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WELCOME ... TO WU TAN KUNG FU AND TAI CHI INSTITUTE

Master Kurt Wong established Wu Tan Alaska in 1979, as a branch of the internationally renowned “Wu Tang Kung Fu Development Center in Taiwan”. The Center was founded by Grandmaster Liu, Yun Chiao in the early 70’s to help promote the traditional Chinese Martial Arts to the public. Master Kurt Wong, one of Grandmaster Liu’s disciples, is carrying on the tradition of Wu Tan in the arctic north.

Master Wong was born in Taipei, Taiwan where he spent his youth studying the many styles of Northern Chinese Kung Fu. He studied under his Master Su, Yu Chang and - through him - Grandmaster Liu, Yun Chiao and Master Adam Hsu (please refer to Lineage page for complete chart of the Wu Tan Martial Arts).

The many styles of Kung Fu Master Wong studied include BaJi Chuan, Pi Qua Zhang, Baqua, Hsingyi Chuan, Tanglang Chuan (Praying Mantis), Chang Chuan (Long Fist), Chen & Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan and various weapons. Master Wong travelled to the United States and began teaching in Fairbanks, Alaska in 1979. He opened the Anchorage school in 1981, where he has been teaching ever since.

Master Wong has aspired to bring both the physical and mental benefits of Chinese Kung Fu to all students for over 40 years. Through practice and dedication, a student can develop a strong character, a healthy connection with body and mind and a high level of skill in these Martial Arts.

Wu Tang Kung Fu and Tai Chi Institute is currently offering classes in Tai Chi Chuan (both Chen and Yang style), Bagua Zhang, Hsingyi Chuan, Chang Chuan, Tanglang Chuan and traditional Chinese Weapons.

Please explore these pages for further information on class offerings and schedules, current events, and the history of Wu Tan Kung Fu. Thank you for visiting wutanalaska.com.

All classes taking new registration!
Many available on Zoom.
The first class is FREE!

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Kung Fu Basics
Saturday October 19th and Sunday October 20th from 1:30-3pm (Alaska Time)
Seminar Cost: $100 General Admission, $55 for 17 and under and for Seniors
Available in person or on Zoom

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Wu Tan Kung Fu and Tai Chi Institute Goal

The purpose of Wu Tan is to preserve and pass down the Traditional Chinese Martial Arts of Wu Tan lineages. In the community context, our purpose is to share the Traditional Chinese Martial Arts with the community at large; including those who are simply curious, those seeking its health benefits or a proven method for personal development, and/or those initiating an investigation into their own martial cultivation. In the purely martial arts context, our purpose is to provide access to authentic training in the Traditional Chinese Martial Arts of Wu Tan delivered by qualified, friendly, and attentive instructors who help guide each individual student through the process of learning and developing. As a representative school of Wu Tan, we seek to identify and accept appropriate candidates for joining the Wu Tan Lineage of Grandmaster Liu, Yun-Qiao. There is a Chinese martial arts proverb: “3 years for the student to find the teacher; 3 years for the teacher to find the student”. Wu Tan is certainly not the school for everyone, but it is a very good place for most, and the absolute best and only place for some. All earnest and honest students coming to Wu Tan will be trained by instructors who will do their utmost to provide the highest quality training possible in Traditional Chinese Martial Arts of authentic and authenticated lineages.

What We Have to Offer

The primary styles available through the school for the public are Tai Chi Chuan (Chen and Yang Styles – Grand Ultimate Fist), Chang Chuan (Long Fist), Bagua Zhang (8 Trigrams Palm), Hsinyi Chuan (Heart-Mind Fist), and Tanglang Chuan (Praying Mantis Fist), as well as instruction in many Traditional Chinese weapons. Most classes include relevant Qi Kung exercises and dedicated Qi Kung classes are available at different times of the year. The majority of classes begin with a light warm-up, move into stance training and basics, transition to instruction in forms or actions or concepts then finish with forms and/or partner practice; an additional extension with deeper investigation of the lessons or additional material is then offered for those seeking deeper exploration and/or with more available time in their schedule. In addition to the classes offered at Wu Tang Kung Fu and Tai Chi Institute on Old Seward, instructors are available (as schedule allows) for private lessons and short to long-term engagements with businesses or organizations desiring qualified instructors of Traditional Chinese Martial Arts and/or Qi Kung. Please check our schedule page to see classes available in the community. Throughout the year opportunities for more intense and/or in-depth training may be offered in any of the broad range of material in the Wu Tan system. These will generally be taught by various Wu Tan instructors but there will also be opportunities for instruction directly from Master Wong on occasions when he is home in Anchorage and available. If circumstances allow, Master Wong may invite other Wu Tan Masters from around the world for seminars or workshops.

Please click SCHEDULE and/or DESCRIPTIONS under CLASSES for more information

Who We Are

The Wu Tan lineages primarily consist of the three main styles of Grandmaster Liu, Yun-Qiao: Baji Chuan, Pikua Zhang, and Bagua Zhang. As many of Grandmaster Liu’s early Disciples were already Masters of other styles (most famously, Grandmaster Su – aka Mantis King or Lightning Hands), and he specifically invited some of them to study under some of his respected friends/contemporaries: Grandmaster Sang of the Hsingyi Chuan Style and Grandmaster Du, Yi-Tse of Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan among them. Grandmaster Liu’s first three Disciples were (Grand)Master Leung, Kay-Chi, (Grand)Master Hsu, Ji, and (Grand)Master Su, Yu-Chang. Masters Su and Hsu assisted Grandmaster Liu in the founding of the original Wu Tan Development Center in Taiwan and the majority of the early students and Disciples at Wu Tan first learned Tai Chi Chuan, Chang Chuan, or Tanglang Chuan from one or both of these Masters before – and generally continuing after - being introduced to and learning from Grandmaster Liu. Master Kurt Wong was introduced to Wu Tan and Grandmaster Liu by (Grand)Master Su and soon became a Disciple of Grandmaster Liu in the “Tang” Generation. Master Wong was chosen number 1 to represent Taiwan on a martial arts team for a Goodwill Cultural Mission in the early 1970’s where he performed his Tanglang Chuan and Lan Men Dao to audiences throughout the Western USA. After moving to the USA in 1976 he was personally selected by Grandmaster Liu to open the Alaska Branch of the Wu Tang Development Center (aka Wu Tang Kung Fu and Tai Chi Institute). Master Wong began teaching in Fairbanks, Alaska in 1976 and moved to Anchorage, Alaska in 1979 where he has taught continuously and trained numerous students and Disciples. Master Wong enjoys his retirement, spends time with family, refines his Kung Fu and his transmission of it, and prepares and offers periodic seminars, retreats, and intensives in the Traditional Chinese Martial Arts of Wu Tan.

Please click TREES,  MASTERS or INSTRUCTORS under LINEAGES for more information

What does “Wu Tan”/ “Wu Tang” mean?

Wu Tan. Wu Tang. Which is correct? Both or either is the correct answer. As the words are simply efforts to render Mandarin into the English language, both are relatively accurate depictions of the way various Chinese speakers pronounce the Character Tan(g). When Wu Tang was originally formed, most used the spelling with the “g” at the end, but this was dropped later by many in order to differentiate from the very similar sound “Wu Tang” or “Wu Dang” appellation. The “other” Wu Tang (Wu Dang) refers originally to a mountain in China where many renowned Daoist martial artists were said to have trained (especially the famous Wu Dang Sword). This Wu Tang is also the inspiration for the cult classic “Wu Tang versus Shaolin” which itself inspired the iconic Hip-Hop group Wu Tang Clan. While the words sound similar to English speakers - and the way they are written may be identical, the Chinese characters and meaning are different. For our purposes, the name “Wu Tang” or “Wu Tan” means “Place for Martial Cultivation” and represents the school and system founded and passed down by Grandmaster Liu, Yun-Qiao.