Grandmaster Wang Zhuanghong (1931-2008), a native of Cixi (a county in Ningbo, Zhejiang), is well-known as a martial artist as well as an authentication expert in Chinese arts and calligraphy. 

 

In his formative years, he studied Yang’s style Taijiquan with Zhu Guiting in Shanghai, one of the most famous students of Yang Cheng Fu. Wang is gifted and diligent. Every day he would begin  practice at 3 am. No wonder he became Zhu’s most favourite student and was able to complete his learning in two years. 

 

His quest for excellence did not stop there. For the next ten years after he left Zhu, he would continue to study, in the most thorough way, the classic theory and treatises of Taijiquan, and would often toy with the idea of how one can excel in martial power by giving up one’s strength and exercising the mind only. He was overtly influenced by Wang Zongyue’s Treatise of Taijiquan (Taijiquan Lun). He went deep in every word and idea as expressed in the Treatise. And he would make every effort to find physical proof through push-hand exercises.  The result was a realignment of the theory and practice of Taijiquan. That is a reconstruction of the Yang Style, giving the form more internal substance. Because the new form was based on Taijiquan Lun, the style was given the name Wang’s Taijiquan. In his later years, Wang Zhuanghong found an astonishing parallel between the movement of Taijiquan and the nature of water. He was utterly convinced that practitioners of Taijiquan have everything to gain by modelling after the natural movement of water. In 2006, Wang Zhuanghong decided to formally rename this brand of Taijiquan as Wang’s Water Style.  

 

Master Wang also trained in Xingyi and Bagua, both belong to the internal school of martial arts. He was a keen student of the Baguazhang master Wang Zhuangfei. 

 

Master Wang grew up with a strong influence from traditional culture. He followed respectable scholars of the time, and learned calligraphy from Xu Tiefeng and Shen Yinmo, as well as Chinese literature and poetry from Chen Bingshu. He studied earnestly and had profound knowledge on Buddhism, Taoism, I-Ching and Yin Yang philosophy. 

 

In 1956 he started his career with Shanghai Duoyunxuan as an authentication expert. Since then, tens of thousands of artifacts in calligraphy and paintings had come under his review and appraisal. He also authored several books on the subject matters of arts and rubbing authentication. 

 

From 1987 onwards, Master Wang had become a frequently sought-after speaker on the subject matters of calligraphy, antique authentication and martial arts.  He gave talks and presentations across both sides of the Pacific, including Hong Kong Chinese University, National University of Singapore, and East West Institute of West Virginia. During a short visit in Los Angeles, he took part in an international martial arts competition and won the supreme gold-medal award.

 

By 1989, Master Wang settled in Hong Kong where he continued to give training and guidance to a group of earnest Taiji students. He got plenty of admirers both locally and overseas. Many of his students have gone on to become respected teachers of Taijiquan. Nowadays the art of Wang’s Water Style is being practiced and trained in places as far as North America and Europe.

  

In his later years, Master Wang led a reclusive life and seldom appeared in public. Only a few close friends and ardent disciples had the privilege to see him in person. And their discourses were mainly confined to topics relating to Chinese philosophy, Buddhism and Taijiquan.  

 

Master Wang will always be remembered as an admirable evangelist of Taijiquan.  His students enjoyed very much his magician-like demonstrations and performance. You would often find laughers throughout a typical training session. This was especially so during push-hand encounters when students were bounced off unpredictably and yet safely. His motto: “Always keep in mind the virtues and ethics of martial arts and use martial skills to make friends only.”