HFY Seminar March 27-28

[Levi]

The seminar this weekend was great. Once again the Tien Yahn Dei concept and its connection to Hung Fa Yi and the Weng Chun Tong was made clear, this time through the Jong Sau Chi Sau progressions.

I want to thank Master Gee for sharing his HFY knowledge with us and for bringing it to the public.

Thanks to Sisukgung William and his family for their incredibile hospitality towards Crystal and I.

Thanks to everyone who made this weekend such a great time.

-Levi

[Louie]

Nothing like a Grand Master Gee Seminar to give you a reality check on your gung fu. this weekend turned on alot of lights for everyone and for this I am greatful toward everyone involved. much training yet to be had.

Once again thanks to everyone who was there.

[dragon lady]

This weekend was wonderful. As Levi said, we were able to enjoy the hospitality of Sisukgung William and his wife, not to mention waking up to the beautiful smile of his daughter! We are most appreciative.

As for the workshop, covering the kiu sao and chi sao topics was very enilightening. I found many new aspects of the exercises that I had done previously as well as seeing new ones and how they fit into to the system in a broader sense. There is plenty of work to do! It is always a growing experience to be able to learn from Sitaigung Gee and a great benefit to be able to share with our extended kung fu family. Thank you to everyone who attended and shared their kung fu.

Crystal

[BennyMeng]

Dates: March 27-28, 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Speaker: Grand Master Garrett Gee
Topic: Hung Fa Yi Wing Chun 10th Public Workshop

Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

1) Jung Sin Chu Sau - Ji Ng Kiu concept
2) Daan Chi Sau - Jong Sau concept
3) Technique based training vs. Concept based training
4) Connection between HFY and Chan
5) Fau Kiu Kiu Sau revision

For all workshop participants, post your comments/reactions/thoughts and feedback for all to read and share.

Comments/Feedback:

The main point of the seminar was details on HFY Chi Sau. The first one we went over was single hand Chi Sau. There was a lot of details given about proper structures and alignments. This translated over to two-hand Chi Sau where we worked with Centerline Chi Sau. Most of the information is still being processed. As all seminars that I have attended, I enjoyed this one immensely.

Shawn Miller

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This weekend’s seminar addressed two areas that are almost always discussed when speaking about Wing Chun. The focus was on Chi Sau. More specifically Chi Sau and how it relates to Anti-Grappling. As usual, we didn’t discuss technique to answer technique. Rather we discussed concepts to maintain spatial awareness. Jung Sin Ji Ng Kiu Chi Sau was the primary concept. The exercises played to examplify the concept opened up my eyes to how Wing Chun can directly address grappling type opponents. Also how this included or rather built upon concepts and body mechanics previously learned and drilled. Another layer of this system has been exposed and the fun just keeps on going!

David Escarcega

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Sigung Gee touched on a lot of details concerning inside gate offence/defense. As usual there was so much information that I left feeling like I just has a “brain buffet” at the world’s finest restaurant! He never disappoints when it comes to Wing Chun knowledge. I’m still trying to figure out how he could remember so much and execute so perfectly. I guess that’s the next phase I need to learn. May take 100 years.

Dac Lam

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The seminar has been very informative in identifying the minute details that enable a HFY practitioner to be effecting in applying HFY in real circumstances. It was great to have various levels of students and instructors at the seminar so that through different body types and varying levels of experience we can have a colaboration of teaching what we know and learn from other’s experience.

Eric Muhlebach

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Great points included the following:
1) Gave great insight into portions of the Kiu Sau/Chi Kiu/Chi Sau/Saan Da progression of HFY
2) Excellent details on Fau Kiu Kiu Sau were provided. These really reinforced many aspects of true HFY identity
3) Throughout the Kiu Sau learning, good use was made of the Muk Yan Jong to illustrate points
4) Great to share kung fu family events such as Sigung’s birthday (although my taste for HFY will always be far, far greater than my taste for cognac)

Thanks to Sifu Gee, all the Headquarters students and Disciples, and all those who traveled for sharing!

Andy Kalish

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I gained a new insight into Kiu Sau and Ji Ng Kiu as a way to maintain my center against an attack to my human gate and also realized that I can maintain my center without moving left or right. I appreciate the ability to conserve energy, hold my space, and move to a Jeui Ying position,

This seminar provided more detail to be used in improving my conceptual knowledge of HFY, thus improving my skills.

John Lambert

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The seminar held in San Francisco was extremely important to my growth in HFY training. It really opened my mind to new thoughts about Kiu Sau and Chi Sau. I learned a great deal about centerline and five line theories. I’m not starting to comprehend the concepts that drive Chi Sau. Also expanding on Kiu Sau details and motions really helped me a lot. Using Ji Ng Kiu Chi Sau showed many way on how to deal with anti-grappling in the human gate. This has proven to be invaluable to my training and I am very glad that I came.

Steve Peña

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The most important aspect of the seminar on a personal level for me was the precision of the drills and how they connect the philosophy concepts and theories in applying them to the reactional responses of the body. The logic flow of Jong Sau, Kiu Sau, Chi Kiu, Chi Sau, and Saan Da and the progression of drills that enable the practitioner to effectively understand and execute the theories were all brought to light in great detail. These seminar are a great asset and supplement to our regular training. Grand Master Gee is to be complimented for his graciousness as well as his willingness to share his wealth of knowledge with the public.

Anthony Jacobs

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I am always pleased by how each successive seminar brings us all closer together as a HFY family. Personally I think that it is vital to the integrity for the art, as well as the commercial viability, that we all maintain this kind of consistent interaction. This seminar was no exception. For me, I have to especially stress how fortunate it was to workout with my Sihing John Murphy. His guidance as an older brother is something that I have missed for some time now.

The material we covered was all very helpful. I am happy that we are all progressing from the Fau Kiu stages of learning into the San Kiu stages. I also thoroughly enjoyed the Chum Kiu / Sparring applications of the knowledge. On a final note, I would just like to thank everyone who came to the seminar for also joining us at Sifu’s birthday. Having friends and members from all the schools at the celebration was one of the best presents Sifu could have. Thanks to my Sihing Allen Kong for organizing everything and providing us with not one, but two awesome meals!

Alex Orpeza

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This being my first visit to the Hung Fa Kwoon, I am very impressed with the quality of the kung fu and the quality of the students that are produced here. The seminar’s main focus seemed to be the three different stages of Chi Sau contained in the Hung Fa Yi system. The three stages exhibited a different focus and different energy patterns. This progression of training I believe is key to mastering Chi Sau. Without these distinct training levels, Chi Sau would be become a conditional practice and not the fail-save device it was intended to be.

Louie Duran

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I’ve realized that HFY is a life learning experience. Everything is very detailed but yet Sifu always shows us more answers. I’ve been studying HFY for about six months, it’s not easy but it’s fun. It’s kinda like trying to get all the pieces of a puzzle by putting them together, yet it gets deeper than that. I must keep training to let my body know.

Francisco Ley

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There were various moments of enlightenment and discovery even though we covered a very, or seemingly small subject. My personal knowledge was expanded because I did not have a kung fu back ground and will benefit from learning terms that other kung fu styles use. Based on the opportunity to work with others I learned and understood more about myself and how much we all have to learn.

Master Gee’s explanations and demonstrations continue to reinforce in true Shaolin nature, HFY must be experienced and not seen or read. Through the seminar Master Gee stated “the mind understands, the body experiences.” He focused on the principles and concepts in an attempt to separate us from our identification with techniques. This meant retracing previous HFY material to make it more real – Fau Kiu Kiu Sau.

I will continue to use as a take away Master Gee’s statement from the second day, “[The] technique only tries to prove to me what I say exists in Time, Space, and Energy. If you look at technique you never make the connection back to Shaolin.”

John Berry

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The information in this weekend’s seminar has been invaluable to me. It helped me to realize where I am in my kung fu and how far my understanding has to go. A lot of the concepts discussed were not entirely new to me but the details and theories behind the discussions were (hard to put into words). Going over Fau Kiu Kiu Sau during the seminar while having gone through it before still seemed all new to me; there were a lot more details and it was a lot more in-depth. It was like starting all over again. It has brought my understanding more “together” and I feel I have grown a better awareness of what is more corect as well as what I was doing wrong in the past. While I have felt this same way the first time through Fau Kiu Kiu Sau, going from a Fau Kui to awareness stage, I went through it again because of the new details and focus.

The discussion and practice with centerline Chi Sau was new to me. I feel I learned a great amount about energies, structures, position, and more that I did not understand before. I would not trade this experience for anything.

Jonathan Sandberg

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Master Gee continues to show us the vastness of HFY. This particular seminar was in regard to HFY’s focus on anti-grappling and control of timeframes. Such areas of focus as Jung Sin Ji Ng Kiu Chi Sau and Baai Jong Daan Chi Sau really allow a practitioner to understand the dimensions of time & space and specific energies.

During these past two days, not only did we get a chance to strengthening the family bonds, celebrating Mater Gee’s birthday, eat San Francisco style Chinese food, but we learned more about how the mind understands but the body has to know, simultaneity is actually and truly attainable.

Many more parallels I have seen to connect the roots of HFY & Chi Sim through the Heaven, Human, Earth concept and Kiu sau as well as Chan Buddhism proves its roots to the Shaolin Temple. Really, when we go through the mind and body experience of HFY we are always reborn. Happy Birthday to Grand Master Gee and thank you for helping me find myself!

Savi Kruoch

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This was my first trip to San Francisco. I wasn’t nervous but I did not know what to expect. What would Sigung Gee be like? How would his students be? And how would the seminar be organized or would I be able to understand anything?

I was very impressed with Sigung Gee’s patience with all of us. He is a very understanding man. Sigung Gee’s students were very helpful. It was great to touch their hands and get their input. I really like the way Sigung would explain the concept, then the technical side and learning it with the application of it. It was also interesting to hear people’s stories of how they came to be learning HFY. I’m really looking forward to attending many more future seminars.

Brad Ryan

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This seminar opened my eyes to the immense size and details of the HFY system. Every detail I knew was added upon 10-fold. Add even more new stuff on top of that and I took away a full head!

Caleb Beddes

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My thoughts on the 10th Hung Fa Yi work shop start with thanking Sitigung Master Gee for sharing his knowledge of HFY so openly with family and his hospitable students for there care of other family members. Sisukgung William E and his Wife maid me feel at home the moment I arrived in SF until the moment I departed. There hospitably acts are proven through there lovely 1yr old baby girl, who loves to share, and giggle, and giggle. Also Sibakgung Allen along with Sisukgung Rich for their humorous conversations, the late night got a little crazy, along with a wonderful tour around China Town. I thank my Sigung and his students for their touch of knowledge. In the same way I thank my Sifu and family.

The knowledge that was given in abundance was stimulating to the eye, mind, and body. Even when one of these three where not able to understand the other two still came to play. I really enjoyed re-visiting Fau Kiu Kiu Sau and feeling thing getting worked out of the body. Approaching the Dan Chi Sau wowed me since I haven’t played it in a while. I found that the energies in my body where not as real as I thought, and that my arms needed some liveliness to them. Taking that understanding we were introduced to the centerline Chi Sau. This chi Sau in my mind is a bridging moment when some one tries to grab from a Doy Ying facing. The idea I have is to harmonize with your attacker by penetrating to center with a screwing motion; this is done in the man gate. Nothing like five line Chi Sau. I have learned a lot not only in touch but in seeing my kung fu family doing what we do best, living the life. Thanks again to all in participation, I learned from each and every person in attendance

James Crump