APOLOGIES THE IMAGES ARE MISSING FROM THIS YEAR
14 December 2013
Tai Ji Circle Xmas Workshop and Party 2013
Tai Ji Circle students came together for our last tai ji workshop before the holidays, joined in our group practice of Chen Xiao Wang’s 9 Part Form, Laojia Yi Lu, and admired the Chen Sword form finishing with Shifu Liu Quanjun’s performance of fajing from the XInjia routines. Justin lay under the heavy plank with many people standing on top, adding their weight in an awesome Hard Qi Gong demonstration and Shifu broke a slab of concrete with his palm, just like it was a stick of wood, “you have to be relaxed”, he says! These hard qi gong practices cannot be done without long training, so don’t try them at home!
Many students supported out fundraising raffle, the calligraphy auction and Shifu Liu wrote students names in Chinese with his beautiful calligraphy, all to help us raise funds to continue our work, thank you for your generosity, it was great fun. Merry Christmas for 2013 and a Happy New Year of training in 2014.
23 November 2013
TJC Philippine Fundraiser at Islington Chinese Association
Liu Quanjun taught Chinese Calligraphy and Chen Tai JI in our student fundraiser for the Philippines Typhoon disaster relief, DEC showed their appreciation by awarding us a certificate for our donation, thanks for the students magnificant effort.
11 November 2013
Chen Xiaowang’s Tai Ji and Calligraphy Seminar at SOAS, London University
Liu Quanjun of Tai Ji Circle was asked by Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang in 2012 to organise a Calligraphy seminar for his London students in 2013, we then began the process of planning. However the initial idea changed when a few months ago Ke Zhuqi of the UK Jiangxi Friendship Association with Sherry Kuei Chan of UK Research and Development Centre for Chinese Traditional Culture, kindly offered to collaborate and arrange the venue with the SOAS Chinese Student and School Association, to be held at the SOAS lecture theatre of London University. So our free seminar became transformed into a combined showcase by Master Chen, of Chen Taijiquan and calligraphy. On behalf of Liu Quanjun and Chris Jones of Tai Ji Circle, we thank everyone who helped to make this event such a great success.
Images by A. Gramer, L. Marsh and C Jones/Tai Ji Circle 2013
Chen Xiao Wang SOAS Seminar on Tai Ji Circle’s Facebook album
8 November 2013: Chen Xiao Wang at the Chinese Embassy in London
Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang was guest of honour of the Ambassador and his wife at the Chinese Embassy in London. After a delicious dinner, Master Chen delivered a talk about Chen style taijiquan, showed his inimitable calligraphy, gave and received gifts, gave posture correction and taught silk reeling exercises to the Ambassador’s wife, Mme Hu Pinghua and the enthusiastic Embassy officals and staff. Liu Quanjun and Christine Jones from Tai Ji Circle and Patrick and Florise Wan of WCTAUK were fortunate to also share the evening with Master Chen.
Images © C Jones/Tai Ji Circle 2013
Chen Xiao Wang at the Chinese Embassy, London
for more details on Tai JI CIrcle’s Facebook album
Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang dressed formally for dinner and the evening at the Chinese Embassy in London, with disciples Liu Quanjun, Executive Director of Tai Ji Circle, and Christine Jones, Tai JI Circle founder and trustee.
Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang adjusts the posture of Tai Ji Circle students attending his London workshop
> 21 July: Tai Ji Circle student Chen Tai ji at the Camden New Town Festival 2013
Chen style Taijiquan at St Paul’s Church Hall in Camden Square, Shifu Liu leads the Tai Ji Circle students performing silk reeling exercises, the important Foundation training for everyone practicing Chen style. On a hot and steamy day thanks to all who joined and supported us.
> 13 July 11.15am: Tai Ji Circle and the Islington Chinese Association
Tai Ji Circle Chen style Taijiquan demonstration with members of the Islington Chinese Association behind us, in blazing sunshine as part of “Go Islington” at Higbury Fields. Local school children came and joined in and it was fun all around, thanks to the students and friends who came along, much appreciated. And thanks to John and the team from Islington who organised the event, so that we had water waiting for us to drink in the tent behind the stage!
> 2-3 JULY: CHEN ZIQIANG IN LONDON
A warm welcome for Chen Ziqiang who taught us two fascinating evening seminars on Chen techniques and applications from the opening movements of the classic Laojia Yi Lu, before returning to China from his European tour. Chen Ziqiang is a 20th generation direct descendant of the Chen Family Taijiquan, and is the Chief Coach of the Chenjiagou Taijiquan School in Chenjiagou, China. He is also a multiple national champion of China, and is the son of Grandmaster Chen Xiaoxing.
See more images of these great workshops on our Facebook page:
> 16 June 2013
Kentish Town Summer Festival: Tai Ji Circle student demonstration with Shifu Liu
Children joined in with our summer demo and the sun shone down, many thanks to the students who joined us to perform.
> 27 April 2013
Chinese Qi Gong For Health, Workshop with Professor Yang
We line up for the group photo, Professor Yang Bai Long (second from left) and collegue from Beijing beside Master Tary Yip and Master Liu after the 5 hour workshop. Professor Yang led us through the seated postures of the 12 Pieces of Brocade Qi Gong, with explanation about the health benefits, the meridians, and breathing techniques. A fascinating and informative day.
> 21 March – 8 April 2013
Tai Ji Circle Student Trip to Chenjiagou, China
Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang with Liu Quanjun and Chris Jones and Tai Ji Circle students and friends at the end of a momentuous week of training in Laojia Yi Lu, the 9 Step Form, Chansi gong, and Push Hands, held in the Chen village school in Henan province China. While we were there Chris was thrilled to recieve discipleship from Grand Master Chen Xiao Wang, and there was a ‘duan wei’ testing from the Wushu association. After Chen Vllage we left to see more sites such as the Longmen Caves (bottom pic), incredible buddhist sculptures carved into the rock face. We also visited Taikang and the historic city of Kaifeng before heading back to Beijing for the last few days. Everywhere we found a park to practice and often joined many others in their early morning exercise routines.
To see more images of Chenjiagou and our Chinese trip, check our facebook page:
> 16 March 2013
Liu Quanjun gives a TEDx talk at Loughborough University
Liu Quanjun was invited to give a TEDx talk about the influence of Chinese culture and practices, such as the Tao, Buddhism, martial arts, qi gong and Chen style taijiquan on his life
> 9 March 2013
Free Qi Gong and Tui Na seminar with Liu Quanjun
To celebrate Mother’s Day and Liu Quanjun’s mothers 80th birthday, Tai Ji Circle held a free seminar, teaching healthy qi gong exercises, followed by Shifu Liu giving spontaneous Tui Na treatments to those who wanted it… the mothers had first priority!
Congratulations to Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang from Liu Quan Jun, Chris and all the students at Tai Ji Circle!
Award ceremony photos © CCTV
Chen Xiao Wang has come second place in the China Beacon award as one of the top ten Chinese artists promoting Chinese culture throughout the world, with approximately 350,000 votes. The award ceremony was shown on China Central Television (CCTV 1) on 17 January 2013. There was six months from nomination to final awards decision and the candidates ranged from a well known chef to movie stars.
Grandmaster CXW is the lineage heir of the Chen family Taijiquan (Tai Chi) and is a renowned practitioner with supreme martial skills having achieved 9th Duan, one of only very few to reach the highest level. He dedicates his life to the promotion of Chen Taijiquan by teaching and training students all over the world in some 50 different countries. We are extremely fortunate here in the UK, to be able to benefit from his time and the generous sharing of his expertise during his annual visits.
Tai Ji Circle students with thousands of other international students and disciples voted for him, we all really wanted him to win! During the CCTV ceremony film clips of his teaching were shown and he led 30 students through the opening movements of Laojia Yi Lu, the traditional Chen long form; before the speeches and finally receiving his award. Grandmaster Chen was asked why he promotes Tai Ji, he replied that “Tai Ji helps Qi and blood circulation as well as emotional balance. It is a mind, body and spirit regimen.”
As one of his many students watching the award ceremony on my computer at home, it was very moving to see him receive this great honour, a deserved recognition and reward for his selfless dedication to a lifetime’s work in sharing with us the life-changing benefits and joy of Chen-style Taijiquan practice.
Chris Jones