Advisors
Information about the Masters and Heads of Schools who act as advisors to the Festival is listed below. That this event is a festival, rather than a collection of tournaments, is largely due to their support and generosity.
Dr. Her Yue Wong
Dr. Her Yue Wong has been practicing and teaching Chinese Martial Arts for over 55 years, and is the Founder and Director of the Ching Yi Kung Fu Association. He derived the Ching Yi Kung Fu System from the traditional arts of Hsing Yi Chuan, Pa Kua Tsang, Tai Chi Chuan and Northern Shaolin Kung Fu.
Beginning as a child, Dr. Wong learned martial arts from numerous well-known Chinese masters of Hsing Yi Chuan, Pa Kua Tsang, Tai Chi Chuan and Shaolin Kung Fu whose lineage traces back, master to student, to the beginnings of the arts. For over 10 years, Dr. Wong was the direct student of Mr. Hsu Feng-nan of Shantung Province, China. During that time, he also received specialized training from Mr. Hsu's brother, Hsu Tzu-chang and Mr. Jin Ping-pu and from his own grandfather and great uncle.
While living in Taiwan, Dr. Wong also had the opportunity to receive instruction in the arts and exchange information with several good friends including legendary master Chiang Yin-Shui, Liu Mu-shen, Chang Chung-feng, Hung Yi-hsiang, Hung Yi-wen and Hung Yi-mien.
Dr. Wong has created the form of Tsong He Hsing Yi Chuan (Comprehensive Form and Will Boxing).
By Profession, Dr. Wong is a geologist, with a master's degree and Ph.D. in geology from the University of Oklahoma.
Junfeng Li
Master Junfeng Li is a retired head instructor of the Beijing Wushu Academy, the famous center in China where many famous martial artists were trained, including Jet Li. He is currently the Dean of Qigong at the Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin, Texas. He is also the head teacher of the International Sheng Zhen Society.
Leading qigong masters have described him as a genius of movement and as an extraordinarily gifted teacher, able to impart the essence of qigong to both beginners and advanced students of all ages and backgrounds.
John Wang
Master John S. Wang is a discple of the grand master Chang Dong Shen. He has trained martial arts nearly five decades, and was the USA Heavy Weight Shuai Chiao champion in 1982, 1983, and 1984. He also lead US teams to compete in Taiwan and China in 1984.
Master Wang has taught martial arts in Austin since 1972, and serves on the board of directors for the American Combat Shuai Chiao Association.
Daniel Weng
Dr. Chi-hsiu Daniel Weng is a two time national champion of Shuai-chiao in his weight class, and holds a First Teng (9th Degree Black Belt) in Shuai-chiao. He began his training with legendary Grandmaster Ch'ang Tung-sheng in 1968 when he was already a second degree black belt and collegiate champion in Judo.
He is a former chairman of the Division of Chinese Martial Arts at the Chinese Culture University, Taiwan. His current notable positions include: President of Pan-American Shuai-Chiao Federation and Visiting Professor at San Jose State University from 1991 to present.
Cheng Jincai
Master Cheng Jincai is a successor of 18th generation Grand Master Chen Zhaokui and is Chairman of the American Chen Style Tai Chi Federation. Master Cheng is also a National Tai Chi Tournament judge, and an advisor to the USA Wushu-Kungfu Federation.
Jianye Jiang
Master Jianye Jiang was born in 1950 and has studied Wushu from the age of 5, learning from well-known masters such as Yu Mingwei, Yu Hai and many others. He received undergraduate and master's degrees from Qufu University and Shanghai Physical Education Institute. A national and international judge in China and the U.S., he is also a master calligrapher and winner of national and international awards.
Sam Um
Master Um began his study of martial arts in Korea, at a young age. At eleven he attained the level of black belt in Tae Kwon Do and Hap Ki Do. At fifteen Master Um competed as an adult and became the youngest champion in the Texas State Tae Kwon Do competition. Three years later he placed first in the International Karate Championship in Mexico.
In 1989 Master Um opened Master Martial Arts in Westlake, Texas. The school moved to its current location on Bee Caves Road in 1991. Master Um has choreographed fight scenes for a number of independent film productions including Beyond the Golden Gate, Fight for Honor, and Evidence. He is currently collaborating with Willie Nelson on a project for New Line Cinema.
Byung In Lee
A world-class martial artist, Master Byung In Lee is highly sought after for the magazine covers of national and international martial arts magazines. Master Lee specializes in the double long swords, which he handles with great precision and speed. Master Lee is renowned for his double short staff self-defense technique. His dynamic breaking kicks are spectacular, demonstrating that tremendous power can be gathered and unleashed in seconds.
Master Lee is a gifted teacher, as well. He is an excellent motivator, and is able to guide students to their best efforts. His classes have a very high energy level, and his love for martial arts and for his martial arts students is very contagious. Master Lee is alert to the special needs of each student, and is personally involved in all of his classes at the Austin Kuk Sool Won school. His students include children, parents, grandparents, business and community leaders.
Joe Schaefer
Master Joe Schaefer has trained Shaolin Do Kungfu system since 1984, and began his teaching career in 1987. In 1999, he was awarded 5th degree black belt by grand master Sin Kang The. In 2005, he was promoted to 6th degree black belt. He has won first place and Grand Championship trophies in several national full-contact competitions.
Master Schaefer also taught neurophysiology for 6 years for The University of Texas at Austin, and received his Ph.D. (doctorate) in Neurophysiology from The University of Texas at Austin in 1997.
Wonik Yi
Master Wonik Yi is the founder of the World Tukong Moosul Federation and holds a 9th degree black belt, the highest designation in the Martial Arts. Master Yi also holds a doctorate degree in Education. He has devoted his entire life to the study of the Martial Arts, and has brought his generations of knowledge to Austin, Texas in order pass that knowledge on in the USA.
David Pickens
Master David Pickens has been practicing martial arts since 1961, beginning in Shotokan Karate. He started White Crane Kung Fu in 1965 at the age of fourteen, and in 1969 he joined the USA Air Force and went to Southeast Asia where he studied Tang Soo Do-Tae Kwon Do and Yang Tai Chi.
Master Pickens began teaching in 1973 at Bergstrom AFB, where he became Head Instructor. In 1977 he began studies in Bao Ting Shuai Chiao and has studied under some of the art's greatest masters.
He is the Executive Chairman of the World Shuai Chiao Society and was named Kung Fu Instructor of the year in both 1999 and 2000 by the World Karate Hall of Fame.
Ramon Yee
Master Ramon Yee began his martial arts training at the tender age of five years old. He trained under his Grandfather, learning some of the classic southeren kung fu styles, Ley Ga, Hung Ga, Fut Ga and also Yang style Tai Chi. Later he trained in the Limalama system under founder Tino Tuilosega.
Master Yee later used his martial art skills while serving eight years in Interpol and The State Presidential Guards in the Mexican goverment. He then went on to teach in Chinese Kempo in Mexico for a number of years, later training the Special Response Team at Fort Sam Houston. He then trained in Indonesia in Penjack Silat and Trajun Drajat (Indonesian Kickboxing). While there Master Yee earned the title of Grand Master, and now hopes to help promote Silat to the rest of America.
Moses Williams Jr.
Professor Moses Williams Jr. is the founder of Fire Dragon Martial Arts School and Spiritual Kung Fu, and is the regional director for the state of Texas of Universal Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He also holds an 8th degree black belt in the Hung Gar kung fu system.
Dr. Ed "Doc" Sones
Dr. Ed "Doc" Sones is a 13th Dan in the Bujinkan (the highest rank of Ninjitsu's system is 15th dan. Most martial art schools highest rank is 10th degree black belt). He is a Shihan (Master Instructor) in the arts of Ninjutsu and Budo Taijutsu and is welcoming to anyone interested in learning the arts of the ninja and samurai.
