Vol 9, Issue 3/2002

The Body is the Source.

Interview with Tian Liyang

Tian Liyang came to Daoism by the art of fighting and in 1988 he became a Daoist monk in a traditional ceremony and masterstudent of You Xiande, head of the Tianhegong monastery in the Wudang mountains. Nowadays he runs his own school of inner art of fighting where children and youngsters are educated. In autumn 2001 we had the opportunity to discuss a few central subjects with him like relaxation and the significance of formtrainings for Taijiquan-practitioners. According to Tian Liyang the inner work like meditation and breathing exercises has to be placed in the forefront in particular for advanced practice. Being a Daoist he believes in the art of fighting as a way of development leading far beyond the actual use in the end.

back