Renegade Royal Kung Fu Club (continued)For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7
What is Tai Man Chi?Tai Man Chi is the primer for Liu Kun Tao. While you are studying Tai Man Chi you will be learning beginner methods and techniques, some of these are universal to the majority of martial art systems. Thus, in the logo, Tai Man Chi is the bridge between karate and kung fu.
History of Kun TaoKun Tao is a Chinese phrase, which translates as “Fist Way” or “Fist Path.” It is of the Hokkien dialect, predominantly spoken in Fukien Province, China. The Chinese characters for Kun Tao are the same characters used in Cantonese. Kun, can also be spoken as “Kune,” “Chuan,” or “Chywen” & Tao is spoken as “Dao.” The Characters are still the same. There are other pronunciations, as there are many Chinese dialects. Today, the Chinese government is standardizing the language of the country.
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In days of old, many of the Kun Tao styles were held as closely guarded secrets within families, sects, and villages. Many styles evolved from these
families and were not necessarily from Shaolin Kung Fu. Even today, there are Kun Tao styles, which will always be behind closed doors.
Chinese Kun Tao is not a flashy or pretty art. It is explosive in nature and very powerful. The intent is to take control and destroy the opponent in an
instant. We sometimes refer to it as “Old Hand” or “Old Kung Fu.”
Over time, some of these Kun Tao styles migrated to other Southeast Asian countries, by way of travelers, merchants, and those who had to leave China for
political reasons. This resulted in a blending of Chinese arts, with those arts of other countries.
Our particular style of Kun Tao came from China, to Toronto Canada, to Erie Pennsylvania, and to Tampa Florida by means of Master Willem Reeder and his student, Sigung Thomas Pepperman, Liu Han James Hennessy, Jr., and Sifu Janet Carswell.
families and were not necessarily from Shaolin Kung Fu. Even today, there are Kun Tao styles, which will always be behind closed doors.
Chinese Kun Tao is not a flashy or pretty art. It is explosive in nature and very powerful. The intent is to take control and destroy the opponent in an
instant. We sometimes refer to it as “Old Hand” or “Old Kung Fu.”
Over time, some of these Kun Tao styles migrated to other Southeast Asian countries, by way of travelers, merchants, and those who had to leave China for
political reasons. This resulted in a blending of Chinese arts, with those arts of other countries.
Our particular style of Kun Tao came from China, to Toronto Canada, to Erie Pennsylvania, and to Tampa Florida by means of Master Willem Reeder and his student, Sigung Thomas Pepperman, Liu Han James Hennessy, Jr., and Sifu Janet Carswell.
The History of Master Willem Reeders
Kun Tao from the Liu Seong (Willem Reeders) system involves an introduction to a serious study in self-defense. Liu Seong was half-Chinese and half Dutch
royalty and began learning Kun Tao Gung Fu at the age of four, from his Chinese Great Uncle Liu Seong Sr. His uncle was already 80yrs. old when he began teaching young Willem Reeders, (his Dutch name). Uncle Liu Seong of the royal Weiling family taught his family's system to the family's royal guards and also was a priest of the Shao-Lin Temple, so he saw to it that his nephew, Liu Seong received training there. At age 12, in the 1930's, Willem Reeders (Liu Seong) began yearly trips to Peking where he learned martial arts, anatomy, philosophy, meditation, mind control the use of fire, water, wind, earth, acupuncture, Buddhism, and Tibetan Tai Chi.
He came to the United States and settled in the Jamestown, and Dunkirk, NY area sometime after 1955, when the Dutch quit Indonesia after losing the
revolution. He supported himself here by teaching Kung Fu.
While in New York, Liu Seong became advisor for the television series Kung Fu. The program ran on ABC from 1972-1975. The blind temple teacher was based on Liu Seong Sr. and the young boy was based on Liu Seong (Willem Reeders) himself!
Liu Seong (Willem Reeders) passed away in 1990.
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royalty and began learning Kun Tao Gung Fu at the age of four, from his Chinese Great Uncle Liu Seong Sr. His uncle was already 80yrs. old when he began teaching young Willem Reeders, (his Dutch name). Uncle Liu Seong of the royal Weiling family taught his family's system to the family's royal guards and also was a priest of the Shao-Lin Temple, so he saw to it that his nephew, Liu Seong received training there. At age 12, in the 1930's, Willem Reeders (Liu Seong) began yearly trips to Peking where he learned martial arts, anatomy, philosophy, meditation, mind control the use of fire, water, wind, earth, acupuncture, Buddhism, and Tibetan Tai Chi.
He came to the United States and settled in the Jamestown, and Dunkirk, NY area sometime after 1955, when the Dutch quit Indonesia after losing the
revolution. He supported himself here by teaching Kung Fu.
While in New York, Liu Seong became advisor for the television series Kung Fu. The program ran on ABC from 1972-1975. The blind temple teacher was based on Liu Seong Sr. and the young boy was based on Liu Seong (Willem Reeders) himself!
Liu Seong (Willem Reeders) passed away in 1990.
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