Meet all of the Daoist Gate instructors and teachers-in-training in the United States and around the world.
Henry Lee (Boston, Massachusetts)
Master Xuan Yun Zhou’s senior martial arts disciple and Head Instructor of Daoist Gate’s Wudang Boston school, Henry Lee, began his studies of martial arts at age 13. His studies included Wushu, Southern Fist, and Sanda; however, he suffered a serious back injury that put him in constant pain for years. His future ability to lead a pain-free life, let alone having a future in martial arts, was put into question. He began studying Chen-style Tai Chi and sought out acupuncture as a treatment method for his back. Through these methods, he greatly reduced his pain and regained about 75% of his original function back.
Galvanized by this experience, Henry would pursue an education and career in acupuncture and sought out a deeper understanding of the Internal Martial Arts. Under Shifu Zhou’s guidance and education, Henry is now 100% healed and now works to share the knowledge that helped him regain his health. In 2015, Henry was invited to be a member of the National Kuoshu Team to represent the USA in the World Kuoshu tournament. He brought back two silver medals for his performance of Wudang Eight Immortals Staff and Wudang Taming Tiger Fist Forms. In 2018, Henry once again served as a Team USA member for the National Kuoshu Team, where he brought back five gold medals and a silver medal and received competitor of the year accolades. Always challenging his personal development and advancing his own skills, Henry complements his Wudang martial arts practice with studies of other martial art forms such as Quan Guo Shu Shuai Jiao and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Since becoming Head Instructor, Henry has reaffirmed his mission to enrich the Boston community’s lives with the Wudang Arts that has enriched his own life. His conviction is to spread the profound positive effect of traditional Chinese Martial Arts to a level that encompasses an understanding of its full depth. Henry adds, “my goal is to present the Martial Arts as more than just a fitness class but to present it in its totality including history, theory, culture, and thought that gave rise to its intangible form that we know today.” Attesting that martial arts practice is a way of life that sustains our physical, mental, and spiritual development.
Henry Lee is not currently accepting new students
Experience: Taiji, Kung fu, Weaponry, Licensed Acupuncturist
Barbara Tindall (Newburyport, Massachusetts)
Barbara discovered Daoist Spiritual Master Xuan Yun Zhou in 2012 on the brink of retiring from a career in teaching college English. Having spent a few too many decades sitting at a desk, Barb was caught up by the power of the internal martial arts to integrate body and mind, something that had been sorely lacking in her adult life. As a former college athlete and coach of women’s varsity sports, Barb appreciates that tai chi continually pushes her to develop her physical and emotional capabilities. She suspects that her tai chi journey will be a lifelong adventure.
Barb currently takes classes with Daoist Master Zhou in Wudang Long Form, Taiji 13, Tai Chi Sword, and Taiyi Five Elements. She teaches classes in Newburyport at the Public Library and the Brown School.
✉ btindall619@aol.com
https://www.facebook.com/dbaarts
Experience: Taiji
Vicky McGhee (Delaware)
Vicky has been practicing, learning, and instructing tai chi since 1991. She started in 1991 for one year with Dr. Tze Chao learning the long-form Yang Style. In 2001 she started training with Master Zhenkang Sun in the simplified forms of Yang-based tai chi. She is proficient in the 8, 12, 16, 24, 42, and 48 forms, plus the 32 sword form and Kung Fu Tai Chi fan form, Dong Yue 13 postures and sword form, Wu broadsword, and Dong Yue broadsword Under Master Sun and Master Frank Allen she studied Cheng Style Ba Gua Zhang from 2005-2008 and returned to training 2015 to present day. From 2004-2007 she trained under Master Sun Shaolin Kung Fu with a special training event with Grand Master Shi De Zhuo and Shaolin Abbot She De Li. In 2006 she won the Silver Medal in the 42 forms during the International Tai Chi Competition held in Xi’an China.
Vicky is an independent instructor for private groups and individuals. Vicky began training with Daoist Spiritual Master Xuan Yun Zhou in July 2013.
✉ kurodabushi@comcast.net
✆ 1-302-528-0336
Experience: Wudang Tai Chi
Mariusz Sroczyński (Poland)
Mariusz has over 25 years of experience with Tai Chi and Qigong and even longer experiences with other martial arts (Kyokushin Karate and Aikido). In addition to learning from Daoist Spiritual Master Zhou Xuan Yun, Mariusz has also studied with Yang Jwing Ming (Yang Style), Sam F.S. Chin (I Liq Chuan), and Howard Choy, Richard Wong, Liu Van Kun and Chen Xiao Wang (different styles of Tai Chi and Qigong). In 1997 he founded his school in Warsaw and TAI CHI STUDIO – the first studio in Poland dedicated to Tai Chi training. He has founded other schools in Lublin, and Łódź.
In 2016, Mariusz organized Taiji and Qigong workshops and lectures on Daoism with Daoist Master Zhou Xuan Yun for the first time in Poland. Since then he has hosted all of Master Xuan Yun’s workshops in Poland. In October 2017 he started regular classes on Daoist Qigong and Wudang Taiji at TAI CHI STUDIO in Warsaw.
✉ mariusz.sroczynski@szkolataichi.com
www.szkolataichi.com
✆ +48 604 855 400
Experience: Wudang Tai Chi, Qigong
Michael Xia Chongyi (Central Pennsylvannia)
A dedicated disciple of Spiritual Master Zhou Xuan Yun since 2008, Xia has been practicing martial arts for over 30 years. Xia is recognized in the international martial arts community for heading the Wudang Swordsmen Academy, Life Nourishing Tai Chi wellness program, & founding the Taiji Fencing sports community.
Currently, Xia is offering short & extended private training retreats for individuals and/or their small groups. Programs are offered in the Appalachian Mountains of Central Pennsylvania at this time. Xia’s comprehensive curriculums include Daoist wellness, Wudang martial arts, meditation skill development, camping/wilderness/survival courses, weapons training (classical & combat), tai chi wellness instructor certification, & taiji fencing (coach certification & personal skill development).
Email: info@WudangSwordsmen.com
for more information on programs.
Experience: Daoism, Tai Chi, Kung Fu, Weaponry
Kristóf Eredics (Hungary)
When Kristóf started training in Yang-style Taiji Quan in 1998, he knew he would integrate the practice of internal martial arts into his life. He immersed himself in learning the Yang-style Taji Quan 48, 108; Taiji Jian 36 and 56; Taiji Dao 27, Dalu, Tui Shou techniques, Qigong, and the Eastern philosophy that underpins these practices.
From 2002-2019, Kristof and his wife Anita, taught Yang-style Taiji together because they believed in the life-changing benefits of their practice to the physical healing of injuries and the promotion of wellbeing. To expand upon his training as a massage therapist, in 2013 Kristof graduated from the Alternative Movement program at the Golden Flower Daoist School, a school Anita founded.
In 2019, in pursuit of continuous development, Kristof sought out Daoist Spiritual Master Xuan Yun Zhou to study the Wudang Martial Arts and trained with him in an extended workshop in Poland. Kristof has continued his training with Daoist Master Zhou virtually in the Taiji 108, Taiji Jian, Tai Yi 5 Elements, Neidan, and Xing Yi Quan forms.
With 22 years of martial arts training, Kristof wishes to be a teacher in Wudang Martial Arts where he is now recognized as a teacher-in-training. Just recently, he and Anita incorporated the Golden Flower Daoist Association as an extension of Daoist spiritual Master Xuan Yun Zhou’s Hungarian Wudang Daoist School in Győr.
kristoferedics@aranyviragtaiji.com
Anita Eredics (Hungary)
Anita Eredics’ journey into internal martial arts started in 2000 when she studied Yang-style Taiji Quan. Her keen interest in martial arts is grounded in her medical studies in alternative treatments through natural movements and breathing exercises. This outlook prompted her to learn Yang-style Taiji Quan 48 and 108, Taiji Jian 36 and 56, Taiji Dao 27, and various Qigong sets that include Ba Duan Jin, Hun Yuan Taiji Nei Gong, Bian Hui Chun Gong, Yi Jin Jing, and 12 Fairy Qigong. Additionally, Anita earnestly studied the philosophy that actuates these healing exercises. Beginning in 2002, she and Kristof taught these practices in Győr because they believed in the principles of natural healing and wanted to share this knowledge with others.
In 2012, Anita founded and became headteacher for the Golden Flower Daoist School, a not-for-profit organization and educational center whose goal is to include alternative medicine and integrative therapies such as massage therapy and fitoterapi, or herb therapy, as part of their curriculum. The school provides services for health and healing with regular courses and classes for free.
To continue her development, Anita traveled to Poland in 2019 to study Wudang Taiji Quan 108 and Taiji Jian with Daoist spiritual Master Xuan Yun Zhou. Captivated by the traditional Wudang integrative power of body, mind, and spirit, she continues her studies with Daoist spiritual Master Zhou through online learning in Taiji Quan, Tai Yi Five Elements, Xing Yi Quan, Neidan. Anita and Kristof incorporated the Golden Flower Daoist Association, the Hungarian not-for-profit organization of Daoist Master Xuan Yun Zhou, to support the study and practice of the Wudang Martial Arts.
anitaeredics@aranyviragtaiji.com
Website: https://aranyviragtaiji.com/
Samuel Wuest (California)
Despite being instantly hooked on the practice of taiji when an instructor visited his high school, Sam did not begin his study of the martial arts in earnest until the conclusion of his career as a collegiate and professional athlete in 2014. When he decided to expand his horizons beyond his local school, Sam found just what he was looking for with Daoist spiritual Master Xuan Yun Zhou and Daoist Gate. Through his study of the Wudang Martial Arts of Taiji, Kung Fu, Xing Yi, Qigong, and Nei Dan, Sam has found the arts that satisfy both his love of movement & meditation and fulfill his lifelong love of learning. A recent Master’s in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine) graduate of New England School of Acupuncture, Sam has taught public school health, physical education, and special education as well as coached track & field and strength & conditioning at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He is diligently pursuing teacher certification in Wudang Martial Arts and is now in the Daoist Gate teacher-in-training program.
Jennifer Finley (Nahant, Massachusetts)
Jennifer began studying Martial Arts ten years ago; after receiving her 1st Degree, her focus shifted to the healing arts of Taiji and Qigong. Observing her own life’s path Jennifer discovered that we, ourselves, possess the power to change, enhance, and create our own health and healing. Her curious nature led her to study different modalities of healing through energy. Jennifer is passionate about acquiring knowledge and skills toward natural healing and integrative therapies. She is a certified Qi Healing practitioner through Master Robert Peng, a certified Polarity Therapist through Master Teacher Lisa Russell. She is working on her certification of Align Therapist with Lisa Russell. Jennifer continues her training in Taiji and Qigong with Daoist spiritual Master Xuan Yun Zhou and is enrolled in his teacher in the training program. Jennifer’s curiosity never ends as she attends classes, seminars, and retreats to expand her knowledge into wisdom so she can share it with others.
Stephanie Orme (Boston, Massachusetts)
Stephanie has been practicing Wudang Taiji since 2016, when she began taking lessons from one of Master Zhou Xuan Yun’s former students – unbeknownst to her at the time – while earning her doctorate in central Pennsylvania. In a fortunate twist of fate, Stephanie’s career path would bring her to Boston so she would be able to continue her Wudang studies under Master Zhou himself. Since 2017, she has trained under Master Zhou and disciple Henry Lee in Wudang Taiji and Kung Fu in empty-hand and weapons forms. She is also an avid fan of taiji fencing. Every summer, she makes the trek back to central Pennsylvania for the Wudang Swordsmen Academy’s Summer Sword Retreat led by Master Zhou’s disciple Michael Xia Chongyi. Stephanie is a professor of Communication and Media Studies at Emmanuel College in Boston. She is excited to be pursuing Wudang Taiji teacher certification as part of Daoist Gate’s Teacher-in-Training Program.
Andrea Fakis (Delaware)
Andy has been drawn to the Chinese Martial Arts from a young age. She dreamed of one day moving to a mountaintop in China where she would study Martial Arts and Spirituality while working to become a monk. At the same time, Andy played many sports, including soccer, field hockey, and basketball. As an older teen, she found her love for kickboxing and began studying her martial art at a Shaolin school, where she also studied Chen, Yang, and Sun family styles.
After sustaining a severe injury during kung fu training, Andy discovered a rare Connective Tissue Disorder that limited her mobility. At that time, she turned her focus to Taiji. Andy began studying with Master Zhou eight years ago. More recently, she spent three months of intensive training at the Xuan Ju Daoist Center. Andy had always dreamed of—training all day with a traditional master. In addition, she loves sharing the culture and joy of Taiji, Qigong, and Meditation.
Tatiana Beltran (Miami, Florida)
Living in the Miami area, Tatiana has always gravitated toward natural healing arts. She is a trained Medical Qigong therapist and a Reiki practitioner. So after taking online lessons with Master Zhou and falling in love with Wudang healing arts, it was a natural choice to commit herself to a 5-month resident intensive training with Master Zhou in Xuan Ju Daoist Center. Emerging from this immersive experience, Tatiana has set a goal to teach Wudang Taiji; and integrate her Taiji skills into her wellness practice. In addition, she is our first teacher to teach in Spanish, further cementing her commitment to introducing Wudang Taiji to the Spanish-speaking communities and beyond.
Tara Weaver (Maine)
Tara encountered Wudang Martial Arts in 2013 while studying kickboxing at a mixed martial arts gym in Cambridge, MA. She had just come off touring professionally as a contemporary dancer and was enamored with Kung Fu and Taiji’s simultaneous beauty and functionality. Subsequently, she has been training ever since and successfully competed and medaled in international Kung Fu and Taiji competitions!
As a teacher of movement, Tara brings a unique blend of practice by integrating dance and martial arts disciplines. Tara works full-time training clients ages 6 to 96 and runs her virtual fitness studio, Tara Weaver Fitness. Her teaching style is based on current research on physical and mental awareness and injury prevention. Her passion includes coaching field hockey and strength and conditioning for middle and high school students in Maine. Her life-long pursuit and study of movement allow her to sympathize and celebrate with students of all ages!
James Hester (United Kingdom)
James began training in Boston with Shifu Zhou in 2014 on Taiji 28 and 108 forms and learned meditation practices such as Zhan Zhuang (standing meditation) and Zuo Wang (‘sitting in oblivion’ meditation). In addition, he regularly assisted Shifu and other senior students in running the free Taiji class offered by Daoist Gate in Boston Common. James later moved to the U.K. to pursue a Ph.D. scholarship focusing on Medieval European Martial Arts, which he has also studied and practiced for twenty years. But he continued to practice the Wudang forms he learned in Boston independently and occasionally took lessons with Shifu Zhou remotely. He also began training in Four Seasons Qigong during this time. James currently lives in Ascot, in southeast England. He is very excited to finally fulfilling his promise to Shifu Zhou to help establish the Daoist Gate lineage in Britain and share the Wudang Arts with his community.