ABOUT MADAME GAO FU
Madame Gao Fu was accomplished in both Yang and Chen methods of Taiji
Quan. She studied Yang Taiji Quan with Master Jiang Yu-k'un, an
advanced student of Grandmaster Yang Cheng Fu, learning the complete
Yang method of Taiji Quan (form, sword, saber, staff, spear, sanshou).
She received
advanced training in Chen style Taiji Quan under Masters
Tien Xiouchen and Feng Zhiqiang, both senior students of the great
Chen Fake. Gao Fu studied form and sword under Master Tien; under
Master Feng she studied form, sword, broadsword and Hun Yuan Qi Gong.
In the 1980's, Gao Fu was invited to teach Chen style Taiji Quan in
both Japan and Sweden. She was first invited to teach in the United
States in 1989, returning in 1993 and most recently in 1997. She was
the recipient of many distinctions and honors for her martial arts
work and teaching, most recently, the '2003 Lifetime Achievement
Award' from the Pacific Association of Women Martial Artists.
From 1997 to late 2004, she lived and taught in Seattle, Washington
and continued her study in advanced Chen style Taiji Quan and Qi Gong
with Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang. She retired from full-time teaching
in November 2004, returning to Beijing to spend time with her family.
She died in Beijing January 17, 2005 at 88 years of age, following a
brief illness.