Author's Note: When young, the mind is narrow but the body is broad. When old, the mind is expansive and the body is narrow. Both realities must be thoroughly acknowledged, understood, developed, and integrated. As the body ages, the enhanced awareness of the mind takes the place (and enthuses) the former youthful functioning of the (younger) body. When young, a mind without an enhanced awareness (which must be earned through experience) - is replaced by the blatant strength associated with youth - an important part of human survival and evolutionary development. Youthful strength is not an error - but a requirement in life. Traditional martial arts mastery is a different achievement which does not need to be accomplished by every human-being - but can be achieved by some dedicated individuals. Secular monasticism is a vehicle through which an individual can renounce attachment to private property and worldly cycles of self-hindering material accumulation.

Buddhist monasticism can serve as a vehicle for "emptying-out" the inner conditioning that arises from greed, hatred and delusion - as such - religion (and religious differences - including atheism and non-theism) does not have to enter into it. I suspect the ancient Greeks encountered Buddhist monasticism when visiting India (such as Pythagoras), learned the Buddhist method of "looking within", and then adjusted the technique as a means to "prove" the efficacy of their particular philosophical perspectives (the work of Plotinus may be taken as an example of this endeavour). Later, via the Greeks, a community of Jews (in Qumran) started sitting in meditation to personally attain a "glimpse of Yahweh" - a practice that eventually spread to the reformed Jewish sect of "Christianity" - whose adherents started to meditate whilst sat in the caves found in the Egyptian Desert (this type of Christianity spread to Britain - hundreds of years prior to Catholicism - becoming "Celtic Christianity").

​Buddhist monasticism does not require a belief in theism to be effective. Many Greek schools of thought, for instance, sought to establish or discover various views pertaining to the natural (material) world. The same observation can be applied to various Hindu school where consciousness and material environment is not directly associated with a theistic entity. Whatever the case, protecting the psychological and physical space within which a martial artist exists - is the entire purpose of any traditional Chinese martial arts school. Young or old - this is the beginning, middle, and end of legitimate Chinese martial practice! ACW (18.4.2025)

We can all become extraordinarily fit at different times throughout our lives. Part of the reality pertaining to physical and psychological fitness, evolves around the concept of developed understanding. In other words, the level of effective (physical) fitness evolves around the (psychological) maturity of the individual concerned. The greater the understanding of the processes involved – the more effective the fitness the greater is the efficiency of the required output – usually expressed through various sports (unless one happens to be a professional soldier). This is all well and good – but fighting for one’s life is not the same as fighting for a coloured belt, trophy, or medal, etc. One question I ask MMA practitioners – or any of the sporting martial arts practitioner  – is that if their art is so effective in reality, why is it that professional armed forces do not make use of these arts? The answer is that “sport” has gentlemanly rules which curb human aggression, and generate a climate of artificial “fairness” and “co-operation”. 

​For children, and young people, this is positive and nourishing (children should never be exposed to the horror or reality of warfare). When not in a war-like environment – civility should prevail - and sport is the preferred vehicle to encourage a “safe” competitiveness – although one unfortune by-product is that the selfish ego is boosted and inflated. Sport fighting is 90% imagination and only 10% reality – with full-contact martial arts, MMA, Thai Boxing, and Western Boxing, etc, representing the more realistic end of the spectrum. However, sport realism is not battlefield brutality. Dealing with the shock of battle might require stepping in (and through) human blood, entrails, or various types of human offal. People with smashed-bones will be screaming, shouting, laughing, and carrying-out all kinds of despicable acts - either permitted or forbidden by the established rules of war. Battlefield hand-to-hand combat is certainly not gentlemanly – and it is unrealistic to assume that it is. A Bayonet charge is all about high-energy and immense and continuous brutality until all the battle objectives are achieved – or the bayoneteer killed. This is just one example. 

​Drones are now causing all kinds of brutality on the Battlefield – and a coloured belt around the midriff is of no use whatsoever. Genuine traditional martial arts (usually types and variants “Longfist”) are employed by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of Mainland China. Physical and psychological robustness on the battlefield (not the training hall) is emphasised. These are soldiers who train in every relevant modern weaponry available – including the most destructive technological variants (weaponry is both tactical and strategic). A similar situation exists throughout Western armies where boxing and MMA are not used on the battlefield (although such pastimes might be encouraged as a form of military-related leisure). And yet despite this distinct “modernity” in weapon use – there is a belief that after all the firepower of the various weapon-systems have been exchanged - a battle might still be decided “man-to-man” in hand-to-hand during close-quarter combat. Eye-gouging, biting, head-butting, groin ripping, throat-crushing, finger-breaking, nose breaking, ear-ripping, knee-dislocation – and any number of similar nasty techniques are regularly used. 

​Real combat is about inequality. Real combat is about establishing (and maintaining) a terminal advantage over the enemy. Victory and survival are causally linked. Of course, the State does not care if its soldiers live or die (despite rhetoric to the opposite) – just as long as all the State’s military objectives are achieved for the least amount of money (not lives). Soldiers are expendable – because that is the function of being a soldier (someone who fights for pay). A mercenary is simply a soldier who fights for anyone who is willing to pay – regardless of cause and nation. The traditional Chinese martial artist trains his (or her) body to be able to perform this function (utter brutality) – whilst retaining a calm and expansive mind-state that is reflective and unruffled under duress. Traditional martial arts practice assumes the reality of the feudal battlefield – even if the practitioner is not serving in the armed forces of their respective countries (of course, an individual might or might not be a professional soldier – but a civilian practices martial arts with an enhanced sense of combat-reality whether living in a village, town, or a city). Assuming the traditional Chinese martial artist survives a) the ongoing and arduous training (which will be harsh with no material gains such as belts, medals, or trophies, etc) and b) any experiences of actual combat (either on the street or the battlefield). 

​If all these challenges are met, which will include regular (unpadded) sparring and “honour fights” – then the traditional Chinese martial artist must adjust to circumstances as the body “ages” and transforms through the experience of maturing (this includes illness, injury, and disability). The body changes and the mind-awareness deepens. The body is no longer young and will not manifest as a younger body normally does. Despite this, a lifetime of experience will shine through, and a natural dominance will emerge. An older practitioner will understand and control a situation involving younger people as opponents – because those younger people (although full of the vigour of youth) will not possess the ability to “perceive” what is happening – at least not to the extent of the elder and more experienced practitioner. For many years, a dedicated martial arts practitioner will always experience “confusion” whilst participating in the midst of unarmed combat. It is only as time progresses that a student’s mind will “calm” and a pristine awareness takes its place. Before this change can happen, however, many sporting martial arts practitioners cease training in their chosen martial art (early) usually in their late 20s or early 30s (not granting enough time for any substantial inner transformation to occur) – whereas traditional Chinese practitioners must carry-on practicing until the moment of their final breath – and the body is “given-up”. 

Traditionally speaking, the graves of Chinese ancestors are tended to twice a year - in the Spring and the Autumn. This is a matter of Confucian respect. The family lineage - or surname of "Chan" (陳) - is empowered through the exercise of the correct ritual. Just as qi (氣) energy flows through the individual body - qi energy flows through the collective (community) body (i.e. family and extended family). Furthermore, qi energy flows like a river from the past to the present, and from the present to the future. Confucian ritual recognises and strengthens this process - renewing it with each performance. It is the qi energy that enthuses all the Chan Family gongfu movements - and which makes the art effective in combat. Indeed, these rituals ensure that the gongfu style remains effective and does not lose its connection with its Chinese cultural past. Most other lineages of gongfu - which exist only to make monetary profit - possess NO genuine connection with any aspect of Chinese culture or history. As such - they are doomed to fail in combat. 

Whenever I have seen demonstrations of "Iron-Groin" training within the Chinese community (either inside or outside China) - the men usually expose their groin area. The development in the above video appears to be a nod toward modesty. A "kilt-like" garment is worn so that the genitalia can move "freely" when required to do so - with the spectacle "hidden" from those who might not be attuned to such a remarkable sight. Here, heavy-weights are secured to the penis and testicles by some type of secure cord. When a practitioner first begins this training, a light-weight is added - with the weight steadily increased over-time. The organs, ligaments, and testicles are "strengthened" through a) the application of weight - and b) the "swinging" motion employed. Within TCM - this exercise is thought to build qi (vital-force) and jing (essential-nature) and boost fertility. Within combat - a blow to the groin-area results in minimum pain and does not negatively affect the fight outcome. 

There are other versions which involve the groin-area being systematically struck with ever-increasing levels of power - over-time (see the video). In the old days, when prevailing in combat literally equated to survival within life - groin conditioning made perfect sense. The Ch'an Dao Style involves the groin area being struck - lightly at first (usually with a sword-kick) - with the impact slowly increased over-time. This usually happens as a part of active sparring and is not separated from the act of fighting - as seems to be the case in the two methods above. There are other Daoist methods (involving massage) which are far more gentle in nature and designed as medicinal (for boosting health) - rather than for direct combat effectiveness. Women can also train in this groin-strengthening method - again involving impact of various intensities. 

NOTE: These videos were forwarded to me by friends and colleagues (with permission from their respective Shifu). Therefore, I do not claim to have filmed this footage (or participated in the training) - or personally know the practitioners involved. These videos were not necessarily filmed within the Ch'an Dao Style (although we do practice similar conditioning exercises in private - and can attest to their authenticity). I respectfully present these videos free of charge as a matter of education - and do not claim any Copyright ownership or Exclusive Rights.

Within Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate-Do - the "鎚石" (Chi Ishi) is a body-conditioning training device - comprised of a rounded weight (made of sculptured "stone") - affixed to the base of a long wooden handle:

"鎚石" (Chi Ishi) = Hammer Stone (threshing-device)

鎚 [Jap: zui, tsui, tsuchi] (Chin: chui2) = hammer, mallet, mace, spindle

石 [Jap: ishi] (Chin: shi2) = stone, rock, heavy-hard substance (such as "jade"), unit of weight (linked to measuring volume of rice)

This traditional martial arts training device (in Okinawa) is named using old Chinese ideograms pronounced in a manner that mixes Okinawan and Japanese (verbal) language structures. Indeed, modern Japanese expression does not exactly match the old Okinawan pronunciation. This might express the fact that Okinawa possesses its own unique dialect-language which developed independent from both the direct influence of both China and Japan. 

​Checking the Fujian (Hokkien and other Min) dialects - I found the following information with regards the pronunciation of these two ideograms:

"鎚石" (Chi Ishi)

鎚 - [South Min] Hokkien = tui, thui - North Min = tu - East Min = tui

石 - [South Min] Hokkien = chioh - North Min = cio East Min = sioh, Puxian Min = sieo

​What is the farming-function of the "鎚石" (Chi Ishi)? When these two ideograms appear in both Chinese and Japanese texts, they are usually used in the context of "threshing". A threshing (or "thrashing") device is designed for use in the farming activity of "separating" grain (or another similar crop) from the straw (dead, hardened grass) to which it is naturally attached. It would seem that the "鎚石" (Chi Ishi) is used hardened-base downward - whilst it is thrust toward the ground by the handle - striking the crop that requires "separating". Whether the rounded-base strikes into a slightly larger rounded receiving area - I cannot tell. Today, this weighted device is used within Goju Ryu Karate-Do as an upper (and lower) body-building and body-strengthening (conditioning) device which systematically develops strength, stamina, endurance, stability, power, timing, and all-round awareness.

​Conceptually, there is a link between the "鎚石" (Chi Ishi) - and the Family Crest (Stamp) ["家紋" Jap: Ka Mon - Chin: Jia Wen] used in Japan by prominent (noble) families. These are invariably "round" in structure (the origin of the Goju Ryu badge - which is the "Myagi" ["宮城"] Family Crest), are made of stone, jade or a similar hard-wearing (and often "precious") material, and used to "stamp" a unique design in an official wax-seal - or some other similar (identifying) substance. In this instance, the "stone" component has a distinct "pattern" engraved upon its base which is reproduced into the receiving material by a sharp, downward thrust of the hand. These "stamps" are comprised of a rounded stone base affixed to a wooden-handle. 

​This is the first of a trilogy of absolute classic fights! Jing Nan (竞楠) is known in the West as the "Punching Panda". A Panda Bear is known in the Chinese language as "Da Xiong Mao" (大熊猫) or "Great Bear Cat". It seems that the ideogram "熊" (Xiong) - or "Bear" - has been added as a prefix to her name. Angela Lee - although ethnically "Chinese" - was born in Singapore and has since migrated to the West - becoming steeped in the Western interpretation of Asian martial arts. Jing Nan, however, is from Mainland China and is steeped within the martial traditions of that country! ​Perhaps she is trained in "Bear" qigong - similar to the "Bear" being the animal spirit that permeates our Hakka family style. 

​Whatever the case, the idea of joints being strengthened so that no pain is felt when pressure is applied - exists in our style and the example seen above should be closely studied. Angela Lee expected her opponent to "give-in" once the arm-lock was applied (typical of the Western MMA attitude) - but seems to have psychologically and physically collapsed (despite a rest between rounds) when this was not the case! The Chinese diaspora spans the world. China, however, possesses over a billion people and is the spiritual and material source of ALL Chinese culture! ​Taiwan is a US colony that can be dismissed for the irrelevancy that it is.

A similar assessment can be applied to post-1945 Japan and South Korea. Mainland Chinese fighters are tough, hard and highly disruptive of the Western dominance of Asian martial arts. Indeed, China is an important statement of indigenous martial culture in the face of a racialised misrepresentation. Whatever the case, the Western attitudes (which include the Japanese influence in Brazilian Jiujitsu) imbued within the mind-set and physical technique demonstrated by Angela Lee is thoroughly overturned and defeated in this fight! Jing Nan is a credit to China and the martial arts world!

​Our Hakka gongfu training requires the carrying of heavyweights upon our backs. This represents the hilly terrain the Hakka people lived within throughout the New Territories, Hong Kong. Hakka Clan villages, especially by the 20th century, were often re-constructed upon the top of various hills situated in prominent good (feng shui) positions. The bones must be kept strong for building good health and ensuring longevity. Strong bones allow the bodyweight to drop down through the centre of the bone-marrow into the floor (creating a strong 'root') - and facilitates the rebounding force which is distributed (throughout the skeletal-system) to the striking part of the anatomy - be it a hand, foot, elbow, knee, fore-head or torso, etc. The Hakka people moved into the Guangdong area (that became the 'New Territories' under the British in the 1890s) in the mid-1600s - following the Manchurian invasion of China (which established the foreign 'Qing Dynasty' during 1644 CE). 

​Our 'Chan' (陳) Clan (pronounced 'Chin' in the Hakka language and 'Chan' in the Cantonese language) originally settled at the base of a hill near the coast in the Sai Kung area. I think we probably originated somewhere in Henan province (like many other Hakka Clans that I have investigated). Younger people often carried older relatives on their backs (as part of the required filial piety) up and down the hills - to and from various areas. Chinese families reflect the government and vice versa. One reflects the other whilst the notion of Confucian 'respect' permeates the entire structure. This is true regardless of political system, era, religion or cultural orientation. Many Daoists and Buddhists are Vegetarian - because they respect animals and the environment. 

When working as farmers - Hakka people carried tools, goods and the products of harvests on their backs between long hours working in the rice fields with the Water Buffalos. The continuous repetition of hand and foot movements - and the standing postures for long hours in the wind and rain - condition the mind and body for genuine Hakka gongfu training. Although there is an 'Iron Ox' gongfu Style (different to our own) - the spirit of the Ox pervades all aspects of the Hakka gongfu styles! Even so, our Hakka Style embodies the spirit of the Bear! We can fighting crouching low - or stand high giving the impression that we are bigger than we actually are! Our developed musculature is like the Ox and the Bear in that it is large, rounded and tough! We can take a beating and still manifest our gongfu Style with ease! We do not go quietly into that dark night! 

The above video shows Hakka people de-husking rise - with the standing person practicing 'Free Stance, rootedness and knee-striking, etc, and the crouching person showing a low Horse Stance and position for 'Squat-Kicking', etc, whilst demonstrating dextrous hand movements often found in gongfu Forms.  Of course, not all Hakka Styles are the same and there is much diversity throughout the Name Clans. Our Chan gongfu is Military-related and can be traced to the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE). I think there used to be a State Gongfu Manual (since lost) issued by the Qin Dynasty as part of the process of turning every village, town and city into a 'Barracks'.

​​Guiding the ploughs through the water and mud at the back of the Water Buffalos reflected the leg, arm and torso positions found within the Hakka gongfu. How the Hakka farmers stood still, stepped forward and back - side to side, tensed and relaxed their muscles, used their eyes and ears, and produced power and learned to give-way - all manifested in the various Hakka gongfu Styles. On Occasion, the Ox is given the day-off and the local people take to 'pulling the plough'!

​Our Hakka Gongfu is 'Longfist' based. Whereas many Hakka Clans - following our defeat at the end of the Punti-Hakka Clan Wars (1854-1867 CE) - Hakka people were ethnically cleansed into small areas of Guangdong province. Around 20 million people had died in this terrible war (which included the separate but related Taiping Rebellion - a Hakka-led war - fought for different reasons). The original 'Northern' Hakka Styles were persecuted and viewed as the vehicle through which the Hakka people had made war in the South of China (the area they had migrated into). The Hakka are patriotic Han Chinese migrants who fled the foreign invasion of Northern China - but who were not wanted or welcome within Southern China. Since the 1949 Revolution - things are very different today in China - as Hakka and non-Hakka now live side by side in harmony.

​When the various Hakka Clans 'shortened' the arm and leg movements of their gongfu Styles - to make these arts seem 'Cantonese' in origin - our Hakka Clan lived in a relatively remote area of South East Guangdong province and refused to do this. We practiced our 'Northern' Longfist martial arts in isolation and hid our gongfu in Temples grounds, behind walls and by practicing at night. Master Chan Tin Sang (1924-1993) fought and killed Imperial Japanese soldiers in the New Territories between 1941-1945 using our Hakka gongfu. Around 10,000 Hakka men, women and children were killed in this war fighting the modern Japanese soldiers using bare-hands and feet - and traditional weaponry. Many of our relatives were killed during this time. 

Master Chan Tin Sang came to the UK in 1956 - as a British Subject - to work for a better life, not because China is a bad place (it is not), but because life in the New Territories under British rule was continuously impoverished. Master Chan Tin Sang worked hard for 10-years before he earned enough money to bring his wife and two daughters to the UK (in 1966) - also as British Subjects. My Chinese relatives were NOT economic migrants, Asylum Seekers, or Refugees. My Chinese relatives do not follow Cults and are free-thinking individuals who are proud to be 'British' whilst supporting Mainland China's right to self-determinate - just like any Western country.

Practicing Taijiquan in the early morning (the or evening - when this picture was taken)  is when the air (qi) is at its most inspiring and invigorating! At the moment, although the temperature was -7 last week - today it is +10 degrees Celsius. Whatever the case, the air is cool and fresh and seems to permeate every cell of the body - despite the fact that in reality the breath enters and leaves through the nose and/or mouth. Of course, I am told that a small amount of oxygen leaves and enters through the pours of the skin - but too little for the entire body to exist upon. Still, when breathing deeply (into the lower Dantian) the complete lower lung capacity is utilised giving the feeling that a 'power' or 'entity' is dropping into the lower abdominal area (traditionally two-inches below the naval).

I find it interesting that this special area (which is probably lower than two-inches in reality) coincides with the actual centre of gravity relating to the human (physical) body. The mastering of 'breath' is inherently linked to the mastery of 'balance' and 'movement' all mediated through an enhanced 'rootedness'. The clarified and purified 'awareness' of the mind directs all this activity - which includes the harnessing of the rising (rebounding) force that emanates from the dropped bodyweight impacting with the ground. The dropped bodyweight and rising force is channelled through the epicentre of the perfectly 'aligned' bone-structure (skeleton) which is never lost despite the complexity of the movement involved.

​Of course, part of the qigong used to prepare the practitioner for Taijiquan practice is 'Standing Like a Stake' also termed 'Holding the Ball' - where an individual stands perfectly 'still' both physically and psychologically. We become like a mighty tree which can withstand any weather or unexpected external force! Within the peacefulness of the well-rooted tree is an immense power waiting to be discovered, harnessed and manifest! 

​The term 'Jin' (劲) is used here to denote a 'penetrating' and 'cutting' power. There is also the connotation of 'vigour' and to 'express'.

​Left-hand Particle = 巠 (jing1) - or 'streams running underground' (a 'hidden' or 'inner' power) - and 'to flow' (without interruption). A complex particle comprised of:

​一 = yi1 - number one, unified, complete

巛 = chuan1 - river, stream, tide, flow

工 = gong1 - effort, labour, work, technique

​Right-hand Particle = 力 (yi4) - or 'strength, power, force' comprised of:

​𠃌 = gun3 - a hook bent inward (able to effortlessly suspend weight)

​丿= yi4 - clearing all obstructions away to achieve a clear objective

​When running with the weighted rucksack – I use the two broad aspects of Daoist breathing usually termed ‘natural’ and ‘correct’. Bear in mind that this ‘moving’ activity is not the complex seated ‘neidan’ practice and is not subject to that type of control. Instead, as the bodily frame is placed under intense pressure, what is required is deep and full breaths, usually in and out of the mouth. This is because unlike the state of perfect balance that is constructed during the practice of Taijiquan (where the breath is taken in through the nose and expelled through the mouth) - running with a weighted rucksack overloads the biological processes to such a high degree that the maximum amount of oxygen is required to maintain its function. This is achieved by breathing in and out through the mouth. 

​Once the parameters are set, what then is ‘Daoist’ about this practice? Natural breathing requires breathing deeply into the lower abdomen – this emphasises the use of the middle and lower-lung capacity – with the minimum of upper-lung capacity. Correct breathing requires the pushing-up of the diaphragm so that the inward breath is compressed from the expanded lower-lung and into the middle and upper-lung. Correct breathing inflates the usually neglected upper-lung capacity which is full of highly dense oxygen-absorbing body-cells. Generally speaking, the upper-lung is often used by the body in ‘emergency’ breathing if the body has become injured, ill, or is inhabiting an oxygen-deficient environment. The ancient Daoists seem to have understood that there is something special about the little used upper-lung within everyday life – and with this understanding they formulated a physical method of breathing that allows a voluntary access of this area. 

​I tend to use ‘natural’ breathing when running with the weighted rucksack – but I switch to the ‘correct’ method when I need to stop to cross the road and/or significantly change direction. I usually take three full ‘correct’ breaths (which oxygenates the body to a greater degree) and then switch back to ‘natural’ breathing which is what I refer to as ‘maintenance’ breathing. Correct breathing in this context is not ‘maintenance’ breathing and should not be confused with the purpose of ‘natural’ breathing. Furthermore, the perspective I am giving here only makes sense when discussing weighted rucksack running. As weighted rucksack running using ‘natural’ breathing dramatically diminishes the oxygen levels in the body (stabilised through fitness levels) – ‘correct’ breathing represents a rapid intake of new oxygen by switching the emphasis of how the breath is managed. 

Our family style of Hakka Gongfu involves "Rucksack" running as both an "External" and an "Internal" practice method which builds muscle and joint power, bone strength, and psychological determination and indomitable spirt! As the pack weighs 56 lbs at its maximum weight (it can sometimes be raised to 76 lbs - but this is rare) - it is also a good indicator of developing and maintaining (skeletal) body-alignment - important for dropped body-weight and rebounding power found in the Internal method found in Taijiquan. When young, rucksack running is "External" - whilst for the older practitioner rucksack running becomes "Internal" - and has to be modified as a practice. Long distance running can be interspersed (or changed with) the shorter distances involved in circuits-training. Either way, the positive effects on the mind and body are absolutely the same:

I have been pursuing a three-month circuit-training of five-days a week running three-time around the block (Monday-Friday) - carrying the 56 lbs pack. Running in urban environments is easier in one way as the surfaces tend to "flatter" than their "cross-country" (off-road) equivalents. However, running with a weighted rucksack is dangerous as when falling down the impact with the ground is magnified by the extra weight being carried. Falling upon grass, in mud or through water, for instance, is preferrable to falling upon concrete, as such a tumble "cushions" the fall. Yesterday (Monday), at around 830 am, I was slightly distracted whilst running over a broken piece of tarmacked pavement. This happened during the 66th run of my intended 70 - a training stint which will conclude this Friday (December 22nd, 2023). 

My legs were cut-out from beneath me and I fell onto my hands and knees - with the rucksack propelled upwards and over my right-shoulder. My palms soundly struck the pavement - saving me from a face injury - with my well-conditioned hands suffering no damage. Most the weight, however, entered the ground through my left-knee. My right-knee took about half as much impact. the friction (heat) between the surface-skin of my knees and the fabric of my running-trousers caused the surface-skin to "rub-off" - as can still be seen above. This is why I now have substantial knee-abrasions. A passing neighbour - who was astonished to see me tumble past him - stopped to help me up. This was not as easy as it might have looked - as I had to readjust the heavy pack, and rearrange my legs and knees to attempt an upward thrust from the ground in good order (from a kneeling on one-knee position). This I successfully achieved - thanking my Muslim neighbour for his truly caring attitude. This is why I replied "Peace to you - my friend"! I then reassumed my training - showing a "straight" and "committed" mind-set in the face of adversity - finishing that day's training. When I got home, my partner - Gee - carried-out her usual "nursing" function of repairing the war-wounds of her Hakka Warrior husband using the family Dit Da Jow to clean and dress the wounds. Today, I was up early to continue my training in the rain!