Kuo-Lien-Ying-TaiChi.org
A site honoring the teachings of Kuo Lien Ying and the magical time that we were able to learn from Si Fu
Portsmouth Square 1965-1985
Roger Leo's Biography-cont.
I went to observe the Kuo Lien Ying's class in what I thought was early morning around 6:45. There was just the light of morning filling the park when I arrived at Portsmouth Square. It seemed like a picture from some other time. I was really caught by the vigor of the people doing shaolin. They seemed like knights from ages past or young tigers... Leaping into the air, their forms dark while the sun was just rising, describing an arc swiftly descending as natural as a bird alighting onto a branch. I thought that this is what I've been waiting for all my life. To join, to belong to a proud troop like this. Truth be told, it was intimating. There was no welcome mat and I'd no idea who to approach. I really noticed a young Chinese man, relaxed, easy with confidence. And then the compressive and springing power of his shaolin. There was another. With the features of an Aztec warrior, his form was focused release; Like a horizontal ax timed perfectly to hitch back to drive thru the split. Imagine walking into a park in the early morning, the scents of garbage and herbs, patches of red revealed from the benches as the sunlight eases out the darkness and the eye discerns forms leaping out of shadows rushed like wild horses ... the slow pacing of a Tai Chi form and then the crack of a foot suddenly whipped slapped by a palm. It was Sifu's living pantheon to wu shu.
Later I discovered that the young Chinese man that I had seen at Kuo's was Bing Gong and that he taught at the panhandle at Golden Gate Park and later opened a class in Fairfax in Marin County, close to where Valerie and I lived. This is funny because at one time I swore that if I didn't find something worth doing by 25 I might as well do myself in. In my mind, this was it. We began studying with Bing. Even though I was enthralled by Shaolin, Bing advised us to start with Tai Chi. After 30 plus years, Guang Ping Tai Chi remains my base and favorite style. Bing Gong remains an example of Wudi (martial morality) in the depth of his teaching and the perfect naturalness of his gung fu. I am indebted to his teaching and his inspiration, his passion for humanity and to the company of my fellow practitioners who have aligned me into a more compassionate and easy way of being.
...to be continued.......
gGo to page 2 of Bioo
Roger Leo links
/ STORIES / YOUTUBE / BLOGS / TAICHI GUY BLOGSITE / CURRENT STUDIES / PHOTOS / CONTACT /