Profile of John Liu

Name: John Liu/Liu Chung-Liang
Date of Birth: 20th May 1944
Birth Sign: Taurus/Chinese Year of the Monkey
Country: Taiwan

Training Background

Initially learning kung fu from his grandfather, John Liu became a student of “Flash Legs” Tan Tao Liang, learning the art of taekwondo. Liu later developed his own martial arts system, Zen Kwan Do, allegedly based on Lau Gar kung fu and taekwondo techniques. John Liu is best known for his flexibility and kicking. His trademark moves includes his devastating axe kick, leg holding, and his flying sidekick.

John Liu vs. Roger Paschy in Zen Kwun Do Strikes in Paris

Biography

Born in Taiwan in 1944 John Liu Chung-Liang ranks alongside Hwang Jang Lee, Tan Tao Liang and Casanova Wong, as one of the “super kickers” of 1970’s kung fu films.

As a child he learned Chinese martial arts from his grandfather. After living in Hong Kong for a few years, Liu and his mother returned to Taiwan in the 1960s. It was in Taiwan that John Liu first met Tan Tao Liang who was teaching taekwondo at a University. Master Tan taught Liu in exchange for him doing chores such as cooking and laundry. Feeling Liu lacked flexibility, so Tan put him through a rigorous training regime that eventually gave Liu his incredible kicking skills.

A YouTube tribute to the old school kung fu kickers Tan Tao Liang, Sun Chien, John Liu, Casanova Wong and Hwang Jang Lee.

Film Career

In 1972, with Bruce Lee’s films revitalising martial arts cinema, John Liu’s skills earned him a small role in the Taiwanese film “The Great Boxer”. Further film parts in the films “Los Kalatrava Contra el Imperio del Karate” and “The Invincible Kung Fu Trio” brought him to the attention of director and producer Ng-See Yuen. Casting Liu alongside Hwang Jang Lee in 1976’s “Secret Rivals”, the film was a breakout hit for Asian action films featuring “super kickers” such as John Liu, Don Wong Tao and Hwang Jang Lee. Ng-See Yuen would later go on to produce Jackie Chan’s landmark “kung fu comedies” “Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow” and “Drunken Master”.

The success of “Secret Rivals” saw Liu re-teamed with Hwang Jang Lee for “Secret Rivals II” and “Snuff Bottle Connection”. Liu’s good looks, charismatic persona, and incredible flexibility helped propel him to fame.

In 1981, Liu set up his own production company, eventually settling in Paris with his wife Marion Blank and daughter Natasha, where he successfully established his Zen Kwan Do school. Turning writer, director and producer, Liu starred in “Zen Kwan Do Strikes In Paris”, with his wife having an executive producer credit, and his young daughter even making a cameo appearance.

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After several box-office flops, Liu retired from films in 1982 and concentrated on growing his Zen Kwan Do association across Europe.

Although in his fifties, Liu came out of retirement to play a villain in 1998’s “Trinity Goes East”, and demonstrated that he had lost none of his panache when it came to the fights.

His most recent film appearance was in an Italian comedy film “Any Reason Not to Marry?” in 2006.

Did you know?

• John Liu’s mother introduced him to Tan Tao Liang.
• Tan Tao Liang thought John Liu’s flexibility was so poor, he made him do the splits by resting each foot on two piles of bricks!
• According to Tan Tao Liang, it took John Liu two years of excruciating stretching to achieve the splits.
• Liu came up with the name of his art “Zen Kwan Do” from kung fu Master Liu Zen and taekwondo.
• In 1967, Liu became an IKU karate champion.
• In 1976, Liu took part in an exhibition bout against karate legend Chuck Norris. The bout was decided by who got the loudest cheers for the best fighter from the audience. Legend has it that Liu won!
• John Liu’s current whereabouts are unknown, although his Zen Kwan Do association is still popular in France and across Europe.

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Filmography