Over the years the Zhan San Feng Festival hosted a who’s who of the Chinese internal health and martial arts world. Instructors of Taijiquan, Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, Yiquan and many more disciplines came from around the world to teach, learn and share with the hundreds of students and teachers attending the event.
Here are a few of the people who taught and demonstrated at The Farm. There were many others of high skills who taught programs, workshops and retreats. Those listed here are those instructors who were best known to the producers of this website and who responded to our request for contributions. There were many more one can see in the accompanying videos from Shifu Bob Klein and Charles Pratt and Dr. Painter. We have listed those teachers featured below in alphabetical order.
Note: the title Shifu or Dr. is used for currently living teachers. The title Master is used for those who have passed into the void. For more information on the correct use of these titles see the Addendum titled A Note About Names And Titles In Chinese Martial Arts in the end notes of this website.
Master B.P. Chan
Master B.P. Chan was a fixture at the Tai Chi Farm. He and his students would show up and build training equipment especially in the Baguazhang area where he constructed the Nine Palace Posts (Jiugongdian) as well as light body training area and much more.
Master Chan passed away March 17, 2010. He was 87 years old and was still teaching up until 2 weeks before his passing. B.P. Chan was born May 30, 1922 in Fujian Province, China, lived for many years in Manila, and, finally, moved to New York City, where he lived for the rest of his life. Master Chan taught Yang and Chen Taijiquan. He was also well versed in Baguazhang and Xingyiquan, Qigong methods, Yiquan, and a number of different Shaolin Styles from his home in Fujian.
He began his martial studies with a friend of his father’s when he was 10 years old. He said his Baguazhang style was that of Chiang Jung Chiao and that he learned some of his Xingyiquan in the Chinese army. His students noticed that his Hsing I seemed very similar to that of Sun Lu Tang and that Mr. Chan seemed to have a very deep respect for Wang Xiangzhai founder of Intention Boxing (Yiquan). Mr. Chan always taught his students that martial arts were for preserving health and peace of mind and said that he had never been in a fight — but said that his service in the Second World War and the time that the two guys tried to mug him in Manila didn’t count.
During his years in Manila, Mr. Chan taught for 3 hours every morning in the park before going to work in his father’s used furniture store. After coming to New York in the mid-1970’s he taught at The William C.C. Chen Tai Chi School and other venues around the New York area, until just a couple of weeks before his death. He was especially noted for how much he loved Master Jou’s Tai Chi Farm and the time he spent there teaching and working on the facilities with his students. B.P. Chan was one of the last of that rare breed of simple and humble Gong Fu masters, [although he hated being called a master], and he will be sorely missed by everyone who he ever came into contact with. Here is Master Chan demonstrating the Yang 24 Posture Taijiquan.
Shifu William C.C. Chen
William C. C. Chen was born in Chekiang, China. He started teaching Taijiquan in the 1950s while training as a live-in student of the famous Great-Grandmaster Cheng Man-Ching. In the 1950s he was involved competitively in the various free-style, Chinese Wushu. In 1958, he won second place in the Taiwan National Olympic Competition.
Master William C. C. Chen has devoted his life to the study of body mechanics and the application of the principles of Taijiquan for health and self-defense. His approach is to make Taijiquan simple, easier, natural, enjoyable and productive.
He has taught in Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast. In 1965, he established the William C. C. Chen Tai Chi Chuan School in New York City’s Chelsea area. He has been invited to give special seminars on the body mechanics of Taijiquan on a regular basis in Asia, , Europe and throughout the United States. Regarded as one of the finest and most influential traditional internal stylist of his generation.
William C. C. Chen was voted “Man of the Year” by Inside Kung-Fu Magazine in their first Hall of Fame. William Chen was a great supporter and friend of Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa and the Tai Chi Farm. He gave workshops and lectures there during many Zhang San Feng Festivals. Here is Shifu Chen teaching a push hands workshop.
Shifu Aiping Cheng
Aiping Cheng was born in Hangzhou, a city in Zhejiang province, not far from Shanghai. At the age of 15, she was selected for the prestigious Zhejiang Wushu Team, and started intensively studying wushu, Taijiquan, and sports medicine.
In 2017 she moved to Austin, TX and handed her school, Aiping Tai Chi in Connecticut, to her disciples Shifu Shirley Chock and Shifu Jonas Karosas to continue her legacy. In 2018 Master Aiping Cheng established Aiping Tai Chi Austin.
She is now retired from teaching since 2021 and enjoys spending time with her husband, her daughter and son-in-law, and her two grandchildren in Texas. Master Aiping Cheng presented workshops at Tai Chi Farm’s Zhan San Feng festivals and was a great supporter of Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa.
Here is a short video of Shifu Aiping Cheng performing Chen style Taijiquan. Her, skill, poise and grace is beautiful to watch.
Shifu Dominigo Colon
Domingo Colon began his study of Tai Chi in 1965. He studied under three leading authorities of the art, Masters Wm. C.C. Chen, C. K. Chu and B. P. Chan. By 1975, he had developed the necessary skills to be appointed Chief Instructor by Master C. K. Chu. In 1978, he founded the Tai Chi School of Westchester, where he currently conducts exercise classes in the Short and Long Forms of Tai Chi, Taoist healing techniques, breathing exercises, meditation, stress
reduction, philosophy, Chi Kung, Chi development and energy channeling for health and self-defense, sparring and weapons techniques.
Since 1971, Shifu Colon has taught numerous special courses for many tri-state companies, civic groups, colleges, continuing education programs, hospitals and other health facilities. He has appeared many times on cable television and radio shows and is a contributor to specialized publications dealing with the martial arts and Chinese healing methods. He has also designed programs for seniors and individuals with special needs. Shifu Colon studied physical therapy at Hunter College in New York, working primarily in sports medicine, and in 1992 was certified as an Adaptive Fitness instructor trained to teach aerobic, strength and flexibility exercises to the physically challenged. This unique and extensive background in Tai Chi and physical therapy allows Shifu Colon to teach a highly effective and safe synthesis of Eastern and Western healing methods. In this video Shifu Colon demonstrates a Taijiquan Jian (double-edge sword) form at Tai Chi Farm.
Shifu Susanna DeRosa
Shifu DeRosa is a senior disciple of the late Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa, with whom she studied for 25 years. She traveled to China with Master Jou in 1984 on his first Taiji tour, where she studied with local masters and visited the Chen Village and sites related to Taijiquan history. Susanna is a devotee of the Daoist spiritual tradition of Zhang San Feng, as taught by Master Jou. She has also studied with Masters Yang, Zhen Duo, Chen, Xiao Wang, Chen, Zheng Lei among others. Susanna is highly skilled at Taijiquan push hands and became a certified judge for internal martial arts tournaments.
Susanna teaches Chen and Yang styles, solo forms and weapons including sword, saber, broadsword, and staff,push-hands, and various partner routines. She has coached several successful national champions in form and push-hands, is the founder and Chief Instructor of Innerspace Taijiquan (the“Taoist Cowboys”). She has taught at psychiatric facilities, adult schools, senior centers, and colleges, including Princeton University’s athletic department. Susanna was a very positive influence on many at the Tai Chi Farm and in her school, Innerspace Taijiquan in New Jersey.
Here is a home video of the time Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa and a group of 40 students visited Chen village the home of Chen style Taijiquan in 1984. Enjoy this historic video as Master Jou and student Susanna DeRosa perform the two person set, San Shou for the Taijiquan masters of the village.
Dr. Jay Dunbar & Shifu Kathleen Cusack
Dr. Jay Dunbar (Ph.D.), founder and director of The Magic Tortoise Taijiquan School, began Taijiquan studies in 1975 with Ruby Blaurock, a student of W.T.R. Chung, who was in turn a student of Kuo, Lien Ying who brought the Guang Ping lineage to this country. In 1976 he traveled to San Francisco to study with Masters Chung and Kuo. In 1978 he began a discipleship with Jou, Tsung-Hwa which was to span the next 20 years. Dr. Dunbar has learned from many teachers, including Zhu Tian Cai; Liang Shouyu; Yang, Jwing Ming; Yang, Zhenduo; Shi, Zheng Zhong; Huang Chien-Liang; Henry Look, Dr. John Painter; Paul Gallagher; Lisa B. O’Shea, Susanna DeRosa; and Sam Masich to name a few.
Shifu Kathleen Cusick has studied Taijiquan since 1984 with a variety of teachers, including Greg Mucci, Jou Tsung-Hwa, and Yang Zhen Duo. She teaches classes and seminars in Yang style, qigong, push-hands, san shou, and Taiji staff with the Magic Tortoise Taijiquan School. She has also taught workshops in England, France, and Mexico. She has been a featured instructor at Tai Chi Farm, the Zhang San Feng Festival, the Southern Women’s Martial Artists Network, and the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation’s Special Training. She is a certified judge of Chinese internal martial arts (ATOC 1993), and has judged in tournaments for A Taste of China, the U.S. Wushu Federation, and the U.S. Chinese Kuoshu Federation.
Kathleen received her M.A. in Technical writing and multicultural literature from East Carolina University, and is a guild certified Feldenkrais Method practitioner.
Dr. Dunbar and Kathleen teach a very pleasing two person exercise from Yang style Taijiquan that helps students learn how to flow with a partner. Here is a short clip from their Tui Shou, Da Liu (advanced Tui Shou) and San Shou (Two person form). Thanks to Bob Klein for the video from Tai Chi Farm.
Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa Memorial Dantian Challenge
In 1999, in memory of Master Jou, Dr. Dunbar created the 100-Day Program to help participants make personal progress by applying Taiji principles in daily life. In 2001 he established the Jou, Tsung-Hwa Memorial Dantian Challenge designing and producing the bronze medallions which are awarded to those who meet the challenge criteria.
The goal of this challenge is to put the dantian at the center of Taijiquan practice and to encourage Taijiquan players to focus on dantian development to honor and perpetuate the example and Gongfu of Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa (1917-1998). Taijiquan master Yang Banhou (1837-1892) practiced this demonstration of dantian development by launching rice grains many feet into the air from his Dantian area; Jou, Tsung-Hwa (1917-1998) suggested the one foot standard, and used pennies.
The Magic Tortoise School offers the Jou Medallion as a prize to any Taijiquan player of two or more years experience who can toss a U.S. penny one vertical foot with their lower abdomen. The Medallion is a two-inch custom designed art quality medal– die-struck in bronze. It features a sculpted portrait of the late Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa on the obverse and his “essentials for the practice of neigong” in characters superimposed over a Taiji diagram on the reverse. The Jou Medallion is the only medal awarded to Taijiquan players from any school or style for private, individual achievement, rather than for competition or performance. You can learn more by clicking the link below.
https://www.magictortoise.com/dantian.htm
Shifu Bruce (Kumar) Frantzis
Bruce Frantzis was born April 1949. He became a young karate champion in the US and later
went on a multi-decade journey that lead him to Asia and the Eastern energetic traditions. He
obtained multiple black belts and trained with Aikido’s founder Morihei Ueshiba. He soon
branched out to Taiwan and China and studied in increasing depth under internal martial arts
masters. He also visited India and studied with many masters there.
Returning to China in the mid 1970s, Bruce became the first Westerner to be accepted as the direct disciple of one of the few remaining stewards of the Water tradition by Master Liu Hung-Chieh. This connection gave Bruce access to Chinese cancer clinics where he completed his training as a Medical Qigong doctor.
Bruce Frantzis inherited the Daoist Water tradition lineage shortly before Liu-Hung Chieh’s passing in 1986. Today he primarily teaches the Energy Arts qigong System, Wu-style tai chi, Baguazhang, Daoist yoga and Daoist meditation. He has authored numerous works (including The Power of the Internal Martial Arts and Chi, Tao of Letting Go, Dragon and Tiger Medical Qigong, and Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body).
Bruce was a friend of Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa and taught numerous workshops at the Zhang San Feng Festivals. Here is a clip of Bruce Frantzis demonstrating his Baguazhang. This clip is from an interview in New York City. He is working with Taijiquan instructor Ken Van Sickle also a presenter at the Tai Chi Farm for many years.
Dr. Lawrence Galante PhD
Dr. Galante is best known as the author of “Tai Chi, the Supreme Ultimate,” a classic text used by Taijiquan students throughout the world. He was a senior student of the great Tai Chi teacher Master Cheng, Man-Ch’ing, in addition to other great teachers.
In addition to martial arts, Dr. Galante has studied, taught, and practiced many healing arts for over 40 years and has a deep understanding of how these disciplines complement each other. Dr. Galante was a frequent presenter at Tai Chi Farm in the early years.
Here is Dr. Galante performing Kuang Ping Taijiquan.
Shifu Jiang, Jianye
Jiang, Jianye has made it his life’s mission to not only continually develop himself as a martial artist but also to dedicate himself to the teaching of authentic Chinese martial arts in America. Jiang Jianye was born China in He began studying martial arts the age of 5, learning from the most well-known masters including Yu, Mingwei, Yu Hai and many others. He received his BA and MA degrees from Qufu University and Shanghai Physical Education Institute.
A national and international judge in China and the U.S., he is also a master calligrapher. Shifu Jiang Jianye is one of the most respected martial arts instructors in the US. In addition to an unparalleled knowledge of the martial arts, it is his personality that people cite as his finest quality. Soft spoken, warm and passionate, Jiang, Jianye exemplifies the finest qualities in a teacher.
He was a regular fixture at the Tai Chi Farm teaching, demonstrating and showing his fine calligraphy art at his booth. Here is a video of Shifu Jiang showing the traditional Taijiquan Saber form.
Master Ha, Fong
Ha, Fong practiced Chinese internal arts since his childhood and studied with many renowned teachers. He was born in 1937 and passed away is September of 2019. He began his studies of Yang-style Taijiquan in 1953 with Tung, Ying-chieh, and continued with Yang, Sau-chung, the eldest son of Yang Cheng-fu. Fong’s exploration led him into the realm of Yiquan. In the early days of the awakening of Chinese internal arts in the West Master Fong was one of the few Yiquan teachers in the United States.
Master Ha was well known for his power, graciousness, and charm. With humor and insight, he encouraged students to be true to themselves, to recognize their inner strengths, to develop at their own pace, and actualize their potential.
He directed the Integral Chuan Institute in Berkeley, California and taught nationally and internationally. Master Ha was a frequent guest of Master Jou at the Tai Chi Farm festivals and always attracted a large group of students and teachers. He is the author of Yiquan and the Nature of Energy: The fine art of doing nothing and achieving everything (Berkeley: Summerhouse Publications, 1996). He also produced the video, Stillness in Movement: The Practice of Tai Chi Chuan with Master Fong Ha (Vision Arts Video, 1996) In this clip Master Ha talks about how one should develop their own way to train the internal arts.
Master Hsiung, Wei
A very creative internal arts master, Hsiung, Wei developed a unique style of exercise in the 1970s called Taijidaoyin. Six of the twelve exercises relate to daoyin a type of Chinese yoga-like exercises, that channels the breath. The other six relate to yin and guide energy in the body. He was a featured special guest at Tai Chi Farm. Unfortunately no video record could be found of his exercises. If anyone would like to share we will be happy to add the video.
Shifu Bob Klein
Shifu Klein has a B.S. in zoology from Cornell University. He worked in the field of zoological and ecological education from 1970 to 1990. Shifu Klein has been studying and teaching Taijiquan since 1970.
He was an early student of Shifu William C. C. Chen. He was also a zoologist, working with hundreds of species of animals in the wild and captivity. This gave him a deeper understanding of Taijiquan, which is based on animal movements. Mr. Klein apprenticed with teachers of healing traditions of other cultures to gain an appreciation of how many cultures understand the process of healing and how they express that knowledge. He is the author of, “Movements of Magic – the Spirit of Tai-chi-Chuan”, “Movements of Power – Ancient Secrets of Unleashing Instinctual Vitality” and “Heal Yourself and the World with Tai-chi” as well as the novel, “The Doubting Snake”.
Shifu Klein has produced over 70 instructional DVDs on Tai-chi and related subjects, and has taught thousands of students at his school on Long Island, N. Y. and around the country. He and his wife, Jean (who is also a Tai Chi teacher), also do organic gardening.
The producers of this website are greatly indebted to Shifu Klein for his generous contributions of many of the videos from the Tai Chi Farm used in this website. Here is Bob Klein showing a rare Taijiquan Tiger Form.
Master (LaoMa) Almanzo Lamoureux
Almanzo “LaoMa” Lamoureux (1941 – 2020) taught Chinese martial arts and Chinese calligraphy for nearly 50 years. He studied in Wuhan China from 1985 to 1988 with Ding, Hong Kuai whose influence permeated his teaching. LaoMa started his Taijiquan journey in New York City when he happened to come upon a class taught by the famous Taijiquan instructor William C. C. Chen. Since that time, he studied with many extraordinary teachers in America as well as in China who greatly influenced his practice and expanded his understanding of the Chinese internal arts, philosophy, and culture.
He earned a Masters degree in Asian Studies, and began a study of Chinese calligraphy, but it was not until living and working in China several years later that he appreciated the close relationship between calligraphy and Chinese martial arts. LaoMa lived and taught his arts including Taijiquan and Chinese calligraphy holding classes at his Wuguan the Black Bamboo Pavilion in North Carolina.
One of his favorite subjects was the art of Taiji Walking Cane or Guaigun, hooked walking cane. He always delighted audiences at workshops and tournaments with his demonstrations of this interesting weapon. LaoMa wrote a very well received article in IAM Online Internal Arts Magazine, in the June 2019 edition, on his adventures in China and the study of his walking cane form. A forever student of Taijiquan, he never stopped learning, and although he could be an exacting taskmaster, he lived and loved and shared his art unselfishly until the day he died.
He was a man of great personal charm and style. A flamboyant original who had an endless supply of stories about his years in China, the Marine Corps, Taijiquan, and the general absurdities of the human condition. He was also a kind, generous man, and passionate man. Dr. John Painter and LaoMa would often exchange name tags at Tai Chi Farm or A Taste of China and create general hilarious unrest in the attendees with their pranks. Here is a short clip of LaoMa playing a Taijiquan form at his Black Bamboo Pavilion school.
Master Daniel Lee PhD
Daniel Kai Lee (1930 – 2015) was born in Shanghai, China. At age 11, after some boys roughed him up and stole his bicycle, he took up boxing. In 1948, at age 18, he won the “Golden Gloves” championship of China. In 1949, he escaped from Shanghai on one of the last ships to get out before the city fell to communist forces. In 1953, Dan came to the US and earned a PhD in electrical engineering from Utah State University. He became an engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the pre-Apollo days before retiring after 30 years. He worked on many innovative projects including Galileo, Magellan and the Mars Mission.
Always an athlete, Dr. Lee earned a brown belt in judo and a black belt in Kenpo Karate before becoming the first student in Bruce Lee’s Los Angeles Jeet Kune Do studio in 1967. He took up Taijiquan, and studied with some renowned early masters from China and Taiwan. He founded the Daniel Lee Tai Chi Chuan Academy, that he directed for 40 years.
He passed away December 14, one day before his 85th birthday. Daniel Lee was a good friend to Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa and Dr. John Painter. Dr. Lee attended a number of the Zhang San Feng Festivals at Tai Chi Farm and also the A Taste of China events. His workshops were always well attended by teachers and student alike. Dr. Lee was a humble man and always curious. He had no ego and could be found participating and taking notes in other teachers’ workshops at an event he attended. He said, “We can learn something from everyone!” Here is a clip from one of his workshops at The Farm in 1993.
Shifu Liang, Shou-Yu
Liang, Shou-Yu was born in 1943 in the city of Chongqian, Sichuan Province, China. He began his training at the age of six in Qigong. Mr. Liang was taught the esoteric skills of the Emei Mountain sect, including Da Peng Qigong. When he was eight, his grandfather made special arrangements for him to begin training Emei Wushu (martial arts). Shifu Liang also had the chance to come into contact with many legendary experts. His study of the martial arts has taken him throughout mainland China. He achieved a high level of martial skill. In the esoteric Emei systems of martial arts and Qigong. Shifu Liang received a university degree in biology and physiology from West-South National University in 1964.
At the end of the Cultural Revolution the Sichuan government appointed Shifu Liang as a coach for the city, the territory, and the province. In 1978 Shifu Liang was voted one of the top national coaches since 1949. He also received acclaim from the People’s Republic of China Physical Education and Sports Commissions and often served as a judge in national competitions. In 1984, Shifu Liang became Chairperson and Wushu Coach for the School of Physical Education of the University of British Columbia. In 1985, he was elected coach of the First Canadian National Wushu Team, which was invited to participate in the First International Wushu Invitational Tournament in Xian, China. Competing against teams from 13 other countries, the Canadian team won third place.
In 1986, Mr. Liang was elected coach of the Second Canadian National Wushu Team, which competed in the Second International Wushu Invitational Tournament held in the city of Teinstin, China. This time, 28 countries participated, and the Canadian team earned more medals than any other country except the host country itself. Shifu Liang’s role and achievements were reported in 14 newspapers and magazines throughout China, and the performances and demonstrations of Shifu Liang and his team were broadcast on Sichuan television.
Shifu Liang has given numerous lectures and demonstrations to Wushu professionals and instructors in the United States. Shifu Liang has devoted more than 45 years to training and teaching Chinese martial arts and Qigong. Liang, Shou-Yu resides in Vancouver, Canada. He was a frequent guest presenter at the Tai Chi Farm for many years. Here is Master Liang, Shou-Yu demonstrating an internal form at the Zhang San Feng Festival.
Master T.T. Liang
Liang, Tung Tsai (1900 – 2001) was a well known Taijiquan teacher and frequent presenter at the Tai Chi Farm. Liang entered the British Maritime Customs Service at the age of 24. His rank increased quickly, and by the time he was 35 he held the highest position of any Chinese officer. In 1945, Liang fell seriously ill and was hospitalized for over fifty days in a Shanghai hospital. Suffering from pneumonia, other infections and liver disease acquired from years of drug and alcohol abuse, his doctors had given him approximately two months to live. In order to save his life he took up the practice of Taijiquan practicing for hours each day and within six months had made great strides toward restoring his health.
Liang moved from mainland China in 1948 to Taipei, Taiwan, and then to the United States in 1962. For six years he served as a translator for Prof. Cheng Man Ch’ing (his primary Taijiquan teacher) at the United Nations in New York. After that he had lived and taught in various places throughout the United States, such as Boston; St. Cloud, Minnesota; Tampa; Los Angeles; and finally New Jersey. He has also taught Taijiquan at such prestigious universities as Tufts, MIT, Harvard, Smith, and Amherst. Liang became one of just a handful of men to achieve world recognition for his T’ai Chi skills and knowledge. He truly was one of the last great living masters coming out of the internal arts golden era of Taiwan. If anyone ever deserved the title Grand Master, it would have been him, as he not only acquired great skill but outlived all of his teachers. He died at the age of 101.
Liang was the author of T’ai Chi for Health and Self-Defense (Vintage Press, 1974), which is one of the most popular T’ai Chi books in English. His book and T’ai Chi—The Supreme Ultimate Exercise for Health, Sport, and Self-Defense by Cheng Man Ch’ing and Robert W. Smith (Tuttle, 1967) has become standard authoritative works in English.
T.T. Liang had a great sense of humor and loved to play practical jokes on friends and students. Here is video of Master Liang at almost 100 reading from his Taijiquan book discussing his Ten Essential Principles of Taijiquan practice.
Shifu Sam Masich
World renowned internal arts teacher Sam Masich presented many workshops at the Tai Chi farm. Masich was born February 7, 1962, in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. He began his career with an intensive apprenticeship in Taijiquan and judo at age 18. During the 1980s and 1990s, Masich became a formal disciple of Yang, Jwing Ming and Liang, Shou-Yu. As well he furthered his studies with Yang, Zhen Duo, Chen, Xiaowang and Jou, Tsung-Hwa. During this time he began teaching workshops and seminars in his native Canada and elsewhere. Shifu Masich is a fine teacher who is famous for his attention to detail and takes a personal interest in each of his students. He often injects humor into his teaching to lighten the mood.
He has published articles and films on Taijiquan, Xingyiquan, Baguazhang and other subjects. Shifu Masich was a student and good friend of Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa and he credits Master Jou for inspiring him to develop his martial skills. This is a short example of Sam holding a Xingyiquan workshop during the annual Zhang San Feng Festival.
Shifu Don Ethan Miller
Shifu Miller has studied and taught martial arts and other methods of healing and self-development for over 40 years. He has trained in Yang Style Tai Chi, Yiquan, Kuntao-Silat, Ermei Qigong, and Xing Yi; as well as Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Jeet Kune Do, and Aikido with some of the greatest masters of the era: T.T. Liang, William Chen, Chern Chyu-Kuan, Fu Wei Zhong, Duan Zhiliang, Willem DeThouars, Koichi Tohei, Tao Ping-Siang, and Yang Fukui.
He was a 4-time US Champion in Tai Chi Tui Shou (Pushing Hands) competition and was the coach/trainer of other champions. He is known for his innovative teaching methods, and unique ability to make traditional Asian arts accessible to Westerners.
A graduate of Dartmouth College, he is also a prize-winning poet, journalist, and screenwriter. Shifu Miller presented several workshops at Tai Chi Farm over the years. Here is a short sample of Don Miller teaching Five Movement Centers.
Shifu Eo Omwake
Eo Omwake has been training in eastern traditions for over 5 decades. His studies include Zen, Taoism, Taoist meditation, Buddhism, southern praying mantis, northern long fist, kempo karate/ kung fu, Japanese kendo, kyudo, Yang style taijiquan, Chinese wrestling, chin-na, and ju juitsu.
He was the founder and director of the Mind Body Spirit Academy of Martial Arts and Self-Cultivation, a martial arts training center for kung fu and Taijiquan in Chadds Ford, Pa.
Mr. Omwake has trained with many of the top masters from the United States and China, including grandmaster Fu, Zhong-wen, lineage heir to Yang style Taijiquan, Yang, Zhen duo, family heir to Yang family Taijiquan, Jou Tsung-Hua, T.T. Liang, Yang, Jwing-Ming, Wei-chi, Liang, Shou-Yu, Wang, Wei-lun, and Chang, Chung-jen. Eo also also studied with Wally Jay, Ed parker, Tom Uppdegrove, Joe Lewis, Sam Masich, and other kung fu, karate, and Taijiquan masters.
Shifu Omwake is a member of the Gold Mountain Jin Dan Taoist order, a traditional Taoist order with roots going back many generations into old China. Mr. Omwake also holds a third degree black belt in Kempo karate and has organized his own system called flowing hands kung fu.
He has been appointed advisor to the U.S. American Wushu Kung Fu Federation, has been a judge at local and national level tournaments, has been an instructor at the Tai Chi farm, and has had many articles on Taijiquan, qigong, and the martial arts published in Tai Chi magazine and Qi magazine. Shifu Omwake’s book is entitled ‘The Art of Tai Chi’.
We are indebted to Shifu Omwake for supplying the wonderful documentary videos of Tai Chi Farm. Here is a short clip of Shifu Omwake performing a Yang style Tai Chi Saber form at The Farm.
Shifu John P. Painter PhD ND
Like Master Jou, John Painter is seen as somewhat outside the main stream of traditional Chinese internal martial arts, mostly due to his advocacy for the realistic martial training as emphasized the Family Style of Li, Zhang Lai a master of Gong Fu Wushu and his son Li, Longdao who hailed from Sichuan province. The Li’s were professional bodyguards (Baobiao) and soldiers. Dr. Painter began training with Master Li, Longdao in 1957 shortly after he and his family escaped China and moved to the USA. In 1967 Master Li wrote a letter officially adopting John Painter as his Gong Fu son and heir to his family system. John Painter also studied Tibetan meditation with Lama Trangu Rinpoche.
John holds a PhD ND (Doctor of naturopathic medicine) specializing in Chinese ND medicine. He served as a bodyguard and a police corrections officer and military trainer for ten years. John opened the first “open to all” Gong Fu school in Texas in 1972, was inducted into the Inside Kung Fu Magazine Hall of Fame, Texas Martial Arts Hall of Fame and was featured in the book Masters Founders and Leaders of the Martial Arts. As of 2023, John has been teaching the internal Chinese internal martial arts for health and self-defense as well as Tibetan and Daoist philosophy for over 51 years. He is the author of a best selling video series on Baguazhang, and two books on Baguazhang, along with numerous videos and manuals on Taijiquan, Xingyiquan, Tibetan Meditation and Qigong.
Dr. John Painter and Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa became fast friends when they met at A Taste of China hosted by Pat Rice in Winchester Virginia. The friendship lasted over 20 years. Master Jou was a strong supporter of John’s Nine Dragon Baguazhang art. John taught many workshops at Tai Chi Farm festivals on Baguazhang, Taijiquan and other subjects
This video was taken from a Taijiquan workshop entitled, “Grasp Birds Tail For Real” presented by Dr. John Painter and Taijiquan instructor David Briggs at the Zhang San Feng Festival in 1997. Although Dr. Painter is best known for his martial Baguazhang skills he is also a high level practitioner of Li family Taijiquan, Xingyiquan and Yiquan. Mr. Briggs is also highly skilled in all three primary Chinese internal arts.
Shifu Bill Phillips
Bill Phillips began his study of martial arts with Shifu Stanley Israel in 1965. He studied Karate, Jiu-jitsu, and Judo with Shifu Israel, and in 1967 also began to study Taijiquan form with him. Sifu Israel was one of Professor Cheng Man Ching’s six senior students in New York. After hearing about Professor Cheng from Sifu Israel, Shifu Phillips sought out the Professor by knocking on Chinatown doors and began to study with him in early February of 1970. From Professor Cheng, Shifu Phillips refined his form, and also learned push hands and sword form.
After Professor Cheng’s death in 1975, Shifu Phillips continued developing his form and push hands skills with another of Professor’s Cheng’s senior students. In 1988, a friend introduced him to Master Zhang Lu-Pingwho agreed to teach him. For the next 10 years until Master Zhang’s passing in 1998, Shifu Phillips learned Yang Long Form, applications, and push hands.
In 1970, Shifu Phillips founded the Patience T’ai Chi Association, so named because of the quality he most wanted to be mindful of in his teaching and in his own studies. The Association has flourished over the years, Today, Bill Phillips focuses mainly on teaching Tai Chi form and push hands. He has served as a judge at numerous tournaments and travelled the country teaching seminars, including at the Tai Chi Farm of Master Jou Tsung-Hwa and the Tai Chi Gala events.
He has been featured in many publications including USA Today, Inside Kung Fu and Men’s Health. Most recently, Shifu Phillips was appointed to the Advisory Board of the American Society of Internal Arts (ASIA). He has completed a book on Tai Chi, and is working on a breathing and advanced form correction video to complement his very successful instructional Tai Chi DVDs teaching Professor Cheng’s 37-Posture Yang Short Form and Push Hands. Shifu Phillips resides in Bronx, NY. He is also the author of the book, In the Presence of Cheng Man Ching My Life And Lessons With The Master Of Five Excellences.
In this video clip Shifu Bill Phillips presents some realistic applications of Taijiquan.
Shifu Ren, Guang Yi
Shifu Ren founded the International Chen Style Taijiquan Association to promote the teaching and practice of Taijiquan. He is the author of several videos and publications and in 2006 worked as the martial arts choreographer on the groundbreaking Darren Aronofsky film “The Fountain”. Ren Guang-Yi was born in Tongbei province, in the town of Hei Long Jiang (Black Dragon).
When he was fourteen, he started learning martial arts from a Shaolin disciple named Liu Yu Jun. After achieving a high level of Taijiquan skill Shifu Guan Yi moved to the United States and became world renowned for his teaching and martial skills. His teaching has attracted many serious students, several of whom are famous themselves, including rockstar Lou Reed and legendary music producer Tony Visconti, quickly gaining him a reputation as “the Taiji teacher to the stars”. Today, Ren, Guang-Yi lives with his wife, daughter, and two sons just outside New York City. He teaches full time, in seminars worldwide, and in popular group and private classes in New York. Shifu Ren was a special guest at Tai Chi Farm performing in the teacher’s demonstrations and giving workshops. Here is Master Ren doing a short demonstration of Chen Taijiquan Fajin (pulsing) strikes.
Shifu, C.J. Rhoads PhD
Dr. Rhoads lectures and writes about entrepreneurship, business strategy, leadership development, information technology and the economics of healthcare and integrative health practices. She’s also a Professor in the College of Business at Kutztown University, an avid researcher, and author.
Dr. Rhodes has been instrumental in assisting Loretta Wollering with her Tai Chi Gala event celebrating the legacy of Master Jou and the Bruce LaCarrubba event at the Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa Tai Chi Memorial Park in Wantage New Jersey. She has been supporting and attending these events for many years and has been practicing Taijiquan for over 30 years. We regret that we have no extant video footage of Dr. Rhoads to share. Perhaps someone will submit something in the future.
Shifu Pat Rice
Shifu Pat Rice has been involved in Chinese martial arts and health practices since 1975 and has studied extensively with well-known masters in the U.S. and abroad. She has studied Taijiquan, qigong, and other arts privately in China and in Europe, travelling to China for that purpose nine times. Shifu Rice was an athlete member of the 1988 U.S. Wushu Team and competed in Taijiquan at the International Wushu Invitational Tournament in Hangzhou, China where she met famous Taijiquan lineage holder and instructor Yang Zhen-duo.
She earned a diploma at the Wushu International Judges Course in Shanghai in 1988 and is certified by the China Wushu Association to judge in international tournaments. Pat Rice was a frequent guest and presenter at the Tai Chi Farm and a great friend of Master Jou. Here is Pat Rice assisting students to understand balance and centering in the Yang Taijiquan form at Tai Chi Farm Zhang San Feng Festival 1997.
Master Ken Van Sickle
Ken taught many workshops at the Tai Chi Farm festivals and was very adept at the TaijiquanJian (Double Edge Sword). During the early days of internal arts in America, Mr. Van Sickle was one of the few who actually taught the methods of fighting with a combat steel sword. Ken van Sickle studied Tai Chi Chuan with Grandmaster Cheng Man Ching, from 1967 to 1975. After having studied solo form, push hands, sword form, and fencing, he was invited to participate in special classes given by Cheng Man Ching for those chosen to be teachers. In time he developed a particular affinity for Tai Chi sword and achieved an international reputation as a practitioner and teacher of its philosophy and technique. Since 1988 Ken Van Sickle conducted workshops in sword form and fencing in the U.S., G.B. France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Israel. He was the official photographer and cinematographer of Prof. Cheng Man Ching.
The author observed a number of his workshops at The Tai Chi Farm, and one that stands out was Ken Van Sickle sparring with Dr. John Painter. Ken had a wooden Jian (double-edge sword) and Dr. Painter was using a huge practice western Bowie knife. It was quite an interesting sight. Ken Van Sickle left us in 2023. Here is Ken discussing the use of the Jian and the sword finger mudra at a Tai Chi Farm workshop.
Master Tchoung, Ta-Chen
Tchoung, Ta-Chen began studies of internal martial arts starting with the study of Qigong and Taiji at Emei mountain in Sichuan province in China in 1942. In 1959 Master Tchoung learned Old Yang Style Tai Chi from Shi Diao-Mei. In 1961 Master Tchoung started to study Tai Chi from Master Cheng Man Ching, notably Cheng’s push hands technique. He also studied with Master Hsiung Yang-ho in the fighting style ofTai Chi. He was one of many special guests to visit and teach at the Tai Chi Farm. He passed into the void February 22, 2000. Here is Master Tchoung Ta-Chen and a student performing San Sao combined Section 7 and 8 of his double yang Taijiquan set.
Dr. Tao, Ping-Siang
Master Tao Ping-Siang (also known as Dr Tao) was a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. Master Tao began martial arts as a child in Shaolin style Spring Leg. He eventually began studying the internal Nei jia systems, Liuhebafa, Taijiquan, Xingyiquan, and Baguazhang. Dr. Tao studied with some of the most famous “old school” masters of his day.
Being a closed-door student he was constantly introduced to new masters by his current masters. The two teachers with the greatest influence on him were Wu, Yi Hui (Liuhebafa) and Cheng Man-ch’ing (Yang-style Taijiquan). He was renowned for his Taijiquan push hands skills. Master Tao made numerous trips to the Zhang San Feng Festivals and was a good friend of Master Jou.
In December 2006, Tao Ping-Siang died in Columbus, Ohio. He was in his early 90s. Here is a short lecture in which Dr. Tao talks about the importance of pushing hands in Taijiquan.
Master Yu, Cheng Hsiang
Master Yu (1929 – 2010) was born in Shanghai, China. As a young boy, he studied Shaolin Chuan with Hou, Zheng Chi. He went to Taiwan in 1949 and first studied Taijiquan with Lee Sou Chin. When Master Lee passed away, he became a disciple of master Cheng Man Ching to further his studies. Shifu Yu came to the United States in 1979 and was teaching Taijiquan in New York and New Jersey for many years. We remember Master Yu as one of only a handful of Taijiquan teachers who were capable of utilizing the art as a self-defense method as well as a healing modality. He entered the void at his home in New York City in 2010.
His spirited performance and Taijiquan practical applications with student Bob Murphy at the Zhang San Feng festivals will be long remembered.
Here is a video showing Master Yu talking about Taijiquan applications from the form and in the art of pushing hands a training exercise designed to teach sensitivity and how to use an opponents energy to defeat him.
Dr. Yang, Jwing Ming
Yang, Jwing-Ming started his Gong Fu (Kung Fu) training at the age of fifteen under the
Shaolin White Crane (Bai He) Master Cheng, Gin Gsao. In thirteen years of study (1961-1974)
under Master Cheng, Dr. Yang became an expert in the White Crane style of Chinese martial
arts, that included the use of bare hands and of various weapons such as saber, staff, spear,
trident, two short rods, and others. With the same master he also studied White Crane Qin Na (or Chin Na), Tui Na and Dian Xue massage and herbal treatment.
At the age of sixteen, Dr. Yang began the study of Taijiquan (Yang Style) under Master Kao, Tao. Dr. Yang’s Taijiquan can be traced back to the Yang family through Master Kao’s teacher Yue, Huanzhi, an indoor disciple of Yang, Cheng Fu. After learning from Master Kao, Dr. Yang continued his study and research of Taijiquan with Master Li, Mao-Ching and training partner Mr. Wilson Chen in Taipei. Master Li learned his Taijiquan from the well-known Master Han, Ching-Tang, and Mr. Chen learned his Taijiquan from Master Chang, Xiang-San. Dr. Yang mastered the Taiji bare hand sequence, pushing hands, the two-man fighting sequence, Taiji sword, Taiji saber, and Taiji Qigong.
In 1971 he completed his M.S. degree in Physics at the National Taiwan University and then served in the Chinese Air Force of the Republic of China from 1971 to 1972. In the service, Dr. Yang taught Physics at the Junior Academy of the Chinese Air Force while also teaching Wushu. After being honorably discharged in 1972, he returned to Tamkang College to teach Physics and resumed study under Master Li, Mao-Ching. From Master Li, Dr. Yang learned Northern style Gongfu, which includes bare hand techniques, kicking, and numerous weapons.
Dr. Yang came to the United States in 1974 to study Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. While at Purdue, Dr. Yang also taught college-credited courses in Taijiquan. In May, 1978 he was awarded a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering by Purdue. Yang’s Martial Arts Association was established in Boston, MA in 1982. With the intent of preserving traditional Chinese Kung Fu and Qigong. Dr. Yang wrote several books, published by Unique Publications. In 1984, Dr. Yang retired from his engineering career to undertake his lifelong dream of teaching and researching the Chinese arts, introducing them to the West through many books, videos and DVDs. He was a long time presenter at the Tai Chi Farm and a close personal friend of Master Jou, Tsung-Hwa. Here is a demonstration of Taiji Sword and some applications from the Yang style Taijiquan form.
Master Zhang, Lu-Ping
Zhang, Lu-Ping was a world renowned teacher from mainland China. Master Zhang held a Doctorate in Mathematics and was known in the academic community for his ground-breaking work in differential equations. Master Zhang studied extensively in China and was noted for his deep knowledge of five styles of Tai Chi, superb applications and highly developed internal power.
In an age where many great martial arts teachers remain reluctant to share their highest insights and techniques, Master Zhang will always be known for the openness and generosity with which he shared his knowledge of the art he so loved.
Zhang entered the void in 1998 in Amherst, Massachusetts. He was a frequent presenter at Tai Chi Farm and also at A Taste of China in Winchester VA. This video was shot at A Taste of China hosted by Tai Chi instructor Pat Rice. It shows Master Zhang performing a graceful but powerful Chen style Taijiquan routine.
This Concludes Famous Teachers Who Taught at The Farm
We made every effort to contact everyone who taught at the Tai Chi Farm. Many were contacted and some supplied materials. Others promised but for whatever reasons did not follow through. The webmaster and authors searched the internet for information on many of the known and lesser known masters and teachers who shared their expertise at the Farm over the years. The above list is by no means all who brought their talents to the farm. We apologize to anyone who was omitted and would be happy to include them in a future update should they choose to contact us.