1000 Paper Cranes- An Article by Robert Lyne Worthing WCMA

I find myself fortunate to be a member of the White Crane Tai Chi Martial Arts Club. To be able to practice and to learn the patterns (Suang Yang and Jian, The Chinese Straight Sword). It is an excellent way to keep fit and focused on living your life. I am sure there are many members of the club who share my thoughts.

Practicing White Crane is also about embracing symbols and forms. Stories and icons venerated going back to ancient times. It opens up the minds imaginations and takes it on a journey with its challenges and rewards. How long this journey will continue I am not sure but the attraction remains with me so I continue to stick with it.

My commitments to White Crane though were humbled by a story of a Japanese girl I came across earlier in the year. It was seeing a series of plays in London at the Tricycle Theatre in West Kilburn titled “The Bomb”. I learned about Sadako Sasaki.

The Japanese girl Sadako Sasaki was 2 years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. She was living in Hiroshima and was one mile from ground zero. She survived. In January  1955 she was admitted to hospital with diagnosis the “atom bomb disease” Leukaemia. She was given one year to live. In August,in  hospital, she was visited by her best friend Chizuko Hamamoto.  Chizuko spoke of an ancient Japanese story that says any person who makes 1000 paper cranes will have a wish come true made by the Gods. Sadako started to make paper cranes.  She used whatever paper she could get her hands on. Each crane was folded using the Japanese Origami paper art form. Sadako reached the number 644 paper cranes. She died not completing the 1000 cranes but the story goes her friends made up the number of cranes and they were buried with her.

There is a statue in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park of Sadako holding a golden crane. The annual peace day is celebrated in Japan on 6 August. Sadako is a leading symbol of the peace  movement.

Practising Suang Yang White Crane Tai Chi will continue to present challenges, to teach , to refine, to discipline and to make strong . The crane is also there to be inspirational.

Robert Lyne

Worthing WCMA