My name is Stan CHUN [陳洪鑑]. I was born in 1936 in Wellington. When I was 18, I underwent Compulsory Military Training at Taieri Air Force Base, Dunedin.  I studied Tai Chi at the Chinese Anglican church in Wellington under two teachers; Mrs Molly NG of Hong Kong (WU Style) and Mrs YUNG of Sabah (YANG Style).

I have been teaching Tai Chi since 1976 and was one of the founding instructors of the Chinese Martial Arts Association. It is still going despite the passing of Sifu Bill YOUNG, many years ago. I consider the Tai Chi members and the members of the Chinese Martial Arts Association to be my second family.

On my 70th birthday there was a carton left on my doorstep, a gift from the members of the Chinese Martial Arts Association. It was a solid brass statuette of General KWUN Kung who is revered in the East, known for his bravery and respect, and for the huge halberd he carried – the Dai Kwun Do – General KWUN’s Big Knife.

The medal draped over it in the photo was presented not long ago for my military training in the Air Force in Taieri, when I was 18. The sword I am posing with is not really a sword but a big Chinese knife, Dai Do.

It was hand made by Sifu Bill YOUNG many years ago and presented to me. The metal began to pit, but a few years ago, a new member to the Tai Chi class and former martial arts student, refurbished it to its now glorious state.

The black outfit I am in is my official martial arts outfit. The style is of Chinese Kung Fu and the logo is one I designed myself. It is the Tai Chi symbol surrounded by two dragons. Underneath is the Chinese script which translates to Stan CHUN, Tai Chi. Normally the Tai Chi circlet is in black and white but I wanted mine in gold and black. The gold would represent maintaining the purity of the form. The black is the void, or the Earth that sustains us. The twin dragons represent the power that is within the Tai Chi form and the martial arts.

These two things, the General and the big knife, are objects of affection from my passed Sifu and my associates at the Chinese Martial Arts Association. I think true Objects of Affection are heartfelt and like Zen, cannot be expressed in words.

Stan CHUN

2015

Stan CHUN

I had had many emails in correspondence with Stan CHUN [陳洪鑑] about the idea of a ‘family’ before meeting and photographing him in his home. Is a blood relationship essential among members of the family? Born to a family of 18 brothers and sisters, he has been practising and teaching Martial Arts (Kung Fu) and later Tai Chi since 1968. For him, his masters and students are his Second Family.

Kung Fu and specifically Tai Chi are primarily meant to be for inner self-cultivation and contemplation more than keeping physical fitness. In the photograph of General KWAN Kung with his huge halberd Dai Kwun Do [大關刀], I have the General wearing Stan’s medal, cherishing his devotion to his Second Family and the community. In his portrait, I have him holding the Big Chinese Knife (Dai Do), which was hand made and given to him by his Sifu [Master] Bill YOUNG. Stan might have preferred the other poses of agile and synergetic movements, I however thought that the image contemplating stillness resonates with the heartfelt intimacy between Bill Young and the Second Family, and his humility as a Kung Fu master.

The Chinese say: Within the Four Seas, we are all brothers (and sisters) [四海之內皆兄弟也].  

King Tong HO

2015

我名陈洪鉴，一九三六年生于威灵顿。十八岁时，参加但尼丁 Taieri Air Force Base 的空军训练。我在威灵顿中华圣公会学太极拳，师随来自香港的 Mrs. Molly NG 学吴氏太极拳、及来自沙巴的 Mrs. YUNG 习杨式太极。

自一九七六年起，我是中华武术会的创会教练，虽然师傅 Bill YOUNG 在数年前离世，但我仍在那里教授太极拳，我视太极拳友及武术会的成员为我的第二家庭。

七十岁寿辰那天，有人放置了一个纸箱在我家门前，那是武术会成员送给我的礼物：一个铜制关公将军的塑像。关公和他的大㦸 [大关刀] 在东方历史里很有名，因他的勇敢，很受世人尊敬。

照片中，关公像身上放的是我不久前获授的Taieri 空军训练奖章，而我摆姿势拿着的不是剑、是中式大刀。

大刀是师傅 Bill YOUNG 多年前手制送给我的。几年前，大刀开始锈损，太极班的一个新学员及武术会成员，替我把它翻新亮丽。

我身穿的黑色正统武术服装，是中国功夫式样，上面的标志是我的设计，以双龙围绕太极的符号，下面是陈洪鉴的中文译写：太极。通常太极标志的小圆圈是黑色和白色，但我设计的是金和黑，金色表现形态的纯正，黑色是虚、或是滋养我们的大地，双龙代表存在太极或武术中的力量。

这关将军像和大刀，是师傅和武术会留给我的传情物品，充满情感的物品，就像禅一样，难以言诠。

陈洪鉴

2015

陈洪鉴

在我与陈洪鉴会面及拍摄前, 我们之间有很多谈及“家庭”的电邮通讯。血缘是家庭的核心条件吗？有十八名兄弟姊妹的他, 从一九六八年起练习及传授功夫和太极, 对他来说, 师傅及徒弟们, 犹如他的第二家庭。

练习功夫、尤其是太极，除了强健体魄，更多是着重内省和个人修养。拍摄关公将军肖像及他的㦸“大关刀”时，我让将军戴着陈洪鉴的奖牌，以表彰他对他的“第二家庭”及社区的奉献。替他拍肖像时，请他拿着师傅 Bill YOUNG 亲手做及送他的大刀。他喜欢摆些身手矫捷的动作，我则看重他对师傅及“第二家庭”的亲密关系，而表现出的沈思，及一位功夫师傅的谦卑。

中国有句谚语: 四海之内皆兄弟也。

何经棠

2015

我名陳洪鑑，一九三六年生於威靈頓。十八歲時，參加但尼丁 Taieri Air Force Base 的空軍訓練。我在威靈頓中華聖公會學太極拳，師隨來自香港的 Mrs. Molly NG 學吳氏太極拳、及來自沙巴的 Mrs. YUNG 習楊式太極。

自一九七六年起，我是中華武術會的創會教練，雖然師傅 Bill YOUNG 在數年前離世，但我仍在那裡教授太極拳，我視太極拳友及武術會的成員為我的第二家庭。

七十歲壽辰那天，有人放置了一個紙箱在我家門前，那是武術會成員送給我的禮物：一個銅製關公將軍的塑像。關公和他的大㦸 [大關刀] 在東方歷史裏很有名，因他的勇敢，很受世人尊敬。

照片中，關公像身上放的是我不久前獲授的Taieri 空軍訓練奬章，而我擺姿勢拿著的不是劍、是中式大刀。

大刀是師傅 Bill YOUNG 多年前手製送給我的。幾年前，大刀開始銹損，太極班的一個新學員及武術會成員，替我把它翻新亮麗。

我身穿的黑色正統武術服裝，是中國功夫式樣，上面的標誌是我的設計，以雙龍圍繞太極的符號，下面是陳洪鑑的中文譯寫：太極。通常太極標誌的小圓圈是黑色和白色，但我設計的是金和黑，金色表現形態的純正，黑色是虛、或是滋養我們的大地，雙龍代表存在太極或武術中的力量。

這關將軍像和大刀，是師傅和武術會留給我的傳情物品，充滿情感的物品，就像禪一樣，難以言詮。

陳洪鑑

2015

陳洪鑑

在我與陳洪鑑會面及拍攝前, 我們之間有很多談及「家庭」的電郵通訊。血緣是家庭的核心條件嗎？有十八名兄弟姊妹的他, 從一九六八年起練習及傳授功夫和太極, 對他來說, 師傅及徒弟們, 猶如他的第二家庭。

練習功夫、尤其是太極，除了強健體魄，更多是著重內省和個人修養。拍攝關公將軍肖像及他的㦸「大關刀」時，我讓將軍戴著陳洪鑑的奬牌，以表彰他對他的「第二家庭」及社區的奉獻。替他拍肖像時，請他拿著師傅 Bill YOUNG 親手做及送他的大刀。他喜歡擺些身手矯捷的動作，我則看重他對師傅及「第二家庭」的親密關係，而表現出的沈思，及一位功夫師傅的謙卑。

中國有句諺語: 四海之內皆兄弟也。

何經棠

2015