Beautiful Warrior: The Legend of the Nun's Kung Fu

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Summary: Srong women, Wu Mei Kung Fu & Shaolin Monastery
Review: I just love that this book is based on a woman that I hope existed! I love that when she was born that they watched her to see her true nature before they named her and then gave her the name Jingyong - Quiet Courage. Also that her father would not allow Jingyong's feet to be bound, and that he treated her as a son and she was taught the 5 pillars of learning - art, literature, music, medicine and marital arts! There is so much more of the book, but I don't want to spoil it for you! This is an excellent book!

What a fasinating story! The artwork is beautiful! And I can't wait to read this book to my daughter and find a Wu Mei Kung Fu studio to learn Wu Mei ourselves!

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Summary: This is a truly beautiful book for children and adults.
Review: I love both the artwork and the story content of this book. It is rare and wonderful to find a book in which two female martial artists are the main characters! This book is a true gift to martial artists enthusiasts everywhere. The story's lessons (soft overcomes hard, calm overcomes strong) come from authentic martial arts teachings at their finest. Brava!

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Summary: Not just for martial-arts enthusiasts
Review: I love sharing this book with my daughters because of the beautiful artwork, the portrayal of female strength and the message that inner resolve coupled with practice are the keys to achieving one's goals. We often quote Wu Mei's admonition to the bean curd seller: "No problem can be solved by a drunken monkey!" The reminder to remain calm, make up one's own mind, and engage with the world from a firm sense of self is valuable for people of both sexes and all ages.

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Summary: Great message but inaccurate martial arts-wise
Review: My son loves this book as do I, but I would love it more if I weren't a longtime student of Sifu Ken Lo, 7th Generation Master of Wu Mei Pai and Head of the Wu Mei Kung Fu association. While everyone's version of events of Wu Mei's life will be somewhat different, there is a very real martial art called Wu Mei that descends directly from Wu Mei herself. The nun Wu Mei's movement as depicted in the story are very different from the Wu Mei I've studied for the last 15 years. I suppose that is poetic and artistic license, but it's a shame nonetheless, especially as the author interved Sifu Lo and watched his class.