Legends of the Masters - Unraveling Fact from Fiction in Martial Arts (Hardcover)

Martial arts transport us to the realms of legends. Every single day, in sweat-soaked training halls across the globe, stories of heroic warriors from the past are told. Tales of men and women that could overpower wild beasts with their bare hands, walk through a barrage of swords or bullets unharmed or defeat scores of attackers while barely breaking a sweat. But from where does our fascination with these tales stem? Why are they so widely told? Why are there near-universal aspects that appear throughout? This book intends to answer these questions and more. Telling us the tales of ten of the greatest martial arts legends of all time, looking at the facts behind these stories and discussing the functions that they play within the study of martial arts.