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George Silver’s Paradoxes of Defense

Brief Instructions upon my Paradoxes of Defence for the true handling of all manner of weapons together with the four grounds and the four governors which governors are left out in my paradoxes without the knowledge of which no man can fight safe.
Cap. I.
The four grounds or principals of that true fight at all manner of weapons are these four, viz. 1. judgment, 2. distance, 3. time, 4. place.

The reason whereof these 4 grounds or principals be the first and chief, are the following, because through judgment, you keep your distance, through distance you take your time, through time you safely win or gain the place of your adversary, the place being won or gained you have time safely either to strike, thrust, ward, close, grip, slip or go back, in which time your enemy is disappointed to hurt you, or to defend himself, by reason that he has lost his place, the reason that he has lost his true place is by the length of time through the numbering of his feet, to which he is out of necessity driven to that will be agent.

The 4 governors are those that follow

1. The first governor is judgment which is to know when your adversary can reach you, and when not, and when you can do the like to him, and to know by the goodness or badness of his lying, what he can do, and when and how he can perform it.

2. The second governor is measure. Measure is the better to know how to make your space true to defend yourself, or to offend your enemy.

3. 4. The third and forth governors are a twofold mind when you press in on your enemy, for as you have a mind to go forward, so must you have at that instant a mind to fly backward upon any action that shall be offered or done by your adversary.

DRAGON strengthens the legs and torso. It reduces Fire in the brain. (Metal, Fire). MONKEY quickens the hands. It pacifies the Spirit.(Water, Earth). TORTOISE improves the balance. It strengthens the Chi of the bones and tendons. ( Earth, Water). COCKEREL quickens the feet. It tones the Spleen and Stomach. (Water, Fire, Metal). SPARROWHAWK stabilizes the center. It exercises the Chi of the Hypogastrium. (Earth, Water). SNAKE improves swift directional change. It “Rubs” the Yin and Yang of the Spine. (Fire, Wood, Earth). PHOENIX strengthens the arms. It tones the Kidneys. (Metal, Water). TIGER strengthens the Spine. It purifies the breathing. (All Five Elements). HORSE teaches expansion power. It tones the Heart. (Fire, Wood). CHICKEN strengthens the feet. It tones the Liver. (Wood, Fire, Earth). EAGLEBEAR strengthens the Shoulders and Hands. It circulates the Breath. (Metal, Water). SWALLOW teaches low basin strength. It improves Mind/Body coordination. (Fire, Water).

- Mike Patteson

At the core of Sun Lu Tang’s Xing Yi Quan system is the 12 animals set. This set consists of 12 lines of movements, each emulating the fighting techniques of the 12 animals that come from heaven and earth. These are the Dragon, Tiger, Monkey, Horse, Water Lizard, Chicken, Sparrow Hawk, Swallow, Snake, Tai Bird, Eagle, and Bear. Regular practice of the 12 animals set benefits the practitioner both externally and internally. Externally, one learns the physical characteristics of each animal-the explosive power of the tiger, or the strength of the bear, for example. Internally, each animal form stimulates the internal energy, or Qi, in a particular and beneficial manner. The remainder of this article describes both the energetic work and the fighting applications of four of the animal forms: the Dragon, Tiger, Eagle, and Bear.”

-  Justin Liu,  Cultivation and Combat: The Fighting Animals of Xing Yi Quan.

The origins of warfare are of many types, but they do not go beyond three categories: just war, contest for prestige, or greed for profit.

When it is humane, just, loyal, and faithful, harboring no selfishness, an operation that is in accord with nature and humanity is called a just war.

There are seven kinds of just war in all. First is when the people all over the land are withering away under a brutal government, waiting for the time when it will some day perish, so Providence accedes to the people’s desire and borrows the services of a spiritual warrior with the character of a sage to execute the tyrant, so the people are revived in the midst of water and fire.
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Did you know that the Boy Scouts used to have a merit badge for Quarterstaff, Singlestick (wooden sword), Ju Jutsu, Fencing, and Boxing?

Lessons learned:

• Never walk when you can jump.
• Never sidestep when you can cartwheel.
• Never retreat when you can do a back handspring.