Monk De Gen Beats a Bully

De Gen became a monk at the age of six and began to learn Shaolin Wuahu from Monk Zhen Xu. Monk Zhen Xu was a well-known Wushu master and was strict with his students. De Gen was diligent and soon could do more than a hundred routines.

When he was 12, De Gen and three fellow novices went to Xian to be Anointed. Before leaving, the teacher told them: Buddhism believed in kindness. To learn Wushu was for self-protection. He warned them not to make trouble. De Gen Gave hos promise and embarked on the way with his three fellow monks.

In Xian they saw a man selling medicine in the street and beside his stall was a Wushu contest Platform. On the two poles hung these words: "My fists beats those from both the sourthern capital and northern capital; my feet kick all the Shaolin monks."On a horizontal pole over the two poles were these words, "No match under the heaven."

The man declared he would give his medicine stall to anyone who could defeat him. But he was to be held of no responsibility if he wounded or even killed one.

Reading the couplet, De Gen and his friends were outraged. De Gen demanded that the medicine seller take it down. The man said with contempt, "you are bare-headed donkeys. You must be Shaolin monks." So saying, the man walked over, and gave a sudden kick at his ankle. De Gen felt a sharp pain and, forgetting the exhortation of his teacher said, "All right. You have gone too far, I will fight."

De Gen jumped onto the platform. The medicine vendor did not take the tiny young monk seriously and struck at him. De Gen realized this man's skill was good. He pretended to be beaten and stepped down from the platform. Some from the audience cheered and some signed with worry.

After brief rest De Gen jumped onto the platform again, this time using the "Plum Blossom Boxing." The vendor tapped all his skills in an effort to kill De Gen. De Gen was beaten down from the platform again . His brother monks became worried and wanted to replace him in the fight.

After a short rest, De Gen went up again and began the third round, this time using the boxing routine of the tiger grasping at the heart. The medicine vendor struck suddenly at De Gen's crotch.The audience was dumbfounded by such a vicious move. De Gen, using his right hand, backed downward. With an anguished exclamation, the vendor found one of his arms broken. He hit De Gen with the other arm and De Gen inflicted a serious injury on the other arm. The enraged vendor still persued De Gen. De Gen, clutching his left hand, thrust out his fist under the vendor's right arm. With another exclamation , the vendor fell motionless.