Wang Qing Zhai Martial Arts Legacy Demonstration Festival
Every year in the city of Shenyang, China, a celebration is held to honor the lineage of Master Wang Qing Zhai.
Master Wang Qing Zhai was born on December 26, 1905. He grew up in Dalian, Liaoning Province of China, and began his training at the age of 9. He first learned the traditional boxing style, Di Gong Quan (地功拳) from Zhang Gong Cheng (张功成) before studying under Sun Cheng Yun (孙成云) to learn the Long Fist style, Chang Quan (长拳). At the age of 16 he met the famed master, Wang Yun Peng (王云鹏), and began to study the external boxing style from Northern China, Seven Star Praying Mantis (七星螳螂拳), and the internal martial arts form, Ba Gua Zhang (八卦掌).
In the early 1930’s Wang Qing Zhai had the great opportunity to study with renowned martial arts master Sun Wen Bo (孙文渤). From him, Wang Qing Zhai would learn Luo Style Duan Men Qiang (罗氏断门枪), the Shaolin-style of Praying Mantis (少林螳螂拳), and Yang Style Qing Ping Sword (杨式青萍剑 ). During his studies with Sun Wen Bo, Wang Qing Zhai met Liu Zhong He (刘忠和) and learned his secret form of Wu Zi Gong (秘传午子功).
Sun Wen Bo was famed for his skill with the Qing Ping Sword, even instructing Emperor Aixinjueluo Puyi (爱新觉罗.溥仪, 1906 - 1967) in the style. It was from him that Wang Qing Zhai would acquire his skill with Yang Style Qing Ping Sword (杨式青萍剑). In his own time, Wang Qing Zhai would become famed with the Qing Ping Sword as well.
When he was 32, and after over twenty years of study, Master Wang Qing Zhai was ready to open his own institute. In 1937, Wang Qing Zhai followed his father and brother into the Shandong region. He settled in Shenyang 沈阳, founding the 26th Institute of Feng Tian Wu Dao Zhen Xing Hui (奉天武道振兴会第26传习所).
In this institute, Wang Qing Zhai passed along his diverse and prolific understanding of traditional Chinese martial arts to each student. His knowledge and teaching style was highly praised by those he instructed. The school would continue to operate until Wang Qing Zhai’s passing in 1993, almost sixty years later. Over his tenure, Wang Qing Zhai would teach nearly a thousand students, including Master Yun. In 2005 a museum honoring the legacy of Wang Qing Zhai was founded by Qing Zhai’s daughter, Wang Shu Ping 王淑萍, near the location of the original institute.
Learn more about Master Wang Qing Zhai’s life and accomplishments in our bog biography piece “The Life of Master Wang Qing Zhai (王庆斋)”.
Honoring Our Martial Arts Legacy
The Wang Qing Zhai Martial Legacy Demonstration Festival is held to honor the teachings of Master Wang Qing Zhai. This is a festival for all students from the Wang Qing Zhai lineage to demonstrate the martial art styles that they learned as a result of Master Qang Qing Zhai’s teachings.
It is his teachings that we pass down to our students in our studio. Each style and form is taught the way that Master Wang Qing Zhai was taught, and subsequently, the way Master Yun was taught. It is a lineage and method of teaching that stretches back centuries and we hope that you take a moment to appreciate the legacy and lineage that you are now a part of.
