Here I would like to thank all my masters and teachers from whom I have been privileged to learn so much over the past 37 years. During this time I have concentrated on studying more than 10 different styles of martial arts, meditation, massage and healing systems of the Far East and they have taught me much that is interesting and which has helped to expand my consciousness..
There have been times when either I or the masters thought that I would never make it – due to the sheer magnitude of the subject matter. With hindsight though, I seem to have been lucky enough to have assimilated and developed within myself a good deal of what I was able to learn from all of them. Sometimes I can no longer say whether I really learned a certain technique from one of my many masters or whether it was a natural development of my intensive studies of the subject matter they taught me. There appears to be a higher-level network of everything with everything.
Simply by exactly following and applying the given energetic laws and principles, new and yet equally correct principles are bound to arise through the combination of many different principles.
Anyway, this is what I experience day in and day out, week in and week out during my classes. I am thankful for everything I have ever been permitted and able to learn and understand from teachers, masters, grand masters and sometimes simply from a sparring partner or student.
“If your endeavours are honest, success will come of its own accord at some point”
(old Chinese quote from a needle grinder)
I see the success and popularity of the German Tai Chi Forum as a logical consequence of this law: it has been the almost automatic result of the honest efforts of well over 37 years. An awful lot of work, attention to detail, heart and soul has gone into the gathering, comprehension and compilation of this knowledge. Some people who are new to the subject might find this logical and easy to understand. On a purely intellectual level this may be true, but seen from the viewpoint of all levels of existence it presents quite a challenge. Only those who have studied with several masters and undertaken a few journeys to uncover all manner of secret knowledge can really appreciate and true value of our work. My hope is that more people will eventually become very actively involved with the study of this highly qualified knowledge. I also hope that this will lead to an expansion and improvement of their consciousness – I know it has mine in ways I would never have dreamed of.
At this point I would like to express my thanks to everyone in chronological order. Those at the top of the list are not necessarily the most important – it is simply that they were my first teachers. At the same time I have not been afraid to place well-known masters and teachers alongside relatively or completely unknown teachers. I didn’t always learn most of what is most important to me from the most famous masters. I have maintained friendly links with many of my lesser known teachers, and still do.
Masters (in chronical order)
Judo
Robert Heil, (then 4th Dan Judo)
During my childhood in the late 60’s in my home town of Rüsselsheim. The Judo club recruited us in the first years of high school. The Club supported us in many ways, including the permanent loan of judo suits and belts. As children we found great pleasure in learning judo, which was considered somewhat exotic at that time. Many of those who later became German and South West German champions had their roots in these school groups. After about 3 years I moved on to other types of sport.
13. Mantak Chia,
Head of the Healing Tao movement, worldwide. Main themes: Taoist energy science, theory and philosophy of Taoism. Almost all the meditations I know. I thank him for every book and publication and everything he has so generously given to the interested world. Between 1987 and the mid 90s I immersed myself in everything that was taught in seminars in Zurich, Winterthur and Frankfurt. From the mid 90s onward I turned my attention for several years to the American Tai Chi masters scene.
14. Juan Li
Student in his Master Class. Knowledge of I-Ching, breathing and meditation, Tibetan Dream Yoga, nutrition and meditation, Buddha Hand and spiritual Tai Chi and Qi Gong. Valuable information about his own long years of practice during many workshops and private conversations – he was very open and generous. Many thanks for your well-drawn sketches and pictures and the mind-expanding conversations we had in Zurich, Winterthur, Frankfurt and Wiesbaden.
(a meridian gymnastics and massage system similar to Shiatsu, but not widely known in Europe)
15. Junko Jano
Between 1987 and 1989 my wife and I learned the main aspects of the complete Inochi system. Our teacher was the daughter of the re-discoverer of the long-forgotten traditional preventative health system known as Inochi. We studied with her during numerous courses and seminars. Inochi is a meridian exercise and massage system from Japan. It also comprises a character classification system, dietetic system and a complex system of diagnosis. There are only very few Inochi practitioners in Germany at this time.
20. Meister Zhi Chang Li
A little Qi Gong, basic course, I only studied with him for a short time, but feel I should mention him as a matter of form. On the basis of his impressive abilities and his strong personality alone, he deserves a mention. There are certain people whom you only need to meet once, and yet you learn something which will accompany you for a lifetime. I have also studied all of his books at great depth..
The controversial, shimmering light eater (she thrives on pranic nourishment)
24. Jasmusheen (Pranaianerin)
The light eater has lived for 7 years without solid food. Pranic nourishment. Much knowledge about the ascended masters and numerous particularly powerful and spiritual meditations. Had an extremely mind-expanding effect on me. Highly inspiring personality. Despite what is now said about her, for me she was extremely inspiring and helped me greatly along my chosen path – for this I owe her a debt of gratitude, whatever the press says about her. A single, warm-hearted, energy-laden handshake from her back then in Munich made a greater impression on me than words or books which others took years to write. It was one of the key energetic experiences of my life, despite the 30 years of practical energy work which lay behind me at that time. I consider her a kind, warm-hearted person. She has written several very good books –I found those on the subject of resonance particularly helpful – they were published in German by the Koha Verlag.
30. At the first China International Martial Arts Camp in Shanghai / Souzhou in 2004, organized by George Xu, my teacher of many years, I was able to study intensively with other eminent teachers of several of the internal arts. The new teachers are listed here – two of them were teaching in public for the first time at this seminar.
Group Photo of the Masters who taught at the First International Martial Arts Camp in Shanghai, China, 2004
From left to right: the two organizing Masters Dr. Gordon Xu, his brother Master George Xu and Volker Jung after the photo session at the end of the 2004 camp
31. Dr.Wang Zhi Xiang, Student of Wang Zhan Hong, a very proficient Tai Chi fighter, who trained the bodyguards for the president of Singapore. Tai Chi master of Yang Style Tai Chi, TCM doctor, well-known calligrapher. In my opinion, master Wang Zhi Xiang is one of the most intellectural Chinese masters of modern times. His lectures are highly clarifying and enriching because he can explain and also demonstrate very accurately and in great detail, all phenomena and principles. From him I learned a lot about Ba Men Wu Bu ( 8 Gateways and 5 transformation phases, directions and energies), space power, the difference between Jing energy and Yi energies which are far more powerful than the Jing energies. Also learned from him about “human to heaven harmony to one” and other important internal principles. Together with many of the long-term students assisting him, he was a great help on the subject of Push Hands.
From left to right: Master Dr. Wang Zhi Xiang beside Master Instructor Volker Jung and Dr. Wang’s top student at this time, once the top student of the late Grand Master Wang Hao Da.
32. Grand Master Wei Chun Yuan, 83 years of age
and his Top Grand Student Meister Chan Zhuen Yuan just over 60 years of age. From them we were able to learn Shang Xi 12 animals Xingyi Qi Gongs plus the first basic exercises. A very strenuous affair due to the stance, which required the thighs to be kept in an almost permanently horizontal position for over several hours a day. My student Sebastian Seipel spent almost all his time studying with these two older masters.
Chen Zhuen Yuan standing beside his Master Wei Chun Yuan with Volker Jung to the right
33. Meister Qian Zhao Hong, (also known as Chain Saw)
Xin Yi Liu He Quan = He Nan 10 animals Xingyi and Wu Dong Qi Gong. He is probably one of the best fighters I have ever personally seen. Highly imaginative – each attack a unique specimen. He marched through whole hordes of assailants as if they weren’t there, All the while remaining soft and gentle in his demonstration – but one can well imagine what it would be like if he were to get serious. I have seldom seen so many different combinations of kicks, levers, throws and punches.
Master Qian Zhao Hong and Master George Xu during the daily evening lecture which each master gave during the seminar.
34. Grandmaster Qing Zhong Bao (81 years of age at the time of the seminar)
His style: Shi Chuan Wumei Mountain Lan Shou Shaolin. He has practised his art since 1943 and has accepted just 10 students during his 50 years of teaching. 4 or 5 of them have learned his entire system and only they, in his opinion, are worthy of carrying on the tradition. One of them is the young master Wu Ji – an extremely nice person.
We were the first 10 students from outside China whom he had ever taught in public. It was a joy to see the immense powers a man of over 80 can still possess thanks to years of intensive training. Although the Senior Master only rarely practises Push Hands in Lan Shou, he demonstrated incredible pushes with one of George Xu’s Japanese students. These pushes looked completely relaxed, and yet each time they flung his opponent between 5 and 10 metres through the room – and he was a man who is known to have an extremely good stance.
Picture shows Grand Master Qing Zhong Bao and Wu Ji together with their first group of western students in the hotel in Souzhou.
From left to right: Master Wu Ji, Grand Master Qing Zhong Bao and Volker Jung at the end of the 10-day workshop in December 2004.
35. Meister Wu Ji
His style: Shi Chuan Wumei Mountain Lan Shou Shaolin.
His nickname is “Copper Skin – Iron Bone Man”. He is one of the four special students of his Grand Master – a man who has only ever had 10 serious students in over 50 years of teaching practise. Wuji has practised Lan Shou for over 27 years. At 45, he was one of the youngest teachers at the seminar. I got on very well with him, as he is roughly my age. He was delighted that someone like me, whom he had never seen before, should know the very rarely taught Double Broadsword form of this system and was able to perform it in front of him and his Senior Master. Immediately following this demonstration he appeared much more willing to make our classes with him even better. Once again, it is thanks to my long-time, excellent teacher George Xu that I have known this form since 1994. Before I took part in this seminar I wasn’t aware how few people still practise Lan Shou world wide. In the whole of China there are only two cities where it is still practised in earnest – Shanghai is one of them – and according to the two old masters, there are only about 200 serious students in China. Thanks to George there are several in the USA and some of my students in Germany. He taught us almost one third of the whole system in 10 days. This consisted mainly of the sequences rather than the deeper aspects and principles – these can’t be learned in only 10 days, of course. Nevertheless, I am extremely indebted to the two masters for letting us all in to the secrets of these very rare forms and training elements of this extremely rare system. We learned the whole of the first two forms, 8 Brocades à la Lan Shou, standing Qi Gongs and seated meditations. In addition we learned several strength-increasing stances. Wu Ji also gave me some private lessons during which he gave me intensive correction and extended my knowledge of the Double Broadsword form, simply because he was overjoyed to find someone from outside China who had already learned this form and still practised it. I have only rarely seen anyone who is faster and more efficient than he, either in combat or in self defence. He was a task-force trainer and during his years of service he defeated every one of the other task-force trainers in the Chinese Army. He appears charming and rather unprepossessing, but beware when he gets going – his outward appearance changes completely and he becomes a fighting machine.
Lan Shou Meister Wu Ji with Volker Jung
Master Wu Ji warding off a kick from an American student.
36. Meister Xu Guo Chuang, a student of Dien Jien Shan, who was, in turn, one of the top students of Wu Kuong Yi.
His speciality is: maximum natural gravity, liquid complete unit. He can stand extremely well and steadily on only one leg and it is almost impossible for anyone to push him over, although he is only standing on one leg, thanks to his special internal principles
Master Xu Guo Chuang with a student during the seminar.
37. Meister Jiang Zhong Bao
His style: Chen Style Tai Chi: His nickname is “Rope Man”. When he touches you, you have the feeling of being entwined by a strong rope and can no longer move. His hands are called “sticky rice hands”. He was very friendly and even in the evenings, after lessons was often prepared to answer any questions anyone liked to ask him. He had an immensely strong hand and his fingers were even stronger. Although he weighed 70 kilos at the most, he had no trouble in forcing even the largest American who weighed a little over 100 kilos to his knees.
Master Jiang Zhong Bao during his evening lecture with an American student showing a Tai Chi parry.
I am certain that the names of several other world-famous masters, both male and female will be added to this considerable list over the next few years. I hope to have given you some idea of the comprehensive and complex training I have undergone during the past 37 years. It is impossible to learn everything and I have never met a master who knew everything there was to know. Some of the aforementioned masters are real phenomena in their fields, but often only in their specific fields. Through their extreme specialization, which is often very time-consuming, it is not easy for some of them to gain such a broad overview. I doubt whether many of them have become aquainted with the half of what I have seen during my long years of searching. It was, and is an enormous amount of ancient, secret knowledge. I am not claiming that I have mastered everything I have ever encountered, sometimes just in passing, but my tireless search has given me an insight into many of the mysteries of this planet. Sometimes, in the course of conversation, it became obvious that I have knowledge of many things that even some Chinese people have never heard of.
Last but not least I would like to mention all the teachers Vera and I have trained over the years, as well as our multitude of Students the world over. In the course of over 20 years as Tai Chi teachers we have been able to gain valuable experience with all these keen people. Through our preoccupation with the subject, we have been able to make countless discoveries, both large and small, after years of teaching at increasingly subtle levels. We could never have made such progress in our own practice without all these exceedingly eager people. For how can one aspire to higher things without knowing one’s own position at any particular time? You can only define your own position with any accuracy, if you have other people with which to compare yourself. Our thanks to all the students who have accompanied us along the way, sometimes for longer, sometimes only for a short time.
I would like to encourage all those who are still practising to carry on, because our experience shows that Tai Chi, Qi Gong and Taoist meditation get more interesting the longer you practise them. And this is definitely not always the case with lots of other things. Besides, could anything be more important than the study of Chi, the universally preserving life force.
Finally I would like to thank my longstanding training partners Hans Jürgen Klemenz (Taekwon-Do), Heiner Martin (WT), in Tai Chi especially my oldest all-time training partner Gunnar König (who was tragically killed in a road accident on 24th March 2004 through no fault of his own), and Matthias Schader and Klaus Birker for the many hours of training we spent together. I have also spent many pleasant and professionally stimulating hours with Hans Kurt Schäfer, Andreas Heyden, Wolfgang Hesse Schiller and Alexander Kron. I mustn’t forget my colleagues Andreas Friedrich in Munich and Ralf Heber in Ulm. I would also like to thank all my American training partners and teachers, whom I met and came to appreciate during numerous seminars in the USA, above all Jamie Cobb, Jim Servas, Don Miller. Much of my knowledge could never have been attained without these people – my thanks to you all.
I must also thank all those who I have forgotten to mention here because that they slipped my memory at the moment of writing. Please be aware of my gratitude at this present moment.
Volker Jung,
head of teacher training at the German Tai Chi Forum