Susan Lynn Peterson - Legends of the Martial Arts Masters: Tales of Bravery and Adventure Featuring Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Other Great Martial Artists

Legends of the

MARTIAL
ARTS
MASTERS

Susan Lynn Peterson

ABOUT TUTTLE

Books to Span the East and West

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These stories are works of fiction. All names, characters, places and incidents are fictitious or used fictitiously and should not be construed as accurate representations of actual persons, events, or locales.

First published in 2019 by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

www.tuttlepublishing.com

Copyright 2019 by Susan Lynn Peterson

Illustrations 2019 by Joe Reynolds

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from Tuttle Publishing.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019938431

ISBN 978-1-4629-2102-7

(Previously published as under

ISBN 978-0-8048-3518-3)

First edition

22 21 20 19 5 4 3 2 1

Printed in China 1906CM

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To my martial arts teachers
Kandie Vactor, Tony Linebarger, Lend McCaster,
Johnny Linebarger, Jeff Zauderer, John Spooner, and
Bill Mailman, who over the years have taught me
far more than martial arts technique.

Acknowledgments

My thanks to all the people who made this book possible: To the folks of the CompuServe Writers Forum, especially the Research and Craft section, for insights into everything from botany to bow strings, tigers to tofu. Thanks especially to section leaders Diana Gabaldon and Susan Martin, and to Jo Bourne, Peggy Walsh Craig, Steven Lopata, Nan McCarthy, Janet McConnaughey, R. W. Odlin, Robert Lee Riffle, Larry Sitton, Kit Snedaker, Dodie Stoneburner, and Maya Rushing Walker.

To the folks of the CompuServe Literary Forums Childrens Literature section for comments and critiquesto section leader Marsha Skrypuch, and to Merrill Cornish, Linda Grimes, and Rosemarie Riechel.

To Moses Orepesa, Jr., and D. J. Sieker for their comments on the manuscript.

To the martial artists of KoSho Karate in Tucson, who listened to these stories as I learned to tell them. To Rosina Lippi Green for her insights into the business of writing and her honesty and kind words.

And most especially to my husband, Gary, who has always believed in me.

Introduction

Most stories are either nonfiction or fiction, true or make-believe. But a legend is often both.

Most of the people in Legends of the Martial Arts Masters were real people. Tamo was a real monk who lived fifteen hundred years ago. Yet because he lived so long ago, we know almost nothing about what he was like as a person. The stories about what he could do have been told and retold so many times that we no longer know what is real and what is make-believe. On the other hand, Robert Trias died in 1989. Many of his students are still alive, still teaching karate, and still telling their students what they remember about Grandmaster Trias. But already Robert Trias is becoming a legend. Stories about him are told and retold, sometimes growing a little in the telling.

Did Ueshiba Osensei really disappear into thin air? Did Nai Khanom Tom really defeat twelve Burmese Bando fighters? Did Gogen Yamaguchi really fight a tiger? I dont know. Thats the way I heard the stories, but maybe they had grown a little before I heard them.

Even if these arent true in every detail, they are great legends. Why? Because legends arent just about what happened. Legends are about how we feel when we hear stories about great people doing great things. Legends are about wondering whether people are really able to do such spectacular feats. Legends are about wondering if we could do great things, too.

S okon Matsumura was one of Okinawas greatest martial artists. When he was a child, he studied Te, an Okinawan martial art. His Te teacher, Tode Sakugawa, noticed his courage and gave him the nick-name Bushi, which means warrior. As an adult Matsumura served the king of Okinawa by leading both the army and the kings personal bodyguards. He developed the Shuri-te style of karate to help him train the kings soldiers. Matsumura served the king of Okinawa so well that after many years, the king formally changed Matsumuras name to Bushi in recognition of his courage and service.

A Karate Master Fights a Bull

Isnt he magnificent? King Sho asked Matsumura. Hes too aggressive for most bull fights. Hes already killed several other bulls in the arena.

Before them in a pen of the royal stables, a huge bull pawed at the ground. Its shoulder muscles, which were almost at Matsumuras eye level, strained as the powerful animal thrashed its head.

Yes, your highness, Matsumura answered. He is a magnificent beast.

You will kill him, the king responded.

Matsumura was silent. He looked at the animal, the huge pointed horns, the massive head. The power. The majesty.

Your highness? he said, Im not sure what you are asking from me.

At the festival tomorrow, the king said. In the ring, at the festival. You will kill him with your bare hands. Everyone will see that the commander of my bodyguards, the great Matsumura, is the most powerful man in the land.

Sir, I have never used my Te against an animal before. Its a defensive art, your majesty, not for slaughtering animals. Could I not serve you in another way?

The king shot him a look of anger. You presume to tell me how you should serve me? I bought this bull for you. I bought this bull to honor your skills as a martial artist before the festival. You will fight the bull. Do you understand?

Your Majesty Matsumura began.

You will fight the bull, and you will win, or I will throw you into prison. Do you understand?