Martial arts encompass not only physical skills but also spiritual principles. Their spirit also explains how Tai Ji Men reacted to persecution.
by Shelly Tu*
*A paper presented at the European Academy of Religion 2024 conference, Palermo, Italy, May 20, 2024.
I am a Tai Ji Men dizi and a certified public accountant in Taiwan. I have been practicing Qigong in Tai Ji Men for 28 years. I would like to share with you some observations on the martial arts spirit that I have experienced and observed in Tai Ji Men, and on how this inspired our reaction to persecution and tax harassment throughout the years.
When it comes to martial arts, people often associate it with the superb kung fu scenes in movies, and the widely admired skills and righteousness displayed by martial artists. However, martial arts encompass not only physical skills but also the spiritual realm. The highest realm for practitioners lies in self-cultivation, which is achieved through continuous challenges and self-transcendence to temper one’s inner character, nurture a compassionate mind, and maintain the original aspiration of helping others and benefiting society.
Tai Ji Men is an ancient Qigong and martial arts menpai (similar to a school) that encompasses the essence of Chinese culture with a tradition of six thousand years. The martial arts of Tai Ji Men were passed on from Shifu (Grand Masters) to dizi (disciples) for generations. Dizi follow ancient rituals to apprentice themselves to their Shifu through a solemn ceremony. Shifu passes down the wisdom and culture of Tai Ji Men through oral teachings, and dizi receive it with their heartfelt comprehension. What they receive does not include only the teaching of specific knowledge or skills but also beliefs and values of life rooted in the philosophy of yin and yang. Through their personal practice, dizi pragmatically accumulate wisdom and positive energy in their lives.
In Tai Ji Men, the greatest aspiration of those learning martial arts is self-cultivation and helping others, realizing the vision of “stop fighting and promote goodness.” “Stop fighting” does not refer only to ending external wars or conflicts but also has a deeper meaning of eliminating internal anger and negative emotions, pursuing inner balance and the power of loving oneself and others. The ultimate goal is to resolve conflicts with wisdom—to “win with wisdom, and influence with virtue.” We live in a time when weapons become more destructive as technology advances. A single good thought can benefit all sentient beings while a single evil thought can instantly trigger war, leading to suffering of the people. Therefore, it is even more important to manifest the spirit of martial virtue and wisdom during chaotic times.
The martial arts of Tai Ji Men do not have fixed routines or techniques. Instead, they are based on the practitioner’s skills, current state of mind and understanding, as well as the environmental situation and the intended message to convey, resulting in what is presented. Therefore, in a Tai Ji Men martial art performance even the same person may demonstrate different techniques and formations due to different environments and partners. Rather than being purely a performing art, it is more like an expression of one’s heart and will. Senior brothers and sisters often share with the younger dizi that before performing martial arts, one must first empty oneself, letting go of ego, preconceptions, and attachments, to allow the mind and heart to reach a state of pure tranquility and feel the surrounding environment.
This activates the original intention of benefiting others through martial arts. With a determined heart comes strength; with great love in the heart comes fearlessness. I believe that this is why many people who have watched Tai Ji Men’s performances are often moved and inspired. The 2013 martial arts movie “The Grandmaster” has a dialogue that left a deep impression on me. It mentions three stages for martial art practitioners: “See oneself, see heaven and earth, see all living beings.” For Tai Ji Men dizi, the process of practicing martial arts is also a form of cultivation but self-cultivation goes beyond martial arts and encompasses the whole life. Being here today is also a form of cultivation and practice for me.
Meanwhile, Tai Ji Men continuously engage in their core public activity: promoting a culture of conscience, love, and peace. It is stated in the UNESCO Constitution that, “Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed.” Dr. Hong led his dizi to visit five continents, inviting global leaders to ring the Bell of Love and Peace around the world, making commitments and expressing wishes for peace. Through letters and dialogues, they share methods for promoting peace, and exchange opinions. Up to now, Tai Ji Men have visited 103 countries, with representatives from 147 countries and more than 500 leaders ringing their Bell of Love and Peace across the world. This includes 71 heads of state and 9 Nobel Peace Prize laureates.
Tai Ji Men believe that a single act of kindness can change the world. For example, in 2008, after ringing the Bell in 2005, President Fernandez of the Dominican Republic took the initiative to mediate the conflicts between Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, diffusing an imminent war crisis. That same year, President Wade of Senegal who also rang the Bell successfully facilitated peace agreements between the leaders of Sudan and Chad, ending five years of hostile tension between the two neighboring countries. We understand that the correlation between ringing the Bell and working for peace may be met with skepticism. However, we believe that the Bell and its pure sound have a sacred power in themselves, which goes beyond the political positions and intentions of those who ring it.
Tai Ji Men also fully demonstrated their martial spirit when facing persecution and harassment by the Taiwanese government. As it has already been mentioned in this session, in 1996, within the framework of a politically motivated crackdown on spiritual movements, a prosecutor, without investigation, led a large group of police to raid Tai Ji Men and colluded with tax officials to provide false testimony, accusing Tai Ji Men of fraud, tax evasion, and even “raising goblins.” The National Taxation Bureau shortly issued exorbitant tax bills with heavy penalties, also without investigation. The criminal case lasted ten years and seven months. Finally, the judiciary cleared Tai Ji Men of all charges, ruling Tai Ji Men innocent and free of tax debt. However, the National Taxation Bureau’s illegal issuance of tax bills continued, with concealment of crucial evidence, and forgery of documents, deceiving the judges of the administrative court. Despite knowing the tax assessment was incorrect, the National Taxation Bureau continued its campaign. In the end, based on a tax bill for the year 1992, they collaborated with the Administrative Enforcement Agency to illegally auction off and confiscate the planned site for Tai Ji Men’s practice grounds.
For the past 28 years, the Tai Ji Men tax case has gone through 18 administrative remedies, winning 18 times, and supported by over 300 legislators. Even the Control Yuan’s two investigation reports pointed out numerous legal violations by the prosecutor and tax authorities. The National Taxation Bureau’s refusal to correct errors and the Administrative Enforcement Agency’s insistence on auctioning Tai Ji Men’s property despite the fact that there were no tax arrears reflect the bureaucrats’ clear malice. Moreover, the guilty officials have yet to face punishment, reflecting Taiwan’s bureaucratic culture of mutual protection among officials.
Observations from the accounting practice field indicate Taiwan has many tax disaster victims. There is an incentive for tax officials to issue incorrect tax bills due to tax bonuses, but there is no corresponding punishment mechanism for tax bureaucrats who act abusively. Additionally, with an administrative remedies success rate of only 6% according to scholars’ statistics, most people choose to pay up or they should face various economic and personal freedom restrictions such as property seizures or travel bans. Many opt to remain silent to avoid further scrutiny and harassment, turning taxation into a tool for the Taiwanese government to control and suppress companies, individuals, and various groups.
After the Tai Ji Men case, Dr. Hong chose to lead his dizis to face the situation directly, even though they had to confront pressure and malice from all sides. We learned from the practice of martial arts that ceasing warfare is ceasing evil, not only stopping external conflicts but also halting internal negative energy. Another positive force for stopping evil is promoting goodness. Therefore, Dr. Hong encourages dizis to be more pragmatic in practicing and improving their health and temper, allowing their body, mind, and spirit to undergo tangible improvements. Through concrete actions and results of improvement, let the world know that Tai Ji Men is a place for cultivating one’s mind and character, not an evil organization like the media reported.
Shortly after the case occurred, Shifu once wrote a letter to us, and it greatly encouraged us. In the letter, it mentioned that the best quality of Tai Ji Men dizi is to have the warmest hearts, genuine feelings, forgiveness, and tolerance. Shifu expressed the hope that the dizi’s hearts can be as gentle as water: a sharp blade cannot cut it, and it can overcome hardness with softness. He taught us to resolve misunderstandings with forgiveness and tolerance, and illuminate the people around us with the light of genuine feelings.
Regarding the case, Dr. Hong insists on seeking remedies through legal means and promotes the concept of taxpayers’ rights and the importance of lawful taxation through the peaceful means of street protests, petitions, forum participation, and publications, hoping to awaken the society and officials’ conscience.
During Tai Ji Men’s search for remedies, many advised us to privately negotiate with tax authorities to reduce the tax bills. However, Dr. Hong insisted on not taking this shortcut. Firstly, such actions would encourage the government’s wrongdoings, and secondly, they go against the fundamental value of the Tai Ji Men’s six-thousand-years-old tradition: distinguishing between truth and falsehood, good and bad, right and wrong, as well as affirming conscience and honesty.
Tai Ji Men martial arts practice is about the training and transcendence of body and will, as well as the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment and mental growth, both aiming at the elevation and refinement of the soul. It instills a firm belief in the meaning of life, moral values, and life goals. Tai Ji Men dizi transcend bodily limitations through practice and performances, and remove from within the five inner poisons—greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt—through practical modifications in their daily lives. In this age of technological advancement to solve the problems we encounter, from facing everyday challenges to stopping wars, we all need internal cultivation and the manifestation of wisdom. A single act of kindness can change the world. True strength comes from inner cultivation and daily practice.
Tai Ji Men have shown great resilience and a sense of justice when facing social injustice and government oppression, inspiring more people to speak out and becoming a driving force for promoting Taiwan’s tax and legal reforms as well as human rights protection. The spirit of martial arts also reminds us that peace comes from within each individual. The more chaotic the external environment is, the more we need to maintain inner balance and use wisdom to overcome challenges. Tai Ji Men martial arts is not only a cultural heritage but also a steadfast guardian and guide to the bright side of human nature. Preserving culture is also the responsibility of the government. Therefore, the Taiwanese government should act with conscience and redress the Tai Ji Men case to rebuild a fair and just social order and ensure the continuity of culture.
