We
began informally at the Thunder Bay 55 Plus Centre, Thunder Bay,
Ontario, Canada, as a Tai Chi Club within the centre. In 1998,
the Peng You Taiji Quan Association was formed as a result of
the increasing demand for Taiji Classes for people under the age
of 55, too young to join the Thunder Bay 55 Plus Centre.
The business of the Association is managed by its Board of Directors and the teaching program is led by the Association's founder, Master Peng Youlian. Grand Master Wang Jianhua has guided us since our beginning.
We
are members of the The
Taiji classes offered by the Peng You Taiji Quan Association are
mainly Modern Style. Most classes involve the 8, 16, 24 and 48
Forms Taijiquan. Advanced students also study 42 Forms Competition
Style Taijiquan and Taiji Sword. There are also classes in Taiji
Fan. All classes include Six Forms Taiji Qigong.
Our purpose is to be an integral part of our community and to introduce as many people as possible to the benefits of Taiji for better health. In alternate years the Association hosts Taiji Festivals. Every year we do demonstrations and workshops for a variety of community organizations such as the Arthritis Society, The Alzheimers Society and the Lakehead Association for Community Living. We value our relationship with Chickadee T'ai Chi of Ely, Minnesota and with taiji players in Duluth, Minnesota. We bring eminent international level teachers to Thunder Bay every year: Master Wang Jianhua, Dr. Paul Lam, Master Eddie Wu, Master Zeng Nailiang, Master Wei Xianglian. In September 1998 and November 1999, a delegation of over 80 people, many of them members of the Peng You Taiji Quan Association traveled to China - the oldest member was 82 years of age. During their trip, they experienced the richness of Chinese culture and demonstrated their Taiji on the Great Wall -- a dream come true for many. |
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Taijiquan
on the Great Wall
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Today, the membership of the association has grown to over 250. As its membership and programs have grown the Peng You Taiji Quan Association maintains a strong commitment to our community and to the tradition of Taiji. We will continue to promote Taiji as a tool to achieve health, friendship and happiness for all. Our name, Peng You Taiji Quan Association, involves a pun on our teacher's name. The first two words of our name are the chinese characters,"pengyou" which mean "friend". It sounds just like the first two syllables of our teacher's name - Peng Youlian. So our name both reflects our Association motto, "Health, Friendship and Happiness" and it sounds like our founder's name. |