Martial Arts Teaching Tales of Power and Paradox: Freeing the Mind, Focusing Chi, and Mastering the Self

Even though it is now a cliché to say that learning a martial art is as much about learning to conquer oneself as it is about learning to conquer the enemy, most martial-arts books are still about the latter. Pascal Fauliot lends a refreshing voice to the field by excavating some of the great educative tales from the martial arts traditions of China and Japan. Not exactly moral tales, these stories exemplify the ideals of excellence in the martial arts, and are as entertaining as a feature film. Some of the scenarios you might expect: the master who is bushwhacked but comes out unscathed, or the master who sets his student to mundane tasks rather than fighting techniques. Others will surprise: the master who shatters an enormous piece of bamboo without touching it, or the bully who thrashes a little old man only to find himself bedridden the next day. Purportedly all true, these are inspirational stories about learning persistence, self-mastery, flexibility, concentration, and harnessing the invisible power of chi. They are also lighthearted, and retold with an expert touch that the master of any art would appreciate. --Brian Bruya