Innholdsfortegnelse for March - April 2018 i Kung Fu Tai Chi

IN early October, the Ving Tsun Athletic Association in Hong Kong held a series of momentous events in recognition of the organization’s 50th anniversary: The Fourth Ip Man Ving Tsun Taolu (Forms) and Sticking Hands Match (October 7), a Gala and 50th Anniversary Banquet (October 8), Foshan visit and Fourth World Ving Tsun Conference (October 9 and 10). Founded in 1967 by Ip Man and his disciples, the VTAA has played a major role in promoting the art of Wing Chun (initially spelled Ving Tsun by Ip Man) throughout the world. The organization established a permanent venue with a self-owned property in 1968 and has many milestones including: organizing the Worship Ceremony of the late Grandmaster Ip Man after his passing; established a licensing system for Recognized Ving Tsun Instructor…

On December 6 – 10, 2017, the 2017 Shuaijiao World Cup took place at San Jose State University. The very first of its kind, it was held appropriately enough inside SJSU ’ s Yoshihiro Uchida Hall, named for the university ’ s legendary Judo coach for over 60 years. Shuaijiao (摔跤), also commonly spelled as Shuai-Chiao, is China ’ s traditional form of jacket wrestling. It is the earliest recorded style of martial arts in China and considered by many to be a fundamental method of combat. The event was hosted by United States Shuai-chiao Association, an organization formed in 1982 by Dr. Daniel Chi-hsiu Weng. The event was organized by the Shuaijiao World Cup Organizing Committee (SJWCOC) and coorganized by Xinhuiwen Beijing Cultural Diffusion Co., Ltd. Serving on the…

THE tiger is the king of the mountain; it is a strong, proud, and fierce beast. There is an old Chinese saying that “One mountain cannot contain two tigers.” Since lions are not native to China, the tiger was called the king of all land beasts; and beyond its ferocious reputation as a man-eater, the tiger is also seen as a symbol of strength and latent power. Shaolin monks observed the movements and traits of the beast and sought to capture and cultivate the qualities of the tiger through dedicated practice of their developed tiger style Kung Fu. As Shaolin-based arts like Choy Li Fut began branching off, so too did the original techniques, evolving through combat experience into fundamental techniques tailored to Choy Li Fut principles and concepts. Many…

The Chinese Wushu Museum (中国武术博物馆) is the first multifunctional exhibition institution in the world that provides a strong platform to better understand the key cultural elements and the historical stages around Chinese martial arts. China is one of the world's four ancient civilizations, with a written history that dates back to the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BCE) nearly 4,000 years ago. Because of this longevity and complexity, the Chinese martial arts has experienced an unparalleled level of creation and development. The Museum and Exhibits Located on the premises of the College of Wushu at the Shanghai University of Sport (SUS), the Chinese Wushu Museum began its first phase in 2005, opening its doors with the objective of discovering, inheriting, and carrying forward the treasures of the Chinese Wushu culture. In 2007,…

Last November, we were honored to attend the 80th birthday celebration of Grandmaster John S. S. Leong. Grandmaster Leong was the cover master for Kung Fu Tai Chi’s 100th issue, the January+February 2008 edition. What’s more, his son Robin recently graced our cover too (November+December 2017 issue). The festivities were held in Seattle, Washington, where Grandmaster Leong established his school over half a century ago. I attended university in the Pacific Northwest and had not been back in many years, so I was really excited about my trip to Seattle. Early November meant the rainy season had already begun (let’s face it, the rainy season is 10 months long), so I was amazed that the weather report called for only a chance of rain. Gigi Oh – Publisher Emeritus (and…

ON November 15 of 2017, the entire world got to watch a 20-minute short film depicting billionaire Jack Ma (马云), the lead founder and executive chairman of the Alibaba Group, as an unbeatable martial artist dispatching a list of celebrity foes in a string of over-the-top improbable fights using techniques of Taijiquan, a style that Ma reportedly has been studying since 1988. The short, produced by world-renowned film star and five-time national Wushu champion of China Jet Li, quickly garnered millions of views and comments across several social media platforms. The short also starred many of the biggest names in action film, including Donnie Yen, Wu Jing, Tony Jaa, and up-and-coming ingénue Natasha Liu Bordizzo. Most importantly, it served as a promotional vehicle for what seems to be their next…

DJ and producer, Kung Fu athlete, and dedicated dad – that would make a good introduction for world-famous EDM DJ Laidback Luke; however, the scope of his influence extends much further. Luke is also a sifu of Choy Li Fut Kung Fu, teaching students at home and overseas, a teacher and mentor to up-and-coming and established DJs and producers under his own record label Mixmash Records, and a YouTuber posting weekly VLOGS and tutorials about life in the industry. With his growing influence and rising success in every venture he commits himself to, Laidback Luke is a genuine example of what can happen when you mix discipline, dedication, and talent. Beginnings Luke has spent nearly two decades studying and training in the arts of Choy Li Fut Kung Fu and…

Kung Fu Tai Chi is distributed by the following fine locations ARIZONA ------------------ Hung Fa Yi Wing Chun of Arizona 1805 E. Elliot Rd. STE110 Tempe, AZ 85284 Mark Jones 480-820-2428 Shaolin Arts 4330 W. Union Hills Dr. B8 Glendale AZ 85308 Chris Workman 623-581-2000 www.shaolinarts.com CALIFORNIA -------------- Shaolin Temple Cultural Center 9143 La Rosa Dr. Temple City, CA 91780 Shi Yanxu 626-292-1355 http://shaolinus.com Shaolin Temple Cultural Center 3628 Nogales St., West Covina, CA 91792 Shi Yanxu 626-292-1355 http://shaolinus.com Shaolin Temple San Diego 8222 Vickers St., STE 103 San Diego, CA 92111 Shi Yantuo 619-467-6308 www.shaolintemplesd.com Tai Mantis Kung Fu 758 E Highland Ave. San Bernardino, CA 92404 Don Newton 909-881-2226 www.taimantis.com John Cho’s Kung Fu School 2435 N. Fresno St., Fresno, CA 93720 John Cho 209-225-9796 Lily Lau Eagle…

Chung Yeung Festival Chung Yeung, or Double Nine is celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth month in the Chinese calendar (chong yang 重陽節). What began as a day to honor ancestors had blossomed into a celebration of the elderly. China has one of the world’s fastest growing elderly communities. It is predicted that China will have 500 million sexagenarians within the next few decades. In honor of Chung Yeung, elderly show off their fitness and longevity, which includes many martial artists. Among the spotlighted masters were Liu Fuzhong, 73, who practices splits and high kicks every day, Zhang Chenglin, 96, who also retains his splits, and Chen Ming, 60, who is still an active boxer. http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?57037-Give-it-up-to-the-elderly!!!!! Modern-Day Seppuku A samurai sword enthusiast, Alun Jones, apparently committed seppuku. Seppuku…

The 130th anniversary of the birth of Master Wu Yihui (吳翼 翬), a renowned Liuhe Bafa (six harmonies eight methods 六合八法) grandmaster, was celebrated on November 18–21, 2017, in Huangshan City of Anhui Province. Celebrations for Master Wu began in 1997 and are held once every decade. This year marked its third time. In June 2010, the international Wu Yihui Huayue Liuhe Bafa Quan (WYHLBQ) headquarters was established and registered in Hong Kong. In September 2010, the League International WYHLBQ Inaugural Meeting was held in Huainan. In October 2012, the First Official World Membership Conference was held in Hong Kong. Over the period of July 2013 to May 2014, Wu Yihui Huayue Liuhe Bafa Quan was approved as an Intangible Cultural Heritage on the municipal level for Huainan City, provincial…

Sam chien (three battles 三戰) is the first empty hand form of Goh Cho Kun (五祖拳 or Wuzuquan in Mandarin). Sam chien is also considered the beginning and the end of all forms because it teaches proper breathing, muscle tensioning, body structure and foundation, mental concentration, focus and basic self-defense techniques. It is the end because even in retirement years sam chien practice maintains one’s total health and well-being, keeping the internal organs, the bones, muscles, nervous system, and mental state from deteriorating too fast due to aging. The first step in Goh Cho Kun training is to become healthy, as this is necessary to proceed with training in combat and self-defense. Sam chien is about unifying the body, mind, and spirit for battle, coordinating them to act as one…

IT just wouldn’t be right to begin this column installment without acknowledging the passage of one of the truly great contributors to the Kung Fu movie genre. On November 22, 2017, Lady Mona Fong succumbed peacefully to illness at age 83. Ms. Fong was the widow of Sir Run Run Shaw (1907–2014), one of the founding brothers of Shaw Brothers Studio. A movie star and singer in her own right, Fong joined Shaw Brothers in 1969 and rose to become the producer of over 200 classic Shaw Brothers films, including Dirty Ho (1976), Five Deadly Venoms (1978), The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1979), The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter (1984), and many more. She went on to be managing director of TVB where she worked for nearly half a century. On…

The beginning of the Spring Festival (li chun 立春) is February 4, 2018, marking the start of the Year of the Earth Dog. Chinese New Year is celebrated on February 16. This will be a year of flourishing wood and thriving fire (mu sheng huo wang 木盛火旺). Fires and volcanic activity are on the rise. Climates are getting hotter, increasing drought, which means more war, bullets and explosions. War is hard to avoid this year. Thriving fire also means fire poisoning, which manifests as fever and infectious disease. In Five Elements theory, wood fuels fire, implying wildfires. Wood also represents the east. Therefore it will be an eventful year for eastern countries. Political and economic turmoil, or war, will come from the east. Global events will be dominated and intensified…