Penn State Karate Club

On August 16 and 17, 2008, Penn State Karate Club Members and Tai Chi practitioners from around the country traveled to the University Park campus for demonstrations and special training sessions. Distinguished PSU alumni Black Belts and world-renowned Tai Chi Masters provided Penn State students, and faculty with free training in the ancient internal martial art of Tai Chi. Pictures from the event can be viewed at Penn State Live

Events began with a traditional Lion Dance Opening Ceremony by the performance group Steel Dragon. Tai Chi masters demonstrated examples of the internal arts: Taiji, Bagua, Xingyi, Tong Bei Quan, Shaolin, and San Da. The event provided one of the most authentic presentations of Tai Chi outside of China.

Grand Master Zhang Yun lead the seminar instruction. Master Zhang is head of the North American Yin Cheng Gong Fa system, which he inherited during his youth in China from the Da Shi (Great Master) Wang Peisheng of Beijing, China. The group currently consists mainly of American students trained here in the states by Master Zhang since he immigrated here in 1989.

Instruction was also be provided by master Tai Chi instructor Professor Paul Cote, MS, Ph.D.; Professor of Microbiology, Georgetown University. Master Cote obtained his BS and MS degrees from Penn State in 1974 and 1977. He is also a 5th Dan, Instructor, and alumnus of the Penn State Karate Club under Master Dane Sutton.

Seminar participants included members of Yin Cheng Gong Fa schools from Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Tennessee, along with student and alumni members of the Penn State Karate Club and their invited guests. Those participants new to Chinese martial arts received an opportunity to try some of the scheduled activities, as well as to obtain some basic instruction in Wu style Tai Chi.