This will be the last of these, it being my third and very risky trip to
the well. It is not as lengthy as the last one, but perhaps even more
puzzling.
Michael Noakes? You may well want to look at this.
Here's the link:
http://www.lunohoco.com/notthereyet/trans3.html
For those curious about "The Chestnut Fist Query,"
Tienshin or Tienjiin, is the name of a town in China famous for its
chestnut groves and industry. "Maboroshi" is commonly used to mean
something so rarely seen that the object described is probably just a
legend or myth. Indeed, it turns out that the original meaning of
"maboroshi" is "chimera." An object thus described then, is
"chimerical."
There is some arguement over the way I interpret the term "ken." I will
stick by my guns on this one. Granted, common usage does in fact mean
"fist," but one must ask then, why was it struck from the JouYou List?
The answer lies in the MacArthur Shogunate following WWII. American
occupation forces forbade the practice of the martial arts in Japan for
many years. The schools which survived, did so by practicing
underground. I have had more than one martial artist agree with me on
this point. The word "ken" and the kanji symbolizin it is often used, in
current usage at least, to mean fist, but as part of the name for a
technique, much more is involved.
Many thanks to everyone who have helped out so far,
Don Granberry.