Q&A with Jeff Stone
Q: The Five Ancestors series is loosely based on the legend of five warrior monks who escaped the destruction of the Shaolin Temple in 17th century China. What inspired you to write a children's series about them?
A: I practice Shaolin kung fu, and I'm a big fan of kung fu legends. The Five Ancestors legend has always been a favorite. There are many different versions of the story. Most of them claim the five monks were actually adults, but I was intrigued by the idea of five youngsters playing this role. The young warrior monks would have grown up in a temple and then been cast out-alone-into a world they knew little about. How would they handle it? What would they learn?
Q: Legends often have a basis in fact. Did the "five ancestors" really exist?
A: No one knows for sure. The main Shaolin Temple in Henan Province, China, really was destroyed in the mid-17th century. However, the number of monks that actually escaped and where they went is up for debate. It's likely that some went into hiding in the surrounding mountains and local villages, while others went to lesser-known "secret" Shaolin Temples in different regions. I'm suspicious of the claim that five monks-and only five monks-escaped, as the number five has special significance in kung fu. It takes five fingers to form a fist.
Q: Each of the five monks has certain fears to overcome and lessons to learn. What are some of Fu's lessons in TIGER?
A: Fu has the personality of a tiger. He is impulsive and tends to act purely on instinct. Although this may be a positive trait while sparring, it is often a negative trait in day-to-day interactions with people-especially strangers. Fu must learn to better control his temper and aggressive nature, and not jump to conclusions. He needs to learn to get as many facts as possible before taking action. Above all, he needs to learn to slow down and think before he acts.
Q: Although the five young warrior monks in your series are ostensibly boys, there are hints that one of them may be a girl. Was it common to have warrior "nuns" in 17th century China?
A: Yes. Shaolin is known to have had nuns throughout most of their 1,500-year existence. They've been "equal opportunity" for quite some time! In fact, many versions of the 17th century Shaolin attack legend claim that one of the survivors was a warrior nun. As for the practicality of a woman fighting against men, it simply wasn't an issue. There is a lot more to hand-to-hand combat than brute strength, as you'll see time and again throughout the series. Besides, fighting is only a small part of Shaolin kung fu. The training is one-third mental, one-third spiritual, and one-third physical. And the physical component is more about learning to control and condition your own body than defeating an opponent.
Q: You were adopted, as were the five warrior monks in your series. How much does your background influence these characters?
A: Quite a bit. I was adopted as an infant and grew up with two younger brothers who were not adopted. My brothers are the best and my parents are fantastic, but I always felt different as a kid-I look different and even think differently than the rest of my family. Consequently, I've always had numerous "nature vs. nurture" issues-just like the young monks. In searching for my birth mother and father (with whom I was recently reunited), I discovered a lot about myself. Similarly, the five ancestors learn a lot about themselves-their strengths and weaknesses-as they search for their roots. Animal-style kung fu provided me a perfect platform to explore their experience of nature vs. nurture. The young monks struggle greatly with their natural, animalistic urges and the way in which they were raised by their Grand Master at Cangzhen Temple. They find themselves torn between the way they want to act and the way they were taught to act.
Q: Are there any other autobiographical elements to The Five Ancestors?
A: I've practiced Shaolin kung fu for several years, and before that I studied Tae Kwon Do. I believe strongly in the benefits of martial arts, and the body/mind/spirit connection.
Q: Which animal style do you study?
A: All of them! Or rather, bits and pieces of all the ones in my books. The Shaolin kung fu system I study is quite comprehensive. On the way to earning a black belt, every student must learn katas and general offensive/defensive techniques from Tiger, Monkey, Snake, Crane, Dragon, Praying Mantis, Eagle, and Leopard styles. Students don't really begin to specialize until higher levels. For the first several years you learn a little bit of everything to kind of see how it "fits." It's a little tricky because the more you progress, the more styles you are taught. Some of them are pretty obscure, like Golden Roaches.
Q: Golden Roaches?
A: Yeah, sounds pretty gross, doesn't it? But it isn't, really. Cockroaches are tough! You'll see many rare animal styles represented in future Five Ancestors books. For instance, I've already included characters that are experts in styles like Centipede, Deer, Bear, Toad, Dog, and-get this-Duck. It makes for an incredibly diverse cast.
Q: Will other martial arts besides kung fu be represented?
A: Absolutely. What would a martial arts action/adventure series be without at least one Japanese Samurai warrior? You've got to have some ninja, too. They're also Japanese
Q: So there will be some multi-cultural experiences.
A: You bet. That's autobiographical in some ways, as well. My wife is from Hong Kong and our house is filled with the sound of her speaking Chinese to our two children. She's taught me a little Cantonese, and I've studied Japanese. I've always had a strong interest in Asian cultures, which may seem odd considering I'm of Polish decent and grew up in Detroit.
Q: Have you ever been to Asia?
A: I've been to Hong Kong twice. My wife's entire family still lives there. We had a traditional wedding ceremony there eight years ago, then went back last year so that her parents and everyone else could meet our kids for the first time. It's such a different world, Hong Kong. Fortunately, both our kids are fluent in Cantonese, so they could help me get around the temples while I did some research!
Q: Was your interest in Asia sparked by any books you read as a child?
A: (Laughs.) Actually, I think my interest in the Far East began with television. I grew up in the 70s, a time when the martial arts were quite popular in America thanks in large part to a television series called Kung Fu. I also loved a TV show called Kung Fu Theater. Besides the action, I was fascinated with the spiritual components and geographical landscapes that were unlike anything in the American Midwest where I grew up. Everything about Asia seemed foreign. I think I was drawn to it because I often felt like a foreigner.
Q: Who were some of your favorite writers growing up? Did any of them influence your writing style?
A: I was an active child and spent most of my free time playing sports and doing outdoor activities. Aside from a few fantasy and horror novels-I remember Tolkien and Stephen King-most of my reading was focused on magazines such as Outdoor Life and Field & Stream. I was particularly drawn to the magazines' real-life accounts of dangerous encounters with animals most people regard as harmless. I think that sort of realism shows in my books. They edge on the fantastic, but the kung fu techniques are all real. Nobody flies around or shoots their "chi" across the room like you see in so many martial arts movies today. In Tiger, when one twelve-year-old boy goes up against twenty adult men who are armed with a large net and various weapons, that boy gets captured. That's reality.
Q: What do you hope children will take away from The Five Ancestors?
A: First and foremost, a fun reading experience. This is an action/adventure series, after all. Martial arts teach a student the importance of discipline, self-control, and humility. I hope some of this seeps into the reader's mind. I also hope that by watching five very different boys react to the same situations in different ways, children will realize that everybody is different-but that's okay. In fact, it's a great thing. It's the differences between the Five Ancestors that give them their greatest strength. Find your strengths and make the most of them, then find your place in the world.
Contributor: Random House Children's Books
For more information about The Five Ancestors visit the website.
For further information about Jeff Stone, visit his website at here.
Added 05/27/05
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