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* As first Blogged on Yahoo 360 *Message From Michael * Blogs from BeyondNg Mui - A Women’s Champion
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If You haven’t read the previous post, please Read that first * Ng Mui was a Nun and Abbess at the Shaolin Temple Monastery, Henan, China. She was one of The Five Elders there, and the only woman among them. Ng Mui was a Master of many Styles of Martial Arts, and is credited as the Creator of the only Style or System Created by a Woman ~ The Style is named Wing Chun.
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Thank You, Tess, Warrior Princess, Angel, RaJan,Ilda, and Phoenix for Reading and Sharing Your Comments with me! I really appreciate Your Comments and Feedback, and I had really been looking forward to Sharing this Information about Wing Chun, Ng Mui and Martial Arts. I felt many Women might Benefit from learning more, as Wing Chun most Especially by Design, can Give the Advantage to A Lady over A Man, or a Small person over a Big person! I have planned 2 following Blog Posts, which will share more information, and one Post will bring the Very Real World Situation of a Lady who has learned A Little Wing Chun, and uses it to Defend and Protect her Life and Home, in This Day and Time! I Think You May Find it Inspiring!! I originally Planned this as a Reply to Your Comments ~ it Grew and Evolved in Size to where I had to Consider Sending it as a Message, but it continued to Grow in Depth and Length, until the only option was to Post it as an Unplanned Blog! So, please do Follow Me Over to My Next Blog, in which I hope to Lend The Benefit of My Experiences and Speak to many of Your Comments and Observations. |
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| I taught Marksmanship, Shooting Skills and
Gun Safety for more then 15 years. I taught Courses in Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Home
Safety, Hunter and Range Safety. I taught Men, Women and Children, and became the
Certified Instructor for 2 Adult NRA Shooting Clubs and a Junior Olympic Shooting Club for
Youth. Some of the people that I Trained went on to become Special Forces, Sharpshooters,
and Blue Force Delta in the Military. Like Computers, Shooting is a Skill that can be
Taught and Learned. As it turned out, My Best Students often Women! Some of them were to later become Women Instructors whom I trained personally. Many of the people that completed the Firearms Training Courses were concerned about their Personal Safety. Many wanted to learn the Skills and Safety so that they could have a Gun in their Homes for Family Protection. There is an old Saying that, “Guns are as American as Apple Pie!!” In many Households there is a long Tradition of having Guns, and Teaching a Respect and Safety to the Children, as they come of age . Boys typically get their first BB Gun or .22 Caliber as they approach their Teens, and many get their first Shooting Experience in the Boy Scouts, as I did! Across the USA and Internationally, Girls and Women are an ever growing number on Shooting Teams and Olympic Competition!!  You maybe wondering, “What does all of this have to do with Martial Arts?” Well, for those people who were seeking A Self-Defense or Self-Protection Solution for themselves and Homes ~ I Always Recommended Firearms Training! Many of the Women I Trained were Single, and of them, many were Single Parents with Children to consider. In many cases Single Women maybe viewed and chosen as Easier Targets for Criminals. Women Living Alone or with Small Children had an ever increasing Worry about their Safety as Crime in America’s Cities grew more common! Thus, many more Women purchased Guns for Home and Personal Protection. A Gun is just a Tool, like a Car or Computer, and unless You have the Training and Knowledge to use it Safely and Effectively, it can be anything from Useless to A Danger to One’s Own Personal Safety. The number of Accidental Shootings each year is a indicator of that. I Do Not Promote or Condone Violence. I Do Believe in the Right of Anyone to Protect Themselves, Their Children, Their Family, Their Homes. A Firearm in the Home, can be A Deterrent to Crime and Criminals, and Can Offer Protection for The Individual, The Family and The Home. One need not Shoot an Intruder to Deter them, but a Shot fired from a Shotgun in a Safe Direction, can Often Send the Message to an Intruder, that would be enough to make them Flee. In many Cases Home Owners have Held Intruders at Gun Point, until The Police were Called and Arrived on the Scene to Arrest them. Many seeking Self-Defense turn to the Study of Martial Arts. I had always been fascinated with Martial Arts, from an early age. Movies that featured people using Judo, Jujitsu, or Karate always made an impression, and like many young boys, I Wanted to Learn How to Do that Too!! (smile) In the early 70’s Washington, DC was more of a Karate and Taekwando City. Most of the Clubs or Schools were only teaching Japanese or Korean Martial Arts ~ Judo, Jujitsu, Karate and Taekwando. Chinese Martial Arts, mainly Kung Fu, had been Kept more within The Chinese Community, and not taught to Foreigners or Americans on a open or widespread basis. So Chinese Kung Fu and Martial Arts were not widely known. All of that changed with Bruce Lee showcasing his Kung Fu, as Kato, on the Television Show, The Green Hornet! Kids everywhere across the USA, rushed home to sit in front of their TVs to see Bruce’s Dazzling Display of Kung Fu, as Kato!! A New Wave Crossed America! Bruce had Written a Script for an Idea he had for a Television Series, featuring A Chinese Shaolin Monk, and his Journey across America’s West and Early Frontier. Bruce Lee was to play the part of the Chinese Shaolin Monk. Sadly Bruce was turned down by the TV Studios, because they did not believe that American TV Audiences were Ready for An Asian TV Star! More Ironic still, David Carridine was cast in the Role, and had to undergo Makeup to make him appear “More Chinese”. When The TV Series, “Kung Fu” debuted, it immediately created A New Wave of People all around the World, seeking to Learn Chinese Kung Fu! Bruce went on to make his Kung Fu Movies, Chinese Connection, Fist of Fury, Enter The Dragon and Game of Death, which became Worldwide Sensations and rocketed him to International Stardom, along with the Interest in Chinese Kung Fu!! Our Shooting Clubs had Trained over 1,000 People in Marksmanship, Firearm Safety and Home Responsibility. We had a Perfect Safety Record! So, I had been busy Teaching Marksmanship during this time, but my interest in Kung Fu, had been growing more and more. I decided I wanted to Study Martial Arts, but I wanted to choose The Best One to Learn. That proved to be more confusing then enlightening. Everyone I asked, said, that Their Style of Martial Arts ~ Is The Best!! I decided to do the Research myself to be able to make a decision. I Read Everything I could find and get my hands on over the next 7 years!! I learned quite a lot! There were over 300 or more Styles or Systems to Choose From!! I spent a lot of time in Chinatown, and although a lot of the Books and materials were in Chinese, more and more were being printed in English. After 7 years of Reading and Collecting, I found a book that Impressed me beyond all others. It was written my James Yimm Lee, a Student of Bruce Lee. It was “Wing Chun Kung Fu”, and it was one of the Least Known Styles of Kung Fu in the West. It did NOT feature all of the Beautiful Flowery Movements that most of the others had, and instead was a Scientific System, based on Angles and Efficiency!  I knew that I had Succeeded in My Quest to Find the Most Efficient Style of Martial Arts for Me!! A Part of me was Overjoyed, that my 7 year Quest had led me here, BUT there was also a Sad Note, and that if I were to Choose Wing Chun, I would not be Doing Those Graceful and Impressive Moves that I had been Dazzled with in the Movies! Of course I had Imagined Myself in full Kung Fu Splendor, executing Flowing and Graceful, Impressive Techniques!! I went forward with my newly acquired knowledge, both Happy and Sad! Next was my Quest to Find a School and Teacher of Wing Chun. I visited the Kung Fu and Martial Arts Schools that had opened up around Washington, DC. “Do You Teach Wing Chun Kung Fu?” “No”, was always the Reply. For the most part I was to learn that there were only 5 or so Teachers of Wing Chun in the World!! My Heart Sank! The Teachers were living and Teaching in San Francisco, Hong Kong, and China! Woe, was I. Resolved to all I had discovered, I contemplated traveling to San Francisco or Hong Kong to Live and Study under one of those Teachers. It was not to be, in the near future, due to personal commitments of Job and School, and Instruction for the Three Shooting Clubs, but became a Dream I hoped to one day, some day, Pursue. Of All my Friends who had Studied Martial Arts, Taekwando and Judo, were their choices. They taught me a little here and there, but inside My Heart had been Won by Wing Chun. I was appreciative but not satisfied. I enrolled to Study Chinese Kung Fu at Lin’s Shaolin Kung Fu School in Washington, DC. I figured that it would benefit me in the mean time, and after all it was Shaolin Kung Fu, and I was very impressed with The Shaolin Temple’s History, Training and Martial Arts!! At Lin’s Shaolin Kung Fu, they taught Tai Shan Pai, Chi-Na and a blend of Northern Chinese Kung Fu. The Shaolin Arts featured all of the Beauty, Grace, Form, and Cultural Flavor that I had always imagined learning and performing! The School also stressed Martial Honor and Personal Codes of Conduct, Self-Discipline, Respect and Traditional Moral Values. Training was done under the Owner and Teacher (Sifu) Wily Lin and his Head Instructor Dennis Brown. Both had already established impressive Reputations in the Martial Arts Community and expanding outward from Washington, DC to an International arena. I was in Heaven On Earth, during my Training at Lin’s Shaolin Kung Fu School! I truly Loved It! So Impressive were the Ladies who had Learned and Become Proficient in Kung Fu! To See Them, Counter and Defend themselves against Men of all sizes, Effectively was So-o-o-o-o Impressive! To See the Accomplished Lady Members, My Kung Fu Sisters, executing Forms with Grace, Beauty and Fluid Motions was only surpassed by Watching Them performing Weapons Demonstrations with Shining Swords, Wooden Staffs and other Traditional Kung Fu Weapons ~ Cutting the Air, Metal Rings Rattling, Red Tassels Flying, Swoosh, Clang, in a Blinding Flurry of Movements!! My Heart ~ Be Still!! The Camaraderie of all the Members, Instructors and Classes. The Personal Empowerment of Learning Kung Fu Techniques and Forms, and the True Joy of becoming a Part of the New Generations, who could trace their Martial Arts Lineage to The Shaolin Temple Monastery! But in My Heart, I Still Longed for Wing Chun … Fate was to Intervene on My Behalf! |
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So many Times, Fate has Played an seemingly unbelievable Role in My Life! Such was to be the Case in My Search for Wing Chun! One of the Ladies that came to me for Firearms Training and Instruction was Carolyn. I had begun teaching her at my Home. I didn’t charge for Personal Training, and in Her Appreciation she Invited me to come as her guest, to the Martial Arts Classes she was taking. I thanked her for her invitation, as I knew that she was heartfelt and wanted to give me something in return for the Free Training I was giving her. I was interested to hear and talk about almost any kind of martial arts, and so I just routinely inquired from her, as to what style she was studying. I was anticipating her answer would be among the usual Systems that had caught on in popularity ~ Tai Chi Chuan, Praying Mantis, or Northern Shaolin Kung Fu. My Brain would not allow my Ears to process what she told me. In total Disbelief, I asked her to Repeat, again what she had said. It was as if, Time had stood Still, for that Moment, and I was Standing in an Envelope of Silence! “Carolyn, What Did You Say??” Carolyn, patiently repeated and began to tell me more about the Class and Style, as it was still a pretty much unknown Style compared to most others. Carolyn said, “It’s a Style called Wing Chun, and the Teacher is Teaching at a Praying Mantis Kung Fu School, down in the Adams Morgan Community where I live. The Teacher is from Hong Kong, and he hasn’t been here in Washington, DC very long.” The Fog lifted … I emerged from the Envelope of Silence, and after scrutinizing her Words, Content and Dependability, my Brain allowed my Ears to Listen to the Words it felt Safe for My Heart to Hear! “Wing Chun!” Now, had The Golden Fleece found Jason and the Argonauts, or the Lost City of Homer’s Troy found Heinrich Schliemann, had the Abominable Snowman or Yeti, discovered Sir Edmund Hillary on his triumph of reaching the Summit of Mt. Everest in 1953 … had the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen (King Tut) somehow reached out through the Sands of Antiquity and Time to uncover His Royal Tomb to explorer Howard Carter … Then These Explorers would Only Then Know the True Extent of My Elation and Wondrous Joy!!! Wing Chun had FOUND ME!! As Bogie, (Humphrey Bogart) was heard to memorably say in the Film Casablanca ~ “Of All the Joints in All the World, She Walked Into Mine!” ( **Note to Film Affectinados out there … Don’t Kill Me … I’m paraphrasing for Effect! ) “Of All the aspiring Students of Martial Artists in the World … Wing Chun Had Found Me!!” Was it the Hand of God, The Blessings of Allah, The Benevolence of The Buddha, Whom had Guided Carolyn to Me, to Help Fulfill My Secret Heart’s Quest?? Had The Cosmos, Themselves Heard My Plea ... Or had Mistress Ng Mui, or Yim Wing Chun, been Touched by the Sincerity of a Humble Student in His True Quest to Find Them, and Reached Across the Centuries of Time to Answer His Heart’s Song?? I Cannot Answer, but I wondered just How I Might Ever Be Able to Prove Myself Worthy of Such An Honor? To Become A Student of Wing Chun, and Join a Lineage or Historic Martial Artists reaching back to Their Roots at the Source of Shaolin Temple Monastery! My Journey and Love Affair with Wing Chun is cataloged in ~ My Tribute Wing Chun ~ Our Branch On The Tree What started as A Comment, for Tess, Warrior Princess, Angel of Florida, RaJan and Ilda grew to Evolve into a Message, has Burst Forth Uncontained into a Epic Proportion that I might Only Post as a Blog!! This was entirely Unplanned for a Blog, but alas after Writing it all, I feel it contains part of the story of My Journey, so I feel that I might as well include it. Tess and RaJan, I have an entire section planned to Share just How Martial Arts Movies helped Shape My Kung Fu Training, Knowledge and Technique! I’ll dedicate that one Especially for Your Appreciation of Action Films, Bruce Lee and all of the Other Talented Artists and Stars who have Thrilled, Touched and Entertained us all!  My Warrior Princess, I can’t imagine that anyone who happens upon such an amalgamation as this, might seek to Read or Digest it’s Entirety, for simple Reading Pleasure, so please don’t feel obligated to peruse it, okay? ((smile)) And for My Dear Angel ~ Please Know that I hear and Understand Well Your Personal Journey, Experience and Disappointments. Allow me to Comment on those, which may help a bit. From My Experience with Wing Chun, I can tell You that it gives Women a Distinct Advantage over Men! Even those Men and Women who both Study Wing Chun, will find that it is Ideally Suited for Women, and many Men who Study it may be in for a few Surprises when Comparing or Practicing with A Woman Wing Chun Stylist!! It also tends to Neutralize any Size Advantage that a Bigger Person might think they have, over a Smaller Person, only because of their size. Many of the Martial Arts are designed to do that, but I can attest to the Proficiency of Wing Chun in this area! Many of the Members of my Wing Chun School had extensive Years of Training and Achievement in the other Martial Arts Systems and Styles. They covered the complete Scope from the Japanese and Korean Styles to other Chinese and Asian Arts. Some had attained Their Instructor Level in those Styles, but yet they Sought Out Wing Chun for it’s Efficiency and Technique. Many of these same people had years of actual Competition and Practical Fighting Experience from Tournaments to Street Fights, to Staged Matches with Schools of many Disciplines. But yet, They Sought Out Wing Chun! I am Respectful of All Martial Arts Traditions, Systems, Students, Teachers and Styles and would never say anything negative about any one of them. In the Spirit of Martial Honor, I would Greet Them All Respectfully, as Fellow Martial Artists. But it is for Each Person to Choose Their Own Path. In my Experience I have learned this ~ Traditional Martial Arts Training is Long, Hard and Requires Self-Discipline, Patience and Inner Sense of Purpose. (1) Most People in Today’s World, do not have the Level of Commitment or Devotion to Give to Traditional Training. In this Day of “Instant Gratification”, people Want to See Instant Results!! (2) Running A Martial Arts School as a Commercial Business is very difficult and the odds of making a Profit or Staying Afloat beyond the first year are Slim! Students Come and Go. Most, leave after their initial Training when it becomes apparent that They Will Have to Work, Sweat, Train and that Success will Not Come Overnight! It Requires Diligence, Hard Work, Patience and The Greatest Battle of All … The Battle With Self, ~ One’s Greatest Opponent!! The Study of Martial Arts, can be viewed As The Discovery Of Self! That is Where True Martial Training and Enlightenment Lead. The Rewards are Inner Strength, Self-Confidence, Inner Peace, and Personal Growth! Because the Turn over in Students is so great, few stay to become long-term members of a School. From a Business Point of view, that presents many School Owners with a choice, which is, to Stay Open and Operate at A Loss, or Find A Way to Increase Profits enough to keep the Lights On and Pay The Rent. What’s A Businessman to do? What is a Smart Businessman to do?? As with most things which have their Roots in Another Culture or Country, America has a way of Adopting and Modifying the Product to Suit Americans and American Culture. Remember We as Americans have Evolved into A Smart, Savvy and Instant Culture! We want Intelligent Business Plans that Shows A Quick and Continuing Profit! If not that, then Why Bother to Go Into A Business at all?? Should A Man Start A Business, with Failure as a Possible or Highly Probable Projected Reality? NO. That’s Not the American Way! So how far does one Adapt to Run a Successful Commercial Venture? Sadly, far too many Compromise the adherence to Traditions and Values for that of Profit. Many just look at it, as “modernizing to Change with the Times”. Secondly because This is America, we have the license to Invent and Re-Invent Ourselves, meaning Taking Something, Changing it, Modifying it, and then Calling it Our Own Version, or Personal Style. That is Honest, as long as its Presented Honestly. Everyone has the Right to Create Their Own Style. And that is The Reason that there are So Many!! ((smile)) In Martial Arts Tradition, in Order to Preserve Tradition and Insure the Integrity of The Styles being handed down, properly, from One Generation to the Next ~ Lineage is All Important! Schools Take Great Pride in Their Lineage! The History of Their Line of Succession of Teachers and Instructors, Reaching Back Generation after Generation, to The Source of Where and Who They Trace Their Roots to. This is how many people feel confident in Selecting The School they will Join. The Teacher They will Seek to Train under. Those are just general Observations. There are The Exceptions. There Are Schools Where Tradition is Perfectly Preserved, that have Sizable Membership, and have Remained Open and In Business for Decades! These are usually Schools of Reputation in The Martial Arts Community, who have that Reputation BECAUSE they have Preserved the Values and Traditions of Their Art! And Thus, Serious Students and Practitioners will Travel Any Distance to Join and Study There! It is akin to the Chance to Study Under Masters and Teachers of World Reputation! The Michangelos and Leonardo Da Vincis of the Martial Art World! When I was attending School in, Bedford, Massachusetts, I drove down to Boston in hopes of reaching the Kung Fu School of a very Famous Lady Teacher, who happens to be a famous Wu Shu and Tai Chi GRANDMASTER! Bo Sim Mak founded and runs the Internationally known Chinese Wushu Research Institute, there in Boston!  Bo Sim Mak, also, just happens to be the Mother of Hong Kong Movie Star, Actor and real life Martial Artist , Donnie Yen (whose films include Iron Monkey, Wing Chun, Hero, etc). How badly did I want the chance to meet her, or at least reach Her Tai Chi Chuan School? Well, I drove down, alone, in a Snow Storm that raged into a Blizzard, and was so bad that it virtually shut down the City of Boston ~ and Chinatown! I Never got the chance to Reach Her School or Meet Her, but Sometimes, it’s The Quest and The Journey that tell You a lot about Your Commitment!  I fell under the Spell of Wing Chun many years ago, but I still am a lover of Martial Arts of all Flavors. I can Appreciate Them for Their Own Path or Way To Truth. I would suggest that All People Seek, Research and Find Their Own Truth. My Truth may not Be Your Truth. Be Open Minded in Your Search, but Do Your Own Research and Find Your Own Truth. The Truth That Best Suits Your Ideas, Ideals, Needs, Goals and Dreams. If You are going to Commit Your Time, Energy, Finances and Heart to A Path, make Sure that it Suits You. If You Choose One, and Along the Way, find One Better Suited to Yourself, Be Fluid and Change, but Be Fair and Give it a Real Chance first. In That Way, You Might Find Your Truth, As I have Found Mine! I’m certain, that this is more then the Average Person wants to Know or Read. But since I have been Given the Opportunities so many may not have, and because so many Knowledgeable Martial Arts Practitioners have so Willingly Shared the Benefit or Their Experience and Insights, with me, I feel that I have an Obligation to Pass On The Torch of Enlightenment to Any and All Who Seek it with A Sincere Heart and Spirit! Dearest RaJan, I am so happy to hear of Your Sons 2 years of Study in Taekwando! For Health, Self Confidence and Self Defense as well as the Camaraderie, as I mentioned above, it is a Wonderful Choice!! And for Your Dream to give him the Opportunity to become a National Player and Chosen to go to other Countries to Represent the Philippines ... Let me just say ... “Keep Dreaming!” Dreams Can Come True and Become Realities!! Donnie Yen, above, sent by his parents to him to Beijing, where he would spend two years training with the famed Beijing Wushu Team, studying with the same master as Jet Li. Yen became the first non-PRC Chinese to be accepted at the school, thus opening the door for others to follow in future! Jet Li, began his study at an early age, and was picked from his Classmates to be taught and Trained the Famous Instructors in China! He went on to China’s Top Martial Arts Champion for 5 Years straight!! You know the rest of his Success in Martial Arts Films, which has led him to where he is today. His first Starring Role was in the Epic, “Shaolin Temple”, which was shot on location in China at the real Shaolin Temple! I was there the Night it Opened for the Premier Showing, at the Chinese Theater in Washington, DC! Dreams Can and Do Come True, RaJan!! So, Keep The Faith, Dear Mom!! And If, per chance You are Reading this Sentence, I must Congratulate You on Your Perseverance, Diligence and Patience! You’re Showing The Signs of A Traditional Student!! Now, have You ever Considered Undertaking the Study of A Martial Art? Might I possibly Interest You in Getting A Little Idea of Wing Chun?? (( smile ~ LOL ~ smile )) Wednesday February 21, 2007 - 12:44pm (EST) |
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| Comments | (6 total) | |
| Tess & Kevin |
Warmed regards Michael - it inspired for
those new generation to faces the reality of them,which is the right example you open for
us in your blog.most of our brothers envent how to under go for any definses.thats one of
the tactic.ok how long you been writing about this blog, -hugs - tcl Thursday February 22, 2007 - 09:40am (KST) |
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 Sunshine aka Miss Dee |
Wow....! I am out of words....As i am reading your blog i
found out that if you want something.... you are very determined to do it...which i admit
i don't have that stong determination i easily give up. You are also dedicated ,to yourself, to whatever you do, to help others..... you helped a lot of people and i really admired you for that! Martial arts, Wing Chun, etc.....whew....i don't know nothing about this.....lol. Wish i could learn too...for self defense....hmmmm and for discovering my trueself! (as you have mentioned) Great blog ever......i admire you for the works you have done ... to help others with all your heart.... Thursday February 22, 2007 - 02:30pm (IST) |
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 Tru |
Friday February 23, 2007 - 12:26pm (CET) |
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RaJan |
Sunday February 25, 2007 - 01:38am (CST) |
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 Imelda Taute |
Monday February 26, 2007 - 08:18am (EST) |
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