Grandmaster Wang Fu Lai (王福来)

Grandmaster Wang Fu Lai (王福来) was born in Taiwan in 1941. The son of a blacksmith, he met Great Grandmaster Wang Shu Jin at the age of 14. He would ride his bicycle two hours from his hometown to attend Great Grandmaster’s school. At first young Wang Fu Lai was taught only one posture, Zhan Zhuang (Standing Like a Tree), and practiced it for an entire year before advancing. When he was allowed to study Xin Yi, he started with only the first element, Pi Quan (Splitting Fist), and practiced it with nothing else for a whole year.

Wang Fu-Lai traveled with Great Grandmaster Wang Shu Jin and witnessed many challenges that Great Grandmaster fought and won over the years. He was there with his Gong Fu (Kung Fu) sister, Master Huang, to witness Great Grandmaster Wang Shu Jin’s passing.

After Great Grandmaster Wang Shu Jin passed away in 1981, Wang Fu Lai became a lineage holder of the Zhong Nan lineage and welcomed all challenges from all martial artists in the area to legitimize his appointment so that there could be no doubt that Great Grandmaster Wang Shu Jin had chosen Wang Fu Lai as his successor and lineage holder. Since the death of Great Grandmaster, Grandmaster Wang Fu Lai has continued to fulfill his teacher’s command to disseminate the three internal martial arts throughout the world.

Grandmaster Wang Fu Lai spent five years establishing an International Cheng Ming Martial Arts Association with the Taiwanese government. (Cheng Ming is one of Great Grandmaster Wang Shu Jin’s nicknames.) The association is currently the only martial arts organization officially recognized by the government of the Republic of Taiwan. Since its inception, the association has grown worldwide, with branches in Japan, the United States, Europe, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, and South America. As Grandmaster and Chairman of the International Cheng Ming Martial Arts Association, Grandmaster Wang has visited branches regularly to teach Great Grandmaster Wang Shu Jin’s martial arts and philosophies.

It has been over 60 years now since Grandmaster Wang Fu Lai has been training in the martial arts of Great Grandmaster Wang Shu Jin. He still practies 7 days a week, 6 hours a day (when not teaching), and continues to travel the world, working towards fulfilling his duty of passing down the lineage. Since 2007 Charlottesville T’ai Chi Center has been very fortunate to have the opportunity to host Grandmaster Wang twice annually for his inspirational workshops.