Farewell to our dear friend – Piotr Nagłowski

On October 28th, 2023, we were saddened to hear the news of the sudden passing of instructor Piotr Nagłowski, who was also one of the first students of I Liq Chuan from Poland. Not only was he a legend in the music industry, he’s an amazing person, a wonderful friend and a great instructor. He’s contributed tremendously in the spread of the art especially through his help in translating the early edition of the System Guide.

Friends and family said goodbye to Piotr Nagłowski at the funeral on Monday November 6th.  He devoted a large part of his life to the art of Zhongxindao Iliqchuan. Students and instructors came to bid farewell to our colleague and friend. We sent our condolences to his family and to those who knew him. Our hearts and prayers are with you.  Goodbye Piotr, we will miss you dearly!

Here’s an article report on his passing and his past contributions to his music profession:

Grandmaster Sam F.S. Chin on Interviews on DAOI Talks

About Daoi Talks

DAOI strives for universal access to the fundamental and necessary tools needed to continuously improve and master authentic practices. They aim to promote and elevate Daoist and other traditional knowledge including but not limited to Martial Arts, Xiu Dao and Traditional Chinese Medicine by developing a community adhering to a non-partisan objective standard of practice.

Grandmaster Sam F.S. Chin is delighted to share the art of Zhong Xin Dao / I Liq Chuan – the Martial Art of Awareness on this hour long interview by Bill Bentley. 

Website: https://daoi.org/

Happy 69th Birthday to our Gatekeeper Sifu Sam Chin!

Happy birthday to our dear Sifu Sam!
 
As we celebrate this special day, let us immerse ourselves in the present moment, just like the gentle flow of a serene river. Embracing the essence of Zen, may our heart be light as a feather, free from the burdens of the past and worries of the future.
 
May this special day be filled with joy and good health. Thank you everyone for attending the Saturday’s class and celebrating early together with the family!
 
 
 
 

Commemorating the 9th Year Passing of the Late Founder : Chin Lik Keong

On July 7th, 2023 we commemorate the 9th year of passing as well as the birthday of our Founder Chin Lik Keong. Little did he know the skills that he shared with a few marital arts brothers over 45 years ago, would one day turn into an internationally acclaimed martial art system.
 
Throughout his life, Chin Lik Keong touched the lives of innumerable students, sharing his deep insights, cultivating their physical abilities, and nurturing their personal growth. His teachings went beyond mere techniques; they encompassed a holistic approach that blended physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of martial arts. As we remember him today, we honor his enduring legacy, which continues to inspire practitioners to embrace mindfulness, adaptability, and the pursuit of self-discovery through I Liq Chuan.
 
We are forever grateful for his generosity in sharing his skills.
 
Rare footage of the late founder Chin Lik Keong demo-ing various cycles of spinning hands with his son, Grandmaster Sam F.S. Chin
 

Passing of Mr. Kong Siew Sun – First student of I Liq Chuan

Condolences to the Kong Family

We are sadden to receive news of the passing of Mr. Kong Siew Sun.

He played a crucial role in I Liq Chuan history as he was the first person who suggested and supported our late Founder, Chin Lik Keong to start sharing his skills. He was the key person in recruiting other members to begin learning the art in the early 1970’s and later along with Principal Wong and our late Founder helped name and register the name “I Liq Chuan” under the sports registry of Malaysia.

He was an incredible being, a great friend and kung fu brother to our late Founder, and one of the very first student of I Liq Chuan besides our current Gate Keeper Grandmaster Sam Chin. He was like an uncle to GM Sam as he’s watched him grow since teenage years.

Our Chin Family Zhong Xin Dao / I Liq Chuan martial art community is forever grateful for the contribution of the late Kong Siew Sun. There wouldn’t be the growth of I Liq Chuan without his effort and support in the early years. 

May we gather and offer our prayers and deepest condolences to the Kong family.

 

Late Kong Siew Sun 2nd from left. Photo of the original four, plus principal Wong. Late Kong Siew Sun invited Founder Chin Lik Keong to start sharing his skills in his living room. The original group started with only 3 practitioners including GM Sam Chin – starting from left : GM Sam Chin, Late Kong Siew Sun, Unknown, and Late founder Chin Lik Keong as the instructor. Principal Wong on the far right joined later.

 

Granting the Masters and Grandmaster title

 
ABOUT MASTER TITLE
From Student Level 9 and Instructor Level 4, it involves an overall demonstration of skillful applications. Upon achieving this level, the student is granted the title of “MASTER” in the art. The state of “mastery” in our family art recognizes a lifelong continuous learning process ahead. The seeker-mind within is to always put oneself as a learner mentality of “the more you know, the more you recognize that you don’t know.” At this point in the curriculum, the Master gives a good representation of the family art.
 
For this reason, Rich Kelly, Ashe Higgs, and Daria Sergeeva are acknowledged for their achievement and ability to demonstrate the art as a “Master”. In order to maintain the integrity and quality of student level 9 must be graded by the Chin family to be officially recognized.
 
At the 2023 Annual NY Intensive Gate Keeper GM Sam Chin granted the titles of “Grandmaster” and “Masters” in recognizing for their martial skill and lifelong contribution in spreading the are of Chin Family I Liq Chuan.
 
Congratulations to Alexander Skalozub for receiving the well deserved title of “Grandmaster” in the art of I Liq Chuan, while Rich Kelly, Ashe Higgs, and Daria Sergeeva were granted the title of “Master”.
 
CONGRATULATIONS to Grandmaster Skalozub, Master Kelly, Master Higgs, and Master Sergeeva!

ZXD Academic Approach : “Beginner Mind, Zen Mind, Observing Mind”

“Beginner Mind, Zen Mind, Observing Mind”
Certificates of Completion Awarded by Grandmaster Sam F.S. Chin, Honorary Professor Emeritus to students at
Cabrini University / Radnor, PA USA. 12 December 2022

The ZXD Academic Approach Team (Nancy Watterson, Lan Tran, and Rich Kelly) has been busy this academic year 2022-2023!  

On December 12, 2022. Members of Cabrini University’s Balance Learning Community received certificates of successful completion of the global curriculum of the Martial Art of Awareness (Zhong Xin Dao / I Liq Chuan, specifically the new “Beginner’s Mind, Zen Mind, Observing Mind—Entry Level program” developed by Honorary Professor Emeritus: and Grandmaster Sam Chin.  They are the first students to complete this program in a university setting, studying the practice as part of their American Studies class “Conflict and Cooperation” co-taught by Lan Tran and Nancy Watterson, a fully-academic 3-credit course that also fulfills part of the general education core that addresses cultural dimension and civic engagement. Students explore their own values while integrating ZXD’s curriculum and movement-based kinesthetic learning as a tool for learning about awareness and the process of ‘learning how to learn’. in a university setting, in a course that fulfills the  general education requirement.

Inst. Rich Kelly guides students in skills-building activities that offer tangible practices for engaging with others respectfully—foundations for civic consciousness grounded in compassion.

 

To help the students prepare for the Entry-level program, Instructor Rich Kelly travelled to Cabrini University multiple times to work with first-year students as well as graduate students, faculty, staff and administrators from the Graduate School of Education. The Center for Global Learning, with support from PCCE grant-funding, also sponsored GM Sam Chin’s participation and a community-based workshop “Refining the Balance Point.”

By using martial arts as a tool for awareness, students—including senior citizens— practice simple solo exercises and safe cooperative partner activities.

 

Then, the team received a 2nd Civic Imagination grant from the PCCE, this one in conjunction with the International I Liq Chuan Association (501c3), collaborating on a series of diverse community-based events with Cabrini University and Bard College Annandale-on-Hudson. In addition to leading a graduate class at Bard, the team also sponsored a Qigong workshop for senior citizens, which was held March 18th at the Living Seed Yoga Center in New Paltz, NY (owned by our own fellow ZXD practitioner and instructor Carisa Borello).

The collaborative project, Applying Embodied Learning and Mindful Movement in Everyday Engagement builds on the initial phase of the project, Embodied Awareness & Cooperative Dialogue: Moving from Self-Observation to Social Compassion. The Academic ZXD Team, led by Master Rich Kelly, held workshops at Bard College Annandale-on-Hudson on using clear references for recognizing how to be in the present moment and deal with changing conditions.  In April, the ZXD Academic Approach team was accepted to present an interactive workshop at Gannon University in early June.

Zhong Xin Dao / I Liq Chuan Course with San Marino University

Presented by instructor Alberto Benedusi, the sharing of Martial Art of Awareness to college students at the San Marino University has come to a completion. (Original Article)

Students of the course were novice to Chinese martial arts and in particular internal styles. They attended 9 courses and have reached the minimum hours required to perform the FORM 21 of the curriculum. Topics being covered includes CONCEPT OF BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY… QI GIONG SOFT AND HARD… MEDITATION ON STEPS … and the FORM 21.
 
Well done to all the participants and congratulations to those who completed the form part planned in the course!!
 

Elements of Kung Fu

I Liq Chuan®, known as “The Martial Art of Awareness”, is a style of Chinese Kung Fu that cultivates consciousness based on the Tai Chi and Chan (Zen) principles of non-assertion, non-resistance, harmony of yin and yang, oneness and the present moment.

Zhong Xin Dao® (literally translated as Center-Heart-Path) is our unique approach to training and mastery. This innovative process, developed and refined over the last 20 years by Grandmaster Sam Chin, allows all practitioners to receive the “Xin Fa” (literally “Heart Transmission”) to gain the skills that were once reserved for family members and “indoor” disciples of the master.