_____________________________________

TATEISM

There is unlimited layers in Tateism. After over a 100 years of studying

Tateshinkai there is still no clear end in sight. Everyday is only the beginning.
The spell is still awakening.

As the world evolves this powerful force continues to blossom. A lifesize garden of
flowers forever in bloom. Capable of growing even in the darkest of hours.

You are told the story of the Tiger and the fly, while Cobra Tate meets with his
alien arms. While the angels halo glows holding her endless scroll of mermaids,
fairys and supermodels destined for a taste of Tateism.

Young boys and grown men glow together in conquest. At war with oneself to climb a
higher mountain. You can cry or you can die. A never ending tale of victory.

Created from the tiniest of ingredients all absorbed from the universe. Do you
understand the power within you and the universe.
The book of spells is opened blooming with recipes surrounded by bountiful
ingredients. Will you be awakended by the everlasting Tateshinkai formula.

_____________________________________
STORIES

1
Atop Wudan.

Priest master Shi Yan Hui was teaching me In the garden.

“You must purify your thoughts.

When you think of rain, you must only see rain.

Not the trees it lands on.” He instructed

Sitting in lotus position, I nodded.

“I bet you have never had a pure thought in your life, have you!”

He began to rant:

“How can you expect to master Wudan, if you can not give your whole mind to
anything?”

Then, he stood up and pulled a thin flexible branch from underneath his robe.
“I will show you how to dedicate your mind to a single thought!” he said.

I heard it whistle through the air as it struck the top of my head.

With the crack of a whip blood began to pour down my face.

The branch had broken the skin in a perfectly straight line, as if a knife had been
run along the top of my skull.

The pain was unbearable.

I grabbed my head and began to scream in agony.

“Ha! Your first pure thought, pain!” he mused. “You are a Zen Master!”

- Tateshinkai

You dedicate your entire mind to the pain in your life. To the negative.

Can you do the same with anything else?

______________
2.

In the year 456 Atop Wudan mountain a fierce storm struck.

I was awoken by a crack of lightening which tore a small storage room in half. The
high winds screeched as they whistled throughout stone pillars.
Image

Nobody would dare leave their room for fear of Master Pos punishment, yet every
student was awake.

The following morning at 5am I left for exercise as usual. The rain had cleared and
the devastation was obvious. The temple was damaged badly.
Master Po was unusually cheerful and came out to greet us as we stood in Crane
Position.

“Excuse my happy mood” he began.

“But I have no concern for the work you will have to do to repair this temple. The
rain did damage, however I am very happy for all the water we have"
Students can give me work, but they can not give me water!”

He was standing on the stairs above us, looking straight ahead into empty sky, as
if waiting for a reply of some kind, from someone.

The temple was many thousands of years old, and none of us were skilled craftsmen.
I began to speak.

“But master, we don’t know how to put the temple back together?”

His face remained exactly the same. Yet somehow, It went from happy, to furious.
Without a single change in expression.

He LOOKED the same. But he was different. I could feel it.

He slowly descended the stairs while looking straight ahead.

Slowly, step by step, until eventually coming to a stop directly in front of me.

He remained still for a few seconds before leaning forward and whispering in my
ear...

“Do you know my name?”

I was slightly confused and very scared. I tried to hide the tremble in my voice.

“Yes”

With his mouth still an inch from my ear, he continued.

“Do you know that I am a master of the 7 Wudan styles...”

his voice escalated.

“DO YOU KNOW THAT I KILL AT WILL???”

I began to cry. I nodded my head.

“Yes” I replied.
He then turned around and climbed the stairs back to his original position. He
ordered us to fetch tools and begin to repair the damage.

75 Years later the temple was as if never damaged. Every item repaired. Every
student now a skilled craftsman.

- Tateshinaki

Sometimes, the only way to learn is to just begin as an amateur and accept the
mistakes.

_________________

In the year 606 I removed my top and walked into the tall grass of Wudan.

It was amongst this grass, on these meadows, that Master Po learnt to fight many
thousands of years before.

This grass was blessed by 9,999 butterfly's of varying colors.

Image
Master Po would pluck them from the sky before releasing them unharmed at
lightening speed.

Grabbing and hurting a butterfly is doable. To snatch one from the sky without
damaging it, was the art.

Their irreplicable flight patterns are what built Po's irreplicable style.

He could pluck a butterfly from the sky, and with the exact same movement - he
could pluck your throat from your neck.

Every few hundred years I would see him again descend into the meadow and dance
through the grass snatching and releasing many butterfly's per second.
The butterfly's were not only unharmed, but invigorated by their momentary capture.
Often
fluttering particularly fast and high upon release.

As if in to the heavens above.

As adept number 1 I understood I would one day succeed Po himself.

I had to learn what he knew.

To do what he could do.

So I decided to attempt the same.

I stood amongst the grass and began to move....

Tigers claw failed, along with my snake fist.

I spent 23 days moving, quickly and slowly, grasping at nothing but air. The
butterfly's would land on me as if to taunt, but my hands touched nothing.
By my 24th day my technique had begin to fail.

My footwork was sloppy and my stances irregular. Instead of correcting myself I let
it happen, and 3 hours later I caught my first butterfly.

I didn’t know it then, but these irregular movements of traditional style were the
beginnings of
Tateshinkai.
Excited, I held it in my hands as gently as I could and ran back to the temple to
show Po.

I ran up to him as he was drinking his tea.

“Master, Master, I have caught a butterfly!” I exclaimed.

He slowly placed his tea cup on the ground and a tear began to run down his face
Perplexed I continued “Whats a matter? I have been very gentle, she is alive!”

It was at this that I opened my hands. And although I had been gentle, the many
minutes in capture had saturated her wings with the natural oils found on the human
hand.
I now understood why Po's captures were so short. Catch, with instant release. This
was the consequence of prolonged contact.

Her cage was open, she attempted to fly, but couldn’t. She laid on my hand and
died.

I sat next to Po, and we cried together.

I never understood why there were exactly 9,999 butterfly's in this meadow, and
although PO
never confirmed it, I fear there was once 10,000 before he made this very same
mistake.

There are still 9,998 butterfly’s atop Wudan.

I never returned to the Meadow.

- Tateshinkai

_________________

Atop Wudan In the year 109, Master Po took me to the cliffs edge.

“The first lesson in Zen, is about mortality” He said.

“When you reach my level of power, you know exactly when you will die”
He produced a handful of pink apple blossoms from his robe and threw them to the
wind, they floated upon the breeze scattering into the valley miles below.

“Retrieve every last blossom. And when you have touched the very last one, know
that I have passed to the next life”.

I bowed and shed a tear.

Then began my walk down the mountain.

I found the first blossom two weeks later.

Laying in a rock pool, bright pink contrasting

blue.

I lived in the wilderness, hunting wolves with handmade weapons, every waking hour
searching for the blossoms.
I had no desire to hasten his passing, yet I understood to always obey.

After 21 years I had found 99 of the 100 blossoms.

I had walked over 3000 miles through wilderness.

The mountain winds had blown them far and wide.

I was now looking for the final piece.

I would meditate at night to keep frustration at bay and spend my days shifting
through dirt, climbing trees and swimming lakes – knowing the blossom could be
anywhere.

The final blossom eluded me.

I dreamt of it. I hallucinated. I saw it permanently in my mind.

And then... 81 years after first descending from the mountain I came across a large
flat rock.

Upon it was the perfect imprint of an apple blossom. The piece landed many years
ago, and the blistering sun had obliterated it – leaving nothing but the perfect
print on hard stone
I was furious.

So many years wasted. Elements endured. And it’s clear, I could never complete the
task.

I returned to Wudan with 99 blossoms to find Po meditating.

I kneeled before him and began to cry through frustration.

“I have failed. I did not move quickly enough for the sun. I will never have all of
the blossoms”

He smiled and replied.

“Then I will never die.”

________________
5

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

"I have heard many rumours of your power. You say Wudan can surpass Shotokan.

Demonstrate this to me at once, or face CERTAIN destruction"

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

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

Master Po was sitting in the garden, drinking Jasmine tea.

From Lotus position, his eyes raised. 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.

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.

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

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.

Still standing in perfect position and ready to fight, Arashi screamed angrily

"YOU CALL THAT A DEMONSTRATION??

YOU DID NOTHING!”

Master Po replied without looking up from his teacup.

"You stand in such perfect form, yet slowly and calmly, I struck you with ease"
Master Po paused before his final sentence.

"It is you who did nothing"

Arashi instantly bowed and changed his name to Shinpru.

He remained a student of Wudan until his death in 1855.

_______________

In the year 644, as a young student of the Wudan style, it was my job to sweep the
training
area each morning.

I started this job at 3:45am, and with vigour, would finish with a few minutes to
spare before the
6am training.
There was an old man with no hands and no feet, the only man to which Master Po
would bow, who would sit atop a tree trunk and watch me sweep.

Every morning he appeared and watched in admiration. It was a full 219 years before
I mustered the courage to speak with him.
“Why do you watch me?” I asked puzzled.

“Ah young Cobra, what better unison of the hands and the feet than sweeping a
floor. If you
were in my position, you would savour the task!” he replied.

I looked at the stumps where his hands and feet once were, then looked up at him.
He knew what I wanted to ask...But I was afraid to appear disrespectful. Truly, it
was none of my business.

Curiosity got the better of me.

“What happened to you?” I said looking towards the ground.

I was sure he was contemplating reprimanding me. I was pleased when he began to
speak.

“Wudan was not always such a peaceful place” he began.

“Warring tribes fought for this mountains power and strange creatures lurked in
every corner."

I placed my broom on the floor and sat down.

“While fighting bandits near the river, a water snake grabbed my foot to pull me
under. Unable to see the snake through the bloodied water, I removed my right foot
with one slice of my sword. The only alternative was to drown."
Still looking down, I raised my eyes to take a glimpse at his right stump.

“What about your left foot?” I asked.

He placed his right leg under his robe and exposed his left before continuing his
story.
“The next day, I was limping and slowing the group down. I asked to be left to die,
but Po demanded that I fight. Soon, a daughter of a previously slain bandit had
spotted us and fired an arrow from a ridge which landed squarely in my left foot."
"Fearing gangrene, I removed my left foot with one slice of my sword”
“What happened to your hands?” I asked quickly.
“My left hand was snared by a Golden dragon in that now empty cave you children
enjoy, to avoid being pulled into darkness and killed. I removed my left hand with
one slice of my sword...”

He paused.

“My right hand was caught in a bear trap the same afternoon, fearing death, I
removed it with my teeth”.

I looked at his right hands stump. It was ragged. Not a clean cut like the others.
It still looked painful.
He looked relieved when the story was over, it pained him to relive the events. He
took a sigh of relief and moved his gaze from me back over to the floor I was
sweeping.

I however was confused.

“How did you find the strength, to remove limb after limb in such gruesome fashion?
I don’t think I could do that.”

He smiled.

“Well then you would be dead. And you would never tell your story to anybody, would
you?

I didn't find the strength to die."

I bowed and returned to sweeping.

The conversation made me minutes late for training.

Master Po beat me severely.

The next morning when I rose to sweep, the man was not there.

I never saw him again.

___________________

Master Po was near invincible.

Immortal.

I say this as it was all he ever demonstrated.

Supreme power.
He did however carry a scar above his left eye, exactly an inch and a half long.
Considering I had seen him destroy armies without as much as a scratch, it confused
every student as to what was powerful enough to mark him for life.

It was often a topic of conversation amongst the students, but never once discussed
by the ruling priests and monks.

There was one old priest with a more friendly demeanour than the others, his name
was Zhang Tao.

One rainy afternoon as I was sweeping the courtyard he came out to enjoy some damp
air.

In the rare moment for secluded conversation, I decided to ask him what happened to
Po.
“Master Tao” I started.

He continued to look off into the distance and breathe deeply.

He did however acknowledge my words with a slight smile I could identify from
staring at the side of his face.

“What happened to Master Po? The mark? What has the power to mark him?”
There was no reason to explain which mark I meant, it was the only scar on his
body.

Zhang seemed to have no problem in answering me, which was surprising considering
the topic had been taboo for all of my 800 years atop Wudan.
“Master Po, was once young. Like you. And... very much like you, he was very
curious” He said.

He then turned his back to me and continued to admire the grey sky.

The turning of his back was final. I knew from his action there was nothing else he
would tell me.

Like me? I thought. Master Po? I don’t understand.

I decided I had to know more, and as I was likely to be severely reprimanded for
asking any of the monks in the temple, I may as well gather the courage to ask
Master Po himself.

4 months later, I was practicing crane style.

Master Po left his quarters to sit upon a log in the garden and watch me study. He
seemed pleased with my technique, a rarity.

Considering this very rare positive mood, I decided to take this opportunity to ask
him as respectfully as I could.
I completed my forms, walked over to him and bowed.

“Master forgive me. But tell me what scarred you for life, above your left eye?” I
said while looking at the ground.

He paused for a few seconds...

Produced a cane from under his robe and struck me. I felt blood begin to run down
my face.

It left a scar exactly an inch and a half long above my left eye. A scar I still
carry to this day.

“Curiosity” he replied

__________________

After mastering Wudan, I descended from the mountain.

The only way back to civilisation was to cross the Xing Gou river.

This river had a single bridge. A bottle neck.

And this bridge had a small town surrounding it.

A town occupied solely by pirates, bandits and thieves.

They would harass tax and rob anybody who had to use it.

I had no choice but to walk through them.

My abilities were well known. Adept number 1.

Wudan had very few visitors, stories of the adepts achievements somehow permeated
the outside world.

Carried on the winds.

I intended to pass through the town peacefully, relying on my reputation.

Yet as I approached the local tavern a veteran warrior blocked my path.

"I do not fear you! I have been to war 5000 times and I still stand."
I am ferocious when I attack and no matter how much you hurt me I will keep coming
forward!!"

Eyes locked, in the center square - a crowd had now gathered around us.

"When you knock me down. I WILL GET UP." he screamed.

"When you strike me, I will continue to FIGHT!"

At this he drew his sword.

I raised my hand with a single finger pointing towards the sky - as Po did many
times before to command silence.

"Brother..."
"Listen to your words.

You have already said I will hurt you.

You have already said I will strike you.

You have already said I will knock you down.

You know the future. Apologize to me."

He paused.

His eyes twitched as he was thinking.

He saw the crowd around him, jeering him on to attack a student of Wudan. His sword
was already drawn, I was only a meter in front of him.

His eyes darted back and forth as he contemplated what to do -

Attack? Apologize?
By now the crowd was screaming. Urging him to fight.

After a second, he made a decision.

He swung his sword.

As his neck snapped,

and his body fell lifelessly to the ground - there was a loud moan of
disappointment amongst the onlookers.

"Awwwwww"

The show was over.

Not a single bandit bothered to check or show care to his body, they simply left
him in the square to be eaten by the birds.

They were so interested in the prospect of his success. And absolutely uninterested
in his failure.

Of course, the remaining bandits hurriedly afforded me safe access to the bridge.

This was the first life of many I would take on my journey.

Such is the way of Wudan

__________________

Twice a year myself and Master Po would travel to a haunted field.

A field of broken dirt.

Shallow graves.

This place was reserved for those warriors which did not deserve rest. Murderers,
cowards

Those who killed without honor.

Eternal peace was stolen from them, and their spirits suffered the eternal
damnation of consciousness - upon a muddy field, precisely 1000 footsteps from the
Gates of Wudan.

They could not leave.

They could not die.

They could only live.

Mortals did not visit this place.

The sprits knew nothing but war their entire lives, they would engage instantly.

They aimed to kill you. Upon haunted ground. To force you to endure their fate
alongside them.

However - twice a year, myself and Master Po would walk the 1000 steps and engage
in combat.
Lethal sparring, with eternal consequences.

They would not die. So the aim was simply to disable them, render them combat
ineffective.

Leave them in the cold to heal. Ready for the next massacre.

Master Po would disable them at will, abolishing hundreds with fast strikes.

I could hold my own against one or two, but my skills had not yet matured.

In the middle of combat, I grew frustrated and how difficult it was for me. Too
many close calls.

Too many mistakes.

It simply took me too long for each victory. I needed more power.
Hurriedly, as I ripped the throat from a spirit - I shouted:

"Master!! Please. I need power. Show me the most devastating move you know!"

Po, while crushing the skull of a downed opponent, replied:

"You could never execute it. You're weak"

This bothered me. I did not want my Master to think I was weak.

As I continued to battle I attempted to show Master that I was strong. That I COULD
execute any move he taught me.

Through anger, my Kagi Tsuki grew wild and inaccurate, my Kiai rushed.
Suddenly, a dragon kick knocked me to the ground. I spun and raised my hands to
protect my face.

I saw the sword raised, my decapitation imminent.

I froze.

Masters flawlessly Shuto Uchi ripped the spirits arms from his body before he could
take my life.

Armless, the spirit screamed. Feeling real pain.

Then Pos fingers ripped his eyes from his skull.

Blind and in agony, yet unable to die, he ran screaming into the darkness.

At this, I was dragged to my feet, and we fled the field. Leaving a trail of
destruction behind us.
The ghosts were in pieces.

The battle was over.

The walk back to Wudan was embarrassing.

I was adept number 1.

And yet, I failed. I died. And he saved me.

To be saved by Po was an honor, he had a habit of simply letting people die for
their mistakes.

I felt shame.
I expected more of myself.

I asked:

“Master, If I can not execute your most powerful move, will you at least show it to
me?”

Staring straight ahead.

He whispered...

“I've shown you already. Using only my tongue I broke your Zen.”

__________________

10
After arriving on Wudan mountain Priest Master Shi Yan Hui instructed me to
practice Kizami-zuki for 100 years.

Upon completion I was ordered down the mountain and to stand in front of a large
tree.

"Cobra" Master started.

"Demonstrate to me what you have learnt. Use your bare hands to cause as much
damage to this tree as you can"

I struck the tree three times, with perfect accuracy, producing a small dent in its
bark and shattering the bones in my hand.
I returned to form and gathered chi, yet the pain was too much to bear. I told Yan
Hui that I could not strike any longer.

He reached across and grabbed my broken fist. He began to squeeze.

"You have learnt nothing!" He shouted.

He began to squeeze even harder... he smiled as I attempted to hide the pain.

And then he let go.

With tears in my eyes, I returned to stance.

I watched him reach up and pluck a leaf from the tree and let it float off into the
wind.
"That part of the tree will surely die. The tree will not be the same without it.
That's damage, is it not? With my bare hands, no?"

He continued:

"You sit with a broken hand, I will pluck a few more leaves. Maybe I will pluck
them all, and enjoy my tea."

That's exactly what he did.

Every single leaf. The odd tea broke, before walking back to his quarters. With his
hands perfectly in tact.

As punishment for my ignorance, Po ordered me to stand in front of the tree in a

crane position until the leaves regrew the following year.
Rain. Snow. Cold. Wind.

I did not move. For 365 days.

My hand healed. The leaves returned.

Such is the way of Wudan.

Build an Iron Mind in 6-weeks

_______________________
11

And so it happens that on this day, exactly 500 years ago, Master Po died.

At 5am after morning exercises master addressed the adepts regarding a mission to
eradicate the Hyarushi Clan. They were masters in the art of poisons, a cowardly,
yet highly effective skill.
Death delivered in such sneaky ways, with no hope for the unaware targets angered
Po.

He decided to destroy their clan absolutely.

Po warned us that the mission was so dangerous, as to be deemed impossible with no

hope of
return.
Upon this announcement most students left the courtyard without shame.

The concept of shame was not recognised atop Wudan, only action or inaction.

I raised my hand and along with 1 other adept I agreed to accompany Master Po on a
mission of murder. Total Annihilation.
I packed my things and said goodbye to everybody I had trained with, I bowed to
each and every student. Pos words were golden - if he deemed this a suicide
mission; I believed him.

The walk was many weeks, In silence. Nobody spoke.

We simply followed Po in a straight line. One behind the other. Through forest and
across mountain ranges. When we laid eyes on the Hyarushi encampment there was no
pause for thought or tactics, we simply continued our march. Following Pos steps in
perfect unison.

Left.

Right.

Met by over 500 warriors, the killing was very personal. Avoiding blades and poison
darts, I even had the bad form of straining my shirt with my dying enemies blood,
not once but twice.

My finger techniques to the eye were lethal, but I had yet to make them bloodless.
Atop Wudan we were taught to kill bloodlessly. Blood on my shirt was unacceptable.

Even in the heat of battle, I feared Po would spot my stained shirt and later
reprimand me, so I drifted slightly further from him and continued to fight.
As bodies fell the final hurdle drew closer, to penetrate the personal tent of the
Hyarushi Master Yiho. Not only a master of 77 existing styles, from Tiger to Rat,
he was also a poison expert.

Before the mission, Master Po had only one instruction...

He made it clear an adept stood no chance at all against Yiho.

Yiho must be engaged by Po and Po alone.

As we fought our way toward the Masters tent, deep inside the encampment, I felt a
twinge of emotion as I saw my fellow adept drop hard from a poison dart, never to
rise.

The dart entered his ankle as he retracted a head high kick - which had crushed the
skull of his adversary.

For my momentary emotion, empty handed, I felt the brush of a katana. Afraid to
once again lose focus, I did not look at the adepts body again.
I heard them stabbing him ferociously as he laid unconscious on the ground -
mocking Wudan with howls. Besides those killed for disobedience by Po himself, this
was the first known death of an adept.
And as fate would have it, the howls are exactly what convinced Yiho, the Master of
Poison, to leave his tent and join the battle.

Yiho came without visible weapon, and walked slowly and calmly into the fray.

His back was turned to me as he walked into the battle field.

I briefly considered killing my two hot opponents and charging to strike him by
surprise, but I remembered Master Po's command.

Do not engage Yiho.

Po had 8 clan members attacking him at once, and as if practising Kata was striking
them one by one, in a circle, in order.

However, as soon as Po and Yiho locked eyes he ended the lives of all 8 clansmen
instantly. A single flash of his left hand, one movement, ripped out all of their
throats simultaneously.

It seemed impossible, how one upward hand movement could disable 8 different
warriors
yet I was wise enough to know that my eyes were not sophisticated enough to see the
true nature of the movement.

The results spoke for themselves.

Yiho came with empty hand, yet his flowing robes and hooded face presented an
unknown challenge.

Legend held that he had single-handedly killed 600 spearmen from a Shogunate, sent
with the sole purpose of eradicating him and his followers.

Upon the moment of contact, army vs army, he had summarily dismissed all his kind,
and stood alone against the spearmen.
Details become vague, as there were no living witnesses, but Yiho had clearly
prevailed

For the first time in my time atop Wudan I was scared. I was scared for Pos safety.
I never before believed he might lose.

There were few Clans men left. I snapped necks, as Yiho and Po met
I didnt want to repeat my mistake from before - so I focused on the task at hand.
Staying alive.

I only caught their showdown out of the corner of my eye.

Yihos flowing robes made it near impossible to see exactly what he was doing. How
he was moving. Where his hands were.
Hidden pockets, throwing backwards over his shoulders as he spun in a whirlwind.
Weapons revealed for a single strike, concealed and replaced.

Po used the same movements I had seen atop the meadow, darting between butterflies,
to avoid strike after strike.
And even as hidden darts flew past the cheek of Po, the distance had been closed.

Po landed the forbidden Hibiyashi, breaking his own collarbone to prevent spinal
collapse.

However it was not Po's bone that made the loudest noise.

Yiho dropped in a heap.

Po had executed a perfect kill. Cervical spine rupture, exploding all of today and
all of his
tomorrows.

And yet the story is not over, for on master Po's cheek was a red welt.

A dart had punctured his skin.

I had seen the dart damage the adept, the poison thinned the blood - and even from
a tiny puncture, the fallen adept had squirted blood all over the battlefield.

However Po was not bleeding.

Masters body had deflected all available blood from surface skin, deep into
internal uses, for that last scintilla of strength, endurance and fortitude in the
fight.

Only now, that the deed was done, and Yiho lie dead, did nature take its course,
and Master Po began to bleed.
Po sat in lotus position and let himself bleed, making no attempt to address his
wound.

Silently I came to his aid, but he presented his palm suddenly, his last active
movement.... stopping me in my tracks.
He did not want me too close to the toxins coursing through his cut face, fearing
that some might be airborne, and so he protected me with his last moment.

As an adept, I obeyed.

I stood back, and took the herbal mixture from my pocket.

With a broken spear, I used the calloused portion of my hand to cause fire,
scarring myself for a lifetime. I added water to the herbs and heated the mixture,
all the while Po sat still.

I was panicking.

This tea had been given to injured adepts for millennia.

I had packed it for myself. I didnt know what else to do. I focused on making the
tea as quickly as I could.

Po had died. Infront of me.

He wasnt moving.

I disobeyed. I had to TRY and help him.

I came in slowly, not wanting to startle him.

I did not want to die by an accidental gesture of his hand.

Such things have happened, among adepts and Masters.

When I was close, I realised that it was worse than I could have imagined. His eyes
had glazed over, and he wasnt breathing.
And so it happens that on this day, exactly 500 years ago, Master Po died.

I could not be certain that he could hear, but I tested the air with my voice...
and I said, "Master,
I bring healing tea."

I placed it in his open palm.

He didnt move. He did not reply. I stepped back and sat next to the fire. I stared
at Po as the sun went down. And into the darkness.

All night I listened to the silence, but there was no movement.

I stared into the stillness, but there was no movement of master's chest.
I suppressed a deep cry, the effort ripping an important abdominal muscle. What
matter. The
fight was over.

I do not remember falling asleep, my handmade fire had gone dead and the cold had
awakened me. I whipped my head to where Po had been sitting, he had not moved.
Frost upon his face. The cold night was enough to kill a man. With or without the
poison.

I stood up. Suppressing tears. I understand that now It was time to say goodbye, to
leave, to return to Wudan and tell the story of the Hyarushi clans eradication at
the cost of Pos life.
I picked a weapon for the long walk back. A sword. And as I admired it for strength
I noticed something in the reflection of the blade...

The frost on Pos brow had begun to melt.

At first I thought it was the action of a rising sun, but all around the frost kept
her grip.
Water began to flow, like sweat, dripping down Pos face.

I impulsively rushed to touch him, to embrace and share my bodily warmth, but,
slowly and effectively he extended the same palm I knew well.

And he spoke one word.

"Stop".
The cup of herbal tea I prepared the night before was still sitting in his other
palm. It had frozen to ice in the night, but his body was now so hot, the tea was
melted and steaming hot.

He lifted the cup and finished it in one gulp.

He ushered for me to come close.

I walked up. Crying tears of joy, and sat down infront of him.

In a full voice, if a bit hushed, he asked.

"Why is there blood on your shirt?"

Upon return to Wudan, he punished me severely.

__________________

12

In the middle of the darkest night Wudan had seen for over 400 years, Po woke me
with a sharp slap to my forehead.

He commanded me to meet him in the courtyard.

The night was perfectly still.

The air smelt of the moon.

The blue light filled Wudan and Po seemed uneasy. To call this uncharacteristic is
an understatement. Nothing troubled him.

But something was tonight...

Anything powerful enough to trouble PO was beyond my comprehension, so I asked no

detail.
Master Po sat in lotus position and commanded me to do the same.

Once I sat opposite him he began to speak.

“I am going to tell you the story, of an argument had between a tiger and a fly.”
He took a short pause and turned his head towards the sky, as if he was
acknowledging the gods of his storytelling, commanding them to pay attention.
“The tiger argued that he was king of the jungle and that no one took notice of the
fly.

The fly simply laughed and stated that Tiger was no king as he couldn't catch him.”

“Did the tiger try to swipe him?” I asked.

Po stared straight through me. The same look I had seen him give opponents before
taking their lives. He ignored my question.

“Eventually” Po continued “The fly died a silent death, unknown to the world.”

“The very same day the tiger was poached and his fur hung on the wall of the
regions richest warlord.”

Po stood up and began to walk back to his quarters.

“I don't understand?” I blurted out. “What is the lesson of this story?”

Po continued walking and answered me without turning around.

“There is no point to this story. Everybody dies in the end”

For the following 1000 years of my study atop Wudan mountain I never saw PO uneasy
like he was that night.

I never knew the reason.

- Tateshinkai

________________

13

Master Po was very critical.

It is difficult to not be pessimistic, when you are eternally correct.

Of all my time atop Wudan, I struggle to think of a conversation that took place
without him correcting someone, or something.
Po had a particular dislike for dreams which always confused myself and the other
adepts.

Each morning he would line us up, and force us to tell him what we dreamt of the
night before.

He would often interrupt loudly and visibly angry.

On this particular morning he started with me. He pointed, and I began to speak.

“In my dream I saw three trees. Each different colors. You were there and ordered
me to climb the red one, but when I approached it, it became Blue..” I began.
He interrupted me.

“Inaccurate and imprecise!” he screamed. He struck me hard in the face before

pointing at the next adept.

This reprimand was particularly upsetting, as his accurate insults left me in a

difficult position.
I struggle to think of any dream, had by anyone, which was neither inaccurate or
imprecise.

The following morning he once again pointed at me to recite my dream.

Surrendering to further beating, I began to speak exactly as before.

“Last night I dreamt I was on a cloud, high atop the temple. It was early morning
and as all of the other students stood exercising, I sat atop this cloud and simply
watched”

Po's expression did not change.

“So you dream of mastery?”

He ushered me over to the exercise floor

“Only practice breeds mastery, not dreams”

I walked over and began my forms. Atop Wudan we had 7 basic forms, a demonstration
of the 7 Wudan styles. Po stood and watched me without moving.
A few hours later, after reciting every form, I looked over to PO for instruction,
but he did not move or speak. Unsure what to do, I simply started again.

Hours passed.

The Sun faded and the day finished.

The darkness came and went.

I had practiced all throughout the night and was well into the afternoon of the
following day.

Po was still standing in the exact same position, even the wind which shook the
trees did not dare ruffle the fabric of his robe. He was perfect stillness.
Resisting exhaustion, I continued to train. Until deep in the next night I heard PO
shout:

“Enough!”

I had not had a moments rest for two days.

Not a sip of water.

Reciting forms in the summer sun had left my mouth so dry I was unable to speak.
The only force which kept me going was the fear of Pos punishment for stopping
before I was told.

I drank a large cup of water and went straight to bed, I slept a full 3 hours
before the 5am wakeup call.
It felt as if only a minute had passed. I was so tired, I remember only darkness.

As we stood in a line, PO once again pointed at me to begin reciting the story of

my dreams from the night before. For the first time since my ascent to Wudan, I had
not dreamed anything.

“I did not dream last night, I was so tired. I don't remember anything but black” I
said to PO.

He didn't reply. Simply pointed at the next adept.

Tateshinkai.

REACH WUDAN INSIDE

________________

14

Po travelled alone through the forest in a harsh winter, he reached a snow covered
clearing.

In the clearing stood the largest tiger in the known world, his name was Jin.

Through snarling teeth and frozen breath the tiger and Po held locked eyes.
Bitter wind tore through the trees.

A few seconds passed, and silently, a mutual agreement was made.

Both Jin and Po were hungry, yet food was not the most pressing concern.

They were smart enough to understand that the true enemy was cold.
They would huddle together for warmth to survive the night - and fight the
following day.

When they awoke the next morning, Po said only two words before inviting Jin’s
attack.

The words spoken have never been disclosed - yet they inspired peace.
The tiger agreed to become Po’s pet, and they travelled the frozen wasteland
together from there on out.

Sleeping together for warmth at night, and hunting together during the day.

When they returned to civilization, many people asked:

“Do you not fear the tiger? What if he turns on you? Strikes your neck as you
sleep? He doesn’t need you for warmth anymore…”

Po replied:

“Why would he do that? Jin has no wish to die.”

_________________

15

For the first 1000 years atop Wudan mountain, I was tasked with fetching water from
the stream at its base.

The walk would take many days, and occasionally Master Po would accompany me and
ask me questions about Zen.
This particular night, as we approached the stream, stood the most beautiful girl I
have ever seen.

She was standing, unable to cross a puddle of mud in fear of staining for Pearl
silk robe.
I was always warned to stay away from beautiful women. They distract you from inner
rage.
They tame your soul with sparkling eyes and it is impossible to be completely
lethal when indulging in their beauty.
Therefore for the next 4000 years of training, I would never feel a womans touch.

As supreme grandmaster of Wudan mountain, Master Po’s desire for women died many
thousand years before.
She screamed out to us for help, and without a smile or saying a word, Master Po
helped her across the mud and she was on her way.

I contemplated for many years before I finally spoke out:

“Master! It was only mud, she could have crossed herself. She was lazy and vain.
Why did you carry her?”

He smiled and replied: “It has been all those years while she has plagued your
thoughts and you think you have not carried her?”

__________________.

16

Atop Wudan,

Master Po snapped necks at will.

Assessment was continuous, never ending.

Sometimes, mid morning exercise - he would snatch life from a training adept.
To us, the adepts technique looked as good as any of the students. Nobody knew
exactly why.

All we could be certain of, is that death comes instantly. Quickly.

We didn’t spend time admiring the body.

We refocused and continued training.

Honing our skills.

It was important we were always learning….

Because Master Po snapped necks at will

___________________
17

Let me tell you a tale of Old Wudan

Where up on Wudan Mountain

The Pearls were created and assembled for Mastery over the world.
Each one a masterpiece of craftsmanship,

of Dedication,

of Discipline,

of Determination,

of Purpose,

of Will,

of Power.
The Pearls were sent forth into the world shining brightly,

moving quickly,

casting their spells upon all who came in contact with them,

all who saw them,

all who heard them,

all who touched them.

This Brotherhood of fierce, independent, sovereign Lords moved through worlds
creating wealth, power and purpose for themselves and theirs.

Of course, the Dragons noticed and wanted their share.

The Dragons in their greed and jealousy always believed they would possess The
Pearls.

But The Pearls were wise to the ways of The Dragons and used the Dragons’ own Greed
and Jealousy against them.
In time they discovered one of their greatest weapon against the Dragons was to
band together;

To form The String of Pearls that all Dragons would covet, and yet would know they
never could possess.
Never would that stop the Dragons from trying, however.

So begins the Tale of The Strong of Pearls of Wudan

__________________
18

The Dragons learned

the easiest way to
possess the Pearl,

control the Pearl,

consume the Pearl,

was to
cast spells
that
concealed
the reality:
THE Pearl IS THE PRIZE!

THE Pearl IS THE VALUE!

THE Pearl IS THE TREASURE!

We are of this planet.

Dragons are NOT.
The Dragons are Invaders.
Left to ourselves, Men would

fight, compete, bond,

cajole, badger, chide,

build up, tear down, build again,

rage, rampage,

gather at night around the bonfire to tell tales of the hunt of that day,

laugh, sing, dance,

strut, inspire, share,

protect, honor, and grieve.

We lived in Paradise; we were GODS.

Then the Invaders came.

They’re not people.

They’re just dragons

____________________

19

During my training atop Wudan, I heard whispers about the story of THE JADE TIGER.

A story reserved for graduation of Wudan.

After 500 years of training, after 500 years of absolute obedience, Po himself
would sit and recite the story for the worthy adepts.
I had once witnessed it from afar, the mannerisms, the hand movements.

It would take one full day from sunrise to sunset.

THE JADE TIGER contained the final lessons needed to make a mark upon the world.

The final study and instruction to be indestructible, as was Po himself.

The finishing education for a fully formed Wudan adept, to begin life as a master

This story was sacred - and Po was the only person who knew it

Other masters who once enjoyed a rendition, had been commanded to forget the story
of THE JADE TIGER near instantly once it was told
The lessons remained, but as was their absolute obedience to Po, they had wiped the
story itself from their memory.

It completed them, yet they no longer knew it, they could not tell it.

ONLY Master PO could tell it.

In the coldest darkest nights, the wonder of what could possibly be told in the
story of THE JADE TIGER, kept me warm.

Considering the harsh lessons Master Po would SHOW to us.

I found it interesting that the final, and most difficult lessons would be TOLD in
a story.

Over centuries, rumours of THE JADE TIGER leaked outside of the temple.

People of the town spoke of it.

The 500 years of work was uninteresting to them.

But the STORY.

Many a bandit dreamed of skipping the dedication to Wudan, and to hear the story
and gain Pos powers.
Bravery and groups go together, and one day a group of armed bandits arrived at
Wudan gates as us adepts swept the yard.

Po walked out to confront them.

Alone.

“Tell us the story of THE JADE TIGER!” They commanded.

The bandits roared and waved swords in the air.

A threat.
With his head perfectly still, Pos eyes moved slowly from left to right,
considering the effort required to kill all single handedly…

Then, he smiled.

“Very well, its been a while since Ive enjoyed it myself. Please, Take a seat”

The bandits were surprised, and relieved, as they expected a fight. But Po was
known as a man who does not lie, and is too honourable to trick an opponent into a
state of unreadiness.

The bandits sat crossed legged and like excited children, gave their FULL
attention.
They were about to learn THE SECRETS OF WUDAN, and true to his word Po began his
rendition of THE JADE TIGER.

We swept the already spotless floor from sunrise to sunset, afraid to stop without
Pos command, and watched in awe as he told 100 unworthy bandits Wudan greatest
secret.
was angry. I couldn’t believe it. WHAT am I training for?

I swept the floor and stared into the field, watching Pos rendition. I could see
the mannerisms, the hand movements.

As with every time before, exactly as the sun set, Po bowed.

The secret had been told.

I watched as the bandits stood up and began muttering, trying to identify the
lessons in what they had just heard.

Scratching their heads. Confused. Disappointed.

The crowd slowly grew louder and more angry.

Po had not moved.

Eventually a burly bandit drew his sword and pointed it at Pos neck.

“THAT story was Wudans greatest secret?

I didn’t LEARN anything. I dont feel anything! YOU TRICKED US!

TELL US THE REAL STORY”

Po, unwavering with the blade against his throat calmly replied.

“I do not lie. I told you the legend of THE JADE TIGER”

The bandit scowled and pressed the swords tip deeper into Pos neck.

“WHY would I have to enslave myself for 500 years, to hear THAT?”
Maybe I blinked at exactly the wrong time, or perhaps a little too far away to see.
Although it seemed as if he remained perfectly still, I heard an audible gasp from
the still sitting bandits.

The burly bandits sword was broken clean in two as he collapsed into a lifeless
pile
In a final gracious act to an undeserving heathen… Po decided to answer his
question.

Po slowly leant down and whispered in the ear of the corpse.

“So you could understand”

Do you notice the profound lessons in every line?

There is always MORE meaning to those who are REALLY paying attention.

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