Interview with Di Guoyong and his first martial arts teacher, Zhao Zhong

Di Laoshi, when did you began learning Shaolin Kung Fu from Master Zhao Zhong (趙忠, 1916-1982) in 1962?

I did not graduate from elementary school in 1962, but in 1963. My grades were excellent, and I was admitted to the high school affiliated with Peking University.

While studying there, our class’s extracurricular tutor, Wang Jinshi (王金石), was the secretary of the Youth League branch of the first year of high school. He was originally a disciple of Teacher Zhao Zhong. Initially, several of us classmates learned martial arts from him.

How did you meet your first teacher, Zhao Zhong, and how did you become his disciple?

After two months, Tutor Wang introduced us to his teacher, Teacher Zhao Zhong, to learn martial arts. When we arrived, Teacher Zhao told us that we needed our parents’ permission and that our parents had to accompany us. When I got home, I told my father about this, and he asked me, “Do you like practicing martial arts? Can you endure hardship?” I had read some martial arts novels when I was young and had always admired martial arts heroes—those who could leap over rooftops, uphold justice, and rob the rich to help the poor. I replied that I liked it and wasn’t afraid of hardship.

So, my father personally took me there, buying a bottle of Erguotou (二锅头) liquor and two Jin (斤) of cake. My father understood these customs; he couldn’t go to the teacher’s house empty-handed. At the time, this was considered a welcoming gift.

Note: Erguotou is a popular high-potency liquor. 1 Jin = 500 grams or 1.1lbs

What can you tell us about Zhao Zhong’s background?

Zhao Zhong was born in 1916. In 1933, he became a disciple of Li Huating (李華亭) to learn Shaolin Chang Quan (少林長拳). In 1945, he became a disciple of Liu Huapu (劉華浦,1897-1968) to learn Xingyi Quan (形意拳). In May 1956, he founded the Beijing Jianquan Martial Arts Society (雕塑武術社), which remained active until its closure in 1966. In 1966, the Cultural Revolution broke out across China. Zhao Zhong passed away on May 9, 1982, at the age of 66. He died in the Third Hospital of Beijing from kidney failure. During the Cultural Revolution, due to historical issues, he was criticized and tortured by the rebels in his workplace, resulting in severe kidney damage that never fully healed.

How did you address your master?

Initially, we only called him “Lao Shi/Teacher,” not “Shifu/Master,” because we hadn’t yet entered the inner circle. It wasn’t until after five or six years of practice, after we had entered the inner circle, that we started calling him “Master.”

There are many Shaolin martial arts styles. Do you know which specific Shaolin martial arts style Master Zhao Zhong taught? And who was his teacher?

After practicing martial arts with Master Zhao Zhong, I asked him which style our martial arts belonged to. He told us it belonged to the Shaolin Long Fist style. Master Zhao’s teacher was Li Huating from Xincheng, Hebei (北保) Province, who was known as Kuai Shou Li Huating (快手李华亭) – Quick-Handed Li Huating.

Li Huating taught at Peking University before 1937. At that time, Master Zhao Zhong’s home was very close to Peking University. My teacher’s home was at No. 6 Huai Shu Street, Haidian Town. Zhao Zhong became a disciple of Li Huating at Peking University.

Gu Qingyun (谷清云) was also a disciple. Gu Qingyun became a disciple three months earlier than Master Zhao Zhong, so we called Gu Qingyun Shi Bo (师伯) – Uncle-Master. Those who entered the school earlier were called senior brothers; our teacher was a few years older than our senior uncle.

Note: Shi Bo (师伯) is a title used for addressing your Shifu’s senior training brother.

Please describe the basic Shaolin skills you learned under Master Zhao Zhong’s guidance. How frequently did you practice?

When I first started practicing, I went to practice at least three times a week, beginning with the basics of martial arts: leg presses, kicks, bow stance, horse stance, and pouncing stance. We also practiced flying kicks, whirlwind kicks, and lotus kicks, all in a group. Since we were young, we practiced against each other; there were about six or seven of us practicing together.

Was Master Zhao Zhong a strict teacher?

Our teacher watched us practice with a small stick, and if anyone misbehaved, he would hit them with the stick. Generally, everyone practiced very diligently and was able to endure hardships.

What was the first set of boxing you learned?

The first Tao Quan (套拳) – martial arts routine I learned was the Shaolin 24 Postures (
少林拳二十四勢). It was a beginner-level boxing style promoted by the Beijing National Martial Arts Academy. It consisted of 24 movements, each with a name.

How long after you started training did you begin learning weapons? What was the first weapon you learned? Why did you learn it first?

After learning several sets of empty-hand routines, about a year later my teacher taught me my first weapon, the Dao (刀)- saber, called the Shenyang Dao (瀋陽刀) – Shenyang Saber. It was a relatively basic Dao routine.

At the time, I didn’t dare ask why I was learning swordsmanship. I just learned whatever the teacher taught me. I was very happy learning new movements and didn’t ask why; we learned whatever the teacher taught. We practiced as instructed, without daring to ask.

Note: Shenyang, was formerly known as Mukden (Manchurian name), and is now the capital of Liaoning Province which is located north of the Hun He (渾河) – Muddy River. Following the ancient naming system of “north of the water is Yang,” it was named Shenyang. Thus, the name of the saber routine indicates a region.

Did Master Zhao Zhong’s Shaolin martial arts include unarmed sparring and weapon sparring?

Master Zhao Zhong taught us sparring. There were bare-handed disarming techniques, two rounds of broadsword and spear techniques, twelve-pole sparring, and bare-handed dagger disarming sparring. These were all traditional routines; the sparring routines were well-designed and contained practical movements and techniques.

Most of the routines have been forgotten due to years of not practicing them. Only Disarming with Empty Hands, and Twelve Staffs routines I vaguely remember. Everything else has been forgotten.

Did Master Zhao Zhong emphasize the applications of Shaolin martial arts?  

For the practical application of martial arts, Master Zhao Zhong also taught us many individual free-fighting techniques, practicing each hand individually. These included: Red Face Looking in the Mirror, Mountain Splitting Lean, Golden Dragon Closing Mouth, Oblique Chopping Palm, Ghost Grab Turn, Cross Leg, and over a dozen other individual free-fighting techniques.

Did Master Zhao Zhong teach Shaolin Qigong (少林气功)? If so, could you describe it?

Regarding Shaolin Qigong, Master Zhao neither taught nor explained it. He only mentioned the importance of deep, natural breathing when practicing the horse stance.

Master Zhao Zhong was also your Xingyi Quan (形意拳) teacher. When did you start practicing Xingyi Quan?

When I was learning Shaolin Chang Quan, my Shi Xiong (師兄), Wang Jinshi, was learning Xingyi Quan’s San Ti Shi (三體式) – Three-Body Posture, from Master Zhao Zhong. I also wanted to learn, so I asked my teacher if I could learn Xingyi Quan as well.

With his permission, I began learning the San Ti Shi posture. This was after I had been practicing Shaolin for two or three years. During this time, I also learned the Wu Xing Quan (行連環拳) – Five Elements Fist, and the Wu Xing Lian Huan Quan (五行連環拳) – Five Elements Continuous Fist, from Master Zhao. I was around 16 years old then. At that time, I practiced Shaolin while also practicing Five Elements Fist and Continuous Fist.

Note: Shi Xiong (師兄) is used for a senior classmate who started training before you.

Comments: This post is only a part of a very extensive interview which I have completed with Master Di Guoyong. The entire interview will be included in a series of forthcoming books. The first volume will be published in 2026.