Naruto Where Does Rock Lee’s Drunken Fist Style Originate From

Naruto: Where Does Rock Lee’s Drunken Fist Style Originate From?

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Rock Lee’s now-infamous Drunken Fist style in Naruto may seem like a fictitious form of martial arts, but it’s actually a real, documented technique.

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Naruto Where Does Rock Lee’s Drunken Fist Style Originate From

Rock Lee’s now-infamous Drunken Fist technique took many Naruto fans aback upon seeing this form of taijutsu for the first time. The rather ridiculous fighting style, which saw an inebriated Lee hold a staggered stance, repeatedly fall over and shout wildly at his opponent, was quite the sight to behold.

His comical battle against Kimimaro was so out of character and outlandish that many fans have likely written off the fighting techniques shown as mere fantasy. However, these scenes within Naruto are far more factual than they seem. Rather than fiction, these techniques have been written about in historical Chinese manuscripts, myths, incorporated in live-action films and have even been taken into the professional boxing ring.

The Drunken Fist Style in Naruto

Naruto Where Does Rock Lee’s Drunken Fist Style Originate From

In Naruto Episode 123, “The Leaf’s Handsome Devil!”, Naruto is on the verge of being fatally wounded by Kimimaro’s surprise attack after being distracted by the sudden appearance of Sasuke, who is attempting to escape with Orochimaru’s Sound Five. However, a recently rejuvenated Rock Lee appears just in time to deflect the blow and send Kimimaro hurtling away, allowing Naruto to give chase after Sasuke.

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During the battle, Lee requests that his opponent give him some time to drink his ‘medicine’, since he is still recovering from Gaara’s devastating attacks during the Chunin Exam that led to his legs being crushed. Unbeknownst to Lee, the liquid that he believes is ‘medicine’ is, in fact, a bottle of sake. Shortly after drinking it, Lee enters a stupored state and begins to fight Kimimaro using his Drunken Fist Style.

According to Might Guy, the Drunken Fist style cannot be learned, taught or refined through training and practice. Since Lee is already incredibly gifted when it comes to his taijutsu ability, he manages to incorporate the drunken style with ease. So powerful is this technique that even Guy and Neji struggled to subdue him one evening after dining at a restaurant in Konoha. After drinking only a small amount of alcohol, Lee’s cheeks become red and he enters a drunken rage where he picks fights with both friends and foes, regardless of the consequence.

Rock Lee’s Drunken Fist Style in Real-Life History

Naruto Where Does Rock Lee’s Drunken Fist Style Originate From

Drunken Boxing, Drunken Fist or Zuì Quán are the names given to all styles of Chinese martial arts that attempt to imitate the movements of a person who is drunk. While the origins of this technique are not wholly clear, it can be traced back to both Buddhist and Daoist religious communities, where some oral histories claim that the methods of this martial art emerged as early as the Song Dynasty (960-1279AD).

The earliest written reference to drunken boxing has often been attributed to Shi Nai’an’s novel Water Margin (c.1450-1524), which tells the tragic story of a group of outlaws who rebel and later work with their nation’s government. One of the book’s principal characters, Wu Song, gets into a series of fights while under the influence of alcohol — including battling a man from his hometown to fending off a tiger after 18 bowls of wine.

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However, the accounts of Wu Song are simply works of fiction and it’s not until the 17th century that verifiable references to Drunken Boxing were recorded in writing. Two manuals regarding empty-handed combat principles (The Hand Combat Classic and Xuanji’s Acupuncture Points) detail the specific fighting techniques of a “drunken eight-immortals fist”.

The Contemporary Drunken Fist Style

The Drunken Boxing style was later popularized by Jackie Chan through his film Drunken Master (1978). The film’s protagonist, Wong Fei-hung, learns this secret style of martial arts from an old master, Beggar So, to become more disciplined and to avenge his father’s defeat from a rival business partner.

Drunken Boxing would later be taken to the competitive level when Emanuel Augustus, an American professional boxer, used the technique to confuse his opponents in a highly entertaining manner. Similar to Jackie Chan’s character, Augustus garnered a cult following due to his flair in the ring and would later be nicknamed the ‘Drunken Master’ after the highly popular film. As it turns out, Naruto’s Rock Lee had plenty of real-life inspiration for his most infamous move.

Link Source : https://www.cbr.com/naruto-rock-lee-drunken-fist-style-real-life-inspiration/

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