Formosa Neijia

Here’s the first batch of profiles on the teachers at the upcoming Beijing camp being led by Mike Martello.

Taiji

Song Xujin

Master Song was born in the year 1933, a Beijing resident of Manchurian ethnicity. Fascinated by martial arts at an early age, he started Shaolin training with renowned Beijing master Luo Xingwu. Master Song later chose to specialize in Yang Style Taiji, having received tutelage from:

Master Jin Xiwu (disciple of Grandmaster Yang Jianhou) in Laojia (Old Frame) Yang Style forms, weaponry, Sanshou applications and internal cultivation methods;

Master Cui Yishi in Dajia (Big Frame) Yang Style forms, weaponry and Pushing Hands;

Master Wu Tunan (disciple of Grandmaster Yang Shaohou) in Yang Style Taiji Xiaojia (Small Frame) and Kuaijia (Fast Frame).

Master Song has dedicated his life in researching and preserving the old flavor, forms and training methods of early period traditional Yang Style Taiji, and is widely considered to be one of the most knowledgeable Yang Style teachers in Beijing

Zhang Man-jun

Master Zhang Manjun learned martial arts since childhood, starting Bagua training with his father. Later in life, he learned various Long Fist systems from master Si Yongliang and Xingyiquan from master Chai Fengshan. He is a disciple of master Song Xujin and is himself also an experienced teacher in his own right.

Baguazhang

Wang Zhiping

Master Wang is a disciple of Grandmaster Gao Ziying. For two generations, the Gao family received teachings from great Bagua masters such as Yin Fu, Liu Dekuan and Guo Gumin. The Gao family eventually established their own branch of Baguazhang, the Gao Family Style, which is the accumulation of the martial knowledge of the Yin, Liu and Liang styles of Baguazhang. (Not to be confused with the Gao Yisheng branch of Bagua, descended from the Cheng style)

Master Wang Zhiping has trained and taught Baguazhang for more than twenty years, specializing in Bagua combat applications. In addition to Baguazhang, Master Wang has also trained Taiji, Xingyi and Yiquan. Master Wang has taught in China as well as in Malaysia, and is renowned for his no-nonsense teaching approach.

Xingyi

Yuan Baohai

Master Yuan is an expert of Shang Style Xingyi, having received teachings from Grandmaster Bao Yuzao. Master Yuan has trained extensively in the arts of Shaolin and Taijiquan, and throughout the 1980’s and 90’s has won numerous awards at China’s national martial arts tournaments in the categories Xingyi, Taiji and Straight Sword.

Shaolin

Liu Baohua

Master Liu became a disciple of Shaolin master Zhang Guangying at the age of 15, studying the system of Shaolin Eight Methods. For decades, Master Liu has trained seven hours minimum each day, and has achieved great proficiency in every aspect of the Shaolin Bafa system. Being in his 50’s, he still shows amazing flexibility and great health.

Zeng Aijie

Master Zeng is the disciple of Shaolin master Ren Qiwen. Throughout his martial arts career, master Zeng has excelled himself in the various empty-handed and weapon routines of the Shaolin Eight Methods System, as well as mastering the hard and soft training methods of this style. As a police officer, master Zeng has used his combat skills to single-handedly arrest over 100 criminals.

Sanda/Shuaijiao

Yu Shaoyi

Master Yu started his martial arts training in 1970, learning the art of Chinese-Mongolian wrestling called Shuaijiao from renowned wrestling expert master Wang Deying. From 1975 onwards, he also learned Baiyuan Tongbei from Grandmaster Zhang Guizeng. Apart from Shuaijiao and Tongbei, master Yu has also trained extensively in Xingyi, Bagua and Sanda. He was three times regional Shuaijiao champion of Beijing. Currently master Yu is Shuaijiao Instructor of the Beijing People’s Martial Arts Association and holds the rank of 5th duan as a Chinese martial arts coach.

Tongbei

Yang Shuhong

Master Yang was a martial arts fanatic since early childhood, and sought out different teachers and schools to learn skills. He became proficient at Shuaijiao, Shaolin and Long Fist, before becoming a disciple of Tongbei master Ma Xichun. Since then, Master Yang has specialized himself in the old Qi style of Tongbei, analyzing every single technique and application for decades. Master Yang is an experienced teacher who is very eager to pass his knowledge onto students of younger generations.

Zhang Xinbin

Master Zhang was born in Beijing in the year 1954. In his late teens, he became a student of Master Zhang Guizeng and started his training in Baiyuan (White Gibbon) Tongbei. Baiyuan Tongbei is an extremely vicious, aggressive martial art, relying on fast movements, brutal techniques and crisp power. In addition to Master Zhang Guizeng’s teachings, Master Zhang Xinbin also studied Chinese wrestling from Master Yang Guozhen, pushing hands from master Jiang Qimin and Yiquan from masters Li Jianyu and Yu Yongnian. Master Zhang is the Chief Instructor of the Beijing People’s Martial Arts Association and Vice-President of the Beijing Traditional Muslim Martial Arts Association. He is known for his excellent methods of building martial power and also for his superb fighting skills.