Three years had passed since we received the call when in early 2015 we heard the familiar, “Hallo? This is Chen Xiao Wang.” Grandmaster was planning on returning to the US in October. To be honest I think we all stopped breathing for a moment or three when we realized what was going to happen. In the years since we saw him Grandmaster’s popularity had grown exponentially and because he had not been in the US for so long we knew what that meant as hosts: we would be inundated with seminar attendees. We were used to a more relaxed pace with CXX and even though his workshops had themselves become quite large, the feeling of them was more relaxed
We let the idea of Grandmaster’s return simmer while we continued our normal Moon routine. Along with our regular classes we had our annual hosting of CXX in March, (a great 6 days Xinjia training with Betty Dong & Brian Springmeyer in the House). CZQ would return in October (just three weeks before CXW) and…. we were going to Slovenia! Moons Laura, Mary, Scooter, Bob, Joyce, Christy & Cat got onto a plane, this time heading East to the first International Advanced Training Camp with CXX.
Slovenia is a stunning landscape. Because it took a bit of doing to get there, we all went a few days early and had some time for site-seeing. I could write a whole blog about the beauty of this region and the graciousness of its people, but this time is not for those words. These words need to tell what a great six days of training it was. Along with the Xinjia sessions with CXX, CZQ taught Tui Shou (and his famous warm-ups). The younger brother, Chen ZiJun, was also there. It was his first trip out of China.
Along with the Moons, Allison & Bill brought several students. The D’s had quite a group too: their UK students along with their Slovenian students and Oystein from the Netherlands (who worked very hard to train us in how to say his name!) Ben Milton was there and Jan was also there for a couple of days.. The seminar was in an Olympic Training center in Planica, a stunning mountain town. Along with the beauty and the strong training, there was a lot of comradery – and a talent show! Scooter put his Carnegie Mellon University degree to good work for just this chance. Under his charge the Moons represented quite nicely. You really need to see it for yourself: Moons Talent Show in Slovenia.
For more reading on the Slovenia Trip click here.
Later that year it was time for Grandmaster’s arrival. Over 80 people were registered from all over the country and Canada, including our good friends Earl, Joe Rea and their posse of Tennessee Boys. The Moon on Market Street only had one toilet and we had years of experience of how that went during the large seminars! So, we rented a Port-a-Potty and set in up in the back alley behind the dojo. Because I know you are all wondering, that Potty stayed spotless!
All the Moon students pitched in. By arrival day the dojo was spotless. The screens were down to make more space, the green tatami mats were perfectly stacked to make a stage. Guests were comfortably situated in their Air BnB’s. Laura, Nicholas, Doug and others were well organized with excel spreadsheets for check-in and money. They were pros by this point, having for years seamlessly checked people in to our myriad workshops and backed me up on the record keeping. Shoes were organized, questions were answered. Shiuwen even had my special tea set up for me. Derryl’s students too were all polished in their roles. Fruit and water were always available, the floor swept between each session to keep it dry and carpets vacuumed at night. Derryl had arranged a banquet at a local Chinese restaurant. Everyone had a task they gladly accepted; we were a perfect seminar organizing machine. It was just left for me to host the Grandmaster in my home.
Perhaps you are waiting for me to say it was disaster or that something went wrong. I know I was! But, It was flawless. And, honestly, it was nice to spend time with Chen Xiao Wang again. He is a very gracious person to host. The routine is always the same: Derryl picks him up from the airport, brings him to my & Kevin’s home. Then CXW, Derryl and I go to Uwajimaya together to shop for food for the week. Chen Xiao Wang buys and cooks everything. That’s right, each meal. Those meals are simple, but nourishing. No meat, but lots of noodles, buns, mochi balls and sweet potatoes. Lots of sweet potatoes. And of course he always Stands while it simmers. We sit at the table and talk; he tells us stories and occasionally sings a poem. He retires early and watches the Animal Planet before making a few phone calls and turning in.
The seminar was also seamless. As always, Derryl and I as his disciples were right up front with him, receiving the most minute and detailed of corrections. I remember we used to be so nervous but now we were comfortable in our roles. GMCXW is a generous teacher, anyone who wanted, received plenty of corrections, in the classic Chen Xiao Wang style. Hold posture. And keep holding. Soup, spaghetti, pizza. And the demos…oh my the demos. Our curriculum for the weekend was Standing, Silk Reeling and Laojia Yilu. There was no reason at that point to do anything else with him. CXW is the Standard Bearer, so the most advanced work you can do with the Grandmaster is to return to the basics.
This workshop was another legendary workshop at the Moon. And though I do not see Grandmaster frequently anymore, I will always be indebted to him and profoundly grateful. Without him the training I have had would be different training, how I teach would be a different style, these stories I tell now would be different stories. The people I know, who have profoundly impacted my life, would be different people. And our school would be an entirely different school.
