Profile of Tony Wong

Tony's Childhood & Teen Years:

Wong Wai Yi, English name Anthony Wong (Tony), was born and raised in Hong Kong before coming to the United States.   Similar to other children growing up in Hong Kong during those early teen years, he learned Chinese "gong fu" (martial arts).

Wing Chun with Sifu Kenneth Chung:

Although Tony learned Chinese "gong fu" during his Hong Kong years, he has always remarked that his real martial arts training did not start until . . .   He met Sifu Kenneth Chung, a very innovative and true Wing Chun master, in the early 1980's and began studying and practicing Wing Chun in Sifu Ken's home in Los Altos, California.   Sifu Ken opened Tony's eyes to the martial arts.   Tony still maintains a close relationship with Sifu Ken and will always treasure what Sifu Ken taught him in and about the martial arts.   He deeply appreciates Sifu Ken's openness in sharing his martial arts expertise and his sincerity in exploring and exchanging martial arts topics with others.

Wei zhang zhe hui():   On the surface it means to cover up for your elders but we should take it one step further.   Wei zhang zhe huiis the attitude of respecting our seniors and the way of committing ourselves to martial art integrity and showing appreciation for the devotion and hard work of the past generations.   This is one of the principles Sifu Ken Chung always emphasize in his school and this principle has a deep influence in Tony's moral standard.

Wuji Qigong with Master Cai Song Fang:

In the mid 1980's Tony began studying and training in Yang style Taijiquan (Guang Ping) for health reasons . . . to relax and to obtain mobility for a stiff shoulder and bad knees.   It was not until Sifu Ken introduced Tony to Master Cai Song Fang (Qigong master from China) in the summer of 1987 that Tony discovered the other aspect of Taiji and Qigong . . . the martial arts aspect.   He discovered that not only are Taiji and Qigong beneficial to one's health, but that found within Taiji and Qigong are martial arts applications.   Master Cai gave Tony a glimmer of what is hidden in Taiji and Qigong and inspired Tony to look further into the internal martial arts.   Since that time, Tony has been on a quest... intensely searching, exploring, investigating, researching, pursuing everywhere the internal martial arts aspect as well as the health aspect of Taiji and Qigong.

Chen Style Taijiquan with Master Zhang Xuexin:

In 1993, Tony met Master Zhang Xuexin, a Chen Taijiquan Master from China.   Tony began learning Chen style Taijiquan (Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang's Chen Style Xin Yi Hun Yuan Taijiquan System - Xin Jia) from Master Zhang.   In the early years when Master Zhang was holding more classes, Tony practiced intensely 5 days a week with Master Zhang.   When Master Zhang reduced his public class time from five days to three days per week, Tony and a group of close students, in addition to the public classes, had intimate closed private practice sessions with Master Zhang.   Tony has always mentioned that Master Zhang is the person who gave him, Tony, the building blocks for his strong foundation in Chen Taiji and opened for him, the door of Chen Taijiquan.

Chen Family Taijiquan Lao Jia with Master Chen Qingzhou:

Tony met and started studying with Master Chen Qingzhou during Master Chen's first visit to the United States in 1994.   With Master Zhang Xuexin's permission to help Master Chen Qingzhou promote Chen Family Taijiquan Gong Fu Frame (Lao Jia) in the United States, Tony started looking into Lao Jia Chen Taiji and started studying and practicing Lao Jia Chen Family Taijiquan with Master Chen Qingzhou.   It was Master Chen Qingzhou who took Tony a step further into his Taiji journey.   As a matter of fact, Master Chen Qingzhou was the first person who taught Tony and a group of Tony's close friends how to practice dantian rotation through exercises.   Tony believed that Master Chen Qingzhou was the first Taiji teacher to teach dantian rotation, one of the characteristics of Chen Taiji, in a public class.

Tony is fascinated by both the Lao Jia and Xin Jia systems of Chen Taiji.   Tony understands the different emphasis of each system and sees the various applications of each system.   He feels fortunate that he had the opportunity to study with both of these wonderful Taiji teachers, Master Zhang Xuexin and Master Chen Qingzhou.   From them, Tony gained knowledge and understanding of the Lao Jia and Xin Jia Chen Taiji systems and insight of the evolution of Chen Taijiquan through time.

Tony's Appreciation and Acknowledgment

Tony believes and says that the pursuit of knowledge and understanding and excellence in Taijiquan is a life-long journey.   Tony had only mentioned four teachers, Sifu Kenneth Chung and Masters Cai Song Fang, Zhang Xuexin and Chen Qingzhou, who were of tremendous significance in his martial arts development, but there are also others from whom he had learned ...other teachers, friends, students.   He is very appreciative of all these individuals who had contributed toward his knowledge, practice, and understanding of both the health and martial aspects of Taijiquan and the other martial arts.

Tony's Goal

Although Tony has permission from both Master Zhang Xuexin and Master Chen Qingzhou to teach their Taiji systems to the public, Tony considers himself a humble student of Taijiquan who is on a journey of discovery as he practices it each day.   Tony wants to share and pass on this wonderful art of Chen Taijiquan, both the health and the martial aspects, to others.

Tony's Credentials and Taiji Lineage:

Tony Wong is a co-founder of and technical advisor and instructor of Chen Taiji with the National Neigong Research Society.   He is of direct lineage from Chen Family Taijiquan Gong Fu Frame and is certified by Master Chen Qingzhou to teach Chen Family Taijiquan Gong Fu Frame (Lao Jia).   Tony was granted the title "Ming Shi"(:  Renown Master ) at the International Taiji Conference held in Wenxian County (the birthplace of Taiji), China.   Tony is featured in the Chen Taiji 48 Form/Wuji Qigong reference video tape.

Currently, Tony is teaching Chen Style Taijiquan in the San Francisco Bay Area (San Francisco, Daly City) and South Bay Area (Mountain View, Los Altos, Cupertino, San Jose) of California in the United States.