The White Phéonix System

The White Pheonix System is a wholistic Chinese martial and healing arts system that incorporates a mix of soft "internal" and hard "external" martial art styles, as well as qìgōng meditation and healing practices. Methods and applications range from fighting and hard body conditioning, to Tàijíquán (Tai Chi) and active meditation and healing practices. The goal is to create a well-rounded and healthy practitioner that cultivates self-mastery and can defend themselves and others. 

The White Pheonix System as it is called today - like the Chinese Phoenix - has a history of rising, burning to ashes, and then rising again. Today it is a modernized hybrid gōngfū (kung fu) system focused on its traditional roots. It traces its core movements directly back to the Southern Shàolín Temple in the Fujian province of China in the 17th century. Our first Grandmaster Ming Guan is believed to have started his training as a warrior monk at the Northern Shaolin Temple in Henan province. However, in 1644 the monastery was destroyed by the Manchu imperial army, so he went to the Southern Shaolin Temple. Ming Guan eventually created an advanced hybrid master style that combined the best of the northern and southern martial arts styles. Generations of practitioners would go on to defend themselves and their nation using this effective fighting style. Generations of masters have also expanded, updated, and refined the style into the complete martial arts system we have today. It's a modern system, but the roots and methods are traditional and authentic. 

The training begins with basic sets and exercises to teach fundamentals and prepare the mind and body. Training progresses into the five animal styles - Tiger, Crane, Mantis, Elephant, and Dragon. As well as Snake style diǎnmài (dim mak), and the Eight Chambers of Shaolin strength training. These are then combined with the five element styles at the core of the White Pheonix System - Water, Earth, Wood, Gold (Metal), and Fire. The culmination of mastery of the first four elements unlocks and produces the Fire element, which is the final and highest fighting style in the system.

White Pheonix is complete with traditional Chinese weapons including the Shaolin staff, broadsword, straight sword, double straight sword, nine-section chain whips, and the unicorn steel whip, among others. To temper the martial fist and weapons training, Grandmaster Joel Castillo has added three traditional Luóhàn Qìgōng (Lohan Chi Gung) forms throughout the system for health and longevity. To further round out the system with more internal martial forms, Grandmaster Castillo has added the Chén Tàijíquán (Chen style Tai Chi) Eighteen Movements and Cannon Fist forms. This is to balance the yáng energy of the more external "hard" animal forms with the yīn energy of the more internal "soft" Taijiquan forms. This balance is key for the long-term health of martial arts practitioners. We also give students the option to pursue the standard White Pheonix curriculum, or to choose the more internal focused curriculum - depending on the objectives and physical abilities of the student. 

Many martial arts systems today, unlike in the past, no longer focus on creating true and complete martial artists. Grandmaster Joel Castillo insists that everyone young or old know how to really use their gongfu. We say at White Pheonix "we don't dance", and we mean it! Through hard work and dedication, anyone can become an expert in their own right, and will possess a priceless gift within their own mind. Martial arts is more than fighting, more than meditation, and more than a health exercise. It is a system of thought that gives you the tools to lead a long and happy life. True martial arts is about self-mastery, from which life and spirit may flourish.

Standard System

No Sash

• White Phéonix Workout
• White Phéonix Stance Form
• White Phéonix Striking Set
• Tiger Form

Yellow Sash

• White Phéonix Kicking Form
• Crane Form
• Heaven and Earth Staff Form

Blue Sash

• Praying Mantis Form
• Broadsword Form
• Water Element Form
• Earth Element Form

Purple Sash

• Elephant Form
• Wood Element Form (wooden dummy)
• 9 Section Double Chain Whip Form
• 8 Chambers of Shàolín (strength training)

Black Sash

• Gold Element Form
• Snake Style Form (diǎnmài, “dim mak”)
• 18 Luóhàn Qìgōng Form
• Fire Dragon Form

Black Sash Second Degree

• Small Luóhàn Qìgōng Form
• Shàolín Steel Unicorn Whip Form
• Large Luóhàn Qìgōng Form

Red Sash

• Fire Element Form

Internal System

No Sash

• White Phéonix Breathing Exercise
• White Phéonix Stance Form
• 18 Luóhàn Qìgōng Form

Yellow Sash

• Water Element Form
• Dragon and Phéonix Straight Sword Form

Blue Sash

• 18 Movements Form (Chén Tàijíquán)
• Small Luóhàn Qìgōng Form
• Tàijí Double Straight Sword Form
• Cannon Fist Form (Chén Tàijíquán)

Black Sash

• Large Luóhàn Qìgōng Form
• Gold Element Form
• Shàolín Steel Whip Form
• Fire Dragon Form

Red Sash

• Fire Element Form

* These are the currently required forms, sets, and exercises for rank progression. There are many more forms, sets, exercises, and practices within the larger White Phéonix library of practice which are not listed here. Some of the most advanced forms will require in-person private instruction. 

7^th Generation Grandmaster Joël Luis Castillo

Grandmaster Joel Luis Castillo has been training traditional Chinese martial and healing arts for over 40 years. As a teacher of various styles for over 30 years, and a former coach of the United States National Martial Arts Team, he has dedicated most of his life to the study and furtherance of traditional martial arts. Grandmaster Castillo remains undefeated in international matches, including a sǎndǎ sparring world championship, sparring at the US Open, and fighting at a traditional “underground” full-contact no-rules kumite tournament. He was inducted into the U.S. Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 2007 as "Kung Fu Grandmaster of the year". Grandmaster Castillo’s expertise and focus is in authentic, wholistic, and effective fighting and healing arts.

Joel Castillo became the 7^th generation grandmaster of the White Pheonix system in 1996 in San Francisco. This honor and responsibility was bestowed on him by the 6^th generation grandmaster Xing Wah Li, who had emigrated from Guangzhou China to New York city, in his youth in 1949. Since attaining leadership of the system, grandmaster Castillo has expanded, updated, and refined it, to make this one of the world’s most wholistic and advanced martial arts systems. Having previously mastered the black tiger claw system, and studied extensively with innumerable other martial and healing arts systems to include Chen Taijiquan (Chen Tai Chi) and Luohan Qigong (Lohan Chi Gung), grandmaster Castillo has been able to bring in and refine “the best of the best” martial arts and healing techniques to make an already advanced master style even better. Grandmaster Castillo currently resides in San Juan, Puerto Rico and teaches throughout North America.

About the White Phéonix Online Academy

Grandmaster Joel Castillo partnered with White Pheonix senior student and former Army Ranger Brandon Briscoe, and former Olympian Jan Aulet, to make this system available to people all over the world. We are an LLC partnership based out of Colorado Springs, Colorado and San Juan, Puerto Rico. However, our practitioners are all over the world. We are dedicated to providing a world-class martial arts training curriculum that is the best of the best in quality, while being maximally accessible and affordable.

Mission

To be the world’s best online traditional martial and healing arts academy and community.

Vision

Enhance lives worldwide through martial and healing arts.

Values

Respect, Growth, Health, Service, Wisdom.