Chang Wu Na 張悟納
Master Chang, Wu Na (Daoist name Bao Na), is the co-founder and instructor of the International Wudang Internal Martial Arts Academy and is a Daoist priest. Master Chang has been trained in various martial arts from around the world since the age of four. This enabled him to cultivate a balanced understanding of Chinese Martial Arts and its place in the global martial arts community. His name is included in The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Outstanding Chinese Martial Arts Masters published in China.
In his youth, Master Chang studied several hard styles and various weapons. As a mixed-race individual, Master Chang was drawn to the Chinese Martial Arts in an attempt to further explore his Chinese heritage.His training in Wudang style martial arts began in his early teens learning Baguazhang and Xingyiquan with a master from Beijing.
While living in Tianjin, Master Chang met the head of Wudang Dan Pai in China, Grandmaster Ma Jie, and began his intense training of Wudang Dan Pai Gong Fu. Grandmaster Ma tested Master Chang and Dr. Lu during their first meeting and was deeply impressed by their performance so that he took them on as his personal students. This was a very high honor since the Grandmaster was very picky choosing who to teach personally. After proving themselves to him, Grandmaster Ma accepted both Master Chang and Dr. Lu as his inner-door disciples. Today they are the global representatives of Grandmaster Ma Jie’s system outside of China.
From Grandmaster Ma Jie, Master Chang has been trained in the traditional systems of Wudang Sword, Traditional Wudang Taiji, Wudang Baguazhang and Han Mu-Xia style Xingyiquan among others. He was quick in picking up the applications of internal martial arts in practical fighting situations since Grandmaster Ma frequently used Master Chang to demonstrate fighting techniques. Other esoteric gong fu that Grandmaster Ma passed down include Nei Gong, various weight training practices, Rou Hua Gong, Da La Gong, Qing Gong, and knife throwing.
Upon the Grandmaster’s death, Master Chang and Dr. Lu were chosen as the new lineage holders of the system. It was a controversial decision, seeing as they live in the US, but it was one that the Grandmaster had been grooming them for for years. Master Chang, along with Dr. Lu, continue to strive to live up to their master’s standard and promote the system around the world.
Master Chang also had the unique opportunity to train with another 12th Generation master of Wudang Dan Pai, Grandmaster Qian Timing. As a disciple, Master Chang began his serious study of Wudang Free-Step Taijiquan, which includes various weapons and fighting techniques, Wudang Baguazhang, and Wudang Continuous-Stepping Sword. Master Chang became a leading disciple in the Changzhou-based Dan Pai and learned Wudang Dan Pai special techniques including Wo Hu Gong and several Qing Gong techniques.
In Baguazhang, Master Chang trained with the famous Beijing master, Gao Ji-Wu, who was the president of the Beijing Bagua Research Association and the lineage holder of Yin Sect Gao Style Baguazhang. Grandmaster Gao was very fond of Chang and took him as disciple. He passed on to Chang a plethora of traditional Baguazhang techniques and internal training methods. Strong emphasis was placed by Grandmaster Gao on Wu De, the martial virtues. From Grandmaster Gao, Chang learned many hand and weapon forms, standing meditation practices and various fighting methodologies of Baguazhang.
In Xingyiquan, besides Grandmaster Ma Jie, Master Chang had the great fortune to train with Grandmaster Yang Fan-Sheng , one of the leading figures of Xingyiquan in the place of its birth, Taigu County, Shanxi Province. Grandmaster Yang’s skill and fighting prowess is unmatched in the realm of Xingyiquan. It was a true honor for Chang to train with him and be accepted as his disciple. From Grandmaster Yang, Chang learned many sets for single and paired practice that involve both bare hands and weapons as well as many special techniques such as Pai Da Gong and Iron palm.
In addition to his martial arts training, Master Chang has done great research and training in the spiritual practices of Daoism as a disciple of Wudang. His studies have taken him all over China to various holy places and temples. He was later initiated into the Quanzhen Sect of monastic Daoism and has been authorized to pass on the teachings of this ancient spiritual practice. Master Chang feels it is his duty to pass on what he has learned to the next generation so that it may protect, cultivate, and improve their lives and the lives of those around them.
Here are a few of Master Chang’s positions and accomplishments:
13th Generation Lineage Holder of Wudang Xuanmen Dan Pai and 3rd Generation Successor of Han Pai Xingyiquan under Grandmaster Ma, Jie
13th Generation Successor of Wudang Dan Pai under Grandmaster Qian, Timing
6th Generation Successor of Beijing Baguazhang under Grandmaster Gao, Ji-Wu
4th Generation Successor of Shanxi Che Style Xingyiquan under Grandmaster Yang, Fan-Sheng
16th Generation Successor of Quanzhen Chunyang Men Peng Lai Pai Daoism under Grandmaster Cao, Lai Zhen
President and co-founder of International Wudang Martial Arts Association
Head Martial Arts Instructor of University of Washington’s Gear-Up Program
Member of the Beijing Bagua Research Association
Member of the Tianjin City Wudang Neigong Research Association
Master Chang has been introduced in the following publications and media:
Encyclopedia for Contemporary Outstanding Chinese Martial Arts Masters, published in China 2008"
Exploring Xingyiquan" Documentary produced for CCTV 9 Documentary Station, China 2014
Xin Bao, (Tianjin Daily News, China) 2007
Tianjin Radio Station, China 2007
Tianjin TV Station, China 2007CCTV 5 , China
2007New Tang Dynasty News, Taiwan, Australia, U.S.A., Canada and Europe
2008Newsletter of Zhong Hua Wushi Hui (Chinese Knights Association, the very first official Chinese Martial Arts Association, based in Tianjin, China) 2007
Tai Chi Magazine, U.S.A. 2005, 2015
Epoch Times(Cover Article), Taiwan 2008
Seattle Chinese Times, WA, U.S.A. 2012
Eastside Journal, WA, U.S.A. 2005
Kitsap Sun Times, WA, U.S.A. 2004
Competition Experience and Awards:
Three gold medals in Taiji, Wudang Sword, Wudang Dueling Sword, silver medal in Xingyiquan at the 2009 7th Hong Kong Wushu International Championship.
Four gold medals in Taiji, Xingyi, Wudang Sword and Dueling Sword at the 2009 4th Hong Kong International Wushu Competition.
Grand Champion in Internal Boxing at the 2008 1st Traditional Chinese Martial Arts Competition in New York.
Gold Medal, 2008 Bei Wudang (Northern Wudang) Martial Art Association Opening Invitational, Dalian, China.
Zhong Hua Wu Shi Hui 2007 Reopening Invitational Demonstration, Tianjin, China.
Five gold medals and the grand championship cup at the 2006 8th Annual International Chinese Martial Arts Competition, Orlando, Florida.
Two gold medals and one silver medal at the 2006 UC Berkley International Wushu Competition, Berkeley, California.
First and second place trophy at the 2005 West Coast National Martial Arts Championship, California.
Two gold medals at the 2005 Traditional Kung Fu Invitational, Vancouver, Canada.
All-around Champion silver medalist and five gold medals at the 2022 Golden Sate International Wushu Championship, California.