In this insightful episode of Pen to Sword, we sit down with Richard Wagstaff, senior instructor at Fujian White Crane Kung Fu and Tai Chi, to explore the deep and often surprising connections between music and martial arts.

From his early days playing violin and the French horn to his current role teaching Kung Fu across South London, Richard shares how the discipline, structure, and artistry of music have informed and enhanced his approach to martial arts.

We dive into the shared foundations of scales and arpeggios in music and patterns in Kung Fu, the importance of structure in mastering a craft, and how both an orchestra and a Kung Fu class reflect the harmony of individual parts working together. Richard also reflects on how universal human movement and shared physicality make both music and martial arts accessible and powerful across cultures.

Whether you're a musician, martial artist, or simply curious about the deeper connections between seemingly unrelated disciplines, this episode will leave you inspired to rethink how foundational training and human connection play a role in every form of expression.

Pen to Sword is brought to you by Phecda.One. An exploration of, and education in Chinese Culture and how this relates to the rest of the world.

Check out: https://www.phecda.one/

This latest episode from the team at Pen to Sword explores the upcoming Chinese New Year and the transition from the Year of the Dragon to the Year of the Snake, examining its implications for personal growth, relationships, and caution. 

With insights from an expert panel including a Buddhist monk, listeners gain valuable wisdom on navigating the year with mindfulness about traffic and personal health while fostering connections.

• Overview of the Year of the Snake and its significance 
• Insights into the Snake's traits and those born in this zodiac year 
• Specific advice for Rats and Roosters during the Snake Year 
• Risks for Snake Year celebrations in October and July 
• The monk’s practices for the New Year in monasteries 
• Encounters of spirituality with cultural traditions 
• The role of preparedness and awareness in navigating challenges 
• Emphasis on relationship-building in the Year of the Snake 

Thank you for listening to today's episode. If you found value in this discussion, don't forget to share it with others who might benefit!

Pen to Sword is brought to you by Phecda.One. An exploration of, and education in Chinese Culture and how this relates to the rest of the world.

Check out: https://www.phecda.one/

Join Phecda.One, a team of expert Kung Fu instructors dedicated to bridging the cultural gap between East and West, in an enlightening conversation with Dr. Danil Mikhailov, CEO of Data.Org and a renowned figure in the fields of AI and technology.

In this episode, Dr. Mikhailov, a guest Instructor from Fujian White Crane Kung Fu & Tai Chi, shares his insights on the future of AI for social good and the pervasive influence of smartphones and social media on our youth. 

Discover actionable strategies to mitigate the negative impacts and foster a healthier digital environment for the next generation. 

Don't miss this compelling discussion on the intersection of technology, social media, and the future of our children.

Pen to Sword is brought to you by Phecda.One. An exploration of, and education in Chinese Culture and how this relates to the rest of the world.

Check out: https://www.phecda.one/

In this episode we are joined by Dr Danil Mikhailov who has practised kung fu for 29 years and has spent a decade researching kung fu culture in different parts of China, as part of Wushu Scholar, under the leadership and guidance of Chief Instructor Dennis and Instructor Sharon Ngo from Fujian White Crane Kung Fu & Tai Chi in the UK.

Danil has been awarded 4th Dan in kung fu from the Chinese Wushu Association, has won multiple gold medals in international competitions in China, is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and has written a successful book, History and Philosophy of Kung Fu: an Introduction. 

Danil has himself applied kung fu philosophy in all aspects of his life as a successful academic and entrepreneur and CEO of a global data and AI organisation and will draw on his experiences in his lecture.

Pen to Sword is brought to you by Phecda.One. An exploration of, and education in Chinese Culture and how this relates to the rest of the world.

Check out: https://www.phecda.one/

Learn how to cultivate more spirit and energy (Qi) in your bedroom.

In this episode we interview Dr Sophie Liu, an expert in Chinese daoist culture and the I-Ching, who explains why the structure and layout of your bedroom is so important.

Sleep is vital for all of us.  We spend one third of our life asleep, in your bedroom. This is important to build up your spirit, your energy and allow your body to recouperate.

This episode we go into detail around energy flow in your bedroom encompassing the five elements into Feng Shui to increase a harmonious environment for sleep, rest, recovery and energy.

Pen to Sword is brought to you by Phecda.One. An exploration of, and education in Chinese Culture and how this relates to the rest of the world.

Check out: https://www.phecda.one/

In this latest episode, we talk about your reception area and welcoming guests into your home using Feng Shui.

We discuss, what most of us know as a 'Living Room' - the room where you would spend a lot of time in and where you would welcome guests and family members when they come to visit.

Enjoy

Pen to Sword is brought to you by Phecda.One. An exploration of, and education in Chinese Culture and how this relates to the rest of the world.

Check out: https://www.phecda.one/

The Five Elements. In this episode we discuss the relationship with the elements and humankind, where the five elements came from, and how they are applied and integrated into Chinese life.

In traditional Chinese culture, the five elements, or five phases, theory outlines the relationship between the different elements in nature and the life force, or "qi," that flows through them.

The five elements are wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.

The five Elements theory is an ancient Chinese analogy theory, which combines philosophy, divination, fortune-telling, calendar, traditional Chinese medicine and sociology.  

The essence of the Five Elements theory holds that the world is composed of five basic material substances: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. The development and cycle of changes within nature (eg.. seasons ) are the result of the continuous movement and interactions of these five different conditions.

The concept of "five elements" first appeared in Huangdi Neijing, in which the relationship between the five elements and the human body was first proposed.  

The regulation of "five elements" was first observed from the movement regulation of the five planets in the Universe. Later, With the observation and study of nature by Chinese ancestors, the relationships between and within the five elements was gradually formed.  

In Xunzi, Mencius 孟 子  was the earliest creator of The Five Elements theory.

In the late Zhan Guo (Dynasty) period, Zou Yan 邹 衍 was one of the main people who applied the theory of Yin-yang and the Five Elements to the calculation of national fortunes.  

In order to define the five elements, the author SHANG SHU. HONGFAN 尚书.洪范 specifically puts forward the names of the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire and earth  

ZUO ZHUAN-Cai Mo 左传 蔡墨 then Proposed the theory that the existence of human life depends on the Five Elements.

The Ancient Chinese holds that the nature of the universe is composed of five elements. The rise and fall of the five elements makes the universe and nature change, which not only affects the fate of people, but also tells people the law between the universe and nature.  

Pen to Sword is brought to you by Phecda.One. An exploration of, and education in Chinese Culture and how this relates to the rest of the world.

Check out: https://www.phecda.one/

Episode two in the second series of Pen to Sword where we interview Master Su Yin Han live from Yong Chun in Fujian province in China.

We ask what has made White Crane Kung Fu so famous and why it is has gone on to influence so many other martial arts styles, such as Karate.

We talk about soft and hard power, we talk about the origins of Crane system deriving from a woman's necessity to defend herself and the necessity for people to be able to copy and train it easily.

Yong Chun White Crane has historical facts that can be traced all the way back to Fan Qi Niang. This documentation is unique for a classical Chinese martial art to have survived the test of time and supports the origins of the system, the names of the patterns and names of the moves. 

Many new styles are now looking to Yong Chun White Crane to learn more about the origins of their styles and are copying the names of their moves and linking back.

If you enjoy this content, please remember to like & share.

Pen to Sword is brought to you by Phecda.One. An exploration of, and education in Chinese Culture and how this relates to the rest of the world.

Check out: https://www.phecda.one/

In the final episode of series one, we are joined by Dr Sophie Liu again discussing Chinese cultures; I-Ching, Bagua, 5 elements, Tai Chi, Yin Yang and Feng Shui.

This episode is a third on Feng Shui and focuses on the practical layout of your house, advising on how to make your house as efficient with the right feeling, energy flows and ambiance. 

We zone in on George's house as he is going through a re-build, he capitalises on the knowledge and advice from Dr Liu, our resident expert on Feng Shui. 

Pen to Sword is brought to you by Phecda.One. An exploration of, and education in Chinese Culture and how this relates to the rest of the world.

Check out: https://www.phecda.one/

This is the first episode of a new series from Phecda One where we take our conversation towards Chinese Martial Arts.

In this series we will be interviewing Master Su Yin Han, 8th Dan Master of White Crane Kung Fu.

In this first interview with Master Su and his family we discover the importance of family values in Chinese Martial Arts, the value of filial piety.

We here the individual sacrifices made from Master Su's children to allow the style and the family and the style to come first. 

Pen to Sword is brought to you by Phecda.One. An exploration of, and education in Chinese Culture and how this relates to the rest of the world.

Check out: https://www.phecda.one/