Taoist Tai Chi Society
Encyclopedia
The International Taoist Tai Chi Society (國際道家太極拳社) is an umbrella organization for the governance of its member associations around the world, which are dedicated to the teaching of Taoist Tai Chi
.
As of 2007, the organization had 40,000 members, including 15,000 in Canada,
and was present in 26 countries.
Since 2010 the Society refers to Taoist Tai Chi as Taoist Tai Chi internal arts of health.
. He arrived in Toronto
, Canada
in 1970 and started teaching Tai Chi and related internal arts.
The primary style Moy taught was a T'ai chi ch'uan form. He also taught a Lok Hup Ba Fa
form. Moy modified the orthodox
Yang-style tai chi chuan form that he knew, in order to maximize the health benefits obtainable from the form. Over the years Moy trained many of his students to become instructors/teachers of this art of health.
On a 42-hectare rural property near Orangeville, Ontario
, the Society has built its residential Health Recovery Centre and Quiet Cultivation Centre, where members from around the world can gather and train together. The Quiet Cultivation Centre includes a large temple of Chinese-inspired design dedicated to Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist teachings, which was opened on 2007-09-08 with the participation of some 2500 members. The construction was funded entirely by donations.
A teacher of Taoist Tai Chi is encouraged to live by what Moy called "Eight Heavenly Virtue
s":
These principles are rooted in traditional Chinese Confucian ethics.
Moy's stated goal for Taoist Tai Chi was to help people regain their health and to provide a method for cultivation of the whole body and mind. Moy encouraged his students to engage with both traditional Eastern perspectives on health and energetic development (for example the three Taoist treasures of jing, chi and shen) as well as modern Western medical perspectives.
Moy's curriculum features no explicit martial content. Moy did not encourage an overt focus on martial arts applications during training, as he apparently believed that an aggressive, competitive approach caused tension and prevented attainment of the Taoist goal of stillness of mind. In Moy’s view the purpose of the Tai Chi style he developed was to cultivate health and to help others. The criteria for judging the correctness of the form are based on maximizing the physiological and health effects (for example stretching the tendons and soft tissue, or massaging the internal organs) obtained while performing the moves.
As a Taoist meditative practice of 'dual cultivation of mind and body', Moy also considered that Taoist Tai Chi arts of health would lead practitioners towards "taming the heart" i.e. developing an attitude of calm and compassion when dealing with stress and the activities of daily life. In the Taoist tradition such a training path is referred to as “cultivating both inner nature and life" (xing ming shuang xiu). A healthy body is considered to be one where the internal organs are interacting in a balanced and harmonious manner. Negative emotions, cravings and selfish desires can disturb this harmony.
After expansion into the United States, and later into Europe, New Zealand and Australia the International Taoist Tai Chi Society was formally incorporated in 1995.
Member associations are incorporated as non-profit organizations in their own countries and many are also registered as charitable organizations. For example, the Taoist Tai Chi Society of Canada is registered as a charitable organization in Canada.
and the Taoist Tai Chi Society of the USA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization in the United States.
The Society operates on a membership basis rather than a fee for service basis. Payment of membership dues permits a member to participate in any Tai Chi class offered by any member association.
Since the death of Moy Lin-shin in 1998 the Taoist Tai Chi Society of Canada and the Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism continue to operate as separate charitable organizations within Canada, under the umbrella of the International Taoist Tai Chi Society.
The Gei Pang Lok Hup Academy, named in honor of Moy's teacher Leung Ji Pang
, was established by Moy in 1988. It was established with the intent to teach the internal martial arts other than Tai Chi, mainly Lok Hup Ba Fa (Liuhe Bafa). Instructors there teach a 66 posture form derived from lineage of teachers at the Chin Woo Athletic Association
in Shanghai
whose teachers were of Wu Yi Hui
lineage.
Taoist Tai Chi
Taoist Tai Chi is an exercise form of t'ai chi ch'uan which is taught in more than 25 countries by the non-profit International Taoist Tai Chi Society and associated national Taoist Tai Chi societies. It is a modified form of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan developed by Taoist monk Moy Lin-shin in...
.
As of 2007, the organization had 40,000 members, including 15,000 in Canada,
and was present in 26 countries.
Since 2010 the Society refers to Taoist Tai Chi as Taoist Tai Chi internal arts of health.
Society aims & objectives
The International Taoist Tai Chi Society has four stated aims and objectives:- To make Taoist Tai Chi internal arts of health available to all.
- To promote the health-improving qualities of Taoist Tai Chi internal arts.
- To promote cultural exchange (specifically: ...to make the richness of Chinese culture more accessible...).
- To help others.
History
The Taoist Tai Chi Society was founded by Moy Lin-shin (梅連羨)Moy Lin-shin
Moy Lin-shin . was a Taoist monk, teacher and T'ai chi instructor who founded The Taoist Tai Chi Society , the Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism and the Gei Pang Lok Hup Academy.-Early life:As a sickly youth Moy was sent to a monastery...
. He arrived in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1970 and started teaching Tai Chi and related internal arts.
The primary style Moy taught was a T'ai chi ch'uan form. He also taught a Lok Hup Ba Fa
Liuhe Bafa
Note: The art is commonly abbreviated as LHBF, and often referred to by its Cantonese name: Lok Hap Baat FaatLiuhebafachuan 六合八法拳; Pinyin: liùhébāfǎquán) is a form of internal Chinese martial arts. It has been called "Xinyi Liuhebafa-" 心意六合八法拳 and is also referred to as "Water Boxing" due to its...
form. Moy modified the orthodox
Orthodoxy
The word orthodox, from Greek orthos + doxa , is generally used to mean the adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion...
Yang-style tai chi chuan form that he knew, in order to maximize the health benefits obtainable from the form. Over the years Moy trained many of his students to become instructors/teachers of this art of health.
On a 42-hectare rural property near Orangeville, Ontario
Orangeville, Ontario
Orangeville is a town in south-central Ontario, Canada, and the seat of Dufferin County.-History:Before European settlers, Orangeville was thought to be a native hunting ground...
, the Society has built its residential Health Recovery Centre and Quiet Cultivation Centre, where members from around the world can gather and train together. The Quiet Cultivation Centre includes a large temple of Chinese-inspired design dedicated to Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist teachings, which was opened on 2007-09-08 with the participation of some 2500 members. The construction was funded entirely by donations.
Instruction
Classes are taught by volunteer instructors accredited by the Society. In order to become a volunteer instructor one has to express the desire to do so, and be able to show the elements of the form to new students. Criteria against which to judge the suitability to be an instructor are set by the Society itself. An instructor is required to contribute monthly membership fees and attend a number of workshops every year.A teacher of Taoist Tai Chi is encouraged to live by what Moy called "Eight Heavenly Virtue
Virtue
Virtue is moral excellence. A virtue is a positive trait or quality subjectively deemed to be morally excellent and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being....
s":
- Filial pietyFilial pietyIn Confucian ideals, filial piety is one of the virtues to be held above all else: a respect for the parents and ancestors. The Confucian classic Xiao Jing or Classic of Xiào, thought to be written around 470 BCE, has historically been the authoritative source on the Confucian tenet of xiào /...
- SiblingSiblingSiblings are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another...
HarmonyHarmonyIn music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic... - DedicationDedicationDedication is the act of consecrating an altar, temple, church or other sacred building. It also refers to the inscription of books or other artifacts when these are specifically addressed or presented to a particular person. This practice, which once was used to gain the patronage and support of...
- TrustTrust (sociology)In a social context, trust has several connotations. Definitions of trust typically refer to a situation characterised by the following aspects: One party is willing to rely on the actions of another party ; the situation is directed to the future. In addition, the trustor abandons control over...
worthiness - ProprietyMoralityMorality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
- SacrificeSacrificeSacrifice is the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals or people to God or the gods as an act of propitiation or worship.While sacrifice often implies ritual killing, the term offering can be used for bloodless sacrifices of cereal food or artifacts...
- Honor
- Sense of ShameShameShame is, variously, an affect, emotion, cognition, state, or condition. The roots of the word shame are thought to derive from an older word meaning to cover; as such, covering oneself, literally or figuratively, is a natural expression of shame....
These principles are rooted in traditional Chinese Confucian ethics.
Moy's stated goal for Taoist Tai Chi was to help people regain their health and to provide a method for cultivation of the whole body and mind. Moy encouraged his students to engage with both traditional Eastern perspectives on health and energetic development (for example the three Taoist treasures of jing, chi and shen) as well as modern Western medical perspectives.
Moy's curriculum features no explicit martial content. Moy did not encourage an overt focus on martial arts applications during training, as he apparently believed that an aggressive, competitive approach caused tension and prevented attainment of the Taoist goal of stillness of mind. In Moy’s view the purpose of the Tai Chi style he developed was to cultivate health and to help others. The criteria for judging the correctness of the form are based on maximizing the physiological and health effects (for example stretching the tendons and soft tissue, or massaging the internal organs) obtained while performing the moves.
As a Taoist meditative practice of 'dual cultivation of mind and body', Moy also considered that Taoist Tai Chi arts of health would lead practitioners towards "taming the heart" i.e. developing an attitude of calm and compassion when dealing with stress and the activities of daily life. In the Taoist tradition such a training path is referred to as “cultivating both inner nature and life" (xing ming shuang xiu). A healthy body is considered to be one where the internal organs are interacting in a balanced and harmonious manner. Negative emotions, cravings and selfish desires can disturb this harmony.
Corporate information
In order to coordinate the initiatives that Moy Lin-shin undertook, together with the increasing number of people that he trained over time, and their activities, a formal organization was necessary. In the early seventies the organization was called the Toronto Tai Chi Association. In 1982 it was renamed and incorporated as the Taoist Tai Chi Society of Canada.After expansion into the United States, and later into Europe, New Zealand and Australia the International Taoist Tai Chi Society was formally incorporated in 1995.
Member associations are incorporated as non-profit organizations in their own countries and many are also registered as charitable organizations. For example, the Taoist Tai Chi Society of Canada is registered as a charitable organization in Canada.
and the Taoist Tai Chi Society of the USA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization in the United States.
The Society operates on a membership basis rather than a fee for service basis. Payment of membership dues permits a member to participate in any Tai Chi class offered by any member association.
Since the death of Moy Lin-shin in 1998 the Taoist Tai Chi Society of Canada and the Fung Loy Kok Institute of Taoism continue to operate as separate charitable organizations within Canada, under the umbrella of the International Taoist Tai Chi Society.
The Gei Pang Lok Hup Academy, named in honor of Moy's teacher Leung Ji Pang
Liang Tzu-peng
Liang Zipeng is a noted Liuhebafa Master from China who went to Hong Kong in the 1946. He was an instructor in Liuhebafa, T'ai chi, Baguazhang, Yiquan and Xingyi Quan and other arts....
, was established by Moy in 1988. It was established with the intent to teach the internal martial arts other than Tai Chi, mainly Lok Hup Ba Fa (Liuhe Bafa). Instructors there teach a 66 posture form derived from lineage of teachers at the Chin Woo Athletic Association
Chin Woo Athletic Association
Chin Woo Athletic Association is a Chinese martial arts association founded in Shanghai on July 7, 1910, but other sources also cite dates in 1909. It can be found spelled in many ways - Jing Mo, Ching Wu, Jing Wo, Jing Wu etc....
in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
whose teachers were of Wu Yi Hui
Wu Yi Hui
Wu Yihui 吳翼翬 was a Chinese martial artist and scholar. He was the first person to open teachings and spread the style of liuhebafa in public, and was a prominent fighter and instructor who influenced many of the masters of his generation.- Biography :Wu Yihui was originally from Tieling in...
lineage.