About the Organisers
Michael Henley
I started my training in 1986 in the Temple School of Kung Fu with Sifu Tony Leung and his senior instructors, learning Hung Gar and Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu. This system was predominantly external training and hard chi kung for fighting ability but had some internal parts and softer Chi kung later in the syllabus. This part had always fascinated me and it wasn't until meeting Zhi Xing Wang that the power that could be attained from soft (internal) training dawned on me.
Those first few years were really such a fantastic time as Zhi Xing was just starting to teach openly in London and the energy that was created was phenomenal. I even went to meet his teacher, Master Tui, who at the time was over from China to visit, but that's another story. I decided to concentrate on internal training so continued with Zhi Xing until about 1995 when I moved to Wales.
During that time I also met Dr Shen Hongxun, a Tai chi chuan and Chi kung master who is one of the few teachers able to use Tai chi Jin (energy forces) to great effect. By that time I had learnt the Cheng Man Ching short Yang Form from Adriaan Von Schaik (a student of John Kells and Adrian Murray), and was able to appreciate a little of what Dr Shen had to offer in terms of what is considered to be 'secret' Tai chi knowledge. I am still fascinated and continue to train with him today.
In 2001 I set up the Nan Pai Kung fu and Tai chi chuan Association to bring together many of the things I have learned over the years and am now teaching full time in Wales.