History

 
 

I am not Chinese. I may have been in another life but not this one. I am not even sure what an "American" is - So I can't be what I am not - You may be asking what is the man sure of - I am sure that I am of Now and I am Here in this moment.

I am not there - Not 300, 400, 500 years ago - Those times do not apply to me - Human Nature has not changed - But our Society has - Our perception has - Our understanding has - And Our Lives have - Change is the Only Constant - I am so very proud of our roots - This is meant to be truthful and not disrespectful - But we must remember "Tradition and Etiquette are important but never at the expense of one's connection with the universe and the fulfillment of their destiny…"(yanshui - Shing Shun Kwoon's Mission Statement - 2000)

This is what the Shing Shun Kwoon represents - the development of the Human Being - The individual - Finding their Path. Society is in the business of destroying the Human Spirit - It was E. E. Cummings who said; "To be nobody-but-yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else----means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting."

So I challenge all of you Martial Artists, especially you teachers, to use your system to free the Human Spirit - Don't try to confine it, control it or most importantly don't destroy it for your own benefit or gain. The question you need to ask yourself is this: Am I helping this Being unite with his/her spirit and attack their deeply imbedded fears or am I just playing to those fears. You must challenge them. Some are not up to the challenge but that is not for you to decide - it is for them to decide - it must be their choice.

If your system is built to control rather than free - change it or change systems - If your instructor chooses to control rather than free - change instructors - If the organization you belong to chooses to control rather than free - change it or better yet - rid yourself of it.

So, I welcome you to our web site and hope you are stimulated in some way. May you be entertained, amused, challenged, or caused to stir - a stir that initially may be simple and surface in nature, but that may grab your core in a strangle-hold and cause you to seek Self...

enjoy........

 

-Yanshui

First let me thank those who have help bring me to here – not that here is “anywhere” – what is important is that I am no longer where I used to be – I am further along on my path…

Thank you to:

God - For the Tao, my path, the secret of Self and most importantly for Love and Forgiveness, for without these our human imperfections would be both meaningless and lasting...

My Sifu; Philip T. Holder – I can not say enough about this man – his belief in me when I didn’t believe in myself and sometimes when I didn’t deserved to be believed in was remarkable. His Kung Fu, his Kung Fu Way of Life and his Kung Fu Family Life is incredible. He is a true Sifu. I treasure my relationship with this man.

The Seekers – to the Students who have been part of my Life and Path – I am only a teacher if I have students – I only have students if I have something to share – This is a heartfelt thank you to those who have followed me on my Path and have felt I have something to share – As the Tao would have it I sometimes learn more from them then they learn from me – I am truly blessed - A True Teacher must be a True Seeker.

Sifu Chang San-Feng – Never referred to himself as Sifu – But I do – I am not even sure if that was his name – He appeared to have a few names – His Tai-Chi Chuan/ Chi Kung teachings can be best described as Inspirational – He is with me in Spirit.

Sifu Daniel K. Pai – I have never met this man but I feel like I know him – No, I do know him – through his students - especially his #1 Disciple; Pai, Li Lung. I am proud to say his teachings permeate through my life and my teachings.

Pai, Li Lung – Lessons I have learned from this man go way beyond what most would say is Kung Fu related – I don’t say that – To me everything is Kung Fu – especially what I have learned from Li Lung.

Sifu Chan Pui  – For introducing me to Sifu X – Who shared and practiced his version of Wing Chun with me, at times, on the side of a road. My exposure to this man changed my view of Wing Chun forever. I am forever indebted to Chan Pui for this introduction.

Sifu X - I choose to not mention his name because I wish to respect his privacy – mostly to protect him because of the circumstances surrounding him at the time – Though limited time spent together – I had been exposed to a Wing Chun that I had never seen before – I could never go back - I will forever be in his debt.

Sifu Garrett Gee – For welcoming me into his Kwoon and sharing his Hung Fa Yi Lineage of Wing Chun. He will probably never know how much of an effect he has had on my Path – I could not do it justice in a paragraph or two. Even if our paths may never cross again – he will always remain in my thoughts and prayers.

Sifu Benny Meng – For being my friend and brother in the Martial Arts – For allowing me to go to China and Hong Kong with his school and family – A trip that changed me and my perception of things forever - I couldn’t even begin to explain here – For starting the Wing Chun Museum and his deep Caring and Devotion to Wing Chun.

Sifu Karl Godwin – The lessons that I learned from Karl are so valuable to me. In an indirect way he taught me how to open my Kung Fu Doors, Spirit and Soul to others – He helped me refine my Living Man Sao – Through my interaction with him I discovered how to do this in a Shaolin Way. I will forever be in his debt.

The Others – Grandmaster Jae Chul Shin & Dominick Giacobbe and for all the martial artists who have crossed my path and shared with me their experiences, souls and spirit – I thank you all…

To Jeannine –  you will always be the yin/yang to my yang/yin in this life and all those that follow........

 Now to the Future…A beautiful Spring it shall be and we shall all want to sing its praises…

 

-Yanshui

 



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