Aggie Article
This was the front-page story published in the California Aggie (UC Davis' newspaper) on August 19, 2002 about the Combat Shaolin book. The Aggie has granted permission to the LHCMAI to reproduce this article.
Fighting words
UC Davis grads publish book on Shaolin Kung Fu
By Andrew Whelan
Aggie Campus Editor
August 19, 2002
Three UC Davis alumni have collaborated to write a book on the Northern Shaolin style of Kung Fu.
According to co-author Albert Loui, a UCD graduate student in physics who also earned his undergraduate degree at UCD, the book is scheduled for release by Unique Publications in October and will run about 150 pages in length.
The work, titled Combat Shaolin, is the second on the subject for co-author Brian Klingborg. Tuttle Publishing published his first book, The Secrets of Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, in 1999.
Loui said the book's theme is centered around the authors' teacher, Master Lai Hung, a famous amateur fighter in Southeast Asia during the late 1950s and early 1960s. While in the United States only those in the martial-arts community recognize him, Loui said, he is still well known in Asia today.
The third and oldest author, Gary Tang, started studying Kung Fu before he attended UCD in the early 1980s.
Klingborg, the only author of Caucasian descent, became interested in Chinese culture as a student at UCD in the late 1980s. After graduating, he studied in China, where he developed a nearly fluent understanding of Mandarin Chinese.
Since Klingborg's background is in writing, Loui said it seemed natural for him to combine that with his passion for Chinese culture to produce multiple books.
Loui said he expected the main audience of the book to be those already in the martial-arts community.
''The first book I don't think sold all that well, but the people who know Lai Hung and are interested in him will buy this book,'' he said.
The book will be accessible through most major online book stores, as well as regular stores like Borders and Barnes & Noble.
Loui said that, for people with average knowledge of Kung Fu, he wanted them to understand that Kung Fu is a demanding practice free of the misconceptions and romanticism that have been associated with Kung Fu thanks to societal influences like Bruce Lee movies.
''There's no magic involved; there's no touch of death,'' Loui said. ''Kung Fu is no more mystical than the sweet science of boxing. It involves specific techniques that aren't widely known, plus physical work and discipline.''
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PHOTO: Albert Loui (r) and Lillian Chow perform and intricate series of movements called Kuen, part of the Kung Fu class that they attend Thursday evenings at the Experimental College. Leon Wartinger / Aggie
PHOTO: Loui leaps in the air during a choreographed Chinese broadsword set outside the Silo Student Center on Thursday evening. Leon Wartinger / Aggie