<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="80%" bgcolor="#dcdcdc" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="10" bgcolor="#DCDCDC"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#eeeeee"><font size="1">Originally posted by Kenny:
<STRONG> I remember I once called it an abuse of the theory of deterioration when someone else suggested that if we're to believe in such a theory, then, say, LHC is automatically weaker than, say, ZWJ, simply because the former lived in a later era than the latter. The problem I had with that statement is that the deterioration theory is about the pugilistic society as the whole. One who believes in such theory might be able to use it to compare two "average" fighters from different eras, but the theory loses its power when we are comparing fighters who are at the ends of the spectrum (extremely strong or extremely weak fighters.) In cases like those, it's required to use specific evidence to determine who's stronger than whom.
Conversely, I also consider it an abuse of the theory if someone claims that he can prove DFBB is stronger than ZWJ, and then conclude that the theory is wrong because of that comparison.</STRONG></font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>
Dear Kenny,
I recently retired from participating in Wuxia forums, but I now would like to make a little come-back to explain my views. I was the one who said in the past: "In the Jin Yong universe, there's a decline in martial arts with each generation. That means that (on the whole) Northern Song fighters are stronger compared to Southern Song, Southern Song fighters better than Yuan dynasty fighters etc. Zhang Wuji is a person living in the end of the Yuan dynasty, while Linghu Chong is from the Ming era (this is certain). So strictly speaking, Zhang Wuji should be more powerful than Linghu Chong anyway."
The moment I wrote the words above I was really in a hurry and did not really explain my ideas thoroughly. I post it on the Wuxia forum and it was quoted on Jin Yong forum, which I was not aware of until later on. You might have interpreted my words in a way which was not my intended meaning. I should have emphasized "ON THE WHOLE, Northern Song fighters are stronger compared to Southern Song" and "STRICTLY SPEAKING, Zhang Wuji SHOULD be more powerful than Linghu Chong". I would also like to say that the rest of my post was my analysis of Zhang Wuji's and Linghu Chong's fighting skills which had nothing to do with deterioration theory.
So, what I am trying to say is that I agree with your above-mentioned ideas on deterioration theory, actually from the very beginning I have shared your views on this matter. I hope I have cleared up some misconceptions. Lastly, I would like to wish you and all the other members of this forum a Happy New Year!