not disappointed, Bob took time out from his lesson to demonstrate his Kung Fu, Weapons and Tai Chi skills, he was very open about his knowledge and teaching methods and he told me about Master Deng in Shanghai. This first meeting blew my mind and I immediately asked if Bob would accept me as a student, I have been training with him ever since and never looked back.

Since knowing Bob I have gained much respect for him, through his open teaching methods, knowledge and the lineage behind his knowledge. He never holds back from his students and his teachings are kept simplistic as they were traditionally taught to him by Master Deng. It seems rare these days in the western world to find a teacher like Bob who can explain their art in plain black and white terms without clouding the martial art with unnecessary complexities and even rarer to find a teacher who will so openly share their knowledge with their students.

I find it somewhat amazing that someone as renowned as Bob and with such high calibre lineage, that he is almost never invited to visit other practitioners clubs. I feel it is a shame that some people seem to be unwilling to accept Bob's honest nature, believing him to be too outspoken.

On the first day in Shanghai Bob and I took a walk in the Botanical Gardens behind our hotel, it was early in the morning and we hoped to see Tai Chi being played. At first we could only find the Chinese jogging, walking backwards and doing slow exercises, but as we searched around we started to discover the areas of the park where all manner of Tai Chi and Chinese martial arts were being practised, from Chen Style to Fan, but by far the most wide spread was Yang Style Tai Chi and it was the same as how Master Deng had shown Bob, who in turn had shown me.

Bob Fermor, Master Mao and David Watts in Shanghai

practitioner who had learnt from the Shaolin temple. The Chinese men took Bob and I out of the park and to the home of Master Mao. As we got to Master Mao’s house, he turned up on his bicycle. The men spoke in mandarin to Master Mao, after which Bob started to demonstrate various forms to Master Mao, although Master Mao did not speak any English and Bob only knew a few words in Cantonese, the two exchanged a conversation through martial art moves. Afterwards the two Chinese men who could speak some English explained that if we met them in the park the next morning, Master

A few days into our visit to Shanghai Bob and I visited Master Deng at his home. Master Deng was so happy to see Bob again and I got the opportunity to meet Master Deng and his family which for me was a great honour indeed and a moment in my life I will always cherish. A little while into our visit Master Deng asked his daughter to phone his top student in Shanghai. His student, on hearing Bob was visiting, decided to rush over to the house. While we were waiting Bob told me to demonstrate section one of the 85 forms. When I had finished, Master Deng just smiled and gave me a thumbs up sign. For me there could be no greater

compliment, towards my Tai Chi development of the teachings of Master Deng as passed on to me by Bob, and it’s a credit to Bobs teaching methods. Soon after this Master Deng’s student arrived and immediately wanted to play Tui Sau pushing hands with Bob. They faced off in the living room and started to play, it was plain to see from the outset that Bob was taking control. They applied techniques and counters, Bob often landing a good technique and pushing his opponent away. You could see that Master Deng’s student was

Bob Fermor, Master Deng Er Qian, Shanghai student, David Watts and Master Deng's wife (front)

While in Shanghai Bob wanted to make a point of visiting the world famous Chin Woo Athletic Associations HQ. With the help of Master Deng’s daughter and her persistence, a meeting was eventually set up with the head of the Shanghai Chin Woo and the secretary. Bob, myself, Master Deng’s daughter and a translator attended the meeting. After the initial introductions and exchange of business cards we were led to the Chin Woo meeting chamber, a beautifully decorated room with ornately carved chairs around the walls. At first our hosts seemed unsure as to what Bob wanted to achieve from the meeting and although they were very hospitable, they did not seem to be particularly interested. Through the aid of our translator, Bob started to explain how much he respected the Chinese for their martial art abilities and that he believed much of the top Tai Chi was played in Shanghai. Bob went on to explain that because of this legacy he felt it was vitally important that the Chin Woo should lead the world in the recognition and promotion of Tai Chi, including Tui Sau Pushing Hands in their syllabus. By now our hosts were starting to take more interest and were very pleased to see a foreigner taking such interest in the preservation of the traditional Chinese styles of martial arts, but they were still not fully convinced. It was at this point in the meeting when Bob said “please allow me to demonstrate” and gestured for me to join him in the centre of the meeting chamber. Bob and I both faced off in ‘ward off’ position and commenced to perform ‘Grasp the Bird’s Tail’. By now the Chin Woo attendees interest was increasing. Bob and I continued to demonstrate various techniques from the 37 postures of the 85 forms, always starting from and returning to ‘Grasp the Bird’s Tail’. After demonstrating various techniques we then showed the techniques in practice by playing traditional Tui Sau, where anything goes, through sensitivity we used ‘feeling and listening energy’ to intercept and find openings to apply our Tai Chi techniques. We applied various techniques in quick succession with counter upon counter until Bob caught me with a brilliant Brush Knee Push, which sent me sprawling into the lap of the head of the Chin Woo association. By now our hosts were laughing and clasping their hands with excitement. Bob and I returned to our seats, our hosts visibly impressed and surprised to see such a level of skill performed by two foreign visitors. The meeting now took on a new level of importance with further discussions. The meeting was concluded with Bob receiving a formal invitation to return to Shanghai for the official opening of the newly constructed Chin Woo HQ building. Bob has since been back to Shanghai for further visits to the Chin Woo HQ, training with some of the head coaches.

Bob told me for me to really appreciate Tai Chi, it is important to travel to the source and meet Master Deng Er Qian for myself and to see the people of China exercising in the art of Tai Chi Chuan in the early mornings and feel the excitement and experience the essence of the true traditional Eastern values and culture.