Beginning of the Journey
President of Tianzhen Taiji Culture Institute
Senior Instructor of Taiji martial arts and Taiji Culture
4th-generation inheritor of Li-style Taijiquan, custodian of a World Intangible Cultural Heritage recognized by China and UNESCO
Vice President of Taijiquan Professional Committee of China Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Association
Specially Appointed Expert of the National Ministry of Culture and Tourism Development
Governing Representative of Tianjin Foreign Friendship Association
Mr. Xing Qilin was born in October 1954 in Chengguan Town, Wuqing District, Tianjin (the birthplace of the late Mr. Li Ruidong, the founder of Li-style Taiji), and started learning Taiji at the age of 5 under Mr. Zhang Wansheng, the third generation of Li-style Taiji.
In 1986, he won the Golden Lion Award in the National Wushu Competition and was later awarded the title of Excellent Teacher for many years while teaching at the Sports Center of China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau.
After 30 years old, Mr. Xing Qilin devoted himself to the dissemination and promotion of Taijiquan. In 2001, he founded TZY, a Taiji heritage site in Chengguan Town, Wuqing District. For 20 years, with the help of insightful persons of society, he built TZY into a cultural campus with a beautiful ecological environment with considerable teaching and training capacity. From this campus, he continued to carry out the inheritance, popularization and research of Li-style Taijiquan.
During his 48 years of teaching, Mr. Xing Qilin has created a whole set of Taiji curriculum and teaching system that is in line with modern practice, including Taiji music, songs, dances, boxing movements, sword, fan, ball and ruler, fitness exercises, massage methods, etc., for the popularization of Li-style Taijiquan.
In addition to organizing study camps and experience camps for different age groups, institutions and social groups in China, Mr. Xing Qilin's persistence and perseverance in the popularization of Taijiquan heritage and cultural exchange at home and abroad continues to expand the influence of Taiji culture all over the world. To-date, TZY has enrolled more than 11,000 students at home and abroad, most of whom came from the United States, Canada, Britain, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asian countries, Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan Province.
On the evening of December 17, 2020, Taijiquan was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity after being evaluated and approved by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Mr. Xing Qilin attended the celebration as a representative of Li-style Taiji, one of the seven national Taiji schools, and gave a speech and demonstration on the topic of Taiji culture, which was well received by the leaders of the National Ministry of Culture and Tourism as well as experts and peers attending the conference.
At the end of 2022, Mr. Xing Qilin was invited by the President of Wang Qihe Taijiquan Association to compose "Taiji Zhihe" Taijiquan music, the rights of which was donated to Wang Qihe Taijiquan Association for the popularization of Wang Qihe Taijiquan 24 styles.
With his love and perseverance for the excellent traditional culture of Taijiquan, Mr. Xing Qilin has been leading the Tianzhen Taiji Culture Team with more than 60 years of his precious experience and practice, contributing all his efforts, wisdom and strength in the development of Taiji heritage.
