Eight Immortals Revolving Sword of pure Yang

[寒月 Hanyue]

Been curious about this book for a while now, Three pines press e-mailed me about it pre-publication. At the time I'd never heard of Wu Baolin.

 

I'm starting this review, because I simply couldn't find much if any information on it anywhere when trying to decide to get a copy.

 

The book is roughly in three parts;

• Introduction
  
• The eight immortals
  
• The sword practice
  

The first two sections are a textured weave of Daoist lore and cosmology, the story of Wu Baolin, and the stories of the immortals. There are many very interesting aspects of Daoism dotted throughout the text.

 

If anyone is familiar with, and or has any information on Dr Wu, I'd appreciate hearing more.

 

However, for those who may be interested in reading the book. The stories about Wu's early adventures, are very much like that. They are written, for better or for worse, as though it is an account of a Louis Cha wuxia novel!!

 

I have to say, I am amazed that Wu Baolin is still alive! Being left at Baiyun guan when 4 years old with a mysterious and fatal illness his 7 generation medical family were unable to cure, the Abbot cures him (the account in the book is somewhat different than that which appears in magazine articles on Wu Baolin).

 

As a young and mischievious child, it seems Wu Baolin repeatedly went and ended up nearly dying via run ins with powerful esoteric martial artists. One hits him with 'black sand palm' a "very poisonous qigong skill", which nearly kills him, one hits him between baihui and dazhui affecting his qimai which nearly kills him. He was lucky to have had such a powerful master who repeatedly has to save his life and cure him.

 

So is Wu Baolin as powerful as his over a hundred year old master (accounts vary as to his age upon ascension)? Well, it seems that while he didn't die, the master who nearly kills him by screwing up his qi, put a glass ceiling in meaning his development is stunted and his qinggong (lightness skill) will now not go any further. All this by around 7-8 years old!

 

Wu also alleges to have taught Wang Xiangzhai the Daoist standing practices, implying their impact upon his development of Yiquan, this was around 1961-62, when Wu Baolin was 7-8 years old?? and Wang Xiangzhai was well, who he was at that time (In articles elsewhere it simply states Wu Baolin, although young remembers Wang Xiangzhai and Wang helping to correct his posture).

 

Wang was there originally to challenge Wu's teacher (revenge for the death of his gongfu uncle), and went around breaking flagstones by stepping on them, and was only put off after a display of Daoist neigong through a large block of tofu. Thereafter he wanted to become A daoist and enter into study with the master, but wasn't allowed.

 

I mention this one, because while it is easy to begin to wonder about the truth given what I know is possible in the realms of 'qigong', when you supply accounts about well known people it makes a difference. And things can be cross-checked.

 

So, while enjoyable reading, the stories are so over the top they smack of being somewhere between the Chinese government propaganda for Shaolin and Wudang, and the well loved Wuxia novels. God only knows where the reality actually falls.

 

But is that the point?

 

I don't think so. It feel to me that Wu Baolin is enjoying using the age old story telling method to pass on important teachings and aspects from his own teacher. As they are written in the same tone as those of the legendary immortals. However, I do feel that some may read these stories a little too literally.

 

There is some fantastic information regarding the Daoist view in this book, and it is certainly a great and reliable source of information on the Eight immortals from within a Daoist lineage that holds them dearly.

 

The section on the sword practice, is accompanied by lovely illustrations showing the form. But as good as they are in capturing motion and the movement inherent in the postures (only seen better in the old Westbrook and Ratti books), they are still woefully inadequate for learning a form of such complexity.

 

But then does anyone really buy a book to try and learn a form from?

 

Best,

Edited November 16, 2012 by snowmonki