Pack your bags and go to Wudang (My story with China)

Born in Illinois in the ‘90s, I’ve always cherished a “kung fu dream.” Having watched countless Chinese martial arts films, the elegant duel scenes and mesmerizing action sequences sparked my fascination with China, a distant land in the East. I would often tell myself that one day, I would travel to China to discover the roots of kung fu.

To make this dream a reality, I dedicated myself to studying Chinese throughout college, working various jobs to save up enough money for my journey to China and for martial arts training. In 2010, driven by the desire to learn kung fu and build a strong body, I packed my bags and headed to Wudang Mountain in Shiyan, Hubei Province.

I thought I was well-prepared, but upon arriving in China, I quickly realized that my Chinese language skills were lacking and I had no travel experience abroad. The journey to Wudang Mountain felt more like an adventure. Thankfully, I met some incredibly kind Chinese friends who helped me navigate the way.

June 1, 2010, is a day I will never forget. As dawn broke through the mist at the foot of Wudang Mountain, I finally arrived at the Yuxu Palace ruins, which have endured over 600 years of history, to officially start my apprenticeship and study martial arts. Standing on the grounds of the traditional Taoist martial arts hall, I watched students in black robes wielding shimmering longswords, their movements elegant and powerful, embodying a sense of ethereal grace. I felt a deep admiration.

I then joined the “International Traditional Martial Arts Class” at the martial arts hall, ready to face new challenges. Initially, I struggled with flexibility, stability, and strength. At 6’3″, I found it hard to touch my toes to my chin during basic exercises like leg stretching and splits, and maintaining balance in a horse stance was quite difficult. My master would repeatedly say, “Jack, lower your horse stance, lower!” I’d reply with a grimace, “Master, this is as low as I can go,” which often made him chuckle.

To meet the training demands, I used bamboo sticks to strike my body to build resilience and diligently memorized and tried to understand the “Tao Te Ching,” which was particularly challenging for me as a foreigner. I pushed through intense daily training and study with determination. Over time, my dedication to martial arts reaped significant rewards; I not only mastered various techniques like the Eight Immortals Staff and Tai Chi but also embraced the cultural philosophy behind the practice—balancing strength and softness, and the wisdom of Taoist culture that emphasizes harmony with nature.

In 2014, I officially graduated from the martial arts hall and returned to the United States. However, my experiences in China stayed with me. Wearing traditional clothing, enjoying Chinese meals, and drinking tea became my new normal. I realized my understanding of Chinese traditional culture was still lacking, prompting me to return to Wudang Mountain once again to study traditional Chinese music, history, and philosophy.

Among the many traditional Chinese instruments, I developed a particular fondness for the dizi flute. Its mellow, serene sound resonates deeply with Taoist culture and is beneficial for cultivators of Tai Chi. During my flute lessons, my Chinese language skills were still lacking, making it difficult to understand the materials. This motivated me to write an English book about the dizi. I spent extensive time researching music history, and recording teaching videos of the pieces I had learned.

Eventually, I began teaching martial arts, dizi, and tea ceremonies online, along with Tai Chi, Taoist culture, and arts. Over the years, many students from around the world traveled to China to experience traditional culture. Last year, two of my Belgian students participated in the seventh Wudang Taijiquan International Friendship Competition, with one achieving second place in the overseas category, which filled me with joy. Recently, my students and I started recording teaching videos for martial arts and dizi, sharing our experiences of life and learning at Wudang Mountain through short videos, which have been well-received.

My connection with China began with a reverence for Wudang martial arts and has deepened through my exploration of its rich culture. Now, as the 16th generation successor of the Wudang Sanfeng lineage, Wudang culture has become part of my family heritage, and China feels like my second home. I am currently writing my second book on the dizi and beginning research into Wudang’s music. In the future, I hope to share my stories from Wudang Mountain with more people, fostering understanding through dialogue and building trust through interaction, contributing to cultural exchanges between the U.S. and China, and promoting traditional Chinese culture worldwide.