A monk said to Joshu, “Your stone bridge is widely renowned, but coming here I find only a heap of rocks.” Joshu said, “You see only the stones and not the bridge.” The monk said, “What is the bridge?” Joshu said, “What do you think we are walking on?”

About nine months ago, I started studying martial arts at the Wing Chun Kung Fu Academy, under Sifu Stanley Jue. I’ve always been fascinated with martial arts, though never really took the time to seriously study until now. In college, I studied a little bit of Aikido Kokikai, but then went on a hiatus for about seven or eight years.

Aside from basic fitness and self defense, I was hoping to learn a little bit about the art side of martial arts as well. That makes Wing Chun an interesting choice — there are no flowery techniques in Wing Chun. If I was looking for a “pretty” art, I chose the antithesis. There’s beauty to be found, but it doesn’t have the immediate appeal of, say, wushu or more artsy styles.

I’m also on a quest to learn more about myself and the world, by seeking enlightenment in the modern day. Who knows if I’ll be successful? As they say, it’s not the destination, it’s the journey that’s important.

Hopefully, my quest will continue to be a rewarding one. At the very least, maybe I’ll be able to defend myself!