Tai Chi’s Hawaii Roots
The son of the man who is believed to have brought tai chi to Hawaii continues to teach, and is planning a trip to China to celebrate the 108th birthday of the school in which his grandfather was an instrumental teacher
Reid Saski, foreground,
concentrates on his moves
chi.
“You feel more relaxed, less tired,” he said, which is exactly what I felt, especially the relaxing part.
Another thing learned from the Dongs is that it’s possible to have “kung fu” in tai chi. This lesser-known meaning of the phrase signifies having skill. After having one lesson, my “kung fu” in tai chi is pretty nil, but as disciple Chip Ellis offers, “It’s pretty hard to get in one lesson.”
Stick with it, though, as he has for 32 years, starting as a student with the grand master’s father, and he says you’ll benefit healthwise.
“Sometimes when people ask me why I do tai chi I tell them it’s because it’s cheap medical insurance,” says Ellis, who by day is the budget director for Hawaiian Telcom. There’s also the benefits of better concentration, and balance, which is vital for the older set prone to falls, and perhaps what people crave most - a relief from stress.
The Dongs are set to return to Honolulu on Nov. 15, and Zeng, whose lessons have continued in his absence, will be back in front of the class on Nov. 16.
The Dong family is well known in China and Asia, Ellis says, adding, “Here we don’t have any sense of all of that, but when (grandmaster Dong) travels around to parts of the world, they’ll throw banquets.”
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