Bow-sim Mark

Last updated

Bow-sim Mark
Born1942 (age 81–82)
Guangzhou, Republic of China
Native name麥寶嬋
Residence Newton, Massachusetts, US
Style Chinese martial arts
Taijiquan
Northern Shaolin
Wudangquan
Fu Style Baguazhang
Teacher(s) Fu Wing Fay
Rank Grandmaster
SpouseKlyster Yen
Children
Notable club(s)Bow Sim Mark Tai Chi Arts Association
Notable school(s)Chinese Wushu Research Institute
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 麥 寶 嬋
Simplified Chinese 麦 宝 婵
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Mài Bǎochán
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization Mahk Bóu Sìhm

Bow-sim Mark (born 1942) is a Chinese martial arts grandmaster who lives in Newton, Massachusetts, US. [1] She is the mother of martial arts film star, Donnie Yen.

Contents

Training

Mark was born in Guangzhou, Republic of China in 1942. She began studying martial arts at elementary school, training seriously in high school and then at Wushu training schools, specialising in tai chi and Northern Shaolin. Mark learned Fu-Style Wudangquan by training under Fu Wing Fay for 10 years; Wing Fay was the eldest son and top student of Grandmaster Fu Chen Sung. She was an instructor at Wing Fay's school from 1968 to 1974. [2]

Career

After living for years in Hong Kong, Mark emigrated to Brighton, Massachusetts in 1975, and founded the Chinese Wushu Research Institute in July 1976. [3] [4] She still teaches and performs in the Boston area. She was one of the first to provide Chinese wushu instruction in the West, [5] and is credited with popularizing the term Wushu outside of China. She gave the first demonstration of Combined tai chi in the United States, and published the first description of the technique in 1975. [2] Mark won a gold medal at the first International Tournament of tai chi in Wuhan City in 1984. [6] She was named Black Belt magazine's Kung-Fu artist of the year for 1995. [7]

One of her specialities is her Wudang sword dance. [2] She played the part of a 'kung fu diva' in a play, Mum and Shah at the Lyric Stage theater in Boston in 1995. [8]

Black Belt magazine named her one of the most influential martial artists of the 20th century. [9]

Personal life

Mark is married to the newspaper editor Klyster Yen. [2] They have two children, [3] a son, martial arts movie star Donnie Yen, [10] and a daughter, Chris Yen, who placed All-round Third division in the First International Wushu tournament in 1986 as the youngest competitor, [11] and who has also joined the film industry. [12] [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kung fu (term)</span> Chinese martial art

In general, kung fu or kungfu refers to the Chinese martial arts also called quanfa. In China, it refers to any study, learning, or practice that requires patience, energy, and time to complete. In its original meaning, kung fu can refer to any discipline or skill achieved through hard work and practice, not necessarily martial arts. The literal equivalent of "Chinese martial art" in Mandarin would be 中國武術 zhōngguó wǔshù.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese martial arts</span> Variety of fighting styles developed in China

Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms kung fu, kuoshu or wushu, are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" of martial arts. Examples of such traits include Shaolinquan (少林拳) physical exercises involving All Other Animals (五形) mimicry or training methods inspired by Old Chinese philosophies, religions and legends. Styles that focus on qi manipulation are called internal, while others that concentrate on improving muscle and cardiovascular fitness are called external. Geographical associations, as in northern and southern, is another popular classification method.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanda (sport)</span> Chinese self-defense system and combat sport

Sanda, formerly Sanshou, is the official Chinese boxing full-contact combat sport. Sanda is a fighting system which was originally developed by the Chinese military based upon the study and practices of traditional Chinese martial arts and modern combat fighting techniques; it combines boxing and full-contact kickboxing, which includes close range and rapid successive punches and kicks, with wrestling, takedowns, throws, sweeps, kick catches, and in some competitions, even elbow and knee strikes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donnie Yen</span> Hong Kong actor and martial artist (born 1963)

Donnie Yen Chi-tan is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and action director. He is the recipient of various accolades, including three Golden Horse Awards and five Hong Kong Film Awards. He is best known for portraying Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man in the Ip Man film series, loosely based on the life events of the Wing Chun master of the same name. For that series, he starred in Ip Man (2008), Ip Man 2 (2010), Ip Man 3 (2015), and Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019). He also served as co-producer for the spin-off Master Z: Ip Man Legacy (2018).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wushu (sport)</span> Type of Chinese martial arts

Wushu, or kung fu, is a competitive Chinese martial art. It integrates concepts and forms from various traditional and modern Chinese martial arts, including Shaolin kung fu, tai chi, and Wudangquan. "Wushu" is the Chinese term for "martial arts", reflecting the art's goal as a compilation and standardization of various styles. To distinguished it from Traditional Chinese Martial Arts, it is sometimes referred to as 'Modern Wushu'.

Scott M. Rodell is a martial artist, author, and teacher of Yang-style taijiquan. He is the founding director of Great River Taoist Center, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C.

Stephan Berwick is an American author, martial artist, and actor known for his scholarly research on traditional Chinese martial arts – particularly Chen-style taijiquan, and roles in early Yuen Wo-ping Hong Kong Action films.

<i>Drunken Tai Chi</i> 1984 Hong Kong film

Drunken Tai Chi is a 1984 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Yuen Woo-ping. It is notable for being the acting debut of Donnie Yen, who had previously performed as a stuntman. The film showcases Yen's martial arts skills as well as his b-boying abilities, including a scene in which Yen performs a moonwalk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fu-style baguazhang</span> Chinese martial art

Fu-style Wudangquan is a family style of Chinese martial arts encompassing tai chi, xingyiquan, baguazhang, liangyiquan, bajiquan, and Wudang Sword. Fu Style Baguazhang is one of the five styles of baguazhang recognized as orthodox in China. It is the highest form of the Fu-style martial arts.

<i>Kung Fu Tai Chi</i> American martial arts magazine

Kung Fu Tai Chi is a United States magazine covering martial arts and combat sports. Kung Fu Tai Chi magazine began publication 1992 and is owned by TC Media, Inc. The magazine was started as a quarterly. In 1996 its frequency was switched to bimonthly and in 2000 to monthly. In 2001 it again became a bimonthly magazine. The headquarters is in Fremont, California. In 2009 the magazine started a YouTube account and posts videos on covering the full spectrum of Chinese martial arts and demonstrations.

Helen Wu is a Chinese Muslim martial artist living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The daughter of Wang Jurong and Wu Chengde, she began her martial arts training at age three with her mother and her grandfather, Wang Ziping, the world-renowned Wushu Grandmaster.

Wang Jurong was a Chinese-Muslim martial artist and Wushu professor in the Shanghai Institute of Physical Education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yang Jun (martial artist)</span>

Yang Jun is a Wushu master who was born in Taiyuan, Shanxi, China in 1968 into the famous Yang family of martial artists. A son of Yang Daofang and a grandson of Yang Zhenduo, he is a direct descendant of Yang Chengfu and of Yang Luchan, the creator of Yang-style tai chi. Yang Jun is a sixth-generation descendant of the Yang family of tai chi, and is the fifth lineage-holder of the style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wong Doc-Fai</span> Chinese martial artist

Doc-Fai Wong is a master of tai chi and the Hung Sing branch of Choy Li Fut kung fu. He was born in 1948 in the Guangdong province of China, specifically, the Wangshan village in the Doumen District of Zhuhai. In April 1960, he and his mother immigrated to San Francisco, California to be reunited with his father. He arrived as a third-generation citizen of the United States of America since both his grandfather and father were already citizens. He sought out his first kung fu teacher - Lau Bun (劉彬), the founder of the first Hung Sing Kwoon of Choy Li Fut in America, after encountering taunting and bullying due to language and ethnic difficulties after his arrival. When Lau Bun died in 1967, Wong Doc-Fai started teaching and opened his first school aged 19.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfred Hsing</span>

Alfred Hsing is an American martial artist, actor, and stuntman. After over a decade of intensive training in both America and China, Hsing won the first American gold medal in wushu taolu history at the 2009 World Wushu Championships held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Earlier that year, he made the US National Wushu Team where he was ranked 1st in the nation. Along with his career in martial arts, Hsing is also recognized as the Shaolin expert on Spike TV's show Deadliest Warrior.

Wudang Sword is a body of Chinese straight sword (jian) techniques—famous in China—encompassed by the Wudangquan or internal martial arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wudangquan</span> Group of Chinese martial arts

Wudangquan is a class of Chinese martial arts. In contemporary China, Chinese martial arts styles are generally classified into two major groups: Wudang (Wutang), named after the Wudang Mountains; and Shaolin, named after the Shaolin Monastery. Whereas Shaolin includes many martial art styles, Wudangquan includes only a few arts that use the focused mind to control the body. This typically encompasses tai chi, xingyiquan and baguazhang, but must also include bajiquan and Wudang Sword. Although the name Wudang simply distinguishes the skills, theories and applications of the internal arts from those of the Shaolin styles, it misleadingly suggests these arts originated at the Wudang Mountains. The name Wudang comes from a popular Chinese legend that incorrectly purports the genesis of tai chi and Wudang Sword by an immortal, Taoist hermit named Zhang Sanfeng who lived in the monasteries of Wudang Mountain. Wudang quan is often used synonymously with Neijia, but Neijia is a broader term that also encompasses Aikido and Qigong, which are not Wudang quan.

Jade Xu Hui-hui is a Chinese-born martial artist, actress, stunt performer, and former wushu taolu competitor, who has resided and competed in Italy and the United States. She is a three-time world champion and is one of the most renowned athletes to represent a European country at the World Wushu Championships.

Chris Yen Tze-ching is a Hong Kong martial artist and actress. She is the younger sister of the actor Donnie Yen. She was noted for her roles in the films Protégé de la Rose Noire, Adventures of Johnny Tao: Rock Around the Dragon, and Give 'Em Hell, Malone.

The United States of America Wushu Kungfu Federation (USAWKF) is the governing body of wushu-kungfu in the United States. The USAWKF manages and selects the members of the US Wushu Team to compete in various international competitions including the World Wushu Championships, World Junior Wushu Championships, World Kungfu Championships, and the World Taijiquan Championships. The USAWKF also develops regional and national activities relating to Wushu, and has had great influence on how wushu taolu and sanda events are run in the United States. The USAWKF is a member of the Pan-American Wushu Federation (PAWF) and the International Wushu Federation (IWUF).

References

  1. ↑ Cobb, Nathan (13 March 2001). "Grande Dame of Wu Dang". The Boston Globe . Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Kwan, Paul W.L. (April 1978). "The New Wu Shu". Black Belt Magazine . Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  3. 1 2 Wong, Sandy (December 1975). "Tai Chi Chaun's Little China Doll Comes To America". Black Belt Magazine . Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  4. ↑ "M.I.T. students study combined Tai Chi Chuan". Black Belt. February 1976. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  5. ↑ Carrabis, Joseph-David (April 1984). "Combined Tai Chi in the U.S. Stepping out of China's shadow". Black Belt. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  6. ↑ "Tai Chi Tourney a Hit in Mainland China". Black Belt. October 1984. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  7. ↑ Gracie, Rickson (October 1996). "Awards so far". Black Belt. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  8. ↑ MacMillan, Valerie J. (7 July 1995). "Mum and Shah Blends Motion, Fancy". The Harvard Crimson . Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  9. ↑ Charles P. Pierce (19 June 2011). "The way of the ribbon and the sword". The Boston Globe . Archived from the original on 7 July 2014.
  10. ↑ Lukitsh, Jean (February 1994). "Yen Yearns for Stardom in Hong Kong Films". Black Belt Magazine . Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  11. ↑ "Youngster wins Wushu award". Black Belt Magazine . February 1986. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  12. ↑ "Chris (Chi Ching) Yen". Bow Sim Mark Tai Chi Arts Association. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  13. ↑ Rosenbaum, S.I. (8 March 2009). "Kung Fu daughter". Boston Globe. Retrieved 22 January 2010.

(Wayback Machine copy)

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.