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Thread: Most merciful wuxia martial arts?

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    Moderator Ken Cheng's Avatar
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    Default Most merciful wuxia martial arts?

    In general, wuxia martial arts are deadly and dangerous skills designed to kill and maim. Some exceptional martial arts skills, however, seemed designed to subdue/defeat enemies without killing or inflicting serious and permanent injuries upon them. Which martial arts do you deem the most merciful?

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    Tai chi?

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    1. Make a Veiled Attack - Shi Potian and A'xiu (Ode to Gallantry)
    2. Jade Maiden Heart Sutra and Jade Maiden Swordplay of ancient tomb sect (XLN, YG)

    probably also Three Heroes - Wei Xiaobao (The deer and the cauldron, taught by leader Hong)

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    Senior Member Ian Liew's Avatar
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    I believe Yiyangzi was designed to seal acupoints and disable enemies without using lethal force.

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    I would also say Luk Siu Fung's Ling Sai Finger Technique would count. Though it could be applied for offensive and lethal applications, Luk Siu Fung and Fa Mun Lau tended to use the technique defensively 99% of the time to prevail over their enemies without killing or maiming them.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Cheng View Post
    In general, wuxia martial arts are deadly and dangerous skills designed to kill and maim. Some exceptional martial arts skills, however, seemed designed to subdue/defeat enemies without killing or inflicting serious and permanent injuries upon them. Which martial arts do you deem the most merciful?
    Yiyangzhi definitely. Its supposed to give you a warm fuzzy feel after getting hit (cant remember which passage and which novel)

    Everything that Sweeps used.

    And playing with semantics, you said "designed to subdue/defeat enemies without killing or inflicting serious and permanent injuries " , technically Life Death Talisman would count. No permanent damage or injury (as long as you get your regular antidote).
    Its BIxie Jianfa Gawdammit you guys!!!!

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    Quote Originally Posted by CC View Post
    Yiyangzhi definitely. Its supposed to give you a warm fuzzy feel after getting hit (cant remember which passage and which novel)
    I suppose being a pressure-point based art, you have more options in what type of damage to inflict, but Yiyangzhi was definitely capable of being lethal. The first editions of DGSD and LOCH mentioned that victims of 1YZ would feel all warm, comfortable and lazy before dropping dead. This was removed in later editions.

    Quote Originally Posted by CC View Post
    And playing with semantics, you said "designed to subdue/defeat enemies without killing or inflicting serious and permanent injuries " , technically Life Death Talisman would count. No permanent damage or injury (as long as you get your regular antidote).
    The trouble with that is that it also inflicts unimaginable, prolonged suffering without the antidote, so that is hardly 'merciful'. Same with the Jade Bee needles, I guess.

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    Dog Beating Stick Technique also seems rather merciful. While it doesn't mean the technique can't be used in a lethal manner (I can very well imagine a particularly vicious user of the skill using it to bash someone's skull in or impale the enemy through the heart), none of the characters who used Dog Beating Stick Technique in Jin Yong's stories ever seemed to use it to kill or maim. Usually, the people who were defeated by Dog Beating Stick Technique in the Jin Yong stories suffered only hurt feelings from losing to the technique and being humiliated.

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    Feng Xifan's sword technique in DOMD might be considered a merciful technique. He was known as 'one sword no blood' - he could use his sword to strike pressure points with such skill that he could disable an opponent without even drawing blood. Of course, Feng Xifan was a thoroughly despicable and unmerciful person, so if he happened to use that technique, it would not be out of mercy...

    Another is the 'Da bei' (great mercy) sword technique in Wolong Sheng's 'Tian Jian Jue Dao' (Heaven Sword, Ultimate Sabre - it was the inspiration for TVB's 'The Blood-Stained Intrigue') used by the main character Zuo Shaobai. It was incapable of harming an opponent, yet the opponent would always surrender because from their point of view, the user is merely toying with them and is holding back on one fatal cut after another. It was also ultra-effective when surrounded by multiple opponents.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Doc Kwok View Post
    Feng Xifan's sword technique in DOMD might be considered a merciful technique. He was known as 'one sword no blood' - he could use his sword to strike pressure points with such skill that he could disable an opponent without even drawing blood. Of course, Feng Xifan was a thoroughly despicable and unmerciful person, so if he happened to use that technique, it would not be out of mercy...
    wasnt Feng Xifan fail when he fought vs Shuang'er? he injured her shoulder right?

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