【時報訊】英雄出少年，今年15歲，就讀聖路易拉法葉高中（Lafayette High School）的姚家璇以中國上海市陳氏太極拳協會代表隊選手身份，參於今年8月2日至5日，加在杭州市舉行之2007年第五屆浙江國際傳統藝術比賽中，榮獲青少年組太極拳及陳氏太極刀比賽雙料金牌冠軍。9月9日，姚家璇在母親徐琳蘭陪同下應邀赴聖市由美籍師父Justin Meehan主持之渾元太極協會武館接受表揚及演練，接受專訪，同時與獲得2007年在達拉斯舉辦之第十屆國際精武太極大賽、陳氏太極刀冠軍Goretti Lim女士以武承傳，相互切磋武藝。Goretti Lim女士今年近60歲，與英雄出少年的姚家璇相會可謂武林有薪傳，代代才藝高。渾元太極協會會長，任職律師的師父Justin Meehan非常興奮地表示，習武的人在不同年齡層中，有著相同卓越的成績表現，中華太極氣功，融入中華文化精髓，造就出現代武術之新境界。
為弘揚中華武術，促進國內外傳統武術的交流與合作，促進傳統武術運動在全球的推廣與發展。由浙江省體育局、浙江省人民對外友好協會，正大青春寶藥業有限公司主辦，浙江省武術協會、浙江省黃龍體育中心、浙江省對外體育交流中心承辦的 “2007年第五屆浙江國際傳統武術比賽”於2007年8月3日至5日在浙江省杭州市舉行。浙江國際傳統武術比賽已成功舉辦了四屆，參賽的有來自法國、日本、美國、荷蘭、德國、意大利、菲律賓、南非、斯裏蘭卡、希臘、新西蘭、斯洛文尼亞、巴基斯坦、奧地利、加拿大等近三十個國家的國際武術選手和香港、澳門、中華臺北等地區，以及國內各省、市、自治區的武術社團，總人次已達一萬餘人，連續三屆被媒體評為“全國十大武術事件”之一。
本屆大賽又迎來了來自法國、日本、美國、荷蘭、意大利、菲律賓、奧地利、加拿大、波蘭、馬來西亞、英國、韓國、委內瑞拉、伊朗，以及香港、中華臺北和中國各省、市、自治區等17個國家和地區的武術社團、老年體協、青少年活動中心、武術館校、工礦、企業、機關、學校、社區、村鎮的武術愛好者，共有310個代表團隊的4810人報名參賽。
本屆大賽內容豐富多彩，共設武術套路（包括各拳種、各流派的拳術、器械單練、雙練、對練和集體項目），對抗性項目展示（包括傳統散打、推手、推馬、短兵、長兵及等其它對抗性項目），武術功法（包括可展示的單練功法），健身功法（包括健身氣功、養法氣功、健身操類等）等525類的8858項次的比賽，並增設獎金總額為人民幣十二萬元的男子四大年齡組、女子四大年年齡組的個人全能大獎和總團體大獎項目。
來自聖路易的姚家璇同學，自幼學習太極拳和太極刀、劍，每天固定練習一到兩小時，從未中斷，她的心願是要成為第二個武打明星李連杰，在銀幕上一顯身手。練武並沒有影響到姚家璇的成績，她是拉法葉高中資優生（Honor Student），大學計劃就讀工程和建築。在繁忙課業、練武之際，姚家璇不忘社區服務，經常在媽媽的帶領下參加各項社區活動及演出。每年皇冠中心老人公寓敬老餐會和美華協會、FCC領養中國孩子美國家庭協會野餐會上，都可以看到姚家璇的武藝英姿。
姚家璇此次在中國杭州榮獲兩項國際武藝比賽冠軍，消息傳來，得到聖路易武術界極大的重視。Justin Meehan師傅特別贊揚姚家璇年紀輕輕志氣高昂， 為聖路易中華武藝承傳打出未來。
Two Local Taiji Champions
By Sifu Justin MeehanChinese Internal Arts Association
Two women separated by over 40 years of age each distinguished themselves and their instructors by winning International Championship Gold Medals. Miss Sarah "Little Phoenix" Dao 15 years of age and Mdm. Goretti Lim, almost 60 years of age met with the St. Louis Chinese American Newspaper to discuss their Taiji journey and outstanding accomplishments. Sarah Dao won 1st place gold medal in Junior (ages 10 - 15) Chen Taiji form competition and also in Chen Taiji broadsword (also referred to as Dao) competition at the recent 5th Annual Zhejiang International Traditional Wu Shu Tournament held in China this past Aug., 2007. Mdm. Goretti Lim won 1st place gold medal in Executive (over 40 yrs. of age) Chen Taiji Broadsword and two silver medals in Advanced Chen Style Form competition and Other Taiji (Hun Yuan) Form competition at the recent 10th International Dallas Chin Woo Tai Chi Legacy Tournament held in Dallas, Texas this past July, 2007. Both tournaments were international tournaments with 1000s of competitors.
Although both champions were separated by years of age, they both had much in common. Both credited their teachers, not themselves, with their outstanding performances and both agreed that hours of their daily practice and commitment to excellence paved the way. Both women had to make time from their busy schedules in order to devote time to study and practice. Sarah is an honor student at Lafayette High School with plans to go on to study Engineering and Architecture. She has to get up very early or stay up late in order to study and practice continue to get good grades while excelling in this Traditional Chinese Martial Art. Mdm. Lim is the wife of Attorney Edgar Lim has 3 grown children, the youngest currently in College, and also teaches Taiji herself at Meramec Community College, Queeny Park and at The Pointe in Ballwin. Both have recently returned from China to study from their teacher's teachers and both practice the Original Chen Style of Taiji which is characterized by its more athletic and martial appearance.
Sarah Dao began her training under her teacher Mdm. Ming Lao Shir in St. Louis. When she first began she had visions of becoming the next Jet Li. She enjoyed Chinese Martial Art movies and saw no reason why she could no be the next big Kung Fu movie star by practicing diligently. But another reason she took up Taiji was to help cure her asthma symptoms and become stronger through physical exercise. Her practice did help her asthma, her breathing, her endurance and strength. Chen style can be very demanding and requires greater effort and martial execution than is normally seen in the more popular and easily accessible Yang style Taiji. In addition, Taiji is a celebration of traditional Chinese Culture, which appeal both to herself and her family. She sees the opportunity and commitment necessary to carry on this Taiji legacy. This has led her to return to China to study with her original teacher's teacher Zhang Ling-Xian in China. At first she felt out of place, but after a week of training she earned the respect and friendship of her China teacher and classmates. She intends to return next summer to continue her progress. In the meantime she will keep up her studies while making time to practice 1 to 2 hours per day and demonstrating her accomplishments at traditional Chinese Cultural events, like the Chinese Culture Days at the Mo. Botanical Garden and competing in local tournaments to honor both her teacher and her Art.
Mdm. Goretti Lim studied a variation of the Chen style created by world famous Grand Master Feng Zhiqiang, known as the Hun Yuan Xin(heart) Yi(intention) Chen style Taiji, which combines Chen style Xin Jia (New Style created by Chen Fake) and Qi Gong. She began study at about the same time as Sarah, 5 years ago and has distinguished herself in National Competition for Taiji Form and Broadsword. She studied with a local teacher and then his students, Herb Parran and Cis Hager, and later her teacher's teacher, Master Zhang Xue Xin, currently residing in San Francisco. She also had numerous health concerns and allergies. She credits Taiji and her teachers with giving her a new life with greater health and vitality. She has devoted herself to practicing her Art and sharing the benefits of Taiji with others in both English and Chinese speaking classes. She also practices up to two hours per day and sometimes more.
Mdm. Lim Lao Shir recently returned from Beijing, China to deepen her study of Hun Yuan Taiji by attending the First International Hun Yuan Taiji/Qigong conference held last Jan. 2007 and attending the 80th birthday celebration of Grand Master Feng Zhiqiang along with 20 of her classmates. One of the interesting observations she had was how many women masters in China were assuming leadership positions in the Taij World. Master Feng's 2 daughters were only some of the many accomplished women assuming Taiji leadership positions in the world today. In the US. she found some more conservative American Chinese men were more resistant to studying with a woman than non Chinese men. In China, many women had distinguished themselves as teachers and coaches and had equal numbers of men and women as students. She hopes her continued efforts will unite with other capable women teachers to open doors wide open for young champions like Sarah Dao and others. For those interested in further information, she can be contacted at (314) 369 ?6188
For their efforts in promoting traditional Chinese Culture and for their accomplishments in setting the high standard and winning Gold medals in international competition, they were recently honored by the Chinese Internal Arts Association (www.stltaiji.com) and the St. Louis Chinese American Newspaper (www.scanews.com).
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