American Wu Shu Society - Beijing November 4 to 16

I arrived November 4th at 6pm. My student in Beijing had booked me in a hotel on a dark alley side street near wangfujing. Hotel reminded me of the Shaolin Temple Hotel, those of you who have stayed there know what I mean.

November 5th I went to Beiyuan Hotel which is one of the hotels the IWuF has selected for the Championship. This afternoon the China Olympic Committee will host a meeting at my hotel. I have plans to meet with the Beijing 2008 Organization within the next two days.

I will keep adding to this page each day as I progress. Yu Cheng Hui where are you? I want to learn your two handed sword. For those of you who do not recognize the name Yu Cheng Hui played the evil general in Shaolin Temple movie which was Jet Li's first film.

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November 7 I decided to visit ShiChaHai and their shop but as usual they have nothing I need. I had a brief meeting with China Olympic Committee because I am here representing another purpose then Wu Shu. I have been taking the train here and it is excellent. Easy to read the streets and the cars speak english as well. Each ride is only 2 yuan which at a rate of $1USD = 7.35yuan - you figure it out. I saw a team from Venezuela yesterday and said hello to them. I met the owner of a Wu Shu weapons factory in Changping Beijing. He brought to my hotel everything I needed and weight, length and quality was exactly what a professional player wants to use. Plus I got great prices because I was highly referred to him and it was great he knew me too.

November 8, started with a cool morning then in early afternoon I was wondering why I am wearing a coat and people walking around in small jackets. I had a business meeting today that went well and met the first most financially successful person in China. I was invited to a huge dinner at a Guangzhou food restaurant and it was so nice but I tried not to make a pig out of myself eating more then the chinese people at the table. Earlier in the day I tried to go find a place to buy sports clothes but realized the place I was told to go to just made replicas of everything. China is changing rapidly. This is not the same world I knew. I hope the traditions do not change so rapidly or just get lost. I am still venturing on my own on the trains. I am used to taking taxis everywhere.

November 9, I woke up for breakfast and the lobby was filled with athletes and coaches registering at the hotel. The IWuF chose 4 hotels and I reserved myself in the 4 star yet I see that all the teams chose my hotel too. So for the next 7 days this place will be a madhouse and say goodbye to peace. My friend came to pick me up and we drove to changping which is also in Beijing about an hour drive. I went to see the factory of the official supplier for the IWuF World events. Mr. Hou also came to meet me in the hotel so we can follow him by car. First he treated us to a huge lunch. Then we took off to his place. I loved his factory. He gave me the tour and first time in my life I saw all the ancient equipment used to make our quality weapons. You will see the photos I took. I bought several things for myself and some he custom made for my two kids. After we left him we drove another hour to Sanlitun to have my very final wu shu uniform made. My friend new a designer that would fit me and make the best uniform I ever had. All my life I wore the traditional silk and style and this will be my first specially designed. It was expensive in China standards and even for me since I never paid 3 times more then the standard cost for a uniform made here. Traffic jams everywhere coming back to the hotel. I got a call from the wealthy person I mentioned earlier and I was invited to the movies so I went. Movie was boring but the company was very nice.

Saturday 10, I went to China Wu Shu Association and saw Zhang Yuping super busy, but she gave me a complimentary ticket to see the Opening Cermony. For the rest of the day I just collapsed at 4pm and woke up at midnight.

Sunday 11, at 5am I went to the airport to greet my Ukrainian brothers. They did not expect me but were greatly surprised to see me. 14 of them came. I had helped them with hotel reservations so I had to make sure all were satisfied with their rooms. I have not rested yet and waited for the politics to begin. I began to see more Wu Shu people at the hotel I was staying in. The judges were here and the athletes were staying at YanXiang Hotel about 30 minutes away from my hotel yet only the USA team were staying in the same hotel all the judges were in. I took my friends sightseeing and some shopping - afterall it is Sunday. The opening ceremony begins tonight at 7:30 to 9pm.

November 12, I went to the competition which started at 8am, the venue was very nice, the 2 arenas for taolu were nice and I love the lei tai stage - it was perfect for the sanshou competition. They had at least 500 teenagers as volunteers. Today the events were Men's Nangun and Women's Nanquan, Sanshou, Men's Spear. Men's Nangun winners were - China - Russia - Iran. Men's Spear was Hong Kong - Hong Kong and I cannot remember now who won 3rd. Also Li Lianjie was there getting mobbed by his fans. Afternoon competition was only Sanshou.

November 13, I met with Mr Frank Yang who has a close relationship with someone in the China Olympic Committee. We sat and discussed my purpose in China and martial arts. The conversation lasted 2 hours. Afterwards I was a guest coach at a High School after school wushu program. I had 14 teenagers to work with and they were good. After I had dinner with a very nice family. Was a simple day.

November 14, I went to the morning competition, the events were Men's sword, Women's nandao, Men's taijiquan and sanshou. The country Iran looks very good. I went to Sanlitun to see how my uniform is coming along. Afterwards I had a surprise meeting at 8pm with an COC official who came to meet me with 2 other gentlemen. I also did a photo shoot for one of my boys who I train when I am China. That was it for today.

November 15, my last day in China. I went to the competition in early morning. I was waiting for my student cause we were going to do a photo shoot. Another friend of mine wanted me to take a photo of her by all the giant pandas there. All of a suddent a guy stands next to her and I look at him and it was Yuan Wenqing. He told me he was calling me but I did not know where the sound was coming from. I was very happy to see him. Out of nowhere came Kong Xiang Dong former member of the Beijing Wu Shu team 3rd generation. He is now with the Japan Team and he told me he is very happy to be living in Japan. Patrick Van Campenhout Treasurer of the IWuF and President of the Belgium Wu Shu Federation told me NIKE is supporting China Wu Shu. When you see the photos I took you will see those ugly uniforms and shoes they have invented for Wu Shu. 88 countries came to compete. As I said before my hat goes out to Iran - they showed me what the Russians showed me back in the late 90's and now look where the Russians are in Wu Shu. Although their team did not look so hot this time. China has changed Presidents of the IWuF.