Retiring from the martial world = disappearing from public view?

[Ken Cheng]

When one retires from the martial world, it seems that one can't just hang up one's sword (metaphorically speaking) and quietly continue living wherever one happened to have been living, never mind go out in public. Of the heroes who retired from martial life (i.e. Yeung Gor, Cheung Mo Gei, Ling Wu Chung), none of them were heard from again after their fighting days were over. They didn't even leave forwarding addresses. This is understandable. The way martial life was, getting out of it usually meant either dying or disappearing to a place where nobody has ever heard of you. It's kind of a shame, however, that wuxia heroes couldn't retire but still drop by for a social call with their old friends. In modern civic life, people don't just disappear after they retire from their jobs.

[rabadi]

Well, SOD's Liu Zhengfeng tried to do that (retiring openly) and he failed miserably. I guess disappearing entirely was the only good choice back then.

[kamii]

lol

[rabadi]

I just remember WXB. Judging from his character, my guess is that when he retired he would not go into a secluded island/place where no one (especially the Emperor) would be able to find him. My guess is that he managed to change his identity somehow and still lived in public... as a successful brothel owner!

So I revise my opinion above. Disappearing entirely may not be the only options that can be taken.

[- L1n -]

lol dy yu retired as emperor of dali lol hows that for retirement.

[Dirt]

Originally posted by Ken Cheng
When one retires from the martial world, it seems that one can't just hang up one's sword (metaphorically speaking) and quietly continue living wherever one happened to have been living, never mind go out in public. Of the heroes who retired from martial life (i.e. Yeung Gor, Cheung Mo Gei, Ling Wu Chung), none of them were heard from again after their fighting days were over. They didn't even leave forwarding addresses. This is understandable. The way martial life was, getting out of it usually meant either dying or disappearing to a place where nobody has ever heard of you. It's kind of a shame, however, that wuxia heroes couldn't retire but still drop by for a social call with their old friends. In modern civic life, people don't just disappear after they retire from their jobs.

That's because we have far more effective ways of communicating with one another. It's only within the past 10 years that email and even message boards have seen broad use.

[Ken Cheng]

Originally posted by -NSX-
As a successful brothel owner? You don't think his wifes are actively helping him run the business, do you?

Hopefully, Wai Siu Bo wasn't using his wives as customer service representatives.

[rabadi]

I made that guess because in the novel if I remember correctly he did mention that he wanted to have a brothel of his own.

[CC]

Not really. In LOCH and ROCH, most of the original Greats had quite a quiet life while still remaining accessible.

[Dirt]

Originally posted by CC
Not really. In LOCH and ROCH, most of the original Greats had quite a quiet life while still remaining accessible.

In LOCH sure. But by ROCH, all the Greats (with the possible exception of OYF since he was insane) were all Shi Wai Gau Ren.

[rabadi]

Originally posted by Dirt
...were all Shi Wai Gau Ren.

Translation, please

[Arashi]

'shi wai' means 'out of this world' or having nothing left to do with the regular world. 'gao ren' means 'great person', it means a reclusive great person.

[Trinie]

TO Rabadi, If you are Viet, the translation in Viet word for word is "The Ngoai Cao Nhan". Do you understand now??

[rabadi]

Unfortunately I'm not Viet, but Arashi's translation is pretty clear. Thanks, Trinie and Arashi.