A classic fun discussion: identify the Five Grand Divine Arts

[PJ]

In HSDS, it is mentioned that Shaolin's Diamond Invincible Body (DIB) is one of the five Grand Divine Arts of all time ( 我久闻少林派‘金刚不坏体’神功乃古今五大神功之一 ). Naturally, this begs the question: what are the other four divine arts?

About 5 years ago, Laviathan invited the forum to make educated guesses as to what the other four divine arts could be. Some considerations are:

1. Must have existed long before the Yuan era

2. Should be a well-known art (preferably from a well-established organization)

3. Preference should be given to arts with the term "shen gong" ("divine art") in the name

4. Preference should be given to strongly internal-driven arts (which is what DIB is)

Here are my 4 picks:

-Yiyang Finger

-Dragon Elephant Prajna (Longxiang Bore Gong)

-Yijinjing

-Dog-Beating Stick

What are your 4 picks?

[Tom]

If the Five Grand Divine Arts include both internal energy cultivation arts AND attacking arts, then here's my picks:

9 Yin - one of the treasures in LOCH that has been desired by MANY people

9 Yang - on par with 9 Yin in terms of energy cultivation. Perhaps even better...

Yi Jin Jing - on par or maybe even better than 9 Yin and 9 Yang

Xiang Long 18 Zhang - Just a wild guess. This is one of the best attacks in JY universe, and it has been around for a LONG time.

[PJ]

Was 9 Yang considered to be a prestigious art before HSDS?

[Tom]

Was 9 Yang considered to be a prestigious art before HSDS?

Don't know the answer BUT

if it was kept in Shaolin then it shouldn't be THAT bad a martial art, right?

and if people knew about it enough to know where to steal it then it is probably quite well known.

[Dennis Chen]

The force art that Qiao Feng used to draw a sword into his hand through the air.

[PJ]

Here are some great arts that I find unlikely to be a Divine Art candidate:

-Murong Family's Shifting Star Technique: it was a secret art to keep their feat of "return the attack back to the opponent" mysterious. No one actually knew about the existence of this art

-All of Xiaoyao Sect's arts: they were all secretive, so pretty much no one knew about them

-Quanzhen arts: they were rather short lived...

-6 Meridian Divine Swords: again, not well known to the public...

[PJ]

Don't know the answer BUT

if it was kept in Shaolin then it shouldn't be THAT bad a martial art, right?

It was part of a 4-volume, non-martial arts Buddhist record written Sanskrit. I don't think anyone at Shaolin had ever practiced prior to chapter 1 of HSDS, other than Reverend Jueyuan and Zhang Junbao.

and if people knew about it enough to know where to steal it then it is probably quite well known.

I think Xiaoxiang Zi and Yin Kexi stole it because they happened to see it when they were at Shaolin, not because they heard its famous name. Because it was said that Guo Jing, Yang Guo, Zhou Botong, Xiao Longnu, Guo Xiang, Yideng, Zhu Ziliu, Huang Rong, and Huang Yaoshi -- all of them NEVER heard of 9 Yang before.

[CC]

I think its all bullcrap.

Looking at the weakness of DIB (have to regulate breath, maybe even stand still for it to work) and that 9 Yang practised to a high level can probably do the same thing without the same drawbacks, I think its bullcrap about the 5 divine arts.

If DIB was so good, how come MRB and XYS never bothered with searching for it?

When JMZ hit XZ and it did nothing, he did not even think about DIB, instead thinking it was armour.

I am sure if you asked the forummers to choose 5 arts to learn, DIB isn't going to make the list.

[CC]

And yeah, nobody bothered to ask JY this for the 100 question interview.... bah!

I'd bet JY can't answer it too since it was all bullcrap.

[aniking_8]

Yi Jin Jing
Buk Ming Sun Gong
9 yin
9 yang
Sunflower

[Wu Wudi]

Here are my 4 picks:


-Dragon Elephant Prajna (Longxiang Bore Gong)

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[CC]

Do not mock the MIGHTY DRAGON ELEPHANT PRANA!

It is the penultimate skill for elite artists to learn (after Bei Ming Shen Gong).

It only takes 1 day to master the 1st level and it can DOUBLE your power.

Hong Qigong would have lamented that if only he was taught his skill 1 day before the 1st Mt. Hua competition, he would have dominated Wang Chongyang!

[flamer]

Seriously the DIB is honestly not that strong, or was it that KongJian did not use it to full effect? I think not.

[Extremer88]

To be labelled as a Grand Divine art, I think the martial arts must be a highly prestigious and orthodox art, does not require weapons (bare hands) and, not easily practiced by normal pugilists. (just my wild guess though)

The Divine Arts may not necessarily be an earth-shattering art, but probably, arts that requires mindful cultivation and is technically unique in its own way.

My guess for the other four would be:

- 易筋经 (Yijin Jing)

- 禅功 (Zen martial arts - practised by Kurong)

- 九阴真经 (Jiuyin Zhenjing - the main focus point / reason for the Huashan Tournament, all greats come into contact or influence by it, hugely immense reputation)

- 祥龙十八掌 (XL18Z/XL28Z - praised by Sweeper Monk, this slot could have been another Shaolin art, 洗髓经, but I don't remember this art being mentioned in any JY novels.)

Other 2 Arts that I felt could have been in the list is QKDNY or LMSJ/Yiyang Finger.

[CFT]

I think only Yijinjing should be on that list. The others are simply not well known enough.

[Tom]

I change my list to:

Yi Jin Jing - a VERY powerful internal energy cultivation technique
Yi Yang Zhi - known by others to be the BEST pressure pointing technique
9 Yin - fought for by the top 5 fighters of LOCH
Xiang Long 18 Zhang - one of the sacred arts of Beggar Gang

[CC]

- 祥龙十八掌 (XL18Z/XL28Z - praised by Sweeper Monk, this slot could have been another Shaolin art, 洗髓经, but I don't remember this art being mentioned in any JY novels.)

.

I vaguely recall that it was mentioned as an equal/counterpart to the YJJ and was lost long ago. Anyone?

[PJ]

I think its all bullcrap.

Looking at the weakness of DIB (have to regulate breath, maybe even stand still for it to work) and that 9 Yang practised to a high level can probably do the same thing without the same drawbacks, I think its bullcrap about the 5 divine arts.

If DIB was so good, how come MRB and XYS never bothered with searching for it?

When JMZ hit XZ and it did nothing, he did not even think about DIB, instead thinking it was armour.

I am sure if you asked the forummers to choose 5 arts to learn, DIB isn't going to make the list.

Well, DIB came far before 9 Yang, so even though 9 Yang is better, we're talking about the Five Grand Divine Arts BEFORE 9 Yang era.

[Ren Wo Xing]

CC, actually, evidently with DIB practiced to a high level, regulating breath doesn't seem to be necessary; against Xie Xun, Kong Jian was able to summon it 'at will'; he only was defeated because he completely dropped his guard in his attempt to save Xie Xun from suicide.

Aside from him, who in all of HSDS not only withstand a direct, unblocked strike from Xie Xun's Seven Damage Fist, but also actively reflect the power back to Xie Xun? I don't think Zhang Sanfeng could do it, although Zhang Wuji probably could later on at the end of the novel, but no one else. Don't look down on DIB!

[CC]

CC, actually, evidently with DIB practiced to a high level, regulating breath doesn't seem to be necessary; against Xie Xun, Kong Jian was able to summon it 'at will'; he only was defeated because he completely dropped his guard in his attempt to save Xie Xun from suicide.

Aside from him, who in all of HSDS not only withstand a direct, unblocked strike from Xie Xun's Seven Damage Fist, but also actively reflect the power back to Xie Xun? I don't think Zhang Sanfeng could do it, although Zhang Wuji probably could later on at the end of the novel, but no one else. Don't look down on DIB!

Yeah yeah but if I put before you the Yi Jin Jing, the Xi Sui Jing, Xiao Wu Xiang Gong, Ba Hwang Shen Gong, Xian Tian Gong, Jiu Yin Zhen Jing _and_ DIB, allowing you to choose ONE. You gonna take DIB?