Wu-Tang Enters Wudang (7 of 7)

Wu-Tang Forever
by Gene Ching

Track 11: Wu-Tang Forever
Wudangshan maybe the second martial mountain after Shaolin, but it is ahead in the eyes of the world. On December 17th, 1994 Wudangshan was inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO.) Inscription on this list confirms the exceptional and universal value of a cultural or natural site which requires protection for the benefits of all humanity. This is an illustrious and highly desired honor. At this writing, there are only 690 sites (529 cultural, 138 natural and 23 mixed properties in 122 states) that have been acknowledged. China ranks third in the world with 27 sites, behind Spain (35) and Italy (33.) The United States has 19.

Shaolin's latest debacle, the forced relocation of the villagers is undoubtedly part of a larger strategy. Great prestige comes with being inducted to the World Heritage List. Even the third martial mountain, Mount Emei is on the list already. And neither Wudang nor Emei holds a claim as culturally significant to the world as the cradle of Zen. However, it is worthy of note that of the four most significant Buddhist sites, Lumbini (where Buddha was born,) Bodh Gaya (where Buddha was enlightened,) Sarnath (where he gave his first sermon,) and Kusinagara (where he achieved Samadhi,) only Lumbini has been inducted so far. If Shaolin wants this, it will take more than forced relocation and a new highway.

But Wudang and Shaolin are very different places. Shaolin has a forest of steles - stone tablets donated by contributors to the temple. Wudang only has a few. While there, RZA inquired about how much of a donation was required to place a stone. He seemed genuinely interested in giving back something to the place that inspired his musical empire. Now that would be amazing - the W on a stone at the Wudangshan's Purple Cloud Palace.

Track 12: Deadly Melody
After Wudang, Shi Yanming, RZA and the tour group went to Xian, China's ancient walled capital and home of the famous terracotta warriors (another UNESCO World Heritage site.) This was the last segment of the warriors' journey. The martial portion of the tour was over and the tour group could finally just relax, unwind and enjoy the sites of China. But RZA, still in his Shaw Brothers kungfu movie, had one more test before he could leave.

RZA spent the afternoon with the group in old Xian, also known as the Muslim sector. Muslims (or Hui as they are known in Mandarin) represent the largest cultural/religious minority in China, with over 30,000 residing in Xian. In kungfu, they contributed the seminal Northern styles of Cha Quan and Tan Tui. The Muslim sector is an ancient alley street bazaar, full of mysterious treasure vendors, skull-capped old Hui men and an atmosphere from long ago. At the center of the section is the Great Mosque (Da Qingzhensi) founded in 742 CE and rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty. RZA is a devout member of the Five Percent Nation, a controversial group that split from the Nation of Islam in 1964. After being respectful of the Buddhism of Shaolin and the Taoism of Wudang, he finally found a temple of his own beliefs to end his vision quest.

The last test for RZA was waiting at a dinner banquet just down the street. Xian is famous for its dumplings, and this banquet was comprised of 21 courses of gourmet dumplings, plus an ample serving of Xian liquors. Like so many restaurants, the feature attraction is a Karaoke machine. Yanming, always the upstart, convinced RZA to grab the mike, and join his other singing student Rona in a duet. Well, they loved Rona. She sang her beloved show tunes at full Karaoke volume. Chinese can't get enough of those show tunes. It's what Karaoke was designed for. But for some unexplainable reason, every time RZA got going, the power would mysteriously fade out. It was plain that the restaurant had no appreciation of rap music. The abbot of Wu-Tang, who held the Western music industry under his thumb, couldn't play some touristy joint in Xian. If those Xian restaurateurs only knew...

Later, on the last night of the trip, RZA snuck out with a few others to a local bar, and found some young Chinese DJ's spinning. He grabbed the mike again for a private concert. Those DJ's were ecstatic. At last, RZA had brought rap to a Chinese dancehall. After all of his explorations to the heart of the martial world, he left some pearls from his own art, worth millions at home, but barely comprehensible to the Chinese.

Outro: Jah World
The practice of kungfu is deeply embedded in Chinese culture. To completely understand kungfu, Chinese culture must be embraced, but not just the romantic culture of yesteryear. Shaolin and Wudang must be honored in the context of modern-day China, with its tourist traps, political intrigues and even its karaoke. And this homage must be tempered with the greater issues of the world at large, such as human rights, energy resources, cataclysmic disasters and the position of the United Nations.

Earnest followers of the warrior way realize that in today's global community, we are all connected - one blood, one aim, one destiny. Now, even the remote Taoist hermit or Buddhist monk can be touched by the ghettos of Staten Island. You can dream about running away to some secluded mountain temple to do nothing but study kungfu. You can dream of becoming a Shaolin monk or Wudang priest. You can dream this dream, but the hardship you face there is far greater than what impedes your practice today. If you are not working towards mastery here and now, why would things be any different there and then? You can't run away from yourself, or your world. For some day, no matter how far away you run, a pilgrim might come to you from the other side of the world and with all due respect, bring da ruckus.

END

About Gene Ching:
Gene Ching is the Assistant Publisher of Kungfu Qigong Magazine & KungfuMagazine.com