67. The Way of the Lo-Ban

☰ A couple of years ago, I came across the term “Bossing it”. Meaning basically that a ‘non-pro’ person can be or do as good as a ‘pro’ in whatever they have set out to do. The term gets used a lot on the internet. While it feeds upon the fantasy of what life is like for bosses, the truth can be so different from expectations that I just have to laugh. ☳ Yes, being a boss gives you access to perks not available to non-bosses. But those same perks come with the price and responsibility of doing what others will not do, and making the decisions that others will not make. ☵ This is what it means to be a Baguazhang Master 八卦掌師傅 at the highest of levels: Recognising that the money 銀錢 only flows when the master 師傅 becomes the boss 老闆. Hence I do what I have to do in order to stay on top of my game. ☶ And if you are also a Baguazhang 八卦掌人 practitioner, then I know you are are also doing what you have to do to stay on top of your game. Whatever it takes. Because we all know that our rivals play the dirty game. The dirty game. What is that? You may ask. Well, I give you a scenario and you be the judge because these kinds of shit games do happen... ☷ After years of practice, you get to the level of master (sifu/sensei) and because somewhere you picked up the idea that it is your civic duty, you decide to start a small Taichi class for senior citizens. Nothing too hard. Just basic forms that they can do. Now you know that there are other Taichi classes held around your area by masters of higher ability. But all-in-all everything should be a-okay, given that you are not stepping on anybody’s toes. So you advertise and do all the stuff you need to do to get sessions going. People come and it’s a nice little class. Well done. ☴ Then one day, in walks a couple of elderly Chinese men or maybe it’s a man and woman. I’m pointing them out as Chinese in this example because sadly, they do it a lot. They join the class, watch you a bit too intently and then ask if they could take a video of your “performance” because they claim they want to learn at home. Or they may ask you to heal a part of their body, that you know, even if you were a trained medical doctor, could not be done ‘just like that’. ☲ Suddenly, even though the requests seem legitimate, something about them seems ‘off’. If some of you are married to a Chinese or Asian, or have close Asian friends, you go and tell them what happened. And you learn that 1) That the couple was sent by another Taichi master to check up on you. What the fuck? You ask. Isn’t Taichi supposed to be all peace, love and happiness? No it’s not. Those masters can be quite territorial. 2) The couple won’t be coming back. And 3) If they are coming back, then it means they are there to assimilate your style (just incase it ever leads to something more physical). ☱ Now if you are wondering why this feels familiar, even if it has never happened to you, it is because that it is how the international game of politics is being played out, with at its base money 銀錢 underwriting it. Not exactly tactical this or tactical that. More like hide-and-go seek chess.