The extent of Chiu Mun's martial arts abilities

[Ken Cheng]

Chiu Mun wasn't exactly someone you could call an elite fighter from HEAVEN SWORD & DRAGON SABRE. That being said, she seemed surprisingly good for someone of her young age, limited experience, and unorthodox training. Several times during HSDS, she performed surprisingly well against much more powerful enemies. For example, using the Heaven Sword, she was able to give Granny Golden Flower a decent fight. Although Chiu Mun obviously had a superior weapon, Granny Golden Flower's martial arts were more than superior enough to make up for the difference. Nevertheless, Chiu Mun put up a good fight (although she would ultimately lose if Granny Golden Flower were to press the fight further). Later, when Chiu Mun helped Cheung Mo Gei fight off the three Persian Ming Cult elders, she proved surprisingly helpful. She was by far the weakest fighter in that battle, but she held her own and was able to help (she wasn't completely irrelevant out there).

As a member of the Mongol nobility, Chiu Mun had access to all kinds of martial arts teachers. Certainly, there were the Yeun Ming Elders, the Diamond Men, and maybe even Sing Kwun to train her. By having so many martial arts available to her, however, she might have run into the same kinds of problems that the young Gwok Jing did when he was trying to learn the diverse martial arts of the Gong Nam 7 Freaks, or that young Yeung Gor did when he was learning all kinds of disparate skills during his youth. Like the early martial arts of those two heroes, Chiu Mun's martial arts training must have been broad, but not particularly deep.

One final observation: Chiu Mun seemed to have photographic reflexes. She was able to imitate Kunlun Sect Leader Ho Tai Chung's sword technique after observing him exhibit it once. Unlike Cheung Mo Gei, Chiu Mun did not have a special skill such as Keen Kwun Dai Loi Yee to instantly replicate an opponent's martial arts technique. She seemed to be able to do it on instinct and reflex. This is quite a talent.

Did Chiu Mun have it in her to develop into an elite martial artist (given the proper training)?

[CFT]

That depends on whether she has the perseverence to cultivate inner power.

[Zhuge Liang]

I think all she had going for her in the fight with the persians was the heaven sword and her reckless disregard for her life. She used those "sacrifice your life to take your enemy down stances" which took the persians aback.

[Demonic Swordsman]

this is zhao min in manderin right?

[K2Grey]

Yeah, it should be Zhao Min in Mandarin.

The Cantonese/Mandarin swaps confused me the first time I was here

[Phoenix_Aquaris]

I think all she had going for her in the fight with the persians was the heaven sword and her reckless disregard for her life. She used those "sacrifice your life to take your enemy down stances" which took the persians aback.

But at least she managed to hold them off awhile. These persians were so strong that even ZWJ had problems dealing with them. This shows that there is hope in her skills. Besides the wudang skill she used to commit suicide and bring the persian along to hell with her, she also used two other skills which she learnt for a short time yet managed to hold off a few strokes of the Persians. Many pugilists spent years refining their swordplay and she sort-of "mastered" it in the sense that she could pull off one stance which was correct such that Xie Xun recognised her stances. Probably it was thanks to the Heaven Sword, but i personally find this remarkable of a young girl.

[Naruto-kun]

She has no lack in talent. But I think she's more like Yang-kang. She doesn't really care about how high her martial art level. The kind of proper training she'll need is a determination. Imho, I don't think she really wanted to be a kungfu artist.

Btw I didn't know who Chiu Mun is in the first time either Here she's called Thio Beng. Now I got three references. Zhao Min, Chiu Mun, Thio Beng.. Hmm...

[Extremer88]

Zhao Min have the talent, ambitions and abilities of being a martial artiist, general or a ruler. Her father, was quite disappointed in that Zhao Min was born a girl, if not she would have accomplished a lot more than expected.

[Ian Liew]

As a member of the Mongol nobility, Chiu Mun had access to all kinds of martial arts teachers. Certainly, there were the Yeun Ming Elders, the Diamond Men, and maybe even Sing Kwun to train her. By having so many martial arts available to her, however, she might have run into the same kinds of problems that the young Gwok Jing did when he was trying to learn the diverse martial arts of the Gong Nam 7 Freaks, or that young Yeung Gor did when he was learning all kinds of disparate skills during his youth. Like the early martial arts of those two heroes, Chiu Mun's martial arts training must have been broad, but not particularly deep.

Apart from He Taichong, she probably also got to witness the martial arts of Chunyu Tong, Kong Wen, Tang Wenliang etc, we only know that Ermei and Wudang hadn't quite gotten their chance to display their arts. In the serials she had Fan Yao standing beside her to advise her on certain points in the martial arts, and he helped her to grasp the main principle of each sect. With someone like Fan teaching her, he would have ensured that she didn't end up learning conflicting moves and other things which may harm her. I assume Fan Yao would have taught her a lot of the other things when learning from the other masters - she always seemed to have a certain respect for him which was missing with the others.

She was also very very intelligent, and would probably know if something was wrong, unlike Guo Jing, who would just plod on even if it was a dead end until someone like Ma Yu comes along to help him.

[Ken Cheng]

Chiu Mun never approached the ranks of the elite fighters of wulin during HSDS, but the girl *could* fight and was helpful to Cheung Mo Gei in a few skirmishes. Just what was her martial arts skill set composed of, though? She demonstrated imitated fragments of various Kunlun Sect and Ngor Mei Sect techniques, however, but I don't think she could have gotten by in wulin just on some disjointed fragments of various martial sects' skills.