Sun-Link-Sea

In January, 2008, we went on a training trip up into the mountains with the whole Chang Hong Kung Fu group. We visited a place called San Lin Hsi, which translates into something like "Fir Woods Stream".

The place is known for its flowers and trees, many of which only grow at its elevation of 1600m.

On this trip, we focused on the practice and use of straightsword. Here, Master Chen demonstrates an application for the group.

Instructor Ray Lu practicing San Tsai Jian, or Three Powers Sword.

The group, practicing a southern sword form, Hong Men Jian.

River and Alastair, hard at work perfecting technique.

Our Hsinchu group, minus Paula (behind the camera).

At the end of the trip we stopped in Lugang, where Master Chen had grown up. He took some time to demonstrate a few movements with the straightsword.

Young Forest Temple

We took our first trip to the Shaolin Temple in the summer of 2002. Located within the Songshan Mountains in Henan, China, it's considered the birthplace of both Shaolin Kung Fu and Zen Buddhism. Regardless of how touristy it is these days, its ancient origins and remarkable history keep it a pilgrimage site for many modern-day kung fu practitioners from all over the world.

We stayed the night near the temple and heard shouts of training coming from the courtyard outside our hostel at 5 a.m. Thousands of young students train at not only the temple, but also at numerous schools located in the nearby town, Dengfeng.

When they asked for volunteers, Tsai Yu-Hsin and I could not resist. Here we are, failing at our attempt to pull the bowl from the young monk-in-training's abdomen. It seemed pretty impressive at the time, but there was, however, a bit of a trick involved....

Kung Fooey

I took some photos at the Tai Chi Chuan class at the Science Park Lake (人工湖). Ray (my teacher) teaches the class and I review it with the students afterwards. I don't think I am all that necessary, but I really need the review/second time learning opportunity so I really like it.


The class starts with basic warm-up exercises and then chi kung practice.


There are men and women. Most of the students are not affiliated with our school's regular classes, but there are three students from the evening classes that have joined the class.


Then we practice the first section of Tai Chi.


It is actually a lot more difficult than it seems. There are subtleties that are easy to skip and ignore.

Part of the group is new and so they continue reviewing part one and the other group practices the second part of Tai Chi. (our form has 3 parts)



The students are all either parents from the Science Park School or teachers. They have been practicing since September 2007. They practice Chi kung as well as Tai Chi chuan. I think it is good. I wanted to take more photos on other days, but unfortunately, the weather has turned and it's been raining on Thursday mornings and so we've been inside and it's dark in there. Next time maybe.

Real Kung Fu

When we first arrived in Taiwan, we decided to try and find something we could study that would enrich our experience living here. We had spent some time learning about and practicing meditation while we traveled through India and Nepal, so our aim was to find something as deep and fulfilling. We knew we'd be able to find authentic martial arts, but weren't sure of exactly which kinds. As it turned out, we'd find one of the oldest. Chinese martial arts, or Kung Fu as they are referred to in the West, have roots that go back as far as 4000 years. Because they are so old, they either inspired or influenced most other Eastern martial arts.

It was really just luck that brought us to our teacher, Lu Rui-Hsu. Once we got to Taiwan we started asking just about everyone we met where we could study Kung Fu, and while most said that we could certainly find it in Taiwan, no one could tell us exactly where to go. It was a chance conversation with a friend that finally brought us the information we had almost given up on finding. A few days later we followed it and nervously walked into the Kung Fu school one Saturday afternoon in January, 2001. I had no idea what to expect, since all my thoughts of the martial arts had been shaped by American TV and movies. We didn't know it at the time, but what we discovered that day set us on a path that has changed our lives in profound ways.