Kung Fu Archives - WAH LUM®

Performance Training

January 20, 2025February 5, 2025Sifu Mimi ChanCulture, Kung Fu, Sifu Mimi's Blog

I spoke with Sifu Antonio a couple of weeks ago, and he told me how excited his students were for the Wah Lum of Brazil Grand Opening. It was a special treat for them that Grandmaster Chan and other Wah Lum Sifus were attending. He was wondering what we would be performing at the show, and I confessed that because of Chinese New Year, we had not planned out our performance. As much as I loved performing growing up, I am actually fine if I do not perform these days. I can’t pinpoint exactly why I don’t often feel motivated to perform, but part of it is that I enjoy seeing the next generation step up. I am excited to see what the youth and newer generations put together creatively and how they execute their forms. Throughout the CNY celebrations I sometimes considered performing if we were short on help, but then I would see the kids really flourish and push themselves to the limit. (we call it CNY pride) So, I opted not to perform during CNY. I learn a lot from observing and it helps me become a better teacher.

Of course it will be an honor to perform at the Grand Opening in Brazil on behalf of the

Temple and to be a part of this great celebration. Sifu Tu will be doing his famous double edge sword, Sifu Oscar a mantis form, and I still hadn’t decided what to do. I will also begrudgingly admit that I often don’t decide what I am doing until I am on stage! Improvisation is a big part of my repertoire. Good or bad, it definitely keeps me on my toes.

Do I recommend this route? Certainly not! My method for training students is to drill and drill and drill their performance routines until it is engrained in their brain. It may seem odd that I do not want them to do as I do, just do as I say! I worry that makes me a hypocritical teacher, but then I realize I had to create my own system for performance training. Although my father was always there to guide me, I had to do the majority of my performance training on my own. I had to drill and drill and drill until I got it right. I was also fortunate that we had a lot of live shows to gain experience. I’ve spent entire summers performing kung fu shows daily at theme parks. Not many other martial artists have had this experience. Ultimately another reason I have a flare for the dramatic, is I take after my teacher, Grandmaster Pui Chan. No one performs like he does! I have seen masters through the decades from all over the world, and while many have incredible kung fu, none of them have the showmanship like my father. Even the other masters always comment on his performances. In addition, he is always performing. On the streets in Brazil, or on the cruise; he starts talking to anyone who fish-pond shows interest, and immediately he is on stage. If they are lucky he does some kung fu moves for them too. Through these experiences, I learned the art of performing, and
not just the art of kung fu. They really are 2 different animals! (I never had animals growing up, except for the fish at the Temple, but they hardly count as pets right?)

My students are fortunate that I developed a system for producing entertaining shows. I don’t often compliment myself, but I do believe I can put on an exciting show. Instead of having to discover these techniques on their own, I am there to guide them and essentially give them short cuts. Some might say it isn’t good for them, and that they should discover things on their own, but then I see them perform and realize they are much better performers at this stage of their training than I was. In having to figure it out on my own, my progress was slow. My hopes for my students are for them to surpass me by trillions and gazillions! In order to do this, I combine my experiences to give them what I hope is the best system of training for their progress and growth. Although I have been doing this a long time, I am still learning. I am pleased that the crowd is always happy at our shows, and my goal is to always improve and challenge myself.

Watching the kung fu show in Rio de Janeiro that was led by Sifu Antonio was such an inspiration. I was thrilled the moment they stepped on stage. The music, the uniforms, and the performance resembled shows I have produced in the past. I was so happy to see that this has carried over all the way in Brazil! Sifu Antonio and his students captured the essence of my Wah Lum kung fu performance style, and it was excellently executed! Kudos to everyone who performed!

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It is such a unique thing to realize that all over the world, Wah Lum students are doing the same classes we are doing at the Temple, and now to see them perform the same, was a special moment for me. It makes me unbelievably proud, and it was pleasure to share the stage with my Wah Lum of Brazil family. Congrats again to Sifu Antonio on a successful grand opening and for all of the hard work these past 20 years to make the school what it is today.

Lions and Firecrackers and Kung fu, Oh My!

November 23, 2024Sifu Mimi ChanCulture, Kung Fu, Sifu Mimi's Blog

We are almost finished with the shows for Chinese New Year (CNY). It’s hard to believe in 2 days, we did over 30 performances. I’m not sure why I am always surprised, because this has been our tradition… this is our culture. I only know how to celebrate CNY one way: with lion dancing, kung fu shows, and firecrackers. Lots of firecrackers.
When I was younger, and the Temple would go out to perform, we had fewer participants, which meant a lot more kung fu for the few of us who performed. It didn’t matter. We loved it. As much of a ‘mysophobe’ as I am, CNY was one time I didn’t mind the germs or dirt. Rolling in firecracker dust on the parking lot floor was expected. Exciting even! What is CNY without hearing the drums play over and over in your head before you go to sleep, or coming home and finding firecracker remnants in your hair? No cuts or scrapes? That just means you didn’t celebrate properly.
Ask any performer what the shower at the end of CNY day 1 is like, and they will all tell you the same story. You watch the dirt go down the drain; you feel the burn from scrapes you didn’t know you had, you feel amazing to be under the warm water, and could probably fall asleep right there in the shower. That is the essence of CNY. The lunar calendar marks the ‘new year’ for us, a new beginning. We wash away the dirt and negativity from the past, recognize the hardships that will soon be in the past, we embrace the warmth of the new beginning, and we feel the challenges of being tired from hard work… But then we get up and do it again.

This is me running into the lion’s tail this year!

I remember telling my students this year after the floor was wet from the rain, “you don’t need to split and roll on the ground.” Sure enough, they got out there and did the split and rolled around on the ground. At first, I wondered why they were doing it, I just told them they didn’t need to do it! Why are they getting all dirty? Then I remember how I was at their age and what I did as a young performer. The excitement of the shows, the adrenalin, and the fun of just getting messy for CNY. Why would I try to stop it?

It’s part of the tradition, part of the culture.

Photos: Courtesy Karl Simpson and Hao Nguyen

Why women should practice kung fu: my real life application

November 26, 2017March 18, 2024Sifu Mimi ChanCulture, Kung Fu, Sifu Mimi's Blog

I have been asked about teaching a ‘women’s self defense’ seminar over the years, and I always decline because in all honesty, I don’t ever feel like I am a true authority on the subject. Yes, I have done kung fu my entire life. Yes, I have done sparring class. Yes, I have been taught self defense. However, I do not practice fighting on a daily basis or apply my kung fu in a combat environment as often as I would like to. I never like to pretend I am an expert in something I am not, so I usually shy away from the request for a women’s self defense class.

The main focus of my martial arts training has always been its expression as an art form, preserving the cultural tradition, health, philosophy and self defense application. I always hated the question “Have you ever used kung fu in a fight?” because as a traditional practitioner, my goal was always to avoid a fight. Learning to deflect and avoid confrontation is kung fu to me. I know some people may scoff at this and say “yea, but if you were attacked those things aren’t important.” They would argue that knowing how to physically fight and defend yourself is the most important thing. I disagree. I do agree at the end of the day, a woman should be able to defend herself physically, and have the tools to harm an attacker. However, I am also realistic in the fact that an average female is at a disadvantage to a male in size, weight, and strength. Don’t get me wrong … I am all about girl power, and anything he can do I can do better… but nature can’t be overlooked.

Do I think I could defend myself against someone within my weight, size, and skill level? Yes. Do I think I could fight off a couple 6′ 3″ 250 lb guys attacking me? I certainly would put up a good fight, but probably not. Furthermore, if my attacker had a fire arm or other weapon, I would certainly be at a disadvantage. This is not a kung fu movie. However, I liked to believe that my kung fu training has taught me to have heightened awareness of my surroundings, ability to detect potential danger, and the ability to react quickly in a stressful environment. I know many are scoffing at these ideas as well.

I unfortunately finally had a live test of this theory. This past week, I was sleeping in my room and heard a loud noise that woke me up. I thought it was O in the kitchen and remembered that I wanted to remind him to take some boxes to the Temple. So I left the bedroom and went down the hall to find a man in a hooded sweatshirt running through my house. When he turned his face, I saw that he had a full face mask on and at that moment I knew it was not O. In reflection, I believe that my adrenals kicked in and I went into offensive mode. It was fight-or-flight and my instinct was to fight. I changed my stance (albeit I was in my fluffy bathrobe, and was probably the least threatening I have ever looked), started yelling at him to get out, and advanced forward. He ran away from me, slammed the sliding glass door onto the ground, and ran out the back. I then proceeded to barricade myself in the room closest to the street and dialed 911. The police arrived within 5 minutes, but were on the opposite side of the street. I had to direct them to the correct house, asked them to come in, and clear the home because I did not know how many people were in the home or if he had returned with a weapon. Even under the duress, I was able to give concise directions, describe the thief, and felt confident in the interaction we had. I did not pursue him out the door because I did not know what was waiting around the corner, and knew he must have had some tool or weapon to break the glass. I was not trying to be a hero in this scenario, which I truly believe was the smartest choice I could have made. When people asked if I ‘would have’ used kung fu on him, I tell them I did use kung fu. I didn’t have to fight, but I was defensive when I needed to be, and offensive when I needed to be. I held a confident posture, I yelled loudly and pointedly (enough to make him run in the opposite direction of the woman he outweighed and was larger than). I secured myself in a safe room and called for help. I gave clear directions when I saw the police was at the wrong house. I was able to tell them what direction he headed, what he was wearing, and general details about his appearance. In this stressful situation, I did not freeze, I did not get emotional, and as a result, I am alive. I attribute this to my kung fu training. So have I ever used kung fu in a fight? Yes.

To hear more about this, subscribe to my podcast as I will be discussing it on there soon. I HAVE ALSO MOVED THE BLOG TO: www.sifumimichan.com

Birthdays!

November 3, 2017November 3, 2017Sifu Mimi ChanCulture, Kung Fu, Sifu Mimi's Blog

Even though we don’t get a true Autumn here… it always feels like the leaves are falling on me! October 12th is my father’s birthday, October 31st is my mom’s birthday, and November 2 is the anniversary of the temple. This is a busy time for me! I always get overwhelmed and am worried about what to do for the celebrations, not sure what gifts to get for my parents… and I usually start planning about a year away. So last year, I already knew that this year we would be celebrating my dad’s birthday in England, and my mom would be having a huge bash for her 70th milestone! This means I had to do something ‘low key’ for the 37th anniversary of the Temple. By low keyI mean having something with only about 100 people… this is low key! We are having a lecture, book signing, and ‘Celebration of Food’ at the Temple tomorrow. I’m excited. I have been talking about this ‘Celebration of Food’ idea on my podcasts, and feel that it is just what the doctor ordered. I’ve been frustrated at the divisiveness of this country lately. Especially since I just returned from visiting the hallowed grounds

of the D-Day beaches, Normandy American Cemetery, and the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. I was so proud to be American as I walked through these places thinking about what our country was fighting for, and the sacrifices that were made. I feel that we have become so angry with one another now that we forget how alike we are. I truly believe everyone has something in common. Yes, we are all human, yes we all breathe air, etc. but the one real commonality that I see people unite over is food. More often than not, we as humans don’t just eat to live, we live to eat! My wishful thinking is that if the world could participate in a huge potluck and respect each others’ culture through the sharing of food, then we could all be friends. Hopeful? Naive? Maybe. However, I can still dream and partake of all the delicious meals people will be bringing tomorrow. I promise to share some photos after the event on our Facebook page.

The other major stress this weekend has been the 100 guest list formal birthday party that I’m planning at my parents house. I’ve gutted the interior and transformed it into a ballroom. Linens, centerpieces, champagne welcome, and a buffet station with a 10 course meal lies ahead. (as if we wouldn’t have eaten enough that day) Some people have said I am crazy to have 2 main events in 1 day. They would be right. (However… I have done this many times before… holding a tournament and a huge stage production the same day anyone?) I like to pride myself in my logistical prowess, and my strong event planning skills… while both events will be incredible, I am feeling the effects. We just returned from the Grand Opening of Wah Lum of Germany less than 2 weeks ago, had a big Parent Day Show for the kids class right when we got back, and then jumped into planning for all the events this weekend… I’m stressed. I admit that I can’t handle it as well as I did in my extreme youth. I’m grumpy, I’m tired, and I’m frustrated! My parents and I have different planning methods, that often clash and I have had to make adjustments over the years. As I get older, I get more stubborn…and I think it’s safe to say the same goes for them! It can be a nightmare to try to work it all out, but in the end I remember one of the most important things in life is gratitude, and it leaves me with these questions:

How lucky am I that I have parents that are around with soooo much energy to drive me bananas?

How lucky am I to have the opportunity to throw a 70th birthday party for my mom and celebrate the 37th anniversary of the Wah Lum Temple all on the same day?

Pretty darn lucky.

A Tale of Two Weekends

September 17, 2017Sifu Mimi ChanKung Fu, Sifu Mimi's Blog

I’ve been meaning to write a recap of my training weekend in Boston with my Si Hing (older kung fu brother), Sifu Bob Rosen. However, we had a little storm named Irma come through and kind of threw things of track.

Weekend 1

The Labor Day weekend was time I had designated to do my personal training. A little ‘me’ time! As I stated in previous posts, even instructors have to test, and maintain their material. One of the vows that I made at the last test was to spend more time training with my peers, which meant that each year I would go to Boston to connect with my Si-Hing Bob Rosen. (I also tried to get my Orlando brothers to go too; Sifu Tu joined me on this fun weekend) The end of the year was quickly approaching, and I saw an opportunity with the holiday weekend. It turns out to be great timing for Sifu Bob because he closes the school to clean, fix, and regroup for the fall. I know many of you are imagining really crazy ‘secret’ kung fu training that might have taken place; consisting of levitation, flaming weapons, etc. Sorry to disappoint. I like to go over fundamentals and delve deeper into my understanding of the forms. We collaborated on ideas for self defense applications, technique, and practiced advanced forms that we rarely teach. (so ok, some secret cool kung fu stuff) I am so appreciative to have such incredible kung fu brothers that are willing to spend time with me. I learn so much from them and feel fortunate to have such knowledgeable brothers. Sifu George couldn’t make it this time, but he will definitely join us next time. The Orlando crew often gets together though, and hopefully we will be able to train more often.

Per tradition, after training you eat! Having lunch in Boston chinatown is special for us because it is so nostalgic. I love being in Boston because it makes me feel closer to my father, knowing I am walking the path that he once walked everyday.

The best part about being in Boston? I do not have to ‘worry’ about my students. 😉 We all love teaching, but we also love kung fu. Once you become a Sifu, personal training time requires strategic planning and prioritizing. I had to travel all the way to Boston to get away! I know people often think… “but you are at the Temple all day! You can train when there are no classes.” Unfortunately, that is not my reality. Running the Wah Lum Temple and the Wah Lum System consists of many administrative tasks, meetings, planning, etc. It is certainly a challenge and hard work on a daily basis. But then again, that is kung fu too.

The last part of the trip consisted of a little bit of official business, but it was something I was excited to do. I visited two new locations while in town. Wah Lum of Quincy’s brand new location and Wah Lum of Taunton’s relocated building. So proud of our growing Wah Lum Family!

A fun interlude for the weekend was an event at Paper Asylum, Pete K. of Wah Lum of Boston‘s pop culture store. I did the Mulan appearance bit: signed autographs and took photos with fans. They had a fun cosplay group out there to add to the Disney theme. Confession: My favorite character is Ariel, and her asking for my autograph was pretty amusing.

Weekend 2

On my way back to Orlando I heard the news of the gigantic storm headed our way: Hurricane Irma. I usually try to keep calm during storm warnings, because while one has to be prepared, it doesn’t help to panic. I returned on Wednesday evening, and there was no water or gas, and the city was madness. I started imagining scenes from Mad Max… and decide which character I could be. First I had to decide which film… well, let’s say it’s the most recent one for our younger readers. Obviously, I am Furiosa (based on the name alone), and O is the guy hanging off the truck playing the electric guitar. ha! Ok, I digress.

The storm grew and intensified, and by Friday I was a bit concerned… but Friday night, it started to ‘shift’ and the projections of a category 5 hurricane splitting Florida in two suddenly changed. It veered west. Not great either, but a better scenario for several parts of south Florida. Then Cuba intervened. I think if it hadn’t hovered over the northern coast of Cuba for a bit, we would not have been so ‘fortunate’. I know several areas in Naples, the Keys, etc. had major devastation, but imagine a category 5 making landfall versus the 4/3 that hit us. By the time it got to Orlando, it

Jerk Salmon over egg papparadelle with spinach and tomatoes.

had lost some strength, but still made an impact. Yes, we were without power. (Oh no, the world is ending we have no electricity!) However, we had running water, and that was fine by me. O and I had a lovely candlelight dinner on Sunday, as I had a butane stove to cook our meal. Not too shabby for a hurricane powerless meal?

The winds were howling at 3:00am on Monday morning, and I knew Irma had arrived. My anxiety wasn’t for my home and possessions, but for the Temple. I always worry about the Temple (as does my dad). The steel building could’ve been gone in an instant, had a tornado decided to take it away. (we get a lot of tornadoes when there are hurricanes) We prepped the Temple the best we could, but honestly there wasn’t a lot we could do except hope for the best. In 2005 during Charley we got lucky because a tornado came through and tore up the street. Had that tornado decided to be a few feet over, the Temple would’ve been gone.

I’m certainly not trying to diminish the devastation that so many have felt, with 82 fatalities, and over 60 billion in damages and counting. My heart goes out to all who have lost their loved ones or homes. I can’t even imagine being on Barbuda as 90% of the entire island is now destroyed. I was just in lovely Saint Martin earlier this year, and my heart goes out to them especially. I feel fortunate. I am so lucky to be in Orlando where we always seem to ‘just miss’ the wrath of the storm. Yes, there was some damage, and yes, I was without power for 5 days. But I had running water, food, and was able to borrow generators to keep my food from spoiling. Inconvenient? Yes. However, seeing the images of entire homes leveled or floating away reminds me of how fortunate I am compared to others. The Temple survived another storm. We feel that the bamboo and our ancestors always protects the building. The bamboo is flexible and sways with the wind versus causing any resistance or fighting against it. This is something I am also trying to be better at. I need to learn to be flexible… to flow with the wind… and hopefully I will endure as the Temple has.

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Our starfruit tree from my first blog post was a bit shaken, but we quickly gathered the salvageable fruit to share with others.

Featured image above is my ‘mantis signal’ that I sent out when the storm started. We lost power and I started doing shadow puppets. Oh what fun.

When at war…turn up the heat

September 2, 2017March 18, 2024Sifu Mimi ChanKung Fu, Sifu Mimi's Blog

I am at war every day. I am at war with the mosquitoes that inhabit the Wah Lum Temple. I’m at war with
the heat. I know some people may not believe that the earth is truly warmer than it was a hundred years ago, or that 1.53 degrees does not seem like very much… for those that think that, come to Orlando in August. Today as I entered the Temple it felt like I was crossing the Sahara desert. Ok, I’m being dramatic, but we do not train with air conditioning, and the summers are brutal. Between the mosquitoes and the heat, it can be very difficult to stay motivated to train.

Since I complain about winter being too cold, I try to embrace summer so I say: turn up the heat! I welcome the challenge, but I try to be smart about it. I hydrate like crazy. Pure h20 does the trick. I know advertisers would have you insert their candy colored sports drink here, but really water is the best. I do also love coconut water, and discuss more of this on our Kung Fu Pod episode on Hydration. Something I didn’t discuss on the podcast is Sole. (pronounced Solay) I drink that every morning and it gives me natural electrolytes without the high fructose corn syrup.

As for the mosquitoes, I have done everything from making my own repellant of essential oil mixtures, creams, etc. and recently bought a LOT of citronella, lemon grass, and basil plants for my war these blood suckers. I ‘think‘ they have all helped in combination, but one of the kids here described them as ‘kung fu’ mosquitoes, so they are tough. Even the chemical products with deet and picaridin I tried never worked. So why overdose on the toxins if they don’t help? At least with the essential oils you smell nice. If anyone has any ideas for mosquito prevention – share!

So during the war of the summer, I opt to turn up the heat!

A day in the life of Grandmaster Chan

July 10, 2017Sifu Mimi ChanCulture, Kung Fu, Sifu Mimi's Blog, Tai Chi

img_1089-2 O always tells people if they want to lose weight just follow around Grandmaster Chan for one day. That is definitely one way to burn calories. A day in the life of Grandmaster Chan consists of waking up before the sun and working in the sun, often until it goes down. Grandmaster Chan enjoys his time in the garden and tending to his fish. Whenever he goes on vacation, one lucky person is given the task of watching over his fish and plants. No one wants this job. All will be going well, and then right before he is due home, suddenly a plant or worse, fish dies! It is a nerve racking time for us back home and we have been known to try and resuscitate fish! No CPR or anything, but we were taught to push the fish through the water, as it moves the water through the gills. We have saved a few this way.

Back to a day in the life of Grandmaster Chan.

He is a creature of habit. He wakes up goes to the Temple to bisan, and makes his breakfast. (usually oatmeal and coffee) While water is boiling or the oatmeal is cooking he will start clearing things around the kitchen. After his breakfast he starts his outdoor routine. If you have ever been around the Temple in the morning or mid day, you might catch him doing any of the following: building fences of bamboo, clearing leaves or garbage from the Temple grounds, planting new trees, or even on the roof clearing the gutters. I am not very happy about that one! Depending on what area needs his attention he makes his way there and never asks for help. As a matter of fact when you try to help it often ends up being a bit of a fight…and who wants to fight with a Grandmaster of kung fu? At that point just volunteer to take care of the fish.

A question I get asked a lot is: Does he still practice kung fu? And my answer: every day. Maybe I haven’t ‘seen’ him doing right hand stick or 36 hands this week, but I see him using a broom (stick) to sweep the floors everyday, and I watch in awe as he moves up and down in a squat or to a side to side while cooking, cleaning, chopping, or clearing the grass…just like a form. He is constantly moving, and constantly working…. working hard = kung fu.

Juggling

June 9, 2017June 7, 2017Sifu Mimi ChanCulture, Kung Fu, Sifu Mimi's Blog, Tai Chi

Nope. I can’t juggle. I actually can barely catch a ball. However, I do juggle tasks and priorities all the time. Same goes for my personal training, unfortunately sometimes it has to take second or even third place in line of what needs to get done.

When the Sifu Test was approaching, I was in kung fu mode 24/7. I even visualized my forms before sleeping! Not that I don’t practice my kung fu consistently, but as I have mentioned in previous posts, my year is scheduled out according to my work schedule, and I go from there. This weekend, O is at a 4 day fitness summit learning a bunch of fun fitness things. So for these few days, the priority is taking care of his fitness clients and coaching his classes. At the same time, I also have to make sure that the kung fu and tai chi classes are covered, as we also have most of our instructors out of town on vacation. This is actually pretty easy, because it was scheduled a while ago. The tough part is when a wrench is thrown in my perfectly planned schedule. This is what often happens with my personal training and wellness habits. I admit there are times when I have run myself so ragged, it was a detriment to my health! I do not recommend this. When someone tells me they have kids or too much work that prevents them from eating right or working out, I always ask: What is it they always say on the plane? (What? No one listens to the safety talk right?) Well I do, and they say: Put your oxygen mask on before assisting others! This is so true. How can I expect to help my family, cook for O, teach my students, and get work done if I am not taking care of myself? I am basically writing this out to remind myself that it is important to eat, sleep, work out, relax, and enjoy life. So how do I do it? Juggling! I basically make sure that the priorities are always being rotated. (It’s the only juggling I think I’ll ever be able to do)

In tai chi we teach the philosophy of the yin and yang, the balance to life. single whip I try to follow this principle with every little thing. If I am on the computer too much, I set a timer to walk away and get off the screen. If I am eating too many delicious foods, I make sure that I am working it off at kung fu, walking extra on vacation, or making better choices the next day. If I am feeling guilty from eating delicious foods, I remind myself that it is ok, and reiterate to myself that I can enjoy it… and feel good about it. I am sure you will notice by now that I talk about food and eating a lot. Good food brings me joy! So think about what brings you joy, accept it, be thankful for it, and then keep on juggling.

The kids are all grown up!

May 5, 2017September 26, 2024Sifu Mimi ChanCulture, Kung Fu, Sifu Mimi's Blog

When people ask me how long I have been teaching, and I say over 25 years, I often get a confused look. Perhaps because I look so young! ha. I wish!

I often think about age and experience and realize those two numbers represent entirely different things. Just because someone is ‘older’, doesn’t make them more experienced in things they haven’t practiced. Just because someone is ‘younger’, doesn’t mean they don’t have experience. Reading those lines back is confusing, but basically… you know, the old saying: don’t judge a book by its cover!

I have the perfect story for this that dates back to… oh maybe 18+ years ago. I was attending the Yee’s Hung Ga tournament in New York, and had brought my students with me. My friend was a male Sifu from Yee’s and we went to meet an uncle of one of my students. When we arrived, the uncle immediately ran over to my friend and shook his hand exclaiming how happy he was to meet his nephew’s Sifu. Embarrassed, my friend said, “No, no, I’m not his Sifu, she is his Sifu.” The uncle did a double take, because as you can imagine this was about 18 years ago, so I looked even younger (lament), and I was a she, not a he!

2017-sifu-weekend-151 — 2017 Test Weekend – Lady Sifus

I always laugh at these situations, and don’t get too offended, because this is the stereotype I have dealt with my whole life. I am really proud that in the Wah Lum system there are several female Sifus and a good number of female kung fu practitioners. My father is always really proud of this fact as well. *Girl power!*

Post instructor certification weekend, I’ve been doing a lot of ‘thinking about the old days’. Perhaps this is because I had 2 students from my earlier demo teams testing together this year. (Matthew Martin of Wah Lum of Raleigh and Hiep Dang of Wah Lum of Portland) It was a double take for me to watch them both testing together after all these years. This was Matt’s 3rd test and Hiep’s 1st test. I cannot believe how quickly time goes by. On top of it all, they were fight partners and teammates for a long time. I never imagined they would both be testing to become a Sifu and that they would even produce students of their own one day. As I don’t have biological children, I imagine this is what a parent feels like when their kids are all grown up! I’ve been through so much with these guys, been to their weddings, been through hard times… and now they have decided to follow the path of becoming a Sifu. They have chosen to propagate and share Wah Lum with others. I am proud.

I am really proud of the growth of the entire Orlando branch of the Wah Lum tree, the students that have studied with Sifu Tu Truong and I at the Temple. Torsten Landau of Wah Lum Germany, who has been spending his summer training with us for the past 9 years. Last but certainly not least, Oscar Agramonte, my husband who has taken the word partner to another level with being not only my husband, but my partner in Wah Lum. (not an easy task)

I look forward to watching them grow as instructors and meeting their students. I look at all the members of the Wah Lum family and am overwhelmed by the growth of this tree with so many branches. All from the seed that my father planted. He took the teachings of his Master and brought it to the USA to share with the world. I like to remind my students that they are part of something so much bigger than just the classroom they are standing in. Somewhere in the world there are others lining up to ‘bisan‘ and start their kung fu class just as they are. How cool is that?

What is a Sifu?

April 25, 2017April 25, 2017Sifu Mimi ChanCulture, Kung Fu, Sifu Mimi's Blog

Some people ask me what my typical day is like? Nothing about my life seems very typical, but I do have a routine. Usually, my routine is filled with the thought of show planning, trip planning, or scheduling for the Temple. However, on the ‘off season’ (who am I kidding, there is never an off season at Wah Lum) I do have some conventional days.

A normal day would be waking up around 8:00am, doing some exercises, making a fabulous breakfast, (have I mentioned I cook?), and then getting started on my ‘work’. A lot of people think all I do is teach kung fu. If it were that simple, I would be a stress free and happy individual. For those of you that own your own business out there, you know how much this entails. Looking at the bigger picture, I also have meetings and collaboration with the other schools in the Wah Lum system. Sometimes this includes traveling to different schools and doing seminars, shows, events, etc.

I could ‘complain’ about all the boring business work I have to do, but instead I thought I would share some of my reflection about the Sifu Test a couple of weeks ago. A lot of people think that the test is just showing your physical capabilities. The test is more than just an evaluation of your skills. Yes, we do a LOT of forms, weaponry, and application, however a deeper part of the test experience is the camaraderie, the philosophy sessions, and spending time learning more about one another.

I highly recommend anyone in the Wah Lum system read the RED philosophy book of translated lectures by Grandmaster Pui Chan. In this book, he reveals the SECRET OF KUNG FU! Just kidding. Well, not really. I’ve read the book several times, and each time I read it I learn something new. Whenever I read about the traditions or the philosophy of kung fu, I take away something new. When I read it in preparation for the test, the main passage that struck me this time, was the definition of a Sifu. Here’s an excerpt:

“It is possible for you to get married and get divorced several times in your life. However, once you become a disciple of your Sifu, the relationship is binding for the rest of your life….We know a lot of incidents in the karate circle where a guy get his black belt, then he leaves the school, has a quarrel with his instructor and open up his own school…. to the Chinese the relationship between a Sifu and his students is binding for the rest of his life. When you become a disciple, you promise to take care of your Sifu for the rest of his life…The same way as you would treat your own parents, that is how delicate and involved the relationship is between them.”

I’ve read this several times over the years, and each time I read it, I am a little sad. This was a lecture from the 70’s, and at that time, my father was just starting to develop advanced students. In the 1970’s, he had only seen examples of other styles that had disrespected their Sifu, and became self proclaimed Grandmasters of their own style. The worst part of the ‘creation of the own style’ isn’t just the disrespect and lack of true understanding of what being a kung fu practitioner is, but that they don’t actually ‘create’ anything. They are still using the teachings of Wah Lum and even doing the exact same forms. Some people think once they learn Wah Lum it is ‘theirs’ and they have the ‘right’ to do with it as they please. Kung fu is personal. Each practitioner has their own relationship with kung fu. While one certainly has the right to develop their kung fu or tries to be a better practitioner and person, one does not have the right to propagate and teach kung fu without permission from their Sifu. My father structured what was already an incredible kung fu system with the ability to grow. However, being as open as he was in teaching all who wanted to learn (many of you have seen this part of his story in the documentary Pui Chan: Kung Fu Pioneer) he also encountered those that would disrespect the system, the teachings, the lineage, and worst of all their Sifu. It is interesting to me that those that leave their Sifu think they know more than their teacher to the extent that they are now the Master! How little they seem to understand about traditional Chinese kung fu! Everyday we recite the teachings on the Wah Lum kung fu altar. I try to live by these principles in the classroom, but also in my daily life. And yet, there are some who just throw it all out the window and try to preach to others what they do not practice. I get so frustrated, and never understood how or why my father would continue to be so open, and how he could continue to share his beloved art after the repeated disappointments by students. He told me, “I know who I am, and what is right; they know who they are.” I am learning to accept this as ‘the way’ and the right way…but the other side of me wants to yell to the world who they are, and what they are. I am still learning. I am still a student. I will keep trying to practice control.

So, what does it mean to be a Sifu? My father always says, it is more than a certification, and more than just having students call you Sifu. I listen to his teachings and I learn more as time goes on. To me, being a Sifu is living by the principles instilled in me by my Sifu, and trying to uphold the true tradition. I will treat my Sifu as my parent and take care of him for the rest of his life. However, I know I am lucky, because I have the best Sifu of all time that actually is my parent.

Disclaimer: Remember, I do not claim to be a writer. Ignore and excuse grammar issues! Thank you!

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Kung Fu & Tai Chi

Category: Kung Fu