14 書香人物 P E R S O N A L I T Y & B O O K S SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2009 • TAIPEI TIMES

[ HARDCOVER: U s ] SUNDAY PROFILE The inescapable

Aged 77, Lo Man-kam teaches kung fu classes twice law of perversity daily, five times a week. Photo: Ho Yi, Taipei Times

by Alexander Linklater The guardian, London

Daniel Bergner is a New York Times journalist whose previous ‘Wing chun’ is about the books have examined life in a maximum-security prison in relationship between people Louisiana and the fallout from war ... If you don’t fight a person in Sierra Leone. This fine, brief, intense study is not a departure who knows kung fu, how do you from such territory so much as know you can use kung fu? a development of his interest in existential extremes. The Other — Lo Man-kam, kung fu master Side of Desire is the result of long periods Bergner has spent in the company of paraphiliacs — people who operate in what are for many remote regions of erotic experience. The Other Side of Desire: He tells the stories of four Four Journeys Into the Far P14 subjects. There is Jacob, a discreet Realms of Lust and Longing man desperate to be cured of a P14 fanatical foot fetish that, though By Daniel Bergner

it shames him, also offers a route Features 200 pages to transcendent ecstasy. More morally confounding is Roy, a Allen Lane

Features husband on probation for attempt- ing to seduce his 12-year-old stepdaughter. Operating (just) on compelled to act on it. the legal side of consensual, but at The moral stand-off between Kung fu’s ultimate warrior eye-watering levels of sadism, is a desire and action is what well-known New York dominatrix underpins the finely nuanced called the Baroness, who gets true counterpoints of Bergner’s writing. A nephew and pupil of Ip Man, Lo Man-kam erotic satisfaction from her work. If, in the case of the pedophiles, it is one of ’s leading ‘wing chun’ masters And then there is Ron, a “devotee,” is only in resisting action that they whose insatiable yearning for remain within a moral framework, sex with amputees gives rise to a what of unfortunate dreamers By Ho Yi redemptive love story. such as Jacob, whose desire is Staff reporter Bergner evinces remarkable harmless? If only he could have levels of trust and candor, admitted his foot fetish to his not only from his subjects, wife, instead of trying to annul but from the sexologists and his yearnings with prescribed a teenager, Bruce Lee (李 time, a police officer’s monthly salary was 紅

psychiatrists whose clinical medication, he might have gained 小龍) was often bullied. On about US$90. 紅

藍 sessions he attends and who also unique happiness. one occasion, while walking “It was just like my grandmaster [Ip’s

As 藍 provide him with a hinterland of The story Bergner tells down the street with a friend, a gang of sifu Chan Wah-shun (陳華順)] who had 黃 incidental case histories — from that most movingly reveals ruffians picked a fight. taught only 16, 17 pupils during his entire 黃 the harmlessly eccentric to the the paradoxical naturalness of Lee: “Quick, let’s get out of here.” life. He couldn’t really make a living out 黑

sexually murderous. These cases perversity is that of Ron, the The friend: “Don’t be silly. I will beat of it if he didn’t charge more,” said the 黑 are presented neither as circus amputee fetishist. “Devotees,” the hell out of them.” And he did. 77-year-old Lo, which explains how wing parades of the weird, nor as as they are known, are often “Don’t you know I’m practicing wing chun became known as “boxing for rich mere clinical accounts of deviant considered repulsive even by chun (詠春)?” the victor asked. men’s sons” (少爺拳). sexuality. Instead, with the amputees themselves. That’s how Shortly afterwards, in 1956, Lee asked A wing chun sifu can only take in a utmost sensitivity and intellectual Laura views Ron when they first his father for US$25 and followed in his limited number of students at one time curiosity, Bergner extends an meet. A car-crash victim, her legs buddy ��������������Lo Man-kam’s (盧文錦)������������� footsteps by because of the martial art’s unique teaching invitation to view all such variants were severed near the tops of becoming a pupil of Ip Man (葉問). method. Its practitioners’ skills and as belonging to a continuum of her thighs. As a result, she left Lo can recall many stories like this knowledge come from one-on-one practice ordinary human desire. her husband, despaired of being from his youth in 1950s Hong Kong, where and training because the school focuses His most obvious moral- a good mother and attempted he studied kung fu under his uncle Ip, the on honing reflex reactions and not fancy psychological dilemma comes in suicide. Yet, having overcome her grandmaster of the wing chun style of moves and techniques that can be learned Lo Man-kam, left, in action on the rooftop of his Bade Road apartment in Taipei. photo: ho yi, taipei times the confrontation with pedophilia. initial misgivings, she now lives kung fu. through group drills. While Roy is a man at war with with Ron, a man whose socially A world-renowned wing chun sifu “Wing chun is about the relationship himself, and not guilty of actually alienating desire dovetails exactly (師父), or master, Lo doesn’t exude between people ... If you don’t fight a To Lo, the trick of his trade is to that employs physics, mathematics, having sex with his stepdaughter, with her physical handicap. awe-inspiring seriousness as might be person who knows kung fu, how do you maintain an open mind about other martial kinematics and military tactics to explain Bergner inserts clear signposting This, it transpires, is not merely expected. Rather, he likes to crack jokes know you can use kung fu?” Lo said. art styles. “You don’t know who your and dissect the martial art. (the only time he does so) to a compensatory relationship, and make visitors and students feel After a decade-long apprenticeship rival is, nor can you anticipate his or her “In Chinese culture, it is all about make sure the reader does not but one in which Laura finds a relaxed and at ease at his apartment on under his uncle, Lo left Hong Kong for moves. Therefore, there is no assumption ownership and authority passed down by confuse the author’s curiosity with fulfillment that was absent in her Bade Road where he resides and teaches Taiwan in 1960 and joined the military. On in fighting. You contact, sense and respond. the father and grandfather. For Westerners, anything too close to empathy. Yet previous existence. In this union wing chun. re-entering civilian life in 1975, Lo opened That process becomes part of your physical it’s science and reasoning,” he said. having done so, he incorporates of the misshapen, Ron and Laura In the living room, replete with trophies, a school in Taipei and has taught and reflexes, which can be called wing chun, or The going is tough for students at the findings of research showing uncover a deeper geometry. medals and memorabilia, several faded promoted wing chun ever since. any other name for that matter,” said Lo. Lo’s school. During his teaching career that 21 percent of a study group What is desire and what shapes photographs of Ip stand out and affirm Lo’s Members of the elite strata of society Over the years, Lo has traveled that spans 34 years, some half a dozen revealed sexual attractions to it? This is not just a nature-versus- status as a kung fu legend. have studied under Lo, such as one of extensively, to France, Germany, students have mastered the martial art to children, while 7 percent indicated nurture muddle. Some of the Rewind to 1950, when Ip fled to Hong Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) grandsons and the Switzerland and Hungary, giving lectures, Lo’s standard. they might have sex with a child cases in this book reveal a clear Kong from Guangdong Province shortly King of Brunei and his brother and sons. demonstrations and training and has At his advanced age, Lo stays active if not caught. “Given the probable biology of desire. Others reveal the after the Chinese Civil War ended. An The master’s expertise in combining taught foreign students hailing from more teaching classes five days a week, and social undesirability of such delineations of social or cultural acquaintance helped to get him a job wing chun with judo and other close- than 50 countries. traveling. He is as popular as ever, partly admissions,” an eminent British formation. Make no assumptions teaching kung fu at a hotel. At first, there range combat techniques makes him a Lo makes sure he has room for thanks to Donnie Yen’s (甄子丹) Ip Man psychiatrist observes, “we may about which may be which, how- were only five or six students, one of which sought-after instructor by intelligence, students from abroad to stay at his place. (葉問), which was released last month and hypothesize that the actual rates ever, because that may lead you was Lo. police and military bodies, both at home The current tenant is a young Japanese elicited a surge of interest in wing chun. were even higher.” What makes to miss the less palatable realities Studying under the wing chun master and abroad. He has achieved many firsts man, who comes to Taipei for three “I must have received more than Roy and other more predatory of human psychology — of how didn’t come cheap. While taichi chuan (太 during his professional career. Lo was the months each year to study wing chun. 50 phone calls and taken in 10, 15 new pedophiles socially deviant is a pedophile may be born and not 極拳) and shaolin chuan (少林拳) teachers first head coach of Taiwan’s SWAT team Owing his popularity among Westerners students [after the movie was released]. less the character of their desire made or how a rape victim may charged US$5 a month, US$15 to US$25 and the first Chinese coach to train US partially to Bruce Lee’s fame, Lo has But I can assure you, three months later, than the extent to which they are experience orgasms. was required to become Ip’s pupil. At the military personnel. developed a distinguished teaching method only five will remain,” Lo said.

[ SOFTCOVER: U S ] It’s war in the Taiwan Strait Many authors have written about possible scenarios in the Taiwan Strait, but very few have used the novel form to give the nightmare flesh

By J. Michael Cole 扁) in 2008 has been ousted by move toward independence. in the Taiwan Relations Act and amphibious assault, to which his learn that the mother of Admiral STAFF REPORTER the Democratic Progressive Party What follows is fairly “dual deterrence,” which when push wife replies: “Remind me, my Feng — the closest we get to The year is 2012. In Taiwan, a (DPP), whose leader, Yo Tuan, is predictable and draws from a comes to shove appear to be more dear leader. What are the three an “evil” character in the book charismatic new leader named Yo portrayed as a Chen on steroids, a scenario outlined in Richard Bush straightjackets than useful precious advantages that make for — sought to pacify her son by Tuan occupies the Presidential man with an almost supernatural III and Michael O’Hanlon’s A War instruments of diplomacy. a successful landing?” giving him a copy of Moby Dick. Office — and he is filled with ability to fire up his supporters. Like No Other, which characters Given the complexity of the This is not to say that novels A few factual errors also stand ambition to make his county Riding on the against the in Cooper’s book consult on situation in the Taiwan Strait and should not teach us a few things, out, such as Cooper’s contention independent. Across the strait, KMT, a majority in the legislature a few occasions. Taiwanese the lack of understanding of — or as Michael Crichton, despite that Taiwan’s population (23 president Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) has and led by a firebrand charmer, the overwhelmingly vote in favor of a interest in — the matter outside all his faults as a novelist, did million) is greater than Canada’s been replaced by Wei Ching-chun, DPP government has called for a new constitution, Beijing imposes a Asia and academic circles, Cooper’s to perfection. In Cooper’s case, (33 million), that the assassination an inexperienced and somewhat referendum on a new constitution blockade and Washington ends up approach is an interesting one, however, the lessons interrupt attempt against Chen occurred in stoic leader whose ability to that would proclaim a new, caught in the middle. Exacerbating as the novel form, in this case a the narrative rather than improve 2000 (rather than in 2004) or that steer the Chinese Community independent Republic of Taiwan. the pressure on President Adams is political thriller, could reach a wider it, and on many occasions he the time difference between Taipei Party (CCP) remains unproven. In Beijing, the developments the presidential campaign, in which audience and generate interest. becomes didactic on topics — the and Washington is 14 hours (it is In Washington, President Jocelyn in Taiwan are a nightmare her opponent, Governor Todd Unfortunately, Cooper tends to environment, clean energy, water either 12 or 13). Adams, an African-American scenario for the new president, Williams of Georgia, plays the part be a little to didactic and tries too — that though would all make The scenario has a few good woman, succeeded George W. who fears that any move toward of the archetypical Republican who hard to teach the reader. By telling interesting essays, do nothing surprises, an improbable Chinese Bush in 2008 and is seeking independence on the island could does not waste a second to accuse Flashpoint China rather than showing and doing this to complement the narrative. plot involving a biological agent reelection in a country weighed have a domino effect on other Adams of being soft on China or By William E. Cooper repeatedly throughout the book, In fact, as with the often trite inexplicably introduced in Taiwan down by the wars in Iraq and parts of the country, especially of abandoning a fellow democracy Cooper intrudes on the narrative dialogue between Adams and while the blockade is at its height, Afghanistan, and severe water Tibet and Xinjiang, as well as in when she vacillates. 293 pages and ends up undercutting it. Far her globetrotting daughter, these and the denouement is based on shortages that are threatening to Hong Kong, where activists have Undaunted by the blockade Llumina Press too often the dialogue is contrived, passages are distracting and an agreement between Beijing and create domestic instability. grown impatient with a series of and the threat of war, Yo stays the his characters sounding unnatural, would likely have been deleted by Washington that would unlikely Thus opens Cooper’s novel, broken promises by Beijing. Wei course, China sinks a few vessels like history or travel books, giving a professional editor — which was work in the real world. with the added threat of a Mayan is also aware of the power plays approaching Taiwan, the US and the impression that the author is probably lacking with Cooper’s In all, Cooper’s book is a prophecy that appears to predict within the CCP, with Mei Ying-jeou, Japan retaliate and the situation process of decision-making in trying to impress the reader with book, given that Llumina Press is worthy effort that may just be the end of the world on Dec. 21, who vied for the presidency with escalates, bringing the participants Beijing and Washington, the the places he has visited or the a self-publisher. what is needed to draw attention 2012, due to a polar shift. Hit by Wei, and others, such as Admiral to the brink — a Cuban Missile assumptions that guide decision- books he has read. In one instance, Cooper’s novel also suffers to the Gordian knot that is the scandals — the nail in the coffin Tang, waiting for him to commit Crisis of the 21st century that will making in all three capitals, and Wei is having dinner with his wife from Western bias, with both Taiwan Strait. Unfortunately, his exposed by an investigative a mistake so as to sideline him. need leadership just as great as how Taipei and Beijing play Adams and moments after talking about Chinese and Taiwanese characters desire to instruct and the absence reporter at your very own Taipei Wei, portrayed by Cooper as an that displayed by John F. Kennedy against Williams to their benefit. their daughter’s new boyfriend, he often quoting Shakespeare, W.H. of an editor’s swift knife make the Times — the Chinese Nationalist otherwise sensible man, therefore and Nikita Khrushchev. All of this is very plausible and embarks on a long, jargon-laden Auden and other authors from the book much longer, and perhaps Party (KMT) government that has no option but to order a As the crisis intensifies, Cooper instructive. Cooper also skillfully discussion on the three conditions Western cannon, all of which is less entertaining, than it should replaced Chen Shui-bian (陳水 determined response to Taipei’s does a fine job exploring the exposes the inherent contradictions necessary for a successful rather unlikely. At one point, we have been.