TV-Series
Description
Cao Fusheng is the true master of Cao Family Bajiquan, a martial arts style that stands as the rival to the Mao Family Juhe Fist featured in the series. He is an elderly man who, in both the anime and manga, is portrayed as being extremely ill and physically weakened, a condition that plays a significant role in his actions throughout the story. Despite his frailty, he holds the authentic lineage of his family's fighting style, which puts him in stark opposition to the path chosen by his own son.
His primary motivation stems from a deep distress over how his son, Cao Da-Hen, has taken the family's traditional Bajiquan and commercialized it, turning it into a product for profit and fame. This corruption of his family's legacy is a source of great pain for Cao Fusheng. As he nears the end of his life, he becomes determined to see the true essence of his family's martial art come to an end on his own terms, rather than see it further exploited.
In the narrative, Cao Fusheng reaches out to his old friend and long-time rival, Mao Hun, the grandfather and master of the protagonist Mao Lan. He makes a solemn request that Mao Lan defeat his own granddaughter, Cao Chunyang. At first, this request carries the weight of a grim command, but it is eventually revealed that he does not wish for Chunyang to be killed. Instead, he seeks her defeat in combat so that with her loss, the authentic Cao Family Bajiquan can finally be laid to rest alongside him, preventing its continued misuse.
Cao Fusheng shares a complex and significant history with Mao Hun, having moved from China alongside him. The two are established as old friends whose respective martial arts schools are legendary rivals. This long-standing relationship forms the basis for his desperate request regarding Mao Lan. His relationship with his son, Cao Da-Hen, is one of disappointment and ideological conflict, while his connection to his granddaughter, Cao Chunyang, is tied to his wish to have her defeated in order to end the family's fighting legacy.
The character's role is that of a catalyst for a major arc in the story, setting the stage for the clash between Mao Lan and Cao Chunyang. His condition and his motivations add a layer of dramatic weight to the competition, framing it not just as a fight for victory, but as a resolution to a generational schism within a martial arts family.
His primary motivation stems from a deep distress over how his son, Cao Da-Hen, has taken the family's traditional Bajiquan and commercialized it, turning it into a product for profit and fame. This corruption of his family's legacy is a source of great pain for Cao Fusheng. As he nears the end of his life, he becomes determined to see the true essence of his family's martial art come to an end on his own terms, rather than see it further exploited.
In the narrative, Cao Fusheng reaches out to his old friend and long-time rival, Mao Hun, the grandfather and master of the protagonist Mao Lan. He makes a solemn request that Mao Lan defeat his own granddaughter, Cao Chunyang. At first, this request carries the weight of a grim command, but it is eventually revealed that he does not wish for Chunyang to be killed. Instead, he seeks her defeat in combat so that with her loss, the authentic Cao Family Bajiquan can finally be laid to rest alongside him, preventing its continued misuse.
Cao Fusheng shares a complex and significant history with Mao Hun, having moved from China alongside him. The two are established as old friends whose respective martial arts schools are legendary rivals. This long-standing relationship forms the basis for his desperate request regarding Mao Lan. His relationship with his son, Cao Da-Hen, is one of disappointment and ideological conflict, while his connection to his granddaughter, Cao Chunyang, is tied to his wish to have her defeated in order to end the family's fighting legacy.
The character's role is that of a catalyst for a major arc in the story, setting the stage for the clash between Mao Lan and Cao Chunyang. His condition and his motivations add a layer of dramatic weight to the competition, framing it not just as a fight for victory, but as a resolution to a generational schism within a martial arts family.