The 97 year old Qigong grandmaster and Chinese healer from Beijing is one declared as a “national treasure” by his Government.I’m led to believe that there are only a handful of people in the world who have his type of skill.
He will be having a seminar in the lehigh valley in about 2 weeks and I was told I should attend.
Has anyone heard of him?
Yep, I’ve heard of Master Duan. And indeed he is an old man who has excellent knowledge of Chi Kung, Tai Chi and Pa Kua. Still fluid.
He does have a video or two out. He did do a big special on Public Television in regards to Chi Kung and Tai Chi. He then demonstrated what the host thought was Tai chi but actually was Pa Kua.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy the seminar with him. He doesn’t speak English so there will likely be an interpretor there with him.
He was by our Kungfu Qigong office a few months back. He’s amazingly agile for his age and a really funny guy. He’s really into Santa Claus - if you can sing Xmas carols, it’ll make him happy. He also smokes a special blend of herbs, including frankincense, if memory serves. Definately check out his seminar if you can. He is a remarkable master.
He was in Buffalo in mid October in which I took a Chi Kung seminar with him. He was a lot of fun and even though did not speak any English still got his point across. I was the youngest one there by at leats 30 years. Go see him you’ll be amazed how he gets around. At one point he got bored watching the old ladies do excercises and he pulled a spear off the wall at the school and started doing a form. He also did a neat silk realing / Ba Gua excercise. He is a very happy person.
Gene, will http://www.martialartsmart.com be carrying these tapes at any point in the future? You do have a pretty good selection of QiGong vids there now of course, but Master Duan’s stuff is prettty good and would be a great addition.
I took a chi kung seminar with him this fall. He did an excellent job of teaching and demonstrating. He does not speak English, so his seminar needs a good translater. He is extraordinarily agile and energetic, and he carries himself with the strength and power ow a much younger man. I took the second scheduled workshop that day, and there was one to follow. He was active throughout our workshop. He did not sit at all, and I am told that he did not sit in the prior or subsequent seminars either. In fact, he decided to climb on a table to demonstrate, and he got up and down easier than I would have, and I am about 50 years younger.
SP-The “national treasure” thing is challenging. It is formalized in Japan (of course, what isn’t formalized in Japan) but it’s slippery in China. There is a list of the top 100 masters and the top ten. Coincidentally I’m publishing that top ten list in our next issue in a piece about the one Shaolin master on the list Liang Yiquan. There is also the Duan system (not to be confused with master Duan.) There’s an up-to-date list on the official IWUF site (but of course it’s in Chinese.) Check out http://www.wushu.com.cn
Sometimes I think that there is no “official” list like in Japan, just that some westerners borrowed the terminology/concept when translating. There are definately highly celebrated Chinese masters that are considered treasures, but I don’t think they are subsidized in the same way as in Japan.
KL-
We are actually hoping to feature Duan on an upcoming issue, so we may carry those vids - it really depends if they are set up to do wholesale. Most martial arts vidoe companies are small independents and cannot provide much beyond discounted retail. That doesn’t really work on our level.