Chinese Warrior Monks...our world's Jedi Knights?

[Alkerian]

Well, I'm a big big Star Wars fan, and this question popped into my head.

I was thinking, if we had to name the closest organization in resemblance to the Jedi Order of Star Wars and the people that come closest to being Jedi Knights, I tend to think Monk Worriors of the Shaolin Temple in China.

Jedi cannot marry, cannot have possessions and dedicates their lives to the service of others, peacekeepers of the galaxy. And using the Force they are some bad arses...and can do amazign feats that no other human can.

Well, I don't know much about Shaolin monks, though I would think they have perhaps similar philosophical views. Taosim and Buddhism and what not, becoming one with nature and living in harmony with it etc etc...

And also, there is for example a show by Chinese Shaolin monks called the Wheel of Life, and in that show those people do amazing things that seem "supernatural" to the normal person.

That's why I seem to compare them.

I would like to know your thoughts on this, and I would also like to discuss what these legendary monks could and can do, and which "legends" are true and which arent...

you know, jumping 2 meters into the air, breaking stone and brick with punches etc...

also, if you would, include in your response what most amazing feat you can do physically. Can you do a back flip? Can you stand upright on your two fingers?

Look at this!

"The Piercing Finger as hard as a diamond" (http://www.kungfulibrary.com/finger.jpg)

Alkerian

[red5angel]

Welcom Fellow Star Wars fan to the Jedi Council Foru.....oh wait! This is the kungfu forum!

I always site Bruce Lee and Luke Skywalker as my inspirations for getting into the martial arts, no joke.

[ewallace]

Dammnit Red how many times must I remind you that there are no green swords in wing chun!

[JWTAYLOR]

Well, from a strictly political standpoint, I can definately see the similarities.

Both were isolated communities, which grew both powerful and conceited in that power and isolation. Both factioned, both rebelled, both were used by governments and by politicians to complete goals which the monks/jedi themselves would have never approved. And, ultimately, both were destroyed.

JWT

[Alkerian]

That's a very interesting point of view. Never thought of it that way. First thing that comes to mind is their exeptional physical skills...

[The Willow Sword]

There is no organization that i can think of that would fit the jedi knight profile. i have thought of this as well,,and i think that when george lucas was creating the jedi he was using several sources to create this society of individuals. i do not doubt that buddhist monks were one of his sources.

others that i can think of would be the yogi's and the seiks.

[Liokault]

Shaolin temple is a great comparison to the new starwars films.

They both are now trying to generate cash out of somthing that was great but is now water'd down while trying to make out that they are as good and of the same line as the origional.


(got to say I loved the last film...Yoda was great .....but its not the same.)

[Alkerian]

I don't have to use my hands....I'll just blast you with my "chi".

Ah...Chi = Force no? lol :D

Serioulsy, what feats can a person do with Chi?

[Liokault]

Its ironic guy....

I spend most of my time on this forum telling people that chi is not real...or at least is not magic and can not throw people around the room with out them being touched.


Any way the 2 lines about Chi are new to my posts....about 3 posts old.


(BTW for all you Americans irony don't mean a bit like iron)

[ewallace]

Serioulsy, what feats can a person do with Chi?
I can do some pretty amazing **** with 2 chi's :)

[Alkerian]

So you don't think amazing things can be done with Chi?

I dont' really ahve any knoweldge of this matter, but I would like to know what feats can be done with Chi...

for some reason I always think of Crouching tiger hidden dragon movie , and the flying in it as people in some other time having developped Chi soo much that they can do all those things...

[KC Elbows]

So, Red5 is going to another forum on the side. That hurts, red. And I totally disagree with what you said about palpatine and sidious, there is no way you can tell me they're not...

oops, wrong forum.

As far as star wars and kung fu, I'd say that the wu tang are closest, in my mind.

I'd also like to point out that every time Ralek comes onto this forum, Kung Lek has used the opportunity to gain more power as a moderator. Sith, anyone?

Which makes Gene yoda.

And, of course, only Delicate Sound whines like Luke.:D

That was just wrong.

[KC Elbows]

Eventually, I suspect I'm going to be murdered by a red headed english guy.

[DelicateSound]

So you're saying I'm the attractive golden boy of the film. I can deal with that. :D


But I can never sleep with Leia...... [sniff].


BTW: Only my Jedi-senses alerted me to this slander. :)










But yes KC. One day you'll see me at the end of your street.
Are you by any chance the voice of the teacher in Floyd's The Wall?

[Alkerian]

Palpatine is clone of Sidious that is not force-sensitive, as clones cannot be...

oops...what is this? I'm getting drawnt to SW talk....no will power I swear! ;)

[Ryu]

I can break bricks. Does that count?


:)

Ryu

[Xebsball]

sure you can. try 15 of them :D

[Ryu]

No :D


Ryu

[HopGar]

I can see why you would think that. I guess lightning is explosive chi. Alkerian, I seriously doubt that palpatine is sidious' clone. we can argue it some other time.

Peace Y'all

[Chinwoo-er]

Planning to take a Padawan ?

[IronFist]

I think if someone were to do a two fingered handstand, their body would not be in the position his is in. He doesn't look balanced, but what do I know? I've never seen a two fingered handstand (except I did see a one figered handstand in a movie once, but it was totally fake).

Delicate Sound said:
But I can never sleep with Leia...... [

Dude, if you're Luke, she's your sister. Why would you want to sleep with her?

IronFist

[-Sai-]

Zhang Bin from Anhui province:
http://www.quebecwushu.net/drummondville/chine5.jpg

He looks to be better balanced than that other dude.

[scotty1]

"Dude, if you're Luke, she's your sister. Why would you want to sleep with her?"

When he first met her and hung around she was not his sister (well she was, but he didn't know it) so he fancied her.

When he found out she was related, see the look on his face?

Not 'oh joy, I have a sister'

It was 'oh sh*t, how can I shag her now?'

See?

:)

That's excluding Han completely.

But ON TOPIC, I think Lucas based the Jei and Yoda around stuff like Shaolin monks. Yoda is obviously an old internal master.

[Alkerian]

Ouch! That pic looks like the guy is in a painful stance...look at his bent fingers...must have soo much pressure on the joints!

What about Force Jumps? Could Great Chi Masters ever use Chi eneergy to leap very high or move very fast?

I really don' know what this Chi can do...

[HopGar]

Force Jumps! Lol! You've been playing Jedi Knight too much! (then again, so have I!)

[red5angel]

Ewallace - I am working on light-butterfly swords as we speak!

KC Elbows - It didnt mean anything! really, it was an accident, one day I just found myself on this forum full of star wars fans, they mean nothing to me, I dont love them!

Also Alkerian - alot of what Lucas based his Jedi on was from Samurai legend and history with a little bit of buddhist monk thrown in.

DS - Sister or not I would climb her like a jungle gym.....wait, this isnt the incestious sicko forum!!!!!

[Sho]

It seems that George Lucas has taken principles straight from Taoism into the belief of the Force in Star Wars. I think you can get more answers to that from the Star Wars forums. Very interesting...

[NYerRoman]

Just saw it in English here and just got home. I teared watching Yoda.

Yeah, I heard that Lucas used Japanese MA for the "light saber" style. I heard he used Kenpo, but I don't really know much about the Kenpo sword style to say "definately".
Yoda though should be the Chinese internal guy that wips his chi out and kicks the **** out of anyone who gets in his way.

peace

[HopGar]

NYer, I wholeheartedly agree.

[HopGar]

one more thing...


Speak like Yoda you can?
Speak like Yoda do I.

[DelicateSound]

Ironfist - Scotty and Red kind of made my point. If I were in Star Wars, I'd be Han. :D


Yes KC - a whining Han. :)



Yoda though should be the Chinese internal guy that whips his chi out

I hope that's "Chi" in the traditional sense. Sicko :D










Yoda that kind of man he not.

[DragonzRage]

It is indeed interesting that Lucas created the Jedi knights as a religious/spiritual order with much apparent philosophical influences from Asian/Chinese thought. But that's where the similarities really stop. Lets not forget that the Jedi Knights are an order of warrior peacekeepers. The Shaolin are monks. Although history does indicate that the Shaolin did get involved in a couple conflicts through their long history, they were NOT a bunch of crusading warriors as some seem to assume. They were not guardians of the free world. They were meditating, lotus position-sitting, mantra chanting monks...plain and simple. Yes, they were known to use martial arts exercises as one of the ways to enlightenment (and also in case they had to defend their temple), but that hardly qualifies them as warriors. With the exception of a couple poorly documented, isolated incidents in history and a healthy dose of folklore and speculation, there is really no evidence to support the assumption that they were awesome warriors. As Yoda might say, Jedi they are not ;)

[Felipe Bido]

Remember that the way Luke meets Yoda in Empire Strikes Back is very similar to the old stories of masters posing as ignorants.

There's a story of Wang Xiangzhai that resembles very much the Yoda/Luke meeting (Without the "MINE, MINE, MINE!!! part, of course)

.

[illusionfist]

Actually the Jedi are closer to Samurai than anything else.

The fight choreography used in Empire and Jedi used a lot of Kendo, although in the new flicks, Nick Gallards sword play is definitely more swashbuckling with some chinese influences (more in Episode 1 due to Ray Park).

Peace

[NYerRoman]

Hop...

My Yoda voice kicks *** though.
Can do it in Italian as well. :D

[Ryu]

:( wish there were REAL jedi....


:D Goodnight guys.

(and I can too break bricks! ...... just not 15 :D )

Ryu

[HuangKaiVun]

There ARE real Jedi.

Just because a guy can't shoot lightning bolts or do clairvoyance or read minds doesn't mean that he can't be "in tune" with the universe's "Force".

When one thinks about it, those types of Jedi skills really aren't a big deal. Now being able to get up in the morning and enjoy the day - THAT's what real Jedi get into.


Definitely the Shaolin monks are not like Jedi Knights, who protect the peace and go out into the world to help others.

I'd think of guys like Colin Powell and Donald Rumsfeld as "Jedi" before I'd think of Shaolin monks.

[Liokault]

Ironfist - Scotty and Red kind of made my point. If I were in Star Wars, I'd be Han.

If I were in starwars I would be the surly guy in the cantina who gets his arm cut off.

[DelicateSound]

DONALD RUMSFELD! How American is that! :D

If you'd have said Mother Teresa I would have said OK, but Donald Rumsfeld?!


I have lost all respect for you :p

[hughes]

If the Jedi were real, I doubt they would sell out like the Shaolin Monks have, they're so Hollywood.

"Appearing at Caesars Palace for the fifth time, Pepsi Max presents the Shaolin Monks!!"

[Sho]

I reckon kendo fits best with the lightsabres and basically Japanese martial arts and philosophies overall. Also I don't really find anything Chinese in Star Wars.

[HopGar]

Nyer,
Now THAT is amusing. :) :D