Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association
Teaching Kung Fu beyond Hollywood’s image
Teaching Kung Fu beyond Hollywood’s image
By Laura Salinger
Students don’t walk out of the Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association on Madison’s east side as the next Bruce Lee
or Jet Li. If all goes according to plan, however, they leave with improved skills in Chinese martial arts and a
deeper understanding of Chinese culture.
Shifu (Chinese for instructor/father) Nelson Ferreria, the founder of Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association, is quick
to point out that Kung Fu, unlike the action-packed portrayal of Kung Fu in the movies, is a serious art form
that takes years to master. The association’s website further stresses this point:
“Kung Fu, and other martial arts, are often glamorized and exaggerated. Real Kung Fu takes years of hard
work and practice. In real Kung Fu, there is no leaping across canyons or deflecting bullets with one’s palms.
It is a serious art and can be a serious sport.”
Instead of learning how to deflect bullets with the palm of their hands, students at Zhong Yi learn slow and
centering breathing techniques; swift and skilled punches and kicks; and knowledge about the history of
Shaolin and Chinese culture. That is the goal of this martial arts center that serves approximately 65 students
and focuses primarily on the Northern Shaolin style of Kung Fu (Bei Shaolin Chuan).
Ferreria, who leads Zhong Yi (loosely translated as “loyalty and virtue”) and is also the northern regional
director for the United States Kuoshu Federation (USKSF), was raised in a family where martial arts were a way
of life. He began studying Judo in 1975 at the age of five, under the guidance of his father in New York City.
“My whole family is into the martial arts,” Ferreria said. “It was just natural that I was too.”
His training in Judo continued even after his family relocated to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when Ferreria was
just six years old. He studied Judo for four more years and at the age of 10, decided it was time to branch out
and learn other martial art forms. For the next seven years, he studied Jiu Jitsu, Karate, Aikido, Kendo, Tae
Kwon Do, Muay Thai, and other martial arts.
“I practiced with a wide variety of different schools and different teachers,” Ferreria acknowledged.
In 1984, Ferreria’s mother, an acupuncturist and Tai Chi Chuan instructor, introduced him to Dr. Wu Chao
Hsiang, a prominent martial arts teacher in Brazil, and his training in Bei Shaolin Chuan (Northern Shaolin
technique) began. It would soon become Ferreria’s martial art form of choice and his passion.
Ferreria said he was drawn to this technique because of its dynamic energy and fast pace. While Shaolin
incorporates controlled breathing techniques and other meditative principles, it culminates in dynamic
movements and swift hand and foot work.
“In Tai Chi, the movement is in a slow motion — it’s a sort of moving meditation and internal training,”
Ferreria said. “Shaolin is very energetic and fast-paced. There are more acrobatics involved.”
When Ferreria left Brazil in 1988, his beloved teacher encouraged him to teach Shaolin in the United
States.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to have a school,” he said.
Seven years later, his dream would be realized when in 1995, he founded the Zhong Yi Kung Fu
Association. The association currently offers a number of classes — from Mandarin language classes to youth
and adult Shaolin classes to traditional Chinese performance classes.
Shaolin classes, for both beginners and experienced students, consist of stretching, Qi gong (breathing
exercise), and moving/stationary kicking and punching drills. The second half of each class focuses on
practicing forms, applying learned techniques, chin na (seizing and apprehension), and conditioning. The
youth Shaolin classes (for seven to 14-year-olds) are organized similar to the adult classes, but are shorter in
duration.
Zhong Yi also offers sparring classes, with or without weaponry. Qing Da is a light contact sparring class for
beginners and those wishing to sharpen their skills, while the Lei Tai Team practice (invitation only) is
designed for intermediate and advanced students working on San Shou or sparring (Kuoshu rules.) Pi Ci
(weapon sparring) teaches students weapon techniques. They wear protective gear and use specially designed
padded weapons for safety.
Other programming at Zhong Yi includes the popular Lion Dance and Drumming classes where students
learn traditional Chinese lion dancing and performance drumming. Zhong Yi lion dancers and drummers
perform at numerous events throughout the Madison area. They most recently performed at the Overture
Center as part of the Children’s Arts Festival.
On Saturdays, Zhong Yi also offers Mandarin Chinese language classes to further introduce students to the
Chinese culture.
Ferreria is as passionate about teaching the Chinese culture as he is about teaching Chinese martial art
forms. For him, a true understanding of Chinese martial arts requires knowledge about the culture from which it
took root. “The Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association is about promoting Chinese culture through Chinese martial
arts,” Ferreria said.
And once again Ferreria debunks the whole Hollywood stereotype of Kung Fu, where seemingly impossible
kicks and flips are performed in often-violent sparring matches. Conversely, Ferreria views martial arts as a way
to confront and curb violence.
“Violence is just a reaction of fear,” Ferreria said. “We help kids understand this aspect and confront it in a
controlled environment with proper training.”
Zhong Yi will host the third Annual USKSF North Regional Tournament on May 3 at Memorial High
School and they are expecting over 100 schools to attend. Practitioners at Zhong Yi, however, will be tough
competitors to beat. In 2006, Zhong Yi won the World Kuoshu Federation Championships in Singapore and
the current World Kuoshu Champion, Madison police officer Kimba Tieu, is a competitor and assistant
instructor with Zhong Yi.
For more information on the Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association visit www.zykfa.org or call (608) 347-3836.
Students don’t walk out of the Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association on Madison’s east side as the next Bruce Lee
or Jet Li. If all goes according to plan, however, they leave with improved skills in Chinese martial arts and a
deeper understanding of Chinese culture.
Shifu (Chinese for instructor/father) Nelson Ferreria, the founder of Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association, is quick
to point out that Kung Fu, unlike the action-packed portrayal of Kung Fu in the movies, is a serious art form
that takes years to master. The association’s website further stresses this point:
“Kung Fu, and other martial arts, are often glamorized and exaggerated. Real Kung Fu takes years of hard
work and practice. In real Kung Fu, there is no leaping across canyons or deflecting bullets with one’s palms.
It is a serious art and can be a serious sport.”
Instead of learning how to deflect bullets with the palm of their hands, students at Zhong Yi learn slow and
centering breathing techniques; swift and skilled punches and kicks; and knowledge about the history of
Shaolin and Chinese culture. That is the goal of this martial arts center that serves approximately 65 students
and focuses primarily on the Northern Shaolin style of Kung Fu (Bei Shaolin Chuan).
Ferreria, who leads Zhong Yi (loosely translated as “loyalty and virtue”) and is also the northern regional
director for the United States Kuoshu Federation (USKSF), was raised in a family where martial arts were a way
of life. He began studying Judo in 1975 at the age of five, under the guidance of his father in New York City.
“My whole family is into the martial arts,” Ferreria said. “It was just natural that I was too.”
His training in Judo continued even after his family relocated to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when Ferreria was
just six years old. He studied Judo for four more years and at the age of 10, decided it was time to branch out
and learn other martial art forms. For the next seven years, he studied Jiu Jitsu, Karate, Aikido, Kendo, Tae
Kwon Do, Muay Thai, and other martial arts.
“I practiced with a wide variety of different schools and different teachers,” Ferreria acknowledged.
In 1984, Ferreria’s mother, an acupuncturist and Tai Chi Chuan instructor, introduced him to Dr. Wu Chao
Hsiang, a prominent martial arts teacher in Brazil, and his training in Bei Shaolin Chuan (Northern Shaolin
technique) began. It would soon become Ferreria’s martial art form of choice and his passion.
Ferreria said he was drawn to this technique because of its dynamic energy and fast pace. While Shaolin
incorporates controlled breathing techniques and other meditative principles, it culminates in dynamic
movements and swift hand and foot work.
“In Tai Chi, the movement is in a slow motion — it’s a sort of moving meditation and internal training,”
Ferreria said. “Shaolin is very energetic and fast-paced. There are more acrobatics involved.”
When Ferreria left Brazil in 1988, his beloved teacher encouraged him to teach Shaolin in the United
States.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to have a school,” he said.
Seven years later, his dream would be realized when in 1995, he founded the Zhong Yi Kung Fu
Association. The association currently offers a number of classes — from Mandarin language classes to youth
and adult Shaolin classes to traditional Chinese performance classes.
Shaolin classes, for both beginners and experienced students, consist of stretching, Qi gong (breathing
exercise), and moving/stationary kicking and punching drills. The second half of each class focuses on
practicing forms, applying learned techniques, chin na (seizing and apprehension), and conditioning. The
youth Shaolin classes (for seven to 14-year-olds) are organized similar to the adult classes, but are shorter in
duration.
Zhong Yi also offers sparring classes, with or without weaponry. Qing Da is a light contact sparring class for
beginners and those wishing to sharpen their skills, while the Lei Tai Team practice (invitation only) is
designed for intermediate and advanced students working on San Shou or sparring (Kuoshu rules.) Pi Ci
(weapon sparring) teaches students weapon techniques. They wear protective gear and use specially designed
padded weapons for safety.
Other programming at Zhong Yi includes the popular Lion Dance and Drumming classes where students
learn traditional Chinese lion dancing and performance drumming. Zhong Yi lion dancers and drummers
perform at numerous events throughout the Madison area. They most recently performed at the Overture
Center as part of the Children’s Arts Festival.
On Saturdays, Zhong Yi also offers Mandarin Chinese language classes to further introduce students to the
Chinese culture.
Ferreria is as passionate about teaching the Chinese culture as he is about teaching Chinese martial art
forms. For him, a true understanding of Chinese martial arts requires knowledge about the culture from which it
took root. “The Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association is about promoting Chinese culture through Chinese martial
arts,” Ferreria said.
And once again Ferreria debunks the whole Hollywood stereotype of Kung Fu, where seemingly impossible
kicks and flips are performed in often-violent sparring matches. Conversely, Ferreria views martial arts as a way
to confront and curb violence.
“Violence is just a reaction of fear,” Ferreria said. “We help kids understand this aspect and confront it in a
controlled environment with proper training.”
Zhong Yi will host the third Annual USKSF North Regional Tournament on May 3 at Memorial High
School and they are expecting over 100 schools to attend. Practitioners at Zhong Yi, however, will be tough
competitors to beat. In 2006, Zhong Yi won the World Kuoshu Federation Championships in Singapore and
the current World Kuoshu Champion, Madison police officer Kimba Tieu, is a competitor and assistant
instructor with Zhong Yi.
For more information on the Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association visit www.zykfa.org or call (608) 347-3836.
| (Top to bottom) Nelson Ferreira poses with trophies from Zhong Yi winnings; sparring; kung fu training; Ferreira showing the Lion Dance costume |