Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Shaolin/Ninja Connection

  1. #1

    Shaolin/Ninja Connection

    Here is part one of a three piece article I wrote on the similarities between Shaolin Monks and Ninja. Enjoy!https://www.jetli.com/2017/09/connec...n-ninja-part-1
    Last edited by wiz cool c; 10-06-2017 at 10:00 PM.

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by wiz cool c View Post
    Here is part one of a three piece article I wrote on the similarities between Shaolin Monks and Ninja. Enjoy!https://www.jetli.com/2017/09/connec...n-ninja-part-1
    In the section "Similarities between Shaolin and Ninja" you write "For the female Ninja known as the Kunoichi, a knife could be concealed within a comb and used in an unassuming way till close enough to draw the hidden blade."

    This is one of the few places in the article that actually cites a source for a historical assertion, the source being the Wikipedia article for "kunoichi". However the source you cite states that there were no female ninjas historically.

    In fiction written in the modern era, "Kunoichi" means "female ninja"Y17: p167, although, historically, there is no female ninja.Y17: p167
    The meaning "female ninja" appeared in the Ninja Scrolls (忍法帖) series written by Futaro Yamada and spread around 1964-1967.Y17: p184

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunoichi, accessed date of this posting.
    The Wikipedia article is in turn citing an academic paper written in Japanese, so I'll give the reference to it as well,

    [Y17] 吉丸雄哉(associate professor of Mie University) (April 2017). "くのいちとは何か". In 吉丸雄哉、山田雄司 編. 忍者の誕生. 勉誠出版. ISBN 978-4-585-22151-7.

    I have no opinion on the question of historical female ninjas but isn't it a good idea to read the sources you cite to make sure they don't contradict what you're claiming?
    Last edited by rett2; 10-07-2017 at 03:49 AM.

  3. #3
    There are a number of other spots in the article that could use improvement.

    A major problem content-wise is that the opening section starts out ostensibly describing how the Shaolin training has been described and "glamorized" in media, specifically in the TV series "Kung Fu" and the Shaw Brothers film "Master Killer" (aka 36th Chamber of Shaolin). Yet a couple of times it slips from describing media fantasies into making what sound like claims about actual Shaolin training as such. There is a similar back-and-forth in the section on Ninjas. It's crucial to be clear about what is fantasy and what is meant to be factual description, especially if trying to demonstrate connections between the two traditions.

    As it stands, the section titled "Connections between Shaolin and Ninja" does not demonstrate a single such connection. It only points to superficial resemblences. Now one could try to defend this by saying that the author used the word "connections" loosely, as meaning similarities. However there is also a separate section detailing "similarities", implying that the connections are meant to be actual connections. The following mangled attempt at a sentence is typical of the supposed "connections":

    Both the birthplace of the ancient Ninja as well as the famous Shaolin monks took place in mountainous regions, giving them an early closeness to nature.
    Since when does a birthplace "take place" anywhere? There are more problems with the sentence, but there is no need to detail them.

    What matters is that this whole section could have been subsumed under the following section "Similarities between Shaolin and Ninja". The very premise and title of the article, Shaolin/Ninja connections, is not supported anywhere.

    On a more minor note, in the following paragraph, "Caine" (from "Kung Fu") is written throughout, when the author actually means Yude, the character played by Gordon Liu in Master Killer.

    Another training sequence in this film showed the star training in a special darkened room with cylinder shaped objects lit with candles on one side. The objects would spin and when they stopped and shined on Caine, he had to immediately strike it. This training exercise was designed to train the eyes and fighting skills in the dark under such conditions, not to mention also having to walk on rice paper without tearing it, in order to also train Caine to walk silently.
    The following sentence about Ninjas also could have used the attention of an editor:

    Specialty skills involve [...] both mental and physical endurance above and beyond what the normal soldier could typically endure.
    As written, this says soldiers or ninjas have to "endure endurance". You can "endure hardships, suffering etc." but as written this is bizarre and meaningless.

    There are other examples of poor grammar and usage in this first part of the article. I hope the second and third parts will be better, because at least they appear to be based on the author's real-life experience.
    Last edited by rett2; 10-30-2017 at 06:41 AM.

  4. #4
    Greetings,

    The article was absolutely horrid.


    mickey

  5. #5
    This message is hidden because mickey is on your ignore list.
    View Post
    Remove user from ignore listName:  5.jpg
Views: 249
Size:  31.7 KB

  6. #6
    Don't forget friends to read my article on MMA roots in Kung Fu, while it's still front page news. http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/...p?article=1377

  7. #7
    Me and Yao back in Shenzhen I wrote this song for him. Yao is a great guy and good fighter, his brother Yao Zhikui has fought in the ufc a few times.


Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •