Sam Masich | |
|---|---|
 Masich in front of his studio | |
| Born | February 7, 1962 Prince George, British Columbia, Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Tai chi instructor, songwriter and filmmaker |
Sam Masich (born February 7, 1962) is a tai chi instructor, performing songwriter and filmmaker residing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and Berlin, Germany.
Masich was born February 7, 1962, in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. He began his career with an intensive apprenticeship in tai chi and judo at age 18 with Brien Gallagher in Burnaby, BC. By age twenty, he was teaching in community centres in Vancouver BC and in 1985 was selected to Canada's national wushu team to compete in the 1st International Invitational Wushu Tournament in Xi'an, China. [1] During the 1980s, Masich gained a reputation as a top tai chi/neijia competitor. [2] [3] He currently resides in Berlin, Germany.
During the 1980s and 1990s, Masich became a formal disciple of Yang Jwing Ming and Liang Shouyu. [4] As well he furthered his studies with Yang Zhen Duo, Chen Xiaowang and Jou Tsung Hwa. During this time he began teaching workshops and seminars in his native Canada and elsewhere. He created the "5 Section Taijiquan Program" and has published articles and films on tai chi, Xingyiquan, Baguazhang and other subjects.
From the 1990s, while continuing his research and teaching in the field of neijia, Masich began a parallel career as a performing songwriter and recording artist, working primarily with Christine Duncan and Michael Friedman and in collaboration with Michael Creber, Miles Black and others. [5]
Other endeavours have included stints as a film and television special skills trainer and choreographer (see Black Sash (TV series)), workshop facilitator for professional actors and martial arts instructional-film maker. He is the subject of two internationally airing documentaries including Quiet Places: A Tai Chi Retreat by Omni Films.
| Year | Album Title | Artist | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Lucky Time | Sam Masich | producer, composer, lyricist, vocalist |
| 2006 | Diamond Space | Michael Friedman | producer, lyricist |
| 2005 | Cinematic | FFM (Friedman, Fortin & Masich) | performer, writer |
| 2005 | Cow! | Aldous Orwell Project | vocalist, guitarist, songwriter |
| 2005 | Blue Manifesto | Blue Manifesto (Sam Masich & Bobby Kapp) | vocalist, guitarist, songwriter |
| 1998 | Why It Happens | Sam Masich & Christine Duncan | vocalist, guitarist, songwriter |
| 1998 | Angst Ridden Writer | Michael Friedman | lyricist |
| 1997 | Different Standards | Christine Duncan | songwriter, co-producer (with Miles Black) |
| 1997 | The Vogue Show | Christine Duncan | producer/song-writing contributor |
| 1995 | AniManiacal | Sam Masich | vocalist, songwriter |
| 1994 | Rhythm and Bliss | Moritz & the Fiddleheads | guitarist |
| Year | Film Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Sam Masich Video Classics Collection | 20 hours 14 volumes |
| 2007 | Push Hands Video Manual vol. 2 | 45 min |
| 2007 | Yang Style Traditional 54 Taijijian | 60 min |
| 2007 | Zheng Manqing Taijiquan | 118 min |
| 2004 | 5 Section Chen Style Taijiquan | 60 min |
| 2003 | Traditional Yang Style Taijiquan 108 | 60 min |
| 2002 | Tai Chi in Performance | 65 min |
| 1996 | 5 Section Taijijian (solo sword) | 80 min |
| 1996 | 5 Section Taijijian (2 person sword) | 70 min |
| 1993 | Balancing the Heart Qigong | 80 min |
| 1993 | Tai Chi for 50+ | 45 min |
| 1992/2003 | Vital Xingyiquan vol. 1 | 70 min |
| 1992/2003 | Vital Xingyiquan vol. 2 | 105 min |
| 1992 | 5 Section Yang Style Taijiquan | 60 min |
| 1992 | 5 Section Taijiquan (2 person) | 40 min |
| 1991 | 24 Simplified Taijiquan | 90 min |
| 1988 | Tai Chi Reference Video Series | 60 min |
| 1987 | Push Hands Video Manual vol. 1 | 40 min |
{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help){{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help){{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)The Ancient Arts of Tai Chi and Qigong (Osiris Films 1998)
Quiet Places—A Tai Chi Retreat (OMNI Films 1999)
Neijia is the collective name for the internal Chinese martial arts. It relates to those martial arts occupied with spiritual, mental or qi-related aspects, as opposed to an "external" approach focused on physiological aspects. The distinction dates to the 17th century, but its modern application is due to publications by Sun Lutang, dating to the period of 1915 to 1928. Neijin is developed by using neigong or "internal changes", contrasted with waigong or "external exercises".
Baguazhang is one of the three main Chinese martial arts of the Wudang school, the other two being tai chi and xingyiquan. It is more broadly grouped as an internal practice. Baguazhang literally means "eight trigram palm", referring to the bagua "trigrams" of the I Ching, one of the canons of Taoism.
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.
Mizongyi is a style of Chinese martial art based on deception and mobility.
Liuhebafa quan is an internal Chinese martial art. It has been called "xinyi liuhebafa" (心意六合八法拳) and is also referred to as "water boxing" due to its principles.
Sun Lutang (1860-1933) was a master of Chinese neijia (internal) martial arts and was the progenitor of the syncretic art of Sun-style tai chi. He was also considered an accomplished Neo-Confucian and Taoist scholar, and was a distinguished contributor to the theory of internal martial arts through his many published works.
Zhan zhuang is a training method often practiced by students of neijia, such as yiquan, xingyiquan, baguazhang and tai chi. Zhan zhuang is sometimes translated Standing-on-stake, Standing Qigong, Standing Like a Tree, Post-standing, Pile-standing, or Pylon Standing.
Moy Lin-shin was a Taoist monk, teacher and tai chi instructor who founded the Taoist Tai Chi Society, the Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism and the Gei Pang Lok Hup Academy.
Dong Haichuan is regarded as a skillful martial artist and widely credited to be the founder of Baguazhang. Most, if not all, existing schools of Baguazhang place Dong Haichuan at the beginning of their lineage. Some traditional teachers in China do not regard Dong as the founder, though, but merely as the first identified transmitter of Baguazhang knowledge to the wider public. In their opinion, prior to Dong, Baguazhang teaching was conducted behind closed doors from one Taoist to another within the Taoist sect. There is no historical evidence of practicing Baguazhang among the Taoists prior to the modern era, however.
Hung I-Hsiang or Hong Yixiang (1925–1993) was a Taiwanese martial artist who specialized in the internal Chinese styles of xingyiquan, baguazhang, and taijiquan.
Hsu Hung-chi or Xu Hongji (1934–1984) was a Taiwanese martial artist who specialized in the Neijia of xingyiquan, baguazhang and taijiquan.
Jiang Yukun was a tai chi master from Cina. He was a student of Yang Chengfu, and specialized in Yang-style tai chi.
Fu Zhensong, also known by his courtesy name Fu Qiankun, was a grandmaster of Wudangquan martial arts. He was best known as one of the famed "Five Northern Tigers," and a third-generation master of Baguazhang who founded Fu Style Baguazhang. He was also a soldier and a supporter of Sun Yat-sen.
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.
Chang Dsu Yao was a teacher of the martial arts Meihuaquan and tai chi from Taiwan.
Qigong is a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation said to be useful for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial arts training. With roots in Chinese medicine, philosophy, and martial arts, qigong is traditionally viewed by the Chinese and throughout Asia as a practice to cultivate and balance the mythical life-force qi.
Jiang Rongqiao was a famous martial artist from Hebei, China. His specialized focus on the internal arts led him to develop his own system of Bagua which became recognized and known as Jiang Style Baguazhang.
The Central Guoshu Institute was established in Nanjing by the Kuomintang government of the Republic of China in March 1928 for the propagation of Chinese martial arts, and was an important center of martial arts during the Nanjing decade. Guoshu "national art" was the term for martial arts adopted by the Republic of China at the time. The institute was created by Zhang Zhijiang under the sponsorship of elite government officials such as Li Liejun and others. Along with the Jing Wu Athletic Association, the academy played a crucial role in the transmission of traditional Chinese martial arts into the 20th century.
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.
Xingyiquan, or Xingyi, is a style of internal Chinese martial arts.
