Philosophy of the Jade Empire, Part 2: Way of the Open Palm

View Philosophy of the Jade Empire, Part 1: Way of the Closed Fist

The Jade Empire is a land steeped in tradition, where every person has his or her place in the grand scheme of things. Some philosophers teach that true strength comes from leaving behind one’s station, reaching out for more, and grabbing whatever one is strong enough to take. This has become a popular philosophy across the provinces. The long drought is still part of recent memory, and the people knew true suffering as few as twenty years ago, bringing many to believe that the only way to survive is to take whatever they can and let everyone fend for themselves. Despite the hard times, however, many scholars and wise men caution against such rash belief. Many of the greatest minds in the Empire believe that their civilization was built on the tenets of strength, duty, and honor: the Way of the Open Palm.

The Way of the Open Palm

Followers of the Way of the Open Palm believe that strength lies in maintaining one’s station and in thinking of the greater whole before considering the parts. "The high path," as some call it, concerns itself with the prosperity of the people, almost to the exclusion of the safety of the individual. Those who walk this path don't seek power, because they know that true power lies in the strength of community, as all parts of the world machine work together in perfect cosmic harmony.

Some write the lighter road off as "good", "weak", or even "foolish", but a closer look reveals the details of the path. Goodness can be one outcome of the path, certainly, but to limit one’s self to good alone ignores many of the duties one might have as part of his station. A soldier who refuses to kill might have good in his heart, but the community he is sworn to protect may suffer as a result.

In many ways, the Way of the Open Palm can be as dangerous as its philosophical counterpart, if not more so. Those who think of the safety of others before their own tend to be a little more likely to put their own lives in danger. Of course, the high path doesn't advise foolishness; an unarmed merchant leaping into the fray to save someone from a gang of armed bandits not only gets himself killed, but he also removes an established merchant from society. Just as the Way of the Closed Fist recommends against mindless cruelty, the Open Palm teaches against mindless sacrifice.

Followers of the Path of Harmony

Master Radiant: Master of the Black Leopard School in the Imperial City, Master Radiant has spent his life trying to teach the tenets of the Way of the Open Palm. His teachings have gone far in making the Black Leopard School one of the finest martial arts schools in the Empire and have produced countless masters of the high path. Even as rumors circulate of conflict within the school, Master Radiant remains steadfast in his dedication to the Open Palm, despite being forced into solitude for fear that his presence may force a showdown between the two polarized factions in the school.

Crimson Khana: Trained in the Prosperous East, Crimson Khana is the master of a sword style rarely practiced in the rest of the Empire. She came to the Imperial City seeking new challenges, and she found them in the form of the Imperial arena, where the Empire’s finest combatants come together to test their skills. Some might consider her desire to face greater and greater martial challenges as bloodthirsty, but Khana fights with honor and respect for her opponents, and she has carried a perfect record of victories for her trouble. She has turned her back on the myriad temptations and corruptions in the often less-than-honorable arena, and she has even offered to teach her blade techniques to the first fighter skilled enough to defeat her. So far, her prize remains unclaimed.

Two Rivers School: While few in the Empire even know of its existence, the Two Rivers School is one of the strongest bastions of the higher path in the known world. The students there are taught the tenets of both major moral philosophies, but their training usually leads them to voluntarily choose the Open Palm. The students and faculty of the school are highly active in the small agricultural community of Two Rivers, keeping the peace and protecting the town from the small, disorganized groups of bandits living in the nearby swamps. The very fact that the students learn both paths but choose the Open Palm reflects upon the kindness and fairness of the school’s master.

Master Li: The venerable master of the remote but respected Two Rivers School, Master Li is easily the most skilled man the people of Two Rivers have met. Stern but fair, as all the best masters are, Master Li teaches his students the lessons of both the Open Palm and the Closed Fist, but his life and actions show that the true power of the Open Palm lies in strengthening the community and knowing the difference between sacrifice and suicide. More than just a teacher of martial arts, Master Li also acts unofficially as the mediator of disputes in Two Rivers, and the people of the town respect and love him as much as his students do.

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