A Skilled Craftsman

In the year 456 atop Wudan mountain a fierce storm struck.

I was asleep alone in my room when I was awakened by a crack of lightning which tore a small storage room in half.

The high winds whistled throughout the compound

and although no one would dare leave their room for fear of Master Po's punishment,

everybody was awake.

The following morning at 5 am I left for exercise as usual.

The rain had cleared and the devastation was obvious, the temple was damaged badly.

Master Po arose unusually cheerful and came out to greet us as we stood in Crane Position.

"Excuse my happy mood" he began.

"But I have no concern for the work you will have to do to repair this temple.

I am very happy for all the water we now have to drink.

Students can give me work, but they can not give me water" he mused.

He was standing on the stairs above us, looking straight ahead into the empty sky,

waiting for a reply of some kind, from someone.

The temple was many thousands of years old, and none of us were skilled craftsmen.

So I began to speak. "But master, we don't know how to put the temple back together?"

I asked respectfully.

He slowly descended the stairs still looking straight ahead.

He stood in front of me for several seconds before leaning forward and whispering in my ear.

"Do you know my name?" he whispered.

Slightly confused and very scared I answered.

"Yes" With his mouth still an inch from my ear, he continued.

"Do you know that I am a master of the 7 Shaolin styles…" he said as his voice escalated.

"DO YOU KNOW THAT I KILL AT WILL!" He screamed at the top of his voice.

I began to cry. I nodded my head.

"Yes" I replied.

He then turned around and claimed the stairs back to his original position.

He ordered us to begin morning exercise like any other day.

75 Years later the temple was as if never damaged. Every item repaired.

Every student now a skilled craftsman.

Such is the way of Wudan.

- TATESHINKAI

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