Shifu Quan Jun Liu Martial Arts Director and Senior Instructor for Tai Ji Circle

Shifu Quan Jun Liu, has studied traditional Chinese martial arts, tai ji quan (tai chi chuan), gong fu (kung fu) and qi gong (chi kung) since childhood, and began teaching in China in 1991 and since 2001 in the UK.

Shifu Liu originally studied Chen Tai Ji Quan (as therapy, martial arts, philosophy) from Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei when living in China. Since living in London, he has become the disciple of 19th generation lineage heir of Chen style Tai Ji Quan, Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang (they are two of the foremost masters of Chen Tai Ji Quan in the world today). Since studying with Grand Master Chen Xiao Wang, Shifu Liu has achieved a 6th Duan Wei grading from the Wushu Association of China and is 20th generation teacher of the Chen style taij ji quan.

Shifu Liu and Chris Jones regularly attend Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang's workshops in the UK and are grateful for his incomparable teaching, endless patience and generous spirit in sharing his phenomenal knowledge and skill with students around the world.

Other masters that Shifu Liu has studied with in China include, Ji Po for Da Bei Qi Gong (a powerful qi gong – with active and meditative forms) that was unknown until Shifu Liu brought it exclusively to the UK, and Kong Jian for Ying Qi Gong (Hard Qi Gong), an internal/external steel jacket training programme, originating from Tibet.

Shifu Liu is also a practitoner of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a specialist in Dian Xue Tui Na, (acupuncture point and traditional Chinese massage) and martial arts therapy. His Chinese specialist masters for martial arts and dian xue theory are the brothers, Wang Chang Qing and Wang Xing Qing, for herbal medicine it is Sun Zong Qi, for the tui na massage techniques Mao Li Sheng, for herbal medicine and nutrition and diet, Lu Xian Li.

During his years in China, teaching students of all ages from the very young to the elderly, Shifu Liu was also a Competition Coach and Judge in Tai Ji Quan, Wushu and Sanda (competative gong fu sparring), in 1992 he was voted Exceptional Coach Award by the Bole Martial Arts School. Liu himself won a gold medal for Sanda and later 2 gold and 2 silver medals for Chen Tai Ji Quan, hand and sword forms, and from 1994-95 he was a National Competition martial arts judge for Henan Province as well as being the senior Tai Ji instructor and judge for the Kui Tun Tai Ji Association in Xinjiang province. A group of his senior students won 9 gold, 7 silver and 3 bronze  medals in Tai Ji and Tai Ji Sword, in 'All Xinjiang Martial Arts Competitions'.

Shifu Liu, already a very experienced martial arts instructor, was invited to the UK in 2001 to teach Shaolin Gong fu, Chen Tai Ji Quan, Baduan Jing Qi Gong and Meditation. Now he lives and works in London. As director of the Tai Ji Circle, he brings unique skills as a teacher and healer to his classes and workshops, where the focus is on relaxation, developing energy and helping maximise students’ potential so that they can reach competition level standard.

Tai Ji Circle students entered four different UK Championships 2006–2007 after  special coaching sessions from Shifu Liu and won medals in Tai Ji Quan hand and weapons forms, a total of 17 medals, 5 of which were Gold, 3 Silver and 9 Bronze. Shifu Liu has also been a judge for the Traditional Forms Division at the BCCMA British Championships 2006, judge for Tai Ji Quan at The London Wushu Open Competition held at SENI 07, and the 4th London Competition for Traditional Tai Chi Chuan in 2011. In 2010 one of our most dedicated students won 5 medals, (3 gold) at the Tai Chi Championships held in Oxford.

Tai Ji Circle’s range of classes are suitable for students at all levels and ages. Shifu Liu teachers the classes and aims to share his wide knowledge of Chen Tai Ji Quan, Gong fu, Buddhist principles, Chinese massage, and Qi Gong healing, to enable students to help themselves, their families and friends to gain better health and happiness in their lives.

In classes Shifu Liu focuses on the essentials of postural alignment and understanding of the flow of energy and the philosophical and martial meaning that underlies all the Chen forms and practices.

Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang with Shifu Liu.

Shifu Liu of the Tai Ji Circle is

• 20th Generation Disciple of Grand Master Chen Xiao Wang

• 6th Duan Wei level from the Wushu  Association of China

• 'A' Graded Instuctor Member of the Tai Chi Union of Great Britain,

•  Instructor Member of the BCCMA, and

• Associate Member of the ACTM, Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine (UK) for the practice of Tui Na (Chinese Massage).

You can see Shifu Liu perform several Chen Tai Ji Routines on the Youtube link below.

Links:

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Shifu Liu performing Chen Xinjia Form (Chen New Frame) with Tai Ji Circle
students at the SIED Conference at the Mermaid Theatre, London, September 2007

Tai Ji Circle London

Chen Tai Ji Quan, Qi Gong and Dian Xue Tui Na (Chinese pressure point massage therapy), the traditional Chinese arts of relaxation, fitness and health for all

Our Aims

• To provide a high standard of tuition in Chen Tai Ji Quan, to enable students to reach their personal best, to achieve self-fulfillment and win medals at competition level
• To spread the benefits of the ancient Chinese systems of health preservation
• To offer free qi gong classes to the seriously ill who wish to participate
• To help the local community by providing a wide range of classes for everyone at reasonable prices

Tai Ji Circle are members of the Chen Xiao Wang Worldwide Taijiquan Association, the BCCMA, (the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts) and the Tai Chi Union of Great Britain.

PUBLIC CLASSES, PRIVATE INSTRUCTION AND WORKSHOPS

Tai Ji Circle runs public classes and workshops in Chen Tai Ji Quan (tai chi chuan) hand and weapon forms, push hands and martial applications, Da Bei Qi Gong (chi kung), Tai Ji Push Hands/Gong Fu (kung fu/martial arts). We run a specialist course in Hard Qi Gong (foundation steel jacket training).

Tai Ji Circle was set up in 2004, by Christine Jones (Managing Director and Instructor) under the guidance of Shifu Quan Jun Liu who has been its full time Martial Arts Director and Senior Instuctor since 2005. In February 2012 we changed the company status to Tai Ji Circle Ltd as a not-for-profit business. On 25 March 2013 Tai Ji Circle were awarded charity status.

Shifu Liu and Christine Jones from the Tai J Circle offer a wide variety of classes to students at all levels from Foundation for beginners to those who want to deepen their practice by studying the more advanced forms of Chen Tai Ji Quan such as long hand forms, weapons forms, Laojia Er Lu (the dynamic Cannon Fist), Xinjia Yi Lu (The New Frame Form) and Tai Ji Gong Fu, Push Hands and Martial Applications. Shifu Liu also teaches Da Bei Qi Gong, a complete system of energy cultivation, a meditative practice with it’s roots in Shaolin Buddhism, it helps to generate energy within the body and can be used for healing, to help others or oneself. We also offer Hard Qi Gong training courses to our members.

Shifu Liu is a specialist of Dian Xue Tui Na, traditional Chinese massage, and is available to give private treatments by appointment (see below).

Registered Charity Number 1151369 TAI JI CIRCLE LIMITED

PRIVATE CLASSES

• Shifu Liu is also available for one-to-one private classes in Chen Tai Ji Quan, Bagua Zhang, XIng Yi Quan, Gong Fu, Qi Gong, and Competition Chen hand and weapons forms

COMPETITION COACHING and JUDGE

• Shifu Liu is available for competition coaching and judging

DEMONSTRATIONS

• Shifu Liu and the students from the Tai Ji Circle are available for public demonstrations and displays of outstanding quality

Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang with Shifu Liu and Chris Jones of Tai Ji Circle, at the Czech Republic Seminar of 2008

Tai Ji Circle Teachers

Shifu Liu teaches all the classes and workshops, however sometimes he is assisted by senior student teachers, Chris, who set up Tai Ji Circle, and Lai and Justin who have studied many years with Shifu Liu and have achieved Tai Ji Circle teaching certificates.

Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang with Chris after the disciple ceremony in Chenjiagou 2013

Christine Jones started learning hatha yoga in 1970 and was very fortunate to study for many years with some of the most renowned and wonderful yoga teachers worldwide, such as BKS Iyengar, Dona Holleman, Angela Farmer, John Scott and Shandor Remete who has had a profound influence on her personal development. For 20 years Chris also taught a weekly yoga class in Primrose Hill Community Centre in North London while working full time at New Scientist magazine as Art Editor, and since then has run her own freelance design budiness, which has helped support Tai Ji Circle.

In 2002 Chris Jones met and begin the study of Chen Tai Ji Quan and Qi Gong as the pupil of Shifu Liu Quanjun, after training in the practice of Shaolin Gong Fu and martial qi gong from 1998. Since establishing the Tai Ji Circle in 2004 in London and continuing her training with Shifu Liu, she has also studied with Grand Masters Chen Zhenglei in London and Chen Xiao Xing in Chenjiagou, the Chen family village in China. SInce 2003 she also regularly attends annual seminars with Grand Master Chen Xiao Wang in London and in 2008, in the Czech Republic, and in 2013 in Chen Village.

Chris passed the Foundation Level of Shifu Liu's Ying Qi Gong training in 2005, and has completed several intensive Qi Gong training course with Shifu Liu. In 2008 Chris gained a BCCMA judges certificate, acting as Judge and Head judge for Traditional Routines at the British Championships in that year. Chris received 3rd Duan Wei from the Wushu Asociation of China in 2008, and gained a Level Two Coaching Cerificate from the BCCMA in 2012. She is an instructor member of the Tai Chi Union of Great Britain and the BCCMA. In April 2013 Chris was very honoured to become a disciple of Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang, in a ceremony held at the Chenjiagou Chen family temple in Henan Province, China.

Chris assists Shifu Liu teaching Foundation Chen Tai Ji Quan Courses and other classes with Tai Ji Circle. In 2007, she taught Chen Tai Ji Quan and Da Bei Qi Gong on the P&O cruise ship Arcadia, Chen Tai Ji Quan Foundation courses at the Triyoga centre in London's Primrose Hill, summer classes for Hackney Council with the charity MIND in 2008, and for Camden Primary Care Trust at St Pancras Hospital. From 2009 until the present day, Chris teaches a weekly 'Tai Ji Quan and Qi Gong Exercises For Health' class for the elderly, at Age Concern's Meritage Day Centre in Hendon.

Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei with Liu Quan Jun and Chris Jones, after his 2006 workshop and memorable performances In London, arranged by the Tai Ji Circle.

Chen Ziqiang with Liu Quan Jun and Chris Jones after Master Chen's Push Hands Seminars with Tai Ji Circle students in London, 2012.

Chen Family Tai Ji Quan By Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang

Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang has published a fascinating new book, Chen Family Tai Ji Quan. It is large format and packed full of fascinating family history with old photographs of the great masters from his family, such as Chen Fake, Chen Zhaokui, Chen Zhaopei, and the current 'Four Buddha warriors' (Chen Xiao Wang, Chen Zhenglei, Wang Xian and Zhu Taincai) of the Chen style as well as the upcoming generations. There are marvellous photos of Grandmaster Chen's tai ji postures, family anecdotes, details of the four major tai ji styles that in part originally derive from the Chen family style, (Yang, Wu, Wu and Sun styles) all accompanied by Grandmaster Chen's magnificent calligraphy and his clear insights into tai ji quan practice. Also included are images and brief biographies of Grandmaster Chen's disciples from around the world including Liu Quan Jun. It is a terrific resource for anyone studying Chen style Tai Ji Quan.

40% of the proceeds of the book will go to restoring Chen Changxing's house in Chen village. Chen Changxing is a most renowned 14th generation Tai Ji Quan master (Grandmaster Chen's great, great, great, grandfather) who combined some of the old shorter tai ji quan routines of Chen Wanting, to form the traditional 74 part long form, Laojia Yi Lu and the dynamic Laojia Er Lu (Cannon Fist), as well as teaching Yang Luchan, the founder of the Yang style.

Tai Ji Circle has some books available for sale at our Camden classes. The books are large and very heavy so would need to be collected rather than posted out, email us for details.

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Chinese Massage – Dian Xue Tui Na with Shifu Liu

Shifu Liu with Torben Hersborg of the Central London Osteopathy and Sports Injury Clinics

at the London Back Show at Olympia 2006 (see below for contact information)

Tui Na, Dian Xue and Qi Gong are traditional holistic forms of healing used in China for hundreds of years.

Tui Na is a type of vigorous, deep massage which uses many different types of hand movement (usually about 12) to stimulate the tissues and energy circulation (known as qi or chi) and bring increased blood flow to problem areas of the body. The massage movements can vary from deep massage to rhythmic pounding or soothing circular movements over energy centres.

Dian Xue is in an integral part of Tui Na massage. It is Chinese pressure point therapy applied along important acupuncture meridians of the body and therefore works directly on the organs, it can release blockages in the energy flow and help to rebalance the energy throughout the body, the affects are similar to acupuncture, but without the use of needles.

Qi Gong is a relatively recent term applied to ancient Chinese health exercises (many different types from active to meditational) which can be done on your own (to improve one’s own energy cultivation and relaxation) or practiced as a form of healing for other people. The primary focus is on increasing one’s energy and self awareness of the internal sensations and flow of energy throughout the body. Qi Gong healing is given when the body is weak and the practitioner transmits his/her own energy into the patient as part of the massage treatment.

Chinese Massage can help sports or martial arts injuries, stress, body weakness and fatigue, back problems, headaches and many other problems.

Shifu Liu gives Tui Na massage on the Tai Ji Circle stand at SENI 2006, to the well-known actor Danny John-Jules who played 'The Cat' in the renowned TV series 'Red Dwarf'.

Central London Osteopathy and Sports Injury Clinics can be contacted

for appointments with Shifu Liu, at 0207 739 5666, see their web site www.london-osteopath.com

or contact the Tai ji Circle directly by email or phone 07921765848

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A student's personal view of the Tai Ji Circle, 2006 and again in 2010

Shifu Liu adjusting the posture of student Justin

Relaxing is hard to do!

I never knew how hard it can be to truly relax. As a beginner in Chen style Tai Ji Quan, the over-riding lesson I’ve learnt so far is that true relaxation is a state of mind. This reflects the internal focus of the martial art, the basic premise being that mental focus enables you to stretch further, punch harder and balance easier. Not to mention de-stress and health benefits.

I had tried one or two lessons of Tai Ji in the past but never felt compelled enough to stick with it. It’s hard to explain what draws you to a particular class or teacher but for me, the Tai Ji Circle was different from the start. For one thing, there’s something noticeably real and honest about Shifu Quan Jun Liu’s teaching style. There are no life changing promises or ‘higher planes’ to speak of. It’s about achieving excellence and a kind that is much more than diplomas and belt grades can measure. Perhaps that’s because it’s measured by personal best, rather than beating others.

There seems to be no limit to how much can be learnt. Advanced students often attend beginner’s classes to refresh or reinforce the movements and even apparently simple details turn out to be extremely complicated and difficult to master. Each lesson is like unravelling a Russian doll – there’s always more beneath the surface.

It might be a journey without end, but this is what makes Chen Tai Ji both intensely challenging and uniquely rewarding. To adapt a phrase from a well known beer ad, it gets to parts other forms don’t reach. It’s hard to beat the post-class sensation of feeling at once deeply calm and bursting with energy: the fusion of opposites that matches the pattern of the Chen Tai Chi movements. A graceful, non-combative exterior hides an ultimately powerful martial art.

Justin 2006

APRIL 2010: Justin won 5 medals at the Oxford Championships, here is his response to the success of that day

TJC: Your success is due to your own hard work and self practice as well as training with Shifu Liu, what particular aspects of his teaching have helped you?
There are many amazing aspects of Shifu Liu's teaching. Too many to mention but I guess the first thing would be Shifu Liu's own Tai Ji. I think anyone who has been to a class will testify that watching Shifu Liu demonstrate is truly captivating and inspiring. Personally I was also drawn to his 'quiet' style of teaching and his intense attention to detail. The endless repetition of movements – at first it can seem tiresome but after a while it seems that this way of teaching works on a deeper level of consciousness. I would say it's a 'feeling' rather than a 'thinking' approach. But perhaps the most powerful and unique aspect of Shifu Liu's teaching is his holistic approach that incorporates traditional Chinese medical principles, Daoist and Buddhist principles, as well as his extensive knowledge of martial arts in general. I quickly realised that the breadth of Tai Ji Circle classes and courses covers every type of fitness helping to improve stamina, flexibility, core strength, co-ordination, balance. Added to this is the general health and well being benefits that come from relaxation and developing presence of mind. And of course, self defence.

Justin 2010

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