MASTER ARASHI CHALLENGES MASTER PO

On this day only 811 years ago, a respected Shotokan master named Arashi O ascended Wudan Mountain to confront Master Po.

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“I have heard many rumors of your power. You say Wudan can surpass Shotokan. Demonstrate this to me at once, or face CERTAIN destruction.”

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By the time his sentence had finished he was standing at Kokutsu Dachi, a stance he had mastered many millennia before.

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He was to defend his art, his life’s work, he had every intention of fighting to the death.

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Master Po was sitting in the garden, drinking Jasmine tea. From Lotus position, his eyes raised.

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Looking over his cup, he slowly whispered: “Very well.” He stood. He began walking towards Arashi. Very... very slowly. His hands were in a surrender position, advertising that he was no threat.

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Soon, Po and Arashi were face to face. At this Master Po began to move his hand out, slowly and very calmly. Arashi didn’t move, still holding stance and ready to fight.

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He pointed his index finger against Arashi’s chest, softly, a landing as soft as the butterflies Po would catch.

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The faintest kiss of skin against cloth, before Master Po returned his hand to surrender position. Master Po once again, very slowly, walked backward and sat back down. “There you are,” he said, before returning to his tea.

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Still standing in perfect position and ready to fight, Arashi screamed angrily: “YOU CALL THAT A DEMONSTRATION?? YOU DID NOTHING!”

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Master Po replied, without looking up from his teacup. “You stand in such perfect form, yet slowly and calmly, I struck you with ease.”

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‍Master Po paused before his final sentence. “It is you, who did nothing.”

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Arashi instantly bowed and changed his name to Shinpru. He remained a student of Wudan until his death in 1855.

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Such is the way of Wudan.

-TATESHINKAI