Lineage

Chen Tuan (birthname: Chen Tuan, name as a sage: Chen Hsi I, Chen Xi Yi) (871-989) was a legendary Taoist sage. According to certain Taoist schools who claim him as a founder, he lived a secluded life in the Nine Room Cave on Mount Wudang.

Later at Mount Hua, one of the five sacred mountains of China, he is said to have created the kung fu system Liu He Ba Fa (Six Harmonies and Eight Methods). Along with this internal art, he is also said to be associated with a method of chi (energy) cultivation known today as Taiji ruler, sleeping meditation, a 24 section method (erh shigh ssu shih tao yin fa) seated and standing exercises designed to prevent diseases that occur during seasonal change.

The story goes that Chen Tuan had planned a career at the Imperial court, but flunked the state examination and became a hermit sage instead. He was also said to be conversant with the Confucian classics, history, and the theories of various schools of thought. In his legends he was said to be fond of Buddhist philosophy, medical principles, astronomy and geography, and famous for his poems as well.

Chen Tuan liked to study the I Ching, which he was unable to put down.Chen Hsi I is also in Taoist succession in the (Yin Hsien Pai) (sec; of the hidden immortals) who passed Lao Tzu Taoism down through time and also taught on Mount Wu Tang. He is said to have been the teacher of Huo Lung, who was the teacher of the Chang San Feng, legendary founder of Tai Chi. This is why some scholars have placed him in the Sung Yuan Ming Dynasty. Recently a statue of Chen could be seen at the Jade Source Monastery (Yu Chang Yuian) located at the foot of Mount Hua.

Chen Hsi I continued passing on his teaching and elucidation of the I Ching (Book of Changes). The modern interpretations are based on his art passed on to (Lee Tung Fung), who passed his skills on to the masters below.

Wu Yi Hui (Ng Yik Fai) 1887-1961 was a Chinese martial artist and teacher in the martial arts.Wu Yi Hui was originally from Tieling in Northeast China, but later lived in Beijing. He was from a scholarly and official family and a man of good nature who had strong martial art talents. He was also well versed in calligraphy and painting, enjoying social life and travel.

In 1896, his father took a government position in Pien-Liang (Kiafang) and his family moved there as a result, where he studied all styles of martial arts and weaponry, such as LiuHeBafa, Sanpan Shier Shi, and the earliest Taoist Sleeping Qigong of Chen Tuan. Two years later, he studied under Master Chen Guang Di and his skills improved tremendously.

In 1905, Master Wu was admitted to the Military Academy of Baoding. On weekends, he went to the Temple of the Goddess of Mercy in the suburbs where Master Chen He Lu taught him the secrets of martial arts.

In 1928, Master Wu started to teach martial arts at the South Senior High School in Shanghai. The following year he was transferred to Shuwei Public School. The YMCA in the Eight Immortals Bridge District in Shanghai in 1932 hired him as their martial arts director.

In 1936, at the request of General Zhang Zhi Jiang Wu took the provost position at the National Martial Arts Association, at Nanking. When Japan invaded China, he left first to Kunming and then Guiling, from where he was invited by the Vietnamese government to demonstrate Chinese martial arts in Hanoi.

When the Second Sino-Japanese war ended in 1945, Master Wu returned to Shanghai and taught martial arts again. He had students from various provinces in China as well as from Hong Kong, Singapore, South East Asia, Brazil, England and the United States. Meanwhile, the City of Shanghai made him a member (director) of the Department of Literature and History.

The creator of Yiquan, Wang Xiang Zhai, (1927) once referred to Master Wu by saying, "I have traveled throughout the country, competing with nearly a thousand people, there is but two and half people who possess true martial skills, Hunan's Dai Tit Fu, Shanghai's Wu Yik Fan and the half being a White Crane exponent from Fukien" who engaged with him evenly.

Chan Yik Yan (Chen Yi Ren) 1909-1982 was a disciple of Liu He Ba Fa master Wu Yi Hui. Although Wu Yi Hui's successor remains disputed, Chan Yik Yan is one of the most frequently cited.

A Shanghai industrialist, Chen Yik Yan became successor to Wu Yik Fan. Chen's social standing in cosmopolitan Shanghai exposed him to a number of the politically and military elite of China. It would be through his friendship with General Chang Chih-Chiang that granted him an introduction to Master Wu. At first his impression of the system was that of Tai chi, which is so widely practiced throughout the city, but only after close examination did he realize the complexity of the art. Chan's social status could easily afford him to travel with Master Wu throughout the country, he accompanied him to Nanking during his tenure at the Ching Wu Institute in Nanking. It was during these years in Shanghai and Nanking that gave him access to other leading exponents of the internal art world. He learned Pa Kua and Hsing I from Chiang Jung-Ch'iao, I Chuan from Han Hsing-Ch'iao and Hsing-I Chuan from Chu Kuei Ting. After the communist takeover of mainland China, Chen relocated to Hong Kong.

There he briefly taught until he decided to move his practice to Singapore. Eventually though, Chen decided to return to Hong Kong in the late fifties and retire. Master Chen decided to come out of retirement after the perseverance of some young martial artists, one of which was Wai Lan Choi.

In May of 1980, Chen return to mainland China, for the first time since his departure in 1950, in the hopes of being reunited with his former colleague. The devastating aftermath of the Cultural Revolution took it toll on China's martial artists, leaving only a handful of former friends. While in Beijing, Master Chen visited with one of his fellow classmate Cheng Chang Man and with some of Hsing-I remaining leading exponents.

Master Wai-Lun Choi is a living legend of Martial Arts. Born in 1939, he began studying Lama at the age of 18 under Chan Keun Ng, and later took on Muay Thai, Judo, and Northern Shaolin.In 1962, he became aware of the internal arts (T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Pa Kua Chang, Hsing-I Chuan, and Hsing-I Li Ho Pa Fa) as taught by Grand Master Chan Yik-Yan, and after an entire year of entertaining Master Chan, during which time he was not allowed to speak of Martial Arts, Master Chan accepted him as a pupil.After defeating Wong "Crazy Horse" Chai Leung in the 1971 Southeast Asian Hand-to-Hand Martial Arts Tournament in a spectacular display of skill and power, Grand Master Chan named Master Choi the successor to and head of the Hsing-I Liu Ho Ba Fa System.

In 1972, Master Choi opened the first martial arts school in Chicago's Chinatown. His initiation into the community would be an old fashion experience. Like in the olden days of China, Master Choi would have to prove to the Chinese public his credentials. During open house, in the basement of the Chinese Community Center, what he thought were 36 interested spectators turned into 36 challengers. Nevertheless, in little over 30 minutes, Master Choi took on and easily defeated these 36 distractors; however, the night was not completely lost, he did gain 26 new students!

After forty years of practicing martial arts, Grandmaster Choi understands well the teaching of his predecessors. Throughout his education, he has been fortunate to learn first hand from such high level martial artists. It is his hope and life's work that he can remove the mysticism and so-called secrecy of martial arts out of the minds of the practitioners, and reeducate those through proper techniques and skills based on physics that will bring about a fundamental understanding to the real basis of Chinese martial arts.

Sifu Jack Soderberg is a man of diverse talent and immense experience.  Teaching over 15,000 students in his long and distinguished career, Sifu Jack changes lives.  A true competitor, he was the Grand National Champ 3 years in a row and has won over 500 trophies.  He has trained numerous fighters in the Tibetan Lama Kung Fu Way, winning many tournaments in sparring, weapons and forms.  His list of accomplishments and honors is impressive to say the least.

Born in Chicago, Sifu Jack began his athletic career early on in life.  He began training himself at age 11 and just never stopped.  In high school he lettered in football and track and field.  At age 15 he competed against adults in track and field at the University of Chicago.  He went on to train for two Olympic games in the decathlon, placed 3rd in Illinois for discus throwing and took 3rd in Silver Skates Speed Skating.

After high school Sifu Jack continued to challenge himself both physically and mentally when he joined the Marine Corp in Infantry and Demolitions.  In 1970 he began studying the Martial Arts, starting with Japanese Karate.  In February 1974 he was one of the few Americans accepted in an all Chinese Martial Arts class in Chicago’s Chinatown taught by Singapore Bare Knuckle Champion (1971) Master Wai Lun Chois.  At the time it was an honor to be accepted in such an exclusive training program and Sifu Jack learned Tibetan Lama Pai Kung Fu, Water Boxing Internal Martial Arts and Tai Chi.   As a dedicated student, Sifu Jack proved his worth and advanced to the level of a teacher and continues to use the techniques he learned to invigorate not only his Martial Arts classes, but his other fitness teachings as well.

In 1975 Sifu Jack began teaching all over Chicago in park districts, health clubs, colleges, and VFW halls.  By 1979 he opened his 1st school, Lama Kung Fu Academy.  There he trained individual students and undefeated championship teams including martial artists, military personnel, boxers, kick boxers, policemen, security workers, and athletes from every field of sport.  Three of his students even went on to star in Martial Arts movies including Ho Sung Pak and Ho Yung Pak who played turtles in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II Movie and Danny Pesina who played a villain.  Ho Sung Pak also played alongside Jackie Chan in Drunken Master II.  Another distinguished student was Tim Polanski (Road Warrior) who was the undefeated Kick Box Champion for Chicago and trained with Sifu Jack for many years.

In his long career Sifu Jack has trained practitioners and instructors from all types of styles and systems within the Martial Arts from countries all over the world.  Just to scratch the surface, Sifu Jack has trained martial artists from Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Thai and many other systems.  One of Sifu’s Jack’s most distinguished students, Bob Romb, runs Romb’s Martial Arts in Chicago.  Jack Oplustil is another of Sifu Jack’s instructors who teaches Tai Chi at Myrtle Beach, NC.  Gene Slessinger runs Lion’s Roar Kung Fu in Chicago as well.

Joe Navarro 1953- 2004 a student of Grand Master Wai-Lun Choi, Joe Navarro lived an accomplished life.

A California born resident, Joe Navarro was an energetic and intelligent young individual. He excelled in his academic studies and athletic events which earned him the love and respect of his teachers and fellow students. During Joe Navarro's time in high school, he earned a football scholarship to the prestigious West Point University.

During his studies, he was called by his country to serve in Vietnam. Joe Navarro excelled quickly in his military career and promptly became an Airborne Ranger, a well respected and disciplined branch in the U.S, Army. During his tour, Joe began his studies in the martial arts. He studied Tak Won Do under the infamous Jhoon Rhee, and well versed in many other forms.

After serving his country, Joe Navarro continued his academic studies in the North Western University, where he was studying sociology. Already well established martial artist, Joe decided enroll Chinese Martial Art taught by the infamous Grand Master Wai-Lun Choi. At the time, It was a honor for any martial artist to be accepted in this legendary school, and Joe Navarro became one of the handful of students to hold such an honor.

After earning a masters degree in Sociology, and reaching the rank of a teacher of the Liu He Ba Fa, Joe Navarro decided to begin to teach the martial arts. He founded the United Martial Arts Academy in Chicago in the late 70's, where he taught a more westernized form of the art.

Teaching more than 10,000 students, and being responsible for several world champions, Joe Navarro was and will always be a recognized figure in the world of martial arts.

He migrated to Miami Florida, where he continued to teach. The legacy was passed down to Henry Regalado, not only an exceptional student of the martial art, but a beloved and well respected teacher, husband and father.After his untimely death, Henry Regalado became the director of United Martial Arts Academy. Joe Navarro was known as a well spoken man, both intelligent and loving to all his students. His memory will carry on in the hearts of the thousands of students whom he came across.