Nothing Doing: The Daoist Wu Wei and the Martial Arts

Though many practitioners may not realize it, Daoist philosophy is present in all aspects of the martial arts. In fact, the very idea of the Way (Dao) inheres in all martial arts. Whether attacking or defending or simply sitting in meditation, one is lost without the Way. Yet, one of the Way’s core concepts, wu wei (no action) would, at first glance seem to be the very antithesis of martial arts. In this essay, I will explore how the concept of wu wei can be applied to the martial arts.

What is Wu Wei?

First, let’s begin with the concept itself. Wu wei is translated many different ways. The most literal translation is “no action”. More often, it is rendered as “non-action” or “non-doing” in an effort to capture its deeper metaphysical meaning. Some authors go so far as to render it as “effortless action” or “spontaneous action”. I feel that getting a bit far afield and tending toward the later Chan (Zen) concept of mushin (no-mind), which does have its roots in the syncretization of Daoist and Buddhist thought.

I am going to stick with the more conservative translation of “non-action” as I feel it captures the essence of the original idea, that it is more than just “doing nothing”. From my personal studies, I have come to see the concept of wu wei as meaning avoiding unnecessary action and not forcing action when we do act. Further, it embodies an awareness and abiding that allows one to recognize when it is appropriate to act, but also to use their non-action as an active tool.

How Can Wu Wei Be Applied in the Martial Arts?

So, how might we apply this understanding of wu wei to the martial arts? To do so requires a deeper understanding of the martial arts than many practitioners might possess. It requires a different point of view, a comprehension that goes beyond strikes and kicks, one that perceives the spaces between the actions. One must accept that actions cannot exist, cannot be effective, without the spaces in between. Each strike and kick must be preceded by a proper moment of non-action to be effective. Otherwise, one is simply flailing.

For an example of this, think back to when you first began sparring. I suspect there was a time when a senior student had you overmatched and frustrated. Did you begin throwing everything you had, without thought? Yep, we have all been there. That is the moment when you abandoned wu wei. You were acting and acting, and forgot about non-acting. While there may have been a lucky punch (or kick), most likely, you were saved by your opponent’s forbearance, or your Sifu’s intervention.

Advancing to the Next Level

To advance to the next level of the martial arts, one must recognize that it is the non-action, non-fighting, moments that create the space for victory. This is most evident when you present to your opponent certain rhythm in your fighting, then break that rhythm.  Setting up the rhythm causes your opponent to expect a certain action, like a song or poem where the next line is easily anticipated. That rhythm is broken when the expected action does not come. At that instant, your opponent’s plan is disrupted; confusion and doubt enter into their mind. Unwittingly, they offer you the opportunity for your own attack. You react appropriately, without haste. That is applying the concept of wu wei. Your non-action has been a highly effective tool. Doubt will always be one of your most powerful weapons.

Another example of non-fighting is creating what I call “useful space”. Useful space is created when, rather than attacking, you use your movement to create intentional distance (space) between you and your opponent. This is not just running away. It is very purposeful. It can be something as simple as not being there when your opponent’s attack arrives. Or it could be more complex, creating a space that draws your opponent into your attack. Perhaps, it is best thought of as being patient and non-fighting (using movement defensively) until the opportunity for attack, appropriate to your skills, presents itself.

This can all be tied into what Bruce Lee referred to as the “style of no style” in martial arts. He had the idea that the most advanced martial artist would have no style. Their fighting method would be entirely reactive. In essence, their opponent is allowed to determine their fighting style, but that fighting style would be unique to each individual opponent. This could, perhaps, be thought of as the ultimate wu wei of fighting; taking no action that is not determined by your opponent. This is akin to the Daoist concept of the “watercourse way”. That is, water does not try to flow uphill. Rather, it flows downhill, letting the obstacles it encounters determine its path, ultimately triumphing as it reaches the sea, its final goal. Applying this to the martial arts, this would be the situation where the fighter has progressed beyond taking any action based on his own initiative. They simply await opportunity, then respond appropriately.

An example of this comes from the time I sparred my brother-in-law. He is a respectable fighter, but a bit of a headhunter. He is always trying to decapitate his opponent with high kicks. That wasn’t working against me. I could spot his wind up and slip out of the path of his kick. Still, he kept trying. After a few attempts, I noticed that when he failed to connect on his kick, he would throw his left arm up as a defensive maneuver. At his next attempt, as soon as his foot had passed, I stepped forward and connected with a shovel punch, a technique I rarely use, up under his left shoulder. Boom. The end.

In what ways does this incident exemplify wu wei? To begin with, by repeatedly trying a failed technique, my brother-in-law was definitely not practicing wu wei. Rather than responding to the situation as it was, he was trying to force his own perceptions onto the situation.

I, however, did employ wu wei. First, I recognized that I could not directly counter the power of his kicks, so I chose to simply not be there when his kick arrived. Second, I observed and awaited an appropriate moment. Lastly, I used a technique I rarely apply to successfully attack. To sum up, my successful attack was set up by a good bit of non-doing and when the attack was launched, it was accomplished using a technique appropriate to the moment, not a technique that was a personal favorite. Thus, my opponent had determined the method I used to defeat him.

Of course, the most exemplary wu wei method of fighting is to not fight at all. This applies to the times when you are challenged in what should have been a benign social situation. These are the times when you must use your mind to create a demeanor, an aura, about yourself that sows the seeds of doubt (again, one of your most powerful weapons) in your potential opponent’s mind. This must be subtle. An ostentatious display might escalate things.

What you wish to accomplish is that the potential opponent begins to realize that, win or lose (however one may wish to define those terms), they will get hurt. They begin to question whether they really want to fight. If you have done your work properly, that doubt will gnaw at their psyche and eventually they will convince themselves not to fight. Thus, you have compelled them to defeat themselves, the ultimate in non-fighting.

Conclusion

By now it should now be evident that wu wei, non-doing, is much more than doing nothing. In fact, it is an integral part of being a well-rounded martial artist. In embracing the principle of wu wei, a new door is opened and one’s knowledge and practice of the martial arts are greatly enhanced. It is a principle that hides in plain sight, so one must change their mindset and teach themselves to recognize and apply it.

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Tim Roettiger

Tim (T.G.) Roettiger is a writer, biologist,martial arts enthusiast and Big Cat at Red Tiger Martial Arts & Meditation. He has a M.S. in Fishery Science and worked in that field for nearly 20 years.He has also published two fiction works: Founding of a Coven and Ex Libris Merlini. Though he takes a somewhat eclectic approach to the martial arts, the core of his training has been in Jeet Kune Do, Ted Wong lineage.

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