Chapter 00102: Combining the Real and the Illusory, the Best of Its Time
# Combining the Real and the Illusory, the Best of Its Time
Chapter 102
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 102: Combining the Real and the Illusory, the Best of Its Time
"Wang Qun, you're up!"
"Sun Jiankui!"
"Ji Chunhua!"
After Jet Li finished his performance, the Yuen brothers sat on their stools, watching the others showcase their skills.
They thought to themselves, "They must have shown their trump card first. What comes next might not be as impressive."
But as they sat there, they couldn't stay still for long.
When Ge Chunyan demonstrated her Bagua Palm, the brothers immediately stood up.
Although they had trained in Peking Opera, they had also dabbled in various martial arts styles over the years.
Seeing a woman master Bagua Palm so skillfully was something they had never encountered in Hong Kong.
Then, when Yu Hai took the stage, they had just sat down but quickly stood up again after watching his Praying Mantis Fist.
Finally, Yu Chengui stepped forward, wielding a large sword with an imposing aura.
Yuen Woo-ping, puzzled, asked, "What is this gentleman going to perform?"
"Oh, it's the Double-Handed Sword!"
"Double-Handed Sword?!!!"
Yuen Woo-ping was visibly shocked.
Wasn't that something from legends? It had been lost for centuries!
"Coach Yu traveled far and wide, learning from the greatest masters, and through his understanding of the Praying Mantis's movements, he created this style himself!" Chen Qi explained with a smile.
"Created it himself?"
The brothers were even more astonished.
After watching Yu Chengui's performance, they couldn't help but rush over to ask him questions.
When they returned, they were completely speechless.
Yuen Woo-ping sighed, "Mainland China is truly a land of hidden talents. I apologize for my earlier underestimation. I am thoroughly impressed!"
Chen Qi replied, "When working together, it's important to understand each other. They've shown their skills, and you appreciate them. That's a good thing. But at the same time, they probably feel the same way about you."
"Of course, of course. We do have some experience ourselves."
"Good. Let's go upstairs and discuss further!"
With that, the group headed to Chen Qi's room at the guesthouse to discuss the martial arts style for The Tai Chi Master.
As mentioned earlier, this was a transitional period for martial arts films.
The old style of slow, rigid movements was giving way to a more dynamic and faster-paced approach.
Achieving the same level of sophistication as The Tai Chi Master was impossible at the time, mainly due to the lack of advanced equipment.
So Chen Qi's goal was clear: to push the limits of what was possible with the resources they had.
"Two requirements. First, the movements must be fast. The camera should capture the actors' movements at the highest speed possible. No more of that slow, turn-based fighting from the old Shaw Brothers films."
"Understood," Yuen Woo-ping agreed.
"Second, we need to combine the real and the illusory."
"The 'illusory' refers to the philosophy behind Tai Chi. It must be integrated with concepts like Yin and Yang, Taoism, and the realms of life. I've written a few lines, so please don't laugh..."
Chen Qi paused, then began: "Tranquility is the foundation of the world. The hard will break, but the soft endures. The soft can overcome the strong. Without desire or greed, one reaches a state of utmost calm. Only then can one remain unshaken by thunder or unafraid of swords. The way of Tai Chi is to keep the mind serene, the breath natural, and the body centered. Sink the energy into the dantian. Use stillness to control movement, softness to overcome hardness, and avoid the solid to strike the void. Use the opponent's strength against them."
Yuen Woo-ping nodded repeatedly, smiling.
"You understand these principles so well. Why don't you try them yourself?"
"Ah, the dream of a scholar is to be a martial hero. Most martial arts stories are written by those who don't practice martial arts. The real skill lies with you."
Chen Qi chuckled, then continued, "The 'real' part is the actual fight choreography. It's hard to describe, so let me clumsily demonstrate."
With that, he walked to the center of the room and assumed an awkward and unstable horse stance.
He didn't know martial arts—at most, he had learned the 24-form Tai Chi in a college gym class, and even that he had mostly forgotten.
"Yang Yuqian's stance should be like this. Hold a watermelon in your left hand, another in your right, and always keep your hands as if embracing a circle. Then move like this..."
He waved his arms, flailing like a drowning man.
"That's a bit abstract," Yuen Woo-ping frowned.
"Hmm, let me think... Ah, I've got it!"
Chen Qi spotted a washbasin in the room.
He rushed out to fill it with water, then hurried back.
"Let's pretend this is a water vat, filled to the brim with water, and inside there's a floating ball. When Jet Li was training, he noticed that no matter how hard he hit the ball, it wouldn't sink. The harder he hit, the higher it bounced. But if he gently pressed it, the ball would sink. Then, start stirring the water..."
Chen Qi began stirring the water in the basin, creating a small whirlpool.
"Let me try," Yuen Woo-ping said, dipping his hands into the water and experiencing the sensation.
He seemed to find it quite fun, stirring for a while before shaking his hands dry.
"I understand what you mean now."
"Really?"
"Let me show you."
He whispered something to Yuen Cheung-yan, and the two stood facing each other.
Yuen Cheung-yan threw a punch, and Yuen Woo-ping sidestepped lightly.
After a few exchanges, Yuen Woo-ping grabbed his wrist, pulled him in, drew a graceful half-circle, and then pushed him forward with force.
Yuen Cheung-yan stumbled back dramatically and fell to the ground.
Yuen Woo-ping then mimicked Chen Qi's earlier stance, holding imaginary watermelons in both hands.
But when he moved, it immediately looked impressive.
"Beautiful!" Chen Qi clapped.
"That's exactly the feeling I want!"
He didn't know martial arts, but he knew the style he wanted, and that was enough.
In the 70s and 80s, Shaolin Kung Fu was famous worldwide, with countless films made about it.
Hong Kong had also produced a few Tai Chi films, but none had made a significant impact.
The choreography was too realistic and not visually appealing, and the actors' performances were lackluster.
It wasn't until Jet Li starred in The Tai Chi Master that the style everyone was familiar with was solidified.
All subsequent Tai Chi films borrowed from this one.
The success of The Tai Chi Master lay in its departure from realism.
It blended several martial arts styles into a set of movements that prioritized beauty and fluidity—and of course, it had Jet Li to execute them.
"We can also add some flair!" Chen Qi suggested.
"For example, have Jet Li stir the water vat, stirring and stirring, then suddenly lift his hands, and—bang!—the vat explodes! Or, have him training in a forest, surrounded by falling leaves. He gathers a bunch of leaves in his hands, kneads them, and then—whoosh!—they scatter, forming a perfect circle around him."
"Brilliant!"
"Yes, we can definitely use that!"
The Yuen brothers were excited.
Hong Kong films thrived on small, creative ideas that came together to form a complete movie.
Chen Qi's suggestions would undoubtedly elevate the film.
With such creativity, combined with Jet Li and the team of martial arts champions...
Wow! The Yuen team had never had such a wealth of resources.
It was like a mouse falling into a honey pot.
Finally, Chen Qi said, "Although the conditions in the mainland are not ideal, we have top-notch talent and stunning landscapes. We will give our best effort. You should know that we didn't hire any stunt doubles—everyone is doing their own stunts. Everyone is fired up, waiting for this film! To be honest, as a martial arts director, encountering such a talented group is a rare opportunity. I hope you two will give it your all and work with us to create the greatest martial arts film of our time!"
The Yuen brothers, though they approached this as a job, were not without ambition.
Moved by the scene, they replied, "We've been entrusted with this task, and we will give it our all. You can count on us!"
"Shall we go down and practice some more?"
"Sure!"
The three of them walked out, chatting and laughing, as if they had forgotten something.
Li Wenhua: "Hmm..."
(There are two more chapters.
Four updates today...)
(End of Chapter)