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Q: When did you start practicing martial art?
A: When I was very little, I was very interested in martial arts. I practiced with my brother while he was studying Beijing opera in the college. I got lots of fun playing and waving sticks around but strictly speaking, I started practicing in 1960 when I was 13.

Q: Who was your first master and what did you study in the beginning?
A: My first teacher was master Jin Xiang-Bao who was Dong Zhong-Yi’s disciple. In the beginning I practiced lots of basic stuff, such as kicking, stances like gong bu, ma bu and xu bu and Tan Tui (“springing legs”). The first forms I learned was Yuan Yang Quan (“mandarin duck” fist), Shaolin Chang Quan (Shaolin long fist) and Guan Dong Quan (north-east fist).

Before starting practicing internal style I also practised Dong’s Liuhe Quan (Dong Zhong Yi’s style), wrestling, and some weapons, sword, broad sword, stick, hook, etc. I built up my martial arts foundation by having strict training with master Jin.

Q: When and why did you start to learn internal martial art?
A: About 1966, during the period of culture revolution, master Jin’s friend, master Pei Xi-Rong, visited us at our practicing place. They often gathered to secretly talk about martial arts with Zhang Chang-Xin, Xu Wen-Zhong, Wang Shou-Ting and Yang Bang-Tai (practicing martial arts was forbidden during the culture revolution). Master Jin always brought his son and me to join this kind of meeting. This was a great opportunity for me to get to know more about internal martial arts.

I have to say I was very lucky to meet master Jin and master Pei. Both of them were very generous and kind, and they never had any unhappy thoughts if I studied with other teachers or studied other martial art styles. So I started practicing internal style with master Pei at that time when I was 18. After hard diligent practice I was soon fascinated by the profound internal martial arts theory and practical application.

Q: Can you please tell us something about the practice with master Pei?
A: Master Pei was a very experienced teacher. He first taught me Xinyi Liuhe and later Bagua, Taiji and many other martial art styles and weapons as well.

First he let me practice three-old-basic-fist in Xinyi Liuhe Quan: Long Diao Bang (“dragon hanging shoulders”), Cai Ji Bu (“trampling chicken stepping”), Yao Shou Ba (”shaking hand grip”). These three forms together reflect four animal features in martial arts, dragon body, chicken leg and feet, bear shoulders and tiger head. They are certainly very boring and tiring for a young beginner, but they were really good for me to strengthen my lower body stances, enhancing my fa li (skill of releasing or issuing explosive force), and to discipline my spirit and character as well. I practiced these three forms 2-3 hours everyday. It was very tough, almost like torture sometimes, but I got remarkable rewards from that.

Later, I started learning Wu Xing Quan (Xingyi five elements practice) and Shier Xing (Xingyi 12 animals practice). Master Pei put Wu Xing Quan on a very important position. He said many times that if you want to practice Xingyi well, you have to master Wu Xing Quan first, and if you want to practice Wu Xing Quan well, you have to focus on pi quan (“splitting fist”). It took me almost three years just to get the right shape of pi quan. Many years later, I realized practicing Xinyi, Wu Xing and Xingyi are the best ways to improve your jing (“essence”).

Next step was Bagua, where the toughest part was circle stepping. Like most students, I felt the most difficult part was the feeling of tang ni bu (“mudstepping”). I practiced stepping every morning and took a round in People’s Park. When I served in the military reserve force during culture revolution, I practiced Bagua stepping when we were in long distance walking training. Gradually I understood how to use ankles, knees and kua (the joint and surrounding area of the hip) in Bagua stepping, also got to feel the horizontal jin (power) in the stepping. As a bonus, I found it was also a good method to practice qi (“energy”).

The 3rd step was Taiji. Actually, as a 20 something young lad and always feeling full of energy I quite doubted this kind of gentle and soft style that to me didn’t have any practical usages. Master Pei forced me to practice Yang style, Cheng style, Sun style and Wu style as well. With the help and coaching from master Pei and after hard practice, I experienced the amazing part of Taiji — it’s just like earth that has the capability to melt any forces and generate new energies. It’s the best way to improve your sheng (“spirit”).

Q: What are you practicing nowadays and what do you teach?
A: Basically I practice Xingyi, Bagua, Taiji and Wudang Qigong. I usually teach Wudang Taiji Yuan Gong, Wudang Taijiquan, Wudang Taiji Sword and Bagua.