Sifu Yan Long Jiang
5th generation bearer of the Wu Taiji Quan Lineage
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Sifu Yan Long Jiang was born in Yi Chun, a remote village in the Heilongjiang Province (North East) of China. Due to his ill health, at the age of nine, he was sent by his parents to practice Shaolin Martial Arts in the hope that physical exercise would strengthen his body. Indeed, his body was strengthened, his health improved, and at the same time unknown to him, he embarked on his martial art journey that now seems a predestined course of action.
Contrary to his childhood feeble image, Sifu grew up to be physically big and strong as expected for a northern man. His physique was complemented by his outstanding skills in martial arts. By the age of 16 he was seen as the most competent martial artist among his peers. Until one day he was defeated by a lady undoubtedly smaller in physique by comparison. This encounter, not only destroyed his pride, it unsettled his trust in all that he learned over those years. The unanswered questions shook his personal equilibrium and motivated him to search beyond his current experience. This was a turning point in his martial art journey.
By now, Sifu had moved to the capital city of Heilongjiang, Harbin, to be near to the university that he subsequently attended. The lady who defeated Sifu was a student attending Taiji classes near the university. She was taught by Master Zhan Bo, a 4th generation bearer of the Wu Style Taiji Quan lineage. Zhan Bo plays an important part in the history of the lineage for it was him that managed to keep the Wu Style intact by retreating to Heilongjiang Province when the Cultural Revolution broke out in the 60s, during which time traditionalism was discouraged and practitioners were prosecuted. As a result, many traditional arts and knowledge were either lost or attenuated. However, Zhan Bo safe guarded the Wu Style through these troubled times. As the political atmosphere changed, he was able to bring back the traditional form in its entirety. Ironically, it is because he posseses the traditional skills at high level that he is now regarded as a national treasure.
As mentioned earlier, Zhan Bo happened to hold classes near the university. Curiosity brought Sifu to the classes and he subsequently became a loyal student who frequented the place everyday. Sifu's skill and knowledge of the external Shaolin art, assisted his understanding of the internal art of Taiji Quan that he was now learning. Coupled with his dedication in training, he rapidly acquired the skills and the principles of the Wu style and other related internal arts. By now, it was only the matter of time before he was able to reach a very high level of the art.
Yet, more surprises awaited him. Of all the hu ndreds of students of Zhan Bo, there were 11 identified as promising, and Sifu was among them. In particular, Sifu was chosen by Zhan Bo as the 'crown prince' of the 5th generation bearer of the lineage. From Sifu's account, he was chosen not by his skill, for other 'kung fu brothers' were/are at higher level than him. This deduces the selecting criteria were based on Sifu's personal attributions. That is, whatever Zhan Bo was looking for, he found in Sifu.
No doubt, the awesome title as the 'bearer' of a lineage gives Sifu a sense of responsibility and obligation as well as a sense of vision and mission, which reflects on the way he teaches. He teaches not only the principles and skills in depth and breadth, he is also in a position to pass on the heritage of the Wu Taiji Quan. We as his students, feel so fortunate and privileged that we not only receive genuine tuition from an authentic unlimited source, but also it has been possible for us to cling tenaciously to the identity of the descendents of a lineage simply by our association with Sifu.
Written by Eva Golding, Chinese Cultural Xchange
