Much like how the each of the Jedi council members are all different, with each having their own approaches to the Force, in each martial art we should not allow the differences and wants of each individual define what actually connects all of them together.
Many of the real life students that you see in the photos below have their own “empires”, each seemingly competing with each other. It’s a shame I feel that they need to jockey each other to see who is more “right”, when the difference lies only in how we explain the art.
The Jedi Council as of Episode 1. Front row: Grandmaster (GM) Yoda. Second row: Even Piell. Back row from left to right: Mace Windu, Sasee Tiin, Depa Billaba, Ki-adi Mundi, Plo Koon, Adi Gallia, and Eeth Koth
Ip Man with his students, I’m guessing in the early 50s since Bruce Lee would most likely have been in this picture. Leung Sheung can be seen seated to Yip Man’s left (4th from the left, second row up).
I’m guessing this was taken in the late 50s. I only recognize a few faces: O’Sensei’s son, Kissomaru is seated to his left (5th from the left, 1st row) and Yamada Sensei is 2nd from the left, 2nd row.
Nice post and good point! I’ve made the same analogy to religions and martial arts before. All have a prophet or disciple. Most believe their truth is divine and correct.
The Religion of Martial Arts (revisited) | Striking Thoughts