When we learned that Sifu Paul Koh was setting off on a new publishing venture, to bring out a series of beautifully designed books on traditional forms, we asked if we might interview him, to expose a few more of our Plum followers to his Tiger Claw system. Although we know Sifu Koh to be […]
Jun
27
2021
27
2021
Sep
16
2019
16
2019
The Passing of Brian Kennedy
It is with great sadness that we report the sudden death of Brian Kennedy, longtime practitioner and historian of the Chinese Martial Arts. Although we never met Brian or his wife and writing partner Elizabeth Guo, he was a good friend starting from our wayback days at Plum, when he still lived in Taiwan. May […]
May
30
2019
30
2019
The Faces and Fists of Wong Jack Man
Since posting the sad announcement at the beginning of this year, of Sifu Wong Jack Man’s death, we’ve had the opportunity to speak to and hear from several of his students, each with his own story. For instance we—along with, apparently, many other people—did not know that Wong Sifu practiced the additional styles of Xing […]
May
2
2019
2
2019
Mar
29
2019
29
2019
Two Passings
Back in February, the martial world lost two of its pillars. Vince Black died on February 26 at the age of 68. A practitioner of Chinese martial arts as well as Chinese medicine, Sifu Black had a lifelong relation with his studies, students and teachers. Among other well known instructors he studied with Li Zi […]
Jan
2
2019
2
2019
The Passing of Wong Jackman
We are sad to announce the passing of Northern Shaolin Sifu Wong Jack Man. Known long before his famous fight with Bruce Lee, Wong Sifu had become a major proponent of Bak Sil Lum, Iron Body, and Golden Bell skills. With the death last year of Kwong Wing Lam, Gu Ru Zhang’s lineage has lost […]
May
7
2018
7
2018
The Gift of a Teacher
Yesterday we attended the memorial for Wing Lam, my teacher for a number of years. Over a hundred students and family gathered in the chapel to pay last respects. Many people crowded the middle aisle, most of them dressed in black or white, as per the formal instructions for a Daoist ceremony. The middle aisle […]
Apr
25
2018
25
2018
Wing Lam Passes: April 25 2018
Sifu Kwong Wing Lam passed away today from kidney failure following a period of illness. His study, beginning at age 8, brought him instruction from top notch practitioners such as Sifu Yang Shang Wu and Zhao Jiao. Training with him for more than a decade, I recognized a teacher truly concerned for his art. His […]
Feb
5
2018
5
2018
206 B.C.E.: THE DANCING ASSASSIN
Just a short excerpt from Professor Kang Ge-Wu’s martial history, The Spring and Autumn of Chinese Martial Arts. If you are interested in the broader view of Chinese Kung Fu, this is a must have. It is the first–and only– book issued in English on the 5000 year history of Chinese Martial Arts, and Plum’s first […]
Jan
7
2018
7
2018
Gary Shapiro: Looking Back
In the past, I’ve written some articles for Plum detailing my Tai Chi adventures on cruise vacations. After nearly 40 years of work as a physical therapist, I decided that it was the right time to take a permanent vacation. On Aug 4, 2017, I made my last patient visit, went to the “big” office, […]
Dec
11
2017
11
2017
Sep
16
2016
16
2016
Ark Yuey Wong: 01/11/1900 to 01/11/1987
Grandmaster Wong Ark Yuey was born in Canton. His home village was Toysun Tien Cum Chien. His grandfather, the head of the family, wanted all males learn Kung Fu. His well-to-do family was worried by the persistent threat of bandits in the area. A family dispute had precipitated the rule that each Wong member would […]
Jun
16
2016
16
2016
Fifty
Today I celebrate fifty years in the martial arts. It has been long enough now to seem natural that it became my fate or, at least, a “way of life,” as everyone calls it. People ask me what could possibly be the attraction. I have to tell the truth and admit that I always believed […]
Oct
14
2015
14
2015
Adam Hsu Interview, Part 2
Learning “true basics” is at the core of Kung Fu. In this session, Part 2 of our interview, Adam Hsu talks about communicating and the practice of Kung Fu Weaponry. Want to watch All (Parts 1-8) on youtube? Want to watch Part 1 on this site? Want to watch Part 3 on this site? Want […]
Oct
13
2015
13
2015
Adam Hsu Interview, Part 1
In Part 1, our interview starts with a question about Kung Fu’s true DNA. Discussion follows, on the Kung Fu experience, and what that means, and what makes Kung Fu absolutely unique as a martial art. Part 2 (on this site) Part 3 (on this site) Part 4 (on this site) Part 5 (on this […]
Apr
4
2015
4
2015
Wang Zi Ping
Wang Zi Ping (1880-1973) Hero and Master Wang was born in Cang Xian (Cang County) in Hebei, one of the prime martial arts areas in the world and a core location for the Hui (Chinese Muslim) population since the Song dynasty. The Hui were particularly drawn to martial practice not only as an extension of […]
Apr
16
2013
16
2013
Li Shu Wen, Spearman Extraordinaire
The Bear and the Tiger was one family. The Eagle and the Monkey (or some say the Snake) was another family. Once they had all been intermarried but at one point in history they split and lived in two villages: Mong and Luo.
Feb
11
2013
11
2013
The Passing of Fred Spencer
Long time friend of the Chinese martial art community, Grandmaster Fred Spencer passed away on December 18, 2012. Sifu Spencer was a strong advocate of Chinese martial arts and a highly knowledgeable practitioner of the Hung Sing Choy Lai Fut style as well as Yang style Tai Chi Chuan. He studied under Jew Long for […]
Nov
27
2011
27
2011
Al Novak Passes
Much respected, many practitioners treated Novak as a kind of Kung Fu gandfather.
Jul
2
2011
2
2011
Chang Dong Sheng: Wrestler Extraordinary
Chang Dong Sheng (1905-1986 ) commanded great respect for his Shuai Jiao (Chinese Wrestling) in the 20th century.
