Discipleship and Wushu

Spent a day with Grandmaster Zhao and Master Yang...to get me ready for the upoming disciple ceremony.........the event will include 80 of the most prominent Masters in the Wushu World........Grandmaster Zhao has selected me to be part of the next generation of Bagua Masters...........which is quite an honor.  My students have often asked what's the difference between being the disciple and the student.  Well, first thing I learned was that there are many students but only a few disciples........disciples are taught the principles and applications.......the student may learn forms but the meat of the art is left for the disciple who's job is  to teach those principles to the next generation.  For student's, you may learn a certain amount of techniques and forms but there is a limit...because if everyone knows our techniques then it won't be special and they can develop counters.  This is important if you are to preserve the original style.......or you can end up like American Karate which has become a mishmash of different styles,with no particular style or tradition.  So spent the morning and most of the day listening to Grandmaster Zhao explain different Bagua and Qinna principles.  Then we had firepot with Grandmaster Zhao his wife and Master Yang...........the food was excellent ...very fresh high quality meat and vegetables.....and also lots of beer and Er guo Tuo...rice wine.  Then in the evening Glenn, Simu  Mars and I went to dinner with .Master Yang and his family.........he said we would now become family......when you become a disciple you also acquire a new family.  He did his best to get Glenn and I smashed.....there was lots of beer and more baijiu....had a great time!!  The discple ceremony will be on Sunday.....on Saturday is Qing Ming and we will be going to the Tomb of Dong Hai Chuan, the creator of Bagua.  Master Yang's family was very hospitable.......his daughter Betty spoke excellent English....and helps him with his website..........Madame Yang spent time conversing with Mars about her study at Beida.  Ok, gonna go for now everyone is waiting for me to go to Starbucks!!

Cya!!