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Frequently Asked Questions

Vocabulary & Resources

I hear students call our teacher "Sifu." What does that mean?

A pair of Cantonese terms, homophones, used in English to mean "master" or "teacher" in the context of martial arts.

I'd like to have some assistance during the week when I practice and try to remember all I've learned in class.

Through the Federation, a series of DVDs have been produced that Sifu has for purchase. They cover the 108 Form, the 54 Form, the Sabre and Sword Forms, among others. In addition, the movements of the 108 Form have been captured and captioned in a manual which Sifu also has for sale. These can serve as reminders of the moves you have learned.

I'm new to class. What should I be reading about Wu Style tai chi chuan?

The main writings about Wu Style tai chi are gathered in The Gold Book by Wu Kung Cho in 1980, published in English (2006) and available through the Federation website. The treatises will be more understandable after you have done some training. The widely published "tai chi classics" apply more generally to all the traditional styles of tai chi, as does the set of excerpts from Chinese philosophers through the ages referring to concepts used in tai chi [F. and M. Boedicker, The Philosophy of Tai Chi Chuan: Wisdom from Confucius, Lao Tzu, and Other Great Thinkers, Blue Snake Books, Berkeley, CA, 2009].

If I miss a class, I feel like I've missed announcements as well as training.

Our important information, such as upcoming workshops or holiday schedules, is always put up on our website. This is also a place to read interesting thoughts and communications from Sifu, testimonials by students and so on.

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