Wang Shujin

Wang Shujin (1904-1981), also known as Wang Heng Sun, was a Chinese martial artist, practitioner of the disciplines of baguazhang, taijiquan, and xingyiquan. He was one of the greatest promoters of those arts outside China, being their first teacher in Taiwan and Japan, and was particularly known for his challenges to other martial artists. Aside from his martial exploits, Wang was also a spiritual leader in the Taoist sect Yi Guan Dao. While working as a carpenter in Tianjin, Shujin started training at 18 years old under renowned master Zhang Zhaodong or Chang Chao Tung, who he served until his death in 1940. He also trained xinyiquan and zhanzhuang qigong under Wang Xiangzhai, disciple of Guo Yunshen. He became an adept of the Yi Guan Dao sect and moved to Taiwan in the 1948, after which he befriended and trained under Chen Pan Ling, an apprentice to Yang Shao-hou and Wu Jianquan. From the next decades until the 70s, Wang did frequent travels to Japan, where he taught Chinese martial arts. He was known for being an innovator and the first teacher to teach the taijiquan, xingyiquan, and baquazhang in the country of Japan, establishing schools there and in Taiwan. He would initiate eight known disciples during his lifetime: Chao Piaosheng, Huang Jinsheng, Jibiki Hidemine, Lai Tianzhao, Rottmann Manfred, Wang Fulai, Zhang Yizhung and Wells Marnix. A man of almost 300 pounds, he was considered one of the greatest Chinese fighters, and it was said that his control of zhanzhuang and his immense strength and toughness enabled him to absorb the impact of strikes which would knock out a common person. Like Shang Yunxiang, he was also specialized in a variation of xinyiquan's most powerful punching technique, beng quan, where he would push his opponent with his large belly. Wang famously hated karate, claiming it was a martial art valid only "to fight children and old women." He supposedly fought many karateka while in Japan, with none of them being ever able to hurt him. In an anecdote on December 14, 1954, Wang met boxing champion Joe Louis while he was touring Taipei.