Innholdsfortegnelse for Summer 2019 i Kung Fu Tai Chi

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

One of the many benefits of being part of the Chinese martial arts is our community. We’ve coined a term from fiction for it – Wulin (武林) – which literally means ‘martial forest’. The Wulin cuts across race, nationality, social class, gender, political parties and practically all other affiliations. It unifies us all under the banner of our art. And if you’re in it for life, it even crosses time. When our Publisher Emeritus Gigi Oh heard that Grandmaster Fu Qingquan was coming as part of the Belt and Road tour (see page 20), she got very excited because they befriended each other a quarter century ago. I didn’t know him, but I knew of his grandfather’s reputation, so Gigi suggested that I interview him. It became this issue’s cover…

4 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

29Th Annual Convention of The International South Shaolin Wu Chu Chuan Federation in Conjunction with the 80th Anniversary of Philippine Kong Han Martial Arts Club

November 23–26, 2018: The Philippine Kong Han Martial Arts Club hosted the 29th annual convention of the International South Shaolin Wu Chu Chuan Federation in Manila, drawing 220 foreign delegates from Australia, China, Canada, England, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sweden, Taiwan, France, Singapore, USA, Vietnam and the home country Philippines. In cooperation with the Philippine Department of Tourism, they experienced the holiday Christmas spirit as well as Philippine culture, food, hospitality, history, and folk dances. Held at the Rizal Park Hotel, the convention officially inducted new Federation Chairman Abbot Shi Chang Ding (also Chief Abbot of Quanzhou Shaolin Temple). The convention also celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Philippine Kong Han Martial Arts Club. Thanks to club chairman Eric Go Kaw, Grandmaster Henry Lo, and all the officers and members…

3 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

NEW NATIONAL PROGRAM SENDS VETS TO TAI CHI FOR ALTERNATIVE CARE

This summer, hundreds of Tai Chi teachers across the U.S. will benefit from a new veterans’ health care program and its partnership with TaijiFit, a teacher training company founded by Tai Chi master David-Dorian Ross. These teachers will have new career opportunities because of the ability to get paid to teach while the veterans attend classes for free. According to Ross, “For the first time, Tai Chi teachers will be able to make a full-time living on the same scale as other health/wellness professionals, teaching their passion and making a difference in the lives of others.” The new veterans program, called the Community Care Network, will give veterans the opportunity to seek free supplemental health care outside of VA hospitals. The goal of this new program is to give vets…

4 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

8 Methods, 5 Steps Bafa Wabu

A new simplified Tai Chi form has just emerged from the People’s Republic of China. In recent decades, China has used simplified forms in order promote Tai Chi, or Taiji (太極) as it is spelled in PRC-endorsed pinyin romanization. Traditional Taijiquan is a complex and sophisticated art that requires years of discipline to master. That's often too daunting for newbies, especially those unfamiliar with Taiji culture. These simplified Taiji forms are intended to be introductory; however, they can also stand on their own as a simple health practice for those who seek the benefits of Taiji but aren't looking to dedicate the time that the complete discipline requires. The new form is Bafa Wubu (八法五步). This literally means "Eight Methods, Five Steps." For experienced Taiji practitioners, these are also known…

6 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

Competitive Xingyi

Professor Xiong Yabing (熊亚兵) represents the new generation of leading Wushu scholars from China. Originally from Yunnan province, he earned his master's degree at the prestigious Beijing Sport University. He holds a 7th Duanwei rank by the Chinese Wushu Association and is a certified International Wushu judge, among many other honors and awards. Today, he is a full-time Wushu Associate Professor and Wushu Coach at the Yunnan Normal University located in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province. During his tenure there, he has undertaken the supervision of the undergraduate Wushu teaching courses and led the Wushu team with outstanding competition results. Prof. Xiong has conducted numerous research works around scientific training methodologies, investigation on minority traditional martial arts, and other related topics, having published more than 30 essays and a…

9 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

PRAYING MANTIS MAGIC

Master Hu Jianqiang (October 1999 cover master 胡坚强) is a two-time former all-around national Wushu champion of China and international film star. Native of the southern coastal province of Zhejiang, he has the special distinction of being one of the professional Wushu athletes selected to show off their incredible martial art skills in the “Shaolin Temple” movies, the famous trilogy produced in mainland China in the 1980s that introduced Wushu to the world and helped ignite modern Shaolin’s renaissance. Today, his passion for the art and commitment to hard work remains as strong as ever. In this article, Master Hu generously shares some of his hard-won Wushu training wisdom, invaluable insights, and common sense help – as a resource for younger coaches and athletes to use in their pursuits. A…

11 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

KUNG FU TAI CHI Studio Closure

After twenty years, we are saddened to report that we closed our Kung Fu Tai Chi studio in March. Due to the decline in the newsstand and other economic pressures such as the looming trade war with China, we had to downsize our office space. Our studio was luxurious. The walls were adorned with all of back issues from the five different magazines that TC Media International published over the last 27 years, along with calligraphy and art contributed by many world-renowned masters, plus a few autographed posters from Jackie Chan, Jet Li, and others. It has truly been an honor to have held this space and we are heartbroken to lose it. Kung Fu Tai Chi Headquarters is now housed within the offices of our parent company, Tiger Claw.…

1 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

FEATURED WEAPON

Length: 40” Weight 39 oz. Early Qing Period (1636–1912) Snake blades are so called because of the wavy shape of the blade. Within European swords, these are called wave blades or flame blades and were predominantly used on two-handed swords and rapiers. There’s even a specific name for such blades – flamberge. The other dominant undulating blade shape hails from the Pacific Islands of Java and Indonesia and known as Kris. Kris are usually daggers although there are occasional examples that approach sword length. In China, snake blades are very rare. Although mostly decorative, snake blades have some practical uses. The undulating blade provides a greater cutting surface, like a saw blade or a serrated knife. It also makes it difficult to perform any gliding actions on the blade, what…

1 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

CLAW MARKS

I love going to tournaments and seeing the school pride amongst teams. Competitors, families, and their friends all sit together and cheer each other on. Most stay long after their individual divisions are completed, hanging out all day with their teammates to support those with later competition times. Many schools are great about promoting team spirit. Their students and their families are all wearing uniforms, jackets, and shirts with the team and school logos. It’s very bonding and it’s a great way to promote your school. Whether you’re a school owner or a school student, every martial arts school is a private enterprise, so if you want your school to thrive, you must help it be economically viable. This means you should support it not just with your own tuition…

4 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

Tai Chi AMERICAN TOUR

From February 7–19, 2019, the American leg of the The Belt and Road China Tai Chi Culture World Tour visited three major metropolises: Silicon Valley, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. Five illustrious masters demonstrated and taught Tai Chi at two-day workshops in each city. This World Tour was in Europe in February and March of 2018. It held workshops in Berlin, Budapest, Venice and Vienna, attracting students from Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, Hungary, Peru, Poland, Russia, Spain, and the Netherlands. The Tai Chi masters who came to the United States included Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei (Cover Master July 1999, 9th Duan recipient and one of the “Four Great Buddhist Warriors (si da jingang 四大金刚)" of Chen Tai Chi), Grandmaster Yang Jun (Cover Master May+June 2015, 7th Duan recipient…

3 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

Grandmaster Wong Jack Man 1941–2018

Shifu Kam Yuen once said, “He would be more famous than Bruce Lee if he was not so humble.” Some people took advantage of his humbleness while others never recognized the impact he had on the martial art community. His name is Shifu Wong Jack Man (黃澤民). He was born in Hong Kong in 1941. When WWII started and the Japanese invaded Hong Kong, his family moved back to their home in Toisan, Guangdong Province, China. He started learning Northern Shaolin (北派少林門) in Central Park in Guangzhou, China, at the age of 8 from Shifu Yan Shang Wu (嚴尚武) who was Shifu Gu Ru Zhang’s (顧汝章) top disciple. In the mid-1950s, Wong Shifu continued his lessons with Yan Shifu in Hong Kong. His talents were recognized by Yan Shifu and…

3 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

ARE YOUR KNEES DEAD?

Some people say that while Tai Chi practice is good exercise it tends to hurt the knees. This is not true, as long as you practice it correctly and don’t overdo it. Tai Chi practice greatly improves blood flow and energy circulation (qi xue yun xing 气血运行) in the body – especially micro-circulation. Thus the cells are better supplied with nutrition and oxygen and can more easily get rid of metabolism waste. This benefits every part of the body including the knees. Tai Chi also strengthens the leg muscles, thus giving the knee structural stability. Most knee injuries are caused by distorted knee structure. Likewise, correct Tai Chi practice provides benign stimulation to the knee, which is beneficial for knee heath. Additionally, people who practice Tai Chi long-term develop habitual…

7 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

WHEN TAI Chi IS IN YOUR BLOOD

Many say that the martial arts runs through their blood. But few can make that claim as definitively as Grandmaster Fu Qingquan (傅清泉). Grandmaster Fu is the grandson of one of the most renowned proponents of Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan, the Great Grandmaster Fu Zhongwen (1903–1994 傅鍾文). Fu Zhongwen was the direct disciple of Yang Chengfu (1883–1936 杨澄甫), who was grandson of the very founder of Yang Tai Chi, Yang Luchan (1799–1872 杨露禅). What’s more, Fu Zhongwen married into the Yang clan. His wife, Fu Qingquan’s grandmother, was Zhao Guizhen (1908–1976 趙桂珍), and she was the great-grand-daughter-in-law of the youngest son of founder Yang Luchan, Yang Jianhou (1839–1917 杨健侯). This makes Fu Qingquan the great-great-great grandson of the founder. For Fu, it’s not only in his blood, it’s in…

14 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

Hung Ga’s Fan THE FINE ART OF FIRMNESS AND FLEXIBILITY

Traditional Chinese martial arts typically subscribe to a philosophy of balance. With a renowned art such as Hung Ga (洪家), recognized for its powerful structures and formidable fighting techniques, there are a variety of ways that promote a sense of martial balance within the system’s various lineages. For those who follow the Dang Fong (鄧芳) (Deng Fang in Mandarin) tradition of Hung Ga, the Beef Bone Fan (ngau gwat sin / niu gu shan 牛骨扇), also known as the Iron Leaf Fan (tit yip sin / tie ye shan 鐵葉扇), provides the means for a practitioner to align strength with suppleness. Form and Function The Chinese character for fan, 扇, is a pictograph of bird feathers under a roof, which signifies protection from the sun. The sin, as it is…

8 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

Summer Blockbusters, Sequels and Threequels

The Summer Blockbusters are upon us and this year the most anticipated martial arts movies are sequels: IP MAN 4 and JOHN WICK 3. But before digging too deeply into what’s coming soon, let’s review the spring films in the wake of Spring Festival. The Chinese New Year holidays produce the biggest box office results in Asia. Jackie Chan and Stephen Chow have been the top draws for years, but a new champion has risen, a Wushu champion, and his name is Wu Jing. All three superstars had Spring Festival films released on February 5, but the clear winner was Wu with his appearance in the sci-fi blockbuster THE WANDERING EARTH. THE WANDERING EARTH swept the global box office earning nearly $700 M worldwide. At this writing, it is the…

8 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

KUNG FU TAI CHI DISTRIBUTORS

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 Claw 1651 El Camino Real Millbrae, CA 94030 Sifu Kalman Wong…

6 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

KUNG FU HOROSCOPES

June 6 to August 8 is summertime (wei xia ji 為夏季). June is the 7th cycle (geng wu 庚午) and July is the 8th (xin wei辛未). According to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Five-Element theory, summertime is ruled by the fire element and associated with the heart channel. August 8 marks the 9th cycle (ren shen 壬申) and the beginning of autumn (wei qiu ji 為秋季), which belongs to the element of metal and the organ of lung. Rat: 1924 Wood, 1936 Fire, 1948 Earth, 1960 Metal, 1972 Water, 1984 Wood, 1996 Fire, 2008 Earth 6/6–7/7: Beware of arguments and disputes. You are easily perturbed by human problems and affairs. Resolve this through cheerfulness and being broad-minded. 7/7–8/8: Divine opportunities are in your forecast. Many strong functions enable you to escape…

6 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

WEB FU

http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71174-Qigong-Regulation The Oklahoma Qigong Practice Act Last January, Tulsa Republican Senator Dave Rader introduced Senate Bill 190, the “Oklahoma Qigong Practice Act.” The bill proposes to establish the Oklahoma Board of Qigong (OBQ) which would oversee licenses for anyone offering Qigong as a cure for medical conditions. In the bill, Qigong is defined “as practice of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and classic Chinese medicine (CCM) modalities included under the umbrella of qigong for the therapeutic purpose of promoting, maintaining and restoring health, including the treatment of dysfunctions of the body involving pain, but not to include the practice of acupuncture or martial arts.” This would impact Qigong teachers with a $300 licensing fee, and violations could incur fines up to $5000. http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71188-Jackie-Chan-Green-Hero Jackie Chan: Green Hero Jackie Chan has long…

3 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

CMAT 27

ON March 23 and 24, the 27th Annual Chinese Martial Arts Tournament was hosted by the University of California Martial Arts Program at UC Berkeley. This year’s CMAT was dedicated to the late Grandmaster Wong Jackman (see page 28). “Wong Jackman was, of course, one of my teachers,” revealed Sifu Bryant Fong, CMAT Tournament Chair and head coach of Cal Wushu. “He was from Hong Kong originally and graduated from Jing Wu Academy. I went to learn from him because I injured my shoulder. I tore my rotator cuff. The doctors told me, ‘You can’t ever do anything again.’ This was in my late twenties. Used to be I couldn’t even lift my arm. So I went to see him about learning Tai Chi. After two years of Tai Chi,…

6 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

Grandmaster Ralph Castro 1931–2019

Grandmaster Castro was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, one of eight children. He began his lifelong study of the martial arts under his father, a renowned boxer who earned the nickname “Boss.” After serving in the military during the Korean War, Grandmaster Castro became a direct pupil of Grandmaster William K. S. Chow (1914–1987), a founding father of Kenpo. Castro opened the first Kenpo Karate School in Northern California in 1958, and eventually established his own martial art: Shaolin Kenpo. For more than six decades, Castro taught tens of thousands of students and produced hundreds of Black Belts. He was a true pioneer of martial arts in America. Castro served as the Vice-President of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) in the early seventies. The AAU is a multi-sport national organization founded…

3 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

Rooting in Taiji

Hong Kong-based Taiji master Luk Cheung Ching (陸長青) often fields questions from practitioners about rooting (gen 根). In pushing hands (tuishou 推手), where Taiji competitors try to uproot their opponents and upset their balance, someone who is difficult to move is often said to “have root.” In Taiji you might also encounter terms like dead root (si gen 死根), root everywhere and root nowhere (chu chu wu gen chu chu gen 處處無根處處根), rushing the root (gen cui 根催), elements of the extremities (shao suo 梢索), etc. If we use the root of a tree as a somewhat obvious analogy, the deeper the root, the stronger the tree. In Chinese martial arts, whether it’s southern style vs. northern style, internal vs. external, Wudang vs. Shaolin, what’s common among them is that…

13 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

INTERNAL, EXTERNAL, & HYBRIDS

For the past several decades, Chinese martial arts have been grouped rather routinely into internal (neijia 內家) and external (waijia 外家) categories. But what exactly does this mean? Soft vs. hard, philosophical vs. physical, energetic-enhancement vs. strength-development – these are common comparisons used to simplify this sophisticated paradigm. And while these generalizations may be somewhat accurate, they are also somehow incomplete, which can be equally confusing. If all Chinese martial arts emphasize the cultivation of qi (intrinsic energy 氣) (some heavily at first, some in the later stages of training, others embedded within their regular training regimen); engage in drills that support their respective areas of specialization such as push hands (tui shou 推手), sticking hands (chi sau [Cantonese] 黐手), or two-person routines (dui chai 對拆); and apply techniques using…

13 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

Cool It!

For any vigorous exercise, especially Kung Fu, proper warming up and cooling down regimens are key elements for a healthy practice and a quicker recovery. When training, your body is in an elevated state. Your heart rate increases, your body temperature rises, and your blood vessels are dilated. Just like if you start too fast, like going hard without warming up, stopping suddenly can also jar your body and lead to injury. The American Heart Association (www.heart.org) and the Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinic.org) advocate cooling down after any vigorous workout. Both health organizations recommend a post-session 5 to 10 minute walk. What’s more, the AHA suggests doing some light stretching after workouts, stating that “It’s good to stretch when you’re cooling down because your limbs, muscles and joints are still warm.…

7 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

KUNG FU TAI CHI CALENDAR

Tournaments & Gatherings 2019-06-28 (3 Days) 2nd USDLDF National Dragon and Lion Dance Championships Held at Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison, Wisconsin. There will be 3 categories: Traditional Lion Dance, Freestyle Lion Dance (Jongs), and Dragon Dance. This competition will be open to any team wishing to spread the art of Dragon and Lion Dance across America. TIGER CLAW SPONSORED EVENT Contact: contact@usdldf.org 2019-06-16 (5 Days) 8th World Kungfu Championships Held in Emeishan, Sichuan Province, China Contact: International Wushu Federation 86-10-87774492 9 Huaweili, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China, 100021 iwuf@iwuf.org - www.iwuf.org 2019-07-05 (3 Days) ICMAC Orlando 21st Annual Invitational Contact: ICMAC Circuit Headquarters (727) 791-8207 2519 McMullen Booth Rd, #511, Clearwater, FL 33761 nick.scrima@kungfuchampionship.com - www.kungfuchampionship.com 2019-07-13 11th ITKFA Chinese Martial Arts Championship Held at the Centre…

1 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

MARTIALARTSMART.com

Please read this page before ordering! FIVE EASY WAYS TO ORDER 1. Toll Free Credit Card Ordering: 1-800-824-2433 Using our order form to plan your phone order is convenient! Call Monday–Friday 9:00 AM–6:00 PM Eastern Time. Mastercard, Visa, American Express or Discover are accepted. International Call: 865-686-4862 Sorry! No C.O.D. 2. Fax your Credit Card Order: 865-686-4881 3. Mail Order Just mail the order form, money order or cashier’s/personal check with the correct amount. Send to: MartialArtsMart 5613 N. Broadway Knoxville, TN 37918 4. e-mail Your Order: orders@MartialArtsMart.com 5. Our Online Store: www.MartialArtsMart.com Use our secure electronic shopping cart. GUARANTEE If you are not satisfied with items you purchased, for whatever reason, please immediately call our office to arrange a settlement. For details, please see Returns/Exchanges/Repairs below. CUSTOMER SERVICE 1.…

2 min

Kung Fu Tai Chi|Summer 2019

Qin heng li cheng

Qin (2nd tone 勤) means ‘diligent,’ ‘industrious’ or ‘hard-working’. Heng (2nd tone 恆) means ‘persistent,’ ‘constant’ or ‘to persevere.’ Li (3rd tone 禮) means ‘manners’ or ‘courtesy’. And Cheng (2nd tone 誠) means ‘honesty,’ ‘sincerity’ or to be ‘real’ or ‘true’. These four guiding principles represent the Yongnian Taijiquan teachings (Yongnian Taijiquan xun 永年太極拳訓). This calligraphy is signed Yongnian Fu Zhongwen (永年傅鍾文) Grandmaster Fu Zhongwen (1903–1994) is the grandfather of Fu Qingquan who is featured in our cover story on page 60.…

1 min