Letter from the Chairman

At the time of preparing the current newsletter, Professor Lis book is fulfilling its unique promise as sales at Longfei have already reached over 150. The book and its accompanying DVD cover five routines in our curriculum and is great value at £22.00.

Mark Atkinson and Daoyin Yangsheng Gong

Mark Atkinson's Daoyin weekend was a great success. Three Daoyin systems were covered, General Health, Cardiovascular, Respiratory, and the Joints and Bones system was reviewed. The 49 Meridian Set and the Five-minute Exercise were also practiced during this thoroughly worthwhile weekend that was well attended, though hard work. Mark carried out a number of successful accreditations and was very complimentary on the standard of daoyin yangsheng gong practiced by our association. Mark also reported on the favourable response from Professor Zhange after our attendance at his Glasgow seminar last September. Mark will be with us again next year; on the agenda will be the Kidney routine, the Joints and Bones and Professor Zhanges take on the Eight Treasures. Next years meeting will take place on 25th and 26th February 2006.

Competition dates and venues

I have been asked about the date and locations of UK competitions featuring taijiquan. Most competitions are not confined to taijiquan but cover a wide spectrum of Chinese martial arts. The three I have always taken an interest in are as follows.

The Festival of Chinese Martial Arts & The British Open Tai Chi Championships

This competition is confined to Chinese internal arts and takes place at Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre, Oxford. It always takes place in April so the next one will be in 2006. It is run by Dan Docherty who can be emailed for details for 2006 (dan@ptcci.fsnet.co.uk). The competition features many taijiquan forms, weapon forms including sword, sabre, spear etc, full contact fighting, push hands. There are competitions for male, female and juniors. A good day out, interesting and worth a visit for the whole family.

BCCMA Wushu Championship

This is also an annual competition and features a number of wushu routines including taijiquan. It also doubles up as a selection for the British team to represent the UK in the forthcoming World Wushu Championships. Unfortunately this competition is held on 21-22 May 2005 so this letter will arrive too late to be of significance. However one can make a note for 2006. Saturday is devoted to the Sanshou selection (Chinese full contact fighting) and Sunday is for Taolu selection (hand and weapon forms). The venue is Shenley Leisure Centre, Milton Keynes.

BCCMA Chinese Martial Arts National Championships

The nationals cover a much wider spectrum of Chinese martial arts, many internal and external forms, free fighting, taiji push hands etc. They take place on Sunday 25 September 2005 at Bletchley Leisure Centre, Bletchley. All of these competitions are worth a visit for enthusiasts at least once.

An evening with Karel Koskuba

Karel is a well-known and popular instructor of internal martial arts (Chinese). His own organisation, Chinese Internal Arts Association, was formed some years ago and he is ably assisted by his wife Eva. Karel and I go back many years to the late 1970s when he joined the ITCCA to learn Yang style taijiquan from Master Chu King Hung. Over the years Karel has gone on to study Chen style taiji, bagua, xing yi, yiquan and qigong methods. He has travelled many times to China and sought out many famous teachers and masters of the disciplines mentioned above. His knowledge is extensive and his method of coaching is laid back and warmly unique.

For some time Simon and I have discussed inviting guest instructors to our Friday class at the Peace Memorial Hall. This is the hall in which we laid the foundations for our association back in 1990. Attendance has fluctuated over the years but has settled down and this has become our advanced class. Friday evenings are variously devoted to Chen style taiji, xing yi, two-man routines, push hands and qigong. Guest evenings are intended to be a wake-up call and a fresh look at some old concepts.

Watch this space for our next guest, David Arnold, who will bring us some insights into self-defence with sticks (very useful if her indoors is handing out the aggro, and vice versa of course ladies).

Future issues will highlight some of Karel Koskubas written work on yiquan as a guide to help us appreciate his understanding of internal power.

Taiji and the mind

This philosophical anecdote was given to me by Richard Small. Richard teaches in North Devon and he and his school are members of Longfei and the BCCMA. The article includes a short biography of a once young and fit man now bed bound and disabled. Andy Channers succinct and poignant message could be a revelation to more able bodied students of the art of taiji. Richard comments: Andy joined Longfei in 2004, he has been most helpful to me in conversation and ideas to help students with their taiji and life too. (Simon will be conducting a workshop for Richard on Saturday 4 June.)

Richard Watson

Longfei Newsletter Volume 6 Issue 2 Table of Contents