9. Michelle Yeoh drinks tea

☳ Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon 臥虎藏龍 is one of my favourite wuxia epics. The title is a martial arts term, that people know from the ancient Chinese poet Yu Xin (513–581), who wrote: 暗石疑藏虎, 盤根似臥龍. ☵ Which translates to: Behind the rock in the dark probably hides a tiger, and the coiling giant root resembles a crouching dragon. ☶ And refers to a belief among Chinese that most kung fu masters prefer to go about their lives incognito. The true master rarely reveals their talents until a situation worthy enough calls upon them to do so. ☰ As I watch in the movie Michelle Yeoh drinking tea 楊紫瓊喝茶 with Chow Yun Fat 周潤發, I sometimes ponder on this and how it relates to my own life. Because in the west there is always great pressure to reveal our skills and then have them constantly tested by others to prove our worth. Nevermore so, since the advent of the internet and its sister mediums. ☷ When I am promoting my other business: Tea Time equals Me Time, I also ponder on this. How does one balance the western yang 陽 part of me with the eastern yin 陰 part of me? ☱ To this question I am reminded by my Chinese wife that the sword in its scabbard is the most powerful when it is not drawn. At some point a warrior learns that proving a cake will eventually lead to not having any cake. ☲ Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun Fat both excel in this concept in their movies, hence their consistent preference as martial art role models over the late Bruce Lee among Chinese. While he was one of the best fighters that ever existed (May he rest in Paradise), his track record shows that he died proving himself. ☴ Sometimes the path to mastery lies outside of the fight-ring. Neither Michelle Yeoh or Chow Yun Fat actually do any off-screen martial arts. And yet, they excel at it in ways that few real martial artists can grasp. I know. This last bit is difficult to digest. But it is worth pondering over when you next enjoy your bit of Me Time equals Tea Time. Liked what you heard & want to connect with me? Join me at… linkedin.com/in/peterhainzl/