Sunday, July 13, 2008

Oakland Coliseum, 1991 Demostration

Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim, founder of the art of Jung SuWon, dressed in a traditional long, flowing robe, moves gracefully, fluidly, powerfully, gently, sometimes swiftly, but also calmly, through a series of energetic Ki rhythm movements called a form.

A rapt audience of several thousand now watches her close her eyes and enter a motionless and serenely quiet meditative state. Two students set a bed of nails behind her, and one of them tosses an apple onto the nails. the apple is pierced through!

A murmur of excitement spreads through the audience as their anxious anticipation heightens. Grandmaster is unmoved. Smiling, she opens her eyes. She is resolute, still, focused, detached. The students lift her rigid body onto the bed of nails, and six cinder blocks are placed on her stomach, one on top of the other.

A student approaches and stands over her with a large sledge hammer. He raises the hammer. He's counting. the hammer is coming down! the should of hi ki-up pierces the silence as he strikes the cinder blocks, now exploding in a shower of stones, settling in a rubble all around her. the breathless audience gasps in response...

Will she get up? Is she hurt? How can she withstand the energy of that blow without being pierce like the apple? But she is lifted out of the rubble, and far from being hurt, she again goes through the artful motions of a form, arms and legs gracefully whirling from one stance to another, smiling, unharmed, unmarked, alert, aware, as energetic as before.

No the form comes to a close. charged with tingling emotions of relief, admiration, and appreciation, the audience spontaneously jumps to their feet, enthusiastically applauding her demonstration in a standing ovation. Grandmaster puts her hands together softly and returns their respect with a gentle bow.