Kuo Lien Ying
Encyclopedia
Kuo Lien Ying, born in Inner Mongolia
, China, in 1895, was one of the most distinguished and revered martial artists of the twentieth century. He is credited with bringing the rare and powerful Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan
to the United States.
In 1907, at the age of 12, Kuo started training in Northern Style Shaolin Kung-Fu, studying for five years with Master Li Lin, who was especially skilled in Chang Chuan (Long Fist). Kuo became very proficient and skillful at this powerful and rigorous martial arts
system, which was originally developed by Buddhist monks in China. His pushing hands training partner in Taiwan was Tchoung Ta-tchen
.
At 23, Kuo became one of only four inner-door disciples of Wang Jiao-Yu, himself one of only two inner-door students of Yang Pan-hou
. Yang Pan-hou was the son of the originator of what has become known as Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan: Yang Lu-ch'an
born Kuang-p'ing (Guangping) and known as the founder of Yang-style tai chi chuan. After completing "Chin to Toe" in 100 days Kuo was taught the Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan from the 100-year old master Wang Jiao-Yu.
Kuo, at age 28, studied Xingyiquan
for two years with Master Huang Gin Yin, a highly skilled student of Guo Yunshen
, himself the teacher of Wang Xiangzhai
, who was reputed to be the best Xingyiquan fighter of his time.
Kuo also studied Baguazhang
with Chang Hsin Zhai and Chung Ting Hua.
He allegedly became a governor of a province in China, and later a general in the army of Chiang Kai Shek. In 1947, after the Communist takeover, he fled to Taiwan
, became a congressman and opened up a martial arts school. Although he left his four wives and eight children in China when he fled Mao Tse Tung, Kuo wooed and married the 21 year old sister of one of his students, Ein Simmone Kuo.
Kuo was so confident of his fighting skills that in 1951 he issued a challenge to world boxing champion Joe Louis
, to meet him for a fight. In 1972 Kuo claimed to the San Francisco Chronicle
, "I could have thrown him." 1
. At the request of his first U.S. student, David Chin, Kuo began teaching a few students on the roof of a local hotel.
After less than a year, Kuo returned to Taiwan to bring Simmone Kuo to San Francisco. While he was in Taiwan, his students in San Francisco located an empty storefront at 11 Brenham Place, an alley which faced Portsmouth Square Park, which was unfortunately adjacent to a funeral parlor. The empty storefront was available due to the superstitions of the local residents who did not want to inhabit a place next to a mortuary. But according to one of his later students, Henry Look, Kuo often told him, "Don’t worry about dead people, worry about live ones." The students converted the storefront into a martial arts studio, with living quarters in the rear. Kuo named his new school, "Lien-Ying Tai-Chi Chuan Martial Arts Academy".
In 1967 Kuo and Simmone had a son, Chung Mei Kuo. Chung Mei was trained in the Shaolin Kung Fu
and T'ai chi ch'uan styles at an early age, achieving Chin-to-Toe at 18 months.
Kuo was one of the major theorists of the Chin school, which offers the closest blend of the hard and soft styles. Chin stylists claim there is a 50-50 blend of the two because while you are yielding, you are most conscious of unyielding and that is the only way you can take advantage of all things.
Kuo Lien Ying was very flirtatious, with an eye for pretty young women, and developed a reputation for trying to seduce his female students. He was well known for eating several cloves of raw garlic every morning, and he was also very fond of Gao Liang, a strong Chinese liquor.
With an uncanny sixth sense, Kuo knew when his students would sleep in, missing the 5 a.m. practice session, and he would call them up, shouting in Chinese into the telephone, "Lela, lela, t'ai chi, t'ai chi!" ("Practice, practice, t'ai chi, t'ai chi!")
Kuo Lien Ying was among the first Chinese martial arts masters in America to teach Asian fighting arts to American students, and was often admonished by other Chinese teachers to not teach to Westerners.
In 1975 Sam Peckinpah
filmed part of The Killer Elite
in Portsmouth Square
, and hired Kuo Lien Ying and many of his students for the scenes of a martial arts school in San Francisco.
Kuo and his students gave many demonstrations of T'ai chi ch'uan and Shaolin Kung-Fu at many locations, including schools and banks.
In 1983, Kuo returned to Mongolia
, and died in 1984.
There are many of Kuo's direct students teaching the Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan form today, among them Dr. Y.C. Chiang, David Chin, Kimo LePree, Bing Gong, Donald Rubbo and Cheryl Lynne Rubbo, Randall Fung, Henry Look, Jarl Forsman, Ellen Serber, Harvey Kurland, Barbara Cellers and Jonathan Shear.
Robert Bergman (Indian), one of very few students who was taught monkey form (in secret) from Kuo Lien Ying, teaches Kuo's Shaolin Kung-Fu.
Bill Douglas, founder of World Tai Chi and Qigong Day
, carries on the form under the name Kuang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan, as passed down from Kuo Lien Ying to Gilles Messenger to Colin Berg, Anne Beier and Jennifer Booth, Bill's teacher.
Sifu David Chin and his disciple Chris Heintzman founded the International Sin Tien Wu Chi Qi Gong and Original Yang Tai Chi Chuan Association (ISOYA). ISOYA sponsors an annual fall intensive with students from all over the country who meet to exchange ideas and insights of the Original Yang System. Original Yang instruction includes the Yi Lu (first form) and the little-known Er Lu (second form, application form) that was taught to Sifu Chin in late night sessions at the Sam Wong Hotel.
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
, China, in 1895, was one of the most distinguished and revered martial artists of the twentieth century. He is credited with bringing the rare and powerful Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan
Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan
Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan, which has become known as the “lost” Yang-style tai chi chuan form, combines all the positive aspects of Yang Style with qualities that added strength and versatility. Guang Ping's stances are lower and wider than Yang Style but not as pronounced as Chen style. A...
to the United States.
Early years
Kuo Lien Ying's father was a silk merchant, and the family was independently wealthy. As a youngster, Kuo reportedly had no interest in an academic education, wanting only to learn the fighting arts.In 1907, at the age of 12, Kuo started training in Northern Style Shaolin Kung-Fu, studying for five years with Master Li Lin, who was especially skilled in Chang Chuan (Long Fist). Kuo became very proficient and skillful at this powerful and rigorous martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
system, which was originally developed by Buddhist monks in China. His pushing hands training partner in Taiwan was Tchoung Ta-tchen
Tchoung Ta-tchen
Tchoung Ta-tchen was a martial arts teacher who developed his own version of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan. He died February 22, 2000.-Dual method of the Old Form of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan:...
.
At 23, Kuo became one of only four inner-door disciples of Wang Jiao-Yu, himself one of only two inner-door students of Yang Pan-hou
Yang Pan-hou
Yang Banhou was an influential teacher of t'ai chi ch'uan in Ch'ing dynasty China, known for his bellicose temperament.-Biography:...
. Yang Pan-hou was the son of the originator of what has become known as Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan: Yang Lu-ch'an
Yang Lu-ch'an
Yang Lu-ch'an or Yang Luchan, ; also known as Yang Fu-k'ui , born in Kuang-p'ing , was an influential teacher of the soft style martial art t'ai chi ch'uan in China during the second half of the 19th century...
born Kuang-p'ing (Guangping) and known as the founder of Yang-style tai chi chuan. After completing "Chin to Toe" in 100 days Kuo was taught the Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan from the 100-year old master Wang Jiao-Yu.
Kuo, at age 28, studied Xingyiquan
Xingyiquan
Xingyiquan is one of the major "internal" or Wudang styles of Chinese martial arts. The word translates approximately to "Form/Intention Boxing", or "Shape/Will Boxing", and is characterized by aggressive, seemingly linear movements and explosive power...
for two years with Master Huang Gin Yin, a highly skilled student of Guo Yunshen
Guo Yunshen
Guo Yunshen was a famous Xingyiquan master. He represented the xingyi martial philosophy of preferring to become highly proficient with only a few techniques rather than to be less proficient with many techniques...
, himself the teacher of Wang Xiangzhai
Wang Xiangzhai
Wang Xiangzhai ) , also known as Nibao, Zhenghe, Yuseng, was a Chinese xingyiquan master, responsible for founding the martial art of Yiquan.-Biography:...
, who was reputed to be the best Xingyiquan fighter of his time.
Kuo also studied Baguazhang
Baguazhang
Bāguàzhǎng is one of the three main Chinese martial arts of the Wudang school, the other two being Taijiquan and Xingyiquan. It is more broadly grouped as an internal practice...
with Chang Hsin Zhai and Chung Ting Hua.
Early history
Kuo Lien Ying reportedly was a bodyguard for awhile on the gold caravans through China, protecting the caravans on horseback with his unrivaled rope-dart techniques.He allegedly became a governor of a province in China, and later a general in the army of Chiang Kai Shek. In 1947, after the Communist takeover, he fled to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, became a congressman and opened up a martial arts school. Although he left his four wives and eight children in China when he fled Mao Tse Tung, Kuo wooed and married the 21 year old sister of one of his students, Ein Simmone Kuo.
Kuo was so confident of his fighting skills that in 1951 he issued a challenge to world boxing champion Joe Louis
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
, to meet him for a fight. In 1972 Kuo claimed to the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, "I could have thrown him." 1
Kuo Lien Ying in America
In 1965, he immigrated to the United States and settled in San Francisco's Chinatown, leaving his young wife behind in TaiwanTaiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. At the request of his first U.S. student, David Chin, Kuo began teaching a few students on the roof of a local hotel.
After less than a year, Kuo returned to Taiwan to bring Simmone Kuo to San Francisco. While he was in Taiwan, his students in San Francisco located an empty storefront at 11 Brenham Place, an alley which faced Portsmouth Square Park, which was unfortunately adjacent to a funeral parlor. The empty storefront was available due to the superstitions of the local residents who did not want to inhabit a place next to a mortuary. But according to one of his later students, Henry Look, Kuo often told him, "Don’t worry about dead people, worry about live ones." The students converted the storefront into a martial arts studio, with living quarters in the rear. Kuo named his new school, "Lien-Ying Tai-Chi Chuan Martial Arts Academy".
In 1967 Kuo and Simmone had a son, Chung Mei Kuo. Chung Mei was trained in the Shaolin Kung Fu
Shaolin kung fu
Shaolin Kung Fu refers to a collection of Chinese martial arts that claim affiliation with the Shaolin Monastery.Of the multitude styles of kung fu and wushu, only some are actually related to Shaolin...
and T'ai chi ch'uan styles at an early age, achieving Chin-to-Toe at 18 months.
Kuo was one of the major theorists of the Chin school, which offers the closest blend of the hard and soft styles. Chin stylists claim there is a 50-50 blend of the two because while you are yielding, you are most conscious of unyielding and that is the only way you can take advantage of all things.
Portsmouth Square, Chinatown
Reportedly, one of the stories that Kuo told his students was about the time he was walking in a Chinatown alley late one evening and was set upon by a group of robbers. Kuo reached down and picked up a piece of metal lying on the ground and with his bare hands pounded the spike into the brick wall of the nearest building, and then hung his jacket on the spike. The would-be robbers fled.Kuo Lien Ying was very flirtatious, with an eye for pretty young women, and developed a reputation for trying to seduce his female students. He was well known for eating several cloves of raw garlic every morning, and he was also very fond of Gao Liang, a strong Chinese liquor.
With an uncanny sixth sense, Kuo knew when his students would sleep in, missing the 5 a.m. practice session, and he would call them up, shouting in Chinese into the telephone, "Lela, lela, t'ai chi, t'ai chi!" ("Practice, practice, t'ai chi, t'ai chi!")
Kuo Lien Ying was among the first Chinese martial arts masters in America to teach Asian fighting arts to American students, and was often admonished by other Chinese teachers to not teach to Westerners.
In 1975 Sam Peckinpah
Sam Peckinpah
David Samuel "Sam" Peckinpah was an American filmmaker and screenwriter who achieved prominence following the release of the Western epic The Wild Bunch...
filmed part of The Killer Elite
The Killer Elite
The Killer Elite is a 1975 American action thriller film starring James Caan and Robert Duvall and directed by Sam Peckinpah.The screenplay was written by Marc Norman and Stirling Silliphant adapted from the Robert Syd Hopkins novel, Monkey in the Middle. The novel was written under Hopkins'...
in Portsmouth Square
Portsmouth Square
Portsmouth Square is a one-block park in Chinatown, San Francisco, California, that is bounded by Kearny Street on the east, Washington Street on the north, Clay Street on the south, and Walter Lum Place on the west....
, and hired Kuo Lien Ying and many of his students for the scenes of a martial arts school in San Francisco.
Kuo and his students gave many demonstrations of T'ai chi ch'uan and Shaolin Kung-Fu at many locations, including schools and banks.
In 1983, Kuo returned to Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, and died in 1984.
Carrying on the tradition
Simmone Kuo, Kuo's widow, continues to teach and to carry on her husband's tradition of not changing the unique and age-old form at the Lien-Ying Tai-Chi Chuan Martial Arts Academy in Chinatown as well as at San Francisco State University.There are many of Kuo's direct students teaching the Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan form today, among them Dr. Y.C. Chiang, David Chin, Kimo LePree, Bing Gong, Donald Rubbo and Cheryl Lynne Rubbo, Randall Fung, Henry Look, Jarl Forsman, Ellen Serber, Harvey Kurland, Barbara Cellers and Jonathan Shear.
Robert Bergman (Indian), one of very few students who was taught monkey form (in secret) from Kuo Lien Ying, teaches Kuo's Shaolin Kung-Fu.
Bill Douglas, founder of World Tai Chi and Qigong Day
World Tai Chi and Qigong Day
World Tai Chi and Qigong Day , also spelled World T'ai Chi and Ch'i Kung Day, is an annual event held the last Saturday of April each year to promote the related disciplines of T'ai chi ch'uan and Qigong in sixty countries since 1999....
, carries on the form under the name Kuang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan, as passed down from Kuo Lien Ying to Gilles Messenger to Colin Berg, Anne Beier and Jennifer Booth, Bill's teacher.
Sifu David Chin and his disciple Chris Heintzman founded the International Sin Tien Wu Chi Qi Gong and Original Yang Tai Chi Chuan Association (ISOYA). ISOYA sponsors an annual fall intensive with students from all over the country who meet to exchange ideas and insights of the Original Yang System. Original Yang instruction includes the Yi Lu (first form) and the little-known Er Lu (second form, application form) that was taught to Sifu Chin in late night sessions at the Sam Wong Hotel.
Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Association
The Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Association was formed in 1997 to honor the memory of Sifu Kuo Lien Ying and in commemoration of his unselfish sharing of his many skills. The mission of the Association is to promote, perpetuate, develop interest in, and preserve the quality of Guang Ping Yang style Tai Chi Chuan throughout the world, and to provide support for research and education in Guang Ping Yang T'ai Chi Ch'uan.- Honorary Chairmen: Y.C. Chiang, Henry Look
- Past Presidents: Henry Look, Donald Rubbo, Nina Hopkins Sugawara, Nick D’Antoni, Dominick Ruggieri
- Current President: Randy Elia
In Kuo's Honor
Every June, Kuo's direct students hold a memorial in Portsmouth Square, Chinatown, to pay respects to their late teacher, for the invaluable teachings he passed down to them, and for bringing the Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan style to the United States of America.Books
- The T'ai Chi Boxing Chronicle, translated into English by Gordon Guttman
- Tai-Chi Chuan in Theory and Practice, ISBN 1-55643-298-4 http://www.amazon.com/dp/1556432984
Reference
http://www.dotaichi.com/Articles/InMatteroftastethereisnodispute.htm [In matters of taste there is no dispute]- Asian Mind Body Techniques, ISBN 978-1-4303-1221-5 p 216-217