change their “path” of study or to simply broaden their knowledge with another system of practice. It was a common desire for advanced  Tai Chi students, at this point in their development, to choose Hsing-I [Heart/Mind boxing] or Ba-Gua[Eight diagram boxing]both being systems of internal boxing, as their new subject of study. Often, Shao-Lin students thought it would be a wise choice to learn Tai Chi [Yin energy] to balance out the Yang energy of their external training and vice versa, Tai Chi students would start training Shao-Lin to add some Yang energy to their existing internal practice [Yin energy] *

Therefore, at this point of the morning class, several of the senior students would return to their designated training area’s and work on their advanced practice or the latest moves they had most recently learned. Eventually Master Kuo would walk out to each students practice area , and depending on whether or not he was satisfied with the level of progress that they had attained, proceeded to teach them the next move and refine the execution of technique, giving them new instruction at the level of comprehension he felt they were ready to receive. It was quite an inspiring sight to watch as the master went through the moves & explanations with his senior students and see them attempt to duplicate the directions and subtle nuances given by a master of his ability.

As this was the highpoint at the Chinatown studio, with a sizable enrollment, there were quite a few dedicated practitioners and some amazing senior students that I had as role models. They were exceptional examples of positive work ethic and precision, physical health, infinite patience, as well as, perseverance, focused mental discipline and Heavenly Spirit !

And Master Kuo demanded his students reflect & maintain only the highest standard of martial virtue and character excellence !

* (I should mention that, as I mentioned earlier there were many students practicing at the studio at that time and it would be too long a list for me to describe if I named everyone who was training there, so I’m  asking my honorable Gung Fu brothers and sisters for their understanding and forgiveness if they are not mentioned at this point but I feel it is important for me “set the record straight” and to document the regularly practicing students at that time whose spirit was exemplary and whose dedication to our master and traditions has had an impact on the present state of our Gung Fu family and the preservation of Sifu Kuo’s teachings today )     

So with that in mind, I want to name just a few of the amazing individuals who were training at Master Kuo’s studio at that time :

There was the incredible Chuen Jing, a young Chinese boy no more than 14 yrs. old, who was the Shao-Lin “Whiz Kid”. It looked like gravity was just holding him back and he had more “Snap, Crackle & Pop” than Rice Crispies and that I had ever seen from a kid under 100 lbs.