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hong-kong-art-man · 2 years

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The Young Woman Leader In Hong Kong Karen Chan Picks The Cultural Battle Of Preserving Cheongsam: “I Don’t Want Cheongsam To Become Another Collective Memory Of Our Generation!”

German Pool has been a famous brand of electrical appliances in Hong Kong since 1982. It is a family business and the prominent figure is Karen Chan(陳嘉賢)—not only for her contribution to the industry of Hong Kong, but also for her cultural offerings in the form of ‘Cheongsam’(長衫) or ‘Qipao’(旗袍).

Cheongsam is a Chinese dress worn by women and men which takes inspiration from the ethnic clothing of the Manchu people in the North. For woman, cheongsam is most often seen as a long, figure-fitting and one-piece garment with a standing collar, an asymmetric left-over-right opening and two side slits, and embellished with Chinese frog fasteners on the lapel and collar. It was developed in the Ching Dynasty and evolved in shapes and design over years.

Karen said, “I love cheongsam in its traditional form but want to make it respond to the modern life too.” She runs a cultural rather than fashion business ‘Sparkle’ which designs, makes and promotes cheongsam.

Karen studied in Sacred Heart Canossian College. She went to University of Washington for her first degree and New York University for her second degree. In 2000, she returned to Hong Kong to work but soon moved to Vancouver and got hitched. In 2006, she came back to Hong Kong with a family to assist in the family business. In 2009, Karen obtained the master’s degree in Marketing from Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her son is 12 years old now. Karen is tall, slim and represents 2 things, character and competence.

She, as usual, had an unweary smile on her face, “Time flies and I am making up for lost time. I have too many things that I should do.” I stared at her, “Karen, you work too hard! Apart from being a businesswoman and taking care of a family, you sit on government consultation committees and governing boards of universities.” Her eyes were twinkling with mirth, “Don’t worry. The great consolation that I have is making beautiful cheongsam for others and myself.”

She said, “Our past is never dead to us, until we have brushed it aside. I respect traditions especially the old arts and crafts of Hong Kong. Tradition does embody valuable accumulated knowledge, and provide a sense of belonging to our great city. But, I think tradition is not a way of saying ‘we must do it this way’. If you want to keep something old, you will have to let it somehow grow younger and newer. Great cultures in Hong Kong like dim sum, architectures and kung fu are always a fantastic combination of old and new. I really don’t want cheongsam to be called another ‘collective memory’ after it is gone forever.”

I asked, “Why is cheongsam culture uniquely Hong Kong?” She patted her head, “During the 1910s to 1920s, cheongsam commanded her cultural prosperity in 2 major cities, namely Shanghai and Hong Kong because people there were rich and fashionable. It was important for ladies to look trendy and classy. Shanghai was later under communist rule. Fashion basically disappeared and the focus was on the communist cadre look. Clothing available was mass-produced and functional, leaving little room for individuality or femininity. Hong Kong remained a free city. Cheongsam continued to flourish here and it never died out. We had cheongsam of uniquely different designs, styles and materials in the golden days of 1950s to 1970s. Almost all women wore cheongsam. It is sad that since the 60s, western clothes were seen by women as a sign of modernity and liberation. Fewer and fewer women wore cheongsam. Luckily, we still got a small circle of ladies who loved cheongsam and it has become a specialized type of clothing that fits only a niche market. My mission now is to keep cheongsam alive and through my public education effort, I want to tell people in Hong Kong that removing our misconceptions of and prejudice against cheongsam is an important cause!”

I put my final question to her, “What is the future gauntlet that you have to take up?” She sighed, “Wow! Too many challenges ahead. There are 4. I want to prove that even westerners, given their bigger body size, can wear cheongsam and look pretty. Then, I wish to ensure that the knowledge and skills associated with this traditional artisanry can be passed onto the future generations so that the art will continue to survive. Thirdly, I want to be a respectable fashion designer who can create cheongsam as a piece of up-to-date beauty. My last wish is humble: I would be able to keep my cheongsam business from falling. It is expensive to make a cheongsam due to many factors, for example, that the best cheongsam must be handmade and the fabric must be 100% silk. Cheongsam market is however small and a lot of customers are experts in cheongsam. I do hope I can meet their expectations.”

Karen Chan aspires to be a defender of Hong Kong’s cultural heritage. Hong Kong is no more just an international financial centre in Asia. Our civilization is already a rich pool of brilliant beliefs, customs and knowhows accumulated in the course of 19th to 22nd Century.

The problem of modern life is the claim that, for the sake of progress, we have to lose local traditions at a faster pace than that of preserving, not to mention the extra loss accelerated by forces such as globalization and national assimilation. A woman’s greatest asset is her beauty and cheongsam is the wonderful dress that helps a woman capitalize on her physical and emotional beauty.

MLee

Chinese Version 中文版: https://www.patreon.com/posts/chen-jia-xian-de-76769559?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Sparkle Collection Fashion Show https://youtu.be/1SqDDu_MJZM Acknowledgement – Sparkle Collection

Sparkle Collection Cheongsam 2023 https://youtu.be/RSQGXX-R-7E Acknowledgement – Sparkle Collection

Cheongsam Etiquette https://youtu.be/dx5d2hQKiWs Acknowledgement – Sparkle Collection

Maggie Cheung’s Cheongsam in Movie《In the Mood for Love》 https://youtu.be/KloZiML4jQ8 Acknowledgement – San Shi Ma

Karen Chan Interview https://youtu.be/SP5LuLssrlQ Acknowledgement - hkfederation

#Manchu #Qipao #Artisanry #German Pool #Ching Dynasty #Sacred Heart Canossian College #University of Washington #New York University #Frog Fastener #Cultural Heritage

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gianlucavisconti · 3 years

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Northern & Southern styles, Bagua Zhang and Taijiquan Q&A

What is the difference between Northern and Southern style?

Northern style is also much more muted. It’s structured and chic, while native Southerns tend to be more feminine and geared towards prints. The femininity that goes along with Southern style puts a big focus on loose-fitting clothing that gives a girl an ethereal element and a care-free vibe.

Is Bagua Martial Art Northern Or Southern?

The group of Northern martial arts includes many illustrious styles such as Baguazhang, Bajiquan, Chaquán, Chuojiao, Eagle Claw, Northern Praying Mantis and Taijiquan.

Where does Bagua come from?

Baguazhang Sun Lu-t’ang performing “Lion Embraces the Ball”. Also known as Bagua quan, Bagua zhang, Pakua chang, Pa-kua chang,Pa kua chang Hardness Internal (neijia) Country of origin China Creator Dong Haichuan ??? (attributed).

What is bagua fighting style?

The fighting charateristic of Baguazhang is the use of clever guerrilla-style tactics. The Bagua fighter uses evasive footwork to escape the opponent’s strong power and when the time is right the Bagua fighter counters with sudden, ferocious attack, using any part of the body.

How many styles of bagua are there?

The combination of characteristic palms with attack methods is the basis for Baguazhang’s standard fighting sets, which are also known as changes or forms. Therefore within each animal system there are 56 forms, and a total of 448 forms across all eight animal systems.

Is bagua good for self defense?

It is a powerful self-defense art designed to be used against multiple opponents. Three key goals for Bagua self-defense are to uproot, unbalance, and control your opponent’s center.

How many forms are there in bagua?

There are two types of bagua: the Early Heaven Sequence and the Later Heaven Sequence (see below). Both types have been developed before the ‘Book of Changes’, the I Ching, which describes the cosmology and philosophy of ancient China.

Is bagua real?

The Bagua or Pakua are originated from China, and are eight symbols used in Taoist cosmology to represent the fundamental principles of reality, seen as a range of eight interrelated concepts. Due to their tripartite structure, they are often referred to as Eight Trigrams in English.

What does baguazhang focus on?

From the five animal styles of Shaolin kung fu to the graceful movements of taijiqian, the Chinese martial arts encompass a variety of techniques. Baguazhang is a martial arts style that focuses almost exclusively on evasive footwork and using an attacker’s force against him rather than using direct attacks.

What martial art is Airbending based on?

Earthbending is mostly based on Hung Ga kung fu. Firebending is like Northern Shaolin kung fu. And Airbending is similar to baguazhang.

What are the Eight Diagrams?

The eight diagrams symbolize the eight natural phenomena: sky, earth, thunder, wind, water, fire, mountain and lake. So, the picture represented the ancient Chinese early knowledge of the universe, which contained a simple dialectical materialist point of view.

What is Gua in feng shui?

According to your Birth Date, your ‘Life Gua’ or ‘Ming Gua’ is calculated. Each Gua is unique and will indicate your favourable and unfavourable directions and locations. Example: If you are born Between 1st Jan to 3rd Feb 1988 then your birth year will be counted as 1987 for Gua No. Calculations.

What is a trigram in feng shui?

The Eight Trigram Each trigram consists of three male or female lines; and combined in various combinations; the trigram symbolises heaven, earth, water, fire dampness, wind thunder or mountains. The trigrams are often to be found on the garments of Toaist priests and on the walls, ceiling and beams of Chinese temples.

Where do you put a bagua mirror?

You should always hang the bagua mirror with the heaven trigram on the top (with the three unbroken lines). These trigrams are also found in the I-Ching, the Book of Changes. Feng shui is an ancient art that comes from China and has foundations in Taoism.

Is Tai Chi a martial art?

Tai Chi is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits. But it has been part of Chinese martial arts culture since the 16th Century.

Is Waterbending based on Tai Chi?

Tai chi forms the basis of waterbending. Inspiration was taken from the style’s fluidity, connectivity and adaptability, all of which became fundamental concepts for all three waterbending styles. Hung Gar forms the basis of earthbending. Inspiration was taken from the style’s low stances, rooted power and strength.

What is Chi Sau?

Chi Sau, or ‘Sticking Hands’, is a Wing Chun training exercise designed to develop close range combat skills. The aim of Chi Sau is to learn through touch any shift in an opponent’s body position which indicates an eminent attack.

#martialartsnotes

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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The Karate Kid Part III We’ll Never See

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Cobra Kai continues to effectively mine the long-dormant characters and continuity of The Karate Kid film franchise. The strategy has yielded a successful series that basks in the built-in nostalgia of those old enough to recall the films’ heyday, and even fosters a new generation of fandom. However, the show’s fourth season taps into 1989’s The Karate Kid Part III with the heralded return of villain Terry Silver—a controversial callback, seeing as that film remains widely maligned. Interestingly, a radically different third entry was originally envisioned, one that would have taken the trilogy into time-travel territory.

If the teasers for Cobra Kai Season 4, which ominously tout Silver’s return—made 32 years later by Thomas Ian Griffith—left you in need of context regarding its importance, you were hardly alone. After all, the film, in which Silver served as main villain, was a dud, and the least-watched of the original Karate Kid Trilogy. One could fault that failure to a hopeless summer 1989 box office battle against iconic competition from Batman and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and momentum drained by lingering money-makers Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Ghostbusters II. Yet, Part III was also branded as an uninspired retread of the original, which made it missable. However, franchise creator Robert Mark Kamen, who wrote the entire trilogy, initially pitched it as a prequel of sorts in which Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi are—in a surprising supernatural twist for a reality-grounded franchise—whisked back to 16th century China, immersed in a tale centered on the origins of Miyagi-Do karate.

“I [initially] turned down doing Karate Kid III because I wanted to do something different,” revealed Kamen in a 2012 interview with Crave Online. “I wanted to have them flash back to 16th century China and do a historical flying people movie. I wanted to do a Hong Kong Kung Fu movie.”

Contextually, the seemingly-incompatible pairing of the intrinsically-Japanese martial art of karate and air-whirling wuxia genre kung-fu films stems back to exposition from 1984’s The Karate Kid, in which Miyagi explains (factually) to Daniel how karate came from China in the 16th century; a tale that was expounded in 1986’s The Karate Kid Part II, in which Miyagi further reveals how Miyagi-Do, specifically, was the result of an accidental Okinawan fishing trip in 1625, in which his ancestor, Shimpo, fell asleep as his boat drifted to the coast of China. There, he would start a family and learn the defense-centric martial art that would become Miyagi-Do. Thus, it would appear that Kamen had designs to have the backstory foreshadow what would have been lofty plans for the third film.

“I was going to tell the saga in reverse,” he further explained of his intended poetic plot parallels. “Daniel and Mr. Miyagi are in a boat. It all happens when Daniel gets hit on the head and he has a dream. He’s in a coma or something and they see a boat in the mist. It docks and Mr. Miyagi and Daniel follow the first Miyagi ancestor into China and then they get involved in this thing.”

Cobra Kai Has Plans for The Next Karate Kid

By Gene Ching

Cobra Kai Season 4 Trailer Touts Tricky Tournament Warfare

By Joseph Baxter

So, why didn’t we get this ambitious, intriguingly chaotic version of The Karate Kid Part III? Well, as Kamen stated simply, “It would’ve been really cool, but nobody wanted to do it.” Indeed, the price tag for such a fantastical tale would have been enormous, making it a non-starter. Indicatively, Part III would showcase a noticeable decline in presentation, which was substantially less elaborate than the Okinawa-set Part II, which had effectively used Hawaii as a visually-stunning domestic substitute for the southern Japanese island prefecture. It seemed like an odd development at the time, seeing as the 1986 sequel grossed $115 million worldwide (making it the highest-grossing Karate Kid trilogy film), and represented an upward trend from the $91.1 million made by the 1984 original. However, the franchise’s pop culture impact did not initially yield real bankability, and the studio bigwigs clearly felt that corners needed to be cut for the nevertheless-inevitable threequel.

“Guy McElwaine [president of Columbia Pictures at the time], rest his soul, refused to do it. He wouldn’t do it. [Producer] Jerry [Weintraub] wouldn’t do it,” recalled Kamen of the studio’s resistance to his idea, and his culminating capitulation. “They didn’t want to mess with the franchise and I felt very strongly that doing the same story all over again was f***ing boring so I didn’t do it and they hired somebody else to do a draft. Somebody else could not write Mr. Miyagi and Daniel, couldn’t write them. So, Dawn Steel took over the studio from Guy McElwaine and she was a good friend of mine. She said, ‘How much would it take for you to do what they want to do?’ I was very flippant and I threw a number out and she said okay. I didn’t really want to do that one but I ended up doing it because first of all, they appealed to me. They said, ‘What, do you want somebody to f*ck up Mr. Miyagi? Because we’re going to make the film.'”

With Part III having ultimately reset things back to the original film’s San Fernando Valley backdrop, studio Columbia Pictures had seemingly opted for the safe strategy of reusing a tried-and-true formula—right down to the shooting locations and even the climactic All-Valley Tournament itself. Yet, to its arguable detriment, this approach also reversed any character growth achieved by Ralph Macchio’s Daniel by revisiting the first film’s bullying tropes as wealthy industrialist Terry Silver—on behalf of his old war buddy, Martin Kove’s John Kreese—maniacally wove a web of psychological torture, aided by the brute strength of hired tournament ringer Mike Barnes (Sean Kanan), for stakes that seemed played-out even by that point in the continuity. Ironically, the move yielded an anemic $38.9 million box office performance, which would stand as a franchise nadir until 1994’s Hilary Swank-starring fourth film, The Next Karate Kid, which only made $15.8 million—a failure from which Kamen can distance himself, seeing as he opted not to return for that entry.

Interestingly, while The Karate Kid franchise would never get to fly its proverbial freak flag with gravity-defying big screen time travel travails, it was able to go supernatural in animated form in the fall of 1989 for a similarly-titled NBC Saturday morning cartoon series centered on the further adventures of Daniel and Miyagi. Pertinently, the series saw the cinematic duo—joined by a young Okinawan girl named Taki—embark on adventures around the world to recover a lost Okinawan shrine that possesses myriad mystical powers, notably exemplified in the first episode, in which a belligerent Amazon tribal chief uses it to transform himself into a jaguar, forcing Daniel and Miyagi into awkward cross-species combat. So, yeah, it was that kind of show. However, The Karate Kid animated series had only manifested from a 13-episode order, and would not be renewed, leaving a 29-year gap until Cobra Kai brought the franchise back to television properly in 2018.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Lost wire-flying, time-traveling kung-fu opportunities aside, Cobra Kai Season 4 hits Netflix on Friday, December 31, on which it will characteristically strike first and strike hard with no mercy on your New Year’s Eve plans. That’s a good thing, especially since the advance-ordered Cobra Kai Season 5 has already wrapped, and will likely follow up your binge session sooner, rather than later.

The post The Karate Kid Part III We’ll Never See appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3HmMdMV

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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nuc7ear · 4 years

Video

vimeo

DOOMSDAY from Bito on Vimeo.

It's the first time to mix news report and Chinese typography with graphic design to represents interesting discussion among juries in serious topics.

2019金點設計獎以聯合國17項全球永續發展目標 #SDGs17 作為關注的主軸，延續去年「自然知道」點出環境永續的理想，拓展更為宏觀的格局，希望設計師能從這些主題發揮正面的使命感，讓即將來臨的23:59，擺脫無能為力的沈重，成為值得圍繞在創新與共享的宏大盛宴。

The Golden Pin Design Award 2019 Grand Ceremony follows on from its previous year’s theme (Nature Knows) and supports the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals in an effort to bring designers together and champion design for sustainability.

首度混用寫實報導風格和中文typography 和平面圖像，在嚴肅話題間延展有趣的討論空間。

It's the first time to mix news report and Chinese typography with graphic design to represents interesting discussion among juries in serious topics.

Directed by Bito Client：台灣創意設計中心 Taiwan Design Center Creative Director：劉耕名 Keng-Ming Liu Associate Art Director：鄭楷 Kai Cheng / 蔡易廷 Eating Tsai Producer : 劉妤暄 Tammy Liu Ideation：鄭楷 Kai Cheng / 黃心怡 Vicki Huang / 莊宜蓁 Jen Chuang Storyboard：鄭楷 Kai Cheng / 蔡易廷 Eating Tsai / 王璿甯 Hsuan-Nin Wang Design：蔡易廷 Eating Tsai / 謝鎮璘 Chen-Lin Hsieh / 王璿甯 Hsuan-Nin Wang / 邵偉豪 Wei-Hao Shao Editing：鄭楷 Kai Cheng Animation：蔡易廷 Eating Tsai / 鄭楷 Kai Cheng ----------------- Filming Crew： Director：鄭楷 Kai Cheng Producer : 江函儒 Han-Ju Chiang Assistant Producer：林妍欣 Freda Lin Director of Photography：劉書銓 Shane Liu Second Camera：鄭楷 Kai Cheng Lighting : 許鈞筌 Chun-Chuan Hsu Lighting Assistants：王彥傑 Yen-Chieh Wang / 羅煒 Wei Lo Make Up：Ruby Ng Boom Operator：猴子電男孩影藝有限公司 Monkey Boys Club Interview Host：莊宜蓁 Jen Chuang / 鄭楷 Kai Cheng Interviewee：Louisa Bocchietto / SPREAD / Tony Chi / 比爾賈Bill Chia / 阮慶岳Ching-Yueh Roan / 官政能 Cheng-Neng Kuan / 胡湘雲Jennifer Hu / 陳禧冠 Shikuan Chen / 鄒駿昇Page Tsou / 龔書章Shu-Chang Kung Music & Sound Design : 韓承燁 Cheng-Yeh Han Audio Mixing：傳翼錄音製作 Pixelfly Digital Sound

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manukyan · 4 years

Video

vimeo

DOOMSDAY from Bito on Vimeo.

It's the first time to mix news report and Chinese typography with graphic design to represents interesting discussion among juries in serious topics.

首度混用寫實報導風格和中文typography 和平面圖像，在嚴肅話題間延展有趣的討論空間。

It's the first time to mix news report and Chinese typography with graphic design to represents interesting discussion among juries in serious topics.

Directed by Bito Client：台灣創意設計中心 Taiwan Design Center Creative Director：劉耕名 Keng-Ming Liu Associate Art Director：鄭楷 Kai Cheng / 蔡易廷 Eating Tsai Producer : 劉妤暄 Tammy Liu Ideation：鄭楷 Kai Cheng / 黃心怡 Vicki Huang / 莊宜蓁 Jen Chuang Storyboard：鄭楷 Kai Cheng / 蔡易廷 Eating Tsai / 王璿甯 Hsuan-Nin Wang Design：蔡易廷 Eating Tsai / 謝鎮璘 Chen-Lin Hsieh / 王璿甯 Hsuan-Nin Wang / 邵偉豪 Wei-Hao Shao Editing：鄭楷 Kai Cheng Animation：蔡易廷 Eating Tsai / 鄭楷 Kai Cheng ----------------- Filming Crew： Director：鄭楷 Kai Cheng Producer : 江函儒 Han-Ju Chiang Assistant Producer：林妍欣 Freda Lin Director of Photography：劉書銓 Shane Liu Second Camera：鄭楷 Kai Cheng Lighting : 許鈞筌 Chun-Chuan Hsu Lighting Assistants：王彥傑 Yen-Chieh Wang / ��煒 Wei Lo Make Up：Ruby Ng Boom Operator：猴子電男孩影藝有限公司 Monkey Boys Club Interview Host：莊宜蓁 Jen Chuang / 鄭楷 Kai Cheng Interviewee：Louisa Bocchietto / SPREAD / Tony Chi / 比爾賈Bill Chia / 阮慶岳Ching-Yueh Roan / 官政能 Cheng-Neng Kuan / 胡湘雲Jennifer Hu / 陳禧冠 Shikuan Chen / 鄒駿昇Page Tsou / 龔書章Shu-Chang Kung Music & Sound Design : 韓承燁 Cheng-Yeh Han Audio Mixing：傳翼錄音製作 Pixelfly Digital Sound

#Motion Typo #video #collage #Polyscreen #digital art #transition

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rubalcavah · 4 years

Video

vimeo

DOOMSDAY from Bito on Vimeo.

It's the first time to mix news report and Chinese typography with graphic design to represents interesting discussion among juries in serious topics.

首度混用寫實報導風格和中文typography 和平面圖像，在嚴肅話題間延展有趣的討論空間。

It's the first time to mix news report and Chinese typography with graphic design to represents interesting discussion among juries in serious topics.

0 notes

samuelcarveraccidentman · 6 years

Text

Naval Power: Small Ships for Big Targets

The Republic of China Navy (RoCN) has transitioned from the most neglected arm of the Taiwanese military to the most important. The RoCN alone can defeat an invasion fleet at sea. Sinking amphibious transports not only takes a large ground force out of action, but also permanently degrades the enemy’s amphibious capability.

Taiwanese Navy Destroyer Suao

The RoCN has 26 large surface combatants, all of which have a potent anti-ship capability. The largest ships in the fleet are the four Kee Lung-class guided-missile destroyers, formerly the U.S. Kidd class destoyers.

At about 10,000 tons, each destroyer sports two Mk.26 twin surface to air missile (SAM) launch systems armed with Standard SM-2 Block IIIA surface-to-air missiles, two Mk. 45 127mm guns, four Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles and has a helicopter flight deck and hangar.

The remaining large surface vessels are a mixture of American and French designs.

Cheng Kung class frigates

The eight Cheung Kung class of guided missile frigates are a modified version of the long-hull Oliver Hazard Perry class. The class is armed with a Mk.13 missile launcher forward, capable of firing SM-1MR surface-to-air and Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and a 76mm Oto Melara gun amidships.

The frigates also carry 8 Hsiung Feng II anti-ship missiles, giving the small ships a powerful anti-ship capability. Each carries an S-70 Thunderhawk helicopter, an export variant of the SH-60B Seahawk.

Taiwan has eight frigates of the former U.S. Knox class destroyers, now the Chi Yang class. The ships mount the original armament of one Mk. 45 127mm gun and one ASROC launcher. The Chi Yang class has also been retrofitted with ten SM-1MR surface-to-air missiles in external canister launchers. The ships each carry one MD-500 ASW helicopter.

Rounding out large surface combatants are the Kang Ting-class frigates. A modification of the La Fayette design, the Kang Ting frigates mount one 76mm gun and a navalized Chaparral missile launcher for air defense. 8 Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles are carried, and typically one S-70 Thunderhawk helicopter.

Taiwan has made a significant investment in small, fast missile patrol craft designed to take on much larger Chinese surface and amphibious ships. Twelve missile patrol combatants of the Jing Chiang class were built — each 680 tons fully loaded — with a 76mm gun and mine-laying racks.

There are also 34 smaller ships of the 150 ton Kung Hua VI project. Ships of both classes are each equipped with 4 Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles. This diminutive fleet collectively weighs just over 13,000 tons but altogether packs a total of 184 anti-ship missiles.

The RoCN’s submarine fleet consists of just four aging submarines. Two are of the U.S. Navy Tench class, Hai Shih and Hai Pao. Both were launched toward the end of the World War II and are used as training vessels. The other two submarines, Hai Hung and Hai Hu, are a Dutch design of mid-1980s vintage. Displacing 2,600 tons submerged, they were upgraded in 2013 with Harpoon II anti-ship missiles.

Taiwan has a modest-sized amphibious force, designed to move army and marine units by sea during wartime. The force is built around one dock landing ship formerly of the Anchorage class, Shui Hai, and two tank landing ships formerly of the Newport News class, Chung Ho and Chung Ping. The force can land up to four companies of AAV-7A1 amphibious assault vehicles or main battle tanks, and two companies of infantry.

Air Power Designed to Withstand a Siege

The Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) is optimized for air superiority. China could not successfully invade without seizing air superiority, and as a result Taiwan’s air force is seen as one of the primary deterrents to Chinese military action.

Taiwan’s fighters were state of the art in the 1990s, when most of the aircraft were purchased. Time and China’s air power buildup have eroded their technological edge — opening up the possibility that China could successfully contest air superiority over the island.

The RoCAF currently has 146 F-16 A/B Block 20 multirole fighters, armed with AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles. It also operates 55 Mirage 2000 multirole fighters, armed with Magic air-to-air missiles. Rounding out Taiwan’s main fighter inventory are 126 Ching-kuo Indigenous Fighters, armed with locally developed Sky Sword II air-to-air missiles.

The Combat Avionics Programmed Extension Suite program, meant to upgrade both U.S. and Taiwanese F-16s with advanced AESA radar systems, is going forward without U.S. Air Force participation, which was pulled this month at the last minute. Washington has reassured Taiwan that the cost differential will be minimal and the upgrade program can proceed.

Taiwan’s fleet of support aircraft includes six E-2 Hawkeye airborne early-warning and air-control aircraft upgraded with APS-145 radars. One C-130 Hercules transport was converted into to an electronic warfare platform, while two RoCN S-70 Thunderhawks have been configured as signals intelligence collection aircraft.

P-3C Orion

Taiwan has for a long time lacked a strong maritime patrol aircraft force. Under the navy, a modest force of 20 S-2 Trackers in the 1990s is being replaced by a dozen P-3C Orions. The first Orion arrived in November 2013 and the last is scheduled to arrive in 2015.

In the event of war, the RoCAF’s air bases will come under heavy air attack, both by aircraft and missiles. China’s Second Artillery Corps has an estimated 1,500 conventionally armed short range ballistic missiles, many of which will likely be used in the counter-air role. Estimates are that it would take 50 direct hits to close a RoCAF air base to air operations.

The RoCAF is prepared to keep air bases open while under attack. Taiwan has the Rapid Runway Repair System, used by the U.S. Air Force, to repair runways damaged by enemy attack. The RoCAF also has the Portarrest P-IV mobile aircraft arresting system for landing aircraft on damaged runways.

The RoCAF has invested considerable resources in hardening base facilities. Chiashan Air Base, on the island’s eastern coast, includes a hollowed-out mountain that serves as a refuge for up to 100 Mirage 2000-5 and F-16 fighters. Two airfields serving the base are both at least 7,500 feet long. Chiashan is also a designated command post for counterattacks mounted by Taiwan against invading forces.

A second facility buried inside a mountain is Hengshan Command Center. Located on the outskirts of Taipei, Hengshan was completed in 1982 and serves as the national military command center in both peace and war. In wartime, it serves as the seat of Taiwan’s civilian government.

The air force also operates the nationwide air defense network, with 11 early warning sites overall. Main air defense is provided by Taiwan’s indigenously produced Tien Kung II surface-to-air missiles. Radar guided, Tien Kung II has a range of 125 miles and is deployed at six bases, four on Taiwan and two on nearby island groups.

Each base includes 80 missiles in underground silos and two target illumination radars. A range of 125 miles means Tien Kung missiles could theoretically engage targets over the mainland.

PAC-2 Patriot missile battery

Taiwan also has seven Patriot missile batteries, which are converting from PAC-2 to PAC-3 status. Patriot missiles are concentrated around the cities of Taipei, Greater Taichung and Greater Kaohsiung.

Future Trends: Missiles, Submarines And Volunteers

Smaller defense budgets and an overwhelming Chinese conventional force have moved Taiwan toward asymmetrical systems and an anti-access, area denial capability all its own. Rather than matching China ship for ship and plane for plane, Taiwan is fielding systems that imperil China’s ability to operate in the Taiwan Strait.

Model of Hsun Hai missile corvette

One such example is the Hsun Hai, or “Swift Sea” program of small missile corvettes. The catamarans are capable of 38 knots and designed to have a minimal radar signature.

Armed with eight Hsiung Feng II and Hsuing Feng III anti-ship missiles, the corvettes have been dubbed “carrier killers” by the Taiwanese media. The first, Tuo River, was commissioned on March 14 and expected to be operational by mid-2015. Twelve ships are planned.

Submarines stand to be a key pillar of Taiwan’s asymmetrical approach. “After Taiwan has lost air and sea control, it’s the subs that will still be able to attack groups of amphibious landing aircraft,” Wang Jyh-perng, RoCN reserve captain told the Asia Times in 2011. However, no diesel-electric submarine builder — facing pressure from China — will sell Taiwan new submarines.

A 1980s vintage Hai-lang submarine, built in the Netherlands and operated by the Republic of China Navy. ROC Photo

In January, Taiwan’s navy headquarters announced a 15-year upgrade plan for naval forces. Under the plan, a local shipbuilder has been directed to determine the feasibility of locally built submarines by June of this year. The project will not likely to succeed without outside help.

Another trend is the planned transition from a conscript military to an all-volunteer military. Social trends are undermining the existing draft system, as the system is growing unpopular and demographics are lowering the pool of potential manpower. Yet all-volunteer forces have dramatically higher personnel costs, and Taiwan’s defense budget has remained low. If Taiwan cannot offset these costs with additional defense spending, it seems inevitable the military will face a new round of reductions.

The Way Forward

Taiwan is playing a difficult hand. Seceding from the mainland outright would likely invoke a military response and anger its only ally, the United States. Matching China militarily is no longer possible, as China outspends Taiwan in defense 13 to 1. A hardline stance is increasingly unviable.

On the other hand, strong ideological differences still make reunification unpalatable to many Taiwanese. Taiwan is taking the middle ground of trying to maintain its economic position and higher standard of living relative to China, while deterring invasion by tailoring its military to specific threats. Taiwan may not be spending as much on defense as it should, but it has accepted the strategic realities, and that may well be the more difficult of the two

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automaticar · 6 years

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vimeo

This biomechanical finite element analysis (BFEA) will contribute to increase the force of Kung Fu sisters and brothers. While researching the chain punch in Wing Chun Kung fu, Varipon Institute got the mathematical formula of the chopping punch in Xing Yi Quan(Pi Quan) and about the Fa jin produced by undulation of spine caused by Dantian's rotation movement (発勁). We will show you this time the Chain chopping punch combining these movements. It is an ideal punch in centreline theory. Young people can challenge 3D creation and help your teacher's lesson. So, you can download the movement modeling data from the official page. https://ift.tt/2Mfg6mQ Reference movie : "Wing Chun" Documentary https://youtu.be/uVkjj8568d8 -- Task 6.5 : The diamond rhombus configulation of the formula « https://ift.tt/2gQx7Y3 » 1. Tan Da - Dispersing & Hit Wing Chun master Shaun Rawcliffe Lineage Ip Chun Midlands Wing Chun Kuen https://ift.tt/2gDLQm9 SIMPLY... WING CHUN KUNG FU https://ift.tt/2gQCCWs Image may contain: 1 person , text 2. Combination : I. Bong sao II. Lap sao III. Fak Da Wing Chun grand master Yip Man and Bruce Lee https://ift.tt/RZneHf https://ift.tt/1hSc0jR https://ift.tt/1HFSP2l 3. Combination I. Bong sao II. Tan Da Chu Shong Tin the King of Siu Nim Tao Lineage Ip Man Chu Shong Tin was Yip Man's third Hong Kong disciple. He is known as the "King of Sil Lum Tao" and "Internal Wing Chun". Chu Shong Tin Siu Nim Tao - compilation https://youtu.be/DacABycvHBk DVD & Books https://ift.tt/2gQwjCC 4. Tan Da - Dispersing & Hit Wing Chun master Lui Ming Fai Lineage Ip Man Lui Ming Fai Wing Chun Study Society 雷明輝詠春研究會 https://ift.tt/2gDIorz KUNG FU QUEST - WING CHUN EP 3 (ENG SUB) https://youtu.be/sXCZhXdebxU "Wing Chun" Documentary https://youtu.be/uVkjj8568d8 5. Combination I. Man sao (Asking) II. Lap sao (Deflecting) III. Pak Da (Clapping / slapping & Hit) Wing Chun master Samuel Kwok & KWCH.ru Lineage Ip Chun , Ip Ching Grand master Samuel Kwock & KWCH in Russia (Moscow) https://youtu.be/7ylr1BEMzuc https://ift.tt/2gQsXiN https://ift.tt/2gDGFTl https://ift.tt/2gQulSB 6. Fak Da - Whisking & Lower Lying-palm hit Tai Chi master Cornelia Gruber Lineage John Chung Li , Bow Sim Mark School of Tai-Chi Chuan Cornelia Gruber-Bilgeri https://ift.tt/2gDOAQi The Taijiquan & Qi Gong Federation For Europe https://ift.tt/2gQsBZH Bow Sim Mark Tai Chi Arts Association https://ift.tt/2gDLTys -- The next generation of da Vinci Varipon institute independently engaged in data driven science to consolidate theories and methods of two intangible cultural heritage and esoteric education that are related to medical technologies in the east and the west such as European mechanical arts called Automata - Horology and Chinese internal martial arts called Kung fu, while addressing alternative medicine and global environment sustainability with a high perspective overlookiI independently engaged in dng the whole world in especially Romandy of Switzerland. As a result, we made a discovery of that there exists a mathematical theorem and formulas that integrates every voluntary movement of natural animal bodies. This is also the invention of a universal biomechanical link mechanism to create artificial animals that bring infinite applications. It's the first universal perfect machine element in human history which surpass the conventional functions such as rotating elements like wheels and propellers invented in ancient times or robotics joint torque control. So, people say that our work is like the next generation of Leonardo da Vinci. Then we also discovered the fundamental theory which is able to explain well this technological innovation among the philosophy advocated by Abraham-Louis Breguet the Horologist - Mechanician at two hundred years ago. In order to demonstrate the infinite applications, the holistic work plan are divided in the 10 work packages, and designed the basic applications of voluntary movement, introduced visually : « https://ift.tt/1HjbMuo » We now have reached the one of singular point.

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ebizupdate · 7 years

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WCIT 2017, the Drive for DIGI+ Innovative Economy

90+ tech elites and 2,500 global business leaders from over 80 states to gather in Taipei to create the digital dream

TAIPEI, Taiwan, July 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT 2017), also known as the Olympics of the ICT industry, is to be held from September 10-13 at the Taipei International Convention Center (TICC). The event aims to attract over 90 tech elites, 2,500 global business leaders from more than 80 countries, in order to participate in the discussions. Furthermore, tens of thousands of visitors are expected to participate in the exhibition on future technology which will take place in Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC), Exhibition Hall 1. The goal is to facilitate networking for the world digital industry.

In terms of demonstrating Taiwan's determination of transforming itself into the "Digital Economy (DIGI+)" to the world, "Minister without Portfolio" Wu Tsung-Tsong, "Economic Minister" Lee Chih-Kung, World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) Chairperson Chiu Yueh-Hsiang, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lin Chin-Rong, Industrial Development Bureau Secretary General Yang Chih-Ching, WCIT Executive Committee Executive Director, Kung Jen-Wen, and 77 representatives from the industry, government agencies, research institutes, think tanks, and event sponsors jointly held the WCIT 2017 International Press Conference today. The theme for this year is "Living the Digi+tal Dream", aiming to showcase to the world that "Taiwan is greater than you think!"

This is Taiwan's second term hosting the WCIT after previously hosting it 17 years ago. The event gathered over 90 business leaders from around the world to share their ideas about some of the latest trends of information technology including: digital economy, IoT, FinTech, BigData, VR/AR/MR, AI, and Open Data. The discussions will focus on how these digital technologies can be applied as potential solutions to problems such as energy shortage, pollution, an aging society and health care. The goal of this is to make a more efficient economy by using the newest techniques in information technology.

48% of the speakers are from ICT superpowers, which demonstrates Taiwan's ability in connecting itself with the world's digital economy development trend. These iconic speakers are listed as follows:

Bertrand Piccard, the initiator and co-pilot of Solar Impulse -- the first successful around-the-world solar powered flight.

Patrick Thomas, CEO of Covestro -- an Innovator and Investor in the Circular Economy.

Jason Zander, Corporate Vice President of Azure -- Cloud Chief at Microsoft.

Alex "Sandy" Pentland, Director, Connection Science and Human Dynamics Labs, MIT -- a Pioneer of Wearable Computing

Bill Bien, Global Head of Strategy and Marketing of Philips Lighting -- the Global Leader of Smart Lightings.

Toshio Iwamoto, President and CEO of NTT DATA Corporation -- One of the 3 Major Telecom Groups in Japan.

Setsuhiro Shimomura, Executive Corporate Adviser, Former President, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation -- Leader in Practical Industry 4.0 Solutions

Alan Marcus, Sr. Director of World Economic Forum (WEF) -- an Iconic World Competitiveness Researcher

According to the predictions made by Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute (MIC), the information service market of Taiwan is estimated to reach NT$177.5 billion in 2020 from NT$166 billion in 2017. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is 2.5%. Among these, the cloud service stood out the most with its 6.8% growth rate. The initial estimation pointed out that the Science and technology budget will increase around 5%, which is NT$114.5 billion dollars. "Minister without Portfolio" Wu Tsung-Tsong was quoted as saying during the remarks that the digital economy serves as the drive for cross-borders, interdisciplinary, and cyber-physical trends of development. For this reason, it is gradually changing the global industry. Furthermore, WCIT 2017 is the engine that keeps the DIGI+ innovative economy running. Minister Wu called for joint efforts of all sectors including industry, academia, research institutes, and government agencies. Taiwan should cease the opportunity of hosting WCIT 2017, and expend its digital industry. Wu concluded by saying that WCIT is a great start in transforming Taiwan into the new hub of Asia's digital development.

"Economic Minister" Lee Chih-Kung stated that differences from the first WCIT Taiwan event hosted in 2000, WCIT 2017 is not only a 3-day international conference, but a great opportunity for over 2000 global business leaders, tech elites, and foreign delegates to have a first-hand experience on Taiwan's achievement on being a smart city. Under the guidance of Executive Yuan and all related government agencies, iconic local companies and startups will gather to demonstrate Taiwan's successful transformation from an "IT OEM State" to an "IT Application Super Power". Lee continued by saying that to echo Taiwan's New Southbound Policy, WCIT 2017 has been determined to connect Taiwan with the emerging market of ASEAN states on the new digital infrastructure demands, broadband connection, internet infrastructure, IoT applications, cyber security management, and FinTech. WCIT 2017 has invited the New Southbound 18 States and other business leaders from major ICT countries throughout the Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organization (ASOCIO), World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), Open Culture Foundation (OCF), and International Sector of Institute for Information Industry.

The newly elected WITSA Chairperson Chiu Yueh-Hsiang, who is also the Director General of CISA, stated globalization and digitalization are the two major tendencies of the future economy. In that regard, all states are thinking to build a friendly environment for the development of the digital innovative industry. Accordingly, talent cultivation is vital to support the transformation of industries. WITSA has seen the potential of the rise of the digital economy in Asia. For the next five years WCIT will be held in the Asia Pacific region. Therefore, Taiwan will be the flagship of Asia's digital development of the next decade.

To answer the call from the main organizers, "Ministry of Economic Affairs" and WITSA, all sectors in Taiwan including the industry, academia, research institutes, and government agencies gathered together to demonstrate their support to WCIT 2017. These supporting entities included the host city, Taipei City Government, and iconic local IT companies such as Chunghwa Telecom, Foxconn, TSMC, Acer, CTBT, CyberLink, E.Sun Bank, Mediatek, Perfect, the Syscom Group, ASE Group, EasyCard Corporation, FarEasTONE, GJung&LiveABC, Google, LITEON, Misubishi Electric, PLANET, Quanta Computer, Taiwan Mobile, TDK, TECO, Trend Micro, iEi. Integration Corp, QNAP, COMPUTEX, Delta, GIOT Gemtek, TAITRA, Metro Taoyuan, LoreMaster Tech Inc., CHIEF, CISCO, iPASS Corporation, NEC, PUHU, and HTC.

Furthermore, research institutes such as the Institute for Information Industry, Industrial Technology Research Institute, "National Chung-Shan Institute of Science & Technology", Automotive Research & Testing Center, Development Center for Biotechnology, Food Industry Research and Development Institute, Metal Industries Research & Development Center, Precision Machinery Research & Development Center, Taiwan Textile Research Institute, Commerce Development Research Institute, Cycling & Health Tech Industry R&D Center, China Productivity Center, Corporate Synergy Development Center, Footwear & Recreation Technology Research Institute, Plastics Industry Development Center, Medical and Pharmaceutical Industry Technology and Development Center, Printing Technology Research Institute, Ship and Ocean Industries R&D Center, Stone & Resource Industry R&D Center, and Taiwan Design Center are ready to showcase the achievements they have made to Taiwan's industry transformation.

Visit WCIT 2017 Official Website on http://ift.tt/2utUvjH or contact WCIT Executive Committee at +886-2-27210760 ext.101/102.

Read this news on PR Newswire Asia website: WCIT 2017, the Drive for DIGI+ Innovative Economy

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Mortal Kombat Easter Eggs and Reference Guide

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This Mortal Kombat article contains spoilers.

There’s a new Mortal Kombat live-action movie out on HBO Max, and it comes after nearly 30 years of games, cartoons, and movie adaptations. With such a long history to pick through, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the new movie has more than a few easter eggs and references to the series’ most famous moments and characters. Why wouldn’t there be? Why even make a new movie if you’re not going to throw your fans a bone or twenty exploding skulls?

We’re keeping track of all the neat easter eggs that fill the 2021 film, from obscure character references to loving nods to the games’ most gruesome Fatcalities. Here’s what we’ve found so far:

Kombat Jargon

Cole Young rightfully notes that “Mortal Kombat” is spelled incorrectly. Series creators Ed Boon and John Tobias each have their own explanation for the spelling. Boon claimed that “Combat” was a workshopped name for the game and someone added a K to be weird. Tobias said that the K was there just so they could trademark the term.

As it’s custom for the Mortal Kombat announcers to say who won each match, Kano takes care of this himself when he kills Reptile and smugly says, “Kano wins.”

When Kung Lao kills Nitara, he notes, “Flawless victory.” That’s what the announcers say in-game whenever someone has a perfect round. At least it’s used correctly here, unlike the original movie, where people would say, “Flawless victory,” in regards to fights where both sides took blows.

There are many deaths in the movie, but only Liu Kang announces, “Fatality,” like in the game.

Scorpion and Sub-Zero

Bi-Han killing Hanzo Hasashi has been depicted many times in Mortal Kombat media, though canonically in the game Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero. The version in this movie more closely resembles the events of the animated film Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge. The big difference that sets this movie apart from the others is the fact that Hanzo existed centuries ago and not in the present. That, and the depiction of Sub-Zero as pure evil. While Bi-Han is no saint, his killing of Hanzo is usually depicted as strictly business. In the games, the murder of Scorpion’s family is the doing of Quan Chi, who uses the tragedy to manipulate Scorpion into his service.

Outside of his feud with Scorpion, Sub-Zero’s villain status in this movie more closely matches the origin of Erron Black, the anachronistic Wild West gunslinger who first showed up in Mortal Kombat X. Centuries ago, Shang Tsung felt threatened by a potential challenger in the Mortal Kombat tournament. He hired Erron Black to assassinate the threat, and in return Tsung would teach Black the secrets to living for thousands of years.

Scorpion pulls off his classic Toasty Fatality, which also turns his mouth into charred bone. Scorpion’s always had this weird situation going on with his face where sometimes it’s flesh and sometimes it’s just a skull. Here, we get a bit of both!

Sonya Blade and Jackson Briggs

On Sonya’s research wall, there’s a book excerpt on a Native American tribe called Matokans, focusing on shamans and warriors. The clipping mentions a tribe member known as “the Night wolf.” Nightwolf is a character (and title) introduced in the third game. He strongly resembles the sketch included in the clipping. “Matokan Warrior” is one of his variations in Mortal Kombat 11.

Also on the wall is a photo of a sculpture of the Mayan God of War, Buluc Chabtan. In Mortal Kombat lore, this is the Outworld warrior Kotal Kahn, who for a time ventured into Earthrealm and was worshipped as a god by the Mayans. The character was introduced in Mortal Kombat X when he took over Outworld in the aftermath of Shao Kahn’s death. While still barbaric, his rule was considered more progressive than his predecessor’s.

While Sonya’s rings attack is treated as a superpower here, in the games, it’s treated as more of a high-tech wrist weapon.

The subplot about Sonya’s worth due to her lack of dragon tattoo could be interpreted as a commentary on how the original movie handled Sonya in the third act. Shang Tsung kidnapped her and chose to make her the finalist in the tournament, which everyone treated as a fight Sonya could never win in a million years. The way the original movie turned Sonya into a damnsel in distress annoys many fans to this day.

The origin of Jax’s metal arms has been told many different ways through the decades. He’s lost them at the hands of Baraka, Ermac, a Special Forces goon, and Goro. This is the first time Sub-Zero has been responsible.

Jax splattering his opponent’s head with a clap of the hands is a Fatality he’s had since Mortal Kombat II.

Kano and the Black Dragon

Kano has trouble using the GPS to track Raiden’s temple. This is probably a callback to the original movie, where Shang Tsung’s Island caused Sonya’s compass to go haywire.

Kano’s face gets clawed up, and later he’s able to shoot a red laser from his eye socket. In the games, Kano has a metal plate over his eye, giving him that laser ability.

The heart rip was Kano’s Fatality in the first game. He’s since introduced many variations of it.

The Black Dragon is brought up a few times. A scummier offshoot of the terrorist organization the Red Dragon, Kano’s group has included such characters as Kabal, Jarek, Kira, Kobra, Erron Black, and Tremor.

Kabal blames Kano for why he’s stuck in his respirator-based costume. In the games, Kabal was a Black Dragon member who left the group and became a cop. During the events of Mortal Kombat 3, Kabal was burned alive by Kintaro. Kano actually saved Kabal and hooked him up to the respirators in hopes of recruiting him. Shang Tsung tried to use magic to heal Kabal’s lungs, which gave him super-speed as a side-effect.

Kano refers to Raiden as “Gandalf” and considers his comrades’ magical attacks as “Harry Potter shit.” Fitting that Kano’s references keep with properties owned by Warner Bros.

Kano’s overall story here is a lot like the ’90s comic book Mortal Kombat: Rayden and Kano. In the comic, Rayden (they spelled it differently back then) attempted to hire Kano to help destroy Shao Kahn, as he was the descendant of a hero who liberated Outworld long ago. Kano ultimately betrayed Rayden, just as he betrays his teammates in this movie.

Liu Kang and Kung Lao

Kano refers to Liu Kang as “MC Hammer” due to their shared love of puffy pants.

Liu Kang brings up Master Bo’ Rai Cho, a character introduced in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. Bo’ Rai Cho (a play on “boracho” meaning “drunk” in Spanish) is an Outworld warrior who sympathized with Earthrealm and chose to protect it from Shao Kahn. Being from Outworld, he could not enter Mortal Kombat without it counting against Earthrealm. Instead, he’s dedicated thousands of years to training Shaolin warriors in hopes of one of them winning the tournament and ending Outworld’s streak. He mentored Liu Kang and Kung Lao firsthand.

Kung Lao mentions being the descendant of the original Kung Lao. The Great Kung Lao was a Shaolin monk who regularly defended Earthrealm in Mortal Kombat. He even defeated Shang Tsung at least once. But his streak came to an end at the hands of Goro. Later games revealed that the modern Kung Lao is a reincarnation of the original.

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By Matthew Byrd

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Mortal Kombat: The Challenges of Making the Movie Reboot

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Liu Kang is able to get the better of Kano by spamming the leg sweep. This is a reference to a very annoying tactic in the early games.

The way Kung Lao kills Nitara is similar to his Fatality from Mortal Kombat 9, the difference being that, in the game, the victim is cut apart crotch-first.

Kung Lao dying to drive Liu Kang’s story forward is a regular trope in Mortal Kombat. Lao’s death first came in Mortal Kombat 3. But in the Mortal Kombat 9 reboot, Kung Lao went on a major winning streak during the retelling of Mortal Kombat II, but then Shao Kahn grabbed him from behind and snapped his neck. Liu Kang reacted by punching a hole through Kahn’s chest.

Raiden’s Temple

The paintings depict the Great Kung Lao standing over a beaten Shang Tsung. Kung Lao is probably the victim of the painting of Goro tearing a poor guy in half. Other images show Bi-Han murdering Hanzo and the rule of Shao Kahn, the true villain in the Outworld invasion.

One painting shows Argus and Delia, protectors of the realm Edenia, watching over the prone body of a bearded man with some kind of war going on in a cloud above. This man appears to be one of their sons, either Taven or Daegon. Both were put in a slumber as part of a prophecy/contest to stop Armageddon, an event where so many Mortal Kombat characters were at war that it threatened to destroy reality itself.

There’s a fan on display belonging to Kitana. Kitana is Shao Kahn’s adopted daughter and brainwashed assassin. She tends to betray Outworld and align herself with Liu Kang. Strangely, while she isn’t in this movie, her clone Mileena is.

Shang Tsung and Outworld

While Reptile has been around since the first Mortal Kombat game, the design used for the movie is based on Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. Like in the game, Reptile’s abilities include invisibility, an extended tongue, and acid saliva.

In the games, Nitara first appeared in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. She’s depicted as a loner and manipulator who wants to bring back her lost vampire realm. A very random choice to be sure, but she also had a cameo in Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge, so somebody out there really digs her.

General Reiko was first introduced in Mortal Kombat 4 as one of Shinnok’s henchmen. He was given an extremely vague ending that had him running into a portal to parts unknown, but certain home ports expanded on it to show him putting on Shao Kahn’s mask, suggesting they were the same person. This was later handwaved away as Reiko just really liking Kahn’s mask and wanting power for himself.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

When Reiko was brought back in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, he was given the giant warhammer as his weapon stance.

When killing Kung Lao, Shang Tsung tells him, “Your soul is mine!” That hammy quote was Shang Tsung’s go-to threat in the first movie. Also, eating souls is Tsung’s go-to Fatality in just about any game.

Goro threatens to tear out Cole’s spine. While that is more of Sub-Zero’s thing, it’s also the iconic Fatality that Mortal Kombat is remembered for. Fellow Shokan warrior Sheeva also has a spine-ripping Fatality in Mortal Kombat 11.

Johnny Cage

The movie ends with a teaser for Johnny Cage, who will presumably appear in the sequel if that project happens. In the final shot of the movie, we see a cropped image of a movie poster for Citizen Cage, one of Johnny’s many established movies from the game’s lore. The poster shows him wearing his large “CAGE” belt buckle, which was introduced in Mortal Kombat 9. That makes it all the more likely that he’ll have “JOHNNY” tattooed across his chest.

There’s another movie poster to the side that we can’t see too much of other than it having “Fist” in the title. Going on the games, this could be The Gist of My Fist or Dragon Fist.

Let us know in the comments if we missed anything!

The post Mortal Kombat Easter Eggs and Reference Guide appeared first on Den of Geek.

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Mortal Kombat: 15 Most Powerful Characters

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At the end of the day, Mortal Kombat is about a bunch of characters beating the crap out of each other for supremacy. Sure, they toss in stories about tournaments to protect Earth and wars against invading realms, but it all boils down to martial artists brutally punching the hell out of each other until one explodes into a pile of viscera and five ribcages.

Being a fighting game, you expect all the fighters to be on the same level. Even forgettable losers like Hsu Hao and Kai should stand a chance against gods and otherworldly overlords. A nigh-invincible megalomaniac villain can lose to one of their bumbling underlings just as easily as they can lose to the game’s main hero. At least, that’s ideally how fighting games should be balanced.

Storywise, it’s different. Certain characters are straight-up in their own leagues compared to others. Does Jarek really stand a chance against Shinnok? Would Li Mei last five seconds against Blaze? Does Kobra have what it takes to take down Raiden? Not on paper, no.

So here’s a list of the top 15 most powerful characters in the Mortal Kombat series. With this list, there are two main rules:

1) I’m going with the characters at their most powerful, not how powerful they are most of the time.

2) I’m going with the canon storyline. Otherwise, the list would just be made up of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon endings. No DC Universe crossover stuff and no guest characters in general. Sorry, Spawn.

Now let’s see who has the most juice in all the realms.

15. GERAS

This guy is so frightening that his power is more of a curse than a blessing. Geras has near endless experience, having lived through countless timelines over and over again, and is skilled enough to fight off Liu Kang and Kung Lao at the same time. He is also be completely unkillable, as his mastery over time reversal will undo whatever wounds befall him. Granted, Shao Kahn beat him into a blob of red pulp and Geras hasn’t been heard from since, but I’m sure he’ll be back to his old self soon enough.

The rough truth regarding Geras is that being unkillable doesn’t mean he’s unstoppable. In the initial Mortal Kombat 11 timeline, Raiden knocked Geras into an endless ocean of blood in which where Geras was doomed to sink for eternity. Yeah, I’ll be fine over here with my mortality.

14. SINDEL

In the early days, Sindel didn’t seem so tough. She was just a plot device in desperate need of pants. Then Mortal Kombat 9 happened and we got that scene where Shao Kahn empowered her with Shang Tsung’s soul and set her loose. Suddenly, Sindel turned into an Edenian John Cena and cut through most of the heroes like a hot knife through butter. Sub-Zero, Jax, Smoke, Kabal, Stryker, Jade, and Kitana all died by her hand in mere moments while Nightwolf had to sacrifice himself to take her off the board.

This is why Shang Tsung aimed to resurrect her in Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath. Who else was going to help him get past Cetrion? And while Sindel did win one-on-one against Cetrion, the scene itself looked more like she stunned Cetrion enough for Fujin and Shang Tsung to capitalize and put her on the shelf. Had they not been there, I feel like Sindel would have eventually been overwhelmed. At least, that’s my interpretation.

13. CETRION

Cetrion is Mother Nature. That alone tells you what you need to know. Shinnok’s virtuous (yet still kind of evil) sister would be considered his equal if only she had a final form like him. Regardless, Cetrion is such a threat that Jax and Jacqui Briggs can only stand up to her for a limited time by wearing Kronika’s crown at a detriment to their own health. She also wiped out the rest of the Elder Gods, although that happened completely off-screen.

12. SHINNOK

Here we have Mortal Kombat’s version of Satan. Shao Kahn would later talk shit about Shinnok’s fighting skills, but he’s an Elder God and rules this reality’s version of Hell. He’s an absolute heavy hitter.

He also looks like a total dork when he’s in his base form, but thankfully his Corrupted Shinnok form makes up for that. Corrupted Shinnok is no joke, especially in Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, where you’re better off cheesing it back to Earthrealm than fighting him head-on.

11. RAIDEN

Raiden was the guy so jacked up that they had to make up a reason for why he couldn’t take part in the first couple games’ tournaments. He was just there to give advice and moral support. What else would you expect from a god among men? He also thwarted Shinnok back in the day to save Earthrealm, meaning he was already a major piece of work by the start of the first game.

Raiden’s apex form is triggered whenever he wields Shinnok’s amulet. It doesn’t make him unbeatable, but it does put an extra pep in his step. The drawback is that it turns his eyes red and he becomes a total dick. Still a step up from him constantly tripping over his own feet on his way to consult the Elder Gods.

10. CASSIE CAGE

Cassie’s is one of the most powerful Mortal Kombat characters but there’s an asterisk. Seemingly more competent and driven than her father, Cassie is so skilled at using her green glow to the point that she was able to defeat Corrupted Shinnok. That’s because the Cage bloodline was bred and trained for the sole purpose of creating mortals who could slay gods. Her DNA is like kryptonite to the likes of Shinnok.

She does have some other impressive wins, like taking down revenant versions of Sindel and Liu Kang. Her Mortal Kombat X ending (which isn’t explicitly canon, but I have no reason to think it isn’t) has her kill Shujinko. Many fans consider that to be a bit on the bullshit side, but this Shujinko would have been 20 years older than the one from the previous continuity and wouldn’t have been powered up by the events of Mortal Kombat: Deception, so it’s not a big stretch (or a big enough deal) that Cassie could take out a martial artist Mr. Burns.

9. QUAN CHI

This sorcerer doesn’t have the raw power of the other main villains, and he gets completely clowned in Mortal Kombat X, but he is smart and sneaky enough to get what he wants most of the time. While overshadowed by Onaga, you also can’t forget that in the conclusion of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Quan Chi and Shang Tsung took down a handful of Earthrealm’s strongest warriors, defeated Raiden, then turned on each other with Quan claiming ultimate victory.

Various endings show that while he is working under Shinnok, he has the means to overthrow him if need be. This is especially apparent in Mortal Kombat 9, where Quan Chi has the rights to use necromancy on all of those slain during Shao Kahn’s invasion. He has a whole army of revenants at his disposal, and there are some serious heavy hitters mixed in there.

8. ONAGA

The Dragon King’s introduction came with so much hype that you could almost hear the other characters soil themselves in unison when he stomped onto the scene. On his own, Onaga was a wrecking machine, but in Mortal Kombat: Deception, he had the Kamidogu pieces, which made him completely unstoppable. Unstoppable enough that he shrugged off attacks from the united forces of Raiden, Shang Tsung, and Quan Chi. Add to that his ability to resurrect the dead and mind-control them and you had the ultimate threat.

EXCEPT…those Kamidogu pieces weren’t exactly unbreakable. I don’t know how hard those things are supposed to be, but in-game they would shatter just by walking into them. Either way, Shujinko was able to shatter them all himself and that depleted Onaga’s power enough to to end him. Being a reptilian juggernaut means only so much when you have such an overt off switch.

7. SHUJINKO

The most gullible hero of the Mortal Kombat franchise spent his entire life questing and fighting for what ended up being Onaga’s resurrection. In return, Onaga blessed him with Taskmaster powers. Shujinko can copy fighting styles from other warriors and has been doing so for decades.

That ended up being Onaga’s undoing, as Shujinko absorbed the abilities and fighting skills of just about every playable character in Mortal Kombat: Deception. After shattering the Kamidogu artifacts and removing Onaga’s invulnerability, Shujinko had no problem thrashing him. While experience was his ultimate weapon, the only thing really weighing him down was his aging and human mortality.

6. BLAZE

Blaze, by design, is a top tier beast. He’s the final boss in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, a game that brings back every Mortal Kombat character in one massive roster. When guys like Onaga and Goro are playable and they’re working their way up to take on Blaze, it really says something about what this guy’s about. Not to mention he’s the catalyst for ultimate power, turning whoever can slay him into an enhanced, godly version of his or herself.

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While it seemed at first that new hero character Taven would be the one to end Blaze, Taven was instead slayed and the real winner was Shao Kahn. Unfortunately, this is where things get a little hairy because we don’t know if Kahn would have truly been able to defeat Blaze one-on-one or if, say, Taven wounded Blaze and Kahn took advantage. Either way, it looks like Blaze straight-up took the L and wasn’t the be-all/end-all after all.

5. SHAO KAHN

Shao Kahn has always been the go-to villain of Mortal Kombat, and as the recurring villain, he’s taken his lumps. He’s suffered defeats at the hands of Liu Kang, Raiden, and Kitana. When he took over Outworld, he killed Onaga by poisoning him because battle was too risky. So yes, Base Shao Kahn may be tougher than most, but he’s not invincible.

But then you have Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, which was Kahn’s real showcase. After dominating the free-for-all, Kahn was grabbed and taken away by Onaga. As foreboding as that would seem for Kahn, he not only bounded back from that, but he also ended up being the last man standing after slaying Blaze. That enhanced Shao Kahn’s strength even more and turned him into a multiversal threat, thwarted only because of Raiden’s desperate use of time travel.

4. KRONIKA

After years of telling us that Elder Gods were the ultimate beings, NetherRealm decided to reveal another tier of beings called Titans who rank even higher. So far we only know Kronika, the Keeper of Time, who is so overpowered that nearly everyone on the roster should have absolutely zero shot against her. She controls time like it’s nothing. Overcoming that isn’t like dodging a fireball.

Thankfully, Kronika has one major weakness: while she can rewrite history, she can’t omit the gods. She can’t create a world without Raiden. Raiden still can’t beat her one-on-one, but it’s through that loophole that Kronika ultimately meets her downfall.

2. LIU KANG (TIE)

The series’ initial protagonist was always fighting above his weight class. He spent the first four games taking down Goro, Shang Tsung, Shao Kahn, and Shinnok. His canon deaths came in the form of an ambush perpetrated by Shang Tsung and Quan Chi, and later an accidental frying from Raiden’s hand. In fact, he spent multiple continuities clashing with Raiden.

That was nothing compared to what he became at the end of Mortal Kombat 11. Two Liu Kangs from different parts of history merged together into one being, with Raiden handing over his godly power, giving us an incarnation of Liu Kang that was not only a god but had control over both electricity and fire. This was the upgrade needed to destroy Kronika and put Liu Kang in control of time itself.

2. SHANG TSUNG (TIE)

As it turned out, Fire God Liu Kang wasn’t equipped to wield Kronika’s magical hourglass for long without her crown, or else time would eventually collapse. Shang Tsung popped in to explain all this, making it clear that he was reality’s only choice. Liu Kang and Fujin realized that they had to give into Shang’s obvious trickery to save everyone.

By the end of his adventure, Shang Tsung had re-killed Kronika and wore her crown while empowered by the souls of Kronika, Raiden, Fujin, Shao Kahn, and Sindel.

Then Fire God Liu Kang popped in to take over. The two rivals faced off and the player was given the choice of which character they wanted to play as. As it is right now, we don’t know who won the epic battle in official canon, so consider Liu Kang and Shang Tsung to be tied until further notice.

1. THE ONE BEING

The most powerful being in Mortal Kombat is not playable in any of the games, nor has it appeared as a boss. In fact, the One Being is presumably too powerful to be portrayed in humanoid form at all. It’s the Galactus of the Mortal Kombat universe, though honestly even more threatening.

The One Being existed at the beginning of time, along with the Elder Gods, and initially fed off of them. The Elder Gods struck back and were able to break the One Being apart into the various realms. If the realms were to be merged back together, it would awaken the One Being once more and destroy all of existence. Despite their desire to be top dog, guys like Shao Kahn, Onaga, Shinnok, and Shang Tsung are unknowingly being influenced by this ominous force.

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Mortal Kombat: An Ode to Johnny Cage and His $500 Sunglasses

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It might be the highest moment of tension in 1995’s Mortal Kombat. While the video game movie positions a wonderful, scenery-chewing Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as its big bad, I doubt many feared how Robin Shou would handle him in the ring. But Johnny Cage fighting Goro? It’s B-movie actor Linden Ashby playing B-movie actor Johnny Cage, and both the performer and character are entering the arena with a six-limbed demon—a bellowing banshee who just murdered a dozen other token “good guys.” The beast even has the cojones to steal Johnny’s signature sunglasses before the bout and crush them in his hand. How scary is that?

Not very, as it turns out.

As soon as the bell rings, Johnny pulls an honest-to-Raiden split, just like he’s Jean-Claude Van Damme, and punches the stony monster directly in the loincloth. At least in ’95, director Paul W.S. Anderson understood the assignment when it came to adapting video games to live-action, and Ashby’s Johnny Cage rocked that interpretation with real movie star charm.

Twenty-six years later, we’re about to see a new Mortal Kombat reboot on HBO Max and in theaters, which is exciting. As much guilty fun as the original movie is, it’s not exactly one of the 1990s’ sacred cows. And the mythology that video game developers have built around what was once just an arcade beat ‘em up is dizzyingly complicated these days. So there’s plenty of new material to mine—as well as the chance to refreshingly put Asian voices and actors front and center. It’s likely for these reasons the character Johnny Cage is apparently not featured in Mortal Kombat (2021). Plus, where would there be room for him? Judging by the trailer alone, the modern filmmakers are going for a more somber, gritty aesthetic.

All of which is fine. Still, without seeing the movie, I can’t help but wonder if they might be losing something without Johnny Cage and those ridiculous shades. Goro certainly felt lost when, in the first movie’s best scene, he followed Johnny from the ring to a cliffside. It was there Cage shouted, “Those were $500 sunglasses, asshole” before kicking the monster ass-first into the sea.

I can personally attest that back in the mid-‘90s, there wasn’t an eight-year-old who didn’t think that this was cinema at its finest.

In the original Mortal Kombat movie, Cage technically isn’t the main hero, nor should he be. Cage is essentially the plucky comic relief, with the film belonging to Liu Kang (Shou), the descendant of a long line of warriors who each generation must fight in the Mortal Kombat tournament to save Earth from being absorbed by the evil dimension of Outworld. If the plot of the games and movies are a goofy rip-off of Enter the Dragon, then Liu Kang is our Bruce Lee. He must be the stoic hero who saves us all.

And yet, given the fighting game source material, filmmakers Anderson and his screenwriter Kevin Droney needed to build a whole ensemble of likable heroes and evil sorcerers. The film handles these requirements serviceably well on the whole, minus the complete sidelining of Bridgette Wilson’s Sonya Blade to damsel in distress status during the third act. Otherwise, Mortal Kombat ‘95 strikes gold by taking the Johnny Cage character from the game—a martial arts movie star who hilariously enters a life and death tournament to prove he doesn’t use stuntmen or trick photography—and turning him into a scene-stealing quip-delivery system.

Ironically, it’s a role that would’ve been perfect for Jean-Claude Van Damme, a star of Hollywood cheesefests who really could do those oh, so impressive splits but got lumped into the company of Steven Seagal and Chuck Norris. And unfortunately for him, Van Damme had already starred in a video game movie, with Capcom convincing Universal Pictures to cast the Belgian with a thick accent as their all-American Army hero, Col. Guile, in Street Fighter (1994). Maybe something got lost in translation during those boardroom meetings?

In any event, it worked out in Mortal Kombat’s favor where instead of casting a star of bad ‘90s martial arts movies, they hired someone who inadvertently could satirize them. Technically, as a Kung Fu flick, Mortal Kombat is damnably guilty of the criticism Johnny Cage is trying to avoid: It relies quite a bit on stunt doubles and tight editing for many of its fight scenes. While Robin Shou indeed kicks ass in his own stunts as Liu Kang, let’s just say that quick insert shots don’t make it any more believable that Ashby did his own split in front of Goro. Nor does The Immortals’ awesome “Mortal Kombat” techno mix hide how choreographed Wilson’s clothesline punch might be.

Yet it should be noted both were game, with Wilson doing all of her own stunts, and Ashby doing so much of his own in the Scorpion bout that an unexpected axe kick to the kidneys left him peeing blood for a week.

Luckily, his Johnny Cage is so damn delightful through all of it that none of those backstage traumas mattered on screen—especially for the film’s target audience of teenagers and elementary schoolers. Full of mid-‘90s arrogance and cockiness, Johnny could easily come off as a dated cad, and maybe does when he cracks to Sonya that “it’s a man thing” about why he and Liu feel the need to insert themselves like the Scooby Gang into her investigation of Shang Tsung’s island.

But his energy is ultimately irresistible in a movie this wacky. Indeed, it’s a tricky proposition to put on a straight face while selling lore about lightning gods and ninjas descended from dinosaurs (Google “Mortal Kombat” and “Reptile”). The 2021 approach is admirably ambitious, but at least for 25 years ago, leaning into Johnny’s sideways smirk was more than the right impulse; it let the movie get away with almost anything. It also gave permission to the audience to bask in the film’s otherwise wonderfully over-the-top set design.

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Interestingly, much of this winsome humor was either improvised or written on the spot by Ashby and Christopher Lambert, the latter of whom played Lord Raiden. According to Ashby in a 20th anniversary interview with THR, it was even during these late-in-the-game brainstorming sessions he came up with the line, “Those were $500 sunglasses.”

“We worked hard on it” Ashby said, “We didn’t write Hamlet or anything, but we had a lot of fun with it.”

And through that fun, Johnny becomes both superhero and Greek choir. He’s the guy who even after hearing the fate of the entire planet rests on his martial arts skills can still be more concerned about getting his luggage into the ancient rowboat than working on his Karate chops; he also lets the nonsense of this movie roll off the viewers like so many popcorn kernels. As the character insists, “We’re standing, they’re not. What more do you want?”

Other than that awesome techno beat, not a whole lot. Johnny is the safety valve for Mortal Kombat’s lethal levels of absurdity, which inexplicably makes him as compelling a hero as any of them. When he walks into the ring with a giant hexapod ready to stomp on his eyewear, he’s been told he’s the most egotistical, self-deluded person we’ve ever met.

“Yeah, well you forgot good-looking,” he shoots back. After seeing him kick Goro off a mountaintop, you believe him.

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