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<\/a>I was born in 1948. Since my youth, I was always interested in the martial arts. I practiced many types of martial arts, including long fist and tang fist. In the 1970\u2019s, I was successful in many of the martial arts competitions I entered. In May of 1982, under the recommendation of Zhang Yongan, I met my teacher Sun Jianyun for the first time. Frankly speaking, although I had learned martial arts since I was young, I had no knowledge of Taijiquan.<\/p>\nWhen I first met Sun Jianyun, we hit it off just like old friends. She vividly described the history of Sun style Taijiquan – how her father Sun Lutang (1861-1932), developed Sun style Taijiquan, and many exciting stories about his skills. For example, \u201cA famous Japanese martial artist was so determined to test Sun\u2019s skills that he convinced the Emperor of Japan to send him to China to fight Sun. In 1921, the Japanese martial artist came to visit Sun and, speaking through an interpreter said, \u2018I heard that you practice a Chinese martial art method which uses soft to overcome hard. Well, I am hard! How do you want to fight me? I will fight with any rules or any weapons.\u2019 Sun turned to the interpreter and said, \u2018Since he is a guest in our country, I will let him decide.\u2019 The Japanese challenger said, \u2018I am going to use hard strength to take your arm in a lock and break it. Let\u2019s see if you can use your soft energy to overcome that!\u2019 Sun, who at 5\u20197\u201d barely came to the Japanese man\u2019s shoulder, was willing to give it a try. Concerned that Sun could simply move his feet and get away from the lock the challenger said, \u2018I want you to overcome this technique without running around.\u2019 Sun said, \u2018I can accommodate you.\u2019 Sun had the spectators move all of the furniture aside and cleared a space on the floor. He said, \u2018I will lie on the floor, your students can hold my feet, and you can apply your technique. I\u2019ll even put my other arm behind my back.\u2019 Sun laid on the floor and the Japanese martial artist took hold of his arm. The interpreter counted, \u2018One, two, three!\u2019 At the count of three Sun quickly pulled his free arm from behind his back and applied a point strike to his opponent\u2019s stomach. This point strike caused the Japanese challenger to lose his grip on Sun\u2019s other arm and Sun hopped up. The opponent was not so easily put off and followed Sun. Sun struck a few points on his opponent\u2019s body and threw him into a bookcase. The interpreter shouted, \u201cYou\u2019ve hurt him!\u2019 Sun said, \u2018He\u2019ll be all right. Tell him when he catches his breath we can try it again.\u2019\u00a0 His opponent, admitting defeat, refused to try again.\u201d 1<\/sup> This was something I had not known and Taijiquan became deeply ingrained in me.<\/p>\n From then on, Sun style Taijiquan became a part of my life and changed the way I value life.<\/p>\n Sun Lutang\u2019s daughter, Sun Jianyun was born in Beijing, in 1914. Their ancestral home was in Wangdu, Hebei Province. She was a famous martial arts expert in China, lineage bearer and 2nd generation decendant of Sun style Taijiquan, one of China\u2019s top ten martial arts masters, vice-chairman of Beijing Wushu Association, director of Beijing Xingyiquan Institute, and director of Beijing Sun Style Taijiquan Institute. When Sun Jianyun was young, she received tutelage at home, was skilled both intellectually and in the martial arts, and deeply understood the essence of Xingyi, Bagua, and Taijiquan. In her youth, she studied calligraphy and wrote poetry. Later, she went to Beiping Huabei Arts Academy and studied Chinese painting, specializing in landscapes and portraits of women. She had exquisite brush techniques and was then one of the top four up and coming artists.<\/p>\n