Friday, February 16, 2024

The Bubishi Exposed

 

The drawing shown is just illustrative.


It has been a long time since I have thought about the Bubishi, I find that over the decades I have been a somewhat major commentor on the various Bubishi translations. I even contributed an introduction to Patrick McCarthy's 2nd edition of "Bubishi Manuel of Combat" (see link below).


But what I have found is that very few really look into the Bubishi in much detail, even fewer ever use in their schools (and at that I am one). Most after looking at their copy likely just place it on their bookshelf, to show they have a copy.


Just now I have a new thought, that I should just take one section and take in apart, from my perspective.  I am going to do just that using a section from Ken Penland's translation and from Patrick McCarthy's translation.


First understand I do not kill people. I have never taught that to my students. Mainly teaching youth I would never do that, no did I ever do so with the adults i have trained. I also would never encourage anyone to attempt to try this themselves.


If possible, this would be non-legal and against everything I hold as correct behavior.


However, the selection I am talking about is from the chapter on the 'Delayed Death Touch' in the Penland translation. It is from a chapter on the 'Delayed Death Touch' in the McCarthy translation, too. As they have different chapter numbers it is likely they came from different original source Bubishi documents. The originals were all hand drawn and hand copied. They were just free form notebooks and likely they were assembled in different orders.


I have just selected one example (apparently the same one) from each translation. Which might have been the ending used in the movie Kill Bill 2, it used a similar concept. 


But I am not an expert in Dim Mak, nor do I care about such.

 

Note from what I have read the original Bubishi were in old Chinese (a quite different language from todays' Chinese) and nowhere in the originals was meridian theory ever discussed. It is a sign of modern translators who feel the need to include meridian theory in their translations. It may be accurate, or it may just be the translators' modern whims.


I have no accompanying drawings to share, I no longer have access to a scanner, and I cannot find any of those drawings on the internet. (Most interesting in its own right.)



Bubishi Martial Arts Spirit

Alexander and Penland  Translator Ken Penland

Chapter 22 

The Delayed Deaath Touch and Twelve Hour Dragon Breath Time Charts

Blood Gate Attacking Dim Heuseh 

Tatsu, from 8am to 10am

To cause death within seven steps

Occipital artery

Superior Coronary

Inferior Internal Articular Artery


Then

Bubishi The Classic Manuel of Combat

Patrick McCarthy

Article 21 Delayed Death Touch Twelve-Hour Diagrams

Dragon Sichen 7am to 9am

Dragon - A person can even take seven steps can be caused by a severe trauma to the articular artery at the inferior border of the ` media condyle of the tibia (SP9), the superior coronary artery at the philtrum (GV26) and the carotid artery or concavity behind the ear and in the depression between the mastoid process and the Ramus bone (TH17).


Neither section details how to attack (strike) those points. nor do they suggest which weapons (hand or foot) to use, nor in which order they should be struck.


Then consider in one of the medical sections I recall a way to neutralize such an effect is given.


Leaving one to believe it or not, unless you wish to consider testing it out with possible the murder the possible outcome. And in today's society that is not a good idea to say the least.


Taken as a whole there are other inconsistencies as to trust the Bubishi for martial training. You of course may make your own choices, for me it remains a historical mystery, never for use when I taught.


https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-bubishi-introduction-i-wrote-in.html 

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2014/02/bubishi-close-look-redoux-part-3.html

https://worldbudokan.com/worlbudokanhome/articles-2/analysis-of-the-okinawan-bubishi/


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