3 Friends of Winter. What is the Sho Chiku Bai?
3 Friends of Winter. What is the Sho Chiku Bai? The seal of crest used in Kosho Shorie Ryu has a very deep history in the martial arts, and not just Kosho Ryu. Everything in the crest also has a deep and important meaning.
Today I am going to focus on the 3 Friends of Winter, Pine, Bamboo and Plum. The 3 Evergreens of the martial arts.
3 Friends of Winter
Back a few years ago I wrote an article on my Kyusho Jitsu World Blog called the Seasons of Life. There is another I wrote also on the Season of Winter. And there is an important reason too! We all grow older. Most of all it happens a lot faster then we think it will.
The Kosho Ryu crest has many meanings, but to I am only going to be concerned with the Pine, Bamboo, Plum aspect. What is taught as martial arts today is VERY incomplete.
3 Friends of Winter - Life Expectancy of Martial Arts Today
Most systems have a life expectancy of about 4 years, at which time they run out of materials to teach. These tend to be very sport oriented and aimed at enrolling children and young adults. This trend has caused people to view the arts as activities and not ways of life. Plus because of sub standard training and ideas injuries are high as the body wear out at the joints.
I had a friend back in the 80's who was a Taekwondo fighter at an international level. By the age of 30 he needed a walking cane due to joint injury. This is due to excessive, unbalance training in sport. Big price, no reward. We lost contact 30 years ago. But he needed new knees and hips.
When taught properly, and completely martial arts training lasts for a life time.
3 Friends of Winter
The 3 friends of winter refer to the pine, bamboo, and plum.
The origin of this term is found as early as the Record of the Five-cloud Plum Cottage from the Clear Mountain Collection of literary writings by Lin Jingxi, 1241-1310, a Song dynasty loyalist). “For his residence, earth was piled to form a hill and a hundred plum trees, which along with lofty pines and tall bamboo comprise the friends of winter, were planted.”
3 Friends of Winter
Every year, as the season progresses from autumn to winter, the days become progressively colder. While many plants and trees begin to wither away or shed their leaves, the pine, bamboo, and plum seem to do just the opposite with their surprising display of vitality. Indeed, this unique quality drew much attention of the ancient Chinese.
The praise that the Chinese have for the pine, bamboo, and plum derives from the natural ability of these plants to withstand and even flourish in harsh environments. They became symbols that encouraged people to persevere in adversity, providing inspiration through consolation and determination. Consequently, these three became common subjects through the ages in Chinese painting and calligraphy. Because artists bring different experiences and feelings to these subjects, their works show a variety of forms, expressions, and sentiments.
3 Friends of Winter in Conclusion
The study of Kosho Ryu, which I began in 2000 make my martial art training timeless.
My Hapkido training was beginning to destroy my body with excessive wear and tear.
In the martial arts you should get better, more devastating with age. Not shrivel up and die. My art of Hapkido, which I rebuilt with Kosho Concepts and Principles not only became more effective, but also timeless. I am better today then I was 30 years ago.
And that is the idea. Martial Arts are for the long haul, a path of life, not an activity or sport. Consider this....
Thak you for reading 3 Friends of Winter.
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Al vostru în arte,
Mare Maestru Art Mason
Founder: Wolf's Den Dojo
