I was introduced to Bing Lin and Zhiling Yang at a Christmas Party and so it began. We started talking at this party and talk came around to Tai Ji. I was already practicing the Yang 89 form and Bing and Zhiling said they where doing the Yang 24 and other forms at Fresno State University. Before the conversation was over they invited me to join them at the university. I liked these people they where very nice. So I told some of my Tai Ji friends about Bing and Zhilings' classes. Bing was doing forms that we wanted to learn.
Four of us joined the spring class. We enjoyed ourselves so much we continued studying with Bing and Zhiling. This went on for years starting in 1990s with Tai Ji Sword 32 Movements ,then Sword 42 Movements,on to Wu Dang Sword, Wu Open Hand form, Wu Sword form and on and on. We had a Golden time through the Falls and Springs of these special years.
When Bing went home to China he would practice with Tai Ji Masters and come back to Fresno State University an teach us what he had learned back home.
We sometimes got to practice with Bing at the apartment complex he lived at. The tennis courts on Saturdays at 7 am in the morning. At that time in the morning we would joke that it was the Tai Ji courts.
He was so generous with his talents as a teacher and his time as a happy kind Tai Ji player. We played together in the Tai Ji practice. He got some of us to take Chinese Calligraphy to improve our Tai Ji and it did. We had Calligraphy with Bing and Zhiling and that to was special but not like the Tai Ji.
When I see anyone of the people that did Tai Ji at that time we agree it was special and Golden something that is hard to explain why it was so special.
There came a time Bing after discussing it with Zhiling, asked me if I would consider teaching Tai Ji. I thought about it for a month or so and then told him I would like to do that. He said to me "Good Practice More" and walked then walked off.
Bing the kind, generous soul helped me when I told him I wanted to compete in Tai Ji. He gave of his time and talents and I came home with Medals in Tai Ji. Two First places, two Second places in California State competitions and a very hard won Third place at Multiple states competition with Zhilings lucky sword.
There were times we all had diners together, a few trips to our beautiful Foothill. When I would ask Bing if he and Zhiling could come to a social event he would say "I have to talk to Zhiling she is in charge of the Social Calendar".
There was talk of his family that he loved and always looked forward to seeing. You could tell he missed them.
When Bing would come back to his Fresno home and we would see each other he would ask me "Jeannette are you well? Yes I am. Are you still practicing Tai Ji? Yes I am. and are you still teaching? Yes Bing I am."
I have happiness in my heart partly because of Bing Lin.
Best wishes to all his family.
Jeannette Dashjian
Fresno, California USA