> Hard training is not the only ingredient to excellence
It's not the only ingredient, but it is the sine qua non of martial arts excellence. When have you ever seen a martial arts teacher (of whatever martial art) value the slob newcomer over his hard training students? Most martial arts teach strenuous training and repetition.
You first build a foundation of solid work and training, and only then you can become the "chosen one" or the playful one. Po's merits are that... he's an optimist and a daydreamer, I guess? Who said none of the Five were also optimists, loved their art or had good qualities as well as rigorous training and excellence?
Hard training may be an essential ingredient of physical excellence, but it is insufficient for true brilliance in any creative field. Jimi Hendrix did have to practice, but he did not become Jimi Hendrix by practicing. You cannot practice your way to that, no matter how much you do.
I don't think Oogway saw that spark in Po at the festival - that was fate and prophecy. But I do think by the cherry blossom scene, he knew what was going on. You don't have to train a lot to reveal a purity and intensity of love that will yield brilliance in time.
That's the part I found objectionable. It's that bit of Hollywood magic woo where the newcomer always "has it" and the long struggling devoted practitioners never have. It makes a nice story, but the philosophy behind it is weak, doesn't reflect the actual world and I find it disrespectful of actual practitioners (of whatever (martial) art).
One last thing,
> Hard training may be an essential ingredient of physical excellence, but it is insufficient for true brilliance in any creative field.
Yes, but before he drew doodles, Picasso was a master of more classical forms. You really cannot skip steps. You know the saying about inspiration vs perspiration (often attributed to Einstein, I think?).
> Hard training is not the only ingredient to excellence
It's not the only ingredient, but it is the sine qua non of martial arts excellence. When have you ever seen a martial arts teacher (of whatever martial art) value the slob newcomer over his hard training students? Most martial arts teach strenuous training and repetition.
You first build a foundation of solid work and training, and only then you can become the "chosen one" or the playful one. Po's merits are that... he's an optimist and a daydreamer, I guess? Who said none of the Five were also optimists, loved their art or had good qualities as well as rigorous training and excellence?