There could have been no more fitting way for me to finish out the last leg of this adventure than in discovering Japan. I never watched the show “The Amazing Race,” but this has been like the Amazing Race for one. To think, I was sitting in my hotel room in Hong Kong late one night at the end of a particularly defeating day after abandoning my trip to Bali, and was just one mouse click away from buying a flight back home the following day. It didn’t matter what it cost. I was ready to call it quits. As has been the case for most of this journey, I went with a spontaneous instinct and surge of adventurous spirit and pulled the trigger on a flight from Hong Kong to Osaka for the following day. In retrospect, what a wonderful decision that was.
Japan has truly been the icing on the cake of this whole adventure. I am so grateful it came at the end, following the rigors of both China and Hong Kong. Now on my third language of the trip, it was my great fortune to spend my birthday there quietly wandering through a few of the most revered Zen Gardens in the world.
This entire journey has been full of life lessons and has expanded me in so many unforeseen ways, but Japan is one of those places and experiences that has truly left me changed for the better and it will deeply be a part of me and the way I engage day to day life and the world moving forward.
Maybe it was meeting people like June on the bus in Kyoto. Although I only know two words of Japanese I was drawn to introduce myself to her. Maybe it was her gentle, kind eyes that made me miss my own mother. As we rode next to each other on the bus for just a few miles, we tried to convey our thoughts one word at a time. Our smiles and our eyes transcended the language barrier. She won me with her smile. She captured the spirit of the people I encountered here in Japan, always a peaceful smile, a sincere desire to make sure I was well taken care of and a willingness to go way out of their way to do so. Just a few precious moments with June and I will never forget her….78 years young. She was worth the chance.
Then there was the young man I asked for directions on the street. With a smile and a bow, not only did he point me in the right direction, he insisted on personally walking me there, going out of his way a good mile or so. This happened on multiple occasions. Another kind citizen, when I was browsing in their shop and asked about a particular piece of woodblock art, did not have what I was searching for, so proceeded to draw me a full scale map to another store of one of their competitors whom he thought might have what I was searching for. I will also always remember the sweet, peaceful old Zen monk who asked if I was a priest and blessed my head.
There is simply a peaceful and gentle way the people are here. I’ve never been the recipient of so many sincere smiles. In Japanese culture you don’t just hand somebody money, you present it. Pride is taken in everything, down to the meticulous packaging in 7-11. Even the smallest item, such as a croissant for breakfast is packaged as if it were a special birthday gift. When you think of the concepts of Yin and Yang, Japan could be the analogy for the Yin or softer side of Asia as compared to the Yang or hard side being China. Two very distinctly different experiences. Japan is clean and safe. In China I was dodging spit.
For most of my adult life I have always been pulled to Asia, beginning with my experiences in martial arts when I was younger. It was from those early experiences I got some initial exposure to Eastern Thought. So much of it just seemed to intuitively make sense to me. For whatever reason, that seemed to pull my natural curiosities to China. However, now having discovered Japan, I realize that it was this culture that was so much more in alignment with my way of looking at things as well as my personal aesthetics. Japan and I just seem to align.
In Japan, spirituality and respect for the everyday are reflected in every possible aspect of life, and design is no exception. It is simple, without any unnecessary embellishment, always very detailed and elegant as well. It signifies the care, respect and efficiency in everyday life. Spirituality is a key factor to understand Japanese society, since it’s embedded into every aspect of the country’s everyday life, both for people and nature. In a word….Zen.
I am so grateful to have discovered Japan at the end of this journey. I know I will return, if for no other reason than my obsession with Zen Gardens and Japanese Maples. The entire city of Kyoto and its Zen Gardens are covered with Japanese Maples, all about to turn bright red within the next 6 weeks. Fall and Spring are truly something to see here.
Tonight, I begin the grueling 48-hour trek back home. I am more than ready to return to my life and all the simple things I will appreciate just a little more and people I will treat a little more sacredly after this experience. When I think of Japan I will always think of true beauty in simplicity…..and of course, Zen. These will be the elements I carry back with me into my life back home. After being away from home for the last 28 days, covering 3 different countries and 13 different hotels, and finally wearing out my 10 year old suitcase that has seen many adventures, I can fully concur with the quote that reads….
”Travel far enough to meet yourself.”
I’d say I’ve done that.
CHINA >>>> HONG KONG >>>>JAPAN
Having now been traveling for 21 days solo both in China and Hong Kong, one might say I am at that point in a marathon (to use a running analogy), where you “hit the proverbial wall.” This is usually about mile 21 in a marathon when every part of your body from your eyelids down to your toenails cries out to stop and throw in the towel. Another reason I don’t really run marathons anymore. It seems a fitting analogy for where I find myself at this leg of the journey. I hit that day yesterday. Day 21.
Having spent 8 days in Hong Kong, with all of it’s experiences and tastes and sights and sounds, I was more than ready to move on to something a little more “zen-like”. After considering my options, I discovered I could fly to Bali, Indonesia for $250. Since this was on my travel bucket list and I was already here, why not? I was even more excited to discover that you can stay in 4 star hotels in Bali for less than $20 per night. So of course I bought my ticket and booked my hotel. What a perfect way to end my trip with a week in Bali…over my birthday even. I would then return to HK and fly home. So yesterday, I arrive at the airport and get checked in, bag checked, good to go. I had about an hour before my flight, so I got online to catch up on things back home. I had posted that I was heading to Bali and a friend (to which I will be eternally grateful for), replied and said “…haven’t you heard about the volcano eruptions and evacuations in Bali?” Of course I had not. As I started reading over the latest news on Bali, sure enough 57,000 people have been evacuated and it has been declared a natural disaster area. The island was preparing for an imminent eruption and the travel advisory warning had been elevated to level 4, which basically says, “Do not travel to this area unless you absolutely have to.” My internal response to myself, was “you just can’t make this s#*t up.” I looked up to see this sign in the airport.
So here I am, literally about to board the plane for Bali, my bag is checked, and I have a very short window to make a judgment call. Do I get on this plane or do I not? Let’s just say I do not enjoy being placed in these types of urgent, high stakes situations. I don’t really gamble. So I did the only thing I could do which was to sit, get calm, slow down my breathing, lower my heart rate and follow my intuition. Ultimately, my intuition told me that it would be unwise for me to get on the plane. So I didn’t. At this point in my trip I have had some close calls and I have had unexpected friends and angels looking out for me. I did not feel it was wise to tempt fate any further at this point.
That was a tough call, as I was really looking forward to my time in Bali. But I made my decision. The next two hours were spent trying to get my bag back from wherever it went with people who did not understand me and sadly, I could not understand them. Another lesson I’ve learned on this trip is that it is a bit arrogant on our parts to go to other countries and expect them to understand us. I mean, imagine a Chinese guy coming to the U.S. and getting bent out of shape because we were not understanding him. So I remind myself of that each day and try to say the one or two phrases I know and smile. Seems to get me by.
After some time and trust, I got my bag back. Then it was back on the subway at rush hour to find a hotel where I could get to a quiet space, gather my thoughts and make a decision about my next move. If there were a breaking point in this whole story, this would have been it. Again, I just went quiet, went inward and gave some space. The decision at this point was whether to finally throw in the towel suck it up and buy and expensive ticket to come home to Austin in a day or two and have that be the end of my story. Keep in mind I already have a return ticket home in October. For better or worse, I was not going out that way and was not willing to let this be the end of the story. Not going home defeated. Period.
So…as it turns out, you can actually fly to Japan relatively cheaply from Hong Kong. Japan is another bucket list destination for me. I have always wanted to go to Japan on a separate trip, as I am obsessed with Japanese Zen Gardens. So I bought my flight, and tomorrow will be heading to Japan for a week to spend my birthday in a Zen Garden in Japan. Check out the Zen Gardens of Kyoto online sometime. I am at peace with my decision.
When I set out on this adventure, it was pretty straightforward. I had done my research and was going to one specific location in Shandong, China for 30 days to study martial arts. I would stay there, my food and lodging would be provided, and I would not leave. Since then, I have traveled to Shanghai, then to Hong Kong, now headed to Japan. Since plan A did not go according to Plan A, as is often the case in the school of life, I have spent the last 2 weeks recreating a new game plan on almost a day to day basis. It gets exhausting and challenges what you are made of for sure. I am a pretty simple guy, like to keep it peaceful, so I don’t normally like having to make big decisions on the fly on a day to day basis as to where I am going to sleep, how am I going to get there, all in a foreign environment. However, such is the adventure and the art of real world travel. You can’t learn this in school or in a book. I have faced each day with a smile and an openness to what the new day has had in store for me. And what an adventure it has been.
Hong Kong has been quite an experience. Spending 7 days here amidst the hugely dense population, the grunge, the smells and the sounds has changed me for the better. Having slept in 4 star hotels as well as a single bed in the ghetto district has granted me a buffet of experiences and people I won’t forget. It has reminded me once again how good we have it at home. Spending 3 nights in a fleabag motel has made me appreciate my home and my own bed on a much greater level than you can imagine. Understanding that 82 million people in China live on less that $2.50 a day has made me rethink my place in the world and what more I can do with what I have been so generously blessed with. Seeing couples in China, both young and old, holding hands and even kissing in public, inspires me once again that love is everywhere and cannot be held back anywhere in the world.
A daily ritual that has kept a smile on my face despite the odds has been checking out the t-shirts people wear with American phrases on them that are clearly lost in translation. It’s kind of humorous that no one can really understand me, but the t-shirts they wear have English phrases on them that are often more hilarious in the ways they don’t make sense. Here are a few of my favorites:
Musical
Lumberjack
Honey, Sweetie, Daddy
Surfing Your Holiday
Don’t Speak Loudly
Energy Saving Mode
Let bygones be bygones
Free Like an Artist
We Should All Be Feminists
Life Is Not All Roses
Captain America for Class President
(Old Lady wearing t-shirt) Rock Me Hard
(Old Man smoking) Train Harder
A Little Party (front) No Killed Nobody (back)
If I were a bird, I know who I’d shit on
Uncle Drew Never Stops
God Cover Me
Equal to You
A friend asked me if I was having fun on this trip. It is a bit like asking someone at mile 21 of a marathon if they are having fun. I don’t know that they could say yes. However, once they complete the marathon, they would never have considered not doing it, what they learned about themselves and what they were capable of in the process can never be traded or taken away. This adventure has been much like that. I have been stretched in many ways I could not have planned, nor maybe would I have taken on if I had known in advance. But I have learned what I am capable of and that I can navigate my way through anything in the world, mostly with a smile and a genuine openness and willingness to embrace the adventure.
Next stop JAPAN.
Finally, at the Po Lin Monestary….so far this trip has been “beautiful.”
Hong Kong: On the Master’s Doorstep
When I originally planned my adventure to China, it was with one primary intention in mind….to study Wing Chun Kung Fu for a month with authentic Masters of the art in China. Clearly there was a different adventure in store for me that I could have in no way predicted. People and experiences I would have never otherwise met. I have heard it said that success in life is how well you deal with plan B. That has been the mantra so far on this trip for sure. My adventure has progressed with over 700 unplanned miles to Shanghai and then a flight over to another country, Hong Kong. Different world, different language.
What I could have never imagined when I set out on this journey would have been that my unforeseeable steps would lead me to another country and to the very doorstep of one of only six direct students of Ip Man, Master Sam Lau. In case you’ve not heard of Ip Man, he was the Master; some call the Grandmaster, who introduced Wing Chun to Hong Kong. Ip Man was also the teacher of Bruce Lee.
Master Sam Lau’s studio is located in the Chungking Mansions are of Hong Kong. The building is well known as nearly the cheapest accommodation in Hong Kong. You might think of it as Hell’s Kitchen in New York. Navigating my way to this place was an adventure all it’s own. I guess this is where you have to go to get the most authentic martial arts training. Originally, I booked a hotel room to stay near the studio, but after reading the nightmares of the goings on in the stairways and front doorstep, I moved uptown a bit. Chungking Mansions is the gathering place for all the nationalities of the world and some of the shadiest characters you will ever see.
Today was an once in a lifetime experience for me, as I was privileged to attend a 3 hour class with Master Sam Lau, who continues today to share the art of Wing Chun, which he learned from his Master, Ip Man. Over the years, there have been various teachers who have diverged off into their own versions of Wing Chun, however, Sam Lau remains committed to passing on the authentic teachings of Ip Man. If you are not a student of martial arts history, you can actually see two films on the historic martial arts patriarch. One is called The Grandmaster. A visually beautiful film, whether you appreciate martial arts or not. It’s visual poetry, really. The other film is called Ip Man, available on Netflix.
Now that I have burned up 2 weeks into my adventure, I will consider the best use of my time moving forward. Hong Kong is quite overwhelming and costly. Take New York City and condense the population four times and you get a feel for Hong Kong. Words really cannot describe it. Yesterday, at 5 o’clock rush hour, the experience of getting onto the subway was very similar to the trucks you see with cattle jammed in them. If you have issues with personal space boundaries or germaphobia, Hong Kong is not the place for you.
Likely, I will take advantage of the once in a lifetime opportunity to learn from a true Master for a private lesson. However, as with any martial art, one does not learn it in a month. It is a lifetime practice if one is to truly become proficient. Hence, the respect and appreciation for the term “art.” This experience has truly provided me with the inspiration to go forward from here, having had an encounter and experience I could have never planned nor will ever forget.
At the outset of this trip, I had fully planned what I had determined to be the “zen training” I wanted. However, the real training has been in the opportunities to flow with whatever this adventure has thrown at me. The entire trip has been quickly and patiently navigating the unexpected, solo, not speaking the language. This is how patience and calm are developed, in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. On this trip my mind has been further expanded and reminded just how very good we have it compared to so many other parts of the world. As with most trips I have taken to other countries, my appreciation and gratitude for the life I enjoy at home has deepened, my appreciation for others and my awareness that ways of life in other countries that may seem completely counter-intuitive to our own does not make their way wrong. Just a different perspective.
Flowing like water…..
Shanghai, Monks and the Kindness of Strangers…..
My China Adventure continued via high speed train from Rizhou to Shanghai, roughly 700 miles in less than 5 hours. That was truly a thrill ride. I was excited that the one stop midway was in Qu fu, the birthplace of Confucious. I got to pay my respects to the enormous statue of Confucious in the park that dominates the city. With only one full day in Shanghai, I wanted to make the most of it so early Sunday morning jumped in a taxi to the historic Buddhist temple in heart of the city, the Jade Buddha Temple.
In 1882, an old temple was built to keep two jade Buddha statues which had been brought from Burma by a monk named Huigen. The temple was destroyed during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Fortunately the statues were saved and a new temple was built on the present site in 1928. It was named the Jade Buddha Temple.
It never occurred to me that being Sunday morning, services would be going on there, which I got there just in time for. I quietly observed what might be compared to the Buddhist version of Mass at the Vatican, although my guess would be there were more people at the Jade Buddha Temple. It was truly an experience I won’t forget and just another moment on this trip where I ended up someplace completely unplanned at just the right time.
From there I wandered the packed streets of Shanghai, taking in the sights and smells and sounds. There is no way to describe the sheer volume of people all packed into one place while attempting to navigate your way around as a foreigner with the language gap. 24 million people.
As I have been trying along the way to learn some basic phrases and work with a translation app on my phone, one must appreciate the complexity of the Chinese language. When you type in one word, such as “thanks” the app pulls up roughly 25 different scenarios, each of which the word has a different visible character. You then play the pronunciation of the word to a local and they either look at you blankly or simply start laughing. Given that virtually all of the ATMs I have come across so far are not updated to read the chip in my Visa, it has added another level of challenge to navigating solo.
I have been reminded again on this trip what I already knew. That is that you can navigate your way around the world in most countries with a warm smile, a genuine friendliness and an openness to learn about the culture. Later that afternoon, I was literally walking the streets amidst a mass of locals, when a couple stopped me and asked if I could take their picture. Most Chinese know a phrase or two of English but the conversation usually stops there. I was happy to do so, then his couple proceeded to speak to me in broken but understandable English. Again I mention how rare and serendipitous this was to have this happen in China in a city of 24 million people. Keep in mind that not even the hotel staff has spoken any English at the hotels I have been in so far. Interestingly enough, they knew Austin, TX and were big fans of the Spurs, Cowboys football and oddly enough UFC. I told them where I was heading and asked for some guidance. The next thing I knew I had been personally invited to a private tea ceremony where they were going. We then spent over two hours in a private room enjoying what I might call a religious experience over 6 different types of tea pouring, cultural bonding, and friendships were formed.
This was yet another day where seemingly random connections were with English speakers who were king and generous. These encounters would have never occurred if this adventure had gone as planned. I was never supposed to be in Shanghai and even in this city of 24 million people the odds of bumping into these two was so random it goes beyond sensibility. Seriously… how many Chinese citizens know much if anything about Austin, TX and speak English.
As the day ended, I once again ran into ATM machines issues due to the chip in my card. Our parting goodbye was my new friends insisting that they give me cash for a cab to make it back to my hotel.
It was a reminder to me yet again that the world tends to be a reflection of ourselves and how we see it and engage it. I am completely grateful to have met two generous and kind friends in Shanghai amidst another unplanned chapter of this adventure as it continues to unfold. Kindness can truly be found everywhere.
Today’s reading from the Tao te Ching was perfectly timed…..
The Adventure in China Continues…..
Sometimes when your grand vision completely falls apart, you have the option to equally fall crumble, or you can take a step back, remain calm, breath deeply and connect with a new vision, an even bigger an more inspiring outcome.
So that is what I have done. My bag is packed and a new Plan B is in motion. Today I will take a high speed train to Shanghai and then on Monday I will fly to Hong Kong.
After considering a number of options with wise guidance from my new guardian angel friend, Steven, it makes most sense for me to head to Hong Kong where no visa is required for U.S. citizens and I am much more likely to cross paths with English speakers.
It is very important at this point to know how completely safe I am and I clearly see that everything is unfolding as this adventure is meant to. This is truly what makes adventures exciting and you realize that you aren’t in charge. I am now out of harms way and what could have been a much different situation. However, I know I am on my path and am being watched over. As my new friends said, who are from the Buddhist tradition….”you are clearly very, very blessed.” In their belief, they belief we were destined to meet and it was part of Steven’s path. I believe that and trust in that.
Traveling to Hong Kong makes perfect sense for why I came her in the first place….to learn martial arts from an authentic master. I have done my research over the last 24 hours and Hong Kong is the home of Bruce Lee and Ip Man, who was Bruce Lee’s teacher. I believe I may have discovered my teacher who I will seek out when I get there. This man was the direct apprentice of Ip Man, who was the teacher of Bruce Lee. Interestingly enough, he still teaches today out of his small space for what will be like $60 a month.
The great lesson on this adventure and equally applicable to all of life is to “be like water”…flow with what happens…..the good and bad. This doesn’t mean to be foolish or make poor decisions or simply do nothing in the face of evil, but it refers to how you react when circumstances go completely another way. To resist the situation I was in with the people from this school or to counter with direct resistance would have put me in a much worse situation. There were several confrontational situations involving police and the men who ran the school. Each time I spoke directly to the men from the school I simply looked them directly in the eye and summoned the greatest level of peace I could give. I peacefully looked the school headmaster in the eye and firmly but calmly said to him that in my country we would never allow for a man to speak to a woman that way, in response to his verbally beating down my friend Steven’s lovely mother. It changed the dynamic of the confrontation and lowered the intensity level for everyone there. This is actually a principal taught in some forms of martial arts, the less aggressive or “hard” martial arts and more the peaceful or “soft” martial arts. To allow myself to flow with the events as they unfolded I was able to freely move and go in a new direction. Water cannot be grasped or captured….it just keeps flowing with what happens
The journey continues and I am honored if you are interested enough to follow.
I must point out the significance in the big scheme of things that I crossed paths with Steven. Keep in mind that China is a vast country of 1.4 billion people. There is a good reason that most U.S citizens who travel here either do so on a tour group or speak Chinese. I was not concerned about this, as I knew I was going directly to a school with English speaking masters. To leave the school on my own was to launch myself out into the masses of Chinese speaking people in a very remote area. Had I not met Steven, who just happened to be coming home on a break from college, my story could be unfolding very differently right now. I know this to be divine intervention on my behalf. Therefore I have complete peace about my situation an am in no fear at all. This is not tempting fate or pushing my limits. I have made the wisest decision on where to safely go from there and that is where I am heading. To cross paths with Steven on a train of 2,000 people headed to a city where rarely people like me are even seen, was truly a clear demonstration that I am being watched over.
I am very grateful and am flowing like water on this journey.
Sometimes the adventure you envision is nothing like the adventure that unfolds. You set out on a journey in mind with the things you want to learn. Then it’s as if the journey that is meant for you and the lessons you are really meant to discover unfold for you. What makes it all a grand adventure is when everything goes dead wrong, the rug is pulled out from under you and you find yourself alone in a completely foreign country and are tested to your limit to figure things out and navigate the world and new situations with only yourself to rely on.
Such has been the case for my epic adventure to China. It has been an epic adventure for sure, but in a much different way than I might have planned on my own, and my ability to navigate on the fly are being stretched and tested.
5 days ago, I traveled roughly 8,000 miles to Beijing, China, then another 600 miles by train to Rizhao, Shandong Province, many miles on foot to study martial arts. I had done my due research on the school before coming. They were part of a worldwide organization of programs that you can attend in different countries to learn martial arts. I had checked out their website, carefully checked out reviews and communicated directly before coming. Beyond that, I am an adventurous guy and willing to venture out on a certain level of risk.
After traveling 13 hours by plane, then 13 hours by train, many miles on foot I arrived in Rizhao, China, where the school is located. By what I believe to be a stroke of divine intervention, I crossed paths with my first English speaking person after 48 hours since setting foot in China on the train. Keep in mind this was a train of 2,000 passengers and he and I just happened to end up on the same car. Steven was a friendly college student who was returning home from a semester as an exchange student in the U.S. He was very friendly and we got to talking. My first red flag was when he said he had grown up in Rizhao and had never heard of this martial arts school. He seemed concerned for me and wanted to meet the driver who was picking me up when we got to Rizhao.
When we arrived in Rizhao my driver to the school was waiting. My first impression was that this was one of the shadiest guys I have ever seen. My intuition said something was off. Think Chinese Triad Mafia looking kind of guy dressed in all black, black shades, with a t-shirt that said “Party All Night.” Red flag number one.
After my friend Steven and this guy went back and forth in Chinese for about 10 minutes, Steven said I should be ok, but wanted to give me his contact info in case I needed anything while at the school. Just in case. I thanked him and got in the car with the mafia guy.
We drove for a considerable amount of time, leaving the familiarity of the small city of Rizhao and out into no man’s land. Finally, we made our way onto a dirt road leading up a mountain. We arrived at a military gate, where he punched in a code and the gate opened for us. We then continued about a mile up a dirt road to the school and pulled up. My first observation was that it was the middle of the day and there was no martial arts training going on. I had read of the rigorous schedule and was actually excited that we would be doing martial arts training for 6 hours a day. However, at this time there was nothing going on. I also began to notice details like broken out windows and lots of trash around as I made my way into the building. Once inside, I was met by a young girl who said she was the translator for the school and would show me to my room. As we made our way up the stairs and down the hallway, my “something is off” radar was kicking into full gear. There were cobwebs everywhere, bugs visibly making their way down the hall, rooms we would pass by had piles of old clothes and garbage. When we got to my room and she showed me in there was a wooden bed frame, a box really, with an old mattress on it. A blanket. No sheets. The window was slightly broken out the bathroom was in third world condition with no towels or toilet paper, but plenty of rust. She closed the door and left. At that moment I sat on the bed and the reality of the situation kicked in. Something was off. Very off. When I was younger I had traveled to third world countries and had no high expectations of accommodations for this trip, but this was at a whole other level. The question now was how as I going to get myself out of this situation. I was in the middle of China, in a small province where no one speaks English and I had found myself in a very bad situation.
I knew I had to get out of there so I texted my friend Steven and said something was not right and could he pick me up. He said he could be there in two hours. I didn’t want to make a move until I knew Steven was there as I knew my decision to leave would not be well received by these people running the school. When I got the text from Steven I bolted. The path from the school to the gate is about a mile long. As I could see the gate in the distance, Steven was there with his trunk open waiting for me. As I approached, he began yelling “You need to run!!….Get in the car!!” I had no clue what was happening so instinctively began to run toward the car. By this time I could see his mom was driving and he was now equally frantic trying to get into the car. As I jumped in we began to speed off and it became apparent that we were being pursued. Steven said that the people from the school were after us and that they were not allowing me to leave. Being an American who has always been allowed to do anything I want, this made zero sense to me.
From here things began to take on the pace of a Jason Bourne movie. It was the craziest, most intense 24 hours I have ever experienced in my life to date. Cars were chasing us, police were being called by the school saying that these people had kidnapped me and that I was the school’s responsibility. My new friends were thinking that maybe they needed to return me to the school because this now put them in jeopardy. You see in China, anytime you are a foreign visitor, the government states that someone must be “responsible” for you. You cannot float freely around China as if you are on a road trip in the U.S. My friends determined it would be best to take me to a hotel for the night. We arrived at the hotel lobby to check in when four of the shadiest looking Chinese guys I had ever seen come rushing at us into the lobby. They were there on behalf of the school. One was the headmaster. Think of the evil Kobra Kai instructor from Karate Kid, but in Chinese version, surrounded by 3 of his hostile students. No Mercy. What unfolded next was a bunch of people shouting at each other in Chinese. They are all arguing over me and I cannot understand a single word being said. This is true Zen training. I simply sat calmly closed my eyes and focused on peaceful thoughts. Next, the police arrive and they join in the shouting in Chinese. I still cannot understand anything that is happening and begin to have an out of body experience.
The next hour is spent with the police dividing us into rooms for interrogation. Lots of shouting in Chinese and there is only one person who can understand me at this point and that is my friend Steven. It is an extremely chaotic situation.
Steven explains to me that in Chinese culture and according to the Chinese government, the school basically “owns” me because they invited me here and my visa is under those terms. They are demanding that I be returned to the school. What becomes clear in all of this is what a scam these guys are running at the school. As my friend explains to me, because of the rapid growth in China and all of the expansion, guys like this who maybe had some kung fu training, but not even a high school education, can go off in some remote area and set up what appears to be a legit school and the put all kinds of advertising and promotion on the internet that makes them seem reputable. Then people come and get stuck at their school and have no way to leave while they basically extort the money. It’s a very bad situation an in many cases the local police just want to stay out of it. Seriously, this actually is going on in the world. Needless to say, it puts a guy like me in a very precarious situation in the middle of nowhere in China.
The good news is that an agreement was struck for us to all meet at the Embassy the next morning. We did so and it was determined that the school would release me to leave. According to the terms I have the option to find another martial arts school within 10 days and I can stay for the month of my visa. If not, I must leave the country after 10 days.
So, the great news is that I am safe and out of harms way. I hope you can see, as I can, the light in this whole scenario, and that is that by some divine protection, Steven and I crossed paths on the train. I definitely have some angels in my corner. Had I not crossed paths with Steven in what some might say is a random encounter, I would now be trapped inside this shady martial arts school run by some very bad people. Yes, things like this go on in the world. I would be in a very remote area of China with no access to English speaking assistance. Thanks to my friend Steven and the genuine concern and goodwill of his family, I am out of the danger zone. These people went way out of their way and put there own selves in a difficult situation in order to help me. That is really what I will take away from this experience.
This for me, is what an adventure is all about. You cannot plan this type of adventure. There is nowhere that offers a place you can go and formulate this type of experience that pushes you to your edge of being alive and truly gives you the opportunity to appreciate just how good and easy we have life in America. I am not at all disappointed about how things turned out. I wanted an adventure and I most certainly got one. I came all this way to study martial arts and tai chi an now I am faced with where I go from here. I will be making that decision over the next 24 hours. But that, for me, is truly the exhilarating part of being on an adventure. I have now been completely thrown off the path, out of my comfort zone, plans turned upside down, and I have a month to figure out where I am going to go and what I am going to do.
Over the last 24 hours I have been able to do a mental reset and I am in a great frame of mind and excited about what lies ahead. All is well and I am grateful for my safety, the kindness and generosity of others to a stranger and I know that I will be protected and figure things out whatever comes my way.
Tonight I sit safely alone in a hotel room in Rizhaou, China an tomorrow is a brand new day with all the possibilities in the world…….
“Having an adventure is sometimes just a matter of going out and allowing things to happen in a strange and amazing new environment….not so much a physical challenge but a psychological one.” Rolf Potts, Vagabonding
“Be like water, my friend…..” Bruce Lee
Train from Beijing to Shandong Province, China
My Zen training began a day early on the 13 hour overnight train ride from Beijing to Shandong Province. Consider if you would engage this adventure ….a four person sleeper car about the size of a prison cell. You don’t know any of them and not one of them can understand anything you say. Door is locked all night long. Space about 4 x 8 with bunks. You call top bunk. Man on the bottom snores loudly all night. Old woman snores night. Train rattles all night long with short windows of sleep before the brakes squeal and it feels like you got rear ended by a Honda in traffic every couple of hours. I went inward. Way inward. I didn’t snap. I didn’t burst out into terrets or hit the ceiling. I never said a word. I just went deeply inward. Meditation training has begun. Adventures…
Beijing Day 2
Beijing day 2 has been no less of an adventure. I awoke about 4:30am and literally watched the sunrise at the window at the foot of my bed. Now I know why China is the land of the rising sun. At 6am I headed out onto the already bustling side streets of the Old Beijing area where I am staying. Now on my 5th ATM attempt I am beginning to feel a slight bit challenged but remind myself that this is what adventures are all about and it would be boring to have everything go smoothly. Where is the fun in that?
On my walk I meet an old man doing the most beautiful Tai Chi. He is only too happy to show me a a few moves. My attention is also called by some beautiful wooden flute music where I find a man playing in his shop. He invites me in and is proud.
The morning traffic on foot, on bike, on scooter and by car is sensory overload. People flying in every direction, mothers with babies on scooters while texting, lanes have no meaning here.
Finally on the 5th ATM attempt this one likes my card. Cash in hand.
I go back to my hotel, enjoy Chinese food for breakfast and then fall back into deep sleep.
As evening rolls around I head out into the streets and buy a pair of gong fu shoes. I later see the man feeding his family dinner with the proceeds.
Dinner is the most amazing bowl of noodles…only 2 US dollars. Satisfied.
Tonight it is now 11:30pm and I have boarded a train with a few hundred other people. I am the only lo wai (white guy) for sure. I am now in a 4 bunk sleeper car with an old woman on the top bunk next to me, already snoring, a man on the bottom and a young kid. Gonna be a long nights journey into the abyss.
Lessons learned today:
Always get cash ahead of your trip.
There are parts of China where no one….and I do mean no one…speaks or understands a word of English. The translation app that takes the English word is of no use and people look at you like you’re crazy or simply burst out laughing at your dilemma. As an example, there are about 25 nuances for the word “closed” when asking if a shop is closed. And none of these have anything to do with if the shop is closed.
Finally, if you travel by air and put a plastic bottle of toothpaste in your backpack, it will explode.
Beijing, China
Imagine flying 7,253 miles from home to find yourself thrust out into a city of 21 million people (more than 3 times the population of NYC) all speaking a very different language. I was here 3 years ago but with a group and a guide. Solo is a different deal. One 3 hour taxi ride later with my new best friend Lang to discover 3 of the largest banks in China are not accepting my Visa. Finally I make my way to the hotel and stumble to my room. While brushing my teeth before what I hope to be a long sleep it occurs to me in my sleepless daze that someone forgot to attach the pipe to the bottom of the sink and I am standing in a 2 inch pool of water. This is why I love adventures. This is living life. This is fun. First day of my journey and I have pages of good stories already. Tomorrow’s 13 hour train ride into the mountains should be no less of an adventure.
Meet the Masters
Since I have just a couple of days before I land in Beijing, I thought this would be a good time to introduce the Masters I will be training with in China.
Master Yu
Master Yu was born into a family with deep roots in traditional chinese martial arts. He’s been learning martial arts for over 30 years. Master Yu is an inheritor of Chen style Tai chi, Wing Chun, Xing Yi fist, Bagua palm, Meihua fist, Mantis boxing, Sunbin fist. During his long time of learning he’s been traveling to different places in China to learn different styles from different masters, which make his martial skills and knowledge unbeatably vast.
- 1979-1981, he learned eagle fist from Zhang Jialiang, eagle fist successor.
- 1981-1986, he learned Tai Chi, Mei hua fist, Mantis boxing from Master Wang Xiuyuan, one the few successors
- 1986-1987, he learned Sunbin fist from Zhao Dongping, the direct successor.
- 1987-2008, he learned Wing Chun and Xing Yi from master Zhang Shangmin.
- 2008-2010, he learned Chen Style Taichi from ChenBing Tai Chi Academy.
- 2012-2013, Master Wang went to SanQing Taoist Temple to learn philosophy about marts arts and Taoism
Master Wang
Master Wang is the founder of China Iron Sand Palm Association and also the chairman of the Chinese martial arts world development center. He is the Guinness world-record holder of using his bare hand to break almonds.
At the age of 5, he started to study in the Shaolin temple, under the instruction of Master Yuan Jingxin who is the direct disciple of the abbot in Shaolin Temple. During years of dedicated training, he rapidly developed his Qi Gong and Shaolin boxing, especially his iron sand palm. His Qi Gong skills was fully developed when he was only 13. At that time, Chinese society still had some aggressive local Mafia-like gangs. Master Wang organized people to fight those guys, which is well known among the local people.
With his big passion for martial arts Master Wang has improved his kung fu skills continually. Except for Shaolin kungfu, he is also a master in Wing Chun. His master, Master Xi, a 15th generation successor of Wing Chun. trained him hard which led him to reach an expert level very fast. He placed first in a WingChun competition in HongKong (HongKong martial arts festival 2005) and received a gold medal. In addition to his interest in martial arts, Master Wang is also a well known philanthropist in Shandong province. His passion for kung fu and life will inspire you in your training at dragon mountain martial arts academy.
Master Dong
Master Dong first started studying Kung Fu at the age of 6 with his father. At the age of 11 he got introduced to Master Wang Zhihong (by his uncle) who is renowned in China for his Cha Quan. He mainly learned Cha Quan, but he had a yearning to further develop his Kung Fu skills and took it upon himself to seek out what his heart desires and began to build his foundation for his future Kung Fu development.
In 1994 Master Dong went to Qin Huangdao to study Wing Chun and JKD. He learned the Foshan style of Wing Chun under the disciplined tuition of Master Shi Tianlong for 3 years. Master Shi Tianlong is widely known in China and also participated in several Chinese Kung Fu movies and his immensely effective combat techniques saw him teaching the military (armed police force) in Beijing in 1995. Under the dedicated and disciplined tuition of Master Shi Tianlong, master Dong became an extremely accomplished Kung Fu master and taught JKD in the Beijing Sports University in 1995. During this time he travelled to meet with many Wing Chung masters exchanging knowledge and perfecting his skills, which he put to the test by participating in numerous competitions such as:-
-Jing Ying Cup Competition, 1st Place, He Bei Province (1995)
– Yin Dun Cup in Tai’an (government special forces), 1st Place (1998)
– The international Chi Sau competition, 1st place (2003)
From 2006 till 2009 he learned the IP Man form of Wing Chun, tough by IP Chun the Son of IP Man himself and also participated in the IP Man movies. Master Dong’s decision to pursue his deepest hearts desires, 36 years later has extensive experience not only in the art and knowledge of Kung Fu but he has taught over 300 students, helping them to learn and benefit from the art of Wing Chung. His genuine will to teach and commitment to his students ensures they develop their skills quickly but his understanding that everyone is different and is ability to tailor make his tuition to suit each student has earned him the respect and admiration of all his students.
Master Zhang is the Headmaster of Dragon Mountain Martial Arts Academy.
Master Zhang is a 32nd generation Shaolin master, and was born into a martial arts family. He is a direct pupil of Shi Deyang, the head coach of the shaolin warrior monks group.
He joined the Shaolin warrior monks group when he was a young child. The training at Shaolin temple is very strict and requires a high level of dedication and discipline. During his years in the Shaolin temple, Master Zhang became an expert in a huge range of kung fu styles and weapons, which includes: Shaolin boxing, XingYi Boxing, Hard Qi Gong, Tiger fist, Leopard fist, Monkey fist, Crane fist, Drunken fist, nunchucks and many more different styles and weapons.
In 1999, Master Zhang represented the Shaolin temple on an exhibition trip to England, Buckingham Palace, showing what Shaolin kungfu is . The Queen Elizabeth the 2th in person watched their performance. It’s the first exhibition show of Shaolin Kung fu in an European country. The audience were astonished by the amazing show they were given. From that time, the world began to slowly know more about Chinese Shaolin Kung fu. A few year later, Master Zhang also participated in exhibition shows hold in France, Australia, Singapore, America and many other countries. Master Zhang has truly contributed to the development and the spreading of Shaolin Kung fu and Chinese culture.
So far Master Zhang has shared his Shaolin Kung fu skills with more than one thousand students from all over the world.
Epic Adventure Time….
Epic adventure time is almost here. In just 48 hours I will leave my tiny place and all that is familiar to me for a total of 6 weeks in the East. China at the end of the week by way of Chicago. Whenever I get to this point and am on the cusp of a new adventure the butterflies are buzzing in my stomach and I feel like I am on the edge of a bungee jump into a canyon. There is nothing like it. Setting off into the unknown, solo, just one bag on your back and wide open to whatever might happen. This is my favorite image I took from my trip 3 years ago. It is now on a 16×24 canvas print in my home. If you care to follow my journey here stay tuned….
30 Days Intensive Wing Chun Training in China
Over the years as I have been on my path, I have discovered that there is ZEN to be found in rituals or simple, daily practices that we can each cultivate in our day to day lives. These can be rituals such as spending time in silence first thing every morning, spending an hour in nature or an hour in your body. In can be the morning ritual of making tea or writing or walking. Over the years I have found these practices to be simple in nature, but often challenging to develop consistency. Many of these in my life have taken years to reveal themselves as the rituals to build my life around and thus lead me to that place of ZEN my soul longs for.
I have always wanted to build a practice around 30 day experiments. I always have loved and been a fan of viewing life as one big experiment. There really are not rules and we cannot get it wrong. As I read once, “we cannot fail, we can only produce results.” If we have intentionally created a vision for our life and that involves growth and expansion, we cannot get it wrong. For me, I have envisioned 30 day experiments around things like meditating for 20 minutes every day for 30 days, greeting the sunrise on my paddleboard every morning for 30 days, 30 days of yoga, 30 days of tai chi, 30 days of writing, 30 days off sugar…..the list goes on an on.
To that end, you will see me living out these 30 day experiments here, for anyone who cares to follow. I hope it will inspire you to create your own vision and write your own epic story of your life.
My first 30-day experiment begins this September, 2017, around the month of my birthday. I will be setting out on a bold and epic adventure to China for 30 days of studying Kung-fu with Shaolin Masters in the scenic mountains of Rizhao City, Shandong Province, China. I will take a 12-hour train ride from Bejing to get there.
You can check it out here:
This 30-day experiment in ZEN will have many elements I have aspired to incorporate into my life. Here is a list I am looking forward to….
- 30 Days of Waking at 6am Daily
- 30 Days of Tai Chi / Qi Gong
- 30 Days of Meditation in the Mountains of China
- 30 Days of 6 hours of Kung Fu Training with Masters
- 30 Days of Chinese way of eating
- 30 Days of no soda
- 30 Days of Chinese culture teaching /language/calligraphy
- 30 Days of Technology Detox (weekend check-ins only)
- 30 Days of Simplicity
- 30 Days of Nature, Spirituality and Harmony
Daily Schedule
- 06:00 – 06:45 Warm up / strength conditioning training
- 06:45 – 07:45 Tai Chi / Qi Gong (Chi Kung)
- 08:00 – 08:45 Breakfast
- 09:00 – 10:00 Morning training session 1
- 10:00 – 10:10 Break
- 10:10 – 10:50 Morning training session 2
- 10:50 – 11:00 Break
- 11:00 – 11:40 Morning training session 3
- 12:00 – 13:45 Lunch
- 14:00 – 15:00 Afternoon training session 1
- 15:00 – 15:10 Break
- 15:10 – 15:50 Afternoon training session 2
- 15:50 – 16:00 Break
- 16:00 – 16:40 Afternoon training session 3
- 16:40 – 16:50 Break
- 16:50 – 17:30 Free practice
- 17:45 – 18:15 Dinner
- 18:30 – 19:30 Free training / Qi Gong (Chi Kung) / Chinese class
- 19:30 – 22:00 Free time
Dragon Mountain Martial Arts Academy provides the most authentic martial arts training in Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Qigong, Kickboxing, Wing Chun, Xing Yi, etc. During your stay at this academy where nature, spirituality, and humans harmonize, you will train daily while learning about the Chinese culture. Training classes are separated into beginner, intermediate, advanced, and professional and run four times a day.
Shaolin Kung Fu
Shaolin Kung Fu (Shaolin martial arts) is a part of Chinese Kung Fu. Shaolin Kung Fu from Shaolin temple was not the first type of Kung Fu. In ancient times people had to fight every day for survival as well as use tools to work the land and make produce.
During the stone age (roughly 600,000 years ago) our ancestors had begun to hunt with flint, axe, stone sword, stone hammer, and stone sickle. People got the notion of chopping, splitting, and smashing and they used these weapons and techniques when in combat with animals and each other. Kung Fu came into being by long term practicing and developing of this daily struggle.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defence training and its health benefits. It is also typically practiced for a variety of other personal reasons: its hard and soft martial art technique, demonstration competitions, and longevity.
As a result, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which corresponds to those targets. Some of Tai Chi Chuan training forms are especially known for being practiced with relatively slow movement.
Wing Chun
Wing Chun Quan, also called Ving Tsun or Wing Chun, is a Chinese martial art emerged long ago throughout the Guangdong and Fujian province, which specializes in aggressive close-range combat. Compared with the softness of Tai Chi, Wing Chun, one of the branches of Chinese martial arts, is much more direct and fierce.
Concerning about practicality and efficiency, the creation of the Kung Fu is based on the concept that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Wing Chun was originally passed down from teacher to student orally rather than through written documentation, making it difficult to confirm or clarify the differing accounts of its creation.
San Shou (Kickboxing)
Chinese kickboxing is a martial art which was originally developed by the Chinese military based upon the study and practices of traditional Kung Fu and modern combat fighting techniques. It combines full-contact kickboxing, which includes close range and rapid successive punches and kicks, with wrestling, takedowns, throws, sweeps, kick catches, and in some competitions, even elbow and knee strikes.
Xing Yi Quan
Xing Yi Quan features aggressive shocking attacks and direct footwork. Most of the training and footwork are practiced on straight lines. The linear nature of the art hints at both the military origins and the influence of spear technique alluded to in its mythology. The goal of the Xing Yi exponent is to reach the opponent quickly and drive powerfully through them in a single burst.
Qigong
Qigong is a practice of aligning body, breath, and mind for health, meditation, and martial arts training. According to Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucian philosophy, respectively, Qigong allows access to higher realms of awareness, awakens one’s “true nature”, and helps develop human potential.
Qigong practice typically involves moving meditation, coordinating slow flowing movement, deep rhythmic breathing, and calm meditative state of mind. Qigong is now practiced throughout China and worldwide for recreation, exercise and relaxation, preventive medicine and self-healing, complementary and alternative medicine, meditation and self-cultivation, and training for martial arts.
Praying Mantis
Praying Mantis is a style a martial arts, sometimes known as Shandong Praying Mantis after its province of origin. Its techniques are particularly useful in combination, for example using the force imparted from a block to power an attack.
So if the enemy punches with the right hand, a Praying Mantis practitioner might hook outwards with the left hand, shifting the body to the left and using the turning force to attack the enemy’s neck with a right hook.
Alternately, he might divert downwards with the left hook and rebound with the left wrist stump to jaw, nose, or throat. The “praying mantis hook” is also part of some of the distinctive typical guarding positions of the style. Praying Mantis is especially known for its speed and continuous attacks.
Chinese cultural classes: Mandarin, massage, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, calligraphy, Buddhism, and Taoism history
Possibly when I return or while I am there I will write more on on each of these.
If you feel inspired or drawn to be here, I hope you will follow my journey and that will lead you to your own.
The good news is I already have the right haircut so I should fit right in.
I hope you will return and join me on the journey. Year of the Monkey.
Wishing you ZEN in your life,
Kirk
ZEN and Ink 