Stealing Boxing
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Summary
This is the story of Yang Luchan in the late Qing dynasty, who endures great hardships in pursuit of the highest level of martial arts. Yang Luchan lived for generations in Guangping Prefecture in southern Hebei. His family was wealthy, but he was frail from birth and sickly as a child. To build up his health, his father had him train under the family's martial arts instructor. He studied successively under the instructors Li Defa and Liu Ligong, acquiring a foundation in martial arts, yet he still longed to learn more advanced skills. Hearing that Chen Changxing of Chenjiagou in Wen County, Henan, was a master of taiji, Yang Luchan traveled a great distance to seek him out as a teacher. Chen Changxing, however, refused to take him as a disciple. Unwilling to give up, Yang Luchan pretended to be mute and went to the Chen household as a beggar, and only after nearly freezing to death was he allowed in to work as a servant. Thereafter he remained in hiding within the Chen household, secretly stealing lessons in taiji. By chance one day, he could not restrain himself and cried out in admiration of Chen Changxing's skill, thus exposing his "mute" identity. But his devotion ultimately moved Chen Changxing, who taught him all he knew. Later, building on the Chen-style taiji, Yang Luchan created Yang-style taiji and became a grandmaster of his generation.
Editor's review
This is one of the more distinctive of Bai Yu's wuxia novels. Taking the late-Qing martial arts master Yang Luchan's apprenticeship as its thread, it shows how a frail son of a wealthy family, through an almost obstinate devotion, rises step by step to the heights of martial arts. The most moving part of the book is not the fighting but the two words "seeking a teacher": rejected when he first applies, he poses as a mute servant, secretly steals lessons, and is exposed, the plot advancing layer by layer, rendering the strictness of discipleship and the difficulty of learning martial arts in the old martial world with real credibility. Bai Yu's style is plain, his portrayal of his characters' psychology meticulous, and Yang Luchan's forbearance and persistence leap off the page. Readers will find here both the folk narrative of taiji's transmission and the spiritual foundation of traditional martial arts culture: reverence for teachers and the way of the martial code, and the power of sincerity to move others. It serves well as an introductory read for understanding the character of Republican-era wuxia fiction, and equally for readers interested in the origins of taiji who wish to read it at leisure.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in old-school Republican-era wuxia fiction
- Those who want to learn about the legend of Yang Luchan's apprenticeship and the origins of taiji
- Readers who enjoy stories of forbearing, persistent characters who ultimately succeed
- Middle school readers and above who hope to encounter traditional teachers' way and martial virtue through wuxia fiction
Not a good fit for
- Readers who prefer fast-paced modern web wuxia with strong conflict
- Readers expecting systematic instruction in taiji techniques
- Younger readers with little patience for old vernacular narrative style
Reading tips
- It helps to first learn some basic background on Yang Luchan and Yang-style taiji, then read the main text, to better appreciate the hardship of seeking a teacher.
- Pay special attention to the psychological description of Yang Luchan posing as a mute to enter the Chen household; this is where the book puts the most effort into characterization.
- After finishing, you can compare other versions of the Yang Luchan legend to see the differences between literary elaboration and folk story.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 第一章 弱龄习武志访绝学
- 第二章 入豫投师观场触忌
- 第三章 路见不平解纷挥拳
- 第四章 误斗强手失著一蹴
- 第五章 献贽被拒负气告绝
- 第六章 忽来哑丐悄扫晨街
- 第七章 劣徒遭诬恩师援手
- 第八章 有客投柬揭破阴谋
- 第九章 娼奴嫁祸绅豪讯奸
- 第十章 雪漫寒阶矜收冻丐
- 第十一章 病叟却诊义奴侍药
- 第十二章 沉疴初起仇火夜发
- 第十三章 月下说剑隅后观光
- 第十四章 师门欢聚武林谈奇
- 第十五章 筵前试手垣外偷拳
- 第十六章 失声露迹绰枪捕蝉
- 第十七章 操刀讯哑挥泪陈辞
- 第十八章 愤求绝技误入旁门
- 第十九章 盛名难副地拳折胫
- 第二十章 认贼作傅诈侠图奸
- 第二十一章 志传薪火北上游侠
- 第二十二章 结网比武艺斗群雄
- 附 杨露蝉父子
- 附董海川师徒
FAQ
Is this book a taiji instructional manual?
No. It is a wuxia novel based on Yang Luchan's apprenticeship, focused on the character's experiences and the process of seeking a teacher. It does not explain specific forms, techniques, or practice methods, and cannot be used as a taiji textbook.
Can I read this directly without having read other works by Bai Yu?
Yes. The story is relatively self-contained, centered on Yang Luchan alone, and does not depend on character relationships from other works. For readers new to Bai Yu, starting with this book may actually make it easier to grasp his plain, delicate narrative style.
Does the Yang Luchan story in this book conform to historical fact?
This book is a work of fiction, drawn from the folk legend of Yang Luchan's apprenticeship, with the plot elaborated through literary invention. To learn about the history of taiji, consult specialized works on martial arts history; the novel should not be treated as a historical source.
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About the author
Bai Yu (Gong Zhuxin)
Author · China · 1899–1966
Bai Yu (1899–1966), originally named Gong Wanxuan and later Gong Zhuxin, was a prominent Republican-era Chinese writer of martial arts fiction. His ancestral home was Dong'e, Shandong, and he was born in Machang, Tianjin. In his early years he received guidance from Lu Xun and Zhou Zuoren and engaged in new literature writing before turning to martial arts fiction; he rose to fame in 1938 with The Twelve Money Darts. His works combine martial arts fiction with social fiction, and his representative works also include Stealing Boxing, Records of Martial World Strife, The Joint Escort Chronicle, and Blood-Washed Cold Light Sword. He is counted among the "Five Masters of Northern School Martial Arts Fiction." Bai Yu's novels emphasize social observation and character portrayal and hold a place in Republican-era popular literature. In his later years he turned to the study of oracle bones and epigraphy. Public information on the details of his life is limited; the collection contains 77 works, mostly on martial arts, social, and folk themes.
