Gerard, Canadian, 35 years old
When I first came to Hanoi more than five years ago, I was determined to study a 'Vietnamese' martial art. Eventually, through friends of friends I was introduced to Quang. He explained about the history of Shaolin Kung Fu in Vietnam, and how Asian martial arts in many ways decend from the same Chinese source. In his opinion, it was always best to study at the source. But given that I was determined to study a 'Vietnamese' martial art, he recommended some other masters in Hanoi, and wished me luck finding what I was looking for.
A month later, I returned to take my first class with Quang, and I've been studying with him ever since.
On that first day, I asked Quang whether he preferred the title Chinese title 'si phu' or the Vietnamese title 'thay.' He replied that he didn't like either one and that I should just call him 'anh,' or 'older brother.' This for me sums up Quang's teaching style and his character more generally. His training and experience make him my older brother, but both of us are part of the same martial arts family. By collapsing the distance between 'master' and 'student' into that of older and younger brother, he creates an environment that encourages questions and experimentation, and enhances learning.
Quang has an amazing understanding of the mechanics of the body. When a particular movement won't work and I'm getting frustrated at my own incompetence, I'll ask him why it's not working. Quang will watch one time and then tell me to turn my right foot an additional 20 degrees at a certain point in the movement: as if by magic it will all come together. It is these two elements that explain why five years later, I'm still getting out of bed at 5:00 AM every morning to study with Quang: not only does he have a tremendous understanding of the martial arts, but also he creates an environment where he can impart that knowledge to his students. |
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