2007 Taiji Legacy International Martial Arts Championships

TESTIMONIALS

To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we would like to hear your experiences whether you were a competitor, official, spectator, or volunteer. Please send us your thoughts and comments to usachinwoo@gmail.com. Thanks for all your support!

SIFUS AND MASTERS COMMENTS:

Greetings to all Taiji Legacy participants and attendees,

A decade is an extraordinary landmark for a CHinese-style martial arts tournament in America. Of all the different styles of martial arts, Chinese tournaments are the hardest to maintain. This is due to our immense diversity. The Japanese and Korean styles are rooted in military traditions. They have a structured hierarchy exemplified by the belt grading systems. They frequently go barefoot since a well-funded military could afford nice training halls with clean mats. The Chinese styles are more family oriented. Our styles are named after our clans. We call our masters Sifu, which has part of the character for 'father' embedding within it. We wear shoes because we practice outside in the dirt. Given that China is the most populous nation in the world, there are a lot of clans, It als makes it very challenging to run a tournament. Chinese tournaments are notorious for having too many divisions. After only a few years of operation, most collapse under their own weight. Efforts have been made to standardize Chinese styles. The most recent is modern wushu. Chin Woo was one too. Some might say that those attempts backfired since in the end, they've only added more divisions. But Chinese practitioners relish in their diversity. The additional divisions increase our cultural depth. While most American tournaments have embraced modern wushu, few have kept up the noble tradition of Chin Woo.

Heartfelt congratulations to Sifu Jimmy Wong and everyone on his extraordinary Taiji Legacy team on ten years of successfully organizing one of the greatest Chinese martial arts tournaments in America. We wish everyone great success at this event and hope for many more to come.

Sincerely yours,

Gene Ching
Associate Publisher
Kungfu Tai Chi & KungfuMagazine.com
Fremont, CA

Every year, the Taiji Legacy Opening Ceremony is very impressive, especially the lion dancing, and the group Tai Chi performance, that has featured all styles of Tai Chi. It is awesome, and has grown consistently year after year. 10 years of accomplishment is a long time, but I am looking forward to an even better 10 years more to come. Congratulations to Sifu Wong, and his team.

Sifu Tai Yim - Kensington, MD

Tai Chi Legacy stands out as the World-Wide premier Chinese Martial Arts Event. I have been there for all ten years; Referring Sanshou, performing on occasion in the Master's Exhibition and always marveling at the Lion and Dragon dance teams. Sifu Jimmy Wong is so much more than a US National Treasure and each time I leave his event, I feel ashamed that I received much more than I was able to give.

Sifu Mike Barry - Baltimore, MD

I tell everyone in the martial arts world that Tai Chi Legacy is the Premier Tai Chi event in the United States. The best and brightest practitioners and seminar presenters from across the country and around the world attend because of the quality of the participants in the event and seminars offered along the expertise of the judges. This is an event that is NOT to be missed.

Sifu Gary Utterback - Owings, MD

I have been attending every Taiji Legacy over the last 10 years. Taiji Legacy has been an opportunity for me to meet with my friends every year. I'll always be around!

Sifu Randy Li - Overland Park, KS

The best Taiji & Kungfu Tournaments in the USA, or anywhere.

Sifu Chun Man Sit - Overland Park, KS

I would like to congratulate Master Jimmy Wong and his staff on the tenth annual Taiji Legacy success in 2007. Over the past ten years, Taiji Legacy has grown without doubt one of the most popular tournaments I have attended in the States. As I look back over the years, this tournament has provided not just great opportunities for me to make new friends but also of developing skills and knowledge with other martial artists. With this growth of enthusiasm from all who have known this event, I look forward to many more years of successful Taiji Legacy tournaments. Once again, Congratulations!

Sifu Kam Lee - Jacksonville, FL

Dear Master Jimmy Wong,

Happy 10th and 20th anniversary!

2006 was the first year when my school, Szondi Institute, has participated in the Taiji Legacy Tournament. Although we have participated in numerous national an international competitions in Europe and USA, this tournament impressed us through its professional organization, the warm welcoming and the special attention given to each participant: athletes, masters, teams, and supporters, and not lastly, the high sportsmanship level. We felt as being part of the big Chinese martial arts family. This tournament left unforgettable and cherished memories in all of us, and we are honored and eagerly looking to participate in the next ones to come.

Your dedication, love and sportsmanship are values strongly rooted in. These values have become the base of a strong environment where the martial art spirit has been raised at the highest level and become a tradition.

We wish you to have the strength and power to continue this work with the same passion and dedication you proved so far. Promoting Chinese martial arts is not an easy task, but you have pushed the limits and showed that practicing martial arts is not just practice but a way of life.

Let us have the strength to celebrate the 50th anniversary.

All the best wishes and successes in your future endeavors

Sincerely,

Master Florin Szondi - Hollywood, FL

I have been participating in the Taiji Legacy tournament for the last several years. In this time I have seen it grow into one of the premiere martial arts events in the country. My students and I look forward to attending it for many years to come.

Sifu Paul Chu - Houston, TX

Special thanks to Grandmaster Jimmy Wong, Bee Dao, Patty Sun, Don Vo, Penny Vo and the rest of the Chin Woo staff for continuing to host this great event. We love being part of the Taiji Legacy and we appreciate everything you do. We look forward to seeing you at the 2007 Taiji Legacy and Congratulate you on 20th anniversary for your school and the 10th Anniversary of the Taiji Legacy.

Sifu Tom Gohring - Austin, TX
www.taijilegacy.com

I have always enjoyed the Taiji Legacy! The variety of so many different styles to see and learn from. The Taiji Legacy is what I use as a gauge for my students to develop their level of training. I will always encourage my students to attend =)

Sifu Jose Mendoza - Des Moines, IA

Taken from Sifu Tom Gohring's taijilegacy.com - Thanks for all your support!!!

The Taji Legacy is one of the few tournaments in the United States that represents the true spirit and values of martial arts which are friendship and unity. There's only one word I can use to describe it all - Family. It's been an honor to be a part of this brotherhood over the years. The legacy is a true example of fellowship.

Sifu Christophe Clarke - Englewood, CO

I started attending the competition in 1999 as an advanced competitor in both Kung Fu and Tai chi and had the opportunity to meet and compete against such people as Siu Fong Evans and others.

When I was bestowed the great honor of judging in 2001, I knew this was the commencement of a whole new facet of both my training and my maturation as a martial artist and as a student/teacher.

Now entering my 30th year of trying to understand what my masters have been trying to teach me (LOL!), it has been my privilege and distinct honor to serve in that capacity with this great tournament. More so, to observe Patty Sun, Bee Dao, John Nguyen, and others grow into great people and awesome martial artists was a great side benefit. My great hope is that someday I will have as loyal, intelligent, and honorable senior disciples as Master Wong.

This tournament has allowed me to meet many great martial artists, and to be associated with some of these masters is to be humbled beyond comprehension. I thank Sifu Wong, all of you, and the whole Chin Woo Association for allowing me to serve in some capacity over the years! Congratulations on a great 10 years and much prosperity and honor over the next 10!

Sifu Michael Aronson - Houston, TX

For 10 years, the Legacy has provided a forum for Chinese martial arts enthusiasts like me to meet and mingle with others who share the same fervor. Without this tournament, I wouldn't have met these people from different styles from all over the country and some from different countries. It is something I look forward to the next tournament, renewing acquaintances and meeting new ones. The excitement that this tournament produces gives me more energy and enthusiasm to continue on propagating the arts and getting other people to join me makes it even more rewarding and satisfying. I wish you continued success in next month's tournament and for years to come!!

Sifu Chiqui Banaag

Jimmy Wong does a great service in preserving the legacy and assuring the future of Chinese Martial Arts in America through the Taiji Legacy tournament and workshops. He brings the top teachers and competitors from around the world to work and play together in an atmosphere of peace and harmony. I try to attend every chance I have when I am not booked to be training our police and government agencies in defensive tactics based on Chinese martial arts.

Sifu John Painter - Arlington, TX

For me it was a great experience Judging in the Tai Ji Legacy and just getting back to tournament circuit was worthwhile.

Sifu Peter Pena

I feel that Tai Chi is just now where Yoga was 12 years ago. People are starting to hear about it more, exploring it and finding out how wonderful it is for the Spirit, Body and Mind. Events like Tai Chi Legacy have helped to fuel this enthusiasm and interest. Thank you for all the efforts in promoting Tai Chi to the Western Culture!

Sifu Chris Bouguyon - Rowlett, TX

Taiji Legacy has maintained the feeling of "the family" in regards to the Martial Arts while still running a successful tournament.

Sifu Eric Hargrove

OTHER COMMENTS:

I have enjoyed attending the Taiji Legacy as both as a spectator and event volunteer. The Master's show and Lions' Dance have both been spectacular and rewarding. The event is managed well and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the martial arts.

Tony McGary

I was trying to remember how many years I have attended the Taiji Legacy, but the first one was in a gymnasium and it was only a few months after I had begun to study. Each year I attended brought more knowledge and appreciation of not only the beauty of martial arts, but the spirit, energy, and expertise of the martial artists I was priviledged to see there. When I brought new students each year, they also were inspired in their own pursuits of deeper knowledge and performance. I look forward every year to bringing new students to compete and see the Masters Demonstration and the Opening Demonstration for the first time. I know they will be inspired. The Taiji Legacy is a thrilling, well run, high-level event. Thank you and your students for all your many hours of hard work in bringing us this amazing event.

Lynn Perrine - Houston, TX

In 1997 a friend invited me to watch him compete in a tai chi and kung fu tournament hosted by Master Jimmy Wong. Having been a student of various martial arts for over 30 years I was naturally curious about tai chi. By the end of that day at the tournament I was sold. The next week I enrolled at Master Wong’s Kung Fu and Tai Chi Academy and he has been my Sifu ever since.

Congratulations, Sifu, for ten years of continued Taiji Legacy success!

Skip Harrison - Dallas, TX