This Article made it into the 'MARTIAL ARTS ILLUSTRATED' Magazine!
September 2007 Issue - (Kung Fu Tour).
We are proud to be associated with them.
This Site is dedicated to the loving Memory of Stuart Adlam. 18/09/1975.
Who died on 22/05/07. Rest in peace.
CHINA KUNG FU TOUR!
My name is Steve Cross, im 24 and from Salisbury. I have enjoyed studying Martial Arts since the age of 8 years old. I have tried many styles, but found my personal affection is for Kung Fu.
I study Wing Chun, Lau Gar and Tai Chi. I have always been interested in Chinese culture, and I wanted to tour China un-planned and find a good Kung Fu school. In the summer of 2006 I decided I would travel out with my friend Stuart Adlam.
When we got to China we both got jobs teaching English in a college in Zhaoqing (Guangdong province – formally known as Canton) in South China.
I found a Kung Fu school on a website that would accept me on 20th of Sept.
I traveled to Yantai in Shandong province to the Kun Yu Mountain Martial Arts Academy.
There I trained for 3 months. I met some amazing Masters (Master Du – left, Master Wong – Right) and other students from all over the world.
I made good friends with a guy called Dave Hendry from Glasgow.
He was very proficient in Mantis style and planned to stay with his Master for the next few years!
The Kunyu Mountains were only a walk away, so we often went to train up there.
It was very quiet and tranquil there. You could concentrate on your training, and especially good for Tai Chi and Qi Gong.
Every Friday we had to run up the steps to the Taoist cave at the top (bottom left/middle). . There was a Taoist monk (top right) that lived up the Mountain, which was interesting to see.
Master Xu (left) was incredible. His fluidity was amazing. A few times he took the Shaolin class and you could see the difference between his internal training to Master Wong’s external Sanda training. (Master Wong was at one point number 2 in China for Sanda - Chinese kickboxing). But Master Xu was just explosive! It would almost look like he tele-ported from one end of the training hall to the other; blink and you would miss it! You could see the years of internal training of Tai Chi has added to his skill. In my opinion it would benefit anyone, studying any martial art – to practice Tai Chi.
Master Hu (right) the main Tai Chi teacher was 73! He could still do the splits, and I would get up at 5am just to go and see him perform his Snake form in the training hall. He was something else!
I met some great people at the Academy, and in December I left for Beijing with a guy called Johnny form London. I saw many great things there like Tianamen square, the Forbiden city, and the great wall of China (bottom left). (Ignore the crazy pants! it became a challenge at the acadamy to see who could get the most hiddious design made at the local tailors - and so became a rule that we had to wear them to each major attraction).
After 1 week I headed for Shanghai, (above right) which was very interesting! Especially at night. The Clubs there are amazing! I saw Carl Cox play at the Bon Bon club (worth a visit)!
I headed back on a 24 hr train ride! to spend Christmas with my friend Stuart who was still at the college teaching English. We spent christmas and New Year in Guangzhou (the capital of Guangdong, 2 hrs from Zhaoqing by coach).
In Guangzhou and Zhaoqing are some gorgeous places to visit like water falls and mountains etc, and some great nightclubs for the evening. (Stuart left).
We made friends very quickly and the Chinese are very happy to sit and accommodate you with drinks etc. Especially if you can talk some Chinese!
I managed to learn quite a bit from a book I had, the college students, the Academy’s translator and just generally asking people etc. I can now speak enough to travel eat and make introductions etc.
Stuart finished for a months break on Jan 20th so we were going to head to Thailand.
Whilst I stayed in South China I decided I wanted to continue training Kung Fu. I found an amazing Sifu - Xiao Long (bottom middle) who taught me for free! I just took him for meals and things like that. I even met HIS Master, Sifu Liu (sat down, & bottom right).
Master Liu has Nan Quan Schools all over the world. He also teaches the Police and Army,
I was honored to go to his home and meet his family.
Whilst in South China I decided I wanted more people to be able to experience what I have, and be able to study Kung Fu with real Masters. I also wanted to improve on the things that I felt the Academy I stayed in lacked i.e. – accommodation / facilities etc.
I wanted an area that has relevance to Kung Fu. So what better place than Foshan, where Grand Master Yip man developed Wing Chun, where Bruce lee lived and the Birth place of Wong Fei Hung (of who many films have been made i.e. – once upon a time in China etc).
There is a the Foshan ancestral temple there where they hold the lion dance, have live Kung Fu displays and the Wing Chun Museum.
The Zaomu Mountain is located just outside the city, which is also worth a visit.
I have associated myself with the Foshan Chinwoo Athletic Association, which has schools all over the world. They have Chinese Masters that are happy to pass on their skills to western students.
I have organized through them: Hotel accommodation near to the School and a training schedule, with good training facilities. There is even use of a full size running track. The main styles will be focused on Wing Chun and Hung Kuen, however students wishing to learn Shaolin can also do so.
There will be optional lessons of Tai Chi and Qi Gong. Training will be set to push students and develop their skill in a short time. The course is set up as a month’s intensive martial arts program, and students will look towards accomplishing a certificate at the end. However students wishing to stay longer than 1 month are more than welcome, and some discount will be arranged. There is also discount for group bookings. Beginners are also welcome.
The hotel rooms have air conditioning for the hot climate, TV’s for evenings, and en-suite bathrooms for a relaxing shower after training. (I know after staying in the academy’s accommodation that this would be a bonus)!
Anyone interested in training Kung Fu in its original setting with traditional Masters, please visit
www.kungfuexperience.co.uk After leaving China we head to Thailand. We trained Muai Thai in a training camp in Phuket. This was intense as it was 40 degrees!
After the Muai Thai camp we finished off our travels touring the Thai islands including Ko phi phi (where ‘The Beach’ was filmed). I headed home in March and Stuart decided to head back to China.
On May 22nd I received news from China that Stuart had passed away. Just as I was thinking how I would tell his family, I received another call from his Brother saying that the Police had just informed them. I wouldn’t believe it at first, (they say it was a heart attack) but now we have got him back to the UK (after much hassle with insurance) it has sunk in.
I would like to dedicate this article to a great friend, a loyal student, and caring and adventurous guy. He was 31.
Before traveling to China Stuart was the regional manager for GKR Karate in the Bristol zone. He also has 9 years of Wing Chun under his belt. He will be missed very much by his family, many friends, fellow students, the college staff and students, and by myself immensely.
His business knowledge will be a great loss to our venture, as he was going to work from China and myself from the UK sending students out. I will continue to work hard on the site and the School, as it is what he was looking forward to.
Over all we are all glad he was where he wanted to be, and doing what he wanted to do.
It is great that he had the chance to fulfill his dream of traveling China and training Kung Fu.
This trip over all has been an amazing experience for Stuart and myself and I only hope many more people will do the same.
Again anyone interested in traveling to China to study Kung Fu, please visit:
www.kungfuexperience.co.uk
This Article is dedicated to Stuart Jason Adlam 18/09/75 – 22/05/07. God bless your soul and rest in peace my good buddy.
Train Kung Fu in China!