Today, Wade is speaking with David Wei of Wudang West Cultural Heritage Center, a non-profit wellness ministry based in Oakland, California.

David Wei has a unique story. He started off as your average kid in the Bay Area but become so inspired by a certain western movie (can you guess?) that he went to the Wudang Mountains in China to study martial arts. After 20 years of studying, he returned to the Bay Area and was tasked by his master to start a Chinese cultural center — which is now the Wudang West Cultural Heritage Center. The center provides education in subjects like Chinese medicine, calligraphy, and of course: martial arts.

In this episode, David talks about the elements of Wudang West beyond the martial arts, how the cultural center has morphed and changed over the years David has been running it, how he was originally introduced to the martial arts and how sees it progressing in the future, and how training has impacted his life (especially in regard to his time spent in Wudang, China).

Key Takeaways:

[:44] About Wade’s guest today: David Wei.

[1:51 ] Wade welcomes David to the podcast.

[2:03 ] David explains the additional elements at Wudang West beyond martial arts.

[5:51 ] How the cultural center has morphed and changed in the years David has been running it.

[8:04 ] Why is Wudang West closed door?

[12:42 ] The western influence that David has brought to Wudang West.

[14:29 ] How David originally got into martial arts.

[16:30 ] How David sees martial arts progressing in the future.

[18:33 ] How David’s training has impacted his life.

[20:33 ] How to find out more information about David and Wudang West.

[24:38 ] What else David would like listeners to know.

Mentioned in this Episode:

David Wei

Wudang West Cultural Heritage Center

Liar’s Poker, by Michael Lewis