Dòu Wànchūn 竇萬春

Dòu Wànchūn 竇萬春 started training in 1976 and received his diploma directly from International Grandmaster Chan Kowk Wai 陳國偉, at the Academia Sino-Brasileira De Kung-Fu 社術國巴中, in 1998, in São Paulo, Brasil. His certification number is 81.

In 1976, Dòu Wànchūn 竇萬春 began training at the Taiji Health Academy (TJHA) 院學身健極太 in Toledo, Ohio when it was on Burns Rd, and continued training there when it went to Heatherdowns. At the time, his teachers were 吳百忍 Wú Bǎirěn (diploma #3), 吳紀元 Wú Jìyuán (diploma #5), and Duza. All 4 are direct students of International Grandmaster 陳國偉 Chan Kowk Wai. After 吳紀元 Wú Jìyuán left the Academy, Duza took over teaching and Dòu Wànchūn 竇萬春 became assistant instructor.

In the teacher's own words:

In 1980, I started teaching at Bowling Green State University at the Chinese Martial Arts Association 社術武國中 I created. I also taught Taijiquan for the Toledo hospital having more students than any of the other programs of its kind. I also taught Gongfu at Keith Van Sickle's Tae Kwon Do school. Keith was a great guy. He allowed me to not only teach at his school, but also had me teach weapons sets to a great many of his students. He was also the person who helped me to get started teaching at the Toledo Hospital. In Ohio, at that time, people from different styles helped each other because martial arts are about family and helping others. Teaching in Ohio was a great experience.

 

In 1983, The TJHA closed and I continued teaching and learning from an assortment of high quality teachers, until my move to California in 1989. Before the TJHA closed, 吳百忍 Wú Bǎirěn, caring for me greatly and wishing for me to always be safe, gave me a bit of advice. On the last day of classes, he called me into his office and said the following, "you have to be careful from now on. You represent our school and our style. You like to fight a lot. So far, you have not lost, but there is always someone better. 上得山多終遇虎 Shàng de shān duō zhōng yù hǔ (paraphrase: if you climb many mountains, soon you will find a tiger)." I always remember those words, following them at all times, and all of the advice he gave me throughout the years. He was a great person and a great teacher. I have followed the highest level of 武德  Wǔdé (Martial Ethics) as my personal 武士道 Wǔshìdào (Gentleman Warrior Way) impeccably and with meticulous adherence at all times:

義 Yì (right conduct)
禮 Lǐ (respect/etiquette)
誠 Chéng (honesty)
譽 Yù (honour)
忠 Zhōng (loyalty)

When I left Ohio in 1989, I was training about 12 hours a day. In 1992, I began teaching in Los Angeles. The school name at that time was: The Beishaolin Health Club 社身健林少北 which in 1997 became The Beishaolin Health Academy 院學身健林少北. In 2000, I changed the name of the school to The Sino-American Martial Arts Academy 院學功武美中, keeping in the naming sequence associated with my teacher's school. In 2002, I began the Sino-American Taiji Club 社極太美中 at UCLA and the Česko-Čínská Akademie Wushu 院學術武捷中 in Brno, Czech Republic. Most recently, I ran: The Sino-American Martial Arts Academy 院學功武美中 in Los Angeles, The Sino-American Taiji Club 社極太美中 at UCLA, and the Česko-Čínská Akademie Wushu 院學術武捷中 in Brno, Czech Republic.
I spearheaded the spreading of my teacher's martial arts throughout Central and Eastern Europe, and spreading our school's Gongfu throughout the USA. 

 

I've had students travel to Brasil and win many gold medals in International Championships. My students and I have won many fighting tournaments as well as forms competitions in the Midwest. I've appeared in VIP Magazine, on SportsTV, have had two Gongfu shows on Public Access TV, wrote the most popular article for Journal of Chinese Martial Arts (at that time), and have done demonstrations and taught around the world. I have students in the following countries: USA, Canada, Argentina, Brasil, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Peru, France, Israel, China, and Japan. 

 

Chronological list of organizations:

 

Taiji Health Academy
Tàijí Jiànshēn Xuéyuàn
院學身健極太
(1976-1983)
Teachers: 吳紀元 Wú Jìyuán (Diploma #5), Duza, and 吳百忍 Wú Bǎirěn (Diploma #3)
(Position: student, assistant instructor, instructor)

Chinese Martial Arts Association
Zhōngguó Wǔshù Shè
社術武國中
(1980-1989)
(Position: founder and teacher)

Toledo Hospital Taiji Group
(1986-1988)
(Position: teacher)

"(1989-1992 - Private Instructions Only)"

Beishaolin Health Club
Běishǎolín Jiànshēn Shè
社身健林少北
(1992-1997)
(Position: founder and teacher)

Beishaolin Health Academy
Běishǎolín Jiànshēn Xuéyuàn
院學身健林少北
(1997-2000)
(Position: founder and teacher)

Academia Sino-Brasileira De Kungfu
Zhōngbā Guóshù Shè
社術國巴中
(1997-2006)
(Position: student, helped teach)

Academia Sino-Brasileira De Kungfu
Zhōngbā Wǔshù Xuéyuàn
院學術武巴中
(2006-Present)
(Position: student, helped teach)

Chan Kowk Wai International Association
會總合聯際國偉國陳
(1998-Present)
(Position: co-founder)

Sino-American Martial Arts Academy
Zhōng Měi Wǔgōng Xuéyuàn
院學功武美中
(2000-Present)
(Position: founder and teacher)

Sino-American Taiji Club
Zhōng Měi Tàijí Shè
社極太美中
(2002-Present)
(Position: founder and teacher)

Sino-Czech Wushu Academy
Česko-Čínská Akademie Kungfu
Zhōngjié Wǔshu Xuéyuàn
院學術武捷中
(2002-2013)
(Position: founder and teacher)

合連功武傳真際國
Guójì Zhēnchuán Wǔgōng Liánhé
International Authentic Tradition Martial Arts Federation
院學功武捷中
Česko-Čínská Akademie Wugong
(Zhōngjié Wǔgōng Xuéyuàn)
(2013-Present)
(Position: founder and teacher)