Getting stronger in China
After having spent 2,5 months volunteering and looking after others, it was time to look after myself again. Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and yes, even learning Kung Fu seemed like the logical next step! Besides I want to learn something new in each country I visit…
Turning fifty was definitely a milestone in my life. I celebrated it in the best way I could imagine: spending a weekend away in Dublin with my brother and sister. My mind still feels young, but my body has started sending me little messages. Arthritis in my right knee is undoubtedly one of them.
Instead of signing up for an online course or going to a fancy retreat in Bali, I decided to go to a place where Tai Chi and Qi Gong have been part of everyday life for centuries. So China it was! Back to where I first started my journey to New Zealand. This time, I was already familiar to the Alipay and WeChat apps. So setting it all up and getting the right eSIM card was a piece of cake now.
Tianmeng Mountain Shaolin Kung Fu Academy
After comparing several schools I decided to become a student at the Tianmeng Kung Fu & Qi Gong Academy in Feixian County, Shandong. My questions about suitable exercises for my right knee were answered promptly, and communicating in English went smoothly.
An invitation letter for a student visa was quickly sent, and applying for my combined student and tourist visa at the Chinese Embassy in Melbourne went well.
On 1 June, after being picked-up by a taxi from Linyi Airport, I arrived in this little town at the foot of the Tianmeng Mountains. Master Zhou gave me a warm welcome, and I was quickly shown around the facilities and my room for the next two months.
So… here I am! My first impression of the place is, that it isn’t very well looked after. “Shabby” is the first word, that comes to mind, but a group of lovely people gathered around some rustic stone tables instantly make me feel at home.
The Academy
Master Zhou, the founder and principal of Tianmeng Shaoling Kung Fu Academy turns out to be the only Shifu (teacher) for Tai Chi & Qi Gong. The other Shifus listed on the website are no longer here.
I have signed up for a two-month course. On the first day, Master Zhou hands out a training schedule. I am very much impressed… as it promises long training days, starting at 6 a.m. and finishing at 6 p.m. for dinner. There are also optional evening classes in Mandarin, Chinese culture or TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) from 7.10 p.m. till 8 p.m.
The next day, I am up and ready at 6 a.m. but nobody else seems to be awake yet. Apparently the early morning running and walking sessions are not taken too seriously. During the day I, follow fellow students and slowly learn the daily routine.
The lack of structure, and the absence of explanations about what we are practising – and the benefits of each form and posture – soon become frustrating. My fellow students are all lovely people, though, so I still enjoy my first two weeks very much while settling into life at the academy.
Qi Gong
For those who are not familiar with it, Qi Gong is an ancient Chinese practise that combines gentle movement, breathing, and meditation to cultivate energy, improve health, and focuses on awareness and inner balance.
I enjoy the Qi Gong postures and quickly combine some of them with the few I had learned back in Austria to create my own morning routine. I especially love the Six Healing Sounds, and some of the animal-inspired movements become my favourites.
On Wednesdays we practise hard Qi Gong which prepares the body to become stronger. We hit our bodies with a specially shaped piece of wood and use large wooden poles to toughen the body. This training is essential for “breaking bricks” later on and it also benifits our Kung Fu practise.
Afterwards, we always finish with pole training. I am surely developing excellent balance after standing for five minutes each, on my middle foot, followed by the heel only and finally on my toes!
Tai Chi
Tai Chi is the ancient Chinese art of mindful movement that promotes relaxation, balance, vitality and overall well-being. At times I find it difficult to tell the difference between Tai Chi and Qi Gong.
In Tai Chi we definitely focus more on flowing movements and our excersises are referred to as form rather than postures.
Community life
After three weeks, I feel my energy levels dropping instead of activating more “Qi“. I am surprised how drained I become after attending my Tai Chi and Qi Gong classes. I soon realise I am not the only one who feels this way.
Our international community, ranging in age from 16 to 76, is the best part of my two months at the Academy. We not only share hours of training, sweat, and meals, but also our life stories, emotional struggles and thoughts.
Strengthened by my fellow students and our shared frustrations with the unstructured lessons, I eventually ask my Master for a private conversation. Once I express my feelings and my wish to learn more directly from him instead of constantly following other students (as we do most of the time), I am about to discover another unprofessional side of him.
From that moment on, our schedule becomes stricter. He introduces punishment for breaking the rules. It is sad to see how our respect for him is slowly diminishing because of his erratic and unpredictable behaviour. Yet, if anything positive comes from it, it is that our community grows even closer together.
Kung Fu
As the classes I originally sign up for can’t give me what I need, I finally opt for the Kung Fu classes. Young, dedicated Shifu Wang is amazing! His smile and endless patience brightens up everyone’s day!
Switching courses is the best decision I could have made… even if my body feels constantly sore now. My knee problems limit me most of the time, but I finish every day happier and more satisfied than when I started!
For more information about the Tianmeng Kung Fu Academy visit: https://www.tianmengkungfuacademy.com . Unfortunately, the information given on the website is not up to date.
My suggestion: better book a shorter period of time with an option for extension. This gives you time to see if it’s a suitable school for you. Pay per month, not all at once.
This school didn’t meet my expectations for Tai Chi and Qi Gong, but learning KungFu with Shifu Wang was an incredible experience. So I did get a great gift out of it all!
The food “Chef” prepared with so much love is delicious. Kaylee gave us entertaining Mandarin lessons once a week, and Emily was always helpful with whatever we needed.
I truly believe this school was once a wonderful place to train. Master Zhou surely had a great vision and the best intentions. Sadly, it feels as though he has become too busy trying to do everything by himself instead of hiring more staff. The training grounds and equipment appear to have been neglected over the years and are no longer cared for as well as they deserves.
Despite not meeting my expectations, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. Looking back, I made great memories, learned new skills, and I feel a deep appreciation for everyone who made my time here special! I learned how much my body can handle and where my limits are. I have grown by learning how to speak up for myself and others.
I am so GRATEFUL for everything!
