The Tao of Kung Fu #8

Leave No Place for Death to Enter

In this clip from the double Emmy episode "An Eye For An Eye", Caine is confronted by a small group of Native Americans. He recalls the teachings of Master Po who recites chapter 50 of the 'Tao Te Ching', written by the ancient Taoist master Lao Tzu. By having an understanding of his adversaries, Caine is in a position to turn the tables. His Shaolin skills allow him to sneak up on the Native Americans as they sleep. He is now in a position to easily dispatch them, but he instead chooses to sit quietly amongst them. With this action Caine is demonstrating another of Lao Tzu's virtues: 'He who knows how to be aggressive and yet remains patient, becomes a receptacle for all of Nature's lessons'. 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.