MEET THE MASTERS

Jin Jing Fu Now in his 70's, Master Jin practices daily in the early morning. A Master of both Fujianese Singing Crane Fist Boxing and Monk-Fist Boxing, Jin Jing Fu lives in the heart of Fuzhou City from where he runs a home-based business. As an active member of a Crane Fist Research Study Group, Master Jin is a major force within the "Fuzhou Wushu Association" that has its base within the Physical Education compound to the south of the city.

Ji Zhuo Di A Master of Golden Lion Boxing, Master Ji is a leading authority of this style having studied this Art since the age of twelve. A retired factory worker, Master Ji is now in his late 60's although to look at him he appers not a day over 40.

Lin Zai Pei A senior student under the late Dog Fist Master, Chen Yi Jiu, Lin Zai Pei teaches his Art to a small number of dedicated locals. In the past, Master Lin has visited Okinawa where, as a member of a Fuzhou Martial Arts Delegation (together with Masters Jin and Ji) he has demonstrated Dog Fist to various Okinawan Martial Arts schools.

Guo Kong Xi Master Guo, who passed away shortly after his 100th birthday, was a Master of Guo Family (Guo Village) Martial Arts. The late Master Guo taught in such a way as to keep alive the spirits of his Ancestors...persons such as his Master, Zhou Zhen Qun, and Zhou Zhen Qun's Master, the legendary Zhou Ze He. Towards the end of his life, Master Guo accepted me as his first-ever non-Chinese long-term student and so began to teach me the very Essence of his own Family Martial Arts system. Although Master Guo is no longer with us, he and his unique Martial Arts lives on within the Art of "Sanshangong".

Guo Yong Qi Half the size of his older gongfu brother, Guo Meng Wei, Yong Qi's slight and wiry body-build is hugely deceptive! A formidable practitioner of Guo Family Martial Arts, Yong Qi is quiet, friendly, and always smiling, yet to mess with this man would only serve to redefine the word "Dangerous" !

Guo Meng Wei A senior and advanced student under Guo Kong Xi, Meng Wei is, in terms of his holistic attitude to Martial Arts, the re-incarnation of Master Zhou Zi He! Diligent, patient, intelligent, and as strong as Li Kwei (from the Chinese Classic , " The Water Margin"), Meng Wei is, together with his younger gongfu brother, Guo Yong Qi, an invaluable fragment of Real Chinese Martial Arts!

Higaonna Morio A Master of traditional Okinawan Gojuryu Karatedo, Higaonna Sensei has been a major influence upon me since 1980 when I first trained under him at his dojo in Yoyogi (a district of Tokyo in Japan). In 1988 I was invited to attend a large research meeting in Fuzhou organized jointly by Higaonna Morio and the "Fuzhou Wushu Association". Soon after that I began to train under Higaonna Sensei at every given opportunity. This led to my joing his Association - the IOGKF - and so subsequently I trained under him at a number of locations including Australia, Spain, Portugal, Okinawa, Arkansas, New York City, and at his home-based dojo in Southern California.

Master Alex Co Based in Manila's "Chinatown" district Master Co is one of the senior-most Martial Arts Masters of the Philippines. A Master of the "Five Ancestor Fist" style of Fujianese Martial Arts, Master Co is also a highly-skilled practitioner of "Praying Mantis" and "Hong Gar", to name just two of his other areas of Martial Arts studies.

Master Huang A teacher of Fubaoquan (Tiger-Leopard Fist). Master Huang resides in Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province (a location I was steered towards as a rerful Art. sult of my Goju Karate/Fuzhou Fist research). I was put in-touch Master Huang when i first visited the "Wenzhou Tiyuquan", a sports complex in Wenzhou City that also houses the official Wenzhou Martial Arts teaching/training Centre. Master Huang is a large and stocky-built man. Very quiet and very polite-just like 99.9% of all the Chinese Masters I have had the very good fortune to meet and study under. It would seem that Master Huang does not actively teach Fubaoquan and so I did feel especially privileged to be taught by such a low-profile veteran of this wonde

Jeung Gwok Dai A Master of Dragon Fist Boxing, Mr. Jeung is based within the Kowloon ("Nine Dragons") district of Hongkong. A traditionalist at heart, Jeung Gwok Dai is a professional Chinese herbalist whilst, aside from teaching Dragon Fist, he also teaches Taijiquan, Liuhebafa, and Qigong.

"Guru" Mark Wiley A student of the Five Ancestor style under Master Alex Co, Mark Wiley is a Master and teacher in his own right when it comes to the native Fighting Arts of the Philippines. Having spent years on-location in the Orient, Master Wiley (or Guru Wiley) also specializes in Escrima and Qigong. Mark Wiley (pictured right together with one his his teachers, the Late Master Illustrisimo) resides in Philadelphia, USA., where he teaches "5 Ancestor Fist" to a small group of Wushu enthusiasts.

Master Liu Song Shan An acclaimed master of the Fujian Feeding Crane style, Master Liu is no stranger no Fuzhou and no stranger to the Fuzhou Masters even though he lives very far away - in Tainan, south Taiwan. My first meeting with the Master Liu was, in fact, in Fuzhou City although it was not until my extended visit to Tainan that I approached Master Liu and asked him to teach me the essence of his Art. To this Master Liu readily agreed and so took me under his wing. Aside from being an accomplished Crane Master, Liu Son Shan is also a Master Herbalist. At the time of my traing he was actively passing on his knowledge of Chinese herbs to a young local Chinese lady.