Loyalty

Kwan Kung is traditionally known as a red faced warrior, with a long beard and is known to wear a green robe. His weapon was a Kwan Do, which was named Green Dragon Crescent Blade.

Out of the three Generals, Kwan Kung (also known as Guan Yu) was known for his loyalty. Along with Zhang Fei, he served under warlord Lei Bui during the Eastern Han Dynasty. The three, Lei Bui, Kwan Kung and Zhang Fei considered each other brothers, and thus went everywhere together. Kwan Kung, after being separated from his brothers, spent many years trying to find them, and eventually reunited with them, all the while, serving and being loyal to whichever warlord he was under at the time.

Loyalty means to be faithful to someone, or a cause, or to beliefs. One can look at it as having unwavering support and not influenced by external forces.

To whom are we loyal to? Two sisters, who might be at odds at least once a day, will stand together, loyal in the face of adversity. Any meaningful relationship, will hopefully also stand together, loyal, during times of happiness and trials.

Loyalty should also be shown to the Martial Art to which you have trained. Your instructors dedicate their time and passion to passing on their knowledge to the student, and so loyalty dictates the same dedication and passion from the student. Our knowledge gets passed down, generation by generation. By keeping our art as pure as we can, we ensure that egos do not dictate our loyalty. The purity of the art, keeps the passion alive, and keeps us humble to our roots.

As a kwoon, we make sacrifices for ourselves, and to our fellow students and instructors for the good of our community. That loyalty enables us to continue to train with each other, and to learn without prejudice. It is with respect to our Kung Fu and its rich history, that we are loyal. It is an honour to train in the art of Kung Fu, and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn Kung Fu, to teach it and pass on my knowledge.

The art of Kung Fu is versatile, and is a way of life. It isn’t simply kicking and punching. Kung Fu to me is empathy, compassion, self defense (physical, mental and environmental), hard work, passion, humble, and is in some way, a part of every moment in my life.

It didn’t start out that way. I began for self defense, and before I knew it, it had enveloped me, and I cannot picture my life without it. There is always something to learn from those around me, no matter the belt level. I learn everyday, and I am thankful for that opportunity. Loyalty is important in the martial arts - how else do you become so proficient that your body reacts without a thought?