Jianmin Tao (Hànzì: 陶 健民, Pinyin: Táo Jiàn Mín, On'yomi: Tō Kenmin) is an elderly man who can be found in Lotus Park in the South Carmain Quarter, Wan Chai practicing Chen-Style Tai Chi. Guixiang Lee taught him the style.
Shenmue II[]
Ryo Hazuki first meets Jianmin and spars with him either when he enters the center of Lotus Park anytime before entering Man Mo Temple for the first time, or when he is learning about the wude to meet with Lishao Tao. Jianmin knows the wude and teaches Ryo about one, only if he can cover the ground with leaves using a Tai Chi move called Iron Palm. As Ryo is training for the Iron Palm move by practicing the move on a tree in the park, Jianmin keeps his word and tells Ryo one of the wude, "GON". After this, if "GON" is the last wude that Ryo learned before "YI", Jianmin will refer him to his friend Guixiang to learn the last wude.
If Ryo talks to Jianmin to ask him a question, he says he'll answer it if he spars with him, in which Ryo can accept or decline. If he accepts and spars with him, he'll answer any question Ryo has. Once Ryo is getting ready to leave Wan Chai for Kowloon, he can say goodbye to Jianmin.
Shenmue the Animation[]
Jianmin as he appears in the anime.
Jianmin appears in Shenmue the Animation Episode 6. During Ryo's search for Lishao Tao, he finds Jianmin practicing Tai Chi at Lotus Park and after deducing that Ryo is a martial artist, the two briefly spar. After this, Ryo asks him for directions to the Yan Tin Apartments and the old man gives him directions to the place.
When Ryo returns to the park after not being able to see Lishao Tao when he enters Man Mo Temple, Jianmin learns from him that he's seeking Lishao Tao and decides to show him the Iron Palm move. He offers to give Ryo a hint to where the location of Lishao Tao is if he manages to cover the ground with leaves after using the Iron Palm move on the fire tree there. Ryo gives it a shot and only manages to get a single leaf to fall on his first try.
Ryo struggles to meet the requirements of what he's was asked to do by Jianmin and is told by the him that there is no "Instant ramen" equivalent to the martial artists in Hong Kong and leaves him. Those words make Ryo reflect on his training with his father in his youth. This makes Ryo resolved to continue trying until that night. The following day, Ryo continues practicing his Iron Palm technique on the tree and makes progress with his task. He learns from Jianmin the style the move is derived from and how it's a combination of force and gentleness.
Eventually, Ryo manages to complete the task given to him by Jianmin who mentions that he has a knack for Wude and recites one of the four principles to it, "GON". Ryo then informs him of the fighting style he uses.
Trivia[]
- Jianmin's zodiac sign is Aries and he has an O blood type.
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Shenmue II[]
