Believe it or not, I first learned the fine art of guanxi from Matt Polly. It’s actually a venerated tradition in Chinese culture. I think that’s a major part of the problem with westerners studying martial arts, not just at Shaolin, but across the board. They don’t understand the culture of guanxi. They interpret it as bribes. To understand it, you need to understand the nature of China. you need to understand why the national symbol is a dragon - a combination of nine different mascot totems. China is an amalgamation of warring tribes. That’s quite different than America’s system of United States. It’s more like feudal war. You can still feel that in the clan systems in martial arts. Guanxi can be interpreted as a way for feuding clans to communicate peacefully. It’s all about trade.
I think you hit on another important aspect of Chinese traditional culture: mercantilism.
Most peasants were traditionally small-hold landowners back in the day. They traded goods locally to merchants (and paid taxes to feudal lords) who in turn traded trans-regionally.
Compare this to Europe where the peasants were mostly serfs - very nearly property of their local feudal lord during the same basic timeframe.
China invented paper money and modern banking. It is a very merchantile place.
It is also, as Gene said, a very clannish place; with clans frequently forming blocs for the purpose of trade. These blocs later expanded into things like the Shanxi Merchant’s Guild of the Qing dynasty.
In the hinterlands China is very much unchanged today. The people who live in my wife’s hometown can mostly trace their family trees back into the mists of history without leaving that valley!
So when an outsider (not-family / not-community-member) wants to enter into a relationship of trust with somebody the two paths are 1) through reciprocal action - guanxi - which frequently takes on a monetary character and 2) through earning acceptance into the in-community group.
The first is the basis of guanxi in all it’s forms from benign flattery, wining and dining all the way to out-right systemic corruption which is presently becoming very problematic in China.
The second is indicated by situations such as brought up in the one article in the most recent issue of the magazine about Dr Yang and the YMAA retreat center.
[QUOTE=Songshan;899755]…but there is. A challenge doesn’t have to be a physical one. A challenge can be a wanted explanantion, justification or even contesting something.[/QUOTE]yet is that truly a challenge? i see only solutions, not the problem… if you sidestep the problem, you can focus on the solution.
[QUOTE=GeneChing;899055] I think that’s a major part of the problem with westerners studying martial arts, not just at Shaolin, but across the board. They don’t understand the culture of guanxi. .[/QUOTE]
I enjoyed the issue! My favorite articles were the traditional shaolin stance training by Walter Gjergja, the interview of the abbot and the temple & the auto shop (interesting how a shaolin school just blossoms in a busy California store front :D)
Although I am not a proponent of absolute moral relativism I do believe that a certain level of cultural relativism is important to hold if one wishes to avoid Jingoism.
[QUOTE=SimonM;900061]Although I am not a proponent of absolute moral relativism I do believe that a certain level of cultural relativism is important to hold if one wishes to avoid Jingoism.[/QUOTE]
From the perspective of realpolitic relativism is necessary though. One will not be successful as a diplomat if one runs around declaring things immoral on the basis of cultural difference.
That being said, certain attrocities should not be allowed to hide behind the veneer of cultural relativism (mutilation for instance) and so cultural relativism must be within defined limits and should not be confused for moral relativism.
The Dog Master piece was by Chen Pengcheng, who is indeed ESL, and has written a lot of our e-zine. I really wanted to use the cover blurb “Shaolin Dog Master Interview”.
the united states is no stranger to this behavior either.
watch director clint eastwood’s new film “changeling”, starring angelina jolie. its based on a true story which took place in 1920’s los angeles. the corruption is just sickening.
i went to see the movie with family and friends during thanksgiving. not so much for the movie but just for the time hanging out. i didnt go in expecting much, and dont generally watch movies. i dont even own a tv. but i was blown away by it, emotionally. very good movie.
