现今，由于武当武术的传播，太极拳或“太极”二字可谓家喻户晓，脍炙人口。说到太极拳，大家都知道是道家所创，还知道练太极拳可以养生; 但说到“无极”与“太极”二字的含义或由来，可能不少人就模糊不清了。要了解“无极”与“太极”，我们必须先谈谈《易经》。

《易经》是中国第一经，它是群经之首、也是群经之始。所有古代中华理论都是从这里发源出来，它是中华文化的总源头、它是诸子百家的开始。大约在新石器时代就诞生了，是中国进入文明社会的重要标志。它不但是最早的文明典籍，同时也对中国的道教、儒家、中医、文字、数术、哲学、民间信仰等产生了重要影响。

《易经》认为世间万物的来源是：“无极生有极，有极生太极，太极生两仪（即阴阳），两仪生四象（即少阳，太阳，少阴，太阴）。“无极”一词在文言文中是表示"没有中心"的意思，延伸为无边际，无穷尽的意思。无极是先天的，没有变化的。太极是后天的，是阴阳二气互动的。宇宙大爆炸产生了物质宇宙（太极）。

《易经》影响最深的是道家，在道家的观念里，老子提出了“复归于无极”，这是道家第一次出现无极的概念。用无极指称道的终极性的概念。所以无极的原义就是道，道是不可穷尽的。庄子在《逍遥游》中说“无极之外，复无极也。”意思是世界无边无际，无穷之外，还是无穷，无极便是无穷。无极是无，太极是有，有无相对。无极是古代哲学范畴。指派生万物的本体。以其无味、无臭、无声、无色、无始、无终，无可指名，故曰无极。无极代表着华夏民族祖先对世间万物诞生之前的理解，即宇宙大爆炸之前状态的抽象理解，物质来自于“无极”的思想既是易经的观点，也是老子“有生于无”的观点，同时也完全符合当代科学关于宇宙大爆炸理论，还符合科学实验关于粒子特征的描述。

民间信仰由《易经》延申出了无极生太极，太极生两仪，两仪生四象，四象生八卦。民间风俗的观念里描述了天地初开，一切皆为混沌，是为无极；阴阳交合，阴阳二气生成万物是为太极；清者上升为天，浊者下沉为地，分为东，南，西，北四方，每方各有一神兽首镇守，东方青龙，西方白虎，南方朱雀，北方玄武，是为四象；智者伏羲，凭日月升降悟出乾坤之奥，从而创出八卦，分为乾、坤、艮、震、巽、坎、兑、离。民间信仰也从《易经》探索出在自然界的本身变化生成中有一种有序化的秩序，这种有序化包涵着生命的目的性，而天地间的万物都是由天地即自然界给予的，这种没有终止，不断地生长及繁殖，天地造化就是自然界的本来面目。生命是一个连续不断的生成过程，没有一刻停息，并没有由一个上帝或主宰者来创造生命，而是由自然界本身来不断地生成，不断地创造，而天地本来就是这个样子，以“生生之谓易”为基本的存在方式。

"散打天下—中国武术散打职业联赛" 是中国国家体育总局武术运动管理中心授权，北京中武利百文化体育发展有限公司全权运营、开发，由总局武管中心、中国武术协会、北京中武利百公司三方联合主办的国内顶级武术散打职业联赛。同武术散打竞技比赛相比，“散打天下”中国散打职业联赛对规则做出了改变和创新，极大增加了赛事结果的悬念性，更适应新规则的选手将极有可能在赛事中爆冷。

"散打天下赛"比赛分为男子六个级别：65KG、70KG、75KG、80KG、85KG、90KG；女子两个级别：56KG、60KG。比赛分为淘汰赛、积分循环赛、年度半决赛、总决赛等阶段，各级别冠军将共同分享百万奖金。

Throughout the ages teachers are entrusted with the imparting of morality, knowledge and values to the younger generation. There is the ancient Chinese saying "Yi Ri Wei Shi, Zhong Shen Wei Fu 一日为师，终身为父" which means : Being your teacher for only a day, you should regard him like your father for the rest of your life.” To the Chinese, this type of respect toward one’s teachers has been integral part of Chinese Culture for thousands of years. Today is 31th August 2018, Teachers Day. We wish all Teachers, Instructors, Mentors and Great Sages in the world a Happy Teachers Day !

今天是2018年8月31日，教师节。祝天下的老师，师父，导师 及 圣人教师节快乐！

尊师重教是中华民族的优良传统，早在公元前11世纪的西周时期，就提出“弟子事师，敬同于父”。十年树木，百年树人。教师的职业永远是神圣的，老师的称呼永远是庄严的。

The 15th day of the 7th month in the Chinese lunar calendar is known in the West as the “Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival” but to the Chinese Mahayana Buddhists 汉传佛教, this day is known as Yu Lan Pen Jie 盂兰盆节 (Ullambana Festival). According Chinese Mahayana Scriptures, Yu Lan Pen Jie 盂兰盆节 had originated from the stories of “Mu Lian Rescues His Mother 目连救母”, the attempts by Mu Lian 目连, a disciple of Buddha, to save his mother from torture in hell as a “Hungry Ghost”.

According to the Scriptures, Mu Lian 目连 after gaining spiritual powers wanted to save his parents from their bad karma so as to repay their kindness. He searched with his heavenly eye power and found his mother fallen into the realm of hungry ghosts, starved to skin and bone, unable to take any food or drink. Mu Lian immediately filled a basin with rice and send it to his mother using his powers. To his surprise, as an effect of her evil karma, the food turned into ashes even before reaching her mouth. Out of desperation Mu Lian begged Buddha to help him rescue his mother.

Buddha told Mu Lian 目连 that due to his mother’s heavy karma Mu Lian alone was not enough to save her. Mu Lian was then instructed by Buddha to offer food and gifts to monks and nuns at the time of their return from the summer retreat on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month and do dedication of his merits to his mother. With the strengths of all the Sangha and the merit and virtue from such offering, he could then save his parents of the current life and seven lives past, and relatives from suffering.

Mu Lian 目连 followed Buddha’s instructions and was successful rescuing his mother from suffering as a hungry ghost. Today the same ritual that Buddha instructed Mu Lian to do can be seen carried out in Chinese Mahayana Temples, whereby on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month a large variety of offerings are made to the Buddha and Sangha in aid of those suffering in all realms and as an act of filial piety for the ancestors. On this day many Buddhists and Shenists will go Chinese Mahayana temples to set up ancestral tablets, chant scriptures together with the monks and dedicate the merits to their ancestors, families and all beings.

* The Chinese word Yu Lan Pen Jie 盂兰盆节 had derived from the the Sanskrit word Ullambana. Ullambana means "deliverance from suffering," and specifically refers to the salvation of anguished souls in hell.

* Historical records show that Emperor Liang Wu Di 梁武帝 (464AD-549AD) of China’s Northern and Southern Dynasties Era 南北朝 was the first to hold the Yu Lan Pen Jie 盂兰盆节 (Ullambana Festival) ritual according to the Chinese Mahayana Scriptures.

* The coming Yu Lan Pen Jie 盂兰盆节 (Ullambana Festival) falls on 25th Aug 2018.

Su Shi 苏轼 (1037AD – 1101AD), also known as Su Dong Po 苏东坡, was a Chinese writer, poet, painter, calligrapher, pharmacologist, gastronome, and a statesman of China's Song Dynasty 宋朝. A major personality of the Song era, Su Dong Po 苏东坡 was an important figure in Song Dynasty politics, aligning himself with Sima Guang 司马光 and others, against the New Policy party led by Wang Anshi. Su Dong Po once wrote a poem criticizing Wang Anshi's reforms, especially the government monopoly imposed on the salt industry and Su was exiled for political crimes. After a long period of political exile, Su received a pardon in 1100AD and was posted to Chengdu. However, he died in Changzhou, Jiangsu province while he was en route to his new assignment in 1101AD. After his death Su gained even greater popularity, as people sought to collect his calligraphy, paintings depicting him, stone inscriptions marking his visit to numerous places, and built shrines in his honor.

Su Dong Po's poetry has a long history of popularity and influence in China, Japan, and other areas in the near vicinity and is well known in the English-speaking parts of the world through the translations by Arthur Waley, among others. In terms of the arts, Su Dong Po has some claim to being "the pre-eminent personality of the eleventh century."

苏轼（1037年－1101年），字子瞻，又字和仲，号“东坡居士”，世称“苏东坡”。汉族，眉州眉山（今四川眉山，北宋时为眉山城）人，祖籍栾城。北宋著名散文家、书画家、词人、诗人。

苏轼是苏洵的次子（苏洵长子夭折），1057年（嘉祐二年），与弟苏辙同登进士。苏轼与父苏洵、弟苏辙并称“三苏”，父子同列唐宋八大家（韩愈，柳宗元，欧阳修，王安石，苏轼，苏洵，苏辙，曾巩）。为人宽大如海。苏轼中进士时二十一岁，神宗时期曾在凤翔、杭州、密州、徐州、湖州等地任职。1080年（元丰三年）因“乌台诗案”受诬陷被贬黄州任团练副使，在黄州四年多曾于城东之东坡开荒种田，故自号“东坡居士”，人称“苏东坡”。哲宗即位后，曾任翰林学士、侍读学士、礼部尚书等职，并出知杭州、颍州、扬州、定州等地，晚年被贬惠州、儋州。大赦北还，途中病死在常州，葬于河南郏县，追谥文忠公。

什么是武德？武德是指一个武者的言行举止及操守准则。许多旧时代的武术宗师都有留下对武德的解析及规范，以让后世弟子遵寻。可是他们所留下的武德大多都参杂了有利于自己流派持续扩张的意愿，他们所留下的武德甚至在现代人的眼里也显的有点消极，不适于现代社会的发展需要。但如果你仔细分析这些旧时代的武德，你会注意到当排除宗师们的个人意愿。例如：要要求弟子对流派的发展做出贡献，维护流派的荣誉等等。它们基本上是在教导弟子们不要好勇斗狠，不要冲动行事，要以礼待人。简单的说是教导弟子们要老老实实，做个良好市民。

所以本团 "星洲国术" 认为武德的核心应取之儒家 “非礼勿视、非礼勿听、非礼勿言、非礼勿行” 的精神。武德不应该像武术宗师及文人说的那么玄，武德就是武者要求及约束自己不看、听、说、或做：不文明、不道德、不合情理、不合法律的物，词与事。

Wu Zu Quan 五祖拳 (Five Ancestors Fist) is one of the more prominent Traditional Chinese Martial Art from Fujian Province 福建省 in Southern China. Wu Zu Quan 五祖拳 is said to be developed for close quarters combat, utilizes both striking and grappling/trapping techniques to define its self defense theories.

There exists various versions regarding the origin of Wu Zu Quan 五祖拳. The most popular version is that it was invented by Fujian Martial Artist, Cai Yu Ming 蔡玉鸣 during the last decades of China's Qing Dynasty 清朝. Cai Yu Ming 蔡玉鸣 combined the best of the existing five famous styles of Southern Style Kung Fu from Fujian 福建 at that time into a composite style. It was therefore made up of the following styles: 白鹤拳 White Crane Fist, 太祖拳 Grand Ancestor Fist, 罗汉拳 Luo Han Fist, 猴拳 Monkey Fist and 達尊拳 Da Zun Quan. He called his style Wu Zu Quan 五祖拳, or “Fists of the Five Ancestors,” in honor of the five styles he combined.

五祖拳，是中华传统武术中的南拳之一。据说此拳是由蔡玉鸣（福建泉州人，公元1853-1910）综合了白鹤拳、猴拳、罗汉拳、达尊拳和太祖拳而成的，故称五祖拳。五祖拳的特点是多短打，门户紧，拳势烈。在练法上要求头上顶，两肩坠，心胸守，丹田聚。对桩 功要求很严，腿法中平，步形较高。

五祖拳具有南少林武术独特的风格和鲜明的特点，讲究招招有势，势势有法，法法有用，具有勇猛剽悍之形，雄伟磅礴之势；动作简练，拳势激烈，富有阳刚之美；劲力浑厚刚强，发劲讲究力催三关、运腰送肩，出拳要求以点着力，有“金刚劲”之称；强调运功发劲要与运气密切结合，有独特的狮子吼运气法；步法稳健，要求“四点金”落地，十趾翘则足力生，兜前足以固膀胱，夹裆、束臀、提肛而锁真气；身形强调百会提则头挺，牙关起而功强，两肩坠而心胸守；手法讲究吞、吐、浮、沉；桥法讲究过、添、断、粘；拳法讲究重与快；腿法讲究低与冷；技法的应用上要求手不离中门，出技对子午、垂肘不露胁；运招要求招中藏招、招上变招。技击总诀要求：以静待动，后发而制人；以柔克刚，四两拨千斤；以速御迟，用快制敌；以虚击实，出其不意；以拙制巧，随机应变，得势近身，低腿为先，短拳变肘，顺擒摔翻，拿压固控，远之拳足，近之膝肘，靠之以摔，相机以擒。

Liu Bo Wen (1311AD-1375AD) was a Chinese military strategist, philosopher, statesman and poet who lived in ancient China's late Yuan and early Ming Dynasty. He served as a key advisor to Zhu Yuan Zhang (朱元璋), the founder of the Ming dynasty, to help him overthrow the Yuan dynasty and unify China under his rule.

Liu Bo Wen dabbled in many fields of statecraft, philosophy, scholarly works, and military technology. His philosophical outlook was that of a skeptical naturalist, he was also known to be an expert in astronomy, calendrical science and Feng Shui (风水).

刘伯温是明朝非常特殊的人物。在民众心中刘伯温是清官的代表，智慧的化身，人民的救星。据说他能前知五百年、后知五百年，还是个风水大师。

刘伯温在元朝末年经历了坎坷的仕途之路，这也因为其任官期间，刚正不阿，能体恤民情，但不宽宥违法的行为;对于发奸摘伏，更是不避强权，也因此受地方豪绅排挤，这性格为后来遭奸人暗算埋下了伏笔。后来在被革职的他，为了施展心中的抱复，在刘伯温50岁时，应朱元璋聘参与军机，成为了朱元璋开创明王朝的主要谋士，这也让其才能得到了极致的发挥，被后人比作诸葛武侯。中国民间广泛流传着 ”三分天下诸葛亮，一统江山刘伯温;前朝军师诸葛亮，后朝军师刘伯温”的说法。

The Guan Gong 关公 or Guan Di 关帝 Culture have been celebrated by the Chinese for over 1700 years. The statues and paintings of Guan Di 关帝 was depicted by the Chinese from the heart in prolonged period of time, with a hero worship, and with a moral desire for the "Loyalty, Righteousness, Benevolence and Bravery". In recent years the "Guan Gong Belief and Customs" has been listed in the national non-material cultural heritage list by China's State Council.
 
Below is footage taken at Guan Gong Temple in Singapore's Yishun during Guan Gong Festival, 26th June 2018.

关帝诞视频, 新加坡义顺关帝庙拍摄, 2018年6月26日

这个月的 6月26号是 农历: 五月十三日, 关帝诞... 关老爷的弟子们别忘了到关帝庙给关老爷助兴哦...
The 26th of June (This Month) is the 13th Day & 5th Month of Chinese Lunar Calendar : Guan Di Festival (关帝诞)... Followers of Guan Di (关帝) don't forget to visit Guan Di Temple to join in the festivities with Sage Guan...