Other People’s Rules: Martial-Arts Diplomacy

A story goes that Chee Kim Thong was challenged to push hands by a visiting Taijiquan practitioner. Master Chee agreed and, when the two made physical contact, he controlled his opponent deftly so that the Taijiquan man fell over.

The visitor was very angry. “Why did you do that?” he said. “That’s not how we push hands in Taijiquan.”

Master Chee replied, “This is how we push hands in Wuzuquan. Why should I follow your Taiji rules?”

He was right. Why on earth would he push hands like a Taijiquan player?

It was silly for the visitor to assume that push hands would follow his expectations (or to use that as an excuse when he found he couldn’t control Master Chee).

Push hands is a developmental exercise, so it is also foolish to challenge a reputable master openly, and stake one’s reputation on overcoming him/her, as though that would…