The School

Master Huang & Tony Ward. Malaysia, 1987

The school was established in 1989 with the aim of researching and developing the art of tai chi chuan and promoting the teachings of Master Huang Sheng Shyan.

The principal teacher of the school is Tony Ward. Tony has 30 years of experience in various styles of Chinese and Japanese martial arts.

After studying different systems of tai chi with local and international teachers, Tony had the good fortune to meet one of Master Huang's students in Sydney. He began to study the Huang system in 1982. In 1986 through a letter of introduction, he traveled to Taiwan and was accepted as a student of Master Huang Sheng Shyan with whom he continued to study with until in 1992 (at the time of the Master's death).

"Meeting Master Huang was for me a huge relief. Up until this point I read so many books, heard thousands of stories, and studied for many years with teachers of tai chi and many other martial arts.

Singapore Demonstration, 1988

You know, so many speak about this amazing art and the extraordinary possibilities. But when it comes to actual experience, the principles seem to be lost very quickly. The softness and relaxation unfortunately turns to shoving and resisting.

Master Huang was the first person I met to 'walk his talk'. He embodied the principles of the art of tai chi. He would demonstrate them absolutely freely. To anyone prepared to experience his touch he would demonstrate with no doubt that softness definitely overcomes hardness.

So the relief for me was that a true master of tai chi actually existed, and that he was prepared to take me on as a student.

I then made a very clear decision to drop everything in my life and follow Master Huang's teachings. At that time he was in his late 70's, so I knew that my time with him would possibly be short. He died 7 years later. My contact with Master Huang although brief, has had the most profound effect on my life."

"There are no extremes in tai chi, the essence is in the training method. If the method is not correct, it is no different from ordinary drills with a lot of time spent but relatively little achievement. It is not a matter of practicing more or less frequently but practicing correctly. That is, central equilibrium must be vertically maintained. Every movement must be disciplined such that the posture is vertically balanced. The principles remain unchanged: there is straightness in a curve and visa versa. There must be constant learning and practice, understanding the principles and the less obvious points. Mastering this will produce skill naturally."

The Middle St Studio