Diana McKinney is excited yet nervous about showing her martial arts skills to the world next month.
The 30-year-old computer technician from Sharpstown has taken only two years of lessons in tai chi with master Jincai Cheng. So she isn’t sure if her preparation is enough to be spotlighted for the first time in an international competition in Dallas.
However, Robin Shouldis, 48, of Sugar Land, says McKinney needn’t worry.
Just eight months into his training with Cheng last year, Shouldis snatched two gold and one bronze medallions in three events at the annual Taiji Legacy International Martial Arts Championships.
“I was very nervous and almost overwhelmed at the idea of entering an international competition,” recalled Shouldis. “But winning the events proved I made the right decision to go, because Master Cheng is a wonderful teacher.”
Like McKinney and Shouldis, some 30 of Cheng’s disciples, including both neophytes and skilled martial artists, are stepping up training with Cheng for the tournament June 8-10 sponsored by the USA Chin Woo Federation.
They will enter an assortment of contests that include bare-hand tai chi forms and routines with weapons such as swords and sabres.
In addition to demonstrating his mastery of the Chen-style tai chi, Cheng will also lecture on the art during next Friday’s seminar session at Dallas’ Plano Convention Center.
Cheng, founder of the International Chen Style Tai Chi Development Center in Alief, says he’s confident his students will again bring home medals this year.
But he says that’s not his purpose to lead the group to Dallas.
“This is an opportunity to promote this unique form of martial art, which is an essential part of the ancient Chinese culture,” said Cheng, the only recognized Chen-style tai chi grandmaster in north America.
“It’s an opportunity to test my students’ skills and whip up their enthusiasm to pursue the path further. They’ll be exposed to many different schools of martial arts, make more friends and draw experience.”
Winning the competition would be a boost, he agrees, but says “it’s more of a sense of spiritual accomplishment.”
Organizers say last year’s event drew 800 competitors and 2,000 spectators from all parts of the world, while 1,000 contestants are expected this year.
“I feel challenged. The competition does pose itself as a challenge to be faced and overcome, and it’s a test of many things,” said Nazario “Blue” Siytangco, a University of Houston student who snatched three gold and one silver medals in the intermediate level events last year and will enter the advanced level contest this year.
“A tournament tests your skills, but it more challenges you to face and overcome your own mental, emotional and psychological blocks,” said Siytangco. “This is really a wonderful opportunity to be exposed to the larger family of martial arts and to be closer to this community and learn things.”
Tai chi, an ancient Chinese martial art that teaches a mixture of internal energy cultivation and combative skills, is rooted in the Chinese indigenous religion of Taoism and Chinese traditional medicine.
It is based on the theory that the universe is made of opposing but complementary forces, which can be balanced and reconciled to the benefit of life.
Cheng was born and raised in the village of Chen Jia Gou, the birthplace of Chen-style tai chi, in China’s northern province of Henan.
As a prominent form of tai chi, Chen-style tai chi was said to be developed during the late 1600s by Chen Wangting, a military commander during the Ming Dynasty.
The art passed down from one generation to another, only to male offsprings of the Chen family. Beginning the 14th generation, Chen-style tai chi also was taught to people outside the family who were highly respected in the community.
Cheng, suffering year-round dizziness and headaches as a child, decided to learn tai chi from his brother. Later, his fast progress prompted him to seek tutelage from Chen-style standard bearers, including 18th-generation grand master Chen Zhaokui and 19th-generation grand master Wang Xi’an.
For his mastery, Cheng was listed as one of the only 10, 20th-generation grand masters in the lineage.
Tai chi cured Cheng of his headaches for good soon after he began his lessons, he recalled.
After relocating to Houston in 1994, Cheng established his center at 9730 Town Park to spread the art and later created a second studio at 6732 Texas 6 South.
Al-Asr Cordes, Cheng’s most accomplished disciple who repeatedly has been a gold medalist in national and international martial arts competitions, was designated to head the second studio.
Cheng’s devotees come from different ethnicities, range in age from 6 to 73 and come from Houston and other parts of Texas and even Louisiana.
According to Chinese traditional medicine, illness is the result of the clogging of energy flow in the body. Tai chi proponents say the practice help eliminate the clogging.
They believe tai chi enhances the immune system and has positive effects on ailments such as high blood pressure, asthma, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, digestive problems and even impotence.
“I’ve been very fit and energetic since I started my lesson,” said Ethel Liu, 45, from Austin, who is participating in the tournament.
Students also say the discipline, though filled with lethal potential, helps practicioners realize their personal one-ness and one-ness with the universe. It teaches the mind-set of harmony, as espoused in the ancient I Ching, known as the Taoist fundamental Book of Change.
“I’ve learned that martial arts come from life,” said Siytangco. “They teach one how to relate the practice to other aspects in life. They’re not just self-defense but an art.”
Winning and losing, therefore, is not the heart of the matter, they say.
“If I have an expectation for the competition, it’s to do my best,” said McKinney. “You’ll learn something in the end whether you win or lose. You’re going be improved. If what you do doesn’t work, you’ll know why.”
Siytangco admitted in past tournaments contestants with “impure” motives sought to injure their opponents.
“Ego does play a role in a martial arts competition for some people, and there were cases where some applied illegal moves and hurt others,” said Siytangco.
“But they are few, and it’s an opportunity to train your senses to be more acute, which is an essential skill.”
However, he said over all the event is held in an “extremely healthy environment.”
“People who take tai chi are good people. It’s completely fun,” he said.
Cheng has released the second volume of his video series that demonstrates the basic Chen-style routines and applications and finished a book about the art which is expected to be published late this year. For details, call 713-270-6797.
