Once Master Chen put on his favourite ‘animal movie’ of the week for us. It was of a leopard hunting in the wilderness. We watched a certain sequence over and over. It was getting quite late, we had had an intensive day of learning with him, and we needed to get back to the dojo (where we would sleep on the floor) to replenish and prepare for the next morning. I said, “Now we go back, Master Chen.” To which he responded, “You too? I also want to go back!”, reaching eagerly for the rewind button. And we had several more rounds of the ‘layo-par’ pouncing on a gazelle.

It is in this kind of spirit that one learns to appreciate XinJia, a combination of dedicated attention, visceral empathy and capacity for delight. Mind, body and Qi.