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The
Legacy of the Late Grandmaster Liu Yun Qiao
Grandmaster
Liu Yun Qiao, style-named Xiao Chen, was born in Beitou Village, Cangzhou
County, Hebei Province. As a child, Grandmaster Liu was in very poor health.
At the age of five, at the request of his father, he learned Tai Zu Changquan
(Emperor's Longfist) from their family bodyguard Zhang Yao Ting in order
to help improve his condition. His initial martial arts training was intended
to activate improved blood circulation and activate his qi. He went on
to also learn Mizong I from Zhang Yao Ting. When Liu was seven, his father
hired the baji/spear Master Li Shu Wen. Well known for his martial arts
skills throughout five Northern provinces, he became Liu's personal trainer,
living in the Liu estate. For more than ten years Liu was personally trained
daily in Li Shu Wen's system of bajiquan, pigua zhang, and liuhe da qiang
(six harmony big spear). This provided Liu with a solid foundation in
the martial arts which lasted throughout his life. |
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Master Yang escorts GM Liu's widow |
At
age twenty, Liu traveled throughout Shandong province with Li Shu Wen.
He learned his system of Yang style taijiquan, including the sword and
sabre, and the kun wu sword from his senior kung fu brother the General/Warlord
Zhang Xiang Wu. Li Shu Wen later modified the kun wu sword by adding numerous
fajing movements to create two levels of the baji sword. Through Zhang
Xiang Wu, Liu was introduced to the liuhe tanglang quan (six harmony praying
mantis) Master Ding Zi Cheng and he proceeded, through discipleship, to
learn the system. At the age of twenty-six he was introduced to the Yin
Fu bagua Master Gong Bao Tian and followed him as a closed-door-student
to Yantai, Shandong province to intensely study this complex martial art.
All three martial artists were distinguished masters of their time. From
that point on, Liu traveled throughout Northern China accepting and winning
challenges from other Chinese, Russian, and Japanese practitioners. During
this time he exchanged martial arts knowledge with many martial arts masters,
such as the great Chen taiji master, Chen Fake. As he matured, Liu's philosophy
encompassed more and more of the Daoist yin yang theory of universal change.
Baji/pigua, baguazhang, and liuhe tanglang quan became the three capital
pillars of his martial arts tripod supported by the three philosophical
schools of Confucius, Buddhism, and Daoism. His martial arts system embodied
both physical and spiritual essence yielding a traditional virtue which
influenced many generations of current martial artists. |
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Crypt containing GM Liu's remains |
After
July 7th, 1937, Liu was admitted into Huangpu Military School, 7th Branch,
15th Session. He received his military training in Feng Xiang, Shaanxi
Province. After his graduation in the spring of 1939, he was assigned
to Tai Hang Mountain. He engaged in many life and death battles during
this time. He was appointed as a Company Commander, a Battalion Commander,
and later a Regimental Commander in the First Army Division. |
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Master Yang placing GM Liu's remains |
At
age thirty-two (1941), he was appointed the commander of the Northwest
China Reconnaissance Troop. In that year, he also married Zhu Jian Xia
of Bao Ji County. Throughout their lives they shared both the hardships
and happiness of their time. |
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Master Yang and senior disciples at GM Liu's altar |
In
1943, Liu was appointed as the General Staff Director of the Sichuan and
Shaanxi Border District Headquarters. In 1949, he arrived in Taiwan. He
held the posts of Director of Personnel Department of the Paratroopers'
Headquarters, Colonel General Staff of the Personnel Sub-Department of
the National Defense Ministry; and the Northern District Center Director
of the Logistics Department of the General Headquarters. He retired from
military service and devoted his time toward the popularization and preservation
of the traditional martial arts of China. |
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Master Yang, Master Su and Master Adam Hsu at GM Liu's altar |
In
1968, Grandmaster Liu traveled throughout the overseas Chinese communities
of Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines to demonstrate and teach his
traditional martial arts. Upon returning to Taiwan, he was recommended
to Mr. Jiang Jin Guo by his fellow officer General Kong Ling Sheng to
the position of martial arts coach for the President's Garrison. He spent
many hard and intense hours training these personnel. In March, 1978,
he created four sessions to develop martial arts trainers and established
the Seven Seas Garrison Group. Liu also started the Journal of Martial
Arts and the Wu Tan Development Center for Traditional Chinese Martial
Arts. During this twenty year period Grandmaster Liu also served as security
for Jian Gai Shek, Jiang Jing Guo, and Li Deng hui. In addition to the
martial arts center, Liu established ten branches throughout Taiwan and
ten overseas divisions. His disciples number near 10,000 and many have
established their own schools overseas. |
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Master Yang and his senior disciples outside Wu Tan Development Center
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Grandmaster
Liu often said that "only by being able to see our infinity can one's
life be refined and developed from time to time." From childhood
until his advanced age, Grandmaster Liu always practiced this philosophy.
Although Grandmaster Liu has passed away, his spirit continues to grow
for he had seen the mystery of infinity and many new lives have been touched
by his martial arts and philosophy. He was, we are; his spirit will never
die. |
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Irene and Master Yang
Funeral Committee, Taipei, Taiwan, 1992. |
translated by Joy Qiu,
BS, CPA, Re-edited by Robert A. Figler, Ph.D.
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