WUSHU XUANXUE 2

"Alright," Gao Qing began. "First of all, mention everything you know about Wushu Xuanxue."

"Wushu Xuanxue is a branch of Xuanxue. It is divided into five main subjects: Shan - Mountain, Yi - Medicine, Ming - Destiny, Xiang - Physiognomy, and Bu - Divination. Shan is acknowledged as the highest part of Wushu Xuanxue, because Shan is the most difficult to be understood by ordinary people. Other studies that fall under this art include philosophy, cultivation, self-healing, and meditation. It is called Shan because people should often meditate on the mountain (mountain is called "Shan" in Chinese) to master it. Talist sorcery, ritual, and talisman are also included in Shan. Others also classify martial arts, Qigong and Taijiquan into this category. Yi, is medicine. We treat illnesses with acupuncture, as well as spiritual treatments such as Daoyin (breathing exercise) and prayer for healing. Ming is a destiny analysis. The result is somehow claimed not to be expired even for a lifetime, thus it's called Destiny. The study in this art includes Bazi * , Ziwei Doushu * , and Xingping Huihuai (a divination type similar to Bazi that uses the sun and moon as its main intermediary to divine). Xiang is an art to predict something based on its external appearance. It includes palm-reading, face-reading, and also Feng Shui, since Feng Shui is an art to examine and divine the merits of something based on the surroundings such as buildings, objects, and space. And the last, Bu, is divination. Usually used by someone who is in trouble and wants his problem resolved as soon as possible. This art is the most popular since it is widely used by those who are helpless to solve their own problems. Many studies fall under this art, with the most famous is fortune-telling with I-Ching, followed by Tai Yi Shen Shu * , Da Liu Ren * , and Qimen Dunjia * ," Zhu Su answered, his answer which was impeccable and super detailed did not make Gao Qing impressed.

"Do you know what is the basis of Wushu Xuanxue?" Gao Qing turned his gaze to Zhu Youdun.

"Book of Zhou Yi * , Dao De Jing * and Nan Hua Jing * ."

"Actually, what is Xuanxue?"

"Xuanxue is originated from the word "Xuan" which means dark, and "Xue", which means study, learn. Here dark refers to mysterious, profound, abstruse, arcane. It occurs in the first chapter of the Dao De Jing "Xuan zhi you xuan, cong miao zhi men" - Where the Mystery is the deepest, the gate of all that is subtle and wonderful. Therefore, the meaning of Xuanxue can be described as "learning or investigation of the Mysterious or Profound." The goal of Xuanxue is to illuminate the nature and function of Dao, which appears dark and impenetrable."

Gao Qing nid-nodded, his face still seemed unimpressed. "Your theory is very good, but can you actualize it in real life?"

This time both Zhu Su and Zhu Youdun were unable to answer right away and let the crash of the waterfall sound fill the silence within them.

Gao Qing smiled. "Don't be ashamed, just say it. You can do it or not?"

"Fu Wang is an expert in Yi." Zhu Youdun finally opened his mouth.

"Really? How come?"

"Fu Wang has made a book of medicine to help Yunnan people deal with an outbreak, named Xiu Zhen Fang."

"Ah, no... It is Physician Li who writes it... I just become the originator of the idea," Zhu Su replied modestly.

Gao Qing nodded again, but this time his facial expression showed that he was excited - he just did not speak it up.

"Just Yi. We nobles don't so focus on Wushu Xuanxue. Our main concern is philosophy, literature, politics and government management, and the military." Zhu Su said again.

"How can you get interested in Yi?"

"Because Yi is so fantastic, its greatness is immeasurable, sick people can be healed, people who almost die can be saved so that they don't die, and it also helps us to live a long life. With this knowledge, I can help to ease human suffering."

"Uh-huh..." Gao Qing's excited expression became more noticeable. "But are you sure that you are competent in Yi?"

"Yes... I think, with perseverance and tenacity I will definitely master it."

"Really?"

"Yes!" Zhu Su nodded, full of confidence.

"You are so confident with yourself, but are you sure Nature will support you?"

The confidence in Zhu Su's face soon turned into doubt. "That..."

"Wushu Xuanxue doesn't only consist of Yi. There are still four parts you must learn because each part is correlated with one another."

"We are ready to learn!" Zhu Su, Zhu Youdun, and Hu Nayin said in unison.

...

* Bazi = means "eight characters" or "eight words" in Chinese, is a Chinese astrological concept that a person's destiny or fate can be divined by the two sexagenary cycle characters assigned to their birth year, month, day, and hour. This type of astrology is also used in Japan and Korea. (Wikipedia)

* Ziwei Doushu = In ancient times, Ziwei Doushu was restricted to the exclusive and private consultation of the Imperial Emperors only as Ziwei Doushu could provide an elaborate reading too detailed and classified. Thus, imperial astronomers used Ziwei Doushu to delineate charts for the Emperor as the Emperor's destiny is bridged to and affects the destiny of his kingdom and dynasty. Among the stars used in the Ziwei Doushu system, there is one main star while other stars revolve around it. The star is named the "Emperor Star" – Purple Star, which also represents the ruler (Emperor) of the kingdom. Ziwei Doushu has been used by professional consultants and practitioners for the past 1,000 years to determine one's destiny and as remedial Fengshui strategies. Ziwei Doushu has its unique Feng Shui philosophies and principles and is known as the "personalized Fengshui". (Wikipedia)

* Tai Yi Shen Shu = a form of divination used to predict macroscopic events like wars or the meaning of supernovae. The methodology is quite similar to the other arts with a rotating heavenly plate and fixed earthly plate. While the art makes use of the 8 trigrams as well as the 64 hexagrams as a foundation, analysis is conducted from the Tai Yi Cosmic Board and the array of symbols found thereon, with special reference to the position of symbols in specific palaces. Important symbols include the Calculator, the Scholar, Tai Yi, and Tai Yi, for example. A number of spirits rotate around the sixteen palaces of the Tai Yi cosmic board, of which there are 72 cosmic boards for the Yin Dun period of each year, and 72 cosmic boards for the Yang Dun period of the year. The spirits land in different palaces with each configuration of the cosmic board. Each cosmic board contains a number of "counts" or numbers – the Host Count and the Guest Count taking primary importance over the Fixed Count. (Wikipedia)

* Da Liu Ren = Divination in Da Liu Ren is determined by relationships of Wu Xing (five elements) and Yin Yang between and among the Three Transmissions, Four Classes, Twelve Generals, and the Heaven and Earth Plates. Each double-hour of the day contains a cosmic board for daytime and evening divination. The Three Transmissions are derived from configurations of the Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch of the date. The Four Classes are determined in a similar manner. It was first used in China for the purposes of devising military strategy and later developed into a more popular and widespread form of divination which grew to include medical divination, matchmaking, childbirth, travel, criminology, weather forecasting, etc. types of divination. (Wikipedia)

* Qimen Dunjia = The Qimen Dunjia cosmic board consists of a 3 × 3 magic square of nine palaces, which includes a Heaven and Earth plate, a spirit plate, eight gates, and a star plate. The various symbols rotate around the palaces with each double-hour of the day, making a total of 1,080 different configurations of the Qimen Dunjia cosmic board. These situations are recycled four times per year, and are divided between the Yin and Yang halves of the year. Each type of Qimen Dunjia divination carries its unique set of Use Spirits. For example, medical divination relies mainly upon the star plate. The task of the Qimen Dunjia analyst is to interpret and analyze the meanings of the symbols in relation to questions asked. Any Qimen Dunjia situation may be interpreted or analyzed to respond to a wide variety of questions, or to solve a multitude of problems. Liu Bowen is believed to have secured the throne for the Ming Dynasty's Hongwu Emperor by applying Qimen Dunjia to his strategic planning. (Wikipedia)

* Zhou Yi = the other name for I-Ching.

* Dao De Jing = a book compiled by Laozi. It is a fundamental text for both philosophical and religious Taoism. It also strongly influenced other schools of Chinese philosophy and religion, including Legalism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, which was largely interpreted through the use of Taoist words and concepts when it was originally introduced to China. (Wikipedia)

* Nan Hua Jing, or Nan Hua Zhen Jing = a book compiled by Zhuangzi.

* Zhuangzi = an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BC during the Warring States period, a period corresponding to the summit of Chinese philosophy, the Hundred Schools of Thought. (Wikipedia)