Guanxì Huì 關係會 (gwan-shee hway)

Family Gatherings

- with Dr. Orchard
 

The character 會that translates as “Gathering” is written in pinyin as “Hui” and is made up of several radicals. The topmost radical, jí 亼, is a triangular character implying “to gather from three sides.” Ji is made up of rù 入 “to enter, to go into; to join, to become a member of; to accept, to admit” and yi 一 “one; each, every; single, alone; whole; entire; all.” The middle radical could be cong, a pictograph of a window with lattices implying clarity. The bottom radical is yuē 曰, a mouth (kǒu 口) with a word or breath coming out (一) indicating speech. In another interpretation of the character as a whole, Hui is a pictogram of a lid on top of a container with something in the container and suggests “to join, to come together; to meet, to gather; to match, to fit; to understand.”

 

Guanxi is one of the most powerful concepts in Chinese culture. The direct translation is “relationships,” but implies the obligations built over time by the reciprocation of social exchanges and favours. The reciprocal nature of Guanxi and its implied obligations is the main reason why Chinese are reticent to engage in deeper relationships with people they do not know. Guanxi is, effectively, a kind of capital that grows between people, so when you begin a new relationship, it becomes important to evaluate whether they might place you in a compromising position with requests for favours and to understand that your reputation, your “face,” can become tarnished by connecting with someone who proves unworthy.

 

This will help you understand the traditional necessity for introductions into the Chinese martial arts world. In the past, it was expected that you would be introduced to a teacher before the teacher would take you on as a student. There are huge obligations from a teacher to a student and from a student to a teacher in traditional Chinese martial frameworks. These unspoken and spoken obligations are part of the Guanxi arising within the martial arts. There are connections between students as well, older brothers and sisters taking on the obligation of caring for the younger siblings, the younger siblings training hard and doing their best to acquire the traditions that keep the school alive.

 

In order to foster Guanxi in the Xin Fu Gompa, Shifu Orchard puts on complimentary workshops a few times each year to help the students dig a little deeper into certain topics. It gives him a chance to give a gift to the students and gives the students from different courses a chance to interact and build the family feeling for which the Daoqiquan arts of the House of Li have become famous. For Shifu Orchard, this is a feeling of goodwill and congeniality that arises spontaneously between students from long association and mutual intention, not the false backslapping, hugging, and easy tossing around of the labels, “Brother” or “Sister.”

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• Guanxi Hui 1: Workshop in Honour of Shigong Painter’s Birthday

• March 28, 2020 – 2:30 to 5:30 pm

• This Guanxi Gathering shall commemorate Shigong Painter’s birthday. What better gift to give him than an afternoon spent polishing your skills in his life’s work?

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• Guanxi Hui 2: Workshop In Honour of Li, Qingyun’s 86th Passing Day

• May 9, 2020 – 2:30 to 5:30 pm

• This Guanxi Gathering shall commemorate the passing 86 years ago of Li, Qingyun,  May 6, 1933, the Source and Founder (Zŭshi 祖師) of Li family Jiulong Baguazhang.
                         

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• Guanxi Hui 3: In Honour of OKF's 16th Anniversary

• Sept 12, 2020 – 2:30 to 5:30 pm 

• Orchard Kung Fu began informally, in 2003, with a few interested friends wanting to learn about Jiulong Baguazhang and help Dr. Orchard train himself outside at the Albert Community Centre Park.

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• A few months later, after being pestered for lessons by Spencer Rossmo, and encouraged by Shifu Castaldo, Saskatoon Traditional Kung Fu, an official Jiulong Baguazhang Study Group, was born in the autumn of 2003. Through the kind support of Sensei Don Ragush of the Saskatoon Aikikai, we found an indoor place to practice for many years. Sometime during those years, the name changed to Orchard Kung Fu.

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• In May, 2015 we moved into a new, permanent location which was named the Xin Fu Gompa, or Sanctuary of Complete Acceptance, and a Grand Opening was held for the new location in September 2015. Now, we are a Daoqiquan school offering classes in Jiulong Baguazhang, Liu Taijiquan, Ziran Xingyiquan, Tibetan Coiling Serpent Boxing, various traditional Chinese weapons, various and comprehensive Qigong methods, and Dao Yin.

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PREVIOUS Guanxi Workshops  ​

2019

• Feb 5, 2019 – 5:00 to 7:00 pm
  Chinese New Year Potluck

• March 22, 2019 – 2:30 to 5:30 pm
  Shigong's Birthday

• May 4, 2019 – 2:30 to 5:30 pm
  Li Quingyung's 86th Passing Day

• July 20, 2019 – 2:30 to 5:30 pm
  Footwork and Tactics: BBQ and practice at Shigong's

• Sept 7, 2019 
  In Honour of OKF's 16th Anniversary
   

2018

• March 24, 2018 2:30 - 5:30 pm  
  Workshop in honour of Shigong Painter's birthday on March 22
   

• May 5, 2018 2:30 - 5:30 pm 
  Workshop In honour of Zushi Li, Quinyung's Passing Day on May 6

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• September 18, 2018 2:30 - 5:30 pm 
  Workshop in honour of OKF 15th Anniversary

2017

• February 4, 2017 2:30 - 5:30 pm: Dun Shu - Qinna Escapes
  Workshop in honour of Chinese New Year's Red Fire Chicken
   

• March 25, 2017 2:30 - 5:30 pm: Centering
  Workshop in honour of Shigong Painter's birthday on March 22
   

• May 6, 2017 2:30 - 5:30 pm: Mirroring
  Workshop in honour of Zushi Li, Quinyung's Passing Day on May 6
   

• August 12, 2017 2:30 - 5:30 pm: Rotational Strikes
  Workshop in honour of Orchard Kung Fu's 14th Anniversary
   

• September 23, 2017 2:30 - 5:30 pm: Five Circles
  Workshop in honour of Shifu Orchard's 34th year of martial training) 

2016

• September 17, 2016 - Luoxia Qing Gong (Gentle Alighting Skills)
  (in honour of Shifu Orchard's 33rd year training in martial arts the third Saturday of September) 
   

• August 13, 2016 - An Jin / Pushing Force(in honour of Orchard Kung Fu's 13th Anniversary the second Saturday of August)
   

• May 6, 2016 - Equipment Training(in honour of Li Quinyung's Passing Day on May 6)
   

• March 19, 2016 - Willow Bends(in honour of Shigong Painter's birthday on March 22)

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