The Tao of Kung Fu #10

Trust, But Expect the Unexpected

In this clip from the episode called 'The Tide', Master Kan is echoing the words of the ancient Taoist sage Lao Tzu. "Those who do not trust also can not be trusted." It may seem natural to become untrusting after an act of deceit. However, this only serves to limit our experiences of life. Although trusting will sometimes end in despair; this pales into insignificance when compared to the rewards that can only be known through trusting another. This video was taken from the 1970's TV series 'Kung Fu' (Created by Ed Spielman, Herman Miller and Jerry Thorpe). It is essentially an American Western set in the latter half of the 1800's, with an Eastern hero who has neither a gun or a horse. The story follows the adventures of Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine); a nature loving Shaolin priest who had recently fled China. He speaks softly but is no pushover. He lives humbly yet knows great contentment. Each episode also takes the viewer back to Caine's childhood in the Shaolin temple. It is here under the instruction of the wonderfully charismatic Master Po (Keye Luke) and the stern yet loving Master Kan (Philip Ahn), young Caine (Radames Pera) learns the harmoniously balanced ways of Tao. The teachings of the Shaolin was meticulously researched for the Kung Fu series. This makes Kung Fu one of the most authentic interpretations of Philosophical Taoism available in popular culture. I was therefore surprised to see no one else had presented selected scenes from Kung Fu as an introduction to the Taoist philosophy.