I earned the title of "Master" in several disciplines. My last name is 'Zhen,' which the Chinese put first, when saying someone's name.

When I was being named, by members of the Chen family, they wanted to give me their Chen name. I remember suggesting they make my last name, "Chan," for Chan Buddhism, the Chinese Mahayana flavor I teach.

Master Chen's daughter overheard us. From the kitchen she commented, "Name him Zhen."

I asked, "What does Zhen mean?"

Master Chen drew it on a piece of paper and said, "It is an ancient name that also means 'truth.'"

My first name, 'Shen,' translates as 'spiritual,' or 'spirit.'

The middle name, 'Lang,' translates as 'wolf.' The word for 'dragon' in Chinese is also 'Lang.' However, when written, the characters for dragon and wolf are very different.

So, Shen-Lang Zhen translates as 'Spirit Wolf of Truth.'

I was developing mottos for my Shaolin Chi Mantis and Tai Chi Youth schools for the internet. I d had some notes on my desk which a student of mine saw today. She picked up one of my pages which had just four words written on it. She said, "I really like these four words and I like them in this order." I do not recall when I wrote those words. Probably a year prior.

I think I'll use them as our Zhen family motto: 'Courage, friendship, wisdom and love.'

These are good words to live by.

Buddha Zhen is an instructor of several Chinese martial arts styles:

• Shaolin Gongfu   (Northern Shaolin Kung Fu)
• Yang Style Taijiquan   (Tai Chi)
• Praying Mantis Boxing   (Northern Mantis, Tai Chi Praying Mantis, 7-Star Mantis)

Buddha Zhen is a professional flutist with an extensive collection of bamboo flutes made in China. Some are gifts from students, friends and other Shifu. His black bamboo flute was custom made by a Master flute maker in San Francisco.

He has also been playing the Chinese pipa, a four-stringed lute, since 1996. It looks like a napalm bomb, but sounds like a banjo. "When I finally got some lessons from a Chinese Pipa Master, she listened to some of my recorded pipa songs and said, "This is very nice pipa -- but it's all wrong." Then she showed me the traditional Chinese methods and tablature for playing pipa."

Buddha Zhen has been composing and recording music for his Kung Fu schools for over a dozen years. These songs range from meditation flutes, to Kung Fu drum songs, to Chinese folk ballads, to modern rock'n'roll with the beats timed to correspond with specific Kung Fu kicks, punches, and choreography.

Buddha Zhen is also an artist who enjoys oil painting and Chinese calligraphy.