The U.S. Kuoshu Academy promotes the philosophy of
the Tien Shan Pai motto

Virtue	德(dé) This character can be translated as virtue. What is virtue? The word implies a number of different qualities such as morality, kindness, ethics, good character, doing the right thing, honesty, mindfulness, and even heroism. De is the way a martial artist should lead their life every day, not just at the US Kuoshu Academy. The dedicated martial artist makes the choice to reflect the qualities of 德 in everything they do in life.
Wisdom	智(zhì) This character is best translated as wisdom. Wisdom is an intelligence that comes about as a result of life experience. It is not something gained from reading a book or taking a course. It is seeing things the way they are and responding appropriately. To cultivate wisdom, one needs to be open, aware, and mindful at all times. We can learn from everyone and everything around us but that only happens when we pay attention to what is being offered. Learning is active and it is important to keep this in mind both inside and outside of the US Kuoshu Academy.
Humility	謙(qiān) This character can be translated as humility or modesty. As martial artists develop physical and mental prowess, it becomes increasingly important to temper this with humility. Skill in fighting is best used to defend oneself or someone who needs our help. If we abuse our skill through arrogant behavior, boasting, or intimidating others, we bring shame to our system and our teachers. No matter how good we are, there is always someone better. The more we feel that we know, the less open we are to learn. It is best to always try to maintain a "beginner's mind" when approaching Kuoshu training. Always consider yourself an empty cup waiting to be filled with something fresh and exciting. If you are already full, everything new will simply overflow and be wasted.
Martial Arts	武(wǔ) This character carries the meaning of martial arts expertise. It can also imply valiance, courage, and ferocity. All of these characteristics are important in a martial artist but notice that this character is last in our motto. This is intentional. Improving our martial skill is the focus of our daily training at the US Kuoshu Academy but it is not the ultimate goal. Our primary purpose is to develop into the best possible human beings we can be. This is reflected in the first three elements of the Tian Shan Pai motto. One way to achieve this is through diligent and dedicated training in Chinese martial arts. This traditional Chinese approach is one thing that distinguishes the US Kuoshu Academy from other, less traditional schools