Last updated 2009-7-4
Please forgive me for "blowing my own trumpet", but I am pleased to announce that I have successfully completed the series of seminars given by Professor Zhang Guangde over the last three years in Biarritz, and in April of this year was awarded the Diploma of Daoyin Yangsheng Gong and Yangsheng Taiji of the International Institute of Daoyin Yangsheng Gong.
This is a proud achievement for me. The seminars were given in two weeks "stages" twice a year -- Easter and October --, with teaching in practice and theory taking place every day for between three and six hours. During the period between each stage participants were expected to follow an intensive training and teaching programme in order to prepare for the rigorous (and nerve wracking!) exam waiting for us at the next stage.
As I had already been awarded the status of "Senior" Judge of DYYSG in 1995, I was invited to sit on the judging panel with Professor Zhang, his nephew Zhang Jian, and Dr André Perret, the director of the International Institute when the other students who were also following the diploma course were examined. Although the official assessment was carried out completely by Professor Zhang himself, it was extremely helpful and enlightening for me to compare my judgments with his. This experience however, was only a "stay of execution" for André and me, as in our turn we were examined by the Professor and his nephew, on one occasion for three hours without a break!
Anyway, the whole experience was the most enriching and valuable one in my Dao Yin Yang Sheng Gong "career", and I’m now able to say that I have studied the theory and practice of: -
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entirely with professor Zhang Guangde himself, and was examined by him exclusively, making it a unique experience that I am very proud to have been a part of.
The teaching combination of the Professor’s wealth of theoretical knowledge and practical experience coupled with his nephew’s outstanding physical ability is a remarkable one, and the organisation and facilities provided by the International Institute made the most of the opportunity.
Of course, to take part in the experience yourself, it is not necessary to subscribe to the 3 year course. In fact, the vast majority of participants come for only one or two units - weekend perhaps, or combine a holiday in France with a week’s training. For those who take this option there are no exams! However, for already accredited teachers of the English DYYSG Association, attendance on these course brings automatic further accreditation in the forms studied.
BUT- if you want to take advantage of these opportunities, you need to move fast (See accompanying article).
At the closing of the recent Diploma ceremony in Biarritz (see article above), Professor Zhang announced that his visit in April 2010 would - except for very special occasions - be his last to Biarritz, and probably to Europe.
The announcement, though saddening, was not entirely surprising. Next year Professor Zhang will be 80, a reasonable age to retire by anyone’s standard, and he had always said that he would commit himself for the first three year course, and after that hand over to his nephew, Zhang Jian.
In the event, the Professor has continued for more than a year beyond his intended departure which is a tribute to the esteem in which he holds the Institute as well as his understandable reluctance finally to let go of the reins.
So if you want to take part in what may be the last courses given by Professor Zhang in Europe, go to the website of the International DYYSG Institute at dyysg.free.fr for all the information you need (in English), and I hope I’ll see you there!
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Mark Atkinson' February seminar was a great success. |
A couple of dozen people attended on each day. On the Saturday he went through the Daoyin Baojian Gong (Exercises for Health Preservation) and Shuxin Pingxue Gong (Exercises for the Cardiovascular System). This was revision for most atendees but there were several new faces in the group.
On the Sunday Mark introduced us to the first Daoyin Taiji 'Bang'. The bang, or 'baton' as Mark likes to call it, is a round wooden rod with tapered ends ending in bulbous 'pearls' about as far round as the body of the stick and is used to push, tap, rub, or hit acupuncture points on the body, whilst simultaneously following the twisting, turning, stretching, flexing, and bending movements familiar in the other sets of exercises. This is a relatively new set of exercises that are proving most popular with both teachers and students alike and were certainly popular with all of us who attended the seminar.
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Also popular was the new format where you could book for a single session, morning or afternoon, on the saturday. The reminder notes for all three exercises covered by the weekend are now available on the Documents page. | 
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For a list of seminars in Scotland and Wales please use the links below
Links: www.quanshu.co.uk www.7stars-tcc.co.uk
For the program of events in Biarritz go to http://dyysg.free.fr/
With its second series of seminars, the Institute Of DYYSG, held in April in Biarritz, became truly international.
Exclusively French participants, with the exception of this one lone Englishman, attended the opening session, last October. This time, however, I was joined by an Australian who lives in Italy, as well as participants from Switzerland, Spain, and England.
Naturally, Professor Zhang Guangde hopes that in future seminars, participants from countries other than France will be more and more in evidence. To help with this, the Institute has arranged for facilities for translation from Chinese into French, English, and Italian. In addition, the support material, which is available at the end of each seminar, will be published in French and English. Furthermore, it is intended that instead of producing the booklets before the seminar in order to make them immediately available, everything that Professor Zhang says in the course of his teaching, will be recorded and transcribed as part of the support material.
The two-week series of seminars this April, covered both well-established and completely new sets of exercises.
Those familiar with Dao Yang Sheng Gong will probably know of the Dao Yin " Song ", and the 49 Dynamic Meridian exercise. These were covered in great detail by Professor Zhang -12 and 18 hours respectively- with the usual outstanding demonstrations by his nephew. Zhang Jian.
However, the highlight for me was the introduction of two new sequences - Yang Sheng Tai Ji Jin 1 and 2.
Before the seminar, I had understood (wrongly as it turned out), that these two sets were some sort of preparation for practising Yang Sheng Tai Ji Palm, the Tai Ji forms of Dao Yin Yang Sheng Gong. This was not the case.
In fact, both exercises are designed to promote good general health, but they have an added richness and interest because they have been constructed to illustrate the Taoist description of the creation of the universe, - i.e. the emergence of all things from the void.
Thus, the first movement is based on the Taiji itself, the second on the emergence of Yin and Yang, another on the role of man, linking heaven and earth etc. I found the movements themselves extremely enjoyable and relatively easy to learn, but setting them within this philosophical context added a whole new dimension which was absolutely fascinating.
Also during this session, in addition to the actual training, everyone was invited to the town Hall in Biarritz to participate in the official opening of the Institute. This was a typically French event, with speeches, mercifully short and informal, and plenty to eat and drink. The highlight, however, was a demonstration by Zhang Jian of the second taiji fan form recently created by his uncle.
The Institute benefits from the wholehearted support of the municipality of Biarritz. This means that it is fortunate enough always to have access to excellent training facilities and conference rooms. In return for the support of the municipality, the Institute must organise itself in a non-profit making manner. Participants therefore benefit from excellent facilities provided at extremely reasonable prices.
A further exciting element of this session, was the first series of practical and theory exams but only for those - about 20 in all, myself included- who are committed to completing the entire course, - that is to say, two weeks twice a year for the next three years.
The practicals took the form of small group demonstrations of the various forms studied at the previous session in front of professor Zhang and a panel of "advisory" judges - Zhang Jian, Xu Miangsheng (translator and TCM expert), Dr. Andre Perret (Director of the Institute and principle teacher of Kunming Association) and myself as representative of the European DYYSG Federation. For the theory section, each person was asked a series of questions individually by the Professor, ranging from the very simple to the "Thank God he didn't ask me that one!" variety. Andre, Miansheng and I had undergone a similar ordeal the day before the other candidates. Students were awarded passes on the basis of "satisfactory", "good" or "very good". Modesty forbids me to reveal my own results…!
Of course it is not necessary for all those who wish to work with Professor Zhang Guangde to undertake the entire course, and in fact, most of the participants were only there for one or two days.
These seminars are quite unique, and once again I urge everyone who has any serious interest in DYYSG to do whatever they can to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.
Full details of the forthcoming seminars in October, can be found at the Institute's website, - dyysg.free.fr
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Professor Zhang with his interpreter Xu Maingsheng and André Perret. To read an interview with Professor Zhang, conducted during the seminar, click here. |
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Richard Watson HonouredEveryone connected with the English Dao Yin Yang Sheng Gong Association offers their warmest congratulations to our Vice President Richard Watson who was recently honoured by Professor Zhang Guangde with the award of the status of Ru Shi Di Zi ("close and outstanding disciple") in recognition of his invaluable contribution to the promotion and development of Dao Yin Yang Sheng Gong in England. The ceremony took place during the Longfei Tajiquan Association’s visit to China this spring. At the same time, Richard was also awarded the level of 6th Duan Practitioner of Dao Yin Yang Sheng Gong by the Beijing Sports University and the Dao Yin Centre founded there in 1999 By Professor Zhang and his 'disciples' at that time. Simon, Richard’s son, Principal Instructor of the English DYYSG Association and celebrated international teacher and practitioner of Taijiquan and DYYSG also received the award of 6th Duan, and we offer him too our heartiest congratulations. Without Richard and Simon there is no doubt that DYYSG would be far less well known in the U.K., than it is, and the receipt of these prestigious awards is a well deserved and fitting recognition of their contribution. Well done both! |
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Read more about the Longfei China trip and the awards in the Longfei Newsletter .