Day with Sifu

Sifu invited me one weekend in May to go down to Philadelphia for Kung Fu testing being done at one of the Yee's Hung Ga Academy branches. The branch is run by one of his disciples and after the testing was done, Sifu was to do a seminar. After testing and seminar they were driving down to Delaware where another student of Sifu's was opening an Acupuncture clinic and they were going to perform the Lion Dance.

I was really excited and happy to have been invited to come along. Everyone met at Sifu's school early that morning and we got into three of four cars. Sifu, Simo, and I had the car with the Lion heads and drums for the Lion Dance. We ran into a little traffic and then finally arrived at the school in Philly. The students who were testing were all lined up ready and waiting. This showed great discipline and spirit, to be standing there all that time, ready to go.

The testing began, with the forms and general knowledge, sparring, and the horse stance. I have taken a few Kung Fu tests of my own now and the ways Kung Fu do testing is very different than how Taekwondo tests. It's a great experience to observe and see different arts and how students progress. But it is also great to see how other schools express their martial arts through their testing. I've been on over a dozen or more different Black Belt testings for various martial arts. Even though I knew the testing process I really enjoyed watching these students test and see how they did their forms or hear their philosophies etc.

I also enjoyed looking at my Sifu, sitting next to his disciple observing. I was wondering what he was looking for. I was wondering what he was observing. I wonder what it was like for him to see his student's students testing. Just to see this lineage growing and continuing. He must have been so proud to see this group testing.

Sifu speaking before the testing began. 

Sifu and his disciple Sifu Sean. 

The students did great and then after testing Sifu began his workshop. I have been doing private lessons with Sif for three years. I really have never been taught by Sifu in a class setting per se. So I was very excited, working as a student in a class setting with some of the other Hung Ga students I've worked with along with Sifu Sean's students. Sifu is also a world class teacher, so of course it's a true honor to be learning from him in any setting.

He was remarkable, teaching the philosophy of the tiger. We partnered up, did some drills, and we also practiced some applications to the tiger method. Listening to the plethora of knowledge that Sifu dropped in this seminar was incredible. And yet I was so excited because I KNEW that it was only a small layer of a vast amount more information. I look forward to strive to one day understand and know the true depths of this art as Sifu does.

Watching him move, listening to him explain, watching how other students reacted to him, I was really thrilled to being there. And quite honestly, in an hour my mind was blown with all the information he gave us, and like I said I know it's only the icing on top of the cake to what there really is to know.

Sifu teaching his workshop in Philadelphia and Master Trento in the back. 

How could you go to Philadelphia and NOT get philly cheese steaks? SO that's what we did! We got philly cheese steaks and go into our cars and began to make our way to Delaware. Simo and Sifu and I got ot talk about the test and the workshop while eating in the car on the way there. I also got the backstory to his student, Barry, who was opening this acupuncture school.

Delaware Acupuncture is located in Newark, Delaware. Barry has been studying Chinese martial arts for 25 years, last 18 with Sifu and 18 years of Qigong. He holds a 3rd Degree Black Belt and he had asked Sifu to come down for his grand opening and to have his students perform the Lion Dance.

The Lion Dance symbolizes good fortune and is meant to protect against negative influences. It was known to be integrally part of kung fu training. It is vital to proper training and "live power". The Lion throws the lettuce as a symbol of prosperity and goes throughout the building bowing out back first from each room to spread it's good power. It's a beautiful thing to see.

I've heard about them, I knew about them, but I never got the chance to see one. It's something I very much want to learn about as well. I missed the one for Chinese New Year when I went with Thomas Cubby on Sifu and Simo's birthday. There is SO much to this dance. The coordination, the training, the movements, the cadence, the beating of the drums, there's a lot ot know and you can see that. As I watched Sifu beating on the drums and the others moving with the cadence of the drum, I felt it's awesome energy.

I had tears in my eyes for some reason, I don't know why. It could have been it's something I always wanted to see and I couldn't believe I was witnessing it finally after all this time. Maybe it was the gratitude to being a part of this awesome world. Maybe the energy of the Lion Dance was really hitting me. Maybe because I was happy for Barry, because I remember my grand opening of my business as if it were yesterday. But i was so happy to see this Lion Dance and I was proud of Barry. I began my business almost seven years ago, opened my doors six years ago. I want to have a huge celebration at ten years, and I'm going to have the Lion Dance there.

Sifu giving directions before the Lion Dance. 

Sifu and Patty.

Afterwards we all went out to get some dinner and it was just so nice to be together, laughing and enjoying our time together. There must have been like 16 of us together. I was also thrilled to spend time with Sifu and Simo. We had a very full day and a little bit of traffic on the way back to New Jersey. But I appreciated the experience so much.

The day was full of tradition, kung fu spirit, Qi, inspiration, knowledge, learning, friendship, lineage, family, and good feelings. It's a day we all wish we could always have. But those days often happen when you surround yourself with such wonderful people as I did that day. It was a beautiful day with Sifu.  (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO