Wu-JiChuan & Freemasonry

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Written by Jorge Trujillo

Since my initiation into Freemasonry and as I gain experience within the Craft the more parallels and similarities I find with one of my other interests in life and that is my interest in Wu-JiChuan.

Wu-ji is a traditional Chinese system of exercises based on the principle of using correct breathing, rhythmic movements and full concentration to promote health and vitality.

Wu-JiChuan has been one of the true constants in my life for over 25 years now. My interest in the Craft is relatively new compared to Wu-Ji. I have only been in the Craft for just over three years. So in reality, I suspect that my vision of the Craft is still 'wide-eyed'. Not that I think that is a bad thing; I am just stating a simple perspective.

Wu-ji is claimed to be an ancient Art; some claim that it dates as far back as 2000 BC. However, the first documented mention of the Art dates to Hua Tuo's 'Five Animal Play'; circa 200 AD. It finally found its home at the Shaolin Temple in Songshan, Henan Province, China. So besides its antiquity what other parallels do I perceive? It was only taught to deserving Monks, it represents a philosophical system that aims to improve not only our health but our overall interaction with the world at large. In order to progress; rigorous training and tests are required, its ethos represents the highest qualities and values that a human being can attain and much of its lessons are taught via allegory and symbolism.

There are also some parallels on the physical aspects; in Wu-ji a practitioner learns a set of specific movements that are known as 'toulu' or 'characters'. In Freemasonry the Freemason learns perambulations that are specific to each degree.

What about the mental aspects? In Wu-jiChuan mastering a toulu or char- acter requires a perseverance and con-

stant practice in order to memorise a toulu. In Freemasonry the learning of charges and perambulations also require a great deal of perseverance, practice and an excellent memory.

A Freemason starts his life in the Craft as an Entered Apprentice. In Wu-jiChuan, traditionally the student became an apprentice to a Master and was passed the Art's secrets over the term of the indenture.

So given all of these parallels, when I found out that our Jurisdiction's Grand Lodge was promoting a Men's Health pro- gram, I thought to myself "this is a marriage made in Heaven!". The then DGM, RW Bro Derek Robson was in charge of the program and so I approached him with the idea of running Wu-Ji classes for Freemasons. Now the current Grand Master, MW Bro Robson, encouraged me to develop a pro- gram. I mentioned this to our AGM RW Bro Mehanna and he suggested it would be great as a program under the STEP Team's sponsorship. Fast forward to Sunday 22 January 2012 and what had started as a thought, became a reality. On this date a group of Freemasons including our AGM and a Grand Steward, family and friends gathered at Gordon West Public School for a whole day seminar on Wu-JiChuan. I could not have been happier!

Article extracted from Freemason magazine, Winter 2012, page 29.