Inside the Mind of a Martial Arts Master: Exclusive Interview with Master Tengyao by Warrior Unicorn

Translation and transcription of Tu Tengyao's interview with Warrior-Unicorn (on WeChat ).

It’s great to have you, Master TengYao for this interview!
We are an Instagram channel dedicated to showcasing the best of the martial arts world, from inspiring stories of practitioners to expert techniques and everything in between.

We have a passionate community of followers who look to us for the latest and greatest in martial arts, and we’re excited to introduce them to you!

With your vast knowledge and experience in the world of martial arts, we can’t wait to hear your insights and perspectives on everything from training and technique to mindfulness and philosophy.

So, let’s dive into this conversation and share your incredible journey with our martial arts community!

Thank you very much for your attention and support! It is a great honor!

First, let me introduce myself. My name is Tu Tengyao. I am the founder of the Wing Chun Tu Tengyao Boxing Association and the Chongqing Wing Chun Boxing Association. I have been working tirelessly in the inheritance, research, and promotion of Wing Chun. My disciples are spread throughout the country and even overseas.

I have established Wing Chun teaching and research institutions in many provinces and cities, including Chongqing, Sichuan, and Guangxi. I have been interviewed by various media, including CCTV, China News Agency, Chongqing TV, Business Magazine, Chinese Martial Arts Soul, and Bazaar Men, to vigorously promote Wing Chun martial arts.

In the CCTV martial arts documentary “The Greatness of Heroes,” I guided and demonstrated Wing Chun.

I was invited to participate in the filming and starring of the “Unwavering Principles” martial arts promotional video for the Adidas “Wujin” series.

We have collaborated with many universities across the country, including the Southwest Airlines College, to offer Wing Chun courses and serve as the teaching supervisor and overall guide for Wing Chun instruction.

We have also trained numerous Wing Chun coaches and established “Promoting Chinese Martial Arts, Wing Chun Public Classroom” in multiple campuses.

Leading tens of thousands of Wing Chun students to perform Wing Chun together, we have set the Guinness World Record for “the largest-scale Wing Chun performance in history.”

We were invited to continuously develop the “Wing Chun Anti-Terrorism Combat” professional topic for the “Civil Aviation Anti-Terrorism Research Institute.”

Through many years of research and teaching in Wing Chun, we have developed a highly professional, systematic, and practical teaching research system for Wing Chun instruction.

Our boxing style and teaching philosophy have been recognized by the industry and are highly favored by martial arts enthusiasts.

Master Tu Tengyao:

  • It was unexpected that my videos would become so widely known, and it was not my original intention when I started sharing my Wing Chun videos on Douyin.
  • My initial purpose was to provide reference and inspiration for Wing Chun enthusiasts like myself, and to showcase a different style of Wing Chun for martial arts enthusiasts through my videos.
  • Later on, I hoped to impact more people and generate interest in Chinese Kung Fu to encourage people to start learning.

Master Tu Tengyao:

  • Chinese martial arts are an important part of Chinese traditional culture. Therefore, it is impossible to truly express the meaning of Wing Chun or Kung Fu without the embodiment of culture, ideology, and even character.

  • The theory and principles of Chinese martial arts are crucial, and culture is actually the soul, while combat is just a technical aspect. Therefore, in my videos, I strive to combine both culture and technique to the best of my ability.

Master Tu Tengyao:

  • Competition on the ring is a form of promotion and athletic activity closely related to martial arts fighting. It is also a great display of competitive spirit and Olympic values.
  • While I do support some of my students who choose to compete in this field, my personal goal is to emphasize the importance of Chinese traditional culture embedded in martial arts, and to show people the philosophical and intellectual aspects behind the techniques.
  • The ideas and wisdom of traditional culture can not only strengthen one’s body but also provide stability and strength to one’s mind, thoughts, emotions, attitude, and spirit.

Master Tu Tengyao:

  • Self-defense is the fundamental purpose of practicing martial arts. Therefore, any Chinese martial arts style that has been passed down for many years has the ability to defend oneself, and Wing Chun Kung Fu has a particular emphasis on self-defense techniques. It is skilled in using rapid speed, short bursts of force, and flexible footwork, and even uses techniques such as using both hands and feet, weapons, and the environment to achieve self-defense goals. There are also many simulated combat and application breakdowns in the training system.
  • However, the effectiveness of practicing martial arts depends on the individual. Practicing one kind of martial arts cannot represent the whole style, but only represents one’s own level of understanding and mastery, as well as the conditions achieved through the development of the brain and body using the martial art.
  • Everyone is different and naturally has different levels of strength and skill.

Master Tu Tengyao:

  • Thank you very much for the love and recognition of Chinese martial arts from overseas enthusiasts. Like the Chinese people, Chinese kung fu has great inclusiveness. China, like many other countries, has always shared and learned many excellent cultures and technologies with the world.
  • Currently, my abilities and energy are limited, and I do not have any plans to cooperate with or teach martial arts overseas.
  • However, I warmly welcome enthusiasts who love Chinese kung fu and respect Wing Chun to come to China to learn. Our martial arts school also has foreign students and disciples who have reached the level of translation and can help foreign students in teaching.

Master Tu Tengyao:

  • Hello to all the fans overseas, and thank you for liking Wing Chun and Chinese kung fu. I am just one of thousands of martial arts inheritors in China, and my videos have been fortunate enough to catch your attention.
  • In the eyes of the Chinese people, martial arts are not just a combat technique, but also a spirit that is fearless in the face of danger and tenaciously struggles on, representing our positive energy.
  • Wing Chun originated from Shaolin and has undergone over a hundred years of inheritance and development. Its characteristics are speed, efficiency, and wisdom. It is also a way to develop the body and mind. It is a valuable martial art that is worth everyone’s love and study.
  • I hope that while you enjoy Chinese martial arts, you can also gain a deeper understanding of the ideas and spiritual qualities within our martial arts.
  • I wish you all a richer and more practical harvest.

Related posts

Zhang Hanliang | The “Warrior Spirit” from a Martial Arts Family

Tu Tengyao | Martial arts “net celebrity”

“Wing Chun is the understanding and perception of life”

23 comments

Kevin Cowan March 10 2023 - 14h10
Absolutely brilliant, massive thanks and respect for posting. 🙏
Gabriel April 20 2023 - 13h03
maestro, admiro mucho su wing chun desde argentina, lamentablemente aqui no hay escuelas que tengan un nivel serio de enseñanza, ojala pueda llegar su sabiduria y tecnicas hasta aqui.
Hatem May 22 2023 - 18h06
Dear. Master chu I want to practices this material arts and know this kind of matial arts how i can do that via inline
Win Chen June 1 2023 - 3h37
Master, do you have Wing Chun online class? How to join? Because I live in another country.
Editorial Team June 9 2023 - 5h50
Hello, This was answered in "Question 6" during te interview -> For now The Master has no plan for online teaching. Just wait and see how it will go in the next months, who knows ;-)
Phillip June 10 2023 - 22h30
Hello, I am also wanting to to do the classes online as I live in Australia.
Editorial Team July 4 2023 - 7h07
Hello, As replied earlier, This was answered in "Question 6" during te interview -> For now The Master has no plan for online teaching. Just wait and see how it will go in the next months, who knows ;-)
Richard Paul Hesser June 13 2023 - 12h54
Greetings Sifu I would like to join your class and sign up for online classes if available
Editorial Team July 4 2023 - 7h07
Hello, As replied earlier, This was answered in "Question 6" during te interview -> For now The Master has no plan for online teaching. Just wait and see how it will go in the next months, who knows ;-)
Manish July 4 2023 - 6h39
sir I would like to join your class and sign up for online classes if available plz
Editorial Team July 4 2023 - 7h07
Hello, As replied earlier, This was answered in "Question 6" during te interview -> For now The Master has no plan for online teaching. Just wait and see how it will go in the next months, who knows ;-)
Porter Maberry Jr. July 6 2023 - 13h27
I always loved Wing Chun teaching! I've been involved in Boxing from the 7th Grade. I fought Ametuer and Profesional! I still Coach Boxing today. I would love to learn from this teaching! Thank you.
Rhon McKinney August 3 2023 - 14h46
what schools are in Phoenix, AZ
Jose Peralta September 21 2023 - 15h16
Hi, can u Email me if u start teaching online
Ochez Burgess October 7 2023 - 23h22
question: Where is Tu teng yao school located? Whats the name ?
Editorial Team October 8 2023 - 21h05
Hello, Question answered at this page ;-) https://warrior-unicorn.com/tu-tengyao-martial-art-association/
Rick Jones November 12 2023 - 0h35
Just wanted to say thanks for the teachings and the interview!
Rick Jones November 12 2023 - 0h56
Much love and thanks to both of you
Amit Varshney March 6 2024 - 3h25
Really Great Content it is very helpful to us thanks a lot Sir
Vasile Iustinian Hirtan May 16 2024 - 12h43
Hola. Estoy viendo sus videos en Youtube. El. sr. Tengyau es un gran maestro y le admiro muchísimo. Respeto muchísimo la cultura China. soy un gran fan del Kun Fu Chino. El wing chun. Es impresionante su gran calidad. un cordial saludo para todo el equipo, desde Rumanía. También quiero felicitar al Gran Maestro, Tengyau por su gran talento y gran persona.
Jonathan Gutierrez May 30 2024 - 20h02
Where are there classes close to SanDiego that I can sign up for
Daniel DeSouza August 9 2024 - 4h41
I would be very interested in learning Wing Chun from Master Tu Tengyau. How soon will there be classes? Will we hav to travel to Cuba to learn from him if we wanted to learn the way of Wing Chun?
Editorial Team August 16 2024 - 18h56
Hello, As we already mentionned in the interview we had with him last year, there is no mention of overseas classes. With our help he now owns Yt Channel and offically manages the Instagram and Facebook page. They have now a Gmail account where you can contact the school Fb: https://www.facebook.com/Wingchun.tutengyao/ for other Social network you will find them in our page , at the bottom, https://warrior-unicorn.com/tu-tengyao-martial-art-association/ All the best Br
Add Comment

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Read More