Empty Circle Taiji

Hi, I’m David—welcome to Empty Circle Taiji.

A place where I share my journey and passion for Chinese martial arts, focusing on the unique skill sets of Taiji from a practitioner’s perspective.

My Martial Arts Journey

I began training in Chinese martial arts in 1973 as a teenager in San Francisco, learning Tibetan White Crane from Mike Staples, a student of George Long. After joining the U.S. Army, I served as a field medic in Germany and South Korea, where I tested my skills in informal matches against other martial artists in the military.

These matches provided a valuable proving ground against a wide variety of styles, including those based on boxing and grappling. While stationed in South Korea, a informal loss to a student of Master Park Chi Moon, a Plum Flower Mantis teacher, led me to train under him, marking a turning point in my martial arts journey.

While stationed in Hawaii, I was introduced to Taiji by a friend of mine, a local Aikido Sensei, who recommended that I study under Master Sam Kakina and Shifu Peter Tam Hoy. They taught Tung/Dong style taiji, in a local school cafeteria in the evenings in downtown Honolulu.

Later, after changing my Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), I was reassigned to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL, where I worked in Land Combat Missile Maintenance. During this time, I met and trained with Professor Ken Wen Chi, a student of Zheng Manqing, which gave me a new perspective on Taiji.

Finding My Teacher

Nearly 20 years later, I met a student of Master Zhang Yongliang, traveling to Beijing to train with him directly. His depth of knowledge, unlike anything I had encountered before, he would become my last teacher, helping me to find the teacher within…

In meeting him, becoming his student I set aside all previous training, emptying my cup, understanding I no longer needed one.

Translations & Research

Articles shared here may be translated by native speakers, fellow practitioners of Taiji, or AI, with source links provided whenever possible for reference. Corrections and suggestions are always welcomed . The content is shared solely for informational purposes and does not claim ownership of any copyrighted material.

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If you’re interested in training or just want to chat about Taiji, feel free to reach out!

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