One day a famous kung fu master was visited by another famous master. The visiting master asked how his friend’s three sons were progressing in their kung fu training. The host decided to let his sons display their skills for the visitor, one at a time starting with the youngest son. The host took a huge clay pot that weighed close to a hundred pounds and hid it propped up above the half-opened door. When the door would open the pot would fall, testing the son’s reflexes and response.
The father called out, “Youngest son, I have a visitor I would like you to come meet.”
“Yes father.” The youngest son came running into the room, swinging the door wide open. The huge pot came crashing down towards him, but just at the last moment the son saw it. He jumped in the air, spun around and hit the pot with a fancy spinning kick, breaking it into dozens of pieces.
“Very impressive,” said the visiting master. “Now let’s see how your middle son is doing.”
They cleaned up the pieces of the pot and set a new one atop the door.
“Middle son,” called the father, “Please come greet my guest.”
“Yes father,” replied the middle son. He too came running into the room, and like the youngest son he saw the pot falling at just the last moment. His response was swift and graceful: He stepped back, caught the large pot in his arms, gently set it down and while bowing said, “I’m please to meet you, sir.”
“Ah,” said the visiting master, “an excellent display of martial arts skill. I hope your youngest son will also achieve that level some day. Now, let us test your eldest son’s skill.”
At that point they put the big clay pot back up atop the door.
The father called out, “Eldest son, I have a visitor I want you to come meet.” There was no reply. “Eldest son,” he repeated, “do not be rude. Come greet my guest right now.”
Suddenly from behind the two masters a voice responded, “Pleased to meet you, sir.” As the two masters turned around, the eldest son bowed politely. He had come in through the window, avoiding the pot altogether.
“Now there,” said the visitor, “is a true master in the making.”
Tai Chi Wisdom Story
