New Zealand Chin Woo member and athlete Jun Selwyn has been training with Chin Woo for the past 5 years. In a recent interview he shares some of his thoughts and experiences on training in martial arts as well as his overseas success in representing Chin Woo New Zealand at the World Chin Woo Games.
Check out the Profile Section for the full interview.
Since the article on “Kung Fu Journey 2010” was posted on our website two weeks ago, we have received numerous inquiries on this trip, hence we would like to call on all interested Chin Woo New Zealand Members to attend the first meeting:
WELLINGTON – Level 1, 45 Courtenay Place, Wellington City
September 4th, 2009 (Friday)
7:30pm
AUCKLAND – 19B Princes Street, Onehunga, Auckland
September 6th, 2009 (Sunday)
12:00pm
Please RSVP Peter Yu on chinwoo@actrix.co.nz or 04 3847832.
On the invitation of Beijing Wushu Institute, Chin Woo New Zealand nominated 5 of the association’s Life Members to participate at the 2009 Chinese Traditional Wushu Training & Chinese Wushu Duan System Examination Camp for Overseas Practitioners, held in Beijing 2nd – 7th August.
The training courses were divided into two groups depending on the practitioner’s level, empty hand fist forms or weapons training such as 13 section steel whip, double sword spears, straight sword, broadsword, cudgel & spear forms in Ba Gua, Xing Yi, Pao Chui, Fan Zi, Tong Bei, Liu He, Northern Praying Mantis, Ba Ji, Cha Quan, Tai Ji Quan & Yong Chun Quan.
At the end of the training, an examination was held for each participant to determine their ranking in the Chinese Wushu Duan System, under topics of Wushu ethics, theories as well as physical skills.
There are total of 9 Duan Wei grades divided into 3 levels: Elementary Duan (1st to 3rd Duan), Intermediate Duan (4 to 6th Duan) and Advanced Duan (7 to 9th Duan).
Chin Woo New Zealand is in jubilance to announce the combined achievement of the following 5 participants:
Coach George Guo – 7th Duan Wei
Sifu Peter Sue – 6th Duan Wei
Sifu Melissa Chan – 6th Duan Wei
Teresa Chan – 4th Duan Wei
Arron Chan – 3rd Duan Wei
The 6th and 7th Duan Wei recipients were required to submit a detailed dissertation on Chinese martial arts as well as submit to a rigorous assessment of their technical abilities.
In addition, Coach George Guo’s 7th Duan Wei award recognized his significant contribution and success in developing Wushu in New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia and China spanning several years.
Our heartfelt congratulations to them all!
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Since 1998 the Chinese Wushu Association together with the National Sport Commission and the Chinese Wushu Research Institute has established a graduation system based on nine Duan levels.
Dan or Degrees (ie Black Belt 1st Dan, 2nd Dan, 3rd Dan etc) are common in Japanese and Korean martial arts, but less common in Chinese martial arts. However some of the world’s leading Wushu organizations are now adopting them, and Chin Woo New Zealand believe they are beneficial.
The Duan Wei assessment enhances transparency and provides a level of standardization amongst Chinese martial arts practitioners. Successful Duan Wei recipients have been screened by a panel of experts in various aspects of Wushu and awarded Duan Wei according to their level of proficiency and contribution to developing Chinese martial arts.
Chin Woo New Zealand has been an advocate for such transparency and standardization in Chinese martial arts for many years.
Amongst its members, Chin Woo New Zealand now holds over 30 Duan Wei ranks. This achievement shows strength of commitment in developing Chinese martial arts in New Zealand. Chin Woo New Zealand is the leading Chinese martial arts organization for Duan Wei ranked members officially recognized by the Chinese Wushu Federation in China.
The 6th Annual Chin Woo NZ Wushu Competition will be held at Farm Cove Intermediate Gym on Sunday 13th September 2009.
This is a Wushu Taolu competition event (IWUF International Competition Forms and Traditional forms) and it is open to all Wushu organizations, clubs and schools.
A copy of the Rules and Regulations as well as the Entry Form can be found at the Downloads Section of this website.
Entries close on 28 August 2009.
For more information please contact Tom 0274 482 680 or Lucy 09 267 5968.
Beijing. “Ice Cream, Den Yoiiinnnn” she sang as we waited for the show to begin. Pretty pink and white, ice-cream carry box and all, she was young, cheerful and bubbly with rosy red cheeks. One of those people who could easily have been forgotten as quick as the show had started but instead, she is still remembered by many of us as being the cherry little ice-cream girl who provided us all with pre-screening fun and entertainment. She was great! And we had in an instant, mastered how to say “ten yuan” in a northern Chinese accent.
Moments like these are the little gems that you invariably find when embarking on an expedition such as the Chin Woo New Zealand Kung Fu Journey.
Since 2002 and every four years since, the Chin Woo Athletic Association of New Zealand has embarked on a 2-3 week journey to Hong Kong and China. In the inaugural journey of 2002 the group of 20 spent 14 days exploring Hong Kong, Futsan and Guangzhou, each place a heavyweight in China’s great martial arts heritage. The group trained with some of Hong Kong’s most illustrious Sifu, exchanged with students and masters in Futsan and gained sneak previews into South China’s top professional Wushu Athletes in Guangzhou.
But the fun and enjoyment of any great expedition is not only measured by the places that you plan to visit. Often it is what happens in between, places that are ‘off the radar’ and things that can certainly never be planned for. Take for example the time that, following a hearty banquet dinner and with bellies full of Chinese wine, all 20 of us were invited back to one particular Sifu’s home to perform and exchange kung fu. Having unknowingly delayed our departure from the restaurant, we arrived at his home close to midnight and not surprisingly poor Sifu had fallen asleep waiting for us. His son hosted us and we were treated to fabulous demonstrations of traditional Chinese martial arts and weapons by his students who had shown up, pretty much in their nightwear to welcome us. Luckily for us, the cool night air and obscurity of the whole situation had a sobering effect and we managed to reciprocate giving various demonstrations of our own – drunken fist not.
Fast forward four years and the group for the 2006 Journey had swollen to 40 strong and comprised Chin Woo members from a vast array of kung fu styles. This added to the flavour of the trip and provided for a most enjoyable and wide ranging variety of Chinese martial art exchanges and performances.
On this journey, the itinerary had expanded to include not only the southern Chinese cities mentioned above, but also a 10 day adventure to North China. We visited the capital city and cultural epicentre of Beijing, conquered the Great Wall, visited the birthplace and resting tomb of the great Chin Woo founder Huo Yuan Jia in Tianjin, shopped in Old Shanghai and sampled some of Chinas finest Tea in Suzhou and Hangzhou.
One impression that will never leave me are the times spent with my Sifu listening to her recount stories of her training days a long time ago. Once it was while sipping hot soup at a small roadside eatery in Futsan late into the evening. It sounds odd writing about these experiences but they have brought me a stronger connection to my training and the heritage it enjoys, a deeper sense of belonging and appreciation for the road the art I study has taken to arrive in Aotearoa.
For serious students of Chinese martial arts the Journey offers a unique experience to deepen your understanding of the cultural elements of the arts that we rigorously pursue. It can offer opportunity to see other flavours of your art, to broaden your understanding and appreciation of other arts and importantly to grow as a person and martial artist. Many friendships are born out of these journeys.
The next Chin Woo kung fu journey is scheduled to take place in December 2010, the centenary year for the world Chin Woo movement. While details are still tentative, early indications are that the journey will not only include revisiting some of the main martial arts attractions in South China but will also include a trip to the buried terracotta army in Xian as well as the famed Shaolin Temple in Henan Provence.
In addition, the Journey will be visiting Shanghai, the venue for the 2010 World Expo.
If you are interested in finding out more about these journeys please feel free to contact me or simply ask other Chin Woo members who have previously attended. Early registrations are being accepted and for more information please email me davidchan@orcon.net.nz.
The first group to travel on Chin Woo New Zealand Kung Fu Journey in 2002….
The second group in 2006….
This short clip features some of the highlights from the first Chin Woo New Zealand Kung Fu Journey.
For more clips of the 2006 Kung Fu Journey please visit the Videos section.
The 2009 Chin Woo Auckland movie night was a great success. The evening, designed to help raise funds for Chin Woo Head Coach George Yuancheng Guo’s trip to China later in the year. Coach Guo is travelling to China in order to sit his exam for his seventh Duan level. The Duan system, used by China to rank specialists in Chinese Martial Arts, is divided into nine levels whereby Coach Guo already holds the first six levels. This gain in rank will help Chin Woo by raising its profile in New Zealand and will also allow Coach Guo to bring back martial knowledge from China to Chin Woo’s members. The evening brought in over $2160, and with the $1000 raised by Chin Woo Wellington, Coach Guo’s costs are almost completely covered.
The evening began with a speech by Chin Woo Executive member Jack Chan and a demonstration by members of Auckland’s Chin Woo Wushu team.
The movie shown was the Chinese film, Champions. Champions is based on the story of China’s introduction into the Olympic Games in Berlin, 1936 and of the persons involved in the organisation and eventual participation into the Games. It amused the audience with its combination of slapstick and verbal comedy. Its action scenes were top notch, highlighting the talent of the slightly aged Xu Xiangdong playing the villain turned ally,On Yang. Xu Xiangdong, Ex-beijing team member and expert contempory Eagle Claw (Yingzhaoquan) stylist of the early to mid eighties, demonstrated that age does not reduce martial capability; putting on a memorable fight scene with many of the trademark eagle claw grappling techniques. Supporting Xu were Yu Rongguang (notable for his appearances in many Hong Kong Jet Li films) and Li Hui.
Chin Woo would like to thank South Seas Film School for the use of their facilities, Siuyuat and Garduen Wong for the catering. Daniel Crothers and Berin Hunter for all their help in organising the event, particularly Daniel’s contribution to both ticket creation and venue hire. Also to thank are members of Chin Woo and their families for the all the food provided, and those athletes Thank you for your generous gesture.
Finally, Chin Woo would like to thank all who attended or gave their support, your contribution will help Chin Woo grow and it is greatly appreciated.
Chin Woo New Zealand is pleased to announce the appointment of Sifu Melissa Fung Chan and Sifu Peter Sue to the position of Technical Advisor- Traditional Chinese Martial Arts.
The appointments represent a significant advancement in Chin Woo New Zealand’s ongoing mission to promote traditional Chinese martial arts in New Zealand.
The role of the Technical Advisor- Traditional Chinese Martial Arts is (among other things) to:
Provide leadership, recommendations/ liaison/ amendments to all cultural, philosophical and technical training matters concerned with staging traditional Chinese martial arts (“TCMA”) performance and competition based events.
In consultation with the Chin Woo New Zealand Executive, liaise with Chin Woo New Zealand (“CWNZ”) members to assist with cultural, philosophical and technical training matters.
Attend local, regional and national meetings to present technical reports on pertinent matters, as required from time to time.
Continually undertake research into TCMA on behalf of CWNZ.
Organize and conduct workshops/ focus groups/ seminars aimed at both members and the general public to promote CWNZ and TCMA in general.
When required- regular communication, mentoring and visitation expectations with CWNZ members to advise on cultural, philosophical and technical training matters regarding TCMA.
Continually assist in the promotion of the Chin Woo Ideals throughout the local and wider martial arts community.
Chin Woo New Zealand congratulates Sifu’s Chan and Sue on their successful appointments and looks forward to their valued input into furthiring the development of traditional Chinese martial arts in New Zealand.
About Sifu Meliisa Fung Chan
Sifu Melissa Fung Chan (陳馮映紅(虹)) began her training back in 1962 in Guangzhou City, South China. She studied Hung Gar and Hap Gar kung fu from her Sifu Master Deng Gum To until the early 1980’s when she immigrated to New Zealand.
She competed actively in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s in China and in 1980 won the gold medal for traditional southern fist kung fu at the All China Nationals. In 2003 she commenced classes teaching her line of traditional southern fist kung fu.
Sifu Fung is the Chief Instructor for the New Zealand Ling Nan Wushu Association and prior to arriving in New Zealand she was a qualified instructor and provincial judge for the Guangdong Wushu Federation.
About Sifu Peter Sue
Sifu Peter Sue studied martial arts under the late Sifu Bill Young who in 1968, founded the first Chinese martial arts school in New Zealand.
During his early years of training, Sifu Sue had the opportunity to train with visiting Chinese and Japanese sailors, some of whom were masters of various kung fu styles including Hung Gar, White Eyebrow and Chow Gar Southern Praying Mantis.
Being one of the founding student’s Sifu Sue was invited to practice in Sifu Bill’s school with these masters who shared their knowledge with Sifu Sue and other high ranking students.
Sifu Sue is the Chief Instructor for the New Zealand Chinese Kung Fu Association based in Wellington.
Capital Times Article on Sifu Peter Sue 5/3/2008