Is it true that Oyama Beida, the founder of Japan's Kyokushin Karate, lost to an old man in Hong Kong in Tai Chi Chuan? What is the evidence for this?

Beta Oyama's autobiography of his fight against Tai Chi Chan

3. Fighting with Chan

I first traveled to Southeast Asia in 1957.

The greatest reward of that trip was meeting Mr. Chan in Hong Kong.

I heard that a martial artist had come to Hong Kong from Guangdong after the victory of the revolution in mainland China, and as I wanted to meet him somehow, I asked my acquaintances one by one to introduce me to him.

There are various theories about the origin of present-day Japanese karate. Some say that it came from China; others say that the Okinawans, who had been stripped of their weapons by their conquerors, turned their body parts into weapons that could hurt people. I think that the art of unarmed combat was created by prehistoric people in order to live like a human being. In this sense, I believe that karate was born in Japan. The duel between Nozomi Sukenori and Dangdokuju in the era of Emperor Taruhito is closer to karate than to the beginning of sumo wrestling.

Of course, I don't deny that the martial arts from China have played a significant role in enriching and perfecting the Japanese martial arts system.

At the same time, I also recognize that Chen Yuanzan, the poet of the late Ming Dynasty who traveled east to Japan to pass on the Shaolin Temple's boxing style in the fifth year of Kan-ei under Tokugawa Iemitsu's rule, was indeed a great benefactor of Japanese karate.

It is for this reason that it has been a long-standing wish of mine to meet a Chinese martial artist who is a master of traditional Chinese boxing.

It was while I was living in seclusion on Kiyosumi Mountain, challenging natural stones and reading Mr. Yoshikawa's Miyamoto Musashi with fascination, that I thought of meeting a Chinese martial artist.

It's a funny coincidence that this Hong Kong martial artist happens to share Mr. Chan's last name.

It seems that Mr. Chan also knew right away that I wanted to meet him. Word came from his side that he too must meet the Japanese karateka, and he sent someone to the hotel to pick me up.

Mr. Chan's home, in the hillside of Hong Kong's residential streets, from which you can overlook the harbor, is a good place to see the distance. I still can't forget the beautiful night view of Hong Kong from Mr. Chan's house.

Mr. Chan's house is not big compared to the surrounding luxurious houses, but it has a small but well-equipped practice room.

Mr. Chen was already in his sixties. It was obvious at a glance that his body, when he was young, had undergone excellent training. But the years had washed away his bravado, and his frame, which was even smaller than mine, seemed very quiet.

After a few brief pleasantries, Mr. Chen immediately led me to the practice room. We stood opposite each other. I was a bit surprised to think of Mr. Chen's age, but in fact, I was even more surprised.

4. Finally, I was broken

In the small, neatly organized practice room, Mr. Chen opened his stance opposite me. I was once again surprised to see how steady and quiet his stance was.

Not only in karate, but also in kendo, the most important thing is to be able to see through the opponent's stances and breathing.

Miyamoto Musashi has made the ability to see through the opponent's stances one of the secrets of victory, a sign that he has practiced it to the point of perfection. If you can see through your opponent's moves and realize that your opponent's sword will never reach you, then even if your opponent's sword swings at you, there is no need to dodge meaninglessly.

However, I couldn't catch Mr. Chen's breath at all. I don't even know if he is breathing at this moment. If I were to close my eyes at this point, I would not be able to feel Mr. Chen's presence at all, I guess.

I tried my best to even out my breath, and I searched for Mr. Chen's empty space a little bit. However, Mr. Chen did not move at all, he just stood there quietly, as light and steady as the air in the practice room. For a moment, I felt as if Mr. Chen's body was a translucent thing without substance.

In an hour or so, I used all the moves I had mastered. When I struck or threw my feet, Mr. Chen's body spun in circles as if it were flowing. Whenever Mr. Chen blocked my hands or legs with the spinning circles, my whole body felt like it was being pushed, and I had to retreat quickly.

Because the spinning circles of his hands and legs were coming at me at the same time as they were blocking my moves.

In karate, apart from attacking and defending, there is also an interplay. This is a method where attack and defense are completely fused together.

For example, when an opponent's right fist comes, blocking it with the left hand is defense; and the moment you block it, immediately throwing your right fist is an attack.

However, in the case of the "Crossing" method, while attacking, it is about using both hands to block the opponent's moves while the body has jumped in front of the opponent, striking away the opponent.

Mr. Chen's martial arts has developed the Jiaolong method to the point of perfection.

Of course, in terms of physical strength, I have an overwhelming advantage. If torn and twisted together, perhaps I had a chance of winning, but in kung fu, I was utterly defeated.

5. The highest level of the "circle" of Kung Fu

"Your karate is indeed good. It has both speed and power. However, your punching technique is linear. I.e., 'the boxing art of the line' ah."

Mr. Chen said to me while sipping the fragrant Chinese tea. Since I don't speak Chinese, Mr. Chen used fluent English.

"Drawing a circle centered on a point is the highest level of Chinese boxing. The line, on the other hand, is only a combined component of the circle."

Mr. Chen said with a kind smile.

The meaning of Mr. Chen's words was not fully understood until some time later, but what Mr. Chen was trying to convey was clear to me then.

Mr. Chen's whole body, centered on a point, spun out of a circle with all angles, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say a ball. In short, he stood in this circle, controlling the airspace, any intruder, will be shot down - this is Mr. Chen's boxing.

"If you're still in Hong Kong for a while, could you come for a week or so? A man like you, I think a week would be enough time to teach you the essence of Chinese boxing. Passing it on to the Japanese would be a comfort to me as well." Mr. Chen said.

"Thank you. Please do pass it on." I said.

Even if Mr. Chen hadn't offered, I had originally been prepared to ask for instruction.

"Please let your strength and speed form a circle." Mr. Chen smiled kindly once more. -

From then on, I went to Mr. Chen's practice room every day. After a week, when I said goodbye to Mr. Chen, I truly felt my high strength for the second time.