For those who know me as a longtime Tai Chi writer and examiner, it is always a joy to sit down with a fellow practitioner whose life story embodies the art we love. Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with my Tai Chi sister, Master Yijiao Hong—a teacher whose journey from a young martial arts student in China to a respected instructor in the United States reflects discipline, scholarship, courage, and devotion.
In Chinese tradition, relationships within a lineage are defined not by age, but by seniority in training and discipleship. Though Master Hong is younger than I am, she became a disciple of our sifu Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei earlier and has accomplished well in teaching the art. By lineage, she is my “older sister.”
Her story is not only inspiring—it is a testament to what Tai Chi can become when cultivated over a lifetime.
A Childhood Forged in Discipline
Master Hong’s journey began at just eight years old. The city’s martial arts team happened to be based at her elementary school. Watching the team practice, she was captivated by the movement—its rhythm, power, and grace. When the coach came to select students, he chose her almost instinctively.
The training was grueling.
She rose at 5:30 each morning to practice, attended full-time school, and trained again at 4:00 p.m. There were few holidays. The first month focused almost entirely on flexibility, with forced stretching that left her legs bruised and black and blue. Out of thirty children, only eight remained after three months.
Her mother gently offered her the option to quit. Her father reminded her of a Chinese saying: “Without eating bitterness, there is no sweetness.” She stayed.
That early training built what she describes as the foundation of her life: coordination, strength, balance, flexibility, and mental resilience. Though she often cried on long bus rides to training camps in other cities, missing home, she now recognizes that those years shaped the discipline she carries to this day.
From Martial Arts to the Search for Inner Peace
As a child, she briefly encountered Tai Chi at age twelve—but did not appreciate it at the time. It seemed too slow, too subtle.
That changed at eighteen.
Entering university, she found herself searching for something deeper—a sense of inner peace. It was in the opening movement of Tai Chi that she rediscovered the art and, this time, fell in love. She sensed that within its slow, continuous flow lay the tranquility she had been seeking.
She enrolled at Zhejiang Normal University’s physical education department, specializing in Tai Chi. Her academic training was comprehensive: anatomy, physiology, sports medicine, educational psychology, and sports psychology. She describes her childhood training as building her physical foundation, and her university years as building her intellectual foundation.
Tai Chi, she realized, was not merely movement—it was science, structure, and refined body mechanics.
Integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine
After graduation, Master Hong became a faculty member at Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. There, she immersed herself in traditional Chinese medical theory—studying the Five Elements, meridian theory, and yin-yang principles.
Her colleagues, many holding advanced degrees in traditional Chinese medicine, inspired her to pursue deeper study. She completed two and a half years of additional coursework while simultaneously competing and teaching.
Her personal health experience further strengthened her conviction. After appendectomy surgery in college, she experienced recurring discomfort—especially during rainy weather. Regular Tai Chi practice gradually alleviated those symptoms. The body, she saw firsthand, responds to consistent internal cultivation.
Through the integration of physical training and medical theory, she came to believe deeply in Tai Chi’s therapeutic value. It was no longer simply a martial art—it was a lifelong path.
Building a School in America
In 1996, she established the Chinese Wushu and Tai Chi Academy in the Seattle area. This year marks its 30th anniversary.
The early years were demanding. She taught both Tai Chi and external martial arts to adults and children. She participated in international Chinese martial arts federations, instructor courses, and judge certifications. In 2004, she became a certified international A-grade judge in Tai Chi forms.
Running a school full-time required relentless effort—seven days a week. At its peak, her academy enrolled around 200 students, many referred by local acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners who recognized Tai Chi’s therapeutic value.
Over time, as she raised two children, she shifted to part-time teaching. But a dream remained: to own a dedicated Tai Chi space.
Last year, she made a bold decision to open her own full-time studio on Mercer Island in the Seattle area. It was financially risky, but she felt it was the right moment—her peak in experience, maturity, and clarity of purpose.
Today, she teaches exclusively Tai Chi: Yang style and Chen style, primarily to adults and seniors. She no longer teaches external martial arts, choosing instead to devote herself fully to internal cultivation.
Training with Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei
A pivotal chapter in her journey began in 1997, when she met Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei, one of the most respected figures in Tai Chi worldwide.
Beginning in 1998, Grandmaster Chen traveled to Seattle regularly, offering seminars and workshops. Over many years, she trained extensively under him—deepening her understanding of authentic Chen-style principles.
She credits this period as transformative. It refined her practice and teaching, grounding her firmly in traditional lineage while strengthening her technical precision.
East and West: Two Training Cultures
When asked about differences between training in China and the United States, she speaks candidly.
In China, training is often compulsory—structured, rigorous, and sometimes enforced. Students are pushed, whether they feel motivated or not.
In the United States, most students come voluntarily. They choose Tai Chi. They practice because they love it.
While the external intensity may be less forceful, the internal motivation can be stronger. She has witnessed students work tirelessly—not from obligation, but from genuine passion.
As for herself, she continues to practice daily. Though she no longer teaches 40 hours per week as she once did, she brings detailed, hands-on instruction to each class. Her joy in teaching remains undiminished.
Three Principles of Practice
On her website, she emphasizes three essential training principles—what to cultivate, and what not to focus on.
First: Practice principles, not just movements. Tai Chi is guided by structural laws—alignment, central equilibrium, and coordinated whole-body movement. Simply copying choreography misses the essence.
Second: Train the posture, not superficial appearance. The body must move from the dantian, linking sections of the body harmoniously. Rooting, alignment, and structural integrity come first.
Third: Nourish internal development. True practice cultivates abdominal breathing, centered awareness, and the consolidation of Qi in the lower dantian. Flow emerges naturally when structure and intention align.
What should not be emphasized? Surface-level imitation, decorative gestures, or premature focus on martial art applications without internal foundation.
Advice for New Practitioners
For beginners seeking to become serious Tai Chi practitioners, her advice is clear:
- Find a qualified teacher. Tai Chi is profound and subtle. Without proper guidance, years can pass without real understanding.
- Be patient with an open attitude to learn something new. Tai Chi unfolds over time. Internal transformation cannot be rushed.
- Practice consistently. Daily cultivation builds internal awareness. Respect the art as both science and tradition.
“Some people think Tai Chi is boring,” she says. “It is only boring if you do not understand it. If you enter its depth, it becomes limitless.”
A Global Future for Tai Chi
Tai Chi’s global recognition continues to grow. Last November, the United Nations has officially designated March 21 each year as International Taijichuan Day after Tai Chi chuan has also received UNESCO’s acknowledgment as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2020. With increasing scientific research and medical endorsements, Tai Chi’s reach expands yearly. Many of Master Hong’s students first encountered the art through medical articles or physician recommendations. She sees the next 30 years as a period of continued growth and integration.
Upcoming Workshops
This summer, Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei and other distinguished instructors will lead seminars in San Diego (June 28–July 2) and Seattle (July 8–12). Master Hong is in charge of the organization of the Seattle’s workshop. Classes offered include Silk Reeling for beginners, Old Frame One, New Frame One applications, push hands, and traditional weapons training. To find out the details of the Seattle workshop, you can use the link www.chinesewushutaichi.com.
For practitioners at every level, such opportunities to study directly under high-level lineage masters are rare and invaluable. So she encourages everyone to participate.
A Life Rooted in Practice
Listening to Master Hong, one theme becomes unmistakable: Tai Chi is not her occupation—it is her life.
From a child enduring bruised legs and homesick tears, to a scholar integrating medical theory, to a teacher building a school across the ocean, her path reflects persistence guided by belief.
When asked what keeps her teaching after three decades, she smiles:
“This is my peak. I am not too old yet. I still love coming to class. I still practice. This is what I want to do.”
In that spirit, her journey reminds us that Tai Chi is not mastered in a season. It is cultivated—breath by breath, year by year—until it becomes inseparable from who we are.