DC Tai Chi

Special 50th Anniversary Episode of “In Discussion With”

This Sunday, 19 July, I will be joined by Jean Lukitsh and Stephan Berwick, two senior students of Master Bow Sim Mark, for a very special conversation celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Chinese Wushu Research Institute.

Founded by Master Bow Sim Mark in Boston in 1976, the Institute was a pioneering centre for the study and promotion of Chinese martial arts in the United States. Master Mark is particularly renowned for her mastery of the Chinese martial arts, as well as being the mother of Donnie Yen.

Jean Lukitsh began studying with Master Mark in 1978 and became one of her senior students. Alongside her decades of martial arts practice and teaching, Jean has worked extensively to preserve the history and traditions surrounding Master Mark and the Institute.

Stephan Berwick joined the Chinese Wushu Research Institute in the early 1980s. With Master Mark’s support, he later travelled to China with Donnie Yen for intensive professional wushu training before appearing in severa Hong Kong action films. He has since become an established martial artist, teacher, author and researcher, particularly within Chen-style Taijiquan.

Together, we will explore the history of the Chinese Wushu Research Institute, Master Bow Sim Mark’s teaching and vision, life inside the school during its formative years, and the remarkable legacy she has passed on to martial artists around the world.

Submit Your Questions

Members of the public are invited to submit questions for Jean and Stephan. Leave your question in the comments or send it to me directly through the contact form at www.mushinmartialculture.com, and I may select it to be included during the interview.

Join us for this special celebration of 50 years of the Chinese Wushu Research Institute and the extraordinary life and legacy of Grandmaster Bow Sim Mark.

Bow Sim Mark is one of the most influential Chinese martial arts masters in the United States. She is especially renowned for her expertise in Tai Chi (Taijiquan), Changquan (Long Fist), Jian (straight sword), and traditional Chinese martial arts.
Some highlights of her career:
Born in Guangzhou (Canton), China, she trained in martial arts from a young age.
She later emigrated to the United States, where she became one of the pioneers of modern Chinese martial arts instruction in North America.
She has taught thousands of students over several decades and has helped popularize Wushu and Tai Chi internationally.
She has served as a coach, judge, and consultant for numerous martial arts organizations and competitions.
She is the mother and one of the primary martial arts teachers of actor and martial artist Donnie Yen. Donnie has often credited her with building the foundation of his martial arts skills.
Bow Sim Mark is also an accomplished author and has published instructional books on Tai Chi and Chinese martial arts.
Because of her technical skill, teaching ability, and lifelong contribution to Wushu, she is regarded as one of the most respected female Chinese martial arts masters in the world.

A true kung fu pioneer, Grandmaster Bow Sim Mark was the first to bring Combined Taiji to the West. She emigrated to the Boston area in 1975 and founded the Chinese Wushu Research Institute in 1976.

Beyond her role as the mother of martial arts cinema icon Donnie Yen (Zhēn Zǐdān)—renowned for his portrayal of Ip Man—Master Mark's own place in martial arts history stands entirely on its own. Long before her son's ascent in the Chinese film industry, she had already cemented her legacy: first as a direct student of the legendary Grandmaster Li Tianji (李天骥), and later as the first to bring their Combined Taiji to the United States.

In 1991, she introduced her own simplified Taiji form to cable television with "A Taste of Tai Chi". This show captures a master at her absolute peak—exuding the precision, flowing grace, and quiet authority that only decades of dedicated practice can produce.

She was—and will forever remain—the living bridge between the old masters and the modern era. Though she no longer stands before a class, her Combined Taiji form lives on in the hands and hearts of those she trained, carrying her spirit forward with every breath and every movement. 🙏

🎥 Watch clips from the show here:
https://youtu.be/4pnqqWqBlAU?si=xUTp-ZnC7kedgcuF

Photograph of Li Yulin (1888-1965) in the posture "Part Horse's Mane" from the traditional Yang style of Tai Chi Chuan.

Five Tigers Descend South of the Yangtze River – Fu Zhensong.
When discussing major events in the modern martial arts world of southern China, one of the most celebrated is the "Five Tigers Descending to the South." Five masters of the northern school traveled south together, spreading northern martial arts to the Hubei and Hunan regions. In addition to Gu Ruzhang, the "Iron Sand Palm" master mentioned earlier, Fu Zhensong, the founder of Fu-style internal martial arts, whom we will introduce today, was also one of them.
Fu Zhensong (1881-1953), courtesy name Qiankun, also known as Jiannan, was a native of Qinyang County, Henan Province. Having loved martial arts since childhood, at the age of 16 he hired Chen Yanxi, grandson of Chen Changxing (the teacher of Yang Luchan, the founder of Yang-style Tai Chi, who was known as "Master of Memorial Tablets" due to his standardized movements), to teach him Chen-style Tai Chi. He also became a disciple of Jia Qishan (a student of D**g Haichuan, the founder of Baguazhang) to learn Baguazhang.
Fu Zhensong's mastery of both major internal martial arts styles quickly made him famous in his hometown, leading to his recommendation by various villages to become a martial arts teacher and militia instructor. However, this did not make him complacent. During his visit to Guanzhong, he continued to seek out renowned masters, eventually meeting Song Weiyi, a Wudang swordsman (a direct disciple of Wudang boxing and the teacher of the sword saint Li Jinglin), in Yizhou. Song Weiyi imparted the essence of Wudang Tai Chi to Fu Zhensong, further elevating his martial arts skills. In 1920, Fu Zhensong abandoned farming to join the army, serving under Zhang Zuolin as the commander of a martial arts company. Six years later, he rose to the position of captain of Zhang Zuolin's guard. However, the martial arts world was where Fu Zhensong could truly showcase his talents.
In 1928, the Central Martial Arts Academy was established, and Fu Zhensong was invited to serve as the chief instructor of Baguazhang. He was hailed as a "Tiger General" in the "List of Famous Martial Arts Figures" compiled by the Ta Kung Pao. In 1929, the Guangdong-Guangxi Martial Arts Academy was established in Guangzhou. Li Jishen and Chen Jitang, then political figures in Guangdong Province, invited Fu Zhensong, Gu Ruzhang, Wang Shaozhou (or Li Xianwu, according to another account), Wan Laisheng, and Geng Dehai to go south to teach martial arts. This is the famous "Five Tigers Going South". In addition to serving as an instructor at the Guangdong-Guangxi Martial Arts Academy, Fu Zhensong also served as the chief martial arts instructor at the Whampoa Military Academy. His eldest son, Fu Yonghui, came to Hong Kong with a martial arts troupe to perform.
Afterwards, Fu Zhensong began to organize all the knowledge he had learned in his life, including Tai Chi, Bagua, Wudang sword, and various boxing styles he had learned from his friends Li Jinglin, Sun Lutang, and Li Shuwen. Ultimately, he created a unique internal martial arts system known as "Fu-style Internal Martial Arts".
Fu Zhensong's prestigious position as a founder of a school of thought ensured his continued respect from all sides even after 1949. At the first National Games held in Guangzhou in 1950, Fu Zhensong was selected as a performance member and was very popular with the public. On April 26, 1953, Fu Zhensong was invited to perform at the Lingnan Cultural Relics Palace. Perhaps due to overwork, Fu Zhensong felt dizzy and unwell after returning home that evening. He was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a cerebral hemorrhage. On May 1, Fu Zhensong passed away at the age of 72.