Under the bright afternoon sun, groups of youth are enduring rigorous wushu training at the spacious Jollyman Park in Cupertino. They are students of Coach Dao-yun Chen. Some are members of the United States Wushu Team; others are gold medal champions, yet others come from a variety of top-ranking universities and local colleges, such as MIT, UC San Francisco, UC Berkeley, UCLA, De Anza College, and so forth.

The warm-up for outdoor wushu training is an involved process. It includes running for 3 or 4 laps around the park, followed by frog leaps, and then numerous rounds of basics training. After roughly 20 minutes, the students are soaked in sweat and breathing heavily. Strangely, no one is complaining; everyone is focused and ready. There is a high possibility that wushu might be inducted into the 2008 Olympics held in Beijing. This hope inspires these students to work even harder.

One of the students is 15 year old Jeff Lee, who is currently attending Saratoga High School. Jeff participates in his school orchestra. He also plays the violin and his current position is 4th Chair of the second violin section. He has been playing violin for 6 years under one teacher and two orchestras. He is also a good basketball player.

Jeff has won the gold medal of the beginner's Contemporary Chang Quan Hand form from the 20th annual UC Berkeley Chinese Martial Arts Tournament 2002. Jeff has a great deal of potential in Coach Chen’s eyes; he performs complex aerial acrobatics with ease. Everyday, Jeff trains with running and endurance exercises to keep himself in top physical condition. What were his thoughts when he first started wushu? He says, "Well for one, I have never sweat more in my life. The following day after my first day of training, I was sore in almost every single body part, many of which I didn’t even knew existed. Wushu almost immediately became my major hobby and one of my loves in life. "

How does wushu change his life? Jeff says, "One of the most important changes that have hit me was its ability to rapidly boost my confidence. Another is my respect abroad. No matter how simple something may look, in order to do it well, it must be learned through sweat and tears. At the same time, it has made me humble, no matter how good I may be, there will almost always be someone better and I will stare in awe. "

20 year old Cheri Haight has won over 100 gold medals at various martial arts tournaments and competitions. She was chosen to represent the United States at the 7th Wushu World Championships in Macau in 2003. She said, “Wushu has taught me many things about competition, human nature, being focused, and setting long-range goals. I believe that I am a much better person for having gone through the rigors of competitive wushu life.”

Collin Lee, of mixed Chinese and Japanese heritage, has already won eight gold medals in the recent East Coast Traditional Martial Arts competition. He is only 14 years old and has won almost every competition he has entered.
As a young child, the Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers inspired him to become exceptionally good at wushu. However, now that he’s older, he dreams of becoming a championship in wushu, both in the United States and internationally.

Collin's nickname is "wushu simba". He practices daily and says with enthusiasm, "Wushu has done so much for me that nothing in the world could possibly do. It has given me discipline for school, and in everything I do. It has allowed me to work harder whether it's doing a report for school or training for a big tournament. It has also given me an advantage for other sports. It am now much stronger than anyone my normal age and size, it has made me much, much more flexible than the average kid. It has given me a new way to work through life. I've learned that you can't just cruise through life, you have to be determined and work hard, and have fun with it. Wushu has done another thing for my life; it has given me friends who I will never forget."

18 year old Jack Tu won the title of All Round Champion with 6 gold medals and Grand Champion for the North America East Coast Can-Am competition in 2003. Jack started kungfu when he was 3 with his father, Grandmaster Chin-Sheng Tu, who is renowned for his Qigong. Jack trained with the Taiwanese National Wushu Team when he was 8. Jet Li, the Hollywood wushu star, also taught Jack chain whip, which is his favorite routine today.

To Jack, wushu is not just about a punch or a kick. "It's about self-confidence, self-conscious, and responsibility. Wushu reflects who we are, and helps us to reach our potential. " Jack Tu is multi-talented. Besides playing all kinds of sports, he also paints and draws. Some of his artwork is displayed in the Vancouver Art Gallery.

With 6 years of dancing experience, 13 year old Melody Chung has had only seven months of wushu training before she entered her first competition. She won the gold medal in the beginner straight sword division at the Chinese American Athletic Tournament held in July 2003. She felt that Wushu has allowed her to meet a group of fantastic friends. Her life has become filled with purpose and meaning. Although her classmates come from different backgrounds, culture and ages, their love of wushu helped them come together and share something wondrous.

In China, Grandmaster Dao-yun Chen is known as the “Gold Medal Factory”. For her, wushu is the trademark of traditional Chinese culture. It is a part of the very fabric of Chinese society and landscape. Although wushu has evolved into a modern sport, it is Coach Chen’s hope that it will become a world-renowned sport as well. “America is the world leader in sports. I fervently hope that with its strength, it will help spread wushu to the rest of the world.”

Wushu is an integral part of Dao-yun Chen’s life. She is a testament to China’s commitment to opening up its doors to the outside world. In 1974, China selected its top martial arts athletes to visit the White House and various cities around the world. Coach Chen was the captain of this legendary team that boasts current super star Jet Li as one of its members. During this historical exchange, wushu gained widespread coverage and praise from major media outlets such as the New York Times and Washington Post.

As for training student here in the United States, Coach Chen said, “Initially, I felt that American kids were a bit more arrogant, but I found that they are in fact hardworking and diligent. I truly admire them.” Through her coaching, she has become much more than just an instructor. She and the students have helped each other grow and learn over the course of time with the help of supportive parents and the community at large. It has helped turn the Hong Dao Wushu school into a big happy family of students, parents, coach and community members. Although wushu is extremely demanding, it is also the ultimate expression of the harmonious blend of power and beauty. Wushu has become the focal point of so many lives, because it challenges the body to the limit to achieve its true potential.

(Translated by TJ Yun Zhao)