EMEIKUNGFU

​

 

Master OBerry was very fortunate as a child to grow up in an environment that encouraged alternative health and healing practices.  His family owns and operates an organic health food store in the town of New Bedford, Massachusetts called, Down to Earth Natural Foods.  It was through Down to Earth that he was afforded the opportunity to make friends with many practitioners of alternative healing arts which, unbeknownst at the time, would lead him down the path to a life long passion with Chinese martial arts.  

 

When Master OBerry was thirteen years old, a friend practicing massage therapy suggested he try kungfu classes at a school in East Providence, Rhode Island.  Upon arrival, he immediately felt at home in this place known as The Way of the Dragon. His training would soon begin under Master Wen-Ching Wu and from here his life long path would unfold.  Master OBerry began to put all his extra time outside of school into martial arts and went from attending one class a week to being at the school six days a week practicing, teaching and attending the many different classes.  His introduction into kungfu led to a growing interest in the internal and healing arts.  He began to practice taiji, qigong and various other styles complimentary to the rigorously demanding kungfu curriculum. Time spent outside the school was increasingly becoming devoted to reading and learning not just about the history of Chinese martial arts, but philosophy and traditional Chinese medicine as well.

​

It was not until Master OBerry was a sophomore in college at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth that he decided Chinese martial arts was what he wanted to pursue as a professional career.  Master Wu approved and with the acceptance of Grandmaster Shouyu Liang, he became an official disciple (tudi) of Master Wu. 

​

Throughout his time as a martial arts practitioner and teacher Master OBerry has competed nationally and internationally at various tournaments winning medals and awards.  He has been part of exhibition teams that traveled to China to perform and represent the North American contingency form the International Wushu Sanshou Dao (IWSD).  He has also been fortunate to be featured in publications along side many world renowned martial artists and genuinely wonderful people. His opinion however, the medals and awards are not the most important prize gleaned from martial arts.  Instead, Master OBerry believes the process of understanding oneself that is gained through continuous training is far more valuable.  Through the rigors and demands of training, students begin to understand what is truly important to who they are and how they understand themselves in relationship to the world and their everyday lives.

​

2001-Present -  Competed in  national and international competitions throughout North America and China winning multiple Gold Medals.

 

2006- Member of the IWSD North American Performance Team in China

 

2008- Included in the book, Extraordinary Chinese Martial Artist of the World

​

2010- Graduated with a BA History from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

 

2011- Awarded 4th level Black Belt, Master Level Instructor by the IWSD

        - Competed in six events winning six gold medals the 2011 International Wushu Kungfu Tournament

 

2013- Performed at the 2013 Extraordinary Chinese Martial Artists of the World Lunar New Year Gala.

        -Elected a council member of the International Wudao Association 

        -Received the award of Outstanding Chinese Martial Arts Coach  by the IWSD

        -Awarded Outstanding performer by the IWSD and Kungfu Magazine

​

2015- Took part in the filming of a Chinese television series on famous Chinese martial arts grandmasters in Chongqing, China.

       

2016-Graduated with a MA Chinese Studies from the Chinese University of Hong Kong

        -Awarded 5th level Black Belt by the IWSD