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Fascinating. Of the five great centers of Tao in the Middle Country, Maoshan was associated with spirits, magic, divination as a specialty. Its not my way, but it is very interesting to learn about it. I was wondering, is Malaysia a more fertile ground for Maoshan Taoism than say, America? Americans like to fight, so Wudang like martial arts will go over big in America, is spiritualism and divination Malaysia's forte?

I've just finished reading "Seeking the Master of Mo Pai" and a couple of things ring true: Displaying siddhis attracts the wrong people and Mo Pai is a technology school and not an enlightenment school. Demonstrating siddhis tends to attract ambitious people who want to replace the master. Even enlightenment schools have always had betrayers, let alone the fight schools. My feeling is this is why the fighting schools in China were always so secretive - even to disciples - you never could tell when that up and coming student was going to try and take over. The Mo Pai's current disarray seems entirely natural. That John Chang and Jim McMillan are devoted Christians is no surprise either. Shooting lightning bolts might be fun for a little while, but its not going to do anything to satisfy that inner ache for the beyond. Plainly, for all their "power" they need somebody to hold their hand.

I joined this forum because I found a reference to it in a review of Jim McMillan's Mo Pai book. I never wanted to seek out the Mo Pai school - it always felt like a Way of Power rather than a Way of Enlightenment. My interest is mistakes to avoid. After all, what benefit has it been to anybody? Even the grandmasters have ended up as a bunch of mean ghosts.