Realizing the need to take this exploration far deeper than this meeting would allow,
Simon decided that, upon leaving China this time around, he would return within five
years when he would stay awhile and research this link by going deeper and wider.
Simon returned to Fuzhou in 1993 whereupon he found work as an English teacher and stayed for two years.

This decision to stay, study, and absorb the local culture via local martial arts was a
very important one – not just for Simon but for the Worldwide community of active
martial artists upon a historic level for no-one had stayed in Fuzhou for such a length
of time since the likes of the legendary Okinawan Karate Masters, Uechi Kanbun and Higashionna Kanryo back in the 1880s and 1900s. They were also for the sole purpose
of studying local Fujianese martial arts under local Fujianese martial arts masters.

What Simon learnt during his time on-location provided both the inspiration and the rockbed that is “San Shan Gong”.

During his practice of Gojuryu karate (1975 until 1995) Simon earnt the 3rd Degree Blackbelt from his principal teacher (in 1987) and then again in 1991 from the Okinawan karate master, Higaonna Morio (9th Dan Okinawa Gojuryu).

Aside from Gojuryu karate, Simon has studied other martial arts, namely Judo, Aikido, Arnis De Mano, Judo, Kendo, Shotokan Karate, and Taekwondo.

In order to understand Martial Arts in-depth it is not enough to simply practice…one also has to visit and spend time in the Orient in order to soak up the culture and dig deep into the sub-soil of the Land from which these Arts have grown. In order to do this, Simon has spent extended periods of time in Asia and South-East Asia where he has sought-out various Arts and their respective Masters. As a result, Simon has lived in Fuzhou City,
China (where he spent two years studying under a number of veteran Martial Arts Masters), Hongkong (where Simon spent two years studying and researching traditional Chinese Martial Arts), and Taiwan (where Simon lived for six months studying Fujianese Martial Arts). In addition to this, Simon has spent more than a year in South-East Asia where his Martial Arts research took him to Thailand, West Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. During this time, Simon studied Muaythai (Thai Boxing) and Arnis De Mano (Escrima).

In 1991, Simon was introduced to ”Fengshui” which led him to a Martial Arts and Fengshui Master in West Malaysia. As a result, Simon has made the connection between these Arts and has since taken his research to a point where he can act competently as a Fengshui consultant.

As a lover of travel as well as training, Simon has visited many countries around the
World where he has trained under many senior martial arts masters. At the same time
did he also interview them in-depth and photograph them both for his own benefit of knowledge as well as for the benefit of others via his writing.

In 1990, Simon entered into the World of semi-professional writing and was a Technical Editor and International Correspondent for two UK-based martial arts magazines as well
as being a freelance writer for other martial arts magazines outside the UK.

As we entered into the newd Millennium, Simon wrote, presented, and assisted with the
off-line editing of six thirty-minute television programmes (“BLACKBELT”) for the Isle
Of Wight’s own television station, “TV12”

Simon has also presented “Adult Education” classes for the “Isle Of Wight College”
where he focused upon Qigong, Fengshui, and Self-Defence whilst more recently he has presented a ten-week course for the Medina High School’s “Sixth Form” class. There he taught both theoretical as well as practical classes on “Chinese Culture”.

In 2001, Simon launched his own Martial Arts publication (SECRETS OF THE MARTIAL ARTS) which is now in it third year of existence.

In 2004, Simon was invited to Belfast by the “Northern Ireland Wushu Association”
(the NIWA). There he was examined by the “Chinese Wushu Association” (CWA) of
Beijing, China and, as a result, was awarded the 4th Level “Duanwei” certificate of excellence which is now recognized Worldwide. More important than this, though,
Simon also put “Sanshangong” well and truly of the Martial Arts map as “Sanshangong”
is now a known quantity amidst the Global Superpower of Traditional Chinese Martial Arts.

As the only individual from England attending this event – the first-ever “Duanwei”
Grading to be held outside China” – Simon is the only Englishman and so is the first Englishman to be awarded such a title.

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