【時報訊】聖路易太極師父Justin Meehan律師本期在時報英文版專文介紹將太極藝術融入社區文化，並持續撰文介紹太極之王錤女士(Violet Li)。Justin Meehan在專文中指出，基於對太極之熱愛，七年來，王錤身體力行，隨師習藝，並取得太極合格教練證書，在太極專業雜誌長期為文報導，將太極發揚光大，不求回報，不沾虛名，反而更加有所成就。Justin Meehan介紹王錤之全文請見本期英文版及時報網站。
王錤出生上海，台灣長大，獲有新聞學士學位，副修經濟。在台灣擔任經濟日報記者，以筆鋒犀利之深入調查報導而獲新聞獎。1980年初期婚後移民來美，定居聖路易，並取得華盛頓大學企業管理碩士學位，服務於SBC/AT & T電話公司。
七年前，王錤開始對太極之興趣、學習和研究，很快的，她全心全意融入太極藝術與文化，不但通過筆試和太極式術科考試，取得合格(TaiChi Healthways)太極教練證，還在太極專業網站www.Examiner.com定期發表專文及報導。王錤經常參加各項太極研討會議和相關文化，藝術活動，弘揚太極不遺餘力。
太極師父Justin Meehan向時報表示，代表聖路易地區和全美太極社區，他要向王錤的努力和成果致謝，並祝福王錤堅持理念，繼續邁向成功。
Violet Li: Tai Chi Master Journalist
By Justin Meehan
Many people in the St. Louis community know Violet Li as a longtime AT&T employee and may be surprised to know that she is also an award winning journalist and avid Tai Chi enthusiast and now also Tai Chi teacher and journalist with www. Examiner.com and Kung Fu/Tai Chi Magazine.
She was born in Shanghai, but grew up in Taipei, Taiwan where she went to college and was awarded her BA in Journalism with a minor in Economics. Her hard hitting investigative reporting for the Economic Daily News won her a journalism award.
After marriage to Bill Li, Violet Li moved to St. Louis in early 1980's. She later got a MBA from Washington University. Being a SBC/AT&T professional, wife and mother left her little time for herself. About 7 years ago she became interested in Tai Chi and began her study with local Tai Chi Master Ming Busaleki who taught her a variation of the Chen style of Tai Chi which is often considered the most athletic and demanding of the various styles of Tai Chi . Very quickly Ms. Li became a full fledged Tai Chi devotee and enthusiast.
Chen Tai Chi style is the original style of Tai Chi from which all other styles originated. Although the oldest style, it was not taught publicly outside of China until the 1980s. It is the most athletic and martial of all the Tai Chi styles, requiring low stances, jumps, splits, punches and kicks. It combines both fast and hard with soft and slow movements, creating the combination of Yin and Yang which create the Tai Chi diagram. It is normally practiced by those interested in martial arts or sports competition and more men than women. Also included are weapons and Push Hands training. It is seldom the style chosen by professional women like Ms. Li. However, as a former aerobic/kickboxing instructor, Violet found Chen Style Taichi is very interesting to learn and practice.
Ms. Li was not satisfied just to study an abbreviated form for health and relaxation. As her interest developed she took on more and more challenge. Among the forms she studied and practiced are:
* The original 74 movement Chen Village 尞ao Jia?form which became the basis for all subsequent Tai Chi styles and variations;* The 37 movement Competition routine;* The Chen Tai Chi Straight Sword (Jian) form;* The Chen Tai Chi Broadsword form; and* The Tai Chi Fan form, just to name a few.
To watch Ms. Li demonstrate and practice these forms in public as she is often asked to do, with all the low stances, jumping and kicking and difficult movements is quite an experience. One would assume that she had been studying and practicing from a very young age. Her determination, passion and hard work are clearly evident and very inspiring to others. She enters into another world, a world that goes back in time to the ancient world of Chinese culture and self cultivation, one she so greatly enjoys and is at home in. Westerners wonder whether it in her Chinese blood or whether they can hope to achieve such results as well? Watching her perform makes other and younger practitioners wonder whether they are practicing with the same dedication and enthusiasm and whether they will look just as good and still be practicing when they are her age.
In addition to her first teacher and friend Master Ming, Ms Li has travelled all over the US to continue her study under the best Chen family Masters, including:
* Chen Zheng Lei, Head Master of the Chen family Village school (one of the 焅our Tigers?of Chen Village who kept the Art alive during the Cultural Revolution Diaster and noted author in both Chinese and English;* Chen Zheng Lei𠏋 disciple, Jessie Tsao, of San Diego;* Chen Zheng Lei𠏋 niece, disciple, and Chen Village Senior Teacher Chen Huixian, now residing in Kansas City.
Violet Li is a certified Taichi Instructor by Taichi Healthways (www.TaiChiHealthways) which required both a form exam and written exam and not earned easily. Ms. Li teaches and has taught at various locations, including at AT&T for employees, the West County YMCA and even shared her knowledge at the Matthew Dickey Boys and Girls club in the City𠏋 Northside. She is often called upon to demonstrate at cultural events including the Chinese Cultural festival held each June at the Mo. Botanical Gardens and the St. Louis County Asian Festival. And the International Festival.
In addition to being a Tai Chi teacher she has also devoted her time and journalistic skills to writing about Tai Chi, Tai Chi teachers, events and Chi Gong . Many of her articles appear at the www.Examiner.com website. She has attended and covered the International Tai Chi Symposium held at Vanderbilt University held last July, 2009 in Nashville, TN. And the the 12th World Congress on Chi Gong and Traditional Chinese Medicine held last April 2010 in San Francisco for Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine. She always selflessly writes about others and never, ever about herself.
Despite her background and teaching credentials she never refers to herself as Master, but her students and colleagues remind her that as a degreed Master of Journalism they have every right to address her as Master as I will do for the rest of this article. Master Li has done so much to promote Tai Chi through her interest, presence and articles. She has single handedly created a virtual Tai Chi community in the St. Louis area by writing about the different instructors and Tai Chi related events, including promoting and publicizing World Tai Chi Day.
Master Li's primary motivation is to encourage and allow others to experience the wonderful benefits of Tai Chi that she has found herself. "I am especially interested in "chi" or energy and how people can experience this energy for themselves and how this energy can be used to promote health and longevity." "More and more scientific studies are coming out which give evidenced based support to the benefits of tai chi and chi gong practice." (for more information on this go to www.worldtaichiday.org) "I want to be able to use my journalistic abilities to help make Tai Chi and Chi Gong more visible and accepted in contemporary western society." In this regard Master Li calls to mind Lao Tzu's words describing the Taoist Master in Ch.22 of the Tao Te Ching:
"She does not make a show of herself,and therefore she shines;She does not try to promote herself,therefore she becomes known;She does not boast of herself,therefore she is acknowledged;She does not flaunt her success,therefore she endures;"and finally, in words that apply both to Tai Chi and Taoist ideals:"she does not compete with others, thereforethere is no one who can compete with her.'
On behalf of the local and national Tai Chi community, we thank you, Master Li, for all your efforts to promote the Art and those around you who have been fortunate to come to your attention and wish you continued success.
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