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SiFu Meng my first mentor
Before going to the birthplace of Tai Chi in Chen Village, Henan Province, China, to learn the original form of Tai Chi with Master Chen Qing Lei, I studied in Shen Zhen with Sifu Meng. This was in 2001. Sifu Meng, who was in his 60's at that time, taught Chen style new frame Tai Chi. For one year I would make the 2 1/2 hour journey to his home. I was learning about computers at that time so after my Monday, Wednesday and Friday class I would go over to his home in China. I spent my Sundays with him as well. It didn't matter what the weather was like, I would always go. I was so dedicated to learning that I also spent one summer with him. During that time he would wake me up at 3 am to practice the sword! A little early for my taste but it was the best time in the day, we practiced in a nearby park waiting for the sun to rise.
Sifu Meng was from Xin Xiang City which is also in Henan Province, China. Henan is also the home of Chen Village, the birthplace of Tai Chi and the Shao Lin temple. He and his father learned from Sifu Zhu Tian Cai who was one of the "four heavenly guardians" from Chen Village. They were given this name because they taught many students worldwide with great success. Zhu is now about 70 years old.
Sifu Meng also studied and practiced Taoist internal training. He could sleep while doing a head stand for an entire night when he was young. At 60, he gave me a short demonstration and he told me that he was still able to stand on his head and nap for 2 hours! While studying this Taoist method of internal training he met a Taoist priest. The two had shared a room. Occasionally while Sifu Meng practiced his head stands the Taoist Monk would sit and meditate, neither moved, both waiting to see who could remain in position the longest. One time they both lasted until sunrise! It was a happy evening and Sifu Meng remembers it as a great thing in his life.
Not long after telling me this story, Sifu Meng and I went to a famous park called "Fairylake Garden" in Shen Zhen. It was a very natural park that was separated into several sections, we often walked there and when we were tired we would rest in one of the traditional Chinese pavilions. On one occasion we found a man who was serving hot tea. We sat down to enjoy his tea while taking in the beautiful view. The man saw us wearing our Kung fu uniforms and started talking with us. He told us that he was also a Kung Fu man practicing Wu Dang style and that he was the official Wu Dang inheritor. We were quite surprised to hear this. Sifu Meng told him about the story he shared with the Taoist priest and asked if he had heard of him. Unfortunately he hadn't but Sifu Meng was still happy, he talked a lot with the man and they exchanged phone numbers.
While studying with Sifu Meng I learned a lot of new things from him. He once showed me a Chinese boomerang. It was black in color and sharp, it looked similar to the ones that Ninjas carry. In the past it was a secret weapon. When he was young he would go to the park early every morning to practice. Day after day he became more accurate, he eventually making a hole in the tree that he had been practicing on for long time.
This 1 1/2 year training with Sifu Meng was my first venture away from home, I was only 20 at the time. It was the beginning of my Kung Fu journey, one that I will always cherish.
