Tai Chi and Chi Kung Classes

Tai Chi and Chi Kung classes starting January 2024

Discover the Path of Mindfulness to
achieving the Oneness of Body & Mind
leading to Spiritual Awakening

Find inner peace, stability, and solidity within yourself,
the keys to happiness and balance in life

Bringing Tai Chi Back to its Shaolin Roots
When we think about the origins of Tai Chi, most people will immediately think of Chen Wangting, founder of Chen Style Tai Chi, the Wudang Mountains in China and Taoism. We think that the theory and philosophy of Tai Chi (Taiji) is rooted in the Yin & Yang principles of the universe and Taoism. However, if we go back even further in history, we will discover that the true origins of Tai Chi was in the Shaolin Temple.

Tai Chi (Tai Chi Chuan, Taiji, Taijiquan) is an internal martial art style founded by a monk from the Shaolin Temple. He combined the Shaolin martial arts with Chi Kung (Qigong) internal breathing techniques to create what we now know as Tai Chi. It is characterized by soft, slow, gentle, flowing movements, combined with hard, explosive strikes.

Tai Chi (Taiji) is an art that has evolved throughout history with various different applications, from being a self-defense martial art to a foundational practice in the spiritual cultivation of Taoists. Unfortunately, during this evolution, some of the founding principles have been lost and diluted.

Here at the Shaolin Kungfu Centre, we practice the foundational Tai Chi, bringing the practice of modern day Tai Chi back to its Shaolin roots. Our Grandmaster Ly Minh Hung has combined his extensive knowledge and experience in Shaolin martial arts and internal Chi Kung practice with Tai Chi’s flowing movements to restore Tai Chi to its original Shaolin form. Practitioners of this Shaolin Tai Chi form benefit from quick awakening and awareness of chi in the body and enhanced cultivation of chi.


Nowadays, the practice of Tai Chi (Taiji) is most popular among our senior population, who benefit greatly from its soft movements to maintain health and physical ability. Tai Chi’s gentle movements are easy on the joints and can be learned by everyone.

What is Chi?
Chi (Qi) is the life-force energy that flows within us and all around us in all living beings. Chi (Qi) is in the Heavens above and in the Earth below. Where there is chi (qi), there is life. Where there is no chi (qi), there is no life.

What is Chi Kung?
Chi Kung (Qigong, Chi Gung) is the work and effort invested into cultivating and mobilizing the vital life-force energy (chi, qi) in your body. There is Yang Chi Kung (Qigong) and Yin Chi Kung (Qigong). Yang Chi Kung (Qigong) consists of the coordination of a movement, breathing technique, and strong will to increase and mobilize yang chi (qi) in the body. Yin Chi Kung (Qigong) involves a breathing technique and a strong-focused mindset to open up the microcosmic orbit (small heavenly circuit) and cultivate chi (qi).

The roots of our practice:
At the Shaolin Kung Fu Centre, we practice the International Tai Chi 24 Form and Gong Ching Chi Kung. Our Tai Chi tradition comes from the Shaolin Seven-Star Praying Mantis Tai Chi Style of Great-Great-Grandmaster Trieu Truc Khay of Saigon, Vietnam. Our Great-Grandmaster, Ly Dieu Phuong, student of Trieu Truc Khay, then passed down the art to our Grandmaster Minh-Hung Frank Ly.

Grandmaster Minh-Hung Frank Ly is the unique inheritor of Gong Ching Chi Kung from Great-Grandmaster Lam Minh Hao of the Hainan Tiger Style Kung Fu, and of the Tai Chi 24 Form from Great-Grandmaster Ly Dieu Phuong of the Seven-Star Praying Mantis Style. Grandmaster Ly applied his knowledge and experience in practicing Hainan Tiger Style Kung Fu and Gong Ching Chi Kung to the Tai Chi 24 Form movements to further enhance the practice by quickly awakening the body and mind to the awareness of chi and optimizing the body and mind for the cultivation of chi. Over the past two decades, Grandmaster Ly has passed on his knowledge to many students locally and abroad.

What are the benefits of practicing Tai Chi & Chi Kung?
The practice of Tai Chi (Taiji) & Chi Kung (Qigong) has a myriad of benefits for the body, mind, and spirit. Some of the physical health benefits include: increased strength, flexibility, joint mobility, enhanced lung capacity, better bowel movements, and detoxification of the bloodstream. For female practitioners, the practice of Tai Chi (Taiji) & Chi Kung (Qigong) has been found to strengthen pelvic floor muscles and successfully treat urinary stress incontinence post-childbirth. Some of the mental health benefits include: increased emotional stability, calmness, and focus, stronger mindset, and lower stress, fear, and anxiety levels.
Once stability of the body is achieved, the stability of the mind will follow more easily. Once the oneness of body and mind is achieved, then the gates to the spiritual realm will open.

Who can benefit from Tai Chi and Chi Kung?
Our Tai Chi (Taiji) & Chi Kung (Qigong) classes are for adults 18 years and older.
People of all health and physical abilities can successfully learn Tai Chi (Taiji) & Chi Kung (Qigong) and use it to benefit their physical and mental health.
*For the martial artist… who has spent many hours training in the external art, working on their muscles, bones, and tendons, training Tai Chi (Taiji) & Chi Kung (Qigong) provides the balance needed in the form of internal energy cultivation.
*For philosophers, enthusiasts, wayseekers, brothers & sisters on the path… who know the theory and philosophy, our classes offer you the chance to put the theory into practice.
*For those who know there is more to life than what we have been told… we offer a tried and true method to spiritual awakening through Tai Chi (Taiji) & Chi Kung (Qigong) training
*For lost souls searching for the way… come walk the path well-worn by generations of our ancestors who have found the way to enlightenment


What do we offer in our classes?
Our classes are focused on helping students awaken their awareness of chi (qi) in their body, and once awakened, we focus on the cultivation of chi (qi). We teach the forms and movement on a deeper level, as well as a lifestyle based on the awareness of chi (qi) and the importance of accumulating and storing chi (qi). Ultimately, the cultivation of chi (qi) leads to spiritual growth and enlightenment.

Students will learn:
International Tai Chi 24 Form
Gong Ching Chi Kung
Yeet Kun Ging - Muscle & Tendon Change Classic
Joint Mobilization Exercises
Yin Yang Diet & Lifestyle
Mindfulness Meditation
Walking Meditation
Relaxation Meditation

Winter/Spring Session Schedule
January 9th, 2024 to May 9th, 2024 (4 Months)
Tuesdays and Thursdays - 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Fee: $385 - new members, plus $60 registration fee, and $61 uniform fee
$288 - members of Shaolin Kung Fu Centre, save 25%

Fall/Winter Session Schedule
September 10th, 2024 to December 10th, 2024 (3 Months)
Tuesdays and Thursdays - 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm

Fee: $288 - new members, plus $60 registration fee, and $61 uniform fee
$216 - members of Shaolin Kung Fu Centre, save 25%

For all questions and for registration, please contact our Instructor (Gaulien) directly at:
Angelique Do - [email protected] or 613-869-3896.