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Wu Chanlong A BRIEF INTRODUCTION
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[NOTE: This is a short introduction, further information can be found at www.nephyperez.com in future)
Nephy Perez, also known as Wu Chanlong in martial circles, was born on July
10 in Montevideo, Uruguay After migrating to Australia in 1978, where he lived in western suburbs of Sydney (Cabramatta, Villawood, Fairfield). Chinese Martial arts were to become a quest that would be endured for many years and was to become a key component of his life. His first training was with Master Ng which focused on the Chinese martial arts of Guangdong and Fujian (Taizuquan, Dishuquan and Huzunquan). In 1984, he was introduced to Master Zhou which commenced the arduous daily training in the traditional arts of Hebei province such as Chuojiao, Bafan, Liuhequan, Duanquan, Bajiquan. Yanqingquan and Tongbeiquan. This was both the most arduous and trying period as the arts were very demanding and Master Zhou being over 70 at the time was awefully strict. In 1988, on weekends (whilst continuing to study with Master Zhou), he commenced the study of the Shaolin (or Saolim) Luohan, Hong Fut and other styles with the well known Master Li who was President of the International Shaolin Kung Fu Association. For many years Master Wu studied various martial arts including exchanges with visiting teachers, fellow students and masters in Sydney, this included Bak Mei, Longying, Bak Hok, Taiji, Jingwu, Tanglang, Tae Kwon Do, Ninjutsu and others during his experimental phase. In 1990, he started teaching casually various students in the Fairfield area. In 1992, Master Zhou left Australia along with his family, as a result Master Wu dedicated his efforts in the shaolin martial arts. 3. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Some of the public martial arts performances that depicted Master Wu's diversity include: 1990: Fairfield High School Multicultural Day - Performance of the complete set of Baxianzui (8 Drunken Immortals Boxing), Shaolin Damo Gun (Shaolin Staff), 1992: Darling Harbour: Liuhequan (Six Harmonies Boxing). Yi Zhimei and Nanquan Bei Tui (Saolim Luohan) 1993, Sydney Entertainment Centre: Shaolin Xiao Hongquan, Taizu Changquan (Emperor's Long Fist) and Fuhu Luohan (Tiger Taming Luohan) 1993: Darling Harbour Convention Centre: Performed Hu He Shuang Xing (Hung Gar Tiger and Crane Set), Meihua Dao (Plum Blossom Broadsword) 1994: Parramatta Town Hall: Performance of Huaquan (Flower Boxing), the 36 Hands Set, Also won the first place for the Combat Set Empty Hands, Daggers and Staff. 1996, Bing Lee Wushu meet, performed Liuhequan (6 Harmonies Boxing). 1997, Double Dragon, Liverpool: Performed Ditangquan (Chuojiao Traditional Ground Falling), Baiyuan Chudong (Praying Mantis - White Ape Exits Cave), Meihua Broadsword and Qingping Jian (Sword), also in combat exhibitions. 1998, New Year's Cabramatta: Performed Longxing Moqiao (Dragon Style Moqiao) and Jiu Bu Tui (Bak Mei 8 Step Push) 1999, Wollongong Nantian Temple, Performed Tiangang Qigong (Wudang Heavenly Qigong) and Xianglong Luohan Quan (Dragon Subduing Luohan). 2000, Sydney Market City: Performed Zonghequan (Trembling Crane Boxing) 2002, Jiangxi Normal University: Performed Zhaobao Taijiquan and Tongbei Chaiquan. 2003, Wudang Mt Sanfeng Wushu Yuan, Performed Taiyi Wuxingquan and Taihequan. 2003, Quanzhou Chongfu Temple: Performed Sanzhan, Shuang Yaofa and LianhuanFa (Fujian Taizuquan) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ In 1994, Mater Wu suffered a knee injury that limited his practice, although he still made appearances in traditional Chinese Lion Dances and performed at tournaments. However, as a result of the injury, during that time he embarked on a more scholastic approach, researching the technical and historical basis of traditional martial arts. After recovery, he set out to complete the elements of the various martial arts that he had studied. In 1996, At the request of Master Li he was responsible for conducting classes at the Indo Chinese Association at the Tien Hau Temple in Canley Vale. Additionally he was considered a senior of Master Li's School, helping to teach and organise Lion Dances throughout Sydney. That same year, news of Master Zhou's death had been received. After this period, Master Wu had been lost as the cornerstone of his arts were based on Master Zhou's teachings. He was lucky however and greatful that Master Li who had nutured his injuries during difficult periods and dedicated his efforts to support Master Li's teachings.
Over the next few years, Master Wu concentrated on his studies and basis of career (From Research Chemist to Managment Accountant/Financial Controller, School Teacher, Property Sales and Development, Commercial Management and Logistics/SCM) which became just as diversified as his academic studies (Degrees included majors in Manufacturing, Mathematical and Physical Sciences (Chemistry/Physics), Accounting and Finance and Acupuncture) and of course the practice of traditional chinese martial arts. His fluency in Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish and English has also helped his martial arts research and exchange activities in a way seldom available to others. From 1996-2000, Master Wu placed efforts on meeting various martial arts teachers of traditional chinese martial arts at home and abroad, to further his technical knowledge and practiced personnally including the documenting and recording of his experiences. He would continue to visit Master Li's school and teach new skills of other martial arts to the students there. In 2000. at the request of students he was asked to teach. After agreeing he accepted a small group of studetns to pass on some martial arts to. His principle was that students would specialise in a single martial art whilst acquiring some basic knowledge of others. To that effect each student specialised in a different style and were trained in the traditional manner. Out of respect for Master Li, that school was named the Authentic Shaolin Institute.
In 2002, Master Wu moved to China, where he lived in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. There after a long search he was introduced to Master Mao Yimin who after time accepted him as a disciple and passed on the rare arts of Zimenquan and Yingmenquan. Master Wu also taught Zhaobao Taijiquan to students at the Jiangxi Normal University and assisted Master Jia Xialong in teaching martial arts sometimes. During his stay in China he also made contact with masters of his various martial arts that took him on expeditions to Hubei Province (Shiyan, Wudang Mt, Wuxue, Jingzhou, Shashi, Xiangfan and Danjiangkou), Fujian Province (Fuzhou, Yongtai, Nanping, Wutaishan, Putian, Fuqing, Quanzhou, Longyan and Yongchun), Zhejiang (Lishui, Longquan, Wenzhou and Hangzhou) and Guangdong (Meixian, Huizhou, Foshan and Zhongshan). His accumulated martial arts can be categorised as per the styles section, although Master Wu has been fortunate to have studied many others those are the styles which he has deemed as complete and thus only ones selected and passed as part of Taiping Wuguan. When asked which he specialises, the simple answer is ' in the end none of them', but in teaching one can understand his approach of maintaining purity with each comprehending the energy, power, stylistic and tactical features in as much as the spirit itself.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________ There are few things that from my experience make Master Wu stand out from the rest: 1. He keeps each art within its principles, that is he has not created some mixed style and has not cross pollinated the arts. The main reason is each is complete when comprehended correctly. Mixing is only a way of making up for lack of complete knowledge in a system. 2. Application to combat. Master Wu's applications are well basically straight forward and deadly, there is nothing in vain. 3. Unaltered application. Nowadays more and more you see teachers doing forms one way, practicing applications another and then fighting differently yet again. They claim that techniques should be modified for combat. Again Master Wu's principle is simple but nowadays seemingly unique -> each technique must be executed in the same manner in all circumstances, techniques are not changed or their effectiveness is withered. Again other teachers make up for lack of comprehension by altering techniques. 4. Gong: One of the key principles passed bu Master Wu (and from ancestors there of) are if you do not have the skills (physical training, internal energy development, etc)l, then techniques and forms are in vain, so combat will be unskilled. 5. No Flowers: Master Wu often exclaims if it is too pretty then it may have flaws, that is we emphasis application technical perfection, the beauty is not superficial but rather only to the practitioners themselves. 6. Completion: If you start something then you must finish it, or rather do not start at all. The funniest thing is that when Master Wu used to teach class, we would often invite people along and his main intention would be to deter them away. He would often say if you want fight quickly go and do kickboxing, if you want belts and stuff go to Karate or Judo and if you want competition do Taekwondo, if for beauty and gymnastics go to Modern Wushu, health go to Yoga or the gym. Taijiquan students would be confused when the first lesson would be throwing them around, others of general arts would leave in so much pain calling the next day saying they were off ill from work or study and could not continue, many of which were already instructors/high graded in other arts. 7. Teaching: Master Wu would always expect most of the training to happen outside of class, he would often say that he is not interested in watching us practice stretching, that should be done before he arrives and that skills learnt should be practised between the lesson taught and the next. 8. Wu De: Strangely enough with all the temperament, Master Wu would always show Morality as key. We have many interesting adventures in our classes which were often held in open parks, from catching thieves to dislocations from our combat practice (often which was 6 to one and got a little crazy to say the least). 9. Health/Spirituality: Unlike some, Master Wu does not mystify the Qi or internal arts. We have methods we practice we learn and we proceed, but we do not sit in idleness thinking that our grand quest is spiritual enlightenment. Master Wu would often say if that is your objective go and become a monk or hermit. He always taught us that enlightenment if it were ever to happen would be by mistake and in an instant and that questing would be an illusion onto itself. From a Health perspective, he was always of the work hard, work smart and be dedicated responsible individual of society. 10. No Holding Back: Whilst many teachers were reluctant to explain often because they did not know or were guarding so called secrets. Master Wu was a completely open book, the only fear of asking was that he would show it on us often saying strike however and boom! we would be found on the ground asking him to please slow down. It was never that he did not teach in as much as we could not retain or keep up, but he allowed us to note that for ourselves rather than limit our potential. 11. Life: Above the Gong Fu/Martial Arts that we practiced, Master Wu was a living example of Learning. In all fields he would continuously continue to learn and he envoked the same in many of his students providing direction and most of all a purpose. He seemed to always have a destination, knowing clearly what the future held and continued to go for it, whilst having fun at the same time. Whilst others see work, study and all those things as effort, he saw it as play. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ In 2004, when he returned he commenced the Taiping Wuguan, which would hold and pass on the accumulated knowledge of the various Traditional Chinese Martial Arts Styles to which he appreciated further as many of the masters that he encountered were coming of age whilst the youth in China had focused on modern Wushu and Computing (mainly due to economic benefits), whilst traditional arts took a background role. To respect this effort his students many of which had visited and trained whilst he was in China, continued their training and some have since been acknowledged as coaches/teachers of their various specialisations. Master Wu does not engage in any political associations and passes the arts in the same manner as his teachers and grandmasters.
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After many years of training with Master Wu, I can only say that there seems to be a bottomless pit of knowledge and if I could only his level of understanding in a just one of the styles I would be more than pleased with the achievement. We learn Kung Fu in amongst many other things. He is both critical and strict, ensuring that every method is precise and combat applicable. Leading by example he shows the same persistance, dedication and effort in many aspects of his life in addition to Kung Fu. However, in as much as being our teacher, our guide, our brother and at times our father, whom we admire and respect, he is also our friend with whom we may confide in.
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