Wei Yukou looms over the cushion and glares at it with such an intensity that it might have sorted itself out if it had the means to do so — but it does not. She uses the tip of her shoe to adjust the alignment a nigh-imperceptible amount before taking her seat.
One of them is intent on riling her up.
Yukou lights the long, slender pipe held in her left hand and closes her eyes. They are all foolish enough to do it, but only one is brazen enough to toy with her. She sets the mouthpiece to her lips and inhales while opening her left eye to peer across the room at Yu Meizhen, the Taiyi Sect’s leader.
The other woman doesn’t notice her immediately, but the two old friends make eye contact soon enough. Meizhen’s lips curl up into a mischievous grin. Yukou shakes her head to make her annoyance known and exhales a puff of purplish smoke.
“Let this meeting begin,” she declares.
Master Yu places her hands together and smiles. “So, what do we think of this year’s initiates? Anything of note?”
“They’re off to a great start learning bad habits,” He Wangyan, the Fifth Elder, grumbles his discontent before anyone else can speak up. “That dolt, Shangguan Luan, has already given them permission to break the rules. Why bother having rules if we do not expect the initiates to adhere to them?”
“A sect’s traditions should be respected, not mocked!” Zhang Jungbao agrees without delay.
Yukou’s patience with these two wore thin long ago and barely holds on by a thread. Elder He constantly meddles in such a fashion, stirring up resentment and sowing discontent among the council. His direct senior, the Fourth Elder, tends to enable him when matters of tradition arise. Their obsessions need regulating and refining.
She inhales again.
They will be dealt with soon enough.
“You two need to give up and show him some respect,” Elder Cai rebukes. “He does it every year. You know he is going to do it every year, and yet — every year — you two complain about it. You don’t want to be out there teaching the initiates, so why must you bemoan his efforts? Hm?”
“Then why not repeal the rule entirely? Let the initiates do as they please?”
Elder Cai is prepared to speak again, but Yukou cuts her off.
“Enough.”
She gives them a moment to simmer.
“You were not asked to air your grievances. You were asked about the initiates. Do they have promise? How is their potential?”
“Thank you, Grand Elder,” Master Yu says with another pleasant smile. “Please, tell me what you can. I haven’t had a chance to observe them personally.”
“Well, I did spend the first week with them,” Elder Cai answers after a brief pause. “If you discount the exceptional outliers, I believe we still have a rather talented batch this year. One of them might even interest you, Grand Elder.”
Her brow rises. “Oh?”
“There’s one who is just like you.”
Her meaning is evident. Yukou scoffs. “Then send them home.”
“I considered it,” Elder Cai produces the Great Dragon’s token from her robe and holds it out for Yukou to see. “But she had this.”
Even she shifts uneasily at the sudden reveal. “I shall keep an eye on her.”
“That is certainly a surprise,” Master Yu remarks. “Might I see that?”
Elder Cai passes the token to Meizhen. “Just return it once you are satisfied.”
“Of course.”
After a moment of tense silence, Meizhen returns the token to Elder Cai and takes a deep breath. “It has been a few years since we saw one of those, hasn’t it?”
“It doesn’t mean anything,” Elder He protests.
“But it could,” Cui Tianxue remarks as she speaks up for the first time.
The Second Elder’s interest in fate and destiny drew her out of her perpetual mental isolation and into reality. She desperately wishes to hold the token, and by the time it returns to Elder Cai, Tianxue is practically trembling with excitement.
“The token does not mean the initiate is a boon, only that the dragon believes she is best suited for this sect. It could mean disaster.”
“We would certainly be warned of such a thing, no?”
“When are we given warning of anything?”
“I will decide what to do with the initiate in question,” Yukou interjects. “If they pose a threat to the stability of our sect, then I will deal with them accordingly — as I’d do with any other.”
Elder He bristles with frustration, but he is in no position to counter. Elder Cui mutters under her breath before lapsing back into her meditative trance.
“Let’s not start questioning things we have no control over,” Meihzen chides the assembled elders in a sweet, motherly tone. “It is unlikely that a single initiate will ever be more trouble than we can handle.”
“Strength of will!” Shangguan Luan bellows as he arranges his body into an impressive display of physical prowess.
“Strength of mind!” he grunts as he twists into a second, suspiciously flexible pose.
“Strength of body!” he roars as he reaches the end of his introductory routine and flexes with all his might. He acts with such intensity that I fear his muscles might burst out of his skin.
He takes a deep breath and relaxes as much as someone so high strung is able to. “Three things are needed to progress. Only with all three in harmony will you achieve greatness.”
I cast a casual glance down the line of initiates to check the reactions of my peers. It is mixed. Elder Shangguan possesses a unique charisma that appeals to a certain group of my fellow initiates and they are almost as fired up as he is. The rest of us have yet to be drawn in, though it is difficult to ignore the marvel of physical prowess that he is. I cannot deny there is a certain appeal to such a specimen of masculine refinement, but he’s not quite my type. He’s definitely too old!
“As you begin your martial training, do keep that in mind. I may not look like it,” he gives us a big, toothy grin. “But I am more than muscles and raw power. There is always more to us than meets the eye. It is difficult to judge by our outward appearances, and we are all different. That is another concept you must come to terms with.”
He stands up straight and locks his arms behind his back. “You are not all equal!”
While Elder Shangguan observes our reaction, a handful of sect servants haul two wooden practice dummies out onto the field and place one on either side of him. He thanks them and they scurry off without delay.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“There are obvious differences. You have different heights, weights, and builds. You are men and you are women. You are not the same. These differences cannot be overcome easily. You cannot force yourself to be something you are not, especially if you are not intended to be that very thing.
“Men and women are different. That is made clear at a glance. The differences stem from our very essence — yin or yang. Women are yin, men are yang. These essences are equal, yet opposites. What one is, the other isn’t. We complement each other, and that makes us stronger.”
Elder Shangguan begins pacing back and forth like an anxious tiger, but his words make sense. I’ve never felt that I am perfectly equal to men, but I also never had the sense that I am lesser by being a woman. In martial arts, I know that men tend to excel with their strength and size. It is difficult, or perhaps impossible, for a girl like me to make up for that. The tournament in Tiansheng was dominated by men; Ban Shuyi’s victory at the end was an outlier so she has clearly found ways to compensate for her deficiencies. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to ask her how.
“You will learn to manipulate your essence, and how to use it to influence your qi. It is also possible to temporarily alter your essence and tap into the strengths you normally lack. Because of this, the Taiyi sect does not discriminate in its teachings. You will be learning styles suited to both essences. Internal and external, hard and soft. I will even give you a demonstration so that you may see, first hand, these differences.”
He turns to one of the training dummies and adopts a basic tai chi fighting stance. “First, I will demonstrate the might of yin essence. While yang is powerful, yin is subtle. We can find a balance, or push to the extremes.”
He strikes the dummy with what appears to be a rather powerful punch, but despite the loud impact of his fist against the wood, little else happens. The dummy barely wobbles.
“That’s it?” Xiuyi mutters.
I shrug when she looks at me for confirmation.
“I am not a master of yin, so I apologize if my display is lacking,” he turns to the other dummy, but I can’t help shake a strange feeling. That grin on his face is very suspicious. “Now, I do happen to be a master of yang. So, this will be suitably impressive. Feel free to cheer.”
Elder Shangguan does not use the same tai chi stance, but a kung fu stance similar to the Arhat’s Long Fist I saw in Tiansheng. He goes through a number of motions: striking at the air a few times, grunting in the way only a man like him can, and stomping around to get everyone psyched up. It has the intended effect, as even I am a bit on edge with anticipation.
Then, without any distinct warning, he suddenly roars and strikes again, with no less might than before. The moment his fist connects with the wooden dummy it visibly flexes and warps, but after that fraction of a second, it explodes — violently. The center of the dummy vanishes in a storm of splinters that spray across the field and embed into the ground like deadly needles. His roar is eclipsed by the thunderous crack that leaves my ears ringing so badly I can barely hear the cacophony of cheers.
I even catch myself trembling.
The elder’s showy style and boundless enthusiasm is infectious, and the display of destructive power triggers something deep inside me. Adrenaline courses through my veins and my heart races. I can feel it raging through my body, desperate to escape. I want to join. I want to cheer, but I don’t. It isn’t quite enough.
A hand grabs my shoulder and jostles me.
“Did you see that?!” Xiuyi shouts.
I think she shouted, at least. It is hard to tell.
I nod at her rhetorical question and she seems content with it. Fortunately, others begin calming down and my ears sort themselves out. We finally return to a mellow line up — though perhaps that isn’t quite true. There is a tension among us just waiting to boil over, even in me. I can’t shake it off no matter how hard I focus.
“Not bad, huh?” Elder Shangguan places his hands on his hips and observes his handiwork. After a moment or two he turns his head to address us. “You can see the power of yin and yang and how they are clearly equal, yet different. Both possess incredible, devastating power when used properly. It is up to me to teach you!”
My eyes — our eyes — drift to the other dummy that stands as it had done at the beginning and Elder Shangguan takes note. He turns around and scowls at the dummy with obvious confusion.
“Ah…” he hangs his head and seems genuinely distressed. “I see. That is rather embarrassing, isn’t it?”
I hold my breath as I feel the awkwardness settle over the gathered initiates. Did he fail? Or was there just that much of a gulf between yin and yang? Like he claims: they are opposite. Perhaps yin just isn’t suited for destroying wooden dummies?
The crestfallen elder moves to the other dummy and places his fingertips against it. “We must have had the spacing wrong or it should have done this on its own.”
He gives the dummy a gentle push and the top half tips and falls, cleanly severed. It breaks apart when it hits the dirt and that is all it takes. We initiates lose our composure and something primal takes over.
I clench my fists and bounce on the tips of my toes as I let out a cheer, or perhaps a shriek. Either way, whatever has been building up in me boils over and I let it all out at once. It is powerful, euphoric. It cannot be normal!
Either way, Elder Shangguan is pleased.
“You look tired,” Lu Zhaoyi stiffles a giggle while surveying our haggard group. “Elder Shangguan is strict and intense, but also a fabulous teacher. You probably learned some useful things already.”
‘I learned that I am weak.’
Perhaps not weak, just weaker than some. Others struggled in the lesson, but then there were those who came out just fine, like Ban Xiuyi. My arms burn, my shoulders ache, and my legs are ready to give out from carrying weights strung up on a yoke. I’d never done anything like it before, but as long as I don’t get injured, I believe it’ll make me stronger.
“So, I believe it is time I let you in on a little secret of sorts, though calling it a secret is perhaps an exaggeration,” Lu Zhaoyi smiles and leans towards us like she intends to whisper. “You felt something earlier, right? Maybe you didn’t expect it, or couldn’t explain it? Elder Shangguan is a show-off and knows how to get people excited, but there was more to it than that, right?”
I nod hesitantly, and others agree in their own ways.
“The Taiyi sect practices a path towards ascension that has been refined over many centuries. Our law, so to speak, is the six desires and seven emotions. This is a philosophical concept to others, but to us it is much more than that: we use these teachings to come to understand who we are and come to terms with who we are meant to be. Our disciples are kept inside the sect’s grounds because this exploration can become volatile very easily. Many who have come before you fell victim to their own desires and emotions and then lost control.
“Those who excel, get through their training, and refine who they are tend to embody whatever makes them — them. Someone advanced, especially on the level of Elder Shangguan, can, and will, exude an influence on all of those around them. It does not instill something in you that wasn’t already there, not at this level, but enhances whatever you have inside you. So, the excitement you felt? It is you, but it is also because of him.
“Neat, huh?”
That revelation explains a few things, not just with Elder Shangguan. In Huiyang, I met Yang Lide, and he also influenced me. He encouraged calmness, or perhaps acceptance. Something that made me pliable or comfortable. I thought it was a fluke at the time, and that he was just being friendly. Was he malicious or was it good intent?
I shake my head to clear those thoughts for now.
“Moving on,” she drags her words out for dramatic effect and sways to one side. “It is time to learn about these jians we gifted you! These are for training, so they aren’t the same type a soldier would wield in battle. They’re lighter, more flexible — perfect for learning the basics or carrying around. Most nobles and other sorts that carry one on them will use a similar type.”
“Before we get into the basic exercises I’m going to explain a few principles that will be used here and in your other martial arts training sessions. Whether using a weapon or not, most styles and techniques fall into two classifications, sort of like yin and yang — well, they are a component of yin and yang, or influenced by them like most other things. Anyway, what I’m getting at is that you have external and internal styles as well as soft and hard techniques.
“These ideas are really similar in a lot of ways. Some argue that they are the same, and others get a little testy if you lump them in together, so we’ll just consider them different for everyone’s sake.”
Zhaoyi draws her jian and holds it out at arm’s length, pointed directly away from her.
“External styles and hard techniques follow a principle or idea of being unyielding and prioritize physical refinement and mastery. They resist and oppose whatever force is arrayed against them. They are explosive, powerful, and direct.”
She performs a few quick thrusts and slashes while giving her explanation.
“The other side of this is the internal or soft techniques. These styles rely less on strength and more on movement. They yield, or give way under their own terms in order to take advantage of a situation. Many consider internal styles as those that focus on the mind more than the body, so strategy and clever applications of a limited force is their focus.”
Zhaoyi performs a few quick, flowing flourishes and then widens her stance while holding her blade across her body and braced against her free hand. “An external style will often fight power with power, so a sturdy parry is appropriate.”
“Conversely, a soft style will attempt to turn the blow away,” she resets, angles her sword, and performs a quick motion similar to redirecting any incoming blow into a harmless direction. “A more extreme application would be to entirely dodge an incoming attack, but some scholars are very opinionated on whether or not that is truly a soft technique or component of an internal style.”
If I apply Zhaoyi’s lesson to my own teachings with Master Li, then I’m in agreement with her. He taught me mostly internal styles with soft techniques, such as the heart-guarding palm style. It is almost entirely dedicated to out maneuvering an opponent and rarely counters power-with-power, but redirects incoming strikes away from the body to render them harmless.
I grin. ‘It seems I might have a head start!’
Character & Setting Guide
Ban Xiuyi (Bàn Xiùyí – 半秀怡) — Taiyi Sect Initiate, Zhou Ran’s Roommate and Friend
Cai Lingxian (Cài Língxián — 蔡绫娴) — Taiyi Sect’s Third Elder
Cui Tianxue (Cuī Tiānxuě — 崔天雪) — Taiyi Sect’s Second Elder
He Wangyan (Hé Wángyàn — 和王焰) — Taiyi Sect’s Fifth
Lu Zhaoyi (Lǚ Zhāoyí — 吕昭仪) — Inner disciple of the Taiyi Sect’s Red Dust Pavillion
Shangguan Luan (Shàngguān Luán — 上官鸾) — Taiyi Sect’s Arsenal Elder
Wei Yukou (Wěi Yùkòu — 委御寇) — Taiyi Sect’s Grand Elder
Yu Meizhen (Yú Mèizhēn — 于昧真) — Taiyi Sect Master
Zhou Ran (Zhōu Rán — 周然) — Taiyi Sect Initiate and the Protagonist
Chinese Swordsmanship
Chinese swordsmanship, or Jianshu, consists of various types of swordsmanship or fencing native to China that dates back over two thousand years. Jianshu has been an integral component of Chinese society and martial arts across the ages, and encompasses facets of Zen, philosophy, and unity. At times, Jianshu served a practical, military purpose while occasionally diminishing into a cultural component for spiritual and physical wellbeing or as a social element such as competitive fencing or artistic sword dances.
Before the height of the Han empire, swordsmanship played a large role on the battlefield. Swords were simple enough to use and easy to carry around. However, as the Han empire rose and grew to prominence, the prevalence of other weapons like halberds and spears grew. This may have been in response to the distinct evolution of the military into a massive cavalry force and their primary enemy being the nomadic cavalry of the north.
That being said, as the sword diminished as the primary battlefield weapon, it became more prominent in other ways. In a sense, Jianshu developed a bit like western fencing where it became a show of skill or emblem of status. Essentially, they became gentlemen fencers.
According to the Book of the Former Han, there were thirty-eight chapters on fencing methods composed during this era, but these documents were lost over time so their exact contents are unknown. If you read the bit about archery, another sort of court show or test of skill, you may recall there were seven major manuals on this. That is a big difference from thirty-eight!
After the Han and into latter dynasties, Jianshu became less a martial practice and more of an artistic one. Swords as a weapon became less necessary, especially during the Ming dynasty when firearms made their way to the battlefield. However, it maintained that element of prestige as a martial art in and out of the military but off of the battlefield, evidenced by a number of records regarding the inheritance and development of swordsmanship during this time.
