Our History

Master Dau Photograph by David Paul Morris
Photograph by David Paul Morris The Orange County Register

Longevity Stick Art (LSA) was developed by the late Master Mai Bac Dau, an officer in the Army of the Republic of South Vietnam. He was imprisoned for five years in a Communist camp where he suffered from malnutrition and lack of medical care. During this time he developed a series of exercises and self-massage for his own survival.

LSA exercise with Master Dao

After his release, Master Dau continued to develop his techniques and began teaching his fellow countrymen about Longevity Stick Art. He came to the U.S. in 1995 and introduced the practice to hundreds of people. Since that time, many people trained to become Leaders, and the practice has now spread to 30 locations Southern California, under the non-profit umbrella Longevity Stick Art-OC. LSA is also practiced in France, Canada, Australia and Vietnam.