Kungfu Family was founded by Master Li Quan, the eighth student of Grandmaster Dai Kang of the Dai Shi Men Marital Arts School, which practices a traditional form of the Emei Style Southern Fist Gong Fu System. Master Li Quan makes it a point to instil more than brute force in his students. His is a wholesome approach to Chinese Kungfu, which incorporates not only physical exercises, but also meditation techniques, combat strategies, nurturing Qi levels, mental exercises, studying how the body operates, medical knowledge, and learning about herbs and their healing effects.
Master Li Quan is an extremely disciplined, hardworking, and motivated teacher of traditional Chinese Kungfu. A student and teacher of Chinese Wu Shu martial arts for more than 30 years, he attained Master level as the eighth great disciple under Grandmaster Dai in 1997 and has become a nationally recognized martial artist and a respected member of the Chinese Wushu Association.
Master Li Quan is an extremely disciplined, hardworking, and motivated teacher of traditional Chinese Kungfu. A student and teacher of Chinese Wu Shu martial arts for more than 30 years, he attained Master level as the eighth great disciple under Grandmaster Dai in 1997 and has become a nationally recognized martial artist and a respected member of the Chinese Wushu Association.
Biography
When he was a little boy, Master Li Quan was already fascinated by Kungfu. His grandfather was a man of the military and, despite his old age, was very fit and agile, continuously exercising his body. His grandfather’s Kungfu movements appeared to little Li Quan as the most perfect dancing in the world. Li Quan imitated his kicks and punches and, under his grandfather’s instruction and guidance, he learned the basic skills by age 10. He then joined the local Kungfu community and was taught by more professional Kungfu masters.
At that time, the only game little Li Quan really took an interest in was fighting. While others were playing basketball or football, he was always scuffling and wrestling with someone. One evening, when he was fighting with another kid, he accidentally used his Kungfu skill to attack him so that the kid got hurt. Li Quan's parents were very angry and banned him from continuing his training.
So, secretly, Li Quan began to train all by himself. He made a punching bag so heavy that he was barely able to lift it up the tree. After school, the first thing he did was to take it out from its hiding place, hit it 200 times, and bury it under the hay afterwards. His fist soon got so hard that nobody in his school dared to challenge it.
When he was 14, a supposedly stronger boy in school emerged who nobody dared to fight. Li Quan took up the challenge and beat him. But when he turned his back and left him lying on the ground, the other boy grabbed his legs from behind. Li Quan fell over and broke his arm. He had to stay for weeks in hospital and tragically missed the exam that would have allowed him to pursue higher education.
When he was a little boy, Master Li Quan was already fascinated by Kungfu. His grandfather was a man of the military and, despite his old age, was very fit and agile, continuously exercising his body. His grandfather’s Kungfu movements appeared to little Li Quan as the most perfect dancing in the world. Li Quan imitated his kicks and punches and, under his grandfather’s instruction and guidance, he learned the basic skills by age 10. He then joined the local Kungfu community and was taught by more professional Kungfu masters.
At that time, the only game little Li Quan really took an interest in was fighting. While others were playing basketball or football, he was always scuffling and wrestling with someone. One evening, when he was fighting with another kid, he accidentally used his Kungfu skill to attack him so that the kid got hurt. Li Quan's parents were very angry and banned him from continuing his training.
So, secretly, Li Quan began to train all by himself. He made a punching bag so heavy that he was barely able to lift it up the tree. After school, the first thing he did was to take it out from its hiding place, hit it 200 times, and bury it under the hay afterwards. His fist soon got so hard that nobody in his school dared to challenge it.
When he was 14, a supposedly stronger boy in school emerged who nobody dared to fight. Li Quan took up the challenge and beat him. But when he turned his back and left him lying on the ground, the other boy grabbed his legs from behind. Li Quan fell over and broke his arm. He had to stay for weeks in hospital and tragically missed the exam that would have allowed him to pursue higher education.
When he came out of hospital he became even more secretive in his exercise regime. He practiced when other people were sleeping, sneaking into the horse stable and spreading a piece of cloth on the ground to train.
Since he failed to join university, his parents wanted him to learn something practical in order to make a living. In fact, he already had made up his mind to join Kungfu school, but he did not dare to tell them. He picked up work at a construction site and from morning to evening he moved bricks and cement. Even though it was very strenuous work, it was a very happy period in his life. Tired at the end of the day he got 11 Chinese yuan in his hand, this meant he was getting closer and closer to fulfilling his dream to enter Kungfu school.
He was saving virtually all his income, rather going hungry than spending anything, and after 10 months he already had accumulated 2,000 Chinese yuan. He packed his stuff, left a letter for his family, and then went to Kungfu school in Hebei Province. It was the first time he ventured beyond his native place - that year he was 17.
Since he failed to join university, his parents wanted him to learn something practical in order to make a living. In fact, he already had made up his mind to join Kungfu school, but he did not dare to tell them. He picked up work at a construction site and from morning to evening he moved bricks and cement. Even though it was very strenuous work, it was a very happy period in his life. Tired at the end of the day he got 11 Chinese yuan in his hand, this meant he was getting closer and closer to fulfilling his dream to enter Kungfu school.
He was saving virtually all his income, rather going hungry than spending anything, and after 10 months he already had accumulated 2,000 Chinese yuan. He packed his stuff, left a letter for his family, and then went to Kungfu school in Hebei Province. It was the first time he ventured beyond his native place - that year he was 17.
In Hebei he joined the Chinese Wu Shu Academy and by 1991 he already had become Team Captain of the Northeast China Amateur Wu Shu Team. Two years later he moved to Sichuan Province, where he has been residing ever since. First he studied and taught at the Chinese Gong Fu Research Academy in Deyang and then he became a family member of the Dai Shi Men Wu Shu Institute in Hanyuan. Dai Shi Men is lead by Grandmaster Dai Kang, one of the most respected individuals in the world of Kungfu in Sichuan.
Studying under Grandmaster Dai Kang, Li Quan soon attained the Master level and started to teach more and more students, including an increasing number of foreigners. He even continued to participate in competitions from time to time, and in 2005 Master Li Quan became Champion in the 78kg weight class of the prestigious San Da Wu Shu Tournament.
In between, Master Li Quan was asked to teach self-defense and martial arts techniques to airport and in-flight security, work as an unarmed bodyguard for highly endangered individuals in hostile environments (having successfully fought off assailants on several spectacular occasions), train Chinese police in self-defense and apprehension tactics as well as People's Liberation Army troops in hand-to-hand combat - all the while teaching students at his Kungfu school. He even managed to graduate with a degree in English language from the distinguished University of Sichuan in his sparse leisure time.
Studying under Grandmaster Dai Kang, Li Quan soon attained the Master level and started to teach more and more students, including an increasing number of foreigners. He even continued to participate in competitions from time to time, and in 2005 Master Li Quan became Champion in the 78kg weight class of the prestigious San Da Wu Shu Tournament.
In between, Master Li Quan was asked to teach self-defense and martial arts techniques to airport and in-flight security, work as an unarmed bodyguard for highly endangered individuals in hostile environments (having successfully fought off assailants on several spectacular occasions), train Chinese police in self-defense and apprehension tactics as well as People's Liberation Army troops in hand-to-hand combat - all the while teaching students at his Kungfu school. He even managed to graduate with a degree in English language from the distinguished University of Sichuan in his sparse leisure time.
For the Beijing Olympic Games 2008 he was asked to become Head of Security for Olympic Torch Relay across the People’s Republic of China. He was made responsible for planning and logistics for the three-month tour across 37 cities. During the Olympics itself, he acted as Security Liaison between Holland House and the Beijing Public Security Bureau, helping to coordinate security for Dutch dignitaries, including the Prince and the Prime Minister.
Beside his great responsibilities in Chinese society, Master Li Quan's real passion has always been to instill traditional Kungfu in his students, whether locals or individuals from other countries. He aptly named his school Kungfu Family (武道之家), highlighting the family aspect of Kungfu practitioners as well as the close bond between master and student (along the lines of the guru-chela tradition of Indian culture). Chinese Kungfu in its true form is grooming students towards the ideal of the “gentleman-scholar-warrior”. This wholesome concept demands a unique combination of fighting skills, virtues, and scholarship.
Beside his great responsibilities in Chinese society, Master Li Quan's real passion has always been to instill traditional Kungfu in his students, whether locals or individuals from other countries. He aptly named his school Kungfu Family (武道之家), highlighting the family aspect of Kungfu practitioners as well as the close bond between master and student (along the lines of the guru-chela tradition of Indian culture). Chinese Kungfu in its true form is grooming students towards the ideal of the “gentleman-scholar-warrior”. This wholesome concept demands a unique combination of fighting skills, virtues, and scholarship.
Among Master Li Quan's achievements are:
Additional qualifications:
Among other media, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Ya'an Ribao, Sichuan Jingji Ribao, and the South China Morning Post have already been reporting on Master Li Quan's Kungfu Family.
- Security liaison during Beijing 2008 Olympics for the Holland House and coordinated security for Dutch dignitaries, including the Prince and Prime Minister
- Training Chinese police in combat fighting and apprehension tactics
- Training Airline Security guards in self-defense and martial arts techniques for airport and in-flight security
- Training People's Liberation Army troops in hand-to-hand combat
Additional qualifications:
- Master – Kungfu Family School, Chengdu (2001 – Present)
- Master – Dai Shi Men School (1998 – 2000)
- Master – Emei Feilong Kungfu School (1997-1998)
- Champion – San Da Wu Shu Tournament, 78kg weight class (1996)
- Certified Master – Dai Shi Men Wu Shu Institute (1997)
- Certified Master – Chinese Gong Fu Research Academy (1995)
- Team Captain – Northeast China Regional; Amateur Wu Shu Team (1991)
Among other media, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Ya'an Ribao, Sichuan Jingji Ribao, and the South China Morning Post have already been reporting on Master Li Quan's Kungfu Family.
