The Re-Arranged Family Shrine - 2026

UK: The Family Shrine Re-Arranged for the Passing of My Father! (18.6.2026)

Even if no member of a Chinese family has not trained in a formal spiritual order – incense will be regularly lit, and fresh flowers and fruit will be added every so many days. Of course, some shrines are kept-up at a greater degree than others – but this does not matter in the end. A family shrine is a door-way between one plane and another. It is a two-way structure that permits a solemn respect to traverse from the material realm into the immaterial realm – and allows a positive spiritual reality to emanate from the immaterial plane to the material realm. Today, I talked to my deceased father – and I did this via a photograph that my mother took and printed-out for me probably around 2010. The photograph was taken in the front garden of our old home at 2 Torbay Road, Torquay Road, Torquay, Devon (the shyster landlord took over a hundred thousand pounds in rent between 2002-2018 before applying a no-fault eviction because we requested a repair be made). As this was 16-years ago – my father would have been around 68-years old at the time. I suppose my father was at the peak of his power as an elderly person! Tomorrow we will collectively lit incense. It is the next stage of respectful mourning.

My New English Translation of the Yijing!

UK: Honouring Richard Hunn – My Finished Translation of the Book of Change! (4.5.2026)

I was studying the reading (interpretation) of ancient and traditional Chinese ideograms with my teacher – Richard Hunn (1949-2006) – between 1989 and 2006 (as a private student). An offshoot of this was the mastering of the modern (simplified) Chinese text and its corresponding “pinyin” (spell-hear) phonetic alphabet. Since 1949, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has worked wonders reversing the 90% illiteracy-rate and turning it completely around. Today, throughout the entirety of China (a big place) around 90% of the people are literate with some elderly and/or disabled people suffering various (understandable) barriers to being able to read and write. In these cases, various literate citizens are tasked with reading and writing for these individuals – so as to ensure that all their rights are fully pursued and applied under the 1956 Socialist Constitution (and its various updates and improvements).

Pressure-Point Therapy is an Important Aspect of TCM!

China: Buddhist-Marxist Alliance (UK) “Socialist” Medicine Upgraded – 70% of TCM Patents Withdrawn Due to Safety! (31.1.2026)

On top of this, some aspects of TCM have developed through added-on superstitions that became popular in the past – but are not related to the philosophical foundation of TCM (probably the “Change Classic”). These Chinese superstitions are culturally comforting – but are not premised upon genuine TCM philosophy – and cannot be materially (objectively) proven to work either traditionally or cotemporally. In the West there are two strands of TCM – one practiced and passed-on by ethnic Chinese people (who may or may not – be linked directly to Mainland China) – the other practiced and passed-on by (usually “White”) non-Chinese people. The latter category evolved out of the Western invasion of China – and the “enforced” teaching of TCM to Westerners. In the UK there are TCM centres (specialising in “acupuncture”) that have no links with any authorising ethnic Chinese institution. These are considered “racist” in historical origin and function – as such entities represent the “White” appropriation of Chinese TCM culture – a process which “excludes” the ethnic Chinese from their own culture. This remains the case even if certain ethnic Chinese individuals are taught this stream of Westernised TCM (which actually happens).

Traditional Judo Self-defence

UK: Is Goju Ryu Karate-Do Linked to the Chinese Book of Change? (29.12.2025)

Indeed, those scholars who developed the Commentarial material that seeks to explain the Book of Change (Yijing) – often attempt to superimpose the ancient “hard” and “soft” with the concept of “yang” and “yin” – although the amorphous nature of this schematic means that one quantity is continuously exchanged for the other. When lecturing in China – this often becomes an interesting and contentious point of discussion. Many are unaware that the yin-yang ideal is not that old as it is presented as all conquering in many Chinese-language texts. Whatever the case, I keep in contact with a number of Goju Ryu practitioners – as this is a style of fighting I explored in my youth. I still assist practitioners of this style with their historical research – which is often of a linguistic nature. Linked above is a blog article uploaded onto our Ch’an Dao Blog.

Qi Journal - The "Great Treatise" Translation

US: Qi Journal – My Published “Great Treatise” Translation! (26.12.2025)

This material will be published throughout numerous (and obscure) academic journals – but I will make every effort to have a version published for “free access” on the internet. The fee I charge is that your return the six senses a) to the empty mind ground, and that b) you allow the empty mind ground to expand to embrace the entire environment. As you can see, this is a much higher price than just an ordinary exchange of money – be it supposedly empowered metal or paper. Here is the problem – I will accept no other payment for my work – but I will not “demand” in a dogmatic manner. Your realisation of “freedom” is entirely a matter of your own affair. Look within properly – or do not – the choice is yours. I will not alter my charge regardless of your decision. I will not stop you reading – as reading is the first-step.

Archery as an Ancient Art!

Daoism: Archery in the Central Plains! (5.3.2024)

Indeed, as a distinct body of rituals – Confucianism is older – with Daoism developing later. The problem is that historical elements of both ideologies exist within China’s early history. These elements eventually diversified into specific and distinct schools of thought – that seem ‘different’ in practice (which they are) – whilst sharing similar or identical concepts. Term ‘道’ (Dao) exists in Confucian thought as well as in the musings of Laozi and Zhuangzi! Above is my short research paper on the ‘中’ (zhong1) ideogram in relation to archery and ‘hitting the target’.

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