Category Archives: Kung Fu
Ah Toy
Photo Still from The Limehouse Blues, 1931
In 1894, A Chinese woman named Ah Toy landed in San Francisco, tall willowy in shape and beautiful to the eye she was a instant sensation. She had left China with her husband who died a few weeks into the voyage, she became the captains mistress. Once the voyage was over it did not take long for her to notice how the men of San Francisco followed her with hungry eyes.
She rented a two room house, built a stage in one room with a partition that had hole cut into it. She hired a couple of big Chinese Men to stand guard and collect one ounce of gold for a short show. Dressed in a fine silk gown, slit to her waist on each side and nude underneath she would twist and turn a make exotic moves, she soon had the men stomping and shouting. Soon the block was lined with men standing line and shouting for their turn. Business was so good she soon rented several more places,. Chinese women were hired too preform in shifts, twenty four hours a day. However many men started paying in brass instead of gold causing Ah Toy to rethink he options.
Soon she was sending agents back to China to purchase unsuspecting females and importing them by the ship load. She would select the best and most desirable ones for her self and sell the rest a auction. Some were bought by gentlemen to be used until they tired of them, then they would resale them when the novelty wore off. These unfortunates had no say in their future, and no protection. After the Civil War was over and slavery was abolished it did not apply to the wretched creatures. They were not considered as human, not until 1910 with The Mann act made it illegal to transport women over state lines for immoral purposes, did any legislation exist. But Chinese slave girls lasted into the 1920′s.
Ah Toy after picking the girls for her own purposes, would often turn the other women over to the captain and the crew to break them in. Many of these girls ranged from 11 to 22 years in age. Their lives were embarking on a road of living hell. Before being sold the vast majority were herded into a vast underground vault known as the Queen’s Room. Here they were under the supervision of older prostitutes who were of no value on the street. These older women taught the younger girls how to please men, and were taught to sing,”Chinese Girls very nice, you come inside please, I make you very happy.” Hard word’s for a 11 year old to intone.
Chamber Of Lights
The two girls looked around and found themselves in another candle lit room that was even bigger than the towering great tapestry room had been. Perhaps 3 times as large. But where the other room was tall, this room was long. The two lengthwise walls of the rooms were lined with goblets too numerous to count. They filled the whole length of the room. Master Wu stood and motioned to Wei lin to choose a goblet from the right side of the chamber where a gigantic length of expensive blue silk covered the wall, and for Shanzen to pick a goblet of her own from the opposite wall, covered with a what must have been the kingdoms entire supply of blood red silk. The twins were unsure which cup to pick for there were so many. “Where to start….?” they thought.
Each felt a gentle push from Master Wu that helped them to step forward. Shanzen approached the fire colored side of the room and Wei lin approached the side filled with the hue of ice blue. The twins forced all remaining fears and anxiety out of their minds and began the important task of goblet picking.
Shanzen chose her goblet first at Master Wus urging; another gentle push. She made her way quickly down the row. She was only 9 paces away from Wu and LIn when her hand shot out seemingly of its own volition and grasped a cup. “This is the one!” she whispered as her own voice jumped out of her. She wasnt sure how it had all happened, but there was a doubtless certainty to her own voice and the swift movement of her hand as shed done so.
With her delicate fingers wrapped tightly around the large goblet she returned to master Wus side. For the first time she gave her decision a genuine look. She had chosen a chalice of unusual shape. It was only rounded and bejeweled on three sides. The fourth was flat except for a few strange jagged points and had no ornamentation or gold, as if it had fallen on its side or on the ground while it was being made. Shanzen prayed that she her unconscious self had chosen wisely, bur her fully aware self was worried . Why she had picked such a lopsided object from the infinite number of perfectly shaped, beautifully ornamented choices before her?
“Ive failed” she thought. She wanted to cry, but bit her lower lip instead as she handed the goblet to Master Wu. He showed no reaction to her choice. He simply pointed to Wei Lin that it was her turn to choose. Would her twin fail as well Shanzen thought. “Please be our redemption”
(Excerpt from The Story)
writing in this section
Cave Pool
“Tell me what you know of the ceremony sister,” Wei Lin said in a soft lyrical tone. “The element of fire is the one that I am most familiar with. It is usually done by walking on burning embers to show a shaolin has mastered his mind. I have been the only female to ever train to be a Kung Fu master and I thought I had some time to prepare. It has become clear that I do not, that we do not. The water purification would involve bathing. I guess we are to immerse ourselves in the sacred pool.” Her twins face was illuminated in a blue glow from the water and the light from the touches on the cave wall. The pair stood and removed their robes, standing naked in front of one another. Cat like muscles cut the skin tautly on their young bodies. Holding hands the twins stepped into the pool. A mist rose from nowhere out of the pool enshrouding them. Shanzen wasn’t at all sure what to make of this? They were still holding hands the water swirling around their limbs, their waist and breast. The mist in the center began to form into a shape, like shapes in clouds, a favorite childhood pastime of Shanzen’s. “Do you see this?” she whispered to Wei Lin who squeezed her hand in reply not speaking.
Excerpt from my next installation to The Story
Purification Of The Four Elements
I sort of made this up. In my Qigong studies and practice we did meditations and forms and I sure Wicca, and many other beliefs. I Googled it and sure enough there is a Taoist Purification but I am going to use Creative License here as well. I hope you all enjoy. OM and myself would love to here some feedback on the Story, at least I would.
A Candle Cannot Burn Without Fire
Buddhists believe that the flame on the candles represents the light of Buddha’s teachings. Candles are placed in front of Buddhist shrines as a mark of respect. Buddha says “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” He also says, “Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.”
House Of Flying Daggers
If you haven’t seen House of Flying Daggers you should. It is my favorite film of this genre, the release date is 2004, I can’t believe it’s eight years old. Starring my girl here Zhang Ziyi, who I would chose for Shanzen, although at 33 now she might not pass for 17 but probably could. She is just so beautiful. This movie is stunning, epic, emotional. I want to buy it. I haven’t seen it for a long time.
Li
Li or Lee (Chinese: 李; pinyin: Lǐ; Hangul: 이/리) is a family name of Chinese origin.
It is a widespread surname in China, with about 7.9 percent of the Chinese population possessing this family name. Li is the most common surname for the Hakka Chinese (2007).[1] A Korean surname that uses the same Chinese character, which is often romanized as Lee, is the second most common Korean surname, afterKim. Both the Korean family name Lee and the Vietnamese family name Lý was derived from the same Chinese character as the Chinese surname.
In Taiwan and Hong Kong, and in many overseas Chinese communities, the spelling Lee is common. In Indonesia, the spelling Lie is used because of Dutch writing system influence. There are numerous regional Chinese pronunciations of 李 e.g. Lì (Sichuan), Lei5 (Cantonese), etc.
History
According to the Yuan He Xing Zuan (元和姓纂), the Chinese dictionary of surnames, the Li surname has a long history which goes back to Emperor Zhuanxu who was the first Li and lived before 2000 BC. [citation needed][dubious – discuss]
Li was the royal surname of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). About 15 different emperors had the Li surname. Li Yuan was the founder of the Tang Dynasty, which lasted from AD 618 to 907. During this time, Chinese culture and arts flourished and the country prospered tremendously.
A legend about the Li family is that those who are the directly descended from rebel Emperor Zhuanxu have a genetic trait noticeable in their feet. The last toe on each foot would be pointing inward a little rather than being straight like the rest of the toes. In addition, the nail on this foot has two sections, with one section appearing to override the other. This distinguishes the “true” Lis from the other families with the name as they were born with perfect feet.
The family of Chinese leader Mao Zedong seems to have had a special fondness for the Li family name. Mao himself went by the name Li Desheng for a period of time during the Long March, while his daughters are named Li Min and Li Na, while Jiang Qing, his last wife, used the name Li Runqing in her final years. Mao Yuanxin was named Li Shi while working in a factory after his release from prison.
Wikipedia
Coolie
Still uncertain of the name? Wikipedia says.
“In mainland China and Taiwan, it is called dǒulì (斗笠; literally, a one-dǒu bamboo hat, 笠帽, 竹笠).”
This writing works in progress has been extremely educational. What is really fascinating to me is how the story flows as though it already exist, and it is not just me, but another person,(who I do not have the good fortune to know in person,) odie mama. I will think of something like the legend of the twins and it exist or check a name and it exist, so so many things. Female Shaolin warriors, they exist, it is just….bizarre. I am no authority on China, Chinese culture, history, Shaolin monks, Buddhism or martial arts, so please feel free to correct me, I look and I research but I will be using literary license.
I will try to run with fact but I don’t want to stop the flow, so I may create and expand on facts and legends.
Quan Yin
Guanyin is the bodhisattva associated with compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists, usually as a female. The name Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin which means “Observing the Sounds (or Cries) of the World“. She is also sometimes referred to as Guanyin Pusa (simplified Chinese: 观音菩萨; traditional Chinese: 觀音菩薩; pinyin: Guānyīn Púsà; Wade–Giles: Kuan-yin Pu-sah; literally “Bodhisattva Guanyin”).[1] Some Buddhists believe that when one of their adherents departs from this world, they are placed by Guanyin in the heart of a lotus then sent to the western pure land of Sukhāvatī.[2]
It is generally accepted among east Asian adherents that Guanyin originated as the Sanskrit Avalokiteśvara (अवलोकितेश्वर). Commonly known in English as the Mercy Goddess or Goddess of Mercy,[3] Guanyin is also revered by Chinese Taoists (sometimes called Daoists) as an Immortal. However, in Taoist mythology, Guanyin has other origination stories which are not directly related to Avalokiteśvara.
Writing Works in Progress 