Book overview
The book was written by Jin Yi Ming and Guo Cui Ya. The first edition of the book was issued in August of 1930. The book was printed by the Publishing House Hua Lian in Shanghai. The book covers "External" (WAI GONG) and "Internal" (NEI GONG) training methods practiced by traditional schools of the Shaolin Family (SHAOLIN PAI). Today as in the ancient time special exercises aimed at acquiring Internal Mastery (GONG FU) are one of the most important elements of Shaolin monks training. Those exercises is the core of the Shaolin martial training, they are the key to the true summit of mastery. An old proverb says: "If you exercise only the technique (style) but ignore special training you will be a nobody till your old days." "Special training" implies particular exercises for developing both WAI ZHUANG - "External Power" and NEI ZHUANG - "Internal Power". Those exercises (training procedures) are collected under a common title - LIAN GONG, literally "Exercising to Acquire Mastery".
"...It is not an idle talk that Strength can not overcome the Pugilistic Art (Quan Shu), the Pugilistic Art can not overcome Internal Mastery (Gong Fu)". The people think that it is enough to exercise the Pugilistic Art (Quan Shu) but few know that the Pugilistic Art can not withstand the Internal Mastery (Gong Fu) as the Pugilistic Art is sprouts of Gong Fu and Gong Fu itself is the base and root of the Pugilistic Art. There are people who exercise only Gong Fu and do not exercise Quan Shu. But nobody heard that Quan Shu can be exercised without exercising Gong Fu. Such "mastery" is like flying fluff or floating duckweed - too weak base. It is necessary to exercise both Gong Fu and Quan Shu, only in that case there will be a strong base and excellent Mastery..."
The third decade of August, the 19-th year of the Chinese Republic (1930). Jin Yi Ming from Yangzhou. Shanghai, province of Jiangsu.
