World Tai Chi and Qigong Day

Last  Week got a call from Gigi at Tiger Claw that they needed a MC for the World Tai Chi and Qigong Day.......checked my schedule rearranged some classes.....and off I went to Union Square for the celebration.  The 12th Annual Qigong Conference was being held by Dr. Effie Chow at the same time, she had specifically planned the Qigong Congress to occur on World Tai Cxhi Day so that she could combine the two events.....pretty neat idea that way we can promote both Tai Chi and Qigong to the American Public at once.

I got there just in time to start the program.  Leung's White Crane did the Lion dance to kick off world Tai Chi and Qigong Day.  Still one of the best Lion Dance Troupes in Chinatown!

Sifu May Chen and her Ohlone College Taiji Class performed the Ba Daun Jin Qigong as well as the Chen Taiji Chan ssu Gong excercizes.

 So there were a variety of Qigong presentations and also Wushu Performances by the Shaolin Monks and by Pacific Wushu Academy, Often times as an athlete or teacher one gets involved in just doing or teaching the art, but without promotion to the American Public these arts will still remain the art practiced by the Chinese.....it was excellent to have several American Qigong Practioners present Qigong during the performances, and also testimonies by practioners as to the effectiveness of Qigong on their health. Wushu still faces this problem......the majority of it's participants are still      Chinese Americans.....and it must get out more to the general public......traditional Kung-fu on the other hand has done a much better job of reaching the American Public.  By not teaching application and self defense Wushu has lost a part of the American Public, who I feel will always ask what can you do with modern Wushu other than looking cool!

The shaolin Monks from San Francisco gave a demo of Yingqigong....hard Qigong for protecting the body from external harm!  From spear and sledge hammer no less!

The YMCA Falcon Taiko Group also performed for the audience.

The  students pf the Pacific Wushu Academy finished up the day's performance with Wushu basics and forms.

  A certainly, legitimate question.....health, art and self defense must go together.........which in talking to many of the Shaolin Monks is the direction they are going in...as they see that as essential to making in roads into the American Public.The event was well attended, it is hoped that as this becomes an annual event more and more people will become interested in Qigong and Tai Chi....and in this way also promote Wushu to the public.