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Zen Master, Kung Fu Shifu, Tai Chi Teacher
1964, Richard Del Connor is at Marvin Elementary school of San Diego, California, as a Patrol Boy protecting his schoolmates from traffic.
1970, attending Prince Of Wales Collegiate, he worked for the Canadian Government on the Oxen Pond game reserve in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada fighting off feral dogs.
1981-1985, he graduated the Tai Mantis Kung Fu Federation, in Redondo Beach, California, learning 10 Shaolin Forms of original Shaolin Temple on Mt. Songshan, 18 Classical Weapons, and both the 7-Star and Tai Chi Praying Mantis Kung Fu styles. Richard also studied the Wong Family, Wang Style, and Yang Family styles of Tai Chi.
1986, Buddha Zhen begins teaching Northern Shaolin Kung Fu (Gongfu), to his record company employees and interns.
1985-1988, Richard Del Connor / Richard O'Connor graduates UCLA Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Program.
1988, Buddha Zhen's house is full of fellow Tai Mantis students visiting and bringing new students. Interns of Shaolin Records begin the tradition of free Kung Fu lessons each day at the Shaolin Records office in North Hollywood, California.
1992, Buddha Zhen is contracted by Governor of Utah to teach Tai Chi in a Maximum Security Prison. Teaching inmates to fight? It works. Buddha Zhen's students had the lowest return rate to prison of any other group of inmates in the 1990s.
1993, Shaolin Chi Mantis becomes official name of Buddha Zhen's Kung Fu and Tai Chi school.
1993, copies of the Shaolin Chi Mantis 7-Year Curriculum Poster and supporting samples and documents are sent worldwide to fellow Shaolin Shifu, Praying Mantis schools, Dr. Kam Yuen, the Tai Mantis Federation, and the original Shaolin Temple on Mt. Songshan, in northern China. A few adjustments are made to accommodate most all suggestions from other Kung Fu and Tai Chi Masters.
1994, Buddha Zhen launches first youth programs of Shaolin Chi Mantis. These curriculums become the Tai Chi Kids and Tai Chi Senior programs started in California one decade later.
1995, Shaolin Chi Mantis Kung Fu and Tai Chi classes are offered at many non-Mormon churches:
Church of Religious Science
Church of Inner Christ
Unitarian Church
1995, FREE ZEN seminars were offered to the Utah public quarterly at the YMCA so that Mormons could ask questions of Buddha Zhen to learn about Tai Chi, Kung Fu and Zen Buddhism. These seminars usually included demonstrations of Kung Fu weapons and Forms by Buddha Zhen and his students.
1995, Shaolin Chi Mantis continues Chinese New Year's performances by the Shaolin Chi Mantis DEMO TEAM each year for Utah Chinese Cantonese Society, and several government branches that hire the SCM DEMO TEAM to perform at annual government banquets and special events. Zhen Shen-Lang receives plaques from Chinese community and proclaimed, "Honorary Chinese Citizen."
1996, Tai Chi Youth, Inc., founded by Buddha Zhen Shen-Lang. This non-profit education organization has taught hundreds of students, performed for thousands, and improved the lives of countless youths, teens, adults and seniors. Some students claim that Buddha Zhen's Kung Fu and/or Tai Chi programs saved their lives.
1997, FIrst Kung Fu Tournament is held in Utah. Sponsored by Shaolin Chi Mantis, no Karate divisions are incorporated. Kung Fu and Tai Chi divisions are subdivided into Kung Fu styles and age groups. Half-time shows include demonstrations by all other Utah Kung Fu schools.
1998, Shaolin Chi Mantis and Tai Chi Youth cosponsor three tournaments per year:
- July Summer Push Hands Tournament
- September Push Hands Championship
- November Annual Chinese Gongfu and Taijiquan Tournament
1999, Last year of Buddha Z in Utah. All Tai Chi Youth and Shaolin Chi Mantis programs continue with Buddha Zhen, after moving to California.
2000, Buddha Zhen's Cabin: An ancient home built into the canyon hillside, along a stream with trout in it. Students travelled up the 17 mile windy mountain road to work out in the Angeles forest among the racoons and pumas.
2001, Buddha Zhen bit by Black Widow Spider. Unable to walk for several months, Buddha Zhen began a Kung Fu path to complete recovery over the next five years.
2002, Tujunga classes are taught in Buddha Zhen's front yard lot. The only sword program taught in California during the first decade of the new milleneum was taught at the HOUSE OF ZHEN. Sword students included Zhen Ming-Mou, Zhen Song-Dao, and L.A. Symphony Trumpeter, Lucy Burger.
2003 - 2006: Buddha Zhen is hired by the YMCAs of Los Angeles to teach a variety of classes:
- Beginner Tai Chi
- Intermediate Tai Chi
- Senior Tai Chi
- Combat Tai Chi
- Shaolin Kung Fu
- Kung Fu
- Tai Chi Kids
- Shaolin Kids
2007: Still teaching at the YMCA, Buddha Zhen begins teaching at Crescenta Valley Park, CV Park, in Crescenta Valley, California. These classes are more traditional than the YMCA classes which do not have a dress code. Weapons classes are taught to all advanced students amidst the oak trees.
- Buddha Kung Fu
- Buddha Tai Chi
2008: Still teaching at the YMCA, Buddha Zhen adds the Kung Fu Bootcamp on Wednesdays, at CV Park. This new Kung Fu program is based upon the 12 Step 12 Tantui of Shaolin Chi Mantis. Maintaining the order taught at the Tai Mantis Federation, Buddha Zhen's program was approved by the Jing Mo School in San Francisco.
- 12 Step 12 Week Kung Fu Bootcamp
2009: Still teaching at the YMCA, Buddha Zhen adds two more Wednesday classes at another park, 2 Strike Park:
- Kung Fu Kids Program
- Beginner Tai Chi
For a 40 page biography of Buddha Zhen purchase the BUDDHA KUNG FU STUDENT MANUAL.
This book is required reading for all journalists before interviewing Buddha Zhen. Journalists seeking to interview Buddha Zhen within the next four months may contact the Shaolin Communications Webmaster (see bottom of most pages of the shaolinCOM.com website) to receive the 2nd half of the Buddha Kung Fu Student Manual sooner.
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