Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Students Celebrate Annual Kuo Lien Ying Memorial

The annual Kuo Lien Ying Memorial was held on June 22, 1996, at 6:30 on a sunny Saturday morning in San Francisco's Portsmouth Square Park where Chinatown meets the Financial District and a short distance from North Beach. On the west upper side of the park the neat row of typical three-story masonry structures, which had survived the 1906 earthquake, were lined up tightly along the narrow alley of Walter U. Lum Place, a one block alley, running north and south from Clay to Washington Street. It was known as Brennan Place in the yesteryears and Kuo Lien Ying, the great Kung Fu Master had traveled this path many times daily.

Kuo Lien Ying Memorial Celebration

Kuo Sifu's birthday was celebrated in San Francisco's Chinatown at Portsmouth the United States. Many of his old students and their students come each year to celebrate this honored event.

He end every year with Dim Sum at Gold Mountain Restaurant in Chinatown.

Kuo Ling Ying Memorial Celebration

This year's Memorial held an added dimension with a special feeling in the air. The week prior to the Memorial Henry Look received a letter from his sworn martial arts brother, Kuo Chung Xin, Master Kuo's fourth son from Mongolia. In the letter, he congratulated Look for his continued energy in forming, along with his fellow associates, the Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Association in the United States. In the letter he also stated, "If my father were still alive and knew you have formed the Guang Ping Association, he would be extremely happy. Throughout my father's life, he had always loved Kuoshu (Chinese Martial Arts), and he fought to spread such a National Treasure to other parts of the world. Today, I really feel admiration for you in carrying on my father's dream." Kuo Chung Xin also sent a huge congratulatory silk banner. The Chinese characters hand sewn on the banner stated, "Congratulations to the U.S.A. Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Association, Success in Spreading the National Treasure, China's Guang Ping Tai Chi Chuan, in memory of Grand Master Kuo Lien Ying, from Dedicated Supporter and Student, Kuo Chung Xin."

The Memorial was attended by many of Master Kuo's direct students, who arc still actively teaching and promoting the Guang Ping Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan in the United States. Attending the Memorial were Y. C. Chiang, Henry Look, Jarl Forsman, Francesca Roveda, Cheryl Lynne Pickens, Don Rubbo, Kimo LePree, Jim Maslaski, Don Boone, and Grand Students, Fu-Tung Cheng, William Wong, Allen Trigueiro, Nina Hopkins, and many others.

After the Memorial more than thirty people joined together for Tea and Dim Sum at a nearby Chinese restaurant in Chinatown.

It was disappointing that many of the old students and friends who had participated in other Memorials were unable to make it this year. We send our best wishes and hope to see them again at our next gathering.

By Henry Look

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