The first prerequisite of a person seeking martial arts skills is to learn the ethics of martial arts. Someone who is highly skilled in technique but lacks martial arts ethics will be harmful to others, to society and country.
What is martial arts ethics? It is having kindness, righteousness, respect, integrity and courage. These are required traits for any martial artist for living their daily life, for treating others, for choosing a disciple and in seeking a teacher. For anyone passing on their martial arts skills must abide by martial arts ethics.
Having humility, respect elders, having integrity, avoid drunkenness, these characteristics must be adhered to in choosing a disciple or seeking a teacher. A person desiring to possess martial arts skills must put ethics first. No skills can be passed on to anyone who does not possess martial arts ethics.
A martial artist must behave in an ethical way in their speech. Should not hurt others and should not gossip. Martial artists must possess ethical traits in their action toward others. When sparring should have self control. Do not use one’s martial arts skills lightly.
A martial artist must be ethical toward society and country. Abide by the law of the land. Use one’s martial arts skills to help others, to be just and help the weak. Be courageous in doing what is right.
A martial artist must have posses character of loyalty, honesty, courage and love of country. Martial arts ethics is a long held Chinese tradition and is valued above all else as the highest guidance and direction for a martial artist. It is the common code of conduct among martial artists. Therefore, before learning any martial arts skills one must first learn the ethics of martial arts. The principal of martial arts is to do what is good, don’t fear evil and help the weak.
All martial artist should abide by these values.