Appledog
Green Belt
Passing down a tradition requires, as a minimum foundation, the wu de of sincerity (Cheng).
Cheng (诚) – Sincerity, Integrity:
• Definition: Being genuine, honest, and true in thought and action. It represents alignment between internal beliefs and external behavior.
• Source: Doctrine of the Mean emphasizes Cheng as the foundation of all virtue and the key to self-cultivation.
• Connection: Cheng strengthens Xin (trustworthiness) and is essential for moral integrity.
Cheng is a core idea in Confucian philosophy, deeply tied to authenticity, virtue, and personal cultivation. Master Chen Zhonghua once said, you need to be sincere in your practice. Some people practice differently from their teacher’s instruction and then differently in front of the teacher. This will lead to ruin and mistrust.
It also goes without saying that if one does not have a lineage and then makes up theory (words) and actions, or steals theory and technique from other martial arts, it would be insincere to claim that they are doing "Tai Chi" or "Taijiquan", etc. In this case we may even defend against the idea it is done for self-preservation; for “A great man does not lose his Xin (faithfulness/trustworthiness) even in times of poverty or hardship.” (Mencius 6B:15). A great shame (Chi) must be assumed if one is to fix this defect in wu de, should it appear.
“诚者，天之道也；思诚者，人之道也。”
"Cheng is the Way of Heaven; to be sincere is the Way of man."
— Doctrine of the Mean, Chapter 20
This quote shows that Cheng is not just about personal honesty, but about aligning oneself with the Dao (the Way) — a cosmic harmony between nature and morality. Recall that Confucius was aware of and studied the Dao – it is Lao Tzu actually, who was a confucian scholar.
“唯天下至诚，为能尽其性。”
"Only those who are absolutely sincere can fully realize their nature."
— Doctrine of the Mean, Chapter 22
This emphasizes that Cheng is not just a virtue but the key to becoming fully human — achieving your xing (性), your true nature.
“君子欲讷于言而敏于行。”
"The superior man is modest in speech but exceeds in actions."
— Analects 4:24
The idea of sincerity and inner truthfulness is everywhere in Confucious's teachings. This quote aligns with Cheng being honest not only through words, but in one’s consistent and genuine actions. I think this is one of the keys to understanding what Master Chen Zhonghua said about being Sincere in your practice.
“人而无信，不知其可也。”
"If a person lacks trustworthiness (Xin), I don’t know what they are good for."
— Analects 2:22
While this speaks to Xin (trust), Cheng is the inner alignment that makes Xin possible. Without sincerity, trust is just an empty shell.
“尽心知性，则知天矣。存其心，养其性，所以事天也。殆夫人之为人也，岂可须臾离之哉？”
"To exhaust the mind is to know one's nature. To know one's nature is to know Heaven. Preserve your mind and nourish your nature—this is the way to serve Heaven."
— Mencius, Book 7A:1
Here Mencius comments that sincerity is the foundation for self-realization and for aligning with Heaven.
Back to Chen Zhonghua's Point
What Master Chen Zhonghua said above ties directly to Confucian Cheng. If you are not internally aligned with your teacher’s method, and if you pretend in front of them, it’s a break in both Cheng and Xin. This disintegration of moral integrity is exactly what Confucianism warns against: inauthenticity leads to moral collapse, in this case a break in tradition. And without this tradition Lineage becomes meaningless as it can no longer provide access to the da shi. This is called 'breaking the tradition'.
Cheng (诚) – Sincerity, Integrity:
• Definition: Being genuine, honest, and true in thought and action. It represents alignment between internal beliefs and external behavior.
• Source: Doctrine of the Mean emphasizes Cheng as the foundation of all virtue and the key to self-cultivation.
• Connection: Cheng strengthens Xin (trustworthiness) and is essential for moral integrity.
Cheng is a core idea in Confucian philosophy, deeply tied to authenticity, virtue, and personal cultivation. Master Chen Zhonghua once said, you need to be sincere in your practice. Some people practice differently from their teacher’s instruction and then differently in front of the teacher. This will lead to ruin and mistrust.
It also goes without saying that if one does not have a lineage and then makes up theory (words) and actions, or steals theory and technique from other martial arts, it would be insincere to claim that they are doing "Tai Chi" or "Taijiquan", etc. In this case we may even defend against the idea it is done for self-preservation; for “A great man does not lose his Xin (faithfulness/trustworthiness) even in times of poverty or hardship.” (Mencius 6B:15). A great shame (Chi) must be assumed if one is to fix this defect in wu de, should it appear.
“诚者，天之道也；思诚者，人之道也。”
"Cheng is the Way of Heaven; to be sincere is the Way of man."
— Doctrine of the Mean, Chapter 20
This quote shows that Cheng is not just about personal honesty, but about aligning oneself with the Dao (the Way) — a cosmic harmony between nature and morality. Recall that Confucius was aware of and studied the Dao – it is Lao Tzu actually, who was a confucian scholar.
“唯天下至诚，为能尽其性。”
"Only those who are absolutely sincere can fully realize their nature."
— Doctrine of the Mean, Chapter 22
This emphasizes that Cheng is not just a virtue but the key to becoming fully human — achieving your xing (性), your true nature.
“君子欲讷于言而敏于行。”
"The superior man is modest in speech but exceeds in actions."
— Analects 4:24
The idea of sincerity and inner truthfulness is everywhere in Confucious's teachings. This quote aligns with Cheng being honest not only through words, but in one’s consistent and genuine actions. I think this is one of the keys to understanding what Master Chen Zhonghua said about being Sincere in your practice.
“人而无信，不知其可也。”
"If a person lacks trustworthiness (Xin), I don’t know what they are good for."
— Analects 2:22
While this speaks to Xin (trust), Cheng is the inner alignment that makes Xin possible. Without sincerity, trust is just an empty shell.
“尽心知性，则知天矣。存其心，养其性，所以事天也。殆夫人之为人也，岂可须臾离之哉？”
"To exhaust the mind is to know one's nature. To know one's nature is to know Heaven. Preserve your mind and nourish your nature—this is the way to serve Heaven."
— Mencius, Book 7A:1
Here Mencius comments that sincerity is the foundation for self-realization and for aligning with Heaven.
Back to Chen Zhonghua's Point
What Master Chen Zhonghua said above ties directly to Confucian Cheng. If you are not internally aligned with your teacher’s method, and if you pretend in front of them, it’s a break in both Cheng and Xin. This disintegration of moral integrity is exactly what Confucianism warns against: inauthenticity leads to moral collapse, in this case a break in tradition. And without this tradition Lineage becomes meaningless as it can no longer provide access to the da shi. This is called 'breaking the tradition'.
