Topic: history
Lineage is an interesting thing. While it is important, it is merely opinion. Every Lineage, even those which are documented, came from someones mind. At any point some student could have, and probably did, lie about their training in order to be given more consideration. I myself have trained under Sifus and Grandmansters who later proved to be less than honest about their past. How can you prove this? You can't. They obviously won't admit they know me and if they do, they will not admit how valuable and skilled I was. There are people whom I have trained with who won't admit they have even met me unless I introduce you to them. My own family has no idea how much I know or who I have trained with. So if you investigate me, what could you possibly find?
Some friends of mine have also been having trouble with the lineage question. I have given what help I could, but it is as difficult to prove lineage as it is to dissprove it. As a respected Master once said "I have people dissprove my lineage and skill every week. The only test is the boxing." There was also alot of laughing. Apparently he could not figure out why we were worried.
I would like to point out some facts about lineage.
- Nearly every temple, Buddhist, Taoist, or whatever, has been burned to the ground at some point. All Documents were also burned. Exactly what is left to dissprove or prove a connection? If the temple is rebuilt, does your Kung Fu connect to this new temple?
- Many schools were in hiding at some point. Who was keeping track and why would they keep a document which could get them killed? How do you "prove" this lineage?
- Historically, fighters travelled extensively and learned everywhere they went as well as taught. How come everybodies Lineage is in a straight line? Why is it always a Pyramid? Why is it always from one culture?
- When a teacher was on the run and changed his name to avoid capture, how many people will admit to knowing him? Would he not teach his students to be just as vague?
- Every history was passed down verbally for years until someone finally wrote it down. A school, I previously trained in, altered its history at least five times while I was training there and has changed more since I left. Why do people even pretend that history can be argued about at all. Even those people who try and dissprove Lineage can't keep their story straight. Over time, their memory paints themselves as some sort of saint and the school as some sort of evil cult. Do they think nobody is keeping track?
The only test, is of skill. How much do you know and how well do you know it? Even if a school gets forms from other sources such as DVDs or books, does it invalidate the information? Is it taught well?
When a person tries to "keep people from training in a bad school" or "keep people from being lied to"; I find myself asking why the list isn't longer. Is every other school true and rightous? Is only one school lieing? Are there that many 10th Dan Blackbelts? Are there really that many Grandmasters who should know each other? Why would they know each other? How old should a Grandmaster be? I have seen 15 year old Masters in Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Kung Fu. If they have learned everything their school teaches, aren't they masters? How much information should a school need?
After leaving my first teacher I personally counted the number of moves I knew simply by counting each punch as being done in each stance in each direction I could have power in. I then counted the kicks I had practiced, along with blocks, throws, joint locks and 5 elements. I ended up with over nineteen million basic techniques at the one stance, one strike level. No combinations, stepping, or weapons. What could I have known if I could have lived at the school and learned from people who weren't on drugs. Coincidentally, I was reading a book about devising your own curriculum and they suggested you make a list of basic punches, kicks, and simple combinations to clarify what you know. So even the discussion of someone being too young is invaldie unless you know what the process is.
There is only one proof inthe martial arts. Do the training and get the skill. Anyone else is talking out of their ass.
