Today we’d like to introduce you to Pedro Cepero Yee.
Hi Pedro Cepero, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story is twofold, beginning as a child from a home with domestic violence. At six years old I made the decision to become a Kung Fu Teacher, so that I could teach women how not to get beat up by men. This began a journey, at that age, filled with informal training in many different Martial Arts such as Filipino stick fighting, Karate, Taekwondo and then formally training Wing Chun Kung Fu for a number of years, culminating in meeting my present teacher of for the last 43 years, Grandmaster Frank Yee, Lineage Holder of the Tang Fong Hung Ga Kung Fu System, He is a well respected Chinese Medicine Doctor who ran a Dit Da (Traumatolgy/Bone setting) Clinic in NYC’s Chinatown. I apprenticed under him in the medicine as well, thus gaining my intro into the Chinese healing arts.
In 1991, I opened my kung Fu School , Yee’s Hung Ga Kung Fu Academy in Clifton, NJ, which has been consistently running in the same location. Through the years, the thousands of students who passed through my doors, not only came away with an education in self discipline, self defense and the like, but walked away with an understanding of how they can manage life’s difficulties through Ancient philosophy as well as the Chinese healing arts.
As a competitor in the 80’s and early 90’s, I became known throughout the country as well as in Asia winning numerous championships and demonstrating my skills around the world. The next progression was seeing my students, some becoming world champions themselves. Many of my students went on to open schools of their own and now have established more than 25 branches spread across the UK (Scotland and England), Italy, El Salvador, South America, Puerto Rico, and across the east coast.
Assisting my teacher in writing articles for many magazines, then writing for myself culminated in being asked to be on the cover of the Hong Kong Martial Arts Magazine ” New Martial Hero’ in 2005. I became the first non-asian to ever be on the cover in its 35 year history. This also led to one of my articles to be on permanent display in Foshan, China’s Huang Feihong Museum, the styles ancestral home. Many opportunities were then afforded me to appear in a few documentary series in China. One such series was called “The Search for the Twenty Heroes of China” which ran concurrently for seven years on China’s GDTV.
The relationship between my teacher and I was such that, I was like a son, that he asked that I legally become it, so on September 19, 2003, the courts of the State of NJ, granted that request and I legally became known as Pedro Cepero Yee, my teachers son.
The Journey of the Martial arts in ancient times, traditionally began with assisting your teacher in his medicine clinic, as I did between the years of 1986-1991. This showed me another important side of the life equation. Not just fighting but the art of healing. This led me on a search from physical trauma medicine (Bone Setting, Tuina Therapy) to the study of Medical Qigong Therapy (Chinese medical energy work), under a well known Chinese Medicine Doctor from Shanghai, China, Dr. Tzu Kuo Shih. Medical Qigong Therapy is one of the five major doctorates in Traditional Chinese Medical Schools. the others being Acupuncture, Tuina Therapy, Herbology, and Dietary therapy. I founded The Center for Tuina and Qigong Therapy , which was inaugurated in 1998, at the current location within the kung fu school. This solidified it as the other half of my life, Yin and Yang.
Unexpected opportunities arose from there, such as being interviewed for Forbes Magazine April 20, 2016, on My 3 Lessons for Entrepreneurs from the Ancient Art of Kung Fu As well as conducting workshops worldwide on the modalities I practice and teach.
Helping people overcome their challenges, whether physical or mental is one of the most rewarding aspects of my life. This addition brought me full circle and fills my heart everyday, facilitating the healing process, from whatever it may be, for so many, changing their lives and mine forever.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has been long and filled with incredible potholes. But truth be known, every pothole directed me to an event that actually led me to better opportunities. These experiences became blessings that have built my resolve and proved to me that everything that happens is for a reason that we have not seen, but if we trust the process the benefits will far outweigh the negative event. One instance was in obtaining my National Designation as a Diplomate in Asian Body Work Therapy from the NCCAOM, which is the National board for all things Acupuncture and Asian Medicine. At the time they required that I go through an AOBTA certified Acupuncture school in order to sit for the National Exam. They offered an alternate route by way of apprenticeship. I chose that route and was told I would have an answer by 6:00pm on a Friday in the year 2000, as to whether or not I was accepted to sit for the exam. I was sitting at my desk at 6:05pm and received a call informing me that everyone in the meeting was pushing for me and I was the last one approved. Nonetheless, I sat for the 5 hour exam, which I completed in 1-1/2 hours. I passed the exam but they would not release my certificate as a new director was voted in before the certificates were mailed, and he contacted me and stated that my training was not from an AOBTA school. I argued that apprenticeship was the route that they offered, I took it and was accepted. They stated I did not qualify, I stated that I paid for the exam, passed the exam and if I am not qualified then their exam is not qualified to rate practitioners. Well, nonetheless I received my certificate. A year later I became the AOBTA State Chapter President for the State of NJ, and was on the Massage bodywork and Somatic therapy committee that wrote the current Massage Licensing Law that is now mandatory in our state.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Well I am a passionate practitioner and teacher of Chinese Kung Fu and Chinese medicine. An author of many published articles and have assisted in writing 2 books. I’m most proud of the students that cross my threshold and watching them transform in all aspects of their lives. I am grateful for the clients who come searching for direction in their health challenges, and helping them transform into a place of healing. The compassion and love in which I treat my clients and students is one aspect that sets me apart from others. I am intimately involved in their full well being and constantly hear from students and clients ten to twenty years after still thanking me for the time we spent together and the challenges they’ve overcome. I am even teaching their children and grand children.
How do you define success?
Through the success of my students and clients/patients, in the positive transformation in their lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: yeeshungga.com, tuinatherapy.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/yeeshunggaushq/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/pedro.c.yee/
