the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Tom wrote:Both Sun and Wang are dead now. Let them rest in peace. Less storytelling, more training.

+1


D.

Sarcasm. Oh yeah, like that´ll work.

Bao wrote:

eastpaw wrote:

Bao wrote:But I can say that 1928 was very late in Suns life. He lived 1860-1933. This was five years before his death. There lies no honor in defeating an old man. But I don't believe that he would fight. He had stopped fighting a long time ago.

A 68-year old IMA master would actually be one helluva scary dude.

Well yeah, I know older and scary dudes. But this is China 1928

1. Sun Lutang had stopped practice for fighting.
2. In 1920s China 68 was a very old age.
3. At that time, young people was taught to gave the most respect for older people. To challenge someone that old would mean a loss of face.

Just to give some perspective: my grandfather passed away in the early 1940's. He was the vice president (in China vice president of a bank is really vice president, not like in finance today) of biggest bank in Tianjing, but he promptly retired at age 50. Shortly afterwards he picked out a nice coffin, the cloth he's going to be buried in, etc. The coffin set at a prominent place in the ancestral hall. Every year near New Years a new coat of black paint was applied. By the time he passed away almost two decade later, the paints was so thick it provided a complete hermetic seal. After he retired he read newspaper every morning, and old history books every afternoon. He just stopped being active. And in that he was no different from other men of his age at that time in China. At this time the average life expectancy for Chinese people is around 42.

So yes, being 68 around that time is different than now.

By the way, yes, you can't just challenge anyone from an older generation within your group, but you don't need to care about that if it's another group, as you are unrelated. Even then, people are usually weary of crossing hands with younger generation of their own group, as the saying goes "the quickest way to become famous is to beat up a famous uncle"


Wuyizidi

C.J.Wang wrote:Let's look at this using another story as an example: Wang Xiang-Zhai's students claim that Wang had beaten Xingyi master Shang Yun-Shiang, but from Shang's camp, people contend that it was Shang who beat Wang. So who's telling the truth?

Take these stories with a grain of salt might be the best thing to do.

I heard that it was a draw and that neither one of them wanted to try the other again because of minor injuries sustained by both.