Sun Tong (1722-1782)
1st Generation Sun Tong was born in Tai An, Shandong Province in 1722. He studied traditional internal martial arts under a master surnamed Zhang for over 10 years, progressing quickly and developing a proficiency that earned him the nickname “Sun the Iron Leg”. Master Zhang sent him away to travel northern China to learn more kung fu and expand his horizons. Upon his return he found his master absent (some versions say deceased) and he began to talk about his travels with Zhang Yulan, his master’s daughter. An adept martial arts practitioner herself, she became jealous of Sun, and challenged him to a duel. He refused and fled, with Yulan in pursuit refusing to take no for an answer. They eventually fought and Yulan was killed, some people say that this was by accident, in that she fell off a cliff during the fight. Anyhow, filled with shame and remorse, and being at the very least an accessory to her death, Sun Tong entered the Shaolin Monastery and claimed sanctuary there. Inside, he learned Shaolin Kung Fu and combined it with the arts had already mastered. The result is Mizong Quan as it is today, with its powerful fusion of internal and external traditions. A decade later Sun Tong left Shaolin and travelled again. He eventually settled in Yaoguntuan in Cangzhou Prefecture, Hebei Province, where he taught Mizong Quan, and took disciples including Chen Shan, Master Yu, Su Jiayuan, Lu Gangchui, the monk Zhi Yuan and Huo Xuxu (grandfather of Hua Yuanjia). Chen Shan 2nd Generation Chen Shan was from Sun Zhuang village, Cangzhou Prefecture, and the most famous of Sun Tong’s disciples. He and his followers referred to the style as Mizong Quan writing the characters down as “Secret Sect Boxing” placing the emphasis on its Buddhist (Shaolin) parentage. Chen Shan was Sun Tong’s most senior disciple and was as famous for being an excellent teacher as he was an excellent martial artist. The result was that his school was soon the most popular in the whole of Hebei Province and his disciples were famous for their formidable skills. Of the branches of the family still practising today, Chen Shan’s branch is the most widespread and it is argued, possesses the most original and comprehensive training syllabus as he learned from Sun Tong the longest. Chen Guangzhi 3rd Generation Chen Guangzhi was the son of Chen Shan and became the leader of the branch upon his father’s passing. He passed on his skills to his son Chen Yushan, and a great many students and disciples including Yang Kunshan. Yang Kunshan 4th Generation Yang Kunshan, also a native of Hebei Province, took just two disciples, Lu Zhenduo and Liu Zhenshan (1907 – 1982). Lu Zhenduo 5th Generation Lu Zhenduo lived with his master Yang Kunshan from the age of 7, who passed on to Lu his entire knowledge Qingping Jian, Mizong Quan and Yang style Taiji. It is said that early in his training Lu impressed his master with his character, intellect and physical capabilities. Lu was also skilled at Traditional Chinese Medicine and Traumatology, made his living as a martial arts instructor and was the cheif of security for a convoy service. Certainly by 1922, he was taking on students himself when at the age of 19 he established the Zhen Wei Martial Arts Society in Shenyang, Liaoning Province. The next year he won the Lei Tai championship at the Shenyang martial arts competition. These brutal competitions were no-holds barred all-in fighting duels which fairly frequently resulted in the death of one or both of the competitors. In his many contests, Lu became famous for his ability to knock opponents unconscious with a single palm strike, which regular feat earned him the nicknames “Iron Palm Lu”, “Lu the Hero” and “Lightning Hands Lu”. He pitted his martial arts skills against the very best of his generation. In 1932, Lu won the prestigious Tianjin Martial Arts competition. In 1934 he won the first ever all China Wushu Tournament in Beijing in two events under the pseudonym Lu Jianhua with masterful performances of Mizong Quan and Qingping Jian. As Manchuria and most of eastern China fell to the Imperial Japanese Army, Lu won admiration for standing up to the invading Japanese troops in several gutsy incidents. In one of these, the unarmed Lu was stopped at a bridge checkpoint by a powerfully built Japanese sentry who bullied Chinese civilians as they crossed over the river. This man made the mistake of prodding Lu in the chest with his bayonet; as quick as a flash Lu had parried his thrust, seized the rifle and flipped him into the river, to the resounding applause of all present. On another occasion Lu, who had been passing information and working for the resistance was accosted by three Japanese soldiers. Suspecting him of spying on their troop dispositions they pushed him into a corner and began to interrogate him. When two of the soldiers tried to pin him down, Lu deftly escaped their grasp, overpowered them and punched them senseless. The third soldier raised his rifle and aimed it at Lu’s head but before he could get a shot off, Lu had kicked the barrel aside and knocked him senseless with his legendary iron palm strike. His famed prowess at combat drew the attention of one General Zhang Xue Liang, a feared Manchurian warlord and the most powerful man in North-Eastern China. The General took Lu as a martial arts instructor and as his personal bodyguard, a dangerous position in the 2nd Sino-Japanese War (WWII) and Chinese Civil War in which the general was one of the key power brokers. |
Lineage of Mizong / Yanqing Quan 秘宗拳/燕青拳流源 Sun Tong (孙通) 1st Generation Chen Shan (陈善) 2nd Generation Chen Guang-Zhi (陈广治) 3rd Generation Yang Kun-Shan (杨昆山) 4th Generation Lu Zhen-Duo (卢振铎)
5th Generation and Founder of Zhen Wei Academy Lu Jun-Hai (卢俊海)
6th Generation UK Disciples
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In 1935, Lu set up the Zhen Wei Society in Shanghai, where he would settle. He remained active in martial arts circles well into his 60’s, and his contribution to the survival of traditional Chinese martial arts cannot be understated. The Chinese media have reported that his “insightful interpretation, innovative ideas, and technical skills combined to form a memorable style uniquely his own. His masterful demonstrations made such an indelible impression in martial arts circles during the 1960’s that they were still being discussed decades later.”
Like many traditional Chinese martial arts masters of his generation, Lu Zhenduo suffered great indignities at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). The “Red Guard”, youth movement of the Chinese Communist Party, zealously set about destroying Chinese traditional culture. Martial arts were derided as feudal, backward and a vestige of the “old China” that “the gang of four” were determined to eradicate. Many great masters were victimised, harassed and even murdered during this period, some escaped and emigrated to Taiwan or the West. A great many more stopped practising, stopped teaching and their styles and branches have been lost to history. A few, including Lu Zhenduo, bravely continued their traditions and passed on their arts to the next generation, more determined than ever to keep their culture and traditions alive.
Lu Zhenduo taught many students at the Shanghai Sports Stadium and was an advisor for many martial arts associations. He held many lasting friendships with other masters including the renowned Taoist sword expert Li Jinglin with whom he swapped many techniques. He passed away in 1981, leaving his martial arts legacy to his fourth son, Lu Junhai.
Lu Junhai
6th Generation
Born in Cangzhou County, Hebei Province on October 11, 1941, Lu Junhai, began learning from his father at the age of six years old; Lu Zhenduo was a strict disciplinarian and Lu Junhai had to spend many hours a day in practise in all seasons and all weathers. For the first 3 years, he was only taught Tan Tui, the basic stances, kicks and punches of which, he would have to perfect before his father would teach him anything else.
At age 12, he was accompanying his father to public performances and competitions and by the age of 18, he was captain of the Shanghai Traditional Martial Arts Youth Team.
Since his father was so well respected in the Shanghai martial arts community and was friends with many of the great masters who were residing there, Lu Junhai came to know and train with many of them too. This is how he came to augment the Yang Style Taiji Quan taught to him by his father with lessons from two disciples of Yang Cheng Fu.
The late 1970’s and 1980’s saw a period of renewed interest in Chinese martial arts both in China and also internationally, sparked by the phenomenon of Bruce Lee. Zhen Wei Academy was in a good position to take advantage of this revival.
In 1981, when his father passed away, Lu Junhai inherited his position as leader of the branch. Lu’s immediate task was to continue the work of his father and promote Traditional Martial Arts. This was no mean task as Wushu was changing; Traditional forms were being replaced by modern Wushu in terms of popularity in China, with many new showy techniques created or appropriated from gymnastics. These acrobatic moves were designed to wow judges at competition level and to show off, and these were incorporated into many styles at the expense of practical martial arts techniques which look less impressive.
With Shaolin Mizong Quan, Lu had the perfect antidote. The reason being that Mizong is as beautiful as it is effective. Individual forms and two-man sets and a full arsenal of weapons forms, incorporating high kicks, double kicks, low sweeps, whirlwind kicks, all executed with intricate footwork and its very characteristic Fa Jing, saw Lu and his students lift trophy after trophy at all levels of competition without compromising his credentials one jot!
This undoubtedly led to many accolades: He was voted one of Shanghai’s top ten masters, worked as technical advisor for several feature films and a well known Chinese TV series “Outlaws of the Marsh”. He was martial arts instructor to Shanghai University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, and Shanghai Normal College. He was Vice- Secretary to the Luwan District Martial Arts Association. He was coach and advisor for the Shanghai Workers Martial Arts Team, the Zhejiang Provincial Martial Arts Academy and the Jingwu Association, the municipality of Shanghai, and the China-Japan Taiji Association. He was also the chief instructor for the St. Petersburg Chinese Martial Arts Academy in Russia. He is a level one judge for the Jingwu International Martial Arts Committee.
In 1984, he participated in China's National Research Project for Traditional Martial Arts. He helped to produce a manuscript on the entire set of six Qingping sword routines that were published as a book. He received a meritorious award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to China in helping to preserve the martial arts.
In 2010, Shanghai hosted the 10th Grand World Wushu Festival, which is kung fu’s equivalent of the Olympics. 27 countries including China sent 300 of their top kung fu and wushu artists to compete. The British Team consisted of 9 men, all from Zhen Wei Academy, who took 32 medals, many of them Gold, winning unanimous recognition as the best traditional team and ending up in second place to China overall!
In 2011, the Chinese Government Department of Cultural Affairs presented Shifu Lu Junhai with official recognition of Zhen Wei Academy in the shape of Protected Status as a Protected National Treasure of Non –Material Culture. This is an honour of profound significance; It may be construed as a dramatic change in how traditional martial arts have come to be perceived by the Chinese Government. If that is so, then both Lu Junhai and his father before him have helped to bring this about along with others who have suffered in the tireless promotion of their arts.
Lu Junhai has taken over 40 disciples and trained over a thousand students, both at home and abroad, including the U.S., Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Canada, and Switzerland. For well over a decade now, he has been teaching in the UK and his impact is still being felt all over the world. His Disciples have gone on to teach others, and include Andy and Shu who are teaching in Hertfordshire, Karl, Eddie, Gary, Kevin, Adam, Andy, and Errol who are teaching in Basildon, Hornchurch & London.
Internationally, Shifu Lu’s first disciple is still teaching in the Shanghai park where Lu Zhenduo taught, another has set up a school in Malaysia, and Hon Lee and Reza Momenan have set up the affiliated Jow Ga Shaolin Institute in Northern Virginia, U.S..
The arts taught by Zhen Wei Academy to this day are Shaolin Mizong Quan, Yang and Chen style Taiji and QingPing Jian (a taoist straight sword system).
We encourage a fun friendly and family orientated atmosphere where people can learn at their own pace. Contact us for details.
Like many traditional Chinese martial arts masters of his generation, Lu Zhenduo suffered great indignities at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). The “Red Guard”, youth movement of the Chinese Communist Party, zealously set about destroying Chinese traditional culture. Martial arts were derided as feudal, backward and a vestige of the “old China” that “the gang of four” were determined to eradicate. Many great masters were victimised, harassed and even murdered during this period, some escaped and emigrated to Taiwan or the West. A great many more stopped practising, stopped teaching and their styles and branches have been lost to history. A few, including Lu Zhenduo, bravely continued their traditions and passed on their arts to the next generation, more determined than ever to keep their culture and traditions alive.
Lu Zhenduo taught many students at the Shanghai Sports Stadium and was an advisor for many martial arts associations. He held many lasting friendships with other masters including the renowned Taoist sword expert Li Jinglin with whom he swapped many techniques. He passed away in 1981, leaving his martial arts legacy to his fourth son, Lu Junhai.
Lu Junhai
6th Generation
Born in Cangzhou County, Hebei Province on October 11, 1941, Lu Junhai, began learning from his father at the age of six years old; Lu Zhenduo was a strict disciplinarian and Lu Junhai had to spend many hours a day in practise in all seasons and all weathers. For the first 3 years, he was only taught Tan Tui, the basic stances, kicks and punches of which, he would have to perfect before his father would teach him anything else.
At age 12, he was accompanying his father to public performances and competitions and by the age of 18, he was captain of the Shanghai Traditional Martial Arts Youth Team.
Since his father was so well respected in the Shanghai martial arts community and was friends with many of the great masters who were residing there, Lu Junhai came to know and train with many of them too. This is how he came to augment the Yang Style Taiji Quan taught to him by his father with lessons from two disciples of Yang Cheng Fu.
The late 1970’s and 1980’s saw a period of renewed interest in Chinese martial arts both in China and also internationally, sparked by the phenomenon of Bruce Lee. Zhen Wei Academy was in a good position to take advantage of this revival.
In 1981, when his father passed away, Lu Junhai inherited his position as leader of the branch. Lu’s immediate task was to continue the work of his father and promote Traditional Martial Arts. This was no mean task as Wushu was changing; Traditional forms were being replaced by modern Wushu in terms of popularity in China, with many new showy techniques created or appropriated from gymnastics. These acrobatic moves were designed to wow judges at competition level and to show off, and these were incorporated into many styles at the expense of practical martial arts techniques which look less impressive.
With Shaolin Mizong Quan, Lu had the perfect antidote. The reason being that Mizong is as beautiful as it is effective. Individual forms and two-man sets and a full arsenal of weapons forms, incorporating high kicks, double kicks, low sweeps, whirlwind kicks, all executed with intricate footwork and its very characteristic Fa Jing, saw Lu and his students lift trophy after trophy at all levels of competition without compromising his credentials one jot!
This undoubtedly led to many accolades: He was voted one of Shanghai’s top ten masters, worked as technical advisor for several feature films and a well known Chinese TV series “Outlaws of the Marsh”. He was martial arts instructor to Shanghai University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, and Shanghai Normal College. He was Vice- Secretary to the Luwan District Martial Arts Association. He was coach and advisor for the Shanghai Workers Martial Arts Team, the Zhejiang Provincial Martial Arts Academy and the Jingwu Association, the municipality of Shanghai, and the China-Japan Taiji Association. He was also the chief instructor for the St. Petersburg Chinese Martial Arts Academy in Russia. He is a level one judge for the Jingwu International Martial Arts Committee.
In 1984, he participated in China's National Research Project for Traditional Martial Arts. He helped to produce a manuscript on the entire set of six Qingping sword routines that were published as a book. He received a meritorious award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to China in helping to preserve the martial arts.
In 2010, Shanghai hosted the 10th Grand World Wushu Festival, which is kung fu’s equivalent of the Olympics. 27 countries including China sent 300 of their top kung fu and wushu artists to compete. The British Team consisted of 9 men, all from Zhen Wei Academy, who took 32 medals, many of them Gold, winning unanimous recognition as the best traditional team and ending up in second place to China overall!
In 2011, the Chinese Government Department of Cultural Affairs presented Shifu Lu Junhai with official recognition of Zhen Wei Academy in the shape of Protected Status as a Protected National Treasure of Non –Material Culture. This is an honour of profound significance; It may be construed as a dramatic change in how traditional martial arts have come to be perceived by the Chinese Government. If that is so, then both Lu Junhai and his father before him have helped to bring this about along with others who have suffered in the tireless promotion of their arts.
Lu Junhai has taken over 40 disciples and trained over a thousand students, both at home and abroad, including the U.S., Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Canada, and Switzerland. For well over a decade now, he has been teaching in the UK and his impact is still being felt all over the world. His Disciples have gone on to teach others, and include Andy and Shu who are teaching in Hertfordshire, Karl, Eddie, Gary, Kevin, Adam, Andy, and Errol who are teaching in Basildon, Hornchurch & London.
Internationally, Shifu Lu’s first disciple is still teaching in the Shanghai park where Lu Zhenduo taught, another has set up a school in Malaysia, and Hon Lee and Reza Momenan have set up the affiliated Jow Ga Shaolin Institute in Northern Virginia, U.S..
The arts taught by Zhen Wei Academy to this day are Shaolin Mizong Quan, Yang and Chen style Taiji and QingPing Jian (a taoist straight sword system).
We encourage a fun friendly and family orientated atmosphere where people can learn at their own pace. Contact us for details.