Tien Shan Pai: Huang Chien-Liang

Grandmaster Huang, Chien-Liang has demonstrated by his leadership the tenets of Kuoshu – virtue, wisdom, and humility – for more than 30 years, and has steadfastly promoted peace through Kuoshu and the ethics of martial arts. Grandmaster Huang’s enthusiasm and dedication to martial arts have made him a national and international Kuoshu leader.

Grandmaster Huang holds a B.S. degree from the National Chung Shing University, Taiwan, R.O.C. He has trained in Kuoshu for more than 40 years and has taught the discipline for more than 30 years. In the United States, his name is synonymous with Kuoshu. In 2004, the College of Advanced Education conferred on him an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Martial Arts. In 2000, he was the first inductee into the United States Kuoshu Hall of Fame. He is the founder, current Chairman of the Board, and President of the World Kuoshu Federation (TWKSF), as well as President of the United States Kuoshu Federation (USKSF). Under Grandmaster Huang’s leadership, the USKSF continues to be a thriving and growing non-profit organization affiliated with TWKSF.

Grandmaster Huang Chien-Liang performs his famous weapon, "Divine Double Hook" during a charity demostration in 2002

Grandmaster Huang is the only full heir to the 63rd generation Tien Shan Pai Supreme Master Wang Chueh-Jen, known as the “Double Broadsword King of China.” As the leading advocate of Tien Shan Pai in the world, he has focused his efforts in the United States, Europe, and South America.

Due partly to Grandmaster Huang’s fairness, integrity, and ability to settle disputes in the world of Kuoshu martial arts, he is known internationally among masters as “Kuoshu World Pao Chin Tien,” meaning China’s most famous judge. Among his many accomplishments, Grandmaster Huang is a Certified International Kuoshu Referee A by TWKSF, as well as an International Kuoshu Coach/Instructor and International Kuoshu Referee, the highest ranks, by the ICKF. In 2004, Grandmaster Huang received his 10th Tuan degree, the highest rank, from TWKSF. He was also certified at the 10th Tuan level by the World Traditional Martial Arts Union.

Grandmaster Huang Chien-Liang

While serving as head coach of the United States Kuoshu Team, which competed in the World Cup and other international Kuoshu championship tournaments from 1986 to 2000, his students won championships in forms, weapons, and full-contact Lei Tai fighting. Grandmaster Huang spends much of his time conducting martial arts seminars around the world, as well as assisting in the training of Lei Tai full-contact fighters from the United States and other countries. These fighters have subsequently won full-contact competitions at national and international Kuoshu tournaments, including the World Kuoshu Tournament. Grandmaster Huang has also been an adjunct professor in Tai Ji Quan at the Community College of Baltimore County in Essex, Maryland, for more than 20 years.

As founder and owner of the U.S. Kuoshu Academy, Grandmaster Huang’s teaching includes Tien Shan Pai Kung Fu and other Northern styles, as well as Tai Ji Quan, Xing Yi Quan, and Ba Qua Zhang. In addition, he has produced videos on Xing Yi Quan, Qin Na, Tai Ji Quan, and Tien Shan Pai. Grandmaster Huang especially favors double weapons, such as the double broadsword, double straight sword, and double hook. At World Cup Kuoshu Championship tournaments, he has demonstrated “Plum Flower Kick Combination,” “Double Broadsword against Spear,” and double hook.

Since 1988 Grandmaster Huang has sponsored numerous annual national and international Kuoshu championship tournaments. He continues to promote and teach Kuoshu seminars each year and designs and implements instructor, judge, and referee certification programs. He also introduced a new grading and ranking system for TWKSF.

Grandmaster Huang’s accolades include Action Martial Arts magazine’s “Hall of Fame Humanitarian Award” (2003). He was named “One of the Most Influential Chinese Martial Arts Masters of the Past 30 Years” by Inside Kung Fu magazine, as well as “One of the Greatest Impact Martial Artists in the 20th Century.” The Chinese people’s daily newspaper, RenMon RiBao, named him among “Famous Chinese People in the World.” Grandmaster Huang continues to be well received by the media in promoting Kuoshu, and has had television interviews in Cincinnati, Ohio, in Philadelphia on Philly Live, where he demonstrated Kuoshu, and globally in countries such as Spain, and Paraguay, South America. He was featured in “Maker of Champions, Builder of Character” on the news show PM Magazine.

Grandmaster Huang has supported many charitable events for organizations including the Walkathon, Muscular Dystrophy, 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. For this he received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from then-Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., a Citizen Citation from former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke, an Executive Citation, “Huang, Chien-Liang Day,” from former Baltimore County Executive, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, and a Governor’s Citation from former Governor Parris Glendening. Grandmaster Huang was honored with a proclamation from 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 tireless promotion of Kuoshu.

Demonstration to benefit Johns Hopkins Children's Center, 1990

His commitment and contributions to charity work have continued to serve and benefit people far beyond the martial arts community. In November 2001, through a martial arts demonstration, Grandmaster Huang and his Kuoshu team raised more than $2,700 for victims of September 11, and in 2005, they conducted a fundraiser raising over $4,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Grandmaster Huang has received numerous certificates, trophies, medals, and plaques recognizing his outstanding efforts for Kuoshu and has been invited to meet with many state and federal officials. In 1996, Grandmaster Huang met with Congressman Ehrlich, the current Maryland Governor, about Kuoshu, and in 2005, he was invited to and attended a personal tour of the White House.

Grandmaster Huang was the first person to receive proclamations from the Governor of Maryland, the Baltimore County Executive and the Mayor of Baltimore declaring a “Kuoshu Federation Week.” He was also the first to receive citations from U.S. Senate and Congressional representatives for his initiative in promoting Kuoshu. From 1994 to 2000, he hosted the only annual tournament with representatives from the offices of U.S. President Clinton and Vice President Gore, and, from 2001 to 2006, from President George W. Bush. The USKSF tournaments are the first and only Kuoshu tournaments attended by White House, Congress, and Maryland State and County government representatives, who also participate in the tournaments’ opening ceremonies.

1998 Charity Demo for Multiple Sclerosis