Kurt Wong

Kurt Wong is a Taiwanese martial artist and the Grandmaster of the Wu Tan Alaska, Norway and Australian branches. He resides and teaches in Anchorage, Alaska.

## Biography

### Early life

Born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan, Wong's initial experience with martial arts was studying Tae Kwon Do.

### Wu Tan

Some years later, in 1972, out of a desire to learn more about Chinese Culture and the martial arts, Wong began studying with Wu Tan after a classmate recommended the organisation to him. Though he was also taught by Liu Yun-Qiao and Adam Hsu, Wong's primary instructor was Su Yu Chang under whom he became an official disciple in 1974.

### North America

Four years after beginning training with Wu Tan, in 1976, Wong was selected to be a youth goodwill ambassador for the Republic of China.As a result, he travelled to North America to represent China with his martial arts prowess. After returning home, he spent two years in the Taiwanese military before, moving to North America in 1978 for further study eventually becoming a certified public accountant in Alaska..

#### Starting teaching

A year later, he began teaching Kung Fu as a means to earn money at Tanana Valley Community College. He had great success and immediately acquired a full class of 25 students. He would later go on to settle in Anchorage where he would continue to teach.

> "My brother-in-law told me to work at the cafeteria. They paid $3.50 an hour, so I thought, '*Ok, let me see what I can do'*. I went to Tanana Valley Community College [in Fairbanks, Alaska], and I asked them, '*Can I teach something Chinese?*' They said, *'What do you know?'* I said, '*Kung fu'*. They said, '*Oh oh, good, we'll sign you up.'* I asked, '*Well, how much do you pay?'* And he said, '*How about $15 an hour?'* I said, '*I take it!'"*
>
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#### Wu Tan Alaska

Officially founded in 1982, after Wong first received the flag of Wu Tan from Liu Yun Qiao, Wu Tan Alaska was the first of three schools that Wong would open under the Wu Tan banner. Since its creation, the school has kept strong ties with other Wu Tan branches and has hosted guest instructors from the main line including Dr. Liang Zi Tse, Adam Hsu, Su Yu Chang, Jason Tsou, Tony Yang, and Lu Chang Kuei. In the year 2000, Wong began officially accepting disciples into the "Hewi" generation of Wu Tan. He has so far produced five teachers who have four junior teachers underneath them and as such Wong became, as a result, the first "Grandmaster" of his generation.

#### Lost Brother

Master Lu, Chang-Kuei was a dear friend of Wu Tan Kung Fu and Tai Chi Institute and a proper Memorial page will be forthcoming. For now, we want to acknowledge the lifetime of dedication to Grandmaster Liu and the Wu Tan tradition and especially give thanks for the generosity he showed to us every time he visited Alaska. He was the catalyst for Master Wong taking his initial Discipleship group and came to Alaska to participate as the Nominating Shifu for Master Wong’s first group of Disciples (of which I am one). Every visit brought new treasures and he always delivered his lessons with a bright smile and a keen eye for detail, his positivity was infectious, and we have benefited greatly from his generosity.

#### Present day

Currently, Wong regularly travels to his overseas students to offer workshops from Alaska, where he still regularly runs classes.

## Martial Arts

During his time at Wu Tan, Wong learned a wide number of Chinese Martial arts: Qixing Tanglangquan, Babu Tanglangquan, Mei Hua Tanglangquan, Liu He Tanglangquan, Bajiquan, Piguazhang, Chen style Taijiquan, Changquan, Baguazhang, and several weapons.

Currently, Wong teaches three Northern Styles of Kung fu at his school in Anchorage: Northern Praying Mantis, Chen Taijiquan, and Bajiquan/Piguazhang.

### Bajiquan

Wong's Bajiquan derives from Su Yu Chang's PachiTangLang and Liu Yun Qiao's Wu Tan Bajiquan.

## Awards and recognition

In 1976 Wong was a Goodwill Ambassador to the USA from the Republic of China.

## Legacy

### Noteable Students

Although he has taught several hundred students throughout his career, Wong currently only has around 30 official Hwei generation disciples.

#### Paolo Castaneda

Paolo is a student of Wong's from Wu Tan Alaska, however, he currently resides and teaches in Oslo, Norway where he runs the Oslo Wu-Tan Guoshu Klubb. He, like his master, began his martial arts training with Tae Kwon Do.

#### Kevin Walle

Walle is Wong's official representative in Australia and heads the Australian Wu Tan branch.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Grandmaster Kurt Wong - Oslo Wu-Tan Guoshu klubb
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Wu Tang and the Three Levels of a Martial Artist - Vice.com
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 A Special Interview With Overseas Wu Tan Masters: Master Kurt Wong - Wu Tan Alaska (Translated from Wu Tang Magazine, May, 2011)