Revenge Of The Stairs

BBC Radio 4 is broadcasting a series called Costing The Earth, which examines “… man’s effect on the environment and how the environment reacts, questioning accepted truths, challenging those in charge and reporting on progress towards improving the world.”

In the latest episode, “The Revenge Of The Stairs“, Tom Heap attempts to find out whether it is possible to plan cities and design buildings so that people are encouraged to walk and exercise more, take the stairs over the lift, and so on. The programme considers whether the design of cities has had the unintentional side-effect of making us less healthy, and whether this trend can be reversed.

• Direct link to MP3 download

Yet another reason to get practising your form in your local green space – assuming you have one. Failing which, get walking and take the stairs!

What is a “Jin Gang”?

Some Chen postures have names such as “Jin Gang Dao Dui”, which is sometimes translated as “Buddha’s Warrior Attendant Pounds Mortar”. It may help your practice to keep this image of a “Jin Gang” in mind;

• Taiyou-ji Temple, Kanegasaki, Japan

However, I did come across an alternative translation in a post on Facebook, in the Chen Style Taijiquan (Tai Chi) group;

Quoting from the link Dan Docherty says

“Oh yes, this amazing Taoist martial art with techniques such as ‘Buddha’s Warrior Attendant Pounding Mortar’! basically it’s Shaolin Boxing with a bit of Tai Chi thrown in”

I wonder if he has any ability to understand Chinese. The “Buddha Warrior” in Jin Gang Dao Dui is not a correct translation. a “Jin Gang(金强)” is an adjective meaning “very adamant” not a noun meaning “Buddha Warrior.” Jin Gang Shi(金强石) means Jin Gang(indestructable) Stone or Diamond. Jin Gang Bu Huai(金剛不壞) refers to a state in Shaolin Gong Fu where the practitioners skin cannot be harmed by weapon.

Jin Gang SOMETIMES refer to very adamant guardian in Buddhism but not neccessarily always.

So Jin Gang Dao Dui just means very solid pound on a mortar or a Jin Gang Guardian pounding on a mortar. Not “Buddha Warrior”

Edit: see the comments for further discussion.