Issai Chozanshi

Chozan Niwa

Chozanshi was a swordsman with a deep understanding of Taoism, Buddhism,onfucianism and Shinto. "The Demon's Sermon" is a masterful syncreticreatment of these philosophies and religions, bringing their centraleanings to bear on the essence of the martial arts. The demon delivering theermon is the long-nosed half-man, half-bird Tengu, a terrifying but notecessarily malevolent figure who inhabits the recesses of Mount Kurama.pening this volume is a selection of short, humorous tales from Chozanshi's "he Hayseed Taoist" ("Inaka Soshi"). The stories are lessons aboutpontaneity and non-attachment, and prime the reader philosophically for 'Theemon'. The final section is a translation of "The Mysterious Technique ofhe Cat" ("Neko no Myojutsu"), also from "The Hayseed Taoist" and araditional favourite of the martial artists of Japan. The section summariseshe entire work and adroitly illustrates Lao Tzu's dictum that "The mastercts, relying on nothing."

Chozan Niwa

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