In the winter of 2019, Coach Zhang Guifeng (2nd from right) and I (center), visited Beijing, and we met with Coach Zhang’s Wushu Teammates, our Wushu brothers, Cui Yahui (2nd from left), and Ma Liang (far right) for a vacation.

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Both Cui Yahui and Ma Liang are Coach Zhang’s younger Wushu teammates. They grew up together, and their relationship is more like siblings than teammates.  We had a great time talking about their childhood memories.

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Cui Yahui took over the coaching responsibility for the Beijing Wushu Team after the retirement of Coach Wu Bin, the founder of the Team.  Cui Yahui is a very humble man, so you might not know that it was him along with Jet Li and Lu Yan who performed Wushu in the South Lawn of the White House for President Richard Nixon in 1974.

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Cui Yahui, who knows my character well, suggested that we travel north to introduce me to new a friend. Cui Yahui assured me that I would like this person.

Li Xiaojian of Liaoning, Panjin (李晓剑，辽宁盘锦  雄风体校文武基地)is a younger Wushu practitioner. He has a Wushu training base with 500 students, and he has a very strong sense of the Wushu moral code for himself and his students. He is full of passion for the future of his students and is very straightforward in both his words and actions.  He reminded me of myself 30 years ago and we hit it off well. 

 

Upon leaving, he shared a poem he had written for me. It was written in traditional calligraphy, and I was truly touched.

“武聚天下兄弟，义结八方英雄”

“Martial Arts cultivate righteousness; Righteousness brings warriors together”

I am honored and privileged to share this poem with you and hope we can also come together as righteous warriors.

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