Hun Yuan Gong 混元功 is one of the most important Qigong methods in the Hun Yuan system, recommended as foundational for beginners through advanced practitioners. Hun Yuan Gong promotes health, prolongs life, deepens stillness, improves mental clarity, and increases internal strength.
Movements are performed standing, and involve various gathering motions, as we draw in qi 氣 from the environment to augment our Prenatal Qi 先天元氣 (our genetic inheritance), as well as opening and closing motions. This practice opens the qi-channels of the body and establishes the Danqiao 丹竅 and the Dantian 丹田, energetic openings in the body where the essence, qi, and spirit 精氣神 are cultivated.
Suitable for beginners.
Prerequisite: None
Chansi Gong develops silk reeling energy, a kind of spiral movement connecting through the entire body, unique to the Chen-style Taiji system. This set also includes joint opening exercises. When the dantian is full of qi and the joints are open, the spiraling movements of silk-reeling convey qi throughout the channels to connect all of the eighteen pivots of the body together as one. This generates tremendous power and fluidity of movement, a the hallmark of Chen style.
An excellent class for beginners through advanced practitioners, Chansi Gong is the second most foundational qi gong set in the Hunyuan Taiji system (after Hunyuan Gong).
Suitable for beginners.
Prerequisite: None.
Fang Song Gong, literally “releasing into suppleness” gong builds on a foundation of Hunyuan Gong to increase “sōng” 鬆, the body’s soft, supple, connected throughness. Fang Song Gong was originally a secret method, and is regarded as the most advanced of the three primary gong sets in the Hunyuan Taiji system.
While a more advanced qigong practice, beginners can still gain benefits.
Stick and Ruler Gong is actually two sets of qigong exercises practiced with different devices. The stick is used to train the twisting movements employed in qinna (joint-locking) using internal skill – another hallmark of Chen-style Taiji. The ruler is used to intensify qi harvesting and circulation and to deepen stillness practice. These exercises are auxiliary and not considered as essential for frequent practice as the others, although they yield great results.
This system of qigong is attributed to Chen Xiyi, a Taoist who lived on Hua Mountain in the Song Dynasty. This version was transmitted from Hu Yaozhen through Feng Zhiqiang.
(Stick & ruler sets are available to borrow during class or for purchase from the Bookstore.)
Prior practice in qi gong and/or tai chi form is recommended.
Beginning Tai Chi (the Simplified 24 Form) trains the fundamental energies of tai chi as well as postural principles, while introducing key movement patterns used in future forms. While this tai chi form is "simplified" (ie. includes fewer circles, spirals, and more difficult-to-coordinate movements), it is far from simple. Advanced principles of Tai Chi underly this form, and advanced practitioners continue to gain benefit from its practice.
A bridge between qi gong and the tai chi forms, the HunYuan Taiji Simplified 24 Form is the foundation for both martial and internal cultivation in the practice of the HunYuan system, and is the appropriate place to start learning Tai Chi Chuan (Taiji Quan) at the Taoist Studies Institute. Qi Gong practice (such as Hunyuan Gong and Chansi Gong) are excellent complements to tai chi class.
Benefits of Tai Chi practice include: improved balance, flexibility, cardiovascular health, sleep, mental clarity, posture, pain reduction, and more.
Suitable for beginners.
Prerequisite: None
Building on the foundations learned in the beginning Tai Chi form (the Taiji Simplified 24 Form), the Hunyuan Taiji Regular 24 Form involves more circular movements and spirals (chansi or silk-reeling) energy.
Tai Chi builds upon the foundation of Qigong practice, bringing the skills of Qigong into practical application. Taiji is also called chang quan or continuous boxing. This quality of continuous circulation of qi throughout the body for up to 40 minutes during Tai Chi form practice confers benefits different from Qigong sets, which involve more stillness.
Prerequisite: Beginning Tai Chi (Taiji Simplified 24 Form)
The hallmarks of Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan (Taiji Quan) are variation in speed, alternating soft and explosive movements, and a kind of spiraling movement known as Chansi jin (silk reeling energy). Emphasizing lower stances and a more energetic performance, Chen Style has forms suited for both beginning and advanced practitioners.
For advanced students, the Hunyuan Taiji 48 Form is twice as long as the 24 Form, with the moving-step Tai Chi Regular 24 Form comprising roughly the first half of the 48 Form, with important variations. The 48 Form both requires and develops greater coordination throughout the body, including kicks and spins that are not present in the intermediate Tai Chi Form (the Taiji 24 Form).
Prerequisite: Intermediate Tai Chi (Hunyuan Taiji Regular 24 Form)
The eight gates (Peng, Lü, Ji, An, Cai, Lie, Zhou, Kao) and the five steps are the basic components of Taiji Quan.
Every movement should be an expression and transformation of these energies.
Without them Taiji Quan is merely empty form.
In this class we will explore these fundamental energies, how they are expressed in Chan Si Gong, Taiji Quan forms, and their practical application.
The Nei Dan Shi San Shi is an elegant form that combines practice of thirteen energies with internal cultivation.
Bagua Zhang 八卦掌 is an internal system of martial arts similar to Taiji quan. The hallmarks of Bagua are its circular stepping and its marvelous development and utilization of special awareness both within and outside of the body. This gives the practitioner the ability to move and change direction with ease, to evade and neutralize the opponent, and to generate internal power.
Bagua Zhang, like Taiji quan, is comprised of a comprehensive system of internal martial arts and meditative practices. Bagua zhang is philosophically related to the Yijing, or “Book of Changes”. In its basic practice, special stepping techniques are used to walk a circle, while various coiling methods are used to change direction around the circle. Bagua zhang is as challenging to learn as it is beautiful.
While this class is open to beginners, it is a challenging place in the TSI curriculum to begin. Prior qigong and/or the tai chi form practice is recommended.
Jian 劍 (Double-Edged Sword)
Prerequisite: Hunyuan Taiji 48 Form or instructor permission.
Push hands is an important component of the taiji quan system. The practice of push hands helps to rectify the empty hand forms, increase internal strength, develop awareness of self, and cultivate ability to listen to, interpret, and transform the force of an opponent. It is through push hands training that one can truly develop the taiji energies.
Prerequisite: Hunyuan Taiji Regular 24 Form
Join us for a day (or just an hour) of meaningful work, good company, and shared purpose at the Xuan Xiu Gong Taoist Sanctuary.
Projects include:
• Trail maintenance (clearing fallen branches, trimming salmonberry, spreading woodchips)
• Painting the hall
• Chipping downed branches
• Planting trees and prepping the vegetable garden
Come for an hour or stay for the day—every bit of help makes a difference!
Hun Yuan Taiji is a uniquely complete system of cultivation, offering benefits for body, mind, and spirit. Its practice promotes health and vitality, mental clarity, spiritual growth, and the development of internal martial art skills. Through regular practice, one awakens deeper understanding and fosters harmonious interaction with both the environment and all living beings.
In this class, we will explore the fundamental components of the Hun Yuan system and their interconnections, including:
- The three primary Qi Gong methods: Hun Yuan Gong, Chan Si Gong, and Fang Song Gong
- Core principles of Tai Chi (Taiji) form practice
- An introduction to Tai Chi (Taiji) stick and ruler exercises
- A glimpse into the function and benefits of two-person practice, as well as the extension of internal coordination through the use of saber, sword, staff, and spear.
7 week series, September 8 - October 20
Mondays 9 – 10:30am (90 minutes) Pacific Time (US)
Online Only
Taught by: Shifu ZhiCheng
Suitable for beginners.
Prerequisite: None.
Cost: $259 for 7-week series.
A Literary Gathering
At the Taoist Studies Institute in Seattle & Online via Zoom
Saturday Sept. 20, 7-9 p.m.
Step into the timeless world of Chinese aesthetics, where brush and ink capture the spirit of mountains and rivers, and natural stones embody the essence of the heaven and earth. This gathering brings together friends of the arts to express the harmony between nature, literature, and cultivation.
Guests will explore the tradition of Chinese landscape painting (山水畫 shān shuǐ huà) “Mountain and Water Painting”, and the scholar’s stone (供石 gòng shí), treasured for its natural form. Calligraphy, readings of classical poetry, and Guqin music will be interwoven with discussion of these art forms and conversation in the style of an old-world yǎjí 雅集 — a refined gathering of friends. Light refreshments, including unique Chinese teas, will be provided.
Through shared reflection on painting, calligraphy, stone, word, and sound, we invite participants to experience the resonance of “patterns of heaven and earth” and the enduring elegance of the scholar’s studio.
Tickets & Registration
Tickets range from $500 to free, giving you options on how to support the school.
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This Special Event is brought to you as part of the 2025 Xuan Xiu Gong Sanctuary Capital Campaign, designed to carry forward the living Taoist tradition and secure the sanctuary’s future.
The Taoist Studies Institute is devoted to the preservation and transmission of Taoist wisdom through study, spiritual practice, and the arts. Rooted in the principle of nourishing life (養生), Xuan Xiu Gong is a living sanctuary—a place of restoration and transformation.
100% of your donation goes directly toward these efforts, helping us to:
- Secure the Sanctuary’s Future - Retire the remaining mortgage on the Sanctuary, due October 2025
- Enhance the Sacred Environment - Fund essential projects: a traditional gate, stone steps, courtyards, bridges, gutters, and side halls
- Support Practice and Teaching - Provide new meditation cushions, expand gathering spaces, and preserve an authentic lineage
Unable to attend but still want to support our mission?
Make a 100% Tax-Deductible Donation
Your generosity directly sustains a sanctuary for Taoist learning, cultivation, and community.
The Eight Sections of Brocade (八 段 錦, bā duàn jǐn), as presented in this class, is a straightforward method of addressing one's postural habits, systematically repatterning movement pathways and structural relationships throughout the body. Internally, it opens channels and increases respiratory capacity and resilience. Additionally, it nourishes and strengthens the internal organs and their associated functions.
The Eight Sections of Brocade is a traditional qi gong set practiced by Taoists and martial artists for its health and medical benefits. Somewhat rigorous, the method presented in this class is effective and comprehensive, incorporating layers of physically direct and energetically subtle practice. The progressive layers simultaneously nourish and strengthen both the physical and energetic systems.
This series is excellent starting place for beginners new to Taoist practice. Intermediate and advanced students will also gain benefits, accessing deeper layers of the practice.
5 week series, 10/2 - 10/30
Thursdays 6:30 – 7:45pm (75 minutes) Pacific Time (US)
Online Only
Taught by: Shifu ZhiCheng
Suitable for beginners.
Prerequisites: None
Cost: $159 for 5-week series.
Celebrate the Chinese Moon Festival / Mid-Autumn Festival at the beautiful Xuan Xiu Gong Taoist Sanctuary.
Spend the afternoon exploring trails and environs of the Sanctuary, see the progress we have made on the infrastructure, attend a demonstration, and view the harvest moon.
Please bring a dish to share for a vegetarian pot-luck dinner.
Guided walks around the sanctuary grounds will begin around 4pm, with demonstrations and dinner to follow. After dinner, join Shifu ZhiCheng for a talk.
Step away from the world of dust and immerse yourself in this transformative 3-day Taoist (Daoist) Cultivation Retreat. Over the course of the retreat, you will engage in timeless practices including Taoist (Daoist) Meditation, the recitation of Taoist (Daoist) Scriptures, and Ming Gong exercises for health and longevity. Each session is thoughtfully presented with rich context and meaningful content to nourish the body, calm the mind, and awaken the spirit.
Appropriate for beginners through advanced practitioners.
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Pricing
Cost includes all instruction + full room and board from 9am on Friday through 3pm on Sunday. Sleeping facilities are shared rooms with bunk beds, segregated by gender.
To enable access to as many people as possible, we offer tiered pricing. Please pay as is appropriate to your financial situation.
- Generosity Tier: $595
- Base Tier: $495
- Subsidized Tier: $395
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General Retreat Information
Retreats offer a chance to dive deep into Taoist (Daoist) practice. Let the cares of the rest of your life fall away and allow yourself to be nourished through movement, stillness, good food, and the beauty of nature. Immersive practice time combined with individualized instruction offers a chance to accelerate your progress, no matter your level of skill.
Retreats includes full daily instruction by Master Mo ZhiCheng. Classes typically run from 9 a.m. - noon and 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. After dinner, attend lecture and open question time from ~7 - 8:15 p.m.
Retreat cost includes full room and board. Sleeping facilities are semi-private rooms with bunk beds and are segregated by gender.
If you have questions or special needs, please ask!
See our main retreat page for additional retreat information and photographs.
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Retreat Cancelation Policy
For cancellations...
- More than 30 days in advance: 90% refund as class credit.
- Between 30 days and 1 week: 50% refund as class credit.
- Less than 1 week before the retreat: no refund.
