Grandmaster Huang Chien-Liang (黃乾量)

• Head Coach of the United States National Kuo Shu Team, 1986 – 2000
• Grandmaster – 64th Generation,Tien Shan Pai, 1990
• Founder and President – United States Kuo Shu Federation (USKSF), 1991
• Director & Chief Arbitrator – 7th World Kuo Shu Championship Tournament (Taiwan, ROC), 1992
• Baltimore County Executive Ruppersberger proclaimed April 26 “Huang, Chien-Liang Day”, 1998
• Maryland Governor Glendening proclaimed April 26 “Grandmaster Huang, Chien Liang Day”, 1998
• “One of the Most Impactful Martial Artists in the 20th Century” (Inside Kung Fu Magazine), 1999
• Inducted into the US Kuo Shu Hall of Fame, 2000
• Founder and Chairman – The World Kuo Shu Federation (TWKSF), 2002
• “One of the Most Influential Chinese Martial Arts Masters of the Past 30 Years” (Inside Kung Fu Magazine), 2003
• Certified 10th Duan by TWKSF, 2004
• Certified 10th Duan by the World Traditional Martial Arts Union (WTMAU), 2005
• Inducted into the Dong Han Taoist Sect Lifetime Achievement for Excellence, 2006
• Baltimore City Mayor Sheila Dixon proclaimed April 26 “Grandmaster Huang, Chien Liang Day”, 2008
• Baltimore County Executive Kamenetz proclaimed April 26 “Huang, Chien-Liang Day”, 2013
• Certified 10th Duan by Federation International of Grandmasters, 2017
• Inducted into The World Kuo Shu Hall of Fame, 2018
• Sponsor – 6th TWKSF World Kuo Shu Championship Tournament (Hunt Valley, MD), 2018
• Doctor of Philosophy – College of Advanced Education and Martial Arts
• Honorary President – International Song’s Xing Yi Quan Association
• Honorary President – Hua Yue Xin Yi Liu He Ba Fa Yan Jiu Zong Hui
• Adjunct College Professor in Tai Ji Quan (for over 25 Years)

Grandmaster Huang, Chien-Liang, the 64th Generation Grandmaster of Tien Shan Pai, is a man of many talents, interests, and commitments. All of these focus on his devotion to the martial arts principles, philosophy, and technique. He is a humanitarian dedicated to sharing his gifts with his students, colleagues, and spectators. Inside Kung Fu Magazine named him “One of the Most Impactful Martial Artists in the 20th Century” in 1999 and “One of the Most Influential Chinese Martial Arts Masters of the Past 30 Years” in 2003.

Grandmaster Huang was born in Malaysia. As a young boy, he was physically weak and took herbal medicine for his severe asthma. He was given the opportunity to learn Kung Fu, with the hope of helping his weakness and asthma. Physically, he did get stronger, but his asthma still bothered him.

Grandmaster Huang completed his academics by earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Husbandry from the National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan, ROC, in 1967. That year, a senior classmate introduced him to Supreme Master Wang Chueh-Jen, who began teaching him Tai Ji Quan, and later, Tien Shan Pai Kung Fu. Once he started practicing Tai Ji Quan, his health dramatically improved, and his asthma disappeared. In 1970, A few years later, he was given the opportunity to learn additional martial arts from Grandmaster Chen, Jin Bao and Dao Meditation from Grandmaster Liu, Pei Chung. However, his main focus remained on Tien Shan Pai Kung Fu, and he continued to learn from Supreme Master Wang, Chueh-Jen until Supreme Master Wang passed away in 1990.

When Grandmaster Huang received job offers from Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, he was unsure of what to do and sought advice from classmates. One of his Kung Fu classmates shared an opportunity to move to the United States, where his brother, was looking for a Kung Fu instructor to help at his school. Grandmaster Huang decided to accept that offer and move to Maryland to teach.

In January 1975, with the help of a student, Grandmaster Huang opened his first school in Cincinnati Ohio, called Tien Shan Wushu School. In 1982, he moved back to Washington, D.C., and opened a school in Gaithersburg. The school later relocated to Baltimore, and is currently in Owings Mills under the name U.S. Kuo Shu Academy, where his son, Master Michael Huang, helps him run the school. Together, they teach Tien Shan Pai Kung Fu and other Northern styles, as well as Tai Ji Quan, Xing Yi Quan, and Ba Qua Zhang.

Since moving to the United States, Grandmaster Huang deepened his dedication to Kuo Shu. He has been training for over 55 years and teaching for 50 years. In his devotion to this doctrine, he founded and served as Chairman and first term President of The World Kuo Shu Federation in 2002, and, in 2006, was re-elected for a second term. He finished his second term in 2010 and currently serves as Chairman of the Board. He is also President and founder (1991) of the United States Kuo Shu Federation, and in 2000, he was the first inductee into the U.S. Kuo Shu Hall of Fame.

Since 1988, Grandmaster Huang has promoted and sponsored numerous national and international Kuo Shu championship tournaments, with competitors attending from Canada, Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Paraguay, Chile, Germany, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Spain, Russia, China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, and others.

From 1986 to 2000, he served as Head Coach of the United States Kuo Shu Team, which competed in the World Cup and other international tournaments. Grandmaster Huang has been called the “Maker of Champions” because of the many competitions his students have won in forms, weapons, two-man sets, internal arts, and full-contact Lei Tai fighting. He had two students who became Lei Tai World Champions in Taiwan at the International Chinese Kuo Shu Federation (ICKF) Tournament.

In addition to his students winning World Lei Tai Championships, at the 2nd World Kuo Shu Federation Tournament (Singapore, 2006) and the 3rd World Kuo Shu Federation Tournament (Germany, 2009), his students also won gold medals in Tai Ji Quan form, weapons, and Push Hands.

He was Director and Chief Arbitrator of the 7th World Cup Chinese Kuo Shu Championship in Taiwan. In July 2018, as Chairman of TWKSF, he sponsored the 6th TWKSF World Kuo Shu Championship Tournament at the Delta Marriott Hotel in Hunt Valley, Maryland. In addition to support and recognition from local, state, and national politicians, from 1994-2021, the White House consistently sent an official representative to the USKSF annual tournament’s opening ceremonies.

Grandmaster Huang is the only full heir to the 63rd generationTien Shan Pai Supreme MasterWang Chueh-Jen,“the Double Broadsword King of China.” As the outstanding supporter of Tien Shan Pai in the world, Grandmaster Huang has students who have opened schools across the United States, Europe, and South America. He is known internationally as “Kuo Shu World Bao Qing Tian,” China’s most famous judge, and is an international Kuo Shu Coach/Instructor and international Kuo Shu Referee “A,” the highest rank, by the ICKF.

In 2004, Grandmaster Huang received his 10th Duan degree, the highest rank from TWKSF, and was certified at the 10th Duan level by the World Traditional Martial Arts Union. In 2006, he was inducted into the Dong Han Taoist Sect Lifetime Achievement for Excellence. He was named a Doctor of Philosophy from the College of Advanced Education and Martial Arts and named Honorary President of both the International Song’s Xing Yi Quan Association and Hua Yue Xin Yi Liu He Ba Fa Yan Jiu Zong Hui. He also received the Kuo Shu Medal A, Kuo Shu Medal B, and Honorary Kuo Shu Medal from the ICKF. In 2017, he was certified at the 10th Duan level by Federation International of Grandmaster and, in 2018, he was inducted into The World Kuo Shu Hall of Fame.

Grandmaster Huang has traveled to 30 countries promoting Kuo Shu and teaching seminars on a variety of topics, including Dao Meditation. He has produced videos on Tien Shan Pai, Qin Na, Tai Ji Quan, and Xing Yi Quan. He designs and implements instructor, judge, and referee certification programs, and has also introduced a new grading and ranking system for TWKSF. He has been an adjunct professor in Tai Ji Quan at the Community College of Baltimore County in Essex, Maryland, for over 25 years, and formerly taught Tai Ji Quan at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore. He has spent much time assisting in the training of Lei Tai full-contact fighters from the United States and other countries. These fighters have gone on to win full-contact competitions at national and international Kuo Shu tournaments, including the World Kuo Shu Tournament.

The list of accolades awarded Grandmaster Huang is quite extensive. His accomplishments have been acknowledged by many notable politicians, martial arts associations, magazines, and television. He has been named “One of the Most Impactful Martial Artists in the 20th Century,” “Instructor of the Year,” and is among “Famous Chinese People in the World,” by Ren Mon Ri Bao, the Chinese People’s daily newspaper. Grandmaster Huang has had television interviews in the United States and Spain, and in Paraguay and Brazil. He was on the news show PM Magazine in a feature on “Maker of Champions, Builder of Character.” In addition, he has performed in the United States, Europe, China, and Taiwan.

Grandmaster Huang’s commitment and contributions to charity have continued to serve and benefit people far beyond the martial arts community. He has supported many charitable events for organizations including the Muscular Dystrophy Walkathon, Pride of Baltimore II Rebuild, and The Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. In 1998, he performed Tien Shan Pai Kung Fu with his students to raise more than $5,000 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. In November 2001, through a martial arts demonstration, Grandmaster Huang and his Kuo Shu team raised more than $2,700 for victims of September 11, and in 2005 they conducted a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and raised more than $4,000. In April 2008, the International Tien Shan Pai Association and the USKSF sponsored a charity demonstration to celebrate Grandmaster Huang’s 35 years of instruction in the U.S. and raised over $4,000 for the Baltimore Children’s Home. In 2013, over $6,000 was raised for the local charity, Sparks of Change, during a demonstration to celebrate Grandmaster Huang’s 40 years of teaching in the U.S., and Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz proclaimed April 26, 2013, as “Huang Chien Liang Day” to celebrate this achievement.

Locally, Grandmaster Huang has been invited to meet with many state and federal officials, including Robert L. Ehrlich (former Congressman and former Maryland Governor), C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (former Baltimore County Executive and current U.S. Congressman), Andrew Harris (former State Senator and current U.S. Congressman), and Parris Glendening (former Maryland Governor). He has received Certificates of Special Congressional Recognition from former U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski, U.S. Congressman Ruppersberger, and then-Congressman Ehrlich; a Citizen Citation from former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke; County Executive Citations from Robert Hayden, Ruppersberger, James T. Smith, and Kamenetz; and Governor’s Citations from former Governors Glendening, Ehrlich, and Martin O’Malley. Grandmaster Huang was honored with a proclamation from then-County Executive Ruppersberger, proclaiming April 26, 1998, “Huang Chien Liang Day,” and a proclamation from then-Governor Glendening proclaiming April 26, 1998, as “Grandmaster Huang, Chien- Liang’s 25th Anniversary of Martial Arts Instruction in the U.S. Day,” for his unstinting promotion of Kuo Shu. Former Baltimore City Mayor Sheila Dixon said,“Based on his tireless efforts promoting Chinese martial arts within the local community and the world we are proud to honor Grandmaster Huang on this special day.” Unquestionably, Grandmaster Huang’s commitment to excellence in the Chinese martial arts has earned him a place in the history of martial arts, not only for his innovations, but for his caring and devotion to all people.

Kuo Shu, translated literally as “national art,” is part of Chinese cultural heritage promoting both a healthy body and a strong moral character. The United States Chinese Kuo Shu Federation (USCKF), a non-profit organization, began sponsoring high quality martial arts tournaments in 1991. In 2006, the name was changed to the United States Kuo Shu Federation (USKSF). Kuo Shu, also known as “Kung Fu,” is the trademark of traditional Chinese Wu Shu (martial arts), and promotes friendship, unity, physical fitness, harmony, martial ethics, and peace around the world. In this age of both mental and physical wellness, the organization continues to grow, because Kuo Shu continues to appeal to individuals of all ages and cultures.

The Board of Directors of the USKSF represents martial arts organizations from around the United States. Through this national network, the international standards for judge, referee, and instructor certifications have been established, and a new ranking system was developed as well. As a member of The World Kuo Shu Federation, the USKSF ensures all standards are comparable in both organizations.

In the western hemisphere, the USKSF participates in the Pan-American Kuo Shu Federation, which holds tournaments throughout the Americas each year. These include the First Americas Cup International Kuo Shu Championship Tournament held in 1991, and the U.S. International Kuo Shu Championship Tournaments for the years 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2000 through 2018. The year 2000 marked a significant step forward for the USKSF when it established the Kuo Shu Hall of Fame (KHOF) as the cornerstone of the annual banquet which culminates each tournament. The KHOF is the USKSF’s most prestigious award because it recognizes individuals for a lifetime dedicated to promoting Kuo Shu and martial ethics. The KHOF nominee must obtain two thirds of the votes of the KHOF Committee in order to be inducted. Additionally, the USKSF confers awards for competitors and a judge of the year, and also recognizes Kuo Shu contributors who help provide special support to the federation at the KHOF banquet. The USKSF marked the momentous 30th anniversary of its prestigious US International Kuo Shu Championship Tournament in 2018 with special Tien Shan Pai demonstrations, renowned lion dance teams, and a host of dignitaries who attended the opening ceremonies of this elite competition.

The growth of Kuo Shu in this region and worldwide would not have been possible without the efforts of Grandmaster Huang, Chien-Liang. He has devoted his professional life to Kuo Shu since his arrival in the United States in 1973. He founded, and is currently President of the USKSF, and also founded and is the Chairman of The World Kuo Shu Federation. He promotes and supports the study of Kuo Shu and martial ethics by conducting seminars worldwide, and has worked tirelessly to elevate the standards of Kuo Shu instruction, demonstrations, and competitions. This dedication to the organization has been demonstrated by the expansion of the organization from an initial USKSF tournament of 102 competitors to approximately 500 international participants who now travel to the United States to compete annually. Grandmaster Huang’s commitment to humanity extends beyond the martial arts arena. He has organized demonstrations in order to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and victims of September 11th, among others, to accumulate over $7,000 in donations. In April 2008, the USKSF sponsored a charity demonstration to celebrate Grandmaster Huang’s 35 years of instruction in the U.S. and raised over $4,000 for the Baltimore Children’s Home. In honor of this event, several government officials sent their congratulations and good wishes, including former Baltimore City Mayor Sheila Dixon, who proclaimed April 26, 2008 “Grandmaster Huang, Chien-Liang’s 35th Anniversary of Martial Arts Instruction in the U.S. Day” and former Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith, Jr., who proclaimed April 26, 2008 “Grandmaster Huang, Chien-Liang Day.” Former Mayor Sheila Dixon stated “…based on his tireless efforts promoting Chinese martial arts within the local community and the world we are proud to honor Grandmaster Huang on this special day….” Grandmaster Huang continued this tradition on his 40th anniversary of teaching Kuo Shu in the United States by hosting another charity demonstration. This special event raised over $6,000 for the local “Sparks of Change” charity established in memory of Huang’s late student, Daniel Siegel.

Recognition for Kuo Shu and this annual tournament is unprecedented in the history of Chinese martial arts in the United States. In addition to proclamations from such well-known local leaders such as former Governor Martin O’Malley, and former Governor Robert Ehrlich, Maryland State Senator Andrew Harris has participated in the tournament’s Opening Ceremonies. In addition, since 1994, the White House has consistently sent an official representative to the tournament’s opening ceremonies. This clearly demonstrates the impact this form of martial arts has continued to make in this country and throughout the world.