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| Chen Family Taijiquan | |
| with Master Wong Wai Yi (Tony) | |
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Profile of Tony Wong
Wing Chun with Sifu Kenneth Chung:
Although Tony learned Chinese "gong fu" during his teenage years in Hong Kong, he felt his real martial arts training did not really start until he met Sifu Kenneth Chung. Sifu Ken is a very innovative and true Wing Chun master. In the early 1980's, Tony began studying and practicing Wing Chun at Sifu Ken's home in Los Altos, California. Sifu Ken opened Tony's eyes to martial arts. Not only is Ken an exceptional Wing Chun master, Ken is always open and willing to expose his own group to other true martial art masters. That led Tony to his Qigong and Taiji masters later on in his martial art journey. Tony still maintains a close relationship with Sifu Ken and appreciates Ken's openess in sharing his martial arts expertise as well as his sincerity in exploring and exchanging martial arts topics with others.
In the mid 1980's, Tony began studying and training in Yang style taijiquan (Guang Ping) for health reasons - to relax and obtain mobility for a stiff shoulder and bad knees. It was not until Sifu Ken introduced Tony to Master Cai Song Fang (Qigong master from China) in the summer of 1987 that Tony discovered the other aspects of Taiji and Qigong - the martial arts aspect. He discovered that not only are Taiji and Qigong beneficial to one's health, but within Taiji and Qigong are martial arts applications. Master Cai gave Tony a glimpse of the benefits hidden in Taiji and Qigong and inspired Tony to look further into the internal martial arts. Since then, Tony has been on a quest - intensely searching, exploring, investigating, researching, and pursuing everywhere the internal martial arts aspect as well as the health aspect of Taiji and Qigong.
In 1993, Tony met Master Zhang Xuexin, a Chen Taijiquan Master from China. Tony began learning Chen Style Taijiquan (Master Feng Zhiqiang's Chen Style Xin Yi Hun Yuan Taijiquan System - Xin Jia) from Master Zhang. In the early years when Master Zhang was teaching more classes, Tony practiced intensively five days a week with Master Zhang. When Master Zhang reduced his public class time from five days to three days per week, Tony and a group of close students attended private practice sessions with Master Zhang while he continued to attend the public classes. Tony felt that Master Zhang was the person who not only opened the door to Chen Taijiquan for him, but also gave him the building blocks of a strong foundation for his future pursuit of excellence in Chen Taijiquan. Tony continues to maintain a close relationship with Master Feng's group in China and hosts workshops for Master Feng's Chen Shi Xin Yi Hun Yuan Taijiquan System when Master Feng's daughter and most senior disciple, Chen Xiang, visit the U.S.
Tony met and started studying with Master Chen Qingzhou during Master Chen's first visit to the United States in 1994. With Master Zhang Xuexin's permission to help Master Chen Qingzhou promote Chen Family Taijiquan Gong Fu Frame (Lao Jia) in the United States, Tony started looking into Lao Jia Chen Taiji. Tony began studying and practicing Lao Jia Chen Family Taijiquan with Master Chen Qingzhou. It was Master Chen Qingzhou who led Tony one step further into his Taiji journey. As a matter of fact, Master Chen Qingzhou was the first person who taught Tony and a group of Tony's close friends how to practice dantian rotation through exercises. Tony believes Master Chen Qingzhou was the first Taiji teacher to teach dantian rotation (one of the characteristics of Chen Taiji) to a public class in the United States. Tony is fascinated by both Lao Jia and Xin Jia systems of Chen Taiji. He understands the different emphasis of each system as he observes and explores various applications of each system. Tony feels fortunate that he has the opportunity to follow Master Chen Qingzhou and to continue Master Chen Qingzhou's lifelong pursuit and efforts of preserving the very original Taijiquan system as how it was handed down to him from generation to generation. Learning the complete Lao Jia system from Master Chen Qingzhou enables Tony to gain knowledge and understanding of the Lao Jia and Xin Jia Chen Taiji systems as well as gives Tony an in-depth insight to the evolution of Chen Taijiquan. It is Master Chen Qingzhou who transmitted this original Chen Taiji system to Tony unconditionally in its
Tony believes that the pursuit of knowledge, understanding, and excellence in Taijiquan is a life-long journey. Although Tony mentioned only four teachers who made significant contribution to his martial arts development, there were others from whom he had learned - other teachers, friends, and students. Tony is deeply appreciative of all these individuals who have contributed toward his knowledge, practice, and understanding of both the health and martial aspects of Taijiquan as well as other martial arts. Although Tony has permission from Master Chen Qingzhou, Master Chen Xiaowang, Master Zhang Xuexin, and Master Chen Zhengzhong to teach their Taiji and Yiquan systems to the public, Tony considers himself a humble student of Taijiquan who is on a journey of discovery as he practice it each day. Tony wants to share and pass on this wonderful art of Chen Taijiquan, both the health and the martial aspects, to others. It is Master Chen Qingzhou's open teaching philosophy that Tony has committed to follow and carry on. "Taiji belongs to the world", said Master Chen Qingzhou. 1) Tony is a co-founder of the National Neigong Research Society. He acts as a technical advisor and instructor of Chen Taiji. October 31, 2007 Sing Tao Newspaper Article about Tony Wong.
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Tony Wong (Wong Wai Yi)
: On the surface, it means to cover up for your elders, but we should take it one step further. Wei zhang zhe huireflects the attitude of respecting our seniors and the way of committing ourselves to martial art integrity while showing appreciation for the devotion and hard work of the past generations. This is one of the principles Sifu Ken always emphasized in his school and it is this principle Tony benefits the most from Sifu Ken?s teaching that has a deep influence in Tony's martial art integrity standard.
"yuan zhi yuan wei" (i.e., original juice original flavor) as how he learned it from his teacher, Master Chen Zhaopi. Tony became Master Chen Qingzhou's indoor disciple in 1999.
: (Renown Master) at the 2000 International Taiji Conference held in Wenxian County (the birthplace of Taiji), China. Tony also received his first grade award and gold medals at the various competitions in this conference. 