RIP GM Jiang Hao-Quan

[GeneChing]

We just got word that GM Jiang Hao-Quan passed away suddenly on January 17th.

Here's his website with some bio information (http://www.jiangschool.com/jiang.htm). He was 95.

[Drake]

RIP, but man... 95 is a hell of a run...

[-N-]

RIP.

A great loss of a master's master.

[SPJ]

RIP

I have read some of his books.

enjoyed much.

[brothernumber9]

I remember he was already over 70-something during the NACMAF days and would do an impressive forms demo of tai-ji, baqua, and xingyi forms back-to-back-to-back. I could be wrong, but I believe he gained fame by defeating a bullying russian during a public lei tai challenge.

[GeneChing]

Gigi did. He came to our old office. That was before I worked here.

See our 1997 February/March issue (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=67): King of Chinese Boxing
At an age when most athletes have long retired from competition in their respective sports. Master Hao Quan Jiang of boxing fame not only began a successful career as a diver, but also as a gymnast. In both sports he gained considerable national recognition. However, he especially made his mark in diving by winning dozens of gold medals and beating out much younger competitors in the process

[sanjuro_ronin]

Gotta say that when I hear of someone dying that was pushing 100, I feel less sad.
It was an amazing run for anyone and reading his bio, he most certainly had a full and rich life.

[Dale Dugas]

RIP Shifu!

[SPJ]

http://culture.people.com.cn/h/2012/0203/c226948-160177824.html

I read his books on ba ji fist, ba gua shan shou and 72 qin na.

They were also related to materials from Nan king central kuo shu guan curriculum.

http://wenku.baidu.com/view/9cc1e4d5c1c708a1284a44ac.html

qin na book.

:cool:

[GeneChing]

I won't comment on wushu in the Olympics (already have ad nauseum), but it works as an obit.

February 25, 2012
Let’s fulfill Professor Jiang’s Dream: Putting Wushu at the Olympics!!! (http://www.examiner.com/tai-chi-in-national/let-s-fulfill-professor-jiang-s-dream-putting-wushu-at-the-olympics?CID=examiner_alerts_article)
Violet Li
Tai Chi Examiner

In 1985, theboxing champion,Muhammad Ali, visitedShanghai, China. A boxing match was arranged, and the opponent was 25 years senior to Ali. He applied hisown “new martial techniques” during the fight. After a few rounds, Ali tied with then 68-year-old Professor Jiang Hao-Quan. This was just one fun memory of this Chinese legend whom was respected as “First doctor of Martial Artsin China”, “The Boxing Champ of Asia”, and Great-Grandmaster among many other titles.

Born in Jan. 1917 in Jiang Su Province, China, Prof Jiang started learning martial arts at age 3 with his uncle. At five, he caught the attention of a monk, who taught him Shaolin Carefree Palms techniques. At 15, Jiang was admitted into the famous Nanjing Guoshu Institute, and developed mastery in Shaolin, Xingyi, Bagua, Tai Chi and all kinds of weapons. During a 1935 tournament, he performed techniques of empty hand versus spear, and was ranked 2nd in this national competition. He was also a lineage holder of Baji Boxing.

When Japan invaded China, Jiang moved to Hong Kong. He studied western boxing with the British boxing coach Emba. Later, he returned to Chongqing and Shanghai, and defeated the English boxer Stevenson, the American amateur champion Bekle and other skilled fighters. These events earned him the “Champion of a Generation”. In November of 1947, he fought in an exhibition match with Russian boxer Korkunov for a fundraiser benefitting Shanghai Orphanage. It was reported that Dr. Jiang knocked out Korkunov in four rounds.

From 1958 to 1988, he served as the dean of Anhui University’s Athletic Research Department. During his 30 years of tenure, he wrote numerous articles, many of which helped to form the college physical education curriculum and military combat training programs. He was one of the creators of Sanda, a full-contact fighting system, and merged Chinese and western boxing methods to form what he called the “new martial techniques.“ Besides martial arts, Professor Jiang held championship titles in national diving competitions and a 2nd place title in gymnastics.

After his retirement, he founded Jiang Hao-Quan Chinese Martial Arts Institute. He trained many students from all over the world, including famous actor and TV cooking show Iron Chef America’s Chairman Mark Dacascos.

In 1993, Jiang Haoquan gathered the signatures of martial artists all over the world and wrote the president of the Olympic Committee, Marques Juan Antonio Samaranch in support for China to host Olympics in Beijing in 2000. In 2004, he initiated another effort to include Wushu in the Olympic Games. He was extremely pleased when 2008 Olympic Games added Wushu as a special item.

Dr.Jiang’s recent public performance and speech was at “A Day With Kungfu Masters”. This eventwas hosted by the Joy of Kungfu on May 22nd, 2011 at thePacific Asia Museumin Pasadena, California. In the video on the left-hand-side, you can discover the 94-year-old Professor’s agile movements, strong voice, and almost full-head of hair. Later, in a dinner on May 29th, which was also sponsored by the Joy of Kungfu, Professor Jiang revealed his secrets of health and longevity: “forget one’s age” and “keep moving and active”.

On January 17th, 2012, Dr. Jiang Haoquan passed away in Shenzhenat the age of 95 after feeling severe stomach aches. His sudden death saddened people who knew him and martial arts enthusiasts around the world.

After his death, his son Jiang Xun stated, “my father’s greatest wish is for Chinese martial arts to spread throughout the world, to become a formal event of the Olympics. He dedicated his entire life toward it.”

It is time for all martial arts practitioners to pick up where Professor Jiang Hao-Quan left off and carry the torch to push Chinese martial arts into Olympic games.