It’s sad to report that respected Chinese martial arts practitioner and author Brian Kennedy has died. He’s best remembered for his two works on Chinese martial arts history – Chinese Martial Arts Training Manuals and Jingwu: The School that Transformed Kung Fu.

I conversed with Brian a few times and always found him to be an interesting and respectful person. Here’s an article he wrote on the Da Dao “Big Knife”, for those not familiar with his work.

“I first grew interested in martial arts history back in the ‘Bruce Lee-Kwai Chang Caine days’.  My parents got me a copy of Robert Smith’s Asian Martial Arts and one of my high school history teachers let me do a semester of independent study on Chinese martial arts history. That independent study project, back in 1975, got me started on a lifelong interest in Chinese martial arts history.  The field of Chinese martial arts history has progressed so much in those 40 years—but, many of the same challenges remain. “

Brain was 61 and had just got his brown belt in Briazilian Jiujitsu in January of this year and his first stripe in May. What an inspiration.

A full write up of his contributions to the field of Martial Arts studies is available on Kung Fu Tea.

Rest in peace, Brian and condolences to your family.