We have changed our blog to Hier.
It is a Germen blog, so from now on, you can read us easier.
But my writing is still in English.

Your Fan-Ning Tseng

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Kung Fu Banner

The works of moving school were still doing. There were many ardent students rolled up their sleeves and came to help at kung fu school.

Michael and I were in a terrible fix to move and fix. We give ourselves a lot of pressure, to complete our work. This is a huge change for our kung fu school in 15 years. It is also a great chance to reform our school, to review it from our 15 years experience and change it.

For our new brand-new school, I designed a big banner. It has black characters in the red background, and on top of the banner has a lucky lion dance head.

On the day of Christmas Eve, when we took our breakfast at home, the doorbell sounded. The mail carrier passed over a very big package. We were so glad after opened it, the banner. It was the best Christmas gift from the Father Christmas.

After Christmas holiday, Michael could not wait any more to set up the banner. He called the management office of our school’s area and asked them to set up. The weather was too cold and the rope of the pole was frozen, could not move. The caretaker was very ardent to try repeatedly to untie the rope. I saw his hands without gloves were frozen and red, that touched my heart.

set up our banner

Finally, the rope untied, he could set up our big, red banner slowly. The 6 meters long banner waved with the cold wind, looked very vital.  

I wish, the banner that danced with the wind could bring us good luck and chance. Let more people see our fresh, new kung fu school, and more people admire us.

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Shi Fu

On 19^th of December, we moved the Guan Di Gong（the God of War 觀帝公）to our new location of Kung Fu School. For this day, I checked the Chinese calendar and chose it. This day is a very good and lucky day for moving to a different location.

I reminded Michael all the details, not to offend recklessly the rules of moving. Some days before the 19^th, I visited a blog from Taiwan, that blog reminded me that something I forgot, and that is very important. A ceremony offers sacrifices to the God.

I asked Michael first, if he would like to do this one in Germany. I mean, anyway in Germany, there is nobody knows about this ceremony. Michael nodded his head as possible as he could. He is a person who loves Chinese culture a lot.

I searched from internet again about the details of this ceremony. I should prepare the pork, a fish, a whole chicken, a pineapple and the oranges. The pineapple signifies prosperous, and the oranges signify auspicious.

Food

On the day was so windy. We set up the table and all the food. There were so many strangers stopped and asked, what is going on here. Michael explained patiently. We only worried about that this ceremony would make a fuss.

Actually, we thought on the wrong side. When we went back to fix the table, we found out that somebody took our three oranges. Maybe the strangers thought all the food were free for oncoming Christmas. They could take it free.

Michael asked me, is that no problem?

I said, this fellow took the food from the God, I hope he would not get diarrhea after eating the oranges.

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Master Lau Kar-Yung

Last night we went to bed very early, because Master Lau Kar-Yung arrived this early morning. Shi Fu Michael and I were looking forward that Master Lau’s arriving.

A friendly Master

At 5:50, when Master Lau stepped out from the arrival gate, he looked like so fresh and in high spirits. First Master Lau gave Shi Fu Michael a big embrace, and played with my daughter. He is always so kind and friendly.

Master Lau Kar-Yung

After 12 hours flying, actually Master Lau could not rest so well during the time. We bought cups of tea and café, and then talked. We exchange the news from each other when the time we did not meet.

Master Lau Kar-Yung

Lunch and dinner we ate at our small apartment, I cooked, Master Lau and Shi Fu Michael chatted. Of course sometimes I had to translate in between. That’s why, my real kung fu is not so top, but my knowledge about kung fu of Chinese Martial Art is quite good.

Master Lau Kar-Yung

Tomorrow evening at 6 o‘clock, is our Monkey Boxing (Monkey Style) workshop. I will record all the details and show everybody here. Of course, in the next days what Master Lau’s doing, I will also report here.

Do not miss it.

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Our great lion dance team

On 18^th October 2008, Fong’s Kung Fu School’s Lion Dance Team was invited by “Chinesische Frauenvereinigung in Sueddentschland e.V. Muenchen” to perform a Lion Dance show, on the party of “National Day of Taiwan”.

This was already the second time to receive the invitation; our lion dance team was very glad to have this opportunity to perform, especially in front of the Chinese people. It was very meaningful. Because of this reason, Michael was very cautious to design the lion dance performance to give a most special presentation.

In between of three weeks practicing, I did not go to kung fu school to look. Only when Michael came back home, and told me how was the situation, then we discussed about the details, and how we could make it better.

Our lion and the flag

After a week of practice, Michael asked me, how about to add the element of “ the flag of Republic of China” in this performance? I thought it was a very great idea, and discussed the script with Michael. But the question is where we could get a “flag of Republic of China”? 

Afterward, the secretary of Taipeh Vertretung in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland Buero Muenchen, Mr.Shi helped us to get a big “flag of Republic of China”. After we got the flag on the way going home, the small pack of my country’s flag which has three colors, red, blue and white, lay down on my legs. That is such a kind of strange feeling to me.

For how long I never hold my own country’s flag on my hands?

Thomas Röhling and our lion

We do not resemble the America, Britain; the symbols of their flags are countless using for the fashion clothing design. It presents not only a country, also represents a tidal current. It may be on the coat, design for the bikini, and so on is countless.

We do not have the football sport event and the grand occasion as in Europe. In Europe, during the football games playing, each country, everybody, on their faces, on the clothes, on the cars, on the windows, and anywhere that you do not expect, they hang, dress, or paint to show their own country’s flag, to expand their country’s prestige, to demonstrate their loyalty and encourage.

Standing lion

So, when and for what reason we hold a flag？ I think no more. On the National Day, do the students now still go to school or the park to join the flag-raising ceremony to participate the ceremony of the National day？On the hand, holding the ten dollar plastic flag, and playing, fighting, poking with the flag with the schoolmates. Then after the ceremony of the flag-raising, as soon as possible to throw away the flag to the trash can. I was also one of the small students that thought that it was vulgar and stupid to hold the flag on my hand.

This memory of the flag in the past replayed in my mind, very light, and silent. How long beforehand has that been?

Shi Fu Michael Punschke

On 18^th October, the performance day, all the lion dance team students warmed up first at kung fu school before we went to the party of National day, and practiced two times more to be sure that every detail would be ok. I have never seen this performance before until this moment.

Thomas Petersen and our lion

When the lion head was waving the Republic of China’s flag, when the colors of blue, white and red were waving front of me; my eyes were moist unexpectedly with tears. I was also astonished about my reaction, am I suddenly patriotic？ Or the small girl who was compelled to participate the ceremony is just suddenly awake？Or actually the land of my country is really too far away, only the strokes of blue, white and red, then my eyes were moist with tears.

I do not feel longer that the flag is vulgar and stupid, blinked my eyes gently, and then the tears dropped.

Our great show

On that day, the performance obtained the applause from the whole audience at the party. The friend told me, when she saw the flag fluttered in the air, her tears fill her eyes immediately. I told her, I have also the similar emotion.

On the way back home, the latter compartment of our car fill of the lion head, the big drum and other performance equipments, and was shaky. I grip Michael’s hand, thanks him, on this black, red and yellow land, he waved the blue, white and red in my heart, and let me cherish the memory of the old, lovely time which initially I did not understand and realize with enough time.

Our lion dance team Heroes, I want to thank you for your great show on that day. Our heroes are Shi Fu Michael Punschke and Elias Maurides, Thomas Röhling, Tobias Knopff, Sebastian Schmidt, Thomas Petersen, Thomas Freier, Cengiz Dedeoglu, Can Dedeoglu und Benny Schweikl.

18.10.08National day of TW,Lion Dance Show

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Michael Punschke

I come from Taiwan, merry a German fellow, Michael Punschke and now settle down in Munich. Michael is fond of Chinese cultural and martial arts, practices Chinese traditional kung fu.

Four and half years ago, first time I visited Munich and Michael’s own kung fu school. The time when I just arrived at kung fu school, was the time the students were practicing. In the big practicing space, there were around 50 foreigners who had golden hair, blue eyes, counted the tempo in Cantonese along with the movements. Some were unarmed practicing the hand forms, some were single to train, and also had two people to practice together. Some held the lance, the knives or the swords jumping high in the air that the sharp weapons cut down the expansive sky; it was very majestic and awe-inspiring. In another practicing room was filled with the Zen consciousness. There the students practiced calmly Tai Chi and Qi Gong with the peaceful mind and the supple slow movements.

I was astonish, opened my mouth big, and immediately all my fine hair had stood. Although Michael already described about his 30 years experience to practice kung fu and 15 years operation situation of kung fu school, but what was presenting of me was touched and respected.

Regarding the kung fu, generally people’s cognition nothing else but, in the morning in the park, the older people hold the Tai Chi fan（太極扇） to dance or practice the Wai Dan Gong（外丹功）. I had thought at the same way also, and mostly the Chinese people are not interesting about our own traditional culture. For near future, because of An-Li（李安）, Tsui Hark（徐克）, Jackie Chan（成龍）, Jet Li（李連杰）and so on, present the kung fu movies to this world, let people to have more understanding and interest about kung fu.

Michael joked that he wanted to appreciate the direct An-Li（李安）, otherwise the business of his kung fu school is unable to growth smoothly as now. But I actually appreciate Michael, because of him; I understand afresh the most valuable part of my own culture.

Now I help the sundry duties at school, and as a Chinese, give my opinions and suggestions to Michael. Simultaneously I practice also Kung Fu to set an example by personally taking part of this culture. Beside we have together edited a basic training book of Choy Lay Fut, the German edition.

Our dream is very small, bare fisted cannot found a world, but we can work with one heart to let more people to appreciate and understand Kung Fu.

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Master Lau Kar-Yung

Michael studies Kung Fu over 30 years. We have known each other only five years, in these days, I follow him to travel around to visit the kung fu masters. I think deeply that Michael is a very lucky fellow.

If I say so, is somewhat unfair to Him. Michael spends every day over 4 hours to research and practice kung fu. There are 24 hours a day, deducts eight hours for working, in addition eating, sleeping and other things to do. Spending four hours a day on Kung Fu; he is worth admiring.

But I refer to the fortunate is, Michael may follow and learn from those masters who are worth respecting and bowing.

Michael visited completely these masters for several times to show his determination to practice and learn kung fu, and finally the masters took Michael as a pupil. It is not only about the tuition fee. It is also an affirmation to Michael that he pays the painstaking to Chinese martial arts and traditional kung fu. The masters know that this long nose, German fellow, who promotes positively Kung Fu in the overseas, all give the greatest support to encourage Michael, and teaching is also more detailed. The Chinese cultural, oneself Chinese people are not interesting to cherish and study, therefore the masters give all the techniques and knowledge to Michael.

Michael’s teachers are all very famous and great. Michael’s passion to Kong Fu earns himself the respect from these masters. He shines out with great brilliancy, which flashes back from these masters. Even a person standing aside feels so proud of him just like me. It reflexes on me also.

Sometimes it is better to be modest. But I should not be. To Michael’s attitude and zeal for kung fu, I am so resolute to proud of him.

The theme of today is master Lau Kar-Yung（劉家勇 師父）. He comes from the famous Lau Family（劉家班）in Hong Kong.

Lau Family（劉家班） is the most respected kung fu family in Hong Kong who is second to none. Lau Family has tough training of kung fu and the real skills. Even the famous Jacky Chan Stunt Team（成家班）emphasizes on movie stunts, can’t compare with the Lau Family. The conductor of Lau Family, master Lau Kar-Leung（劉家良 先生）has high prestige and command universal respect.

Master Lau Kar-Yung（劉家勇 師父） obtains the true, original, tradition kung fu skills from master Lau Kar-Leung（劉家良 先生）。There are Hong Quen, Monkey Style Boxing and Lion Dance。Especially the Monkey Style Boxing and the Lion Dance indeed widen my horizon.

Master Lau Kar-Yung’s stature is small. Because of this superiority, when he annotates the Monkey Style Boxing, is especially lifelike, nimble as a real ape. A single movement, a slight expression, looks like easy and simple; actually is very difficult to imitate the mold.

The Lion Dance divides into drum and lion head two main parts. Master Lau Kar-Yung is influenced by what he sees and hears since childhood. When he plays the drum, nobody can reach the level of his rhythm. He holds the drum sticks, both hands up and prepares the movement. The next second, the fast movements of hitting the drum show the touchable rhythm nearby our ears. The clear and melodious notes are not only beautiful as the pearls fall to the jade plate. We can hear the mood of the rhythm sometimes sounds like mighty, sometimes sounds like mischievous. The rhythm coordinates flawlessly with the lion head.

Master Lau Kar-Yung’s lion head playing also presents lifelike. Blink the eyes, open and close the mouth, it seems like a little mischievous lion playing around. Suddenly, the rhythm changes, from the low point to the culmination. The little mischievous lion turns to a brave and skillful fighting lion. When the lion head is on master’s hands, not only a colorful lion mask. It is a vivid, substantial, touchable, preternatural happy beast.

In the end of 2006, Master Lau Kar-Yung was invited to come to Munich for a seminar, respectively Monkey Style Boxing and the Lion Dance. There were numerous people, and obtained the general high praises. In the end of this year 2008, we invite the master Lau Kar-Yung to come again to Munich. On 27^th of November, Master Lau Kar-Yung will arrive in Munich, launches seven days teaching and sightseeing.

Coming more detailed here, and do not miss it.

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Michael Punschke

Ich wurde im September 1960 geboren und kam 1973 (durch den Tod von Bruce Lee), in Kontakt mit den Kampfkünsten. Zu dieser Zeit gab es nur Karate, Judo, Aikido und Tae Kwon Do. Also begann ich mit dem Karate Training. Chinesisches Kung Fu war zu dieser Zeit schwer zu finden. Außer Wing Chun (heute WT) von LT, der langsam anfing seine Marketing Filialien in Deutschland und später Europa aufzubauen, und sogar Polizeisondereinheiten und Spezialkommandos überzeugte Wxyz zu erlernen, nur weil ein Bruce Lee in seiner Jugend eine Wing Chun Form erlernt hatte. Das trotzdem keiner an Bruce Lee's Fähigkeiten herangekommen ist, scheint also nicht am Wing Chun oder WT gelegen zu haben. Viele glauben das heute immer noch...

1976 (durch meinen Job in einem Budoshop) kam ich Kontakt mit einem Chinesen aus Malaysia der Buk Sing Choy Lay Fut gelernt hatte und Unterricht geben wollte. Wir waren eine kleine Gruppe von 6 – 7 Schülern, die mit ihm trainierten. Das Problem war, das er lange Zeit nicht geübt und somit auch viel vergessen hatte. Trotzdem war er sehr nett und es hat allen viel Spaß gemacht!

Später gelang ich einige Jahre zum Hung Gar Kung Fu, wobei ich aber glücklicherweise 1985 durch ein Empfehlungsschreiben des Hung Gar Meisters Bucksam Kong nach Hong Kong kam, die Schule von Lum Jo und Lam Chun-Fai besuchen konnte und den Unterschied zwischen der deutschen und chinesischen Kung Fu Interpretation erleben durfte. Zu dieser Zeit lernte ich auch meinen zukünftigen Choy Lay Fut Sifu (Lehrer) Lee Koon-Hung in Hong Kong kennen. Diese Erfahrung veranlasste mich, weiterhin nach Hong Kong zu gehen um dort Kung Fu zu erlernen.

Meinem ersten Choy Lay Fut Sifu, Lee Koon-Hung, folgte ich und lernte von ihm bis zu seinem Tode 1996. Er war ein sehr guter Lehrer, immer freundlich, lustig - aber beim Training sehr ernsthaft. Vor allem, er war ein Mensch, der nicht arrogant und eingebildet über seinen Fähigkeiten war. Er bildete meine Grundlage. Ich werde ihn nie vergessen. Meine Kung Fu Brüder und ich gründeten danach die World Lee Koon-Hung Choy Lay Fut Association, von der nun mehrere Schulen weltweit sein Choy Lay Fut unterrichten.

1994 eröffnete ich die Fongs Kung Fu School in München. Alle fragen mich, warum ich unsere Schule Fongs School genannt habe? Da mein chinesischer Name Fong Ya-Wen (Fong Ah-Man) ist.

Nach dem Tod von meinem Sifu Lee Koon-Hung (1996) trainierte ich Choy Lay Fut zusammen mit meinem Kung Fu Onkel, Li Siu-Hung und meinem Si Hing Mak Hin-Fai.

Im Jahr 2000 kam ich mit einem Kung Fu Bekannten von Lee Koon-Hung in Kontakt, mit Master Adam Hsu, der jahrelang in San Francisco gelebt hatte und vor mehreren Jahren wieder nach Taipei zurückgegangen ist. Bei ihm begann ich den Chen Stil (Tai Ji Quan) und den Body Guard Kung Fu Stil – Ba Ji Quan – zu erlernen. Er war mein erster Lehrer, bei dem ich das Gefühl hatte, ich hätte vorher nichts gelernt und nur gespielt. Es gibt nur wenige Lehrer, die so tiefgründig unterrichten – wirklich ein Meister der alten Klasse. Ich freue mich jedes mal wenn ich die Möglichkeit habe mit ihm zusammen in Taipei zu trainieren.

Durch meine Aufenthalte in Taipei (Taiwan) gelang es mir Kontakt mit dem Hong Kong Shaw Brother Movie Star Chi Kuan-Chun aufzunehmen. Er ist ein sehr guter Hung Kuen Meister, nicht nur in den Filmen, sondern auch in der Realität. Er lernte das Hung Kuen seit 1961 bei Meister Chiu Wai und später bei Lau Kar-Leung. Eine perfekte Kampfmaschine. Ich sah seine Kung Fu Filme in den 70er Jahren im Kino und bewunderte seine perfekten Bewegungen im Hung Kuen, mir damals nie vorstellen zu können eines Tages sein Schüler zu werden. Ich mußte ihn sehr lange bitten mich zu unterrichten, er lehnte immer wieder ab. Dank der Schwester seiner Frau - die mir dabei half - bekam ich die Chance sein einziger Schüler zu werden. Seitdem ist er wie ein Vater zu mir.

Durch meinen Sifu Chi Kuan-Chun, lernte ich auch Sifu Lau Kar-Yung, den Neffen des berühmten Hong Kong Kung Fu Film Produzenten und Kung Fu Meister Lau Kar-Leung, kennen. Lau Kar-Leung lernte das Hung Kuen von seinem Vater Lau Jaam (Schüler von Lam Sai-Wing), sowie den Affenstil (Monkey Stil) der Lau Familie. Master Lau Kar-Yung ist mein Si Suk (jüngerer Kung Fu Onkel), da mein Sifu, Chi Kuan-Chun auch bei Lau Kar-Leung gelernt hat. Lau Kar-Yung unterrichtet mich im Löwentanz und Monkey Stil. Er doubelte Jackie Chan für die Löwentanz Sequenzen in dem Film „Young Master“. Lau’s  Erfahrung und Fähigkeiten im Löwentanz sind bemerkenswert, die er von seinem Onkel Lau Kar-Leung und seiner Mutter (Schwester von Lau Kar-Leung) erlernte.

In Taipei bin ich dem bekannten Hung-Sing Lion Dance Theater Taiwan beigetreten und lerne dort den Löwentanz (Cantonese und Fukien Stil) unter dem Choy Lay Fut Meister und Direktor Zhang Yuan-Rong.

Seit ein paar Jahren erweitere ich nun meine Choy Lay Fut Kenntnisse bei Grandmaster Wong Doc-Fai aus San Francisco. Ein sehr guter Lehrer - als sein Schüler ist er sehr offenherzig und hält in nichts zurück. Er hat „Ging“ wenn man mit ihm trainiert, das viele Choy Lay Fut Lehrer heute nicht mehr unterrichten können. Und er ist wohl der einzige Meister der sich unheimlich stark für das Choy Lay Fut Kung Fu einsetzt, in China die Choy Lay Fut Ursprungsstätten restauriert und wieder aufleben lässt.   

Seit 2000 habe ich auch an einigen Projekten für Action Choreographie im Film und Fernsehen gearbeitet, unter anderem für Pro7, H5B5, Endemol Productions, Filmhochschulen, RTL 2 u.a.
Dank meiner Lehrer, Lee Koon-Hung, Chi Kuan-Chun und Lau Kar-Yung habe ich über die Jahre einiges an der Kameraführung und Action Choreographie gelernt. Leider ist der deutsche Film zu schwach, keiner traut sich an "deutsche" Action heran. Produzenten und Kameraleute haben bisher noch nicht das Auge dafür. Die Amerikaner sind offener in dieser Beziehung und versuchen wenigstens mit dem Asiatischen Action Film zu konkurrieren. In Asien dagegen wird jetzt hauptsächlich in China produziert, da Hong Kong und Taiwan zu teuer für die Produktionen sind. Wegen der Raubkopiererei ist es zudem auch sehr schwer geworden Geldgeber für neue Projekte zu finden.

Seit 2007 bin ich Inhaber/Geschäftsführer der „Movie-Boxing Productions“. Wie es damit weiter geht - die Zukunft wird es zeigen. Meine ersten Projekte plane ich mit meinem Lehrern Chi Kuan-Chun und Lau Kar-Yung.

Das ist erst einmal alles! Viel Spaß auf unserer neuen Website und bei Eurem Training!

Michael Punschke

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