D_Glenn wrote:I wish I could add something more significant, but the story comes from Dr. Xie’s birthday party back in 2000 and 75 westerners from all over the world had went to Beijing. Some students of BKF were asking about him and Liu, and I was just casually eavesdropping on what was said. All the Chinese had heard about BKF through the rumor mill, and coming to Beijing and basically putting out an open challenge to every Bagua school, before he even started meeting people, only ensured that he would never meet anyone good. And Liu, being on the outside himself, jumped at the chance to maybe get some respect. I can’t elaborate more, but I do remember that those guys were not happy with the answers that they got.
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We do know that he did the same in Taiwan and supposedly even made the paper? Professor John Wang talks about it and respects what he did.
But in the mainland I imagine it wouldn't go over so well considering that in the PRC at that time (and today) people generally try to lay low and keep out of the spotlight because if you offend the wrong people things will go badly for you.
This at the core of Chinese culture. Chinese friends, unlike westerners, go out of their way not to offend each others unfortunately though sometimes it goes the other way where an insignificant nothing can turn into a deep loss of face.
I can remember someone wanted to train with a teacher and he got a little jealous at other students and showed a little bit of frustration at the teacher without saying a word needless to say that teacher stopped training that student.
When I got back to the States I met a teacher from Taiwan who I got on well with. He was impressed that I went to China and being that I had no money he offered to teach me for free. Unfortunately at the time I could not accept and when I told the instructor he basically wouldn't have anything to do with me from then on.
Needless to say the Chinese don't tolerate headaches. So although we will never know what actually happened if a Westerner challenged the Chinese Kungfu community immediately after the cultural revolution I would not be surprised that for some teachers the opportunity to learn just ended.
For a martial arts school in the mainland training isn't just a transaction. It's much more like joining a fraternity or a union, if they don't like what they see they won't teach you the real stuff.
"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire