The Art of the Knife, and why it is Important that the Chéngshì Shé Must Cultivate it

**The Art of the Knife, and why it is Important that the Chéngshì Shé Must Cultivate it** is an article from The Red Hare Courier's first issue and volume, released in September 15 1903. The article was written by Zhong "Jong Jong" Iao, originally written in Tagalog and translated to English in 1989 during the digitization of the Red Hare Courier via MagnaOS by Marty Perez, who also annotated the article for more context for contemporary readers. The article is a short read about the importance of knife technique and fighting.

## Content

*The way of the Knife is one of the High Arts, alongside poetry and philosophy. Battle with daggers is not an exercise of personal bravado, or a way of settling petty disputes. It is a demonstration of principles and a form of moral instruction.*

*All other physical contests are by their nature unequal. In wrestling, one fighter is bigger and stronger. In a duel of magi, one participant has a superior innate grasp of magic, or is born with better meridians[2] than the other. But in a battle of raw unarmored knife fighting, all that matters is speed, which is a matter of pure will and mental clarity, and knowledge of the appropriate attacks, dodges and feints. When both blades are equally long and sharp, they confer no inherent advantage, becoming merely a physical extension of the will of the fighter. Both combatants being of sound body, the only true edge is found within their spirit.*

*All blade motions have been codified by the Chéngshì Shé, and it is up to knife wielders to familiarize themselves with these laws. Master the theory and victory will be yours. The common thug rejects our stances, and mocks the ordered traditions of combat. It is their folly, as they are forced to improvise what we have committed to memory. They favor the reverse grip, the posture of the backstabber, which for us is only deployed by novices or the purest masters. It adds strength to the blow, and conceals the attacker's motions, but it must be wielded with exceptional skill or the wielder risks cutting themselves and defeating their own efforts. See how the Art of the Knife holds a mirror to flawed ideologies?*

*A duel of knives at close quarters is an exciting thing to experience. It's exciting to watch, too. The next time you see your senior brothers and sisters spar with short blades, I suggest you observe them closely. It's the meeting of two forces. It is the hundred different skills you need, beyond the obvious nimble fingers. The haughty “Scholars” and “Savants” we love to make fun of, as much as I disdain them, are correct about one thing, there's a poetry to it. But unlike their structure and formality, for us it is improvised freeform verse. People aren't rocks. They have their own ideas and approaches. Some are arrogant fools looking to flaunt themselves. Some get into knife fights because they just want an excuse to hurt someone. Some have a death wish. These come out in the way they fight, and two thirds of the duel is about figuring out what kind of bastard you're fighting against, while giving nothing away about yourself. That last bit is important, whoever masks their intent best, wins nine times out of ten.*

*Since Sister Mei Lim is the expert in Strengthening[3] magic, I will not discuss the implications of combining both magical prowess and martial prowess. It is an entirely new area of combat that requires both knowledge of the Art of the Knife and proper control of your meridians and Qi[4]. I leave the honor to her if she ever wishes to contribute to the Red Hare Courier.*

*Here’s a tip from your trusty big bro Jong-jong, if you know you have to fight someone, get to know them first. Buy them a drink and talk about the old days. If they're a sensible or suspicious type, then you'll have to fall back to the ever-reliable art of spying as they go about their business. Learn their reactions, and learn what they're looking for. Become their friend if you* can, then when the time comes, plunge a knife into their necks when they aren’t looking. Keep your blade sharp, and your mind sharper, my brothers and sisters.

### Marty’s Annotations

[1]Zhong Iao was notorious for choosing very long titles for the articles he wrote. He is quoted saying that he finds the idea of subjecting readers to an immediately long read just from the title alone is hilarious.

[2]The word originally used was “Zíngsiň” (子午線) , the term used by magi from hailing from Fujian, Guangdong, and other southern provinces. Translates as “Meridian” instead of Mana Lobe It’s important to note that the Snakes during 1903 scarecly used Western terms for magic. Tagalog was the lingua franca as the Filipino members formed the majority of the organization so terms like Mana Lobe or Lines were scarcely used.

[3]The world originally used is “Jiāqiáng” (加强), literally “Strengthen” and is the second most commonly used jargon in the organization for “Reinforcement Magic” in 1903, trumped only by the Tagalog term “Pampalakas”.

[4]Qi, pretty self explanatory. Zhong Iao’s magic foundation hailing from China, he refers to Magical Energy as Qi. Oddly enough, he did not use the Tagalog form “Gi” in the article.