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)DELHQ 6HQD 3 Editor’s Corner

Founder &
Executive Editor 22 Advice of the Month: Instructions for Living

$UWKXU 6HQQRWW 23 Technique of the Month: Thai Martial Arts

Managing Editor (USA)
30 Users’ Letters
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25066
Associate Editor
(Europe) 33 Chinese: Da Baji Quan (Part 1)

0DUN .HUU 37 Japanese: Kata - Hangetsu

Associate Editor
45 Vietnamese: Phung Hoang Quyen
• • • • •
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The contributors and staff
of this publication are not
responsible nor liable in 4 Chinese Secret Societies and the Boxer Rebellion — Christophe
any manner for a lack of Frugier
result or resulting injury
attributed to the use or ap-
9 Xiang Gong Qi Gong: Arthur Sennott
plication of any material
found in this publication. 14 Isshin: Single-heartedness — John Donohue
The activities, physical
or otherwise, described
herein may be too strenu- 26 A Thai Parable about Teaching
ous or dangerous for some
individuals. Reader(s) 31 My Background in Martial Arts — Yun-choi Yeung
should consult a physician
and/or a qualified instruc-
tor in the specific field of 41 Italian Fencing: Lovino’s Traite d’Escrime, Part 2 — Christophe
knowledge appropriate be- Frugier
fore engaging in these ac-
tivities. ,1
,177(59,
9,((:6

24 Aikido with Patricia Guerri — ALMA Staff

& 2/80 16

18 Traditional Chinese Weapons and Related Arms #9

— Christophe Frugier
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ALMA Martial Arts Magazine,
February 2000, Volume 2, Is-
sue 2. Publication copyright ©
2000 by ALMA Martial Arts for
PDF, HTML, and other elec-
HAPPY NEW YEAR AGAIN, though this time it is the Chinese New Year. As tronic formats as produced per
you may already know, this is the Year of the Dragon, the symbol for martial art- issue. Individual copyrights to
ists. If you have no idea what a Chinese New Year celebration is like in China, works included are retained by
the individual contributors. All
imagine a country at war against thousands upon thousands of demons and evil works published under 1st
spirits, using noisy firecrackers as their weapon. This war starts gradually two or World Serial Rights, or under
three days before New Year’s Eve and rapidly gains in intensity. One-Time Reprint Rights if so
The climax is of course on New Year’s Eve, when millions of firecrackers indicated. All other rights re-
are used despite an official interdiction. The resulting sound is unbelievable as vert to the contributors upon
the dark sky is illuminated with flashes of white light and coloured fireworks. publication.
Neighbors join forces to purify their houses, courtyards and almost every sur-
rounding street. In big cities, dragon and lion dancing are not practiced very ALMA Staff: Fabien Sena,
Founder & Executive Editor;
much (with the exception of southern China), but in many small villages, the tra- Arthur Sennott, Managing Edi-
dition is still intact with a nightly parade of lanterns and twenty to fifty people tor (USA); Christophe Frugier,
carrying a paper dragon. Associate & Contributing Edi-
The fighting does not end on New Year and you can still hear the sproadic tor (Europe); Mark Kerr, Con-
echoes of the ghost-fighting battle. The spectacle lasts fifteen days in total. tributing Editor; JC Hendee,
This is also a time of feasts with many different dishes prepared. The most Assistant Editor & Production
common is tofu, while among the most incredible are Tiger’s Paw and Young Manager.
Dog’s Leg. This year ,the “Dragon soups” (usually made of snake) were espe-
Purchase Information: Sin-
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not rare for a famous master to hold a special school celebration with a ritual Bill, with Visa, MasterCard, or
ceremony to thank the spirits of past masters and to protect the school from bad JBC. One-year subscription
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It is interesting to notice that these traditions are very similar in Vietnam for at the ALMA website) avail-
Thet and, generally, in all territories with a Chinese community. able for $55 via postal pay-
ment (certified check or
So on behalf of the whole ALMA Martial Arts team, I again would like to money order payable to
wish you a very happy year, full of progress and accomplishments. Hmm, I think “Fabien Sena”) delivered to
I will stop there with the season’s greetings, so to all our Jewish, Muslim, Inca ALMA c/o Christophe Frugier,
members, and to our members from all other traditions I am forgetting now, "Be 8 B clos Jules Noriac, 87000
happy and best wishes!" Done ;-) Limoges, France. NOTE: Be


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When one thinks of Chinese secret societies, im-
ages rush to mind which for most of us consist of a
complex amalgam, including depictions of triads
ranging from the movie "The 55 days of Peking" to
the many 'Chinatowns' scattered around the world, to
the opening salutes of the martial forms (tao) which
they studied. In this article, we are going to explore a
few of these things.
It is first necessary, however, to place Chinese cul-
ture in its proper cultural context in order to really de-
fine the multiple objectives of the secret societies that
once existed.
In Chinese civilization, the Emperor, the head of
state, was the tie between heaven and earth. In
name, he was the "titular head of the celestial man-
date" (tian ming) that embodied the overabundant
and all-powerful bureaucracy of the Empire. Noth-
ing could be undertaken which was not governed,
authorized and organized by his civil servant co-
horts whom reconciled the two contradictory factors
of interventionism and conservatism in order to pre-
serve the cohesion of the whole. Clearly, he was not
in any rush to change anything, and he was consid-
ered right in dedicating all his efforts toward this
noble goal. Everything in China had functioned like
this since 221 BC, the time of Qin Shihuangdi (best-
known as the time of the 'Yellow Emperor'), whose

very name even provided the root for the word
"Chinese" ("qin'" is pronounced "tchin").
This established assumption, that secret societies
had no other ambition than to bring about the destruc-
tion of the Celestial Mandate (Ge Ming) cited above,
gave rise to the multiple revolutions which bespeckle
the history of China and which were romanticized in
Chinese popular novels such as "The Romance of the
Three Kingdoms", "The Journey to the West" and
"The Water Margin" (all of which were often banned
by the ruling powers).
The Shadowy Multitude
The amalgam of secret societies, whose in-
terventions have so many times upset the
current of China's history as well as the his-
tory of the world, is composed of a great
number of corporations, guilds, confraterni-
ties, charitable societies, and societies which
were more or less (though sometimes even
not at all) secret.
In the 12th century, Taoists created the
'Tianshi Dao' (The Tao of the Celestial Mas-
ter), a religious organization that claimed the
earth for those that cultivated it. This move-
ment was succeeded by the creation of the
society of the "Five Bushels of Rice
" (Wudumi Dao), whose possessions were
held communally and where each family had
to provide five bushels of rice per year to the com-
munity. This community would later operate a se-
cession with the state while settling in Sichuan. In a
paradox of history, Mao made reference to this
community, saying that he would never cease to
hunt down the descendants of the Celestial Master
when forbidding Taoist practices.
Dating from the same time (the Han dynasty),
the 'Yellow Turban' movement, who were also prac-
ticing Taoists, founded the Tai Ping Dao ('Tao of
Supreme Peace') who in 1170 AD were the origin of
the provincial uprising that precipitated the fall of
the Hans.
The White Lotus (Bailian Jiao)
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Created in the 13th century in reaction to the Mon-
golian occupation of the Yuan (1277-1368), legends
say that they were originally composed of a renegade
trio consisting of a Buddhist Patriarch, a Taoist initi-
ate and a poet. As he was also descended from their
ranks, it was to their favour that it was because of one
of the many revolutions instigated by this organization
that the General Zhu Yuanzhang rose to the throne
and founded the Ming dynasty in 1368.
It is interesting to note at this point in our exposi-
tion that the character for "Ming" is composed of the
ideograms for the sun (ri) and moon (yue) which was
was the rallying sign of many secret societies. This is
reminiscent of the opening salutes of martial forms in
numerous Chinese and Vietnamese schools where a
closed fist is placed in the hollow of an extended
palm.
The palm represented the yin of the moon and the
fist the yang of the sun.
The four fingers of the extended hand recalled the
adage "Between the 4 seas, all the brave are brothers".
This was the lotus which later gave birth to those tri-
ads whose primary objective was to fight against for-
eign invaders.
The Opium War and the Yellow Tur-
bans
It is necessary for us to now address this episode of

little glory (for us
Westerners) in the
history of China in
order to under-
stand how the con-
sequences of this
event would later
bring about the
Boxer Rebellion.
Dur ing t he
middle of the 19th
century, the first
Westerners had al-
ready been bring-
ing great quantities
of quality porce-
lain and precious
silks back from China for a long time, but the balance
of this outside trade was in deficit with China as
Western products had a bad reputation there. They
were merely seen as the mediocre products of a bar-
baric civilization. The Western powers of the time ar-
ranged commercial trading posts inside the Middle
Empire (Macao for Portugal, Hong Kong for England,
etc..) but there was not really any true exchange tak-
ing place. It was then that the English decided to im-
port the poison known as opium.
The 'success' of opium was like lightning, even to
the point of worrying the Emperor. After vainly at-
tempting to use his legal arsenal against its consum-
ers, he decided to instead attack the problem at its root
and siezed the English opium stocks himself.
A sort of second "Boston Tea Party " ensued but
with unfortunately lesser results than the original.
By the conclusion of the Opium War (1840-1842), the
Europeans shared for the first time in the Middle Em-
pire, imposing iniquitous conditions upon the Chinese
(Remember the Bruce Lee movie where the park of
Shanghai was "forbidden to dogs and the Chinese").
In legations, the Chinese no longer had rights and the
new masters of China exhibited some behaviours
which were so unjustifiable that 150 years later, Chi-
nese popular movies would darkly depict them as pro-
slavery tyrants driven by the lure of monetary gain
(See the setting of "Once Upon a Time in China" by
John Woo with Lee Jian Jie).
Shortly after the Opium War, the Hong Xiuquan
took up the torch of the Celestial Master with the So-
ciety of God's Worshippers (Pa Chang Ti Houei),
launching the insurrection of the Big Peace (Tai Ping).
From 1850 to 1868, while taking the name 'Yellow
Turbans', they shook the Empire down to its founda-
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tions.
This revolution costs the lives of scores of mil-
lions of Chinese and was only subdued by the 'saving
grace' of intervention by Western expeditionary bod-
ies, particularly the French and English, which kept
the the balance of power with the Emperor in place.
One of the English generals ordered that an expedi-
tionary body had the right to wear yellow coloured tu-
nics and hats adorned with a peacock feather like a
first class Mandarin, so that they could ask directly for
an audience with the Emperor.
White Flags and Black Flags
Survivors of the Yellow Turban epic took refuge in
the south of China in Canton, where they created the
"White Flag" movement, and in Indochina where they
call themselves the "Black Flags". They regrouped
and federated some of the Vietnamese secret societies
to also enter into the rebellion against the French oc-
cupation, which tends to place them in the museum of
history as being from Saigon more than Hanoi. These
Vietnamese societies included the Nghia Hoas (Justice
and Concord), the Thien Dia Hoi (Society of Heaven
and Earth), the Luong Huu Hoi (Society of Friends)
and the Nhon Hoa Duong (Group of Virtue and Fair-
ness),
The Body of Justice and Concord, or
the Boxer Rebellion
One of the most important move-
ments was the Yi Ho Quan (The Fist
of Justice and Concord), which later
became the Yi Ho Tuan (Body of Jus-
tice and Concord). They rallied those
secret societies which were based
upon the arts of the fist (quan fa), and
which later led to the name "Boxer
Rebellion" being adopted by Western
observers.
This movement rallied the Big
Saber Society (Dadao Hui), the Soci-
ety of the Eight Trigrams (Rang Jiao)
who practiced the eponymous boxing
style of Baguazhang, the Fists of Jus-
tice and Concord (Yi He Quan) who
were well-known for their mastery of
the Shaolin style, the Society of the
Small Knife (Xiao Dao Hui) who
practiced various styles of northern

China, and the Society of the Golden Elixir (Jin Dan
Hui) who centered their practices around Daoyin, Tai-
jiquan and magic.
The original goal of the Yi Ho Tuan was to
"overthrow the Qing and re-establish the Ming", or in
simpler terms wanted to chase the Manchurians from
the Imperial throne and return it to an Emperor of Chi-
nese blood. The Empress Cixi manipulated them just
as much as Prince Duan, launching them against the
Western and Japanese invaders.
This is why a seat of Western (and Japanese) lega-
tion was instituted in Peking in 1900.
This "remedy" proved to be worse than the illness,
however, and the foreign powers crushed the rebellion
in its infancy, while the Empress dissociated herself
from them over time (whereas a straightforward Impe-
rial troop intervention would probably have changed
the course of history). The expeditionary body that
robbed Peking then forced Cixi to
sign a new set of unequal and un-
usual agreements between China
and the four powers which last for
several decades, while also de-
manding an exhorbitant gold ran-
som.
What astonished Westerners
most at the time of this expedition
was the utter fanaticism of the re-
bels, who charged the Western
troops armed only with steel blades,
as the Boxers believed themselves
to be immune from bullets due to
their boxing forms (shenquan),
magic amulets and the qigongs that
they practiced.
Some of the boxers still im-
pressed them however, such as
Chang "the Spectacled Snake", a
famous practitioner of Baguazhang,
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who cut down about twenty German soldiers to pieces

come the chiefs of all 'Stalls of the Moun-
before being cut down himself .
tain' [Secret Societies] with enthusiasm. The
brothers of the four cardinal points send us their
Sun Yat-sen and the Society of the representatives in order to help us achieve our
Eldests and the Old project of saving the country. The Eldest and the
Old, and all the Chinese people unite to cut down
The first president of the Popular Republic of Japan and save China. Long life to the Chinese
China was himself a member of a secret society, the national liberation!"
Ge Lao Hui (Society of Eldest and the Old), and more
specifically of the Stall of the League Jurymen (Tong At the continuation of this speech, numerous se-
Men Hui) whom contributed extensively to his acces- cret societies rallied to Mao. Of these, the Tao, or
sion to the power in 1911. Way of Fundamental Unity, was the largest, compir-
His fierce Confucianist successor also did not seek sed of 30% of Sichuan. Other societies were mostly
to put an end to the activities of these secret societies descendants of the Yi Ho Tuan, such as the Red
even though Confucianism obliged him to denounce PIkes (Hong Jiang), Red Swords (Hong Jian), and
them in often castigating terms, though often very the Red Fist (Hong Quan), whose names later pro-
lightly. vided the name and setting for the Red Army. With-
All of this, however, did not prevent China from out their support, Mao could never have taken
being shaken all over power.
again by the winds of re-
bellion in 1914 when the
White Wolf recruits (Bai The Guo Min
Lang Zhao Liang) collided Tang of Taiwan
with the troops of Yuan
Shi Kai. This confronta- Secret societies some-
tion resulted in thousands times collaborated with
of deaths in the provinces the Japanese. This was the
of northwest China. case of the Five Continent
Hong Society (Wuzhu
Hong Man) or of the one
Mao and the Red of the Black Dragon

Fist (Long Hei).

A short time after the liberation, numerous socie-
ties thought they had been deceived by Mao, and
Many Communist leaders were descended from
joined the Guo Min Tang of Taiwan or dispersed
the ranks of secret societies, and they played an im-
themselves in a diaspora. Among their numbers, one
portant role in the accession of the Communists the
must include the Green Band (Qing Bang), the Yiguan
power. These included Zhude, Mao's Red Virtue
Dao, the Big Knife (Daidao), the Red Lamps (Hong
Chief of War, Wu Yuchang, He Long and Li Da
Gang), the White Cloud (Baiyun Jiao), and the Lady
Zhao, one of the founders of Chinese Marxism. They
of the Bushel (Doumutan).
were all descended from the Society of the Eldest
This allowed the Communist regime, not ashamed
and the Old, and rallied numerous other secret socie-
to pursue a coin, to denounce them in the Yangzi
ties to the Communist cause.
newspaper on March 15, 1952, writing, "An obvious
On July 12, 1936, Mao Zedong made a speech
collusion between counter-revolutionary groups
which one could only fully understand the signifi-
bound to the Guo Min Tang of Taiwan and some anti-
cance of if one one knew the hidden meaning which
social sects and sordid old secret societies exists."
it contained. The follwing passage is from its con-
clusion:

"Let us again bring to life the revolutionary

The Triads
mind of the Eldest and the Old. We want to wel-
These are probably the best known of the Chinese
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668(
secret societies. Originally named the Society of
Heaven and Earth (Tian Di Hui), they were sometimes
also designated under the names Society of the Three
United Elements (San He Hui), Society of the Three
Points (San Dian Hui), Door of Hong (Hong Men),
Hong family (Hong Jia - pronounced in Cantonese as
Hung Gar), and the Band of Hong or Red Band (Hong
Bang).
As much as this appellation recalled this society's
attachment to the founder of the Ming dynasty ( who
was himself descended from a secret society), the
name of its leader was Hong Wu (known as the Brave,
the Martial, and the Red Warrior) whom legend has it
instructed at Shaolin temple.
The martial arts maintained some close ties with
secret societies. A few years ago, the patriarch of the
Hung Gar style of Hong Kong was officialy forced to
abandon his place because of his activities within a
widely-known secret society, and his successor was
personally decorated by the Queen for "services ren-
dered" to the British crown. One cannot reign well
from the shadows after all...
Among the Japanese, some Karate masters were
commonly reputed (and even now some are again) to
belong to the Yakusa, the expeditious servants of
many base works on occasion.
One may also remember the fruitful contact be-
tween the sect of the Reverend Deguchi, which be-
longed to Morihei Ueshiba, and Chinese secret socie-
ties at the time of the expedition of the Mand-
choukouo. Some pretend that school archives support
the belief that the Daito Ryu Aikijutsu of Ueshiba
would have passed from linear to circular due to his
contact with Bagua at this time, giving birth to a new
Aiki.
The Vow of the Triads
Here is the vow of the Triads as revealed by the Leeds
Congress of Chinese Studies in July 1965, whose
main theme was secret societies. This following vow
was signed with one's own blood:
Why do you want to enter the triad?
In order to become a new adept of the heart of bronze
that wants to be admitted to the Society of
Heaven and Earth.
How can you prove it?
By the quatrain that says: the heart of occurences is
still brilliant [Ming] because the sun and the
moon are full of harmony (Salute with fist and

palm).
The universe spreads beyond its 4 seas (Spread
fingers of left hand) and receives the three rivers
(Lower the little finger so that three lone fingers
remain extended). In this unity (Lower the three
extended fingers and raise the thumb), all the
brave are brothers (Hit the palm with the fist).
We have decided to protect and sustain the
throne of Zhu [the first Ming Emperor] and to
aid this cause with all our human powers.
Why do you desire so greatly to be accepted into
the Society of Heaven and Earth?
To reverse the usurping Qing and restore the Ming "
How can you prove it?
By another quatrain: We must re-establish the origin
of the previous heaven and must examine the
principles of the old writings. The Qing have
seized us well. We will re-establish the Ming
while conforming to the instructions of Heaven.
We will rise up by a beautiful moonlight and
raise the five banners of China that will sweep
away the thirteen Manchurian banners.
What are these five banners?
To the North the warrior of the black turtle, to the East
the green dragon, to the south the red phoenix, to
the west the white tiger, and in the center the yel-
low imperial banner of Wang."
How did you acquire your experience of the art of
fighting?
In the Shaolin monastery I learned the art of the five
clan fist: the Hongjia, the Tsaijia, the Lijia, the
Mojia and the Liujia (Hung Gar, Choi Gar, Li
Gar, Mo Gar and Lui Gar respectively). It is the
brothers of Hong that had the last word.
How can you conclude this?
We greet the sky as our father, the earth as our
mother, the sun as our brother, the moon as our
sister. We adore the altar of the five forebears.
For us, all the family of Hong are venerated as
parents of the same blood. Finally, we swear not
to unveil our relationships in any way or ever to
indicate by some hand gesture that we know of
the triad. If we fail in this vow, we can be torn
into one thousand small pieces and thrown to
dogs. •
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Form One: Jin Long Bai Wei
Introduction Place the hands together in a prayer position with the
fingers facing forward. Point the fingers, first to the

I N TOTAL, there are three level to the practice, but

presented here is only the first. This first set is a
powerful yet safe Qi Gong, which can be employed
left, then the right. Make sure to move only the hands
and forearms. This hand movement should be re-
peated 36 times.
without significant instruction. In fact it is an ideal Qi
Gong form for the printed medium, in that it truly can
be learned from a book. The second and certainly the
third level, however require much deeper study, and
should be learned from an instructor.

The Xiang Gong is a Qi Gong form from the Buddhist

tradition. It small, isolated movements stand in stark
contrast to the large whole body, movements common
in so many of the Taoist derived Qi Gong practices
which tend to predominate in America.

The Xiang Gong is quite an extraordinary set, as it is

capable of generating significant effect, in a relatively
short time, even by those with little experience. Its
small, simple movements, make it an ideal practice for
those with limited mobility and strength.

Commencing Form Form Two: Yu Feng Dian Tou

Stand naturally with your feet parallel and one shoul-
der width apart. Bend your knees slightly and smile.
Raise your hands to stomach level with your fingers
pointing forward. Hands should be a little less than
shoulder width apart. Open your arms to 180 degrees,
then return them to the forward facing position. The
arms should be opened and closed a total of 36 times.
Maintaining the prayer position, the finger tips
should be pointed toward the sky, then lowered to-
ward the earth. It is permissable to move the head up
and down in rhythm with the hands. Repeat this
movement 36 times.
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668(
Form Three: Fo Ta Piao Xiang
A) Repeat form number one, five times
B) Keeping the hands in the starting formation, raise
them to eye level. Move the hands down and out in a
pyramid shaped motion 31 times.

Form Four: Po Sa Fu Qin
Extend arms to the front at the level of your solar
plexus. The palms should face down. Open arms to
180 degrees, and close again. Repeat this motion 36
times.
Form Five: Buo Yu Shuang Fen
Extend arms to the front at the level of your solar
plexus. The palms should face up. Open arms to 180
degrees, and close again. Repeat this motion 36
times.
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Form Six Feng Bai He Ye
Return the hands to the opening forms position. Sway
the hands left then right in a fishtail manner. Repeat
36 times.
Form Seven: Zuo Zhuan Qian Kun
Put your hands in the opening form position. Main-
taining an equal distance between your two hands,
move your hands in a counter-clockwise, elliptical
shape. Do this 36 times.

Form Eight: Zuo Zhuan Qian Kun
Put your hands in the opening form position. Main-
taining an equal distance between your two hands,
move your hands in a clockwise, elliptical shape. Do
this 36 times.
Form Nine: Yao Lu Du Hai
With your hands to the front make a circular rowing
motion. The hands should lightly close through the
course of the motion. Do this 36 times.
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668( 

Form Twelve: Fo Feng Guan Er

Form Ten: Fa Lun Chang Zhuan Place your hands at your side, Lift hands to ear level
Hold your left hand above your right, with about six 36 times.
inches space between them. The elbows should be
bent, so as to allow the left finger tips to point right
and the right finger tips to point left. Both palms
should face down. Circle the hands around each other
in a rotisserie like motion. Continue for 36 repetitions.

Form Eleven: Da Mo Du Hai

Place the hands in the same position as the previous
movement. Maintaining an even distance between
the hands, move the arms to the left then right in a
motion reminiscent of rocking a baby. Do this 36
times.
Step Thirteen: Yao Yan Fo Guang
Place your hands at your side, palms facing in, fin-
gers lightly curved. Lift hands to eyes as if peering
through binoculars. Repeat 36 times.
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Step Fourteen Pu Du Zhong Sheng Closing Form

Cross hands in front of Dan Tian, left hand on the in- Hands at sides, palm open. Lift hands to shoulder,
side. Swing arms out to the side 36 times. while slowly closing them. Then push hands down,
while rising on toes and opening hands. You should
inhale on the rising motion and exhale on return.

Form Fifteen: Tongzi Bai Fo

Hold hands in a prayer position for 3 minutes.
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668(
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I N THE RECESSES OF AN ABANDONED
GRANARY, the strong light of the countryside was
swallowed up in shadow. It was cool in there, a cold-
ness like newly turned earth before the Spring gets to
work on it. Maybe it was the dark or the dampness or
the frigid feeling like something ancient and waiting,
but the murderer fled there like someone heading
home.
The boy was terrified of course. He had been gath-
ering small sticks and bits of straw for his mother's
fire, wandering along the lesser used paths outside the
village. Sound caries far in the country, and he had
sensed the thudding of feet
long before the man shot
into view around a bend.
The thing was done in an
instant, the boy pinned and
dragged along with the flee-
ing man. He was dense and
large and dirty. The battered
hilt of a short sword was
stuck in his sash. His breath
came in great gulps as he
stumbled down the path,
shooting hurried glances
over his shoulder. He had
thick, strong fingers with
dirty, broken nails. They
grasped the boy cruelly, and
when the boy cried out, the
man cuffed him with a quick harshness that shocked
the child into silence.
In the intuitive way children have, the boy knew
he was in the presence of evil.
The pursuers ran them to ground in the granary.
There was a crowd of farmers, the potter, the local
blacksmith-men who knew all the local ways some-
one could try to escape. They all knew the boy, too.
Once the murderer and his hostage disappeared into
the building the crowd paused, momentarily at a
loss.
"Anyone comes any closer, I'll cut his throat." It
was a raspy, matter of fact voice. The man edged a
bit nearer the doorway, his blade held across the
boy's neck. Everyone in the crowd had been raised
in the country. They had seen how easy it was to slit

an animal's throat many times-seen how fragile life's
container was. None of them had any doubt that the
man would do what he said. None of them thought
there was any way to prevent him.
"We should send for the constable," the potter
whispered.
"Idiot," the blacksmith countered." It'll take hours.
By that time, he'll be long gone. And once he's
gone. . ." he drew a finger across his throat, "He does-
n't need the boy."
The discussion dissolved into futile suggestions,
sounds of despair. A crowd gathered, intent that the
murderer should not escape,
but intent on saving the boy,
and equally perplexed about
how to go about doing it.
A small group of men
came into view down the
road. They had obviously
been traveling: their sandals
were dirty and their robes
had been hitched up to
avoid the mud. The crowd
slowly grew silent as they
approached, eyeing each
other warily: these were
samurai. Their clothes, their
distinctive top-knot hair-
style, but most of all, the
daisho-the short and long
sword of the warrior-they each carried gave them a
fierce, predatory look.
The crowd sank to the ground and bowed deeply,
a new element of anxiety adding to their consterna-
tion. Samurai were notoriously unpredictable. In the
hierarchy of things, farmers were said to be the
backbone of the country, but the real power lay in
the hands of the men with swords. Warriors ate the
rice the farmers grew, but often treated them like the
dirt they spent their lives working.
The oldest man present approached the swords-
men and, with a great deal of bowing and apologies,
explained the situation. The swordsmen began to
murmur, loosening their blades and spreading out for
action. They seemed excited by the prospect of
fighting, the chance to bring a murderer to justice,
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and the potential it all had for their reputations as war-

riors. The villagers grew more agitated. Could it be
possible that the samurai failed to see the real prob-
lem? It wasn't that they had a murderer trapped here; it
was that a boy from their village was being held hos-
tage.
The village elder began to stammer, trying to fig-
ure out a way to stop what seemed like an inevitable
blood bath.
"Wait." The oldest swordsman was smaller than
the others. He had an impassive face with deep lines
cut by seasons of squinting in the sun of countless bat-
tlefields. Compared to his burlier companions he
seamed almost frail, although he had the thick, over-
developed forearms of a swordsman. The others de-
ferred to him, however.
For the first time, the village elder spoke directly
to the leader, bypassing the conventional go-between.
It was a risk, since the swordsman could take great of-
fense, but what was he to do? Remain silent and have
to explain to the boy's parents that, yes the boy died,
but the social niceties were never violated?
The swordsman listened again to the elder's expla-
nation, standing there quietly, not interrupting, and
asking only a few questions when the elder was done.
How was the man armed? How long had he been flee-
ing? How big was the boy? after all, there was no reason to make things worse or
The bushi sighed to himself, rubbing his chin as he tempt fate. At the same time, if one of the hot-blooded
tried to think of a way to solve the problem. A frontal young swordsmen were picked, there was no telling
assault was out-while there was no question his disci- what might happen.
ples would cut the man down, the boy would most The master stood up, stretching his back.
certainly die as well. "Ahh. . ."
He sighed again. Such a waste of life. He had seen "I will go," came a voice from the crowd. A monk,
a great deal of blood spilled in his time. In a way, he drawn to the commotion, had been sitting there for
had spent his life studying the most efficient ways of some time. The master looked at the monk as if seeing
doing just that, traveling with his disciples across the him for the first time-the shaved head and saffron robe
country, looking to perfect his skills. But he hated to of office symbols of this man's total devotion to com-
see innocent life lost and, in a strange way, felt that passion and his complete removal from the concerns
saving the occasional innocent might somehow make of the world. The perfect emissary.
up for the long roll of men he had dispatched.
The problem here was that he could see no way of It took some time to assemble the food and water-
saving the boy. So he squatted down and waited. more time than you would think to find a water gourd
His students hated this about him. They were young and some rice balls. The boy's whimpering could
and full of energy. They itched to use their skills. The sometimes be heard by the crowd. Eventually the
master constantly reminded them, however, that wait- monk emerged and slowly approached the granary. He
ing was a skill as well. So they all waited, the warriors walked a bit unsteadily, as if afraid to do what he was
and the people in the crowd, while the sun crept sent to do. He wobbled along the weedy path to the
across the sky and the shadows began to lengthen. door, eventually ending up on its right hand side. The
"Hey out there. I want water. Food. Bring it to murderer had eyed his approach with contempt but
me." From the shadows the boy squealed briefly in moved cautiously into the middle of the door to keep
pain as the murderer punctuated his demands. an eye on the monk.
The villagers looked at the master for guidance. "That's far enough." The monk was unarmed, but a
They were all a bit afraid to approach the granary- lifetime of caution told the murderer to keep him at
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668(
least an arm's length away. He still held on to the boy
with one hand and his sword with the other.
"I am unarmed," the monk said. Despite his wob-
bly approach his voice seamed calm and quiet. But
who could feel threatened by a monk? "Here is food,"
he said, holding out two rice balls. The murderer be-
gan to reach out, hunger driving away some caution.
"Here. I will come no nearer." The monk gently tossed
the ball of rice. The man relaxed his grip on the short
sword-it was attached to his wrist by a cord-and
caught the ball. Without pause, the monk tossed the
other one in the same gentle manner.
The murderer fumbled for a split second to man-
age the boy, the rice ball he held, and the one tossed to
him. In a flash, the man the killer thought was a monk
was on him. A crashing blow, a twist of the arm, and
the killer's feet were swept out from under him.
"Tie him up," the master said to his disciples as
they rushed the granary. Then, walking back down the
path to the crowd, he said, "Thank you for the loan of
your garment, monk. Whatever you may believe, for
today at least there is a little less suffering in the
world."
The master walked through the crowd, ruefully
rubbing his newly shaven head and wondering how
long it would take to grow a top-knot back.
As human beings, the world of the senses offers us
great joy and great danger. Buddhists speak of the
problem of maya (illusion) as an impediment to
enlightenment. It is not only that the senses can de-
ceive us; the problem is often that we set too great a
store by appearances.
The vignette I have presented above is a famous
one in the martial arts-it was even used by Akira Ku-
rasowa as the opening scene of The Seven Samurai.
The way it is generally interpreted is as a demonstra-
tion of how the incredible skill of a martial artist can
be put to use righting wrongs or helping the innocent.
In a sense, this is true. I think it is even more impor-
tantly an exploration of how the martial artist's obliga-
tion to society-for with great skill comes great respon-
sibility-can impel him or her to transcend a concern
with appearances and illusions.
Notice in the story that the essential trick that is
being played on the murderer is one that surrounds
perception. In this case, the master swordsman dis-
guises himself as a Buddhist monk-a peaceful, un-
threatening, somewhat inept person-to effect the boy's
rescue. The outer badges of a monk's identity-a
shaven head, a distinctive type of clothing-delude the
killer into permitting the master to get within range.
The murderer is by definition deluded, since his mind
has been clouded by rage, and the master knows this

and uses it against him.
The importance of symbolic trappings in this story
has something else to tell us, however. We have to re-
member that the country where this story took place,
feudal Japan, was a deeply class-conscious one. Like
many societies of this type, class distinctions were ex-
pressed in terms of dress, hairstyle, manners, and even
language. Even today, it is possible to listen to two
Japanese people speaking and guess, merely from the
level of polite language each uses, which speaker has
a higher social status.
In feudal Japan, members of the warrior, farmer,
and merchant classes were easily identified. They
dressed differently (a variety of sumptuary laws even
specified what type of fabrics non-samurai were al-
lowed to wear). Their hairstyles were distinct, as well.
The men of the warrior class had the top of their heads
shaved and grew a top-knot that was combed forward.
At around age five, samurai boys were symbolically
initiated into their warrior status in a ceremony where
they stood on a go board (symbolizing strategy) and
presented with a toy sword. Their heads were also
shaved in the manner described above. So from a very
early age, warriors were aware of how the way they
looked was related to who they really were.
The fact that Buddhist monks shaved their heads
was a real symbol of their renunciation of the world
and its social order. Samurai sometimes entered the
monkhood, but usually when they were old men and
their utility as warriors was done. In any other situa-
tion, to lose your top-knot was a source of real hu-
miliation.
But here we are presented with a story where a
master swordsman-a man whose entire life was de-
voted to refining the arts that helped define the samu-
rai as a class-voluntarily shaves his head to do a good
deed. It may not seem terribly significant to readers
today, but this was an unheard of thing. This was a so-
ciety where the warrior class took for granted their su-
periority and viewed all other people as essentially ex-
isting to service the needs of the upper class. This
kind of world view breeds a certain callousness. In
fact, any samurai, anywhere, who felt that they had
even been insulted by a lower-class person, had the
legal right to kill that person on the spot and walk
away, no questions asked. The gulf between warriors
and others was that wide.
The lesson, although centuries old, is relevant for
martial artists today. You only have to observe the
many subtle ways in which rank and status are indi-
cated in dojo to understand that questions of pride
and humility are enduring ones, and that even today
we create illusory chasms between ourselves and oth-
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668(
ers. The hunger for rank and advancement on the part
of novices is a common phenomenon in many training
halls. The white belt stumbles onto the floor, gazing
with envious eyes at the yudansha. They wear
hakama. Or obi, somber, dark as night, heavy with
mystery. They are, to the uninitiated, the embodiment
of skill and arcane knowledge that is part of the allure
of the arts. They are different, more experienced,
more skilled. It is quite common for all involved to
believe that they are somehow superior.
Here the danger of illusion is as real for the trainee
as it was for the murderer in the story. In the environ-
ment of the training hall, it is easy for the more ad-
vanced student to let things get to his or her head. It is
easy to forget that the trainee is always, in some ways,
a novice, and needs to approach training (and relations
with others) with that in mind.
Many of us can remember coming
across individuals who, although
skilled, were tremendously self-
satisfied about the fact (as if all
skill is not relative); seniors who
were more interested in impress-
ing others with their competence
than with helping their juniors
gain some insight into the art.
In judo dojo, for instance, a
central concern for all lower ranks
(whether they admit it or not) is to
try to identify which yudansha
will help beginners to learn and
which will merely use randori as a
way to pound home the fact that a
black belt can make a lower rank
fall down in a number of different
ways. In good dojo, the sensei
usually monitors this situation
and is not averse to stepping in to
teach the senior student a little humility. This is, in
fact, an important lesson that needs to be imparted.
After working so long and so hard to gain a certain
level of skill, students indulge in the quite under-
standable feeling that they have accomplished some-
thing admirable. They have, of course, but they are
not done learning. Above all, they run the risk of
thinking about themselves more than they think
about the art. In such a situation, they lose the focus
and seriousness that the martial arts demand. By
celebrating their own accomplishments, by forget-
ting the more complex goals of training , and, above
all, by forgetting their obligation to others, they lose
the quality of single-heartedness, or isshin, that is so

important in martial arts training. They are not a vio-
lent type of criminal like the man in the story, but the
same flaw that makes them arrogant causes them to
lose their capacity to become actors in a positive
moral sense in the human community
The swordsman in the story is obviously someone
who has transcended the conceit that comes with ac-
complishment. He is devoted to his art, not to himself.
His sincere pursuit of the way, despite the discomfort
and danger it brings him, is an example of the quality
of isshin. This man was a master swordsman. His skill
was so great that he had attracted a body of students
who followed him around. His confidence was so
strong that he traveled the country seeking out oppo-
nents to vanquish. He may have traveled through the
countryside, but in social terms he barely touched the
ground as far as local farmers
were concerned. Yet he pauses in
his journey and voluntarily sub-
mits to a type of humiliation in
order to save the life of a total
stranger-and a lower class
stranger at that-when it would
have been a great deal more con-
venient to let the local authorities
try to solve what was really a pa-
rochial and rather squalid situa-
tion that could do little for his
reputation as a fighter.
Why?
I believe that this is the crux
of the story. Disarming an armed
man is an impressive feat. The
power of the art in subduing a
madman pales, however, next to
the force it exerts on the master.
For by virtue of his pursuit of the
way, he is compelled to transcend
the limitations of his own pride and concern for pub-
lic opinion, and to do what is right. His sincere pur-
suit of the way, despite the discomfort and danger it
brings him, is an example of the quality of isshin-
single heartedness-that is a central part of training in
a martial way, and of the moral dimension implicit
in walking this path. •
Excerpted from “Herding the Ox”, Turtlepress Pub-
lication
© John Donohue,
ISBN: 1-880336-18-9
Price : $12.95
ALMA Rating : 8/10
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668(
7UDGLWLRQDO&KLQHVH:HDSRQV 
5HODWHG$UPV3DUW
&KULVWRSKH )UXJLHU
On the Use of Steel Blades
L ET US NOW FOCUS upon how these weapons
worked before finally addressing the classification
of these weapons which we have been waiting so long
for.
We will first of all apply the main distinguishing
characteristics common throughout the world of weap-
ons. Among weapons of steel, one may distinguish
polearms, thrusting weapons, cutting weapons, blunt
weapons, and throwing weapons.
Polearms may be said to belong most closesly to
the family of pikes. That is to say, that the 'active' part
«activates» is mounted at the tip of a pole. So some
types of axes may be considered as polearms when
they are mounted (Ex. Yue, a close cousin of the
Western bardiche).
Thrusting weapons encompass those weapons
whose main efficiency resides in piercing movements,
or perforation. A needle is therefore a thrusting
weapon.
Cutting weapons cause damage by a slicing action.
A chainsaw may therefore be considered a cutting
weapon.
Blunt, or so-called 'shock', weapons are those
whose main goal is to crush or break. Flails are con-
sidered blunt weapons.
It is true that some weapons can be classified un-
der several categories. For example, the halberd is a
polearm that also acts as a cutting and thrusting
weapon. The rapier may be used to both cut and
pierce. The staff is a blunt weapon with the comple-
mentary effect (though minimal) of cutting.
The category of throwing weapons includes only
those weapons whose main use is to be launched to-
ward a target without hope of recovery after the
weapon has reached its goal. The Roman pilum is an
archetypical example of this family of weapon, as it is
a poor weapon for hand-to-hand combat since the iron
portion would separate from the handle if one tried to
extract it from a body (or the earth). This was done so
that its target could not reuse it to his own benefit.
And all of this happy world had for its main objective
to allow one to kill food, in a first time, and later to
trounce one's neighbors.

One can give two likely explanations for non-
censorship of man's mentality. Normally, animals in
the wild do not inflict upon their fellow species, in
contrast to predators of their species, to the point of
mortal injury or incapacitation during ritual fights for
the selection of the dominant male. Clearly, these
fights determine who has the right to copulate with the
most beautiful females, just as we humans often do
when limping out of a parking lot late at night.
The First: Man's technological weapons are
'added', and not natural, so restraint does not operate
under these conditions. It is logical. It is less psycho-
logically bothersome to destroy a city of 150,000 in-
habitants while pushing a button when one doesn't ac-
tually see the individuals, since it is a mass without a
clear individuality, than it is to kill an adversary hand-
to-hand while looking in his eyes, to feel his hot blood
flow down your upraised hand on a dagger, to hear his
cry of agony, to feel his last breath on your nape, to
feel the shit and piss as his sphincter slackens. Does
this not make one think that this is a nightmare, no?
And you have not really killed; it is just that the de-
scription was very clear.
A small aside: A few years ago, a magazine which
specialized in firearms dedicated two consecutive arti-
cles to the real effects of 'special' ammunition
(exploding, armoured, expanding, ultra-high speed,
fragmenting ammunition) upon the human body. The
first set of photos displayed channels shot in plas-
ticine of comparable resistance to that of the human
body. Believe me that was very impressive. The small
history of the bullet that enters with a small hole and
expands to create a hole large enough to lodge a bowl-
ing ball in is not a legend!
The second set of photos came from legal and
medical archives and from the medical services of the
army. When a bullet penetrates the human body, it
smashes the bones in its passage, projecting scores of
small dots that, on the photo I saw (and will never for-
get) sometimes remain under the skin like many small
stains shaped like half notes. In a way, this is the same
principle as used in buckshot, except that with a
sniper, one would never see it coming.
The Second: We do not possess a natural, hyper-
efficient weapon system such as claws, fangs, claws,
venoms, needles, or electric shocks. We are slow and
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668(
poorly protected by a very fragile epidermis that can
be penetrated by any needles, even nettle. We are very
mediocre at reproduction. Man could not survive fac-
ing other species or the process of natural selection ex-
cept that he knows how to live in a group, like ants
and some other animals, and occupied ecological nests
which almost no other species wanted through extreme
adaptation. In short, it is because of a great yet fragile
brain coupled with very complex hormonal triggers
that the most aggressive individuals were able to sur-
vive and reproduce. We are the result of the genetic
selection of which pit bulls possessed the most fero-
cious paws. Incidentally, I believe taht these charming
beasts also possess serious problems in auto-censoring
violence between their own species. Are they at the
same level of evolution as
us or is this just a reflection
of the old adage "Like mas-
ter, like dog?"
If one objectively ana-
lyzes the intrinsic efficiency
of weapons, they seem to
have passed from being a
means for hunting different
species to a means of exter-
minating one's own species.
The best illustration of
this is that thogh there are
commonly accessible charts
of the vital points of the hu-
man body where one can
learn which parts of the hu-
man body are most suscepti-
ble to damage, there are no
charts of vital points for the
other species of creation
(though I have seen a chart for elephants).
Though you may know how to kill a human with
your bare hands, I am nearly certain that few among
you know how to tear apart a dog. Of course, poo-
dles don't count.
Besides, blunt weapons have a maximum effect
upon the human species. One can certainly dissuade
a dog from attacking with a stick, but a boar will not
stop so this is not a sensible weapon against animals
in general.
This should be enough proof for you to see that
blunt weapons don't have any other objective than to
crush skulls, bones and their counterparts.
As well, steel weapons used for hunting are very
different from weapons of war. They are more resis-
tant, with blocking systems to prevent the blade

from remaining lodged in the beast.
Blunt weapons are the most rustic in their method
of usage as one does not mind breaking or crushing
that which is relatively easy to make, and aim to break
the skeleton of their target. The human body is made
so that before arriving at the skeleton one must first
pass through a fragile epidermis, and the muscular tis-
sue which functions as a shock absorber for the blow.
With time and the evolution of medicine, someone
realized that one could also aim at the nervous system
that is situated in the breast (nerves, organ, sinews...)
to get the greatest resulting damage with the least ef-
fort. Ah, progress! It is thanks to these principles that
parts of qinna work, in addition to some munition
such as very high speed fire arms for hunting and war
(Famas). If a bullet hits
game on a nervous center
with sufficient energy, the
body is impacted with a
shock wave that provokes
death. On a human, this ef-
fect is sometimes acheived
at the time of a involuntary
hit, most notably upon the
pneumogastric nerve which
is responsible for the regula-
tion of the cardiac rhythm
with the carbon dioxide rate
present in the blood.
Though this sometimes oc-
curs in Karate, it regularly
occurs in hockey, rugby and
American football. Some
strikes, directed against spe-
cific zones can also provoke
internal hemorrhages in the
circulatory system at the moment of muscular tissue
tearing. In these two cases, in addition to the conse-
quent pain, death is not immediate, leaving a great
deal of time for your adversary to spit on you. But
there are no winners as a bullet can reach the center
from anywhere.
Reaches to the vital systems (systems circula-
tory, respiratory, vital organs) are well more effi-
cient in term of stop power when they are carried by
a weapon of size or better, of estoc.
The weapon of size and the weapon of estoc
have one appreciably identical working fashion: ten-
der muscular cloth destruction, reach to the circula-
tory system and sometimes, nervous connection de-
struction between the different segments of the body
(what can entail the death, notably if the interruption
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668(
occurs at the level of system neurovégétatif of which
nerve pneumogastrique already quoted makes part).
Movements of the human body are generated by the
alternation of contraction of the agonist and antagonis-
tic muscles that are attached to the bones and permit
very complex movements thanks to the joints. If you
cut in the muscular fiber perpendicularly to the stria-
tion of the fibers with a blade, you can create irreversi-
ble damage and you have a greater chance of hitting a
major blood vessel. (As for when one cuts ones steak
in one's plate, to tactfully use the strengths of one's
blade, one cuts in the the same direction as the fiber.)
As well as the muscular contraction being interrupted
since the insertion bones of the muscles are no longer
brought closer by muscular tension, the member be-
comes disabled which is always a serious handicap in
a fight to the death. And even though your hormonal
triggers, such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, endomor-
phine, can temporarily protect you from the pain under
certain conditions, the laws of the physics positively
oppose the effected member from doing anything else
than lifelessly hanging.
Blows to the nervous system by blades are inci-
dental. That is to say that they are not the consequence
of a massive number of blows as one can achieve them
individually without deciding in the 'meat'. Even
though one aims them, it is necessary to first pass
through the remainder of tissue.
Even though a blade may or not may not be ex-
tremely sharp, its action will always be proceeded by
the same mechanism: friction, and more again if it is
not serrated.
Let's take a simple example:a moderately sharp-
ened knife. Imagine that that the cutting part of the
blade is placed upon the palm of your relaxed hand.
If you execute a thrust on the back of the blade
with it perpendicular to its cutting surface, you won't
be cut. However, if you add a parallel movement with
the blow of the blade, you will lose the use of your
hand.
One recovers this system in activities of the work-
ing man. A lumberjack worthy of the name will never
hit a block of wood perpendicularly when swinging
his axe, but will always hit in a diagonal with a move-
ment which pulls the blade toward himself. It is a little
like the the movement of a saw.
Actually, this is the 'secret' of the tameshi giri cut.
You no longer need to be taken advantage of by char-
latans who pretend to be masters since they manage to
cut a piece of bamboo that neither moves nor asks
anything of them. As for damaging a helmet of armor
(antique, and therefore having survived through his-
tory) to satisfy one's ego and to make non-insiders be-

lieve that one knows the "original superior technique
of the samurai", is a stupidity that I can only think of
with pain. It should also be necessary for these people
to specify that this technique can only be achieved
with a very particular saber, forged in a particular way
in the United States during our time. The fencing of
war (with a capital 'W', whether it be European or Ori-
ental) aims at the weak points of armor, knowing that
you could kill your adversary more quickly this way
than wasting your strength trying to pass through a
protection system intentionally designed to neutralize
your strokes.
In the true technique of cutting, one must be im-
mediately prepared to face a second enemy who won't
wait until you prepare your next gesture. It must there-
fore permit one to cut once, to pull up the movement a
few centimeters, leaving another cut under a different
angle while remaining wary, and so forth. And as with
most weapons, this takes years of practice and is a lot
less demonstrative, though it is martially correct.
Another application of cutting weapons which is
very subtle and extremely efficient is to attack the
tendons. This is the primary target, along with the
blood system, of the practice of the Chinese single and
double-edged sword. This permits one to achieve ap-
preciably the same effects as massive muscular tissue
destruction but requires much less strength but more
precision and a fine knowledge of the workings of the
human body. This practice necessarily became current
since the inception of the sword. In all the countries of
the world which used the sword to cut like a razor,
they practiced not only specific slices (to the wrist or
knee, for example) but also taught methods for protect
oneself from these slices. This is particularly notable
in the Chinese and Vietnamese styles, and is a plausi-
ble explanation of the secret hand forms.
Thrusting weapon attacks are again even more
dangerous, using the knowledge of how to penetrate
tissues in order to inflict damage behind their muscu-
lar protection to the internal organs or the blood sys-
tem. The proof of which lies in our modern weapons
which also exploit this first principle. Fencers have
not always been persuaded of this though as proven in
some of the Victorian fencing manuals which have
survived to our time.
Their pictures and drawings illustrate principals
showing the vulnerabilties of the blood system to
point attacks (and sometimes slice), listing their name,
their localization, and the lapse of time between a
strike and the death of the subject.
Number Name of the Artery Cut Depth Under the
Skin Delay of Loss of Consciousness Death loss
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668( 

1. 1 Brachial Middle 15 mms 14 seconds 1 min 30 than legion. As well, weapons were sometimes poi-
2. 2 Radial Small 6 mms 30 seconds 2 mins soned, or even allowed to rust or or smeared with
3. 3 Carotid Large 30 mms 5 seconds 12 seconds earth or excrement as no one knew how to heal teta-
4. 4 Under clavicle Large 60 mms 2 seconds 4 sec- nus and it was a very painful death. Minor injuries
onds with these weapons did not therefore exist.
5. 5 Heart / 75 mms instantaneous 3 seconds Now that we are done, we next use apply this clas-
6. 6 Digestive System / 125 mms depends upon sification of weapons in our next installment. •
depth of injury
To be continued.
In addition, an injury to the stomach has an enor-
mous psychological impact as it will bleed abundantly.
Other organs can be aimed at as well but with dis- © C.FRUGIER 1999, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED,
parate results. This is why the preserved skull of a Na-
poleonic soldier that had the cranial skullcap peirced
by a bayonnette in the Gallery of Evolution of the
Natural History Museum in Paris (it is also preserved)
was still able to walk for 6 more days!
Steel weapons also have, in addition to their pri-
mary use (to wound), secondary and even tertiary
uses, so it would be stupid to disregard these for a
martial art practitioner, as some of these uses also ex-
plain the historic evolution in the forms of many
weapons.
The first of these auxiliiary uses is for parade. The
one can be here direct (rare prejudicial bus for the
weapon that it is worth to save better for a long-term
fight, and some techniques or weapons existing to
break weapons on one against) by an opposition arms
against weapon, what is not far is necessary to itself
the climax of the technique of it, either slipped (as in
the Japanese, Chinese and European styles) the blade
deviating the threat and pursuing its path to hit the ad-
versary in an almost simultaneous movement.
The second of these uses is more difficult to define
like a whole: it is about destabilizing the adversary by
different means.
One can catch a weapon, as in the case of supple
weapons such as hooks, the mains gauches of the Ren-
aissance systems, or the assimilated sai. One can also
catch clothes, as in the case of pitchforks with a set of
toothed hooks, present as much in the European Mid-
dle Ages as the Japanese, that was used to catch mem-
bers up to the neck, so that it was impossible to disen-
gage without the help of a third party, it was also pos-
sible to make an adversary fall by picking up his foot
with a whip, bench, or halberd, to wrench the main
joints with sticks and pitchforks, to hit with the other
side of the weapon (pommel, sleeve, iron-shod heel of
spears, or with the sheath, to distract by flicking a
feather duster in horsehair, to hit with the shield
(sometimes reinforced at the tip as in the madu, or
with blades), to hit with the hand, the foot, the head, ...
God knows that the variants on this subject are more
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• Eats lots of rice
• Gives people more than what they expect and do it
with good taste
• Memorize your favorite poem
• Don't believe everything that you hear, don't spend
everything that you have, and don't sleep as much
as you would like to
• When you say " I love you", mean it.
• When you say " I am sorry", look the person in the
eye
• Remains engaged for at least 6 months before get-
ting married
• Believe in love at first sight
• Don't ridicule the dreams of others
• Love deeply and passionately. You may be hurt be-
cause of this, but this is the only way to really live
life
• In case of a disagreement, remain faithful. Don't
insult or judge others for their shortcomings
• Speaks slowly, but think quickly
• If someone asks you a question which you don't
want to answer, smile and ask them, "Why do you
want to know?"
• Remind yourself that the greatest love and the
greatest success includes some major risks
• Call your mom
• Say, "Bless you," when you hear someone sneeze
• When you lose, don't lose the lesson. Remeber the
3 R's: respect yourself, respect others, and take re-
sponsibility for your actions,
• Don't let a small dispute damage a great friendship.
When you realize you have committed a mistake,
immediately correct it
• Smile when you answer on the phone. The person
that is calling will sense it in the sound of your
voice
• Marry a man or woman with you you can have a
good conversation. When you are old, your capac-
ity to converse will be more important than every-
thing else.
• Spend a little time alone
• Be open to changes, but don't forget about your
values

• Remind yourself that sometimes silence is the
best of answers
• Read more and watch less TV
• Live a good honorable life. When you are old,
you will remember the past and you will appreci-
ate it.
• Have confidence in God, but still lock your car
doors
• A loving atmosphere at home is important. As
much as possible, create a calm and harmonious
ambience
• In case discord draws near, give first importance
to the present situation
• Don't live in the past
• Read between lines
• Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve im-
mortality
• Be kind to the planet.
• Don't interrupt someone who is showing you af-
fection
• Occupies yourself with your business
• Don't trust a man/woman who doesn't close his/
her eyes when he/her kisses you
• Once a year, visit a place you don't know
• If you win a lot of money, give some to others to
aid them in living well. This is the greatest that a
fortune can give you.
• Remember that not getting what you want when
you want it is sometimes a good thing
• l Learn the rules but also break them from time to
time.
• l Remember that the best relations are the ones in
which the love between two people is greater than
their need for each other
• l Judges your success in relation to that which
you would renounce if you had it
• l Approach love and cooking with a certain dar-
ing abandonment •
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668(
7HFKQLTXHRIWKH0RQWK
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1-2: The defender (right) has been grabbed on the
shoulder by the attacker (left). He remains calm and
vigilant.
The attacker tries to head-butt the defender. Notice
that the attacker doesn’t withdraw his body, in order
to avoid warning his opponent and creating the oppor-
tunity for surprise.
3: The defender shifts his body weight to the right
and dodges the head-butt which will probably land
on the shoulder. Be careful that the clavicle is not
struck too forcefully as
it can break. To avoid
this, the defender shifts
his body slightly for-
ward, so that if the at-
tacker advances full
speed, he will break his
nose upon the shoulder.
4-5: As soon as the head-butt has been dodged, the
defender place his left hand on the attacker’s shoul-
der. If so desired, the hand can also slap the ear and/
or strike the neck to disturb attacker’s attention be-
fore landing upon the shoulder.
The hand helps to keep the opponent in close
contact range. Defender can also laterally head-butt
(from right to left) the attacker in order to unbalance
him toward the left.

6-7-8: The defender next lifts the attacker’s right el-
bow while lowering the attacker’s left shoulder. No-
tice how the left arm of the opponent is trapped by the
defender’s right arm. The defender can then control
the elbow of his opponent and completely unbalance
him to the left. The pressure on the elbow goes up-
ward then downward and forward.
The pressure on the opponent’s right shoulder is
also crucial as it allows one to properly unbalance a
stronger opponent. When the defender pushes the el-
bow up, he also pushes the shoulder down; and when
he pushes the elbow down and forward, also he pulls
the shoulder backward and downward.
9: The defender finishes the technique by control-
ling the opponent’s left hand with his own left hand,
his left arm held very close to also control oppo-
nent’s right arm. His right hand controls the oppo-
nent’s shoulder to sto him from regaining his bal-
ance. In this way, the opponent is completely neu-
tralized.
If he tries to kick, pressure on both his shoulders
and hands will prevent him from landing a kick of
any value and will likely even cause him to fall
down.
The defender can also use his right hand to
punch the attacker while he is unbalanced. Knee
techniques can be used to quickly end the situation.
Pictures courtesy of www.Pahuyuth.de.
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7KH $/0$ 7HDP
We met with Patricia Guerri at her dojo in Paris. 6th
Dan in Japan, founder of Aiki Bukikai, and Ueshi De-
shi of Master Morihiro Saito for 3 years, she is one of
very few people today to still possess the secrets of
weapon practice in Aikido as defined by O Sensei
Morihei Ueshiba.
ALMA: Patricia Guerri. Hello and thank you for
meeting with us. Would you please introduce
yourself to our readers?
Patricia: Hello. Well, I began studying Aikido in
France with what is now customly called "the
group of Master André Nocquet" (NDLR: direct
pupil of Morihei Ueshiba, he was the first to in-
troduce Aïkido to France.).
Through hard work, I reached the level of 2nd
Dan. Following various domestic events, I chose
to leave in order to train in Japan. There, I met
Stanley Pranin, a journalist to whom I announced
my desire to study Aïkido. He then directed me
toward Master Morihiro Saito, who lives in

Iwama.
ALMA: How easily did you integrate into this situa-
tion?
PG: With great difficulty. It was first necessary to
make myself acceptable as pupil to the master.
Most people don't really understand what is
meant by the term "ueshi deshi" (NDLR: Study-
ing resident). It was indeed the slavery. I per-
formed the most degrading tasks for him, and
even for others of lower stature.
The master started by making start again from
scratch. From 2nd dan I went to gokyu, and I
needed to climb the echelons one by one.
The Aikido of the main saito is very different
from the one taught at the Aikikai in Tokyo. It is
the Aïkido of the last years of the founder's life,
an aiki which is martially efficient but clearly
distinct from Takeda ryu aiki jutsu.
The son of O Sensei even recognized that he
ahd modified his father's art, orienting it toward
a research of the circle. It is an aiki which is very
oriented toward health, the research of the har-
mony with a partner, and well being in general.
The aikido taught at Iwama instead rests on the
notion of takemusu aiki, in which the triangle
and the square predominate.
ALMA: Can you describe for us the fundamental
difference between modern Aikido and the ver-
sion you studied at Iwama?
PG: Practise in the original form is more complex
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668( 

than the modern one and often 'pays less' for a

teacher.
The modern shape is sweetened so that attacks
against which one would normally be judicious
to defend against only contain some false sem-
blances.
(Patricia then executes a technique before us
in two versions. In the first version she demon-
strated, an atemi to the face is obvious at the be-
ginning of the technique. This permits one to
break the adversary's concentration in order to
use a supplementary technique that would nor-
mally seem too obvious to an outside observer.
In the "modernized" version of the same tech-
nique, the partner can, within two or three op-
portunities in her estimation, counter the move-
ment with a strike.).
Besides, the dojo at Iwama is known to be the
place where O Sensei perfected the weapons of
Aikido. An art that calls itself 'martial' is incom-
plete if it doesn't instruct people in the use of
weapons!
At the end of his life, O Sensei didn't give
courses in the morning. In the context of time, it
was necessary to work in order to live and so
only Morihiro Saito, a Japanese railroad em-
ployee, was able to attend all courses regularly.
This is why O Sensei confided in him, and to China (NDLR: To Manchuria, where he had con-
him only, the transmission of the weapons of tacts with many high level teachers, most notably
aiki, as well as the evolution of his art at the end in Ba Gua Zhang) and by the Chinese martial arts.
of his life. What do you think?
The weapon forms transmitted by the aikkikai,
I again insist, are Takeda ryu with the taste of PG: Mr. Saito never made mention of it.
aïkido, but they are not the weapons as defined
by O Sensei. ALMA: Patricia, several of our readers asked us what
have been some of the more "cool" uses of our
ALMA: Some people affirm that the art of Mr. Ue- martial arts practice. How would you answer this
shiba was greatly modified by his journey to question?

PG: ...It is a difficult question. In fact, I exercise for the

pleasure that it gives me, which is already enough.
My practice has permitted me to acquire bodily
restraint, but as a development of my conscience.
This, for me, is an excellent reason to exercise.

ALMA: Thank you, Patricia.

PG: Thank you too.

Patricia Guerri returns to an exclusive form of aiki jo.

One that, to our knowledge, had never before had been
demonstrated. •
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668(
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DERXW7HDFKLQJ
T HE TEACHER (Kru), who sees himself as having
a mission to instruct others because of the Lug-
sidt, has according to Thai pedagogic principles
unlimited freedom to teach whatever he sees fit. De-
pending upon his own convictions, he can freely
choose the teaching method and has no need to justify
himself to any of his students.
Nevertheless, his teachings are characterized by
their status as recommendations. There is no obliga-
tion for the student to accept them.
An old story coming from the Tamnan Rueh Srie
(Textbook of the Jungle Preacher ) contains the ba-
sic pedagogic principles of the teachers of the art of
Thai fighting. It demonstrates and shows examples of
practical teaching methods and different teaching per-
sonalities.
It should be noted that the definition of the single
pedgogic principle of the story is one part of the oral
examination requirements for the teacher examination
(Red Belt Graduation ).
Gauw - The Story
A charcoal worker (Tahnn ) had a young son
named Gauw (glas ) who didn’t want to carry on his
father’s profession in the production and sale of char-
coal.
He instead wished to become a hunter (Plan ) who
would know about the jungle and the animals, which
he thought were scared of him. He simply thought
that this would be a better life instead of working in
the charcoal business.
He was fascinated yb reports and stories of the he-
roic deeds of hunters (Plan ) told by visitors and trad-
ers who came to his village. Day in and day out, he
concentrated more and more on the idea. He didn’t lis-
ten to his parent’s advise and neglected his usual work
with charcoal.
Any time a trader stopped by his village, he asked
him for the address of a good hunter so that he could
become his student.
But so far Gauw wasn’t successful. The hunters
who accidentally came to his village were either too
old and infirm or not suitable for another reason. What

he needed was a real hunter that he could ask and
leave with.
The only thing the traders could tell him was that
they sometimes met a hunter in the jungle who sold
them meat and hand tools.
They promised that in the case that they met him
again, they would ask him where he lived. If one day
the right hunter came to his village, his wish would
come true. Therefore, he shouldn’t give up and keep
on the look out.
One day, Gauw was told by a trader who had com-
passion for the boy that in the jungle, north of his vil-
lage near a river mouth, a jungle preacher (Rueh Srie )
had settled down in a little self-built temple (Sala ).
The jungle preacher was regarded as a healer and
advisor and was visited by hunters and others who
came across the jungle to get his help, medicinal herbs
and magic. The young Gauw should go to him be-
cause this would be the only way to fulfill his longed-
for dream of being a hunter.
The trader told him that he had already been there
and told the Rueh Srie about him and that he had ex-
pressed no objections. The only thing the Rueh Srie
wanted was that young Gauw should worry about his
own concerns on his own, just as he would go to the
toilet every day by self as well.
Gauw was so very happy about the good news
and so he immediately prepared himself to go to the
Rueh Srie.
He took a big sack of charcoal for the hunter from
his parents as an expense allowance for his instruc-
tion. As a sign of his good manners and as a present,
he took a cooked meal of rice and beef, as well as a
young coconut for the Rueh Srie .
For himself, he took food for the journey that
would last for about 7 days and put it in his pack.
For the transport of his things and to later serve as
food, he took an old cow (Vau ) from his neighbours
in exchange for a few sacks of charcoal. The cow
couldn’t be used for farming anymore, anyway.
The next morning when day dawned, Gauw
packed his things and said good bye to his parents. He
promised to come back as soon as he had become a
hunter. Then he set out in a northern direction toward
the Rueh Srie.
Nang Mai( Tree Goddess )
The way turned out to be quite difficult and much
farther than the trader had reported. So young Gauw
who had never been in the jungle before became
scared. Because of his lack of experience, he could-
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668(
n’t recognize his covered way and the surroundings.
He didn’t know which plants he could eat because
he had never seen any of this kind before. The little bit
of grass his cow chewed from time to time wasn’t
suitable as food for him.
Furthermore, it turned out to be arduous to pull the
cow all the way across the jungle. Either the trees
were too close to each other or the cow simply refused
to follow him over the mountain.
The food for his journey was used up and only the
meal left was the one for the Rueh Srie. But he didn’t
dare to eat this meal in case the whole trip would later
turn out to be in vain because of its absence. Neither
could he slaughter the cow because this was the thing
he wanted to learn from the hunter.
Although he had orientated himself according to
the description of the trader, he didn’t know how far
there still was to in order to get to the Rueh Srie.
During one night in the jungle when he hadn’t
eaten for days, in a state of exhaustion he lay down on
a tamarind tree (Tohn Mahkarmm ), forgetting to tie
up his cow, and fell asleep.
He dreamed of a tree goddess (Nang Maih ) who
came out of the tree. She smiled at him and said,
"Dear Gauw, it is gold that you have in your sacks
covered by the charcoal. If you do it properly, all your
wishes will come true. The hunter has already got
what he needs to make gold. He doesn’t need to get it
from you."
After that, she disappeared again into the tree.
Gauw frightened and woke up. The words of the
Nang Maih were still sounding in his ears when he
looked for his cow. He found out that it was gone and
with it the whole pack, too. He stood up and at the
same moment, a piece of charcoal fell to the ground.
The whole situaion was too unbelievable form him
and he could not interpret its meaning.
The dream, the disappearing cow, and now a piece
of charcoal... After a few moments, he recovered and
started to think about how he could get back his cow
and his other things.
He looked for the spoor of his cow to find out in
which direction it had gone. He soon found another
piece of charcoal and his hopes of finding it rose. He
followed the spoor and collected the pieces.
He didn’t think that the cow had been taken away
by anyone but that it had gone in search of food. The
damaged sack must have been the reason for the
pieces of charcoal that he found. Soon, he thought he
would find his cow and be able to continue his jour-
ney to the Rueh Srie.
Rueh Srie ( Jungle Preacher )

Late in the afternoon as he passed an arm of a
river, he saw a river mouth and right next to it a little
temple (Sala ). Now he had arrived at his destination
but he had neither his cow nor his pack. Nevertheless,
he decided to walk over to the sala as he had planned.
Perhaps, he thought, he could get some information at
the sala.
If necessary, he could make new charcoal for the
hunter himself because he had grown up with this
work. He was very tired and hoped to spend the night
in the sala.
When he arrived at the sala, he saw his cow and
his pack tied up at a tree right next to it. In the temple,
he saw the Rueh Srie in meditation. No one else was
around.
The sack with the charcoal was still half-full and
the meal for the Rueh Srie untouched.
As tired as he was he didn’t even recognize that
the sack with the charcoal wasn’t damaged. His hun-
ger was overpowering and so he took out the meal for
the Rueh Srie and ate it all. Afterwards, he immedi-
ately fell into a deep sleep.
With the shining sun, he woke up the next morn-
ing and saw his cow in the valley grazing. The temple
was empty and the Rueh Srie was gone. All of his
things were on the ground and next to him he found a
bowl with different kinds of fruits and a container
with water (Kahnn Nah ).
However, he did not dare to take any of these
things because he thought someone had brought them
for the Rueh Srie. If he had taken any them, it would
have been an abuse of the saint’s presents. Yesterday,
he had already eaten the meal that he actually wanted
to give to the Rueh Srie. He really couldn’t do it
again.
To impress the Rueh Srie, he decided to make
himself useful while waiting at the temple. He swept
up the temple, got the things in order and filled up the
water container. After he had done all this, he went
down to the valley to get his cow.
As he came back, he saw the Rueh Srie again. He
was in meditation and right next to him was the trader
who had originally sent him there. He tied up his cow
and welcomed the trader and told him everything that
had happened.
The trader smiled and said that everything in life
has its price which is fixed by the one who pays it and
not by the one who gets it. If he wants to become a
hunter then he has to behave like a student. The jungle
is both the home of a Rueh Srie and the home of a
hunter. To find and hunt animals, the hunter has to
know his way around the jungle. Therefore, he should
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668(
stay here and accompany the Rueh Srie until the
hunter came. This way, he could get useful informa-
tion about how to live in the jungle.
The meal that he had found was for him and he
could eat it. He shouldn’t trie to impose any conversa-
tion to the Rueh Srie because he would not get any an-
swers anyway. Instead, he should rather wait until he
started talking to him. Then, all his questions would
be answered.
Gauw sent his regards to his parents and said good
bye before the trader started again. After he had gone
Gauw started to think what he had said and decided on
following his advise. Then he lay down and fell
asleep.
Lugsidt Gauw
The days passed and Gauw took the knowledge of
the Rueh Srie without questioning it. The Rueh Srie
showed him how to do things or asked him questions
which he had to answer on his own.
In the jungle, the Rueh Srie moved very quickly and
Gauw had problems following him and lost his way.
Step by step, the Rueh Srie left certain marks so that
Gauw could eventually find him.
As a reward, he always got new kinds of fruits and
vegetables for dinner, which also made his survival in
the jungle more certain. Soon, he had learned so much
that he could even cook his own meal.
With his knowledge about charcoal, he made sure
that it was always warm inside the sala, and he also
made sure that they both had dinner. Furthermore, he
still managed all the other chores of the sala house-
hold. He was introduced to the all the habits of the
animals. He knew their hiding-places and could fol-
low their trails.
He learned about different kinds of traps and how to
set them, as well as experiencing the suffering of ani-
mals and amputations.
He could already treat the animals that the Rueh
Srie had brought to the sala on his own. He had
learned all about animals except how to kill them even
though he had not yet met a hunter.
Sometimes people came to the Rueh Srie for medical
treatment. So it came to pass that when the Rueh Srie
was in meditation, the young Gauw would take over
their treatment.
He was the only around and because of his suc-
cessful treatments, the people thought him to be the
Rueh Srie’s student, although the Rueh Srie had still
not spoken a single word to him.
Actually, instead of becoming a jungle priest, he had

really wanted to become a hunter and was still only
waiting for the right teacher.
One day the trader came to the sala to visit the
Rueh Srie. He brought many delicous things from
Gauw’s parents and told them that in Gauw’s village,
where his parents still lived, many people had died be-
cause of a tiger gang that was roaming about.
Also, some hunters who had already been hired to
take care of them had failed and were now dead. Now,
the inhabitants of the village were looking for a better
hunter who was able to handle the problem and return
peace to the little village. For this, they they were
willing to give anything.
Suddenly, the Rueh Srie spoke to Gauw for the
first time. "Gauw, don’t you want to go to your par-
ents and protect them from this danger?" he said.
The boy was speechless because he did not expect the
Rueh Srie to speak to him at that moment. Especially
since he was already worried enough thinking about
his parents and the trader’s news.
But the Rueh Srie continued, "Gauw, you should
go. There you will also find the best hunter. He won’t
come here until the problem is solved anyway as he is
urgently needed there."
Although Gauw did not understand all of this, he
said good bye. Now, he would finally meet the best
hunter. He took his cow and started to head back to
his home village.
Plan Gauw
Along the way, he had an idea. He decided to
catch the tigers and bring them as a present for his
parents and the best hunter whom he expected to meet
there, in order to show everyone what he had already
learned. Catching the tigers would be no big problem
for him, especially since he had the cow.
He made a little detour and with the knowledge
that the Rueh Srie had passed on to him, he built sev-
eral cages. He used his cow as bait and was indeed
able to catch all of the tigers. Afterward, he built a
cart (Gwien ) and loaded the cages onto it. With his
cow as a nag, he made his way back home to his vil-
lage.
The villagers were in utter confusion when Gauw
came down the way with his cart and the cages loaded
with tigers. They ran circles around him and accompa-
nied him to the house of his parents. His parents were
greatly pleased about his return and warmly embraced
him. They then asked how he was able to achieve this
and what would happen now.
He told them everything he had learned from the
$/0$ )(%58$5<  92/80(  ,668( 

Rueh Srie and that the tigers were meant for the best
hunter so that he would take him as a student. Because
he kept the tigers in his parents house, he became the
attraction of the village. Every day, the people stopped
by to stare at the tigers in astonishment.

For some time, he didn't receive any further news

about the arrival of the best hunter. So in the mean-
time, he helped his family out with the charcoal busi-
ness and took care of the tigers and the cow.

Using the knowledge of the Rueh Srie, he was able to

choose good trees for charcoal production. Accord-
ingly, his goods were of the the best quality in his vi-
cinity and he and his family soon became rich.

But he still waited as the best hunter was yet to come.

One day, he decided to visit the Rueh Srie and to give
him the tigers until the best hunter arrived.
This time it was quite easy for him to get to the Rueh
Srie. He didn’t fear dying of starvation, nor did he
lose his way.
The Rueh Srie greeted him warmly and asked him to
sit down. After Gauw told the Rueh Srie what had
happened since his departure , he explained his desire
to leave the tigers at the sala until he had found the
hunter.

When the Rueh Srie heard this, he started to laugh and

asked Gauw, "Which is the best student of a hunter?
The one who is able to produce the best charcoal with
his knowledge or the one who catches a tiger with
bare hands?"

Suddenly Gauw realized everything and understood

that the Rueh Srie had been the hunter he was loook-
ing for the entire time. From him, he had learned how
to choose the best trees for charcoal and also how to
catch tigers.
Gauw bowed to the Rueh Srie and offered the tigers to
him as a sign of his gratitude.
Since this story, the person of the Rueh Srie is always
connected with the tigers which were given to him by
the young Gauw. And after the tigers died, their sym-
bol was adopted for their garments.•
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8VHUV·/HWWHUV
6SHFLDO :KDW LV D 0DVWHU"
C HRISTOPHE ASKED: “What do you mean by
master ?”
A.W. replied:
Again you ask the best questions. The need to de-
fine one’s terms is very important, even more so when
we are crossing language and cultural lines.
master (mastúr) n. Abbr. M.
3. One who has control over or ownership of some-
thing.
8.a. One whose teachings or doctrines are accepted by
followers. b. Master. Jesus.
9. A male teacher, schoolmaster, or tutor.
11.a. An artist or a performer of great and exemplary
skill.
12. A worker qualified to teach apprentices and carry
on the craft independently.
13. An expert.
—master adj.
1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a master.
2. Principal or predominant.
3. Controlling all other parts of a mechanism.
4. Highly skilled or proficient.
5. Being an original from which copies are made.
—master tr.v. mastered, mastering, masters.
1. To act as or be the master of.
2. To make oneself a master of.
3. To overcome or defeat.
ALSO:
adj. Showing an advanced or superior level of skill or
mastery proficient, skillful, accomplished, adept, ex-
pert, gifted, good, handy, masterful, masterly, strong,
talented, virtuoso, skilled
n. A person whose occupation is to educate students
teacher, educator, academician, pedagogue, docent,
preceptor, instructor, professor, tutor, don, trainer,
coach, schoolteacher
n. A person who advises another, especially officially
or professionally counselor, adviser, consultant, ex-
pert, guide, guru, leader, minister, mentor
n. One who has had long experience in a given capac-
ity veteran, campaigner, trouper, pro (colloquial), ex-
pert, old hand (colloquial), vet, old-timer

Above references are taken from: Legal stuff:
The American Heritage Electronic Dictionary of the
English Language, Third Edition, Copright © 1992 by
Houghton Miffin Compan, Electronic version licensed
from and portions copyright © 1994 by InfoSoft Inter-
national, Inc.
AND
Deluxe English US Electronic Thesaurus © 1994 by
InfoSoft International, Inc, Adapted from the Oxford
Thesaurus © 1991 by Oxford University Press and
from Roget’s II: The New Thesaurus © 1980 by
Houghton Mifflin Company.
I hope this answers your questions and provides a
firm bases for future discussions.
Lotus replied:
I would definitely agree that you have to know
your definition of master here. It's just like word asso-
ciation, it will mean one thing to someone, and some-
thing completely different to someone else. My defini-
tion of "Master" would be someone who is not only
proficient in his physical art, but also knows when and
why to apply it. Someone who doesn't think about
things as "Eye for an Eye", but simply sees action and
understands counter-action. One of the things I use
martial arts for is to tame emotion, so to speak. If ever
in a situation that requires a confrontation, the ideal
reaction to that would not be an extra large dose of
adrenaline to numb the body and mind to ravage
someone, but rather to think (wrong word to use,
maybe know instead) about what was happening, and
simply react to the actions going on, rather than to the
person acting. To me, that is what I would consider a
master.
Christophe Frugier replied:
According to me a master is someone who
achieved something, whatever the considered field is.
In the martial art realm, i would ask him to be more
than just a technician.
All time greatest technicians were scarcely master
(most of them didn't manage to form student with an
equivalent level of proficiency).
A master is someone who opens you doors of
knowledge, of life. that is, god thanks, more than just
kicking, fencing or punching.
A stranger passing by can be your master for one
point. Nature is a great master.
Or you can even take for master someone you dis-
like and say to yourself "hey, this is an example I
should never follow !"•
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<XQFKRL <HXQJ
Chin Woo Athletic Association of Hong Kong Limited
I HAVE A GREAT INTEREST for martial arts ever
since my childhood. Southern Mantis was the first
art that I came to contact with, as my brother was
learning it. Then it was Hongquan, as a neighbor
taught me some basics. Then it was Karate but only at
elementary level when I was in high school.
In was 1968 that I began to learn martial arts prop-
erly when learning Eagle-talon and Baguaquan from
Kenneth Liu, a close friend of the family. Between
1969 and 1973 when I was in Sydney, I learnt Yong-
chunquan from Gregory Choi (Choy Siu-kwong), a
student of Yip Man. I resumed my training with Ken-
neth for a few years after I returned to Hong Kong at
the end of 1973.
I can not remember exactly when but it was one
Sunday morning, Kenneth's teacher Lieutenant Gen-
eral Sun Pao-kung came and watch me practicing the
Bagua Dragon Form. General Sun's comment was that
his teacher Fu Zhen-song will not recognize what I
was doing if he is still alive. I have reflected on his
comment and thought that I might be lacking the basic
martial training in doing Baguaquan. Assuming the
logical steps in learning Internal Martial Arts are Tai-
jiquan first, then Xingyiquan, and then Baguaquan,
etc. So, I began to have private training sessions with
Kwok Wan-ping, a friend and a professional coach of
Chinese Martial Arts, and learned from him Wuzimei
Qigong, Chen Style Taijiquan, Fu Style Taijiquan,
Xingyiquan, Bajiquan, and other routines and weap-
onry. He also improved my Yongchunquan by show-
ing me what he learnt from Cen Neng (Sum Nung) in
Guangzhou. Later he also introduced me to Cen Neng,

who told me many stories and showed me his im-
provements in Yongchunquan.
My Yongchunquan was also improved by Sung
Chen whom Kenneth asked me to teach him Baguaq-
uan. Sung Chen leant Pain Shen (side body) Yong-
chunquan, which also know as Gu Lao Yongchun-
quan. He showed me what he learnt and their develop-
ments in loose-hand techniques, dummy techniques,
three and a half point pole, and double knives.
It was 25 December 1984, when I traveled to
Hainan Island in the south of China to inspect a devel-
opmental project with General Sun. He asked me to
train with him, as he is now retired from politic and
has the time to refine the theory of Baguaquan. So, I
trained with him until he was taken ill and passed-
away on 6 September 1990. Just before his death, he
was very disappointed with me, as I was organizing
the Guangzhou and Hong Kong Taiji Pushing-hand
Competition and not doing anything about Bagua
pushing-hands. Being a learned man, he knew why
but this was to put some pressure on me in developing
his Baguaquan.
My Baguaquan was inspired by Wong Hon-chi
and his father Wang Zhuang-fei, as what they told me
and showed me really helped me to appreciate the art
of Baguaquan and its developments.
In 1990, I started the Taijiquan Pushing-hands
Class at The Chin Woo Athletic Association of Hong
Kong to prepare athletes for competitions in Guang-
zhou. It was my involvement in Chin Woo and partici-
pation in competitions that gave me the opportunities
to meet and learn from many artists. Since then, I am
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My association with the Guangzhou Associa-

tion of Wu-dang Martial Arts is to support the re-
vival and promotion of Internal Martial Arts.
There is no such thing as Martial Art from Wu-
dang Moutain, but a mark left by Zhang San-feng
in the history of Chinese Martial Arts. Wu-dang
Mountain is not even a place where martial arts
flourish like it was in the Shao-lin Temple. Wu-
dang is just a convenient name to group together
the type of martial arts influenced by Taoism to
differentiate from other martial arts. Wu-dang
Mountain is a very important place for Taoism and
tourism in China, and martial art schools began to
flourish since 1984 with the support of the govern-
ment.
promoting Taijiquan Pushing-hands and writing mar- My own research interest is the stick and follow
tial related articles. After the formation of the Yong- fighting method, which is unique in the three arts that
chunquan Research Activity Center in Foshan on 29 I am familiar. The ultimate aim of martial arts is to
June 1997, I am also promoting Yongchunquan Stick- subdue the opponent, and it is not surprise to find
ing-hand competition. these three different arts came to some common con-
I am now working closely with Lung Wah in his clusions in this method of fighting. There is the con-
Liuhebafa (Six-harmonies and Eight-methods), and cept emphasized that fighting began when enter into
Lai Shen-hong on massage therapy and exercise ther- contact with the opponent, and one can follow and re-
apy. I hope we will produce some good articles, vid- spond automatically to the next move of the opponent
eos and books on these subjects. I am also learning a rather than follow a predetermined pattern or look for
little bit more about the application of Xingyiquan in opening. Thetr is also the concept of impenetrable is
Taiji Pushing-hands and Taoism from Niu Sheng-xian emphasized instead of tradeoff in fighting. May be
whose teacher Li Tian-ji was a close friend of General this is why the sticking and pushing exercises were
Sun. developed, which marked the beginning of a new gen-
My association with the Wushu Union gave me a eration of contact sports in martial arts.•
clear insight into the problems of politic and money in
martial arts, and that confirmed the Chin Woo Ath-
letic Associations have taken the right approach
in promoting martial arts, by being nonpolitical,
nonprofit making, open and all inclusive in
teaching and development. Furthermore, the
Wushu Union has very little to do with Internal
Martial Arts, Yongchunquan and some of the
other traditional martial arts. There is the 42
Form International Competitive Taijiquan Rou-
tine but is purely judged on the external aesthetic
values of Shao-lin Martial Arts. It was reported
that some Taijiquan routine champions already
developed knee problems due the fact that they
are doing the extraordinary low stances slowly
and prolonged static one-legged stances. The
idea of pushing Wushu into the Olympic Game
has exhausted government resources in China for
other martial related developments. The only
consolation is that non governmental organiza-
tions were given more freedom to promote and
develop traditional Chinese Martial Arts.
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'D%DML4XDQ3DUW
&KLQHVH )RUP
T HIS MONTH’S CHINESE
form is a Bajiquan form
from the lineage of Master Liu
Yunqiao.
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To be continued next month...•

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-DSDQHVH )RUP
H angetsu is a kata from Shotokan Karate, and is
considered one of the core 15 kata of the style as
outlined by its founder, Gichin Funakoshi. The name
"Hangetsu" means "half moon" or "crescent moon"
and is probably a reference to the sanchin stance and
hand forms which employ arc-shaped movements.
The kata's original Okinawan name is "Seisan", which
translates as "13". Seisan is also the name by which
Funakoshi refers to Hangetsu in his early book, Ryu
Kyu Karate Kempo. Seisan is common to many Oki-

nawan systems though its performance differs
slightly between styles. It is sometimes believed to
be the oldest extant karate kata and is attributed to a
Chinese origin.
Hangetsu consists of forty one movements and is
performed in a "cross" pattern. The major points
which should be focused on are expansion and con-
traction of thebody, circular arm and leg movements
and co-ordinated breathing techniques. The kata
should take about 60 seconds to perform. •
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'
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Sword and Dagger
XXXII - Polidoro and Troilo gone in the fence with
sword and dagger for honour, Polidoro stopped with
the left leg forward, keeping the dagger’s arm straight,
and the hilt of his sword to his right side and the point
to the enemy. Troilo stopped in inside guard, keeping
the dagger near to the sword, as the picture shows.
XXXIII - Fabio to keep his honour went with Livio
in the fence with sword and dagger, where Fabio,
plaintiff, stopped with the right leg forward in out-
side guard, with the sword’s hand backward and the
dagger’s arm straight. Livio stopped in inside guard
too, keeping the dagger near to the sword.

XXXIV - Affranio gone with Ottone in duel with
sword and dagger for honour, stopped low-lying in
outside guard, with the dagger’s arm straight, keeping
the dagger against the sword of Ottone. Ottone
stopped low-lying in inside guard, keeping the dagger
near to the sword.
XXXV - Ascanio to keep his honour went in the
fence with Lauso with sword and dagger, and
stopped in inside guard, keeping the dagger near to
the sword. Lauso, stopped in outside guard, with the
dagger against the sword of Ascanio.
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XXXVI - Pushed by his honour Tarquino called Celio
in the fence to duel with sword and dagger, and there,
Tarquino stopped in outside guard, and Celio in in-
side.
XXXVII - Regolo, called Pollione in the fence to
prove his word with sword and dagger, and entered
in the fence, stopped in inside guard. And Pollione
stopped in outside guard.
Sword and Cloak
XXXVIII - Clario, plaintiff, gone in duel with
Vespasiano for honour with sword and cloak, earing
the signal to fight, puts the hand on the sword and
takes with the left hand the cloak near to the collar
and winds it round the arm. Vespaisano puts the hand
on the sword too, and makes another kind of wind-
ing... and then taking with gracefulness all his cloak,
losing no time winded it round his arm.
XXXIX - Planco dishonoured by Cassio went with
him in the fence with sword and cloak, where, as
plaintiff, stopped high with the point of the sword to

the chest of Cassio and with the cloak well winded,
keeping the cloak’s arm straight. Cassio stopped in
inside guard, with the sword’s arm well straight and
the cloak near to the hilt of the sword.
XL - Sestilio for honour, called Volunnio in the
fence, when they faced, Sestilio, a very expert
fencer, ...lowing the point of his sword to earth, finds
the enemy’s sword near to the hilt and moves out it,
and immediately advancing with the left leg throws
the cloak on the face of the enemy.
Sword and Buckler
XLI - Mutiano deceived by Torano goes with him in
duel with sword and buckler, and entered in the
fence stops with the left leg forward and the buck-
ler’s arm staight, keeping the sword low and back-
ward. Torano by the other side stopped with the right
leg forward in inside guard with the buckler near to
the hilt of the sword.
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XLII - Menesteo, for honour, challenged Rutiliano in

the fence with sword and buckler, and entered, one in
a side and the other in the other, Menesteo plaintiff
immediately stopped in outside guard, with the sword
near to the buckler, keeping the right edge of his
sword against his enemy.

XLVI - Sergio to keep his honour calls in the fence

Lisipro, to duel with sword and round-shield. Sergio
immediately stopped in outside guard and Lisippo in
inside; Both of them with their round-shields near to
their swords.

XLIII - Varrone, for honour, called Ligario in the

fence to duel with sword and buckler. And in the
fence, Varrone faced Ligario in inside guard with the
buckler near to the sword. Ligario by the other side
stopped in inside guard with his buckler near to his
sword.

Sword and Target

XLVII - Tratto dall'honor suo Acrisio went with

Danao to duel with sword and target, and stopped
with the left leg forward, the target’s arm straight
and the hilt near to his right side, keeping the point
against Danao. Danao stopped with the right leg for-
ward, keeping the target near to his sword in inside
guard.

XLIV - Lauro plaintiff and Aquilo offender, with

sword and buckler.

Sword and Round Sheild

XLV - Clodio et Gabinio gone for honour in the fence

to duel with sword and round-shield, they both
stopped in inside guard with their round-shields near
to their swords. Clodio, plaintiff, try to find the
Gabinio’s sword...He finds it inside, as the picture
shows.
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XLVIII - Tiburtio to defend his honour, had a duel
with sword and target with Thireno and in the fence
stopped in inside guard... and putting his target against
the target of the enemy, tries to move out the sword of
Thirreno to hit him with a point in the right side.
With Two Swords
LI - Chorebo, to find the truth, called Acilio in the
fence to duel with a case of swords. Chorebo, plain-
tiff, stopped with the left leg forward, the sword in
the left hand in inside guard, and that in the right
hand upwards, showing to blow violently. Acilio,
against Chorebo, stopped with the left leg forward,
the sword in the left hand in inside guard, immedi-
ately blocks the left sword of the enemy, and stops
the right sword to the side, with the point to the en-
emy, waiting the blow of the Chorebo's upwards
sword.

Sword Against a Left Hand

XLIX - Martiale, for honour, went in duel with Ac-

rone, left-handed, with a sword. And as Martiale,
plaintiff, was right-handed, he stopped in inside
guard, but out of the sword of Acrone, that stopped
with the sword outside, cause he was left-handed.

LII - To demonstrate his honour, Mezentio went in

the fence with Dardano with two sword, and both of
them stopped in the same way; Mezentio with the
right sword in outside guard and the left in inside,
L- Gone and Dardano against Mezentio, with the right sword
for honour in the fence Polibio, left-handed, with a in outside guard and the left in inside.•
sword, with Sicanio, right-handed, Polibio stopped in
inside guard against Sicanio, that stopped in outside
guard. Polibio, as plaintiff, immediately started with
blows "dritti" and "roversi"... Sicanio fights parrying
the blows of the enemy.
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3KXQJ+RDQJ4X\HQ3KRHQL[%R[LQJ
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T
ashes.
HE PHOENIX is a mythical animal to which leg-
end ascribes the power of being reborn from its
Stances: Techniques:
In Vietnam, it was the symbol for the queen and as • Lap tan • Gat (block)
a general symbol, stands for resurrection and immor- • Dinh tan • Chia (finger thrust)
tality. • Trung binh tan • Dam (fist)
This form features many flying kicks and elbow • Xa tan • Cho (elbow)
strikes. It is a gift from the late master N'guyen Dan • Thai am tan • Chem (hand saber)
Phu (who died last summer) from the Tanh Long • Nhi tan • Goi (knee)
school. • Quy tan • Chup (grappling)
Displacement Axis: • and several different
Mainly toward the south. The opponent is consid- kicks
ered to be in front of the vo sinh.

Comments:
This quyen must be performed with a particular emphasis on swiftness
in movement. It includes many techniques, some of which are not easy to
link together, particularly for beginners.
Remember that repetition leads to mastery...•
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