Hong Xiang Wushu School

Introduction
Martial artists from around the world are invited to attend the school in China, to study under the guidance of expert coaches and masters in order to learn the unique and highly practical 'Fohan Quan' style, and others. This style has been passed down family-style for hundreds of years and has only very recently begun to be shared with people from other countries.

In addition to Fohan Quan, the school also has courses of study in Shaolin Quan, Taiji Quan, and Sanda (kick boxing).

This is a unique opportunity to study traditional Chinese wushu in a small school, surrounded by real Chinese culture. The school is owned and run by the Master Li, who has been training and teaching for nearly 30 years.

The school is located on the outskirts of the town of Puyang in Henan Province, approximately 3 hours east of Zhengzhou (there are very frequent buses between Zhengzhou and Puyang, but no trains). There are also frequent buses from in front of the school to nearby facilities.

As of the time of this writing there is 1 foreign student in the school, with several more already expected in early-mid 2007. Response to this offering has been enthusiastic, and the maximum number of foreign students is currently capped at 10, so if you are interested in this school you should contact us soon to hold a spot for you.

Training Information

The students will be training in the style of their choice, although Fohan Quan is the preferred course of study (if students wish to learn additional Shaolin forms they may do so during additional classes or on their own time). The standard training schedule for foreigners is 5 hours a day, 6 days a week, however the schedule is very flexible to suit your needs. Additional training time is available to those who want to join the Chinese students for their early morning workouts and evening practice sessions.

Fohan Quan is taught primarily through a combination of forms (most of which are pair forms, ie. simulated fights that apply the theories and techniques of the style) and practical techniques, such as Qin-na. Sparring practice is also a key component.

The weekly schedule contains a wide variety of activities, including: flexibility stretching, running and stamina training, kicks, jumping kicks, solo routines learning/practice, pairs routines learning/practice, weapons training, hand techniques training, strength training, practice sparring, free sparring (Sanshou), and wushu theory. The teaching methods are scientific and drawn from years of experience.

The amount of material that can be learned during a stay depends on the length of stay and the previous experience of the student. In the first year the average student can expect to learn the following:
Fohan basic skills, wushu theory, Fohan 48 typical movements (solo form), Form 1 to Form 6 with two persons, Fohan Sanshou (free sparring), Fohan Quan's techniques of Health Maintenance, Fohan broadsword, Fohan cudgel, 5 methods of fast wrestling, Fohan leg movements, 20 methods of Qin Na (joint manipulation).

Living Arrangements
The standard option for students attending this school is to live in the school. There is one student per (spacious) room. There is one bathroom shared between the foreigners (a second bathroom will be dedicated to foreigners as needed), and common hot showers. No laundry on site (hand-wash only). Foreigners have their own dining room with food prepared specially for them (however this costs extra-- the basic food is free, but it is not up to the dietary standards of most foreigners, and is not recommended). The foreigners' cook can accommodate requests for specific food (within reason... sorry, no pizza for you!)

High-speed internet (DSL) is available in-room if required.

Other options for accommodation exist, such as a nearby apartment (prices vary) or hotel room (1400RMB/mo.)

Facilities

There is one indoor training hall (though typically only used when it is raining) a large outdoor earthen training area, and a large outdoor concrete area (which doubles as a basketball court). There is also a forested training area which provides excellent shade for hot sunny days.

There are mats for acrobatics practice, and mats for sparring/sanda use, as well as heavy bags. Students can purchase sparring gear from the school store, which also sells many other items including snacks, training shoes and uniforms, weapons, etc.

Weight training gear is limited at the school. but there is a good gym nearby with which a deal has been negotiated to give foreigners a special price, should they want to include weights as part of the training.

About The Master

Li Fan Fu, or Master Li, is the 6th generation successor of the Fohan Quan style. He has been training in Chinese martial arts for nearly 30 years, and has been teaching full-time for nearly 10 of those years. He has also trained previously in several other styles including Shaolin Quan and Taiji Quan and has taught both in the past, as well as Fohan Quan.

Li Fan Fu has received a long list of awards, and been mentioned in many magazine articles and TV shows on both a local and national scale. He has also produced two VCDs with a famous Beijing production company showcasing and teaching parts of Fohan Quan.

Costs
Costs vary upon the length of stay, however the basic rate for tuition is 3,000RMB/month. The cost for 6 months is 15,000 RMB, and the cost for a full year is 28,000 RMB.

If the student wants to eat the better food prepared by the foreigners' cook, it is 400RMB/month extra (this is highly recommended).

Contact Information
This school also has its own English-language website which offers some additional information about the style not yet included on this site. Please contact us if you need any further information about this school or wish to contact a foreigner who has trained at this school before.

Address: Pushang Lu, Puyang, Henan Province
Website: www.fohanquan.com