清晨,在北京什刹海湖畔。经常可以看到一位体态灵活、 精神的老人在打太极拳。他就是北京武术协会委员,年过 六十的王培生。提起王培生来,武术界的同事都知道,就是这 位老人在一次武术经验交流会上,一举战胜了日本武林界高 手,名震四方。 1981年5月,王培生受体委委托,去沈阳编写太极拳推 手比赛规则。当时,正值那里举行“全国武术观摩交流大会”, 各路英雄云集沈阳,连日本的少林拳法联盟代表团也闻风特地 赶来了。武术界的人士都知道,日本的武术技艺非同小可,尤 其是我国十年内乱期间,他们的发展更是突飞猛进,还开办全 国性的少林拳法学校。近些年,每逢我国举办武术交流大会, 他们都要来参观,并一再要求与我国代表比武。出于外交方面 的考虑,被我国武术界多次拒绝,而他们却把我们的谦让,误 认为无能,乃至出言不逊,说什么“少林寺还在中国,可少林 拳已不在中国了!”听着这些有损于民族尊严的话,武林英雄 们再也按耐不住了,恨不得立即挽起袖子,与他们比个高低。 后来,中国方面终于产生了“技术交流”代表。他们是北京的王培生和广西的姜星五。 “技术交流”是在辽宁省体育馆的会客厅举行的,这虽然不是正式比赛,但谁都理解这是两个民族在武术方面的竞技, 是勇气、意志与精神上的较量。 日方首先表演对打,一边是体格粗壮的有200来斤重的团 长,一边是身高1.80米的精干灵活的教务长。他们一上手, 就犹如饿虎出山,动作凶猛爽利,身手确实不凡,尤其是日本 少林拳道专门学校的教务长,不几回合,瞅个机会,攥住团长 的手腕一抡,大块头的团长就像个面口袋似地飞过教务长的头 顶,“扑通”一声重重地落在地上。 “他们是要给咱来个下马威呀。”王培生心里明白了。他冷 静地望着面露得意之色的日方代表,脑海里蓦然想起当年师父 韩慕侠拳打康泰尔的情景。顿时,他下定了不打则已,打则必 胜的决心,击败对手,为国争光! 当日本代表团成员得知王培生要以太极拳与他们竞技时, 脸色顿时变了,团长站起来说:“少林拳法代表团一共来华9 次,多次看到太极拳,这些日本也有,只不过是用来健身而 已。”话说到这儿,他就坐下了,虽然没有明说不肯与王培生 交手,但那不屑之意溢于言表。王培生顿时怒火攻心,他站了 起来,真想揪过团长,立刻与他见一高低,但一想到他们轻视 的不仅仅是自己,而且是我国的传统武术和武术界的无数同 行,绝不能意气用事,便转而沉着地说:“您对太极拳的认 识,说明您根本不理解太极拳。而不理解太极拳也就是不懂武 术,太极拳作为武术的一枝,与少林拳、华拳、查拳等并立于 武林之中,就说明它不仅是为了健康。我认为太极拳不仅有 技击作用,而且能够胜于一切!太极拳讲究阴阳、动静、虚 得其精髓的,发起来使对方攻来如同铁锤击于棉絮,大 于水中,无奈我何。而我则进退皆宜,以柔克刚,以逸待 王培生滔滔不绝地从太极拳的起源、发展讲到它的科学原理,
以及对人体的生理作用。最后,王培生向当中一站,说:“咱 别光说不练,来你们哪一位跟我试试?” 话音未落,教务长乘王培生不备,早已一步蹿到眼前,右 手攥住王培生手腕,左手高举,凌空猛劈下来。这一下要是被 他劈着了,这只胳膊非断不可。说时迟,那时快,王培生一个 “提手上势”,将教务长带得踮起脚来,马上豁地一转身,拧住 他的胳膊又一个“进步栽捶”,“咕咚”一声,教务长便双膝 跪地,脑袋也撞了地上: 这发生在一刹那之间的失败,使教务长发起怒来。这还了 得,日本第一流的武术家竟倒在这身材不高,貌不惊人的太极 拳家脚下,岂不太失面子!他吼叫着爬起来,猛扑到王培生身 上,一只胳膊紧紧地住王培生的脖子,右腿使足了劲猛踹过 来。王培生伸出右手一晃:“这就是‘云手”。你们说的‘摸 鱼睡觉’。”这轻轻的晃得似有千钧之力,只见教务长就像遭雷 击了一样,晕头转向地滚了出去。交手不到10分钟,教务长 像个被大人摆布的孩子一样,接连跌了八九个跟头,累得上气 不接下气,浑身大汗淋漓。 他竭力想挽回面子,又喘着粗气从后面扑上来,一把抱住 了王培生的后腰,想将其摔倒在地。只听王培生口中念道: “千斤坠”身材高大的教务长使足了力气也不倒这个比自己 矮一头的中国人。王培生回过身来,右手在教务长命门穴上只 一捋,便轻而易举地将他抱到了身前,说了声:“算了吧!” 随之右手一扬,教务长站立不稳,跌跌撞撞地退到了墙角。他 这才弯腰低头,双手按在膝上深深鞠躬,心悦诚服地认输了。 临别时,团长谦诚地表示,我们虽来华多次,但这次收获最 大,认识了太极拳的真功夫是大大的!很大的!希望您今后能够到日本讲学。
冰冻三尺,非一日之寒;王培生的这身武艺是半个多世纪 来艰苦打磨的结果。65年前,在北京的一个四合院里,他 “呱呱”落地了。旧社会,哪个父母不望子成龙?孩子取名叫 “培生”。可是,不管怎么点拨,培生也“不长进”,从小喜欢 舞刀弄棒,没有一点儿斯文劲儿。可有一处,培生无师自通, 才8岁,就能在桌子上连翻30多个跟头。只有那些与培生自 小耳鬓厮磨的小伙伴们才知道,培生可不是胸无大志的人,只 不过他的志向不是升官发财,成名成家,而是要做一个除暴安 良、抑強扶弱的英雄!十来岁时,培生拜了四名武术师父,跟 “钩镗张”张玉连学弹腿,跟马贵学八卦,跟杨禹廷学太极拳, 跟韩慕侠学八卦、形意。这些老师都是当时的武林名家,尤其 是韩慕侠,自打在六国饭店贏了狂妄不可一世的俄国大力士康 泰尔以后,名声大震,连周恩来年轻时也当过他的学生。王培 生受韩慕侠的影响很大,他立志:做人就要像韩老师,为人方 正,不畏强暴,为国争光,有一股子浩然正气!在四位老师的 指点下,王培生的武艺与日俱增,才18岁,就被人请去当了 武术教师。 练就了一身武艺,王培生不负初衷,果然是路见不平,拔 刀相助。一次,他看到六七个国民党兵强抢一个小贩的鱼,急 得小贩作揖打躬地苦苦哀求。许多围观的人忿忿不平,却不敢 上前阻拦。王培生一个箭步蹿入圈内,大喝一声:“住手!光 天化日竟敢抢劫。”几个大兵见他只身一人,哪里放在眼里, 边骂着“你小子找死!”边扑了过来。只见王培生腾空跃起, 一脚将最靠前的一个国民党兵踢翻在地,又回手一拳将身后的 一个打出一丈开外。其余的人吓呆了,赔着笑脸连连讨饶。 “不行,你们拦路抢劫,得赔上人家的工夫钱。”几个国民党兵 见王培生怒气冲冲不肯罢休的样子,只得各掏腰包,凑钱交给了小贩。 岁月如梭,转眼王培生今年已65岁了。年近古稀,正是 安度晚年,乐享天伦的时候,但他却深感时间的紧迫。每天, 他除了去给那些慕名求教的人上课外,便是伏案疾书。 他有一个宏伟的计划:要在有生之年把自己全部经验整理 成册,留给后人。1953年他写的《太极拳三十七势》已付 印,对国外发行。目前,他又在着手写《太极拳器械》一书, 在这本书里,他详尽地介绍了太极剑、太极刀、太极粘杆。同 时,他已整理了不少资料,准备陆续写太极拳技击推手,太极 拳理论探讨等书。一句话,他最后的心愿是:抓紧时间,贡献 余热,让我们民族的高超技艺同武林的浩然正气一样,源远流 长,与世共存。
Early morning, on the shores of Beijing's Shichahai Lake. One can often see an agile, spirited old man practicing Taijiquan. This is Wang Peisheng, a member of the Beijing Wushu Association, over sixty years old. When it comes to Wang Peisheng, colleagues in the martial arts world all know that it was this old man who, at a martial arts experience exchange meeting, defeated a Japanese martial arts master in one stroke, becoming famous far and wide.
In May 1981, Wang Peisheng was entrusted by the Sports Commission to go to Shenyang to compile the rules for Taijiquan push hands competitions. At that time, a "National Wushu Observation and Exchange Conference" was being held there, with heroes from all quarters gathering in Shenyang, and even the Japan Shaolin Kempo Federation delegation had specially rushed over upon hearing the news. People in the martial arts world all knew that Japan's martial arts skills were extraordinary, especially during our country's ten years of internal turmoil, their development had advanced by leaps and bounds, and they had even established a national Shaolin Kempo school. In recent years, whenever our country held martial arts exchange conferences, they would come to observe and repeatedly requested to compete with our country's representatives. Out of diplomatic considerations, this was refused multiple times by our country's martial arts community, but they mistook our humility for incompetence, even making insolent remarks like "The Shaolin Temple is still in China, but Shaolin boxing is no longer in China!" Hearing these words that damaged national dignity, the martial arts heroes could no longer restrain themselves, wishing they could immediately roll up their sleeves and compete with them. Later, the Chinese side finally produced "technical exchange" representatives. They were Wang Peisheng from Beijing and Jiang Xingwu from Guangxi.
The "technical exchange" was held in the reception hall of the Liaoning Provincial Stadium. Although this was not a formal competition, everyone understood this was a martial arts contest between two nations, a test of courage, will, and spirit.
The Japanese side first demonstrated sparring, with the robust team leader weighing about 200 jin on one side, and the 1.80-meter-tall, lean and agile dean of instruction on the other. As soon as they engaged, they were like hungry tigers descending the mountain, with fierce and sharp movements, their skill truly extraordinary. Especially the dean of instruction from Japan's Shaolin Kempo Specialized School—within just a few exchanges, seizing an opportunity, he grabbed the team leader's wrist and swung him around. The bulky team leader flew over the dean's head like a sack of flour and landed heavily on the ground with a "thud."
"They're trying to intimidate us from the start," Wang Peisheng understood. He calmly watched the Japanese representatives with their triumphant expressions, and suddenly his mind flashed back to the scene of his master Han Muxia defeating康泰尔 with his fists. At that moment, he made up his mind: if he was going to fight, he would not fight unless he could win—defeat the opponent and bring glory to the nation!
When the members of the Japanese delegation learned that Wang Peisheng would compete with them using Taijiquan, their expressions immediately changed. The team leader stood up and said: "The Shaolin Kempo delegation has come to China a total of 9 times and has seen Taijiquan many times. Japan has this too, it's just used for health." Having said this, he sat down. Although he didn't explicitly say he refused to spar with Wang Peisheng, his disdain was obvious. Wang Peisheng was immediately filled with anger. He stood up, really wanting to grab the team leader and immediately compete with him, but thinking that what they were belittling was not just himself, but our country's traditional martial arts and countless colleagues in the martial arts world, he must not act impulsively. He instead calmly said: "Your understanding of Taijiquan shows that you fundamentally don't understand Taijiquan. And not understanding Taijiquan means not understanding martial arts. The fact that Taijiquan stands alongside Shaolin boxing, Hua boxing, Cha boxing and others in the martial arts world shows that it is not just for health. I believe that Taijiquan not only has combat applications, but can prevail over everything! Taijiquan emphasizes yin and yang, movement and stillness, emptiness and fullness. Those who grasp its essence can make an opponent's attack like an iron hammer striking cotton, like sinking into water, helpless against me. Meanwhile, I can advance or retreat at will, overcoming hardness with softness, awaiting exertion with ease." Wang Peisheng spoke at length about Taijiquan's origins and development, its scientific principles,
and its physiological effects on the human body. Finally, Wang Peisheng stood in the center and said: "Let's not just talk without action. Come on, which of you wants to try me?"
Before his words had faded, the dean of instruction, taking advantage of Wang Peisheng's unpreparedness, had already leaped in front of him, grasping Wang Peisheng's wrist with his right hand while raising his left hand high and chopping down fiercely through the air. If this blow had landed, the arm would certainly have broken. But in that split second, Wang Peisheng executed a "Raise Hands" technique, pulling the dean up onto his tiptoes, then immediately whirled around, twisted his arm and delivered a "Step Forward and Plant the Fist." With a "thud," the dean fell to his knees with his head striking the ground.
This defeat, which occurred in an instant, enraged the dean. How could this be—a first-rate Japanese martial artist falling at the feet of this short, unremarkable-looking Taijiquan practitioner? What a loss of face! He roared and scrambled up, lunging at Wang Peisheng, wrapping one arm tightly around Wang Peisheng's neck while kicking fiercely with his right leg. Wang Peisheng extended his right hand with a wave: "This is 'Cloud Hands.' What you call 'groping for fish while sleeping.'" This gentle wave seemed to have the force of a thousand pounds. The dean looked as if struck by lightning, rolling away dazed and confused. In less than 10 minutes of sparring, the dean tumbled head over heels eight or nine times like a child being handled by an adult, exhausted and gasping for breath, drenched in sweat.
Desperately trying to save face, he came charging from behind again, gasping heavily, grabbing Wang Peisheng's lower back and trying to throw him to the ground. Wang Peisheng simply said: "Thousand Pound Drop." The tall dean, using all his strength, still couldn't topple this Chinese man who was a head shorter than himself. Wang Peisheng turned around, and with just a stroke of his right hand on the dean's mingmen acupoint, effortlessly lifted him to his front, saying: "That's enough!" Then with a flick of his right hand, the dean lost his footing and stumbled backward to the corner. Only then did he bend at the waist and bow deeply with his hands on his knees, conceding defeat with genuine conviction. At parting, the team leader humbly stated that although they had come to China many times, this visit yielded the greatest reward—they had learned that the true skill of Taijiquan is very great! Very great indeed! He hoped Wang could come lecture in Japan in the future.
Rome wasn't built in a day; Wang Peisheng's martial arts skill was the result of over half a century of hard training. Sixty-five years ago, in a Beijing courtyard house, he was born with a cry. In the old society, what parent didn't hope their son would become successful? The child was named "Peisheng" (cultivating life). But no matter how he was guided, Peisheng didn't "make progress"—from childhood he loved wielding weapons and didn't have a scholarly bone in his body. In one area, though, Peisheng was naturally gifted: at just 8 years old, he could do over 30 consecutive somersaults on a table. Only those little companions who had grown up closely with Peisheng knew that he was not without great ambition; it was just that his ambition was not to become an official or get rich, to become famous or successful, but to become a hero who eliminated violence and upheld justice, suppressing the strong and helping the weak! Around ten years old, Peisheng took four martial arts masters as teachers: he learned Tan Tui from Zhang Yulin "Hook and镗 Zhang," learned Bagua from Ma Gui, learned Taijiquan from Yang Yuting, and learned Bagua and Xingyi from Han Muxia. These teachers were all famous martial artists of the time, especially Han Muxia, who became famous after defeating the arrogant and unrivaled Russian strongman 康泰尔 at the Six Nations Hotel—even Zhou Enlai had been his student in his youth. Wang Peisheng was greatly influenced by Han Muxia. He resolved: to be a person one must be like Teacher Han—upright in character, unafraid of violence, bringing glory to the nation, possessing a noble spirit! Under the guidance of his four teachers, Wang Peisheng's martial arts skills increased daily. At just 18 years old, he was already invited to become a martial arts instructor.
Having cultivated his martial arts skills, Wang Peisheng lived up to his original intentions, truly coming to the aid of those facing injustice. Once, he saw six or seven Nationalist soldiers forcibly taking fish from a street vendor, who was desperately bowing and pleading. Many onlookers were indignant but dared not step forward to stop them. Wang Peisheng leaped into the circle with a single bound and shouted: "Stop! How dare you rob people in broad daylight!" The soldiers, seeing he was alone, paid him no mind, cursing "You're looking for death, boy!" as they rushed at him. Wang Peisheng leaped into the air and with one kick sent the foremost Nationalist soldier tumbling to the ground, then with a backhand punch sent another one flying ten feet away. The rest were stunned, apologizing with forced smiles and begging for mercy. "No way, you blocked the road and robbed him, you have to compensate for his lost time and money." Seeing Wang Peisheng's furious and unrelenting manner, the Nationalist soldiers had no choice but to empty their pockets, pool their money, and hand it over to the vendor.
Time flies like an arrow; in the blink of an eye Wang Peisheng is already 65 years old this year. Approaching seventy, this should be a time to peacefully enjoy his later years and family happiness, but he feels deeply the urgency of time. Every day, besides teaching those who come seeking instruction, he is bent over his desk writing furiously.
He has a grand plan: to organize all his experience into books during his lifetime and leave them to posterity. His 1953 work "Thirty-Seven Postures of Taijiquan" has already been printed and distributed abroad. Currently, he is working on writing "Taijiquan Weapons," a book in which he provides detailed introductions to the Taiji sword, Taiji saber, and Taiji sticky pole. At the same time, he has organized considerable materials and plans to successively write books on Taijiquan combat push hands, theoretical explorations of Taijiquan, and more. In short, his final wish is: seize the time, contribute his remaining energy, so that our nation's superior skills, like the martial world's noble spirit, will flow from generation to generation and exist for all time.