Dong Sheng
Dōng Shèng (Traditional Chinese: 東聖) is a core practice of the Dōng Shèng Méi philosophy which originated in China. Practitioners of this tradition work to improve and integrate Body, Energy and Spirit (The Three Essential Principles[1]) through different practices:Kung fu for the Body, Chi Kung for the Energy and Dōng Shèng meditation practices for the Spirit. The goal is to achieve complete enlightenment, leaving the cycle of existence (Samsara).
It has a strong oral tradition but little is written about it. Dōng Shèng Méi (Traditional Chinese: 東聖玫), which means Orient's Sacred Rose, is an pre-Taoist ancient Chinese spiritual tradition, dating back, according to the myth, to the third millennium B.C., in the times of the legendary sovereign Fuxi (Traditional Chinese: 伏羲), the first of the Three Augusts (三皇 Sān Huáng) or the Three Sovereigns.[2][3]
Meaning and practice[edit]
Dōng Shèng means "Sacred Orient"; it has composed of Dōng 東 (orient), which refers to the direction in which the sun rise, and Shèng 聖 (sacred), which expresses the nature of the sacred principle, considered unalterable, pure and perfect since its origin. In this context the term pure refers to a primordial pureness, which is an expression of original pureness rather than a purifying practice. They call this “sacred sun”: Primordial Nature.[4] Thus, the practice of Dōng Shèng it is practised as a way to let ones Primordial Nature manifest itself.[5][6]
The Dōng Shèng Méi philosophy and tradition is practised at a number of branches in North America, Italy and Australia, with the main headquarters located in Hong Kong. Each branch (known as a Kwon) offers students of Dōng Shèng Méi lessons in the practice of the three main activities, Kung fu, Chi Kung and Dōng Shèng.[7][8]
The Dōng Shèng Méi is made up of an Inner Circle (Néi Quān 內圈) and an External Circle (Wài Quān 外圈). The External Circle is divided into two distinct areas: the Great Sea (Dà Hǎi 大海) and the Great Sky (DàTiān 大天). The Inner Circle is formed by the eight trigrams of Bā Guā 八卦. They are called Bā Zhēn 八珍, which means The Eight Treasures (literally: “the eight precious things”). In the center there is a Dragon, which represents the Dōng Shèng. In the Inner Circle there are eight masters, one for each trigram, which form the eight rose petals (Méi). They represent eight different paths which leading the practicing to the center (Dōng Shèng). At the center there is the great master, considered as a direct manifestation of Primordial Nature.[9][10] Currently, in 2017, there are only four living masters of the Eight Treasures: Chien Teng Ho for Heaven, Kun Jian Hu for Earth, Kan Shi Yang for Water and Sun Feng Liu, for the Wind. There is also a Master Therapist, named Wu Xian Sheng, a profound expert in Traditional Chinese medicine. He his very old.
History and Myth[edit]
Dōng Shèng Méi‘s lineage is intertwined with China's history and myth. It is told of a legendary period in which there was no difference between men and gods, marked by peace and prosperity. As a consequence of a terrible catastrophe, which was followed by a huge flood, nearly the whole of the world was destroyed. Part of that knowledge survived and was transmitted to men through the intercession of extraordinary beings, three semi-gods or kings-gods, the so-called Three Augusts, Fuxi, Nüwa and Shennong, whose transmitted to the humanity the Chi Kung, medicine and Internal Alchemy practices.[11]
Followed the Five Emperors: the Heavenly Emperor (Tàihào 太昊), the Yellow Emperor (Huángdì 黄帝), the Red Emperor (Yandi 炎帝), Emperor Yao (堯) and Emperor Shun (舜).
The Heavenly Emperor was the first to collect the inheritance of the Three Augusts, developing the first series of Dōng Shèng practices, the same as they are still practiced today.[12]
The Yellow Emperor, Huángdì, is best known for Chinese historiography. He collected, systematized and developed all the knowledge about the internal and external alchemy practices, Chi Kung, medicine and kung fu, including the Eight Pure Styles (Bā Chún Tì 八 纯 体), literally "the eight pure bodies." He has influenced much traditional Chinese culture.[13]
Yandi, the Red Emperor, organized and created a first integrated system of all the knowledge so far transmitted. He created the Twenty-four Kung fu Antique Styles (Gǔ Shì 古式), combining and developing the Eight Pure Styles. It had twelve male sons and twelve female daughters, each of whom got the master in one of the Twenty-four Ancient Styles.[14]
With Emperor Yao, the Inner Circle of the Dōng Shèng Méi took the present structure: the Dōng Shèng in the center, surrounded by the Eight Treasures. He commisioned the Twenty-four Masters of Ancient Styles, Gǔ Rén 古人 (literally: The Ancients) to develop the Sixty-four Traditional Styles.
Emperor Shun completed Yao's work, completing the elaboration of the Sixty-four Traditional Styles, which were included into the first part of the External Circle.[15].
The Sacred Rose, Shèng Méi (Traditional Chinese: 聖玫), was the first version of Dōng Shèng Méi and was founded in 2297 BC by Teng Ho (Traditional Chinese: 騰豪). According to the myth, Teng Ho was the son of Fuxi and Nüwa, and he came to Earth from 'superior worlds' at the age of eight, riding a huge flying dragon (Teng 騰) to guide humanity towards Liberation. He landed on the Kailash Mountain, where his betrothed, the godness Guānyīn, was waiting for him. Teng Ho and his following reincarnations, reigned for 1527 years, from 2297 BC to 770 AD.[16][17] The descendants of Teng Ho called the path traced by the master, Shēng Shù (Traditional Chinese: 生樹) which means living tree.[18]
Wàng Háo (Traditional Chinese: 旺豪) was born in 753BC in Luoyang, in the Henan province. He became a student of Teng Ho at the age of two. According to Tradition, Teng Ho had specially traveled to Luoyang awaiting Wang's birth, as the reincarnation of the Yellow Emperor, Huang Di, and his designated successor. In 770 BC, at the age of 17 years, after achieving the enlightenment, Wàng Háo succeeds Teng Ho with the initiatic name Li Wang Ho. With the new great master, the School got the definitive name Dōng Sheng Méi.[19][20]
Over the centuries, many masters have succeeded; each of them considered a reincarnation of the first Li Wang Ho. The last one, the current Dōng Shèng Méi great master, was born on 22nd Sectember 1909 in Hong Kong. In 1947 he moved to the north of England, in Preston, where he stayed until 1992.[21] Some members of the English Freemasonry in Hong Kong had contact with the Dōng Shèng Méi before Li Wang Ho went to England. A London masonic lodge published a book[22] about him based on documents from the Dong Sheng Mei's archive. The author wrote under the pseudonym of J. Micheaud. Li Wang Ho returned to Hong Kong in 2006.
Sources[edit]
- ↑ In Dong Sheng Mei's cosmogony, the Three Essential Principles correspond to the three star of the Orion's belt. In Chinese tradition, the Orion's belt is called San Xing (literally the three stars). The three stars are deities, whose names are Lu Xing (prosperity star), Fu Xing (good luck star), and Shou Xing (star of longevity).
- ↑ Teng Ho, Il Dong Sheng Mei, SHK Edizioni, Fiesole, 2015.
- ↑ The existence of this tradition in ancient times is evidenced in the Books of Documents, also known as the Shangshu, in Chapter 1 and 2 (Canon of Yao and Canon of Shun).
- ↑ It is the same concept expressed in the Tibetan Dzogchen tradition, as 'natural condition' and in the Indian Advaita Vedanta school, as 'Atman'.
- ↑ Chen Xiao Pao, Theory and Practice of Dong Sheng, Private Edition, London, 1973
- ↑ Chien Teng Ho, The Dōng Shèng Méi – History and myth of a millennial tradition, Private Edition, London, 1991
- ↑ Themes, UFO. "Chi siamo – Dongsheng". www.dongsheng.it.
- ↑ Adriano Cosi, Chi era Li Wang – Gli insegnamenti di un maestro sconosciuto, Diron Editrice, Firenze, 2006
- ↑ Chen Xiao Pao, Theory and Practice of Dong Sheng, Private Edition, London, 1973
- ↑ Chien Teng Ho, Il Dōng Shèng Méi, SHK Edizioni, Fiesole, 2015
- ↑ Chen Xiao Pao, Theory and Practice of Dong Sheng, Private Edition, London, 1973
- ↑ Chien Teng Ho, The Dōng Shèng Méi – History and myth of a millennial tradition, Private Edition, London, 1991
- ↑ Chien Teng Ho, The Dōng Shèng Méi – History and myth of a millennial tradition, Private Edition, London, 1991
- ↑ Chien Teng Ho, The Dōng Shèng Méi – History and myth of a millennial tradition, Private Edition, London, 1991
- ↑ Chien Teng Ho, The Dōng Shèng Méi – History and myth of a millennial tradition, Private Edition, London, 1991
- ↑ Qu, Wanli 屈萬里, Shàngshū jīnzhù jīnyì 尚書今注今譯 The Book of Documents, with Modern Annotations and Translation] Shangwu Yinshuguan, Taiwan, 1969.
- ↑ Chien Teng Ho, The Dōng Shèng Méi – History and myth of a millennial tradition, Private Edition, London, 1991
- ↑ Chen Xiao Pao, Theory and Practice of Dong Sheng, Private Edition, London, 1973
- ↑ Chien Teng Ho, The Dōng Shèng Méi – History and myth of a millennial tradition, Private Edition, London, 1991
- ↑ Chen Xiao Pao, Theory and Practice of Dong Sheng, Private Edition, London, 1973
- ↑ Adriano Cosi, Chi era Li Wang – Gli insegnamenti di un maestro sconosciuto, Diron Editrice, Firenze, 2006.
- ↑ J Michaud, The Theachings of Li Wang Ho, Uma Press, London, 1947.
- http://www.occult-mysteries.org/liwangho/the-teachings-of-li-wang-ho.html J Michaud, The Theachings of Li Wang Ho, Uma Press, London, 1947].
- Qu, Wanli 屈萬里, Shàngshū jīnzhù jīnyì 尚書今注今譯 The Book of Documents, with Modern Annotations and Translation] Shangwu Yinshuguan, Taiwan, 1969.
- Chen Xiao Pao, Theory and Practice of Dong Sheng, Private Edition, London, 1973
- Chien Teng Ho, The Dōng Shèng Méi – History and myth of a millennial tradition, Private Edition, London, 1991.
- Adriano Cosi, Chi era Li Wang – Gli insegnamenti di un maestro sconosciuto, Diron Editrice, Firenze, 2006.
- Chien Teng Ho, Il Dōng Shèng Méi, SHK Edizioni, Fiesole, 2015.
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