Toronto Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy

Chen Style Taijiquan Practical Method is an inheritance and continuation of the original Grandmaster Chen Fake teachings passed through Grandmaster Hong Junsheng. The choreography is kept intact while some of the hidden applications are brought to light in order to make the forms and applications identical, therefore the title Practical Method. This particular form is the combination of gong and fa.

The Toronto Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy, also known as Practical Method Toronto, was officially established in 2009. Ki Nam Choi, Ernie Aleong, Cora Li, and Kim went to Ottawa to attend Master Chen Zhonghua‘s workshop, after which, they invited Master Chen to conduct a workshop in April of the same year (2009). Prior to this first official workshop of the Toronto branch, Master Chen came to Toronto for another workshop in 1998. Between 2009 and 2011, Master Chen came to Toronto 3 times a year to conduct two weekend workshops, and one 4-day workshop. Since 2012, the two weekend workshops were combined into another 4-day workshop. Toronto workshop attracted a lot of people from outside of Toronto to gather here to learn from Master Chen. Each workshop typically covers theory, foundation, yilu (the first and major taiji barehand form), and applications (push hands). Practical Method is a system based on separation of yin and yang. The main concept is indirect power. The primary actions are in with elbow no hand, out with hand no elbow. Chen Zhonghua Taiji Academy’s headquarter is located in Daqingshan, Wulian, Shandong Province, China. International students train year-round on Daqingshan. Daqingshan holds one of the largest taiji compeition in China annually.

Since 2011, Kelvin Ho, Master Chen Zhonghua’s 97th disciple, started teaching classes and promoting Practical Method to the local Toronto communities. He has received numerous medals in various Taiji competitions in Greater Toronto Area. He published taiji articles and released teaching videos online regularly. He was also a vice-president of MartialArts Association Canada, and is currently the Media Director of Canadian Taijiquan Federation. In 2020, he became a lecturer at Rizhao Professional Technical College Qingshan Taiji Culture Research Institute. He teaches English and Chinese classes on Practical Method yilu, cannon first, sword and broadsword both online to people around the world, and in-person to people in Toronto. He has so far completed 38,000 yilus, and will continue to study taijiquan to further his skills. Like his teacher, he feels an obligation to pass this great art onto others.