Dragon of Concrete Jungles

By Mr. Jeffrey Yip and Mr. Wing Hong Yip

We are pleased to release our book, Dragon of Concrete Jungles , in May for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The approximately 248-page book beautifully captures the multifaceted life of Sifu Yip and his son Jeffrey. The narrative extends beyond martial arts, offering a deep dive into the cultural and historical nuances of their Hong Kong and American identities. We carefully craft personal family stories during the seven years spent working on our book. Featured with over 200 photographs, the book provides a vivid portrayal of life, resilience and the art of kung fu. Above all, this book is a social history, tracing the arc of Manhattan's Chinatown from gangs to gentrification, in addition to telling a moving story of love, family and loss. The book was recently showcased at the New York Public Library and the Museum of Chinese in America. This work is on one level the story of Sifu Wing Hong Yip and his 50 years of teaching Dragon Style Kung Fu in Manhattan's Chinatown. On another level it is the story of an immigrant who used his kung fu and journalism backgrounds to start a new life in the United States. Of interest to the non-martial artist will be the exposition of Chinese culture and the exploration of Chinatown over the decades from gangs to gentrification. Language learners will be drawn to the authentic Chinese language materials included in the book, as well as the proverbs which appear throughout the text. Above all, Dragon of Concrete Jungles discusses the concept of martial morality and gives anecdotes as to how it has been put into practice. These include dealing with the intimidation of a landlord by a violent gang, the challenges of teaching martial arts, the transmission of an esoteric kung fu style from father to son and coping with deaths that resonate within our kung fu club family. These powerful examples give readers a different perspective of what it means to be martial artists and the realities of operating a kung fu establishment in the face of adversities. With over 200 photos, our story weaves these seemingly disparate threads into a rich tapestry of life, loss and martial arts. This book reflects our efforts to cement the history and culture of our dual British Hong Kong and American heritage. Important Information: Dragon of Concrete Jungles is a registered literary work with the United States Copyright Office. All text and pictures (excluding pictures from other sources and news articles) are copyrighted and belong to the co-authors and our team who produced this book. The information presented in this book is for illustrative purposes and is not a substitute to training with a competent instructor. The presenters are not liable for any injuries that result from the correct or incorrect execution and/or application of any technique, whether to the viewer or to other individuals. Viewers are responsible for their own actions. This book is not suitable for minors and some content contained in this book discusses prior crime incidents and other violent episodes from the co-author's journalism career. Reader discretion is advised.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0D35K6GFK
• ISBN13: 9798324572259
• Release Date: May 2024
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 248 Pages
• Dimensions: 10.0" x 0.6" x 8.0"