KAPA‘A — Sixth-grade students at Kapa‘a Middle School got a unique experience when they were treated to a visit by Chinese doctor Master Wan Su Jing and three of the doctor’s older students. Arranging the visit, the first ever for
KAPA‘A — Sixth-grade students at Kapa‘a Middle School got a unique experience when they were treated to a visit by Chinese doctor Master Wan Su Jing and three of the doctor’s older students.
Arranging the visit, the first ever for Wan to the United States, were Francesco and Daisy Lee Garripoli of Kapa‘a, who were also garbed in the traditional Chinese attire of the visitors from Beijing.
Francesco Garripoli, who heads up an after-school Smart Exercise program at Kapa‘a Middle School, explained that the recent visit was for the purpose of creating an exercise video by teacher Mary Lardizabal’s sixth-grade class, Lardizabal manning the camera while her students interacted with the Chinese master and his students in demonstrating some of the qi gong (pronounced “chi gong”) techniques.
Qi gong is a traditional Chinese exercise program that dates back at least 5,000 years, Garripoli explained. Portions of the exercise routines have been incorporated into some of the Chinese martial arts, dance, and other fields.
Master Wan, whom Garripoli met on a trip to China, uses qi gong principles in his medical practice as well as while working with the 40 students that reside at the Beijing Red Cross Traditional Medical Exchange Center.
Under the tutelage of Garripoli and the Chinese students, the sixth graders were encouraged to use their imagination while manipulating the energy around them and in their bodies.
This aura of energy also extends into the family, and Garripoli pointed out that as a medical doctor, Master Wan works with families to cure individual problems, the energy being key to a lot of solutions.
Emotions are energy, Garripoli explained.
If a person feels anger, Garripoli noted, you can expel that energy from your body, or at least minimize it so the body can function properly.
Breathing is at the root of the qi gong regime, and students were quickly pulled into the routine by the three Chinese students, the body of sixth graders starting out as a giggling, wiggly mass, but quickly settling into a serene, meditative group that was attentive to the master’s directions.
This was epitomized by Niki Blas, whose reaction to the touch from Chinese student Wang Yu Jie brought forth squeals and giggles, but the Smart Exercise student quickly quieted down to pass along the routine.
Garripoli advised students to practice the simple breathing and energy-manipulating exercises prior to embarking on any new area, such as studying for a difficult subject.
Demonstrating how the qi gong techniques have been incorporated into other traditional Chinese art forms, Master Wan and his three students offered the students a demonstration in kung fu kata, and music played on traditional Chinese instruments, much to the delight of the students, who were able to recognize familiar strains of Western music in the variety of folk songs and Christmas carols that were played.
Garripoli explained that, under the Smart Exercise regime, he uses techniques from several fields of study to offer the students a program that fits them here on the island.
Garripoli said he started studying this form of Chinese exercise in Punalu‘u back in 1977. Traveling to China, he met up with Master Wan, and studied under him for two years. Garripoli being one of the first Westerners (and Italians) to travel to Beijing.
The master and his students arrived here at Garripoli at the Kahuna Valley foundation’s invitation.
Garripoli is a member of the Kahuna Valley foundation, which focuses on peace, young students, and other initiatives.
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@pulitzer.net.
