Uh-Oh: The Old Man's "History" button just got pushed!
LongFist is the nickname/dimunitive form for "Emperor's LongFist", a style I studied a LONG time ago during a philosophical argument between my current (
GrandMaster) Sensei and I: the crux of the argument was when he said "There are no superior arts, only superior fighters" and I disagreed, thinking that Shorin-Ryu was somehow a magical superior martial art because of how many contest championships we had won. (
He sent a young LongFist to four different Martial Arts schools to learn about that, how to know the difference, and ultimately WIN that argument!)
- The Emperor's Long Fist style is thought to date back to the era of Sung Tai Jo! Often described as a brilliant wide open style of Kung Fu; Emperor's Long Fist is distinguished by the courageous, bold, and free spirit of the Sung Dynasty. It rapidly gained popularity with the farmers of Northern China who needed something physical to practice to keep fit during the long winter months.
When young LongFist returned to the dojo after a number of years' absence, he quickly (
and successfully) answered the challenge (
in the ring) to retain his belt level and status. (
The standard rule of the dojo was loss of a rank per missing year or part thereof: had he not challenged poor LongFist would have been a black belt no more!) During the challenge LongFist often "reverted" to his new Kung Fu styles (there were many) and the surprisingly artful flourishes of the Emperor's Long Fist techniques which earned him that nickname, and it stuck forever more.
- An interesting tidbit from the histories as I learned was that the Chinese have been using martial arts for thousands of years, both among themselves and against others, but that organized Kung Fu needed a parent system from which to evolve. Recorded history is sparse on the subject, due to the vast destruction of literature during various revolutions back then. However, there are many indications that Kung Fu originated from the Long Fist system. It is reported to have been created during the reign of Tai Tzu, the first emperor of the Sung dynasty (AD 960-976) - something to think about. I'm old, and my fighting style is absolutely ancient!
It turns out later that the GrandMaster in question was grooming a successor to carry on the Dragon Brothers School after he passed. LongFist is still fighting against that destiny, but little by little it is becoming a real thing, even though personally I don't feel like a match for the school's next patriarch. It would appear that said GrandMaster could affect others' destinies, even from beyond the grave. Still developing, I'll let you know how it turns out.
/History --- all right, the history lesson is over; class dismissed!
Our lovable and most adored Empress, the day was, indeed, serenely perfect. All of my children "checked in" (
they're the reason I'm so invested in Discord) and I even had a quick visit (
audio and video) with my granddaughter in Pennsylvania, some 8 hours north of here. She's a year (
and two months!) old, cruising around the house with handfulls of stuff, and babbling up a storm - some of her words are actually REAL words!
It's great to get back in touch with everybody again! My nation is in ruins, but we'll soon get that arighted, so I guess I'll settle down, get quiet, and continue to sponsor chaos and confusion in the margins! Thank ya'll for calling me back - so far this has been a blast! Feel free to catch me on Discord (
as soon as I figure out who you are, DMs will be/are most welcome!) and I'm almost always on. And if you think you need anything, my talent pool has continued to grow! I can now screw up MULTIPLE projects at once!!!
Have a terrific day, and if you are still reading this I truly hope this day has found you well and happy.
You've spent enough time reading this, though. Time to take a break, get a snack, and check the headlines...
