The Parallel to Nature
In the Moh Pai Kung Fu system the four ranks awarded apply to the span of life and, in comparison with Nature, describe the stages of learning and the development towards perfection.
Green --represents Spring
Blue --represents Summer
Red --represents Fall
White --represents Winter
*The Black Belt represents true skill only until the fifth degree is achieved. All ranks after the fifth degree black belt ( Red Belt ) are honorary awards and used primarily for prestige reasons, continuing as high as the eleventh degree.
As a general guideline, each sash color is subdivided into five separate levels to indicate the amount of time a Moh Pai member has devoted to study of the system. A sash is initially worn for about two years before green tassels are added at its ends to denote investment of both time and effort. This is followed in similar two year increments by blue, red, and then white tassels. As such, a Moh Pai adherent invests around a decade at each sash level, ensuring in-depth absorption of knowledge and understanding of the theories, concepts, physical movements and applications contained therein.
SPRING--represents Youth--development
AUTUMN--represents Old Age-- results with the addition of experience, betterment
WINTER--represents the Age of Wisdom-- perfection of mind and body, peace, and enlightenment.
春
夏
秋
冬
Some have a mandate to keep this art alive, and strive to maintain and continue its philosophy and style—the Moh Pai Kung Fu Temple system, a synthesis of Moh Pai and Pai Hu Shih kung fu styles. Its founders and past masters claim it's not just a fighting method, and that it's an ancient art* (although that's patently not true, having actually been created in the 1960's).
That's not to say some value cannot be gleaned from its methods if one has a competent instructor. We have all taken something positive from this path. Just be aware that it's NOT a 1500-year-old Shaolin martial art, and the ranking system here is entirely self-created, not some universal or age-old evaluation method. Claims of a "unique and eternal philosophy regarding the ethical and moral backdrop for such teachings"* should always be scrutinized.
(*the terms "ancient", "ethical" and "moral" often used in a subjective manner by schools of Moh)
Regardless, this is all part of the style, art, philosophy and ethics embodied in the Shiulin Temple, Seng Shih Monastery White Tiger (Pai Hu Shih) School of Kung Fu.
