, Chinese martial arts wise ?
 
Jianghu ! - are you speaking of wuxia or perhaps even manga fantasy ? Or do you mean the organized crime(triad) milieu ?
If the latter, what do you know about it, Chinese martial arts wise ?
I think you mentioned something about this before. The interesting part to me is that you say 'it doesn't exist', or it is a 'manga fantasy', or it is a 'crime(triad) milieu'.

Maybe it is like that, maybe like this, maybe something else? How many other things could it be? If it could be anything, it is nothing. Therefore I conclude you do not understand what I meant. You asked me 'if' and the answer is no, I am not talking about crimes. I hope that answer satisfies your curiosity.
 
I think you mentioned something about this before. The interesting part to me is that you say 'it doesn't exist', or it is a 'manga fantasy', or it is a 'crime(triad) milieu'.

Maybe it is like that, maybe like this, maybe something else? How many other things could it be? If it could be anything, it is nothing. Therefore I conclude you do not understand what I meant. You asked me 'if' and the answer is no, I am not talking about crimes. I hope that answer satisfies your curiosity.
ok, so your not exactly keen on elaborate on what you mean by your writing of “jianghu” and martial arts in reality
 
ok, so your not exactly keen on elaborate on what you mean by your writing of “jianghu” and martial arts in reality
I think you mean "elaborating". If that's the case, then you are completely right. I don't feel like elaborating. I don't feel like giving 'further detail'. For what? For who? It's not like I am being paid to be here, or perhaps -- what I know to even be paid for. But if the right people can find it within themselves to ask the right questions, ahh. Then maybe I don't mind answering so much... Guv'nah.
 
I think you mean "elaborating". If that's the case, then you are completely right. I don't feel like elaborating. I don't feel like giving 'further detail'. For what? For who? It's not like I am being paid to be here, or perhaps -- what I know to even be paid for. But if the right people can find it within themselves to ask the right questions, ahh. Then maybe I don't mind answering so much... Guv'nah.
ok, you want be paid to be here ??
 
If you publish a Taiji book that only contain form without application, 1000 years from today, people will think that you are just a "Taiji for health" guy. You just miss your chance to prove that you do understand Taiji application. So, hold back information can only hurt your future reputation.
I have no concern about my reputation in 1,000 years. I'd rather consider my relationships today and how my actions affect them.
 
I think you mean "elaborating". If that's the case, then you are completely right. I don't feel like elaborating. I don't feel like giving 'further detail'. For what? For who? It's not like I am being paid to be here, or perhaps -- what I know to even be paid for. But if the right people can find it within themselves to ask the right questions, ahh. Then maybe I don't mind answering so much... Guv'nah.
Dude…
 
I have no concern about my reputation in 1,000 years. I'd rather consider my relationships today and how my actions affect them.
If we come to this world without contributing anything, why do we even come to this world for?

三不朽,即立德、立功、立言,是中国人文思想领域的一个价值命题,对于中国人的思想和人生追求有着重要的影响。钱穆则认为,西方人把不朽视为活在上帝的心里,而叔孙豹则认为人应该活在其他人的心里。而活在其他人心里的方法,就是“立德、立功、立言”

AI translation:

The "Three Immortalities"—establishing virtue, achieving deeds, and expressing words—constitute a value proposition in the realm of Chinese humanistic thought and have a significant impact on Chinese philosophy and life pursuits. Qian Mu believes that Westerners perceive immortality as living in God's mind, while Shusun Bao suggests that individuals should live in the minds of others. The way to live in the minds of others is through "establishing virtue, achieving deeds, and expressing words," [1] which is akin to one's resurrection, signifying one's immortality.
 
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