Tai Ji Men Opens Its First Canadian Chapter in Toronto: Ancient Qigong Unlocks a Path to Modern Holistic Wellness | WPN World People News

Tai Ji Men celebrates the grand opening of its first Canadian chapter in Toronto on August 1, 2025.

On August 1, 2025, Tai Ji Men celebrated the grand opening of its first Canadian chapter in Toronto—a city renowned for its multicultural vibrancy. The ceremony drew an enthusiastic crowd of distinguished guests, local residents, and over 200 Tai Ji Men volunteers from around the world, who gathered to witness this historic milestone.

The celebration featured a dynamic program that blended ancient qigong, martial arts aesthetics, and modern creativity, offering attendees an inspiring experience filled with positive energy, passion, and joy. The event showcased Tai Ji Men’s mission to promote holistic wellness and bring ancient wisdom into modern life.

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the leader of Tai Ji Men, joins distinguished guests for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark a new milestone for Tai Ji Men in Canada.

The opening ceremony began in festive spirit with an auspicious lion dance. Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, the leader of Tai Ji Men, delivered an opening speech titled “A World of One Heart, Peace, and Sustainability,” expressing heartfelt gratitude and emphasizing, “Tai Ji Men is a legacy of ancient wisdom, dedicated to promoting the health of the body, mind, and spirit. It integrates the philosophy of yin and yang into daily life, inspires human potential, and embodies a holistic education that encourages individuals to pursue “‘true truthfulness, true goodness, and true beauty.”’ He hoped to spread a holistic education rooted in love, peace, conscience, and hope to every corner of the globe through the tradition and wisdom passed down in this ancient menpai (school).

Dr. Hong, Tao-Tze, leader of Tai Ji Men, delivers an opening speech, “A World of One Heart, Peace, and Sustainability,” expressing his hope to spread holistic education rooted in love, peace, conscience, and hope worldwide through the tradition and wisdom passed down in Tai Ji Men.

He also stated, “The heart is the root, qi (energy) is the foundation, and conscience is innate. We must safeguard our inner conscience at all times, for it is the compass that guides everything. Let us all be encouraged to honestly reflect on our every thought, word, and action, return to a pure heart, unlock our potential, and activate wisdom—so that our kind thoughts and good deeds will bring blessings and foster peace.”

A martial arts presentation blending tradition and technology showcases the spirit of innovation and courage.

Dr. Hong invited dignitaries and community leaders to join him in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, signifying the launch of Tai Ji Men’s new chapter in Canada. Among the guests were Daphne Hsu, Deputy Director of OCAC in Toronto; Paola Gómez, Co-founder and Program Director of MUSE Arts; and Alex Usquiano, Co-founder of MUSE Arts.
Each guest shared warm congratulatory remarks. Deputy Director Hsu expressed her hope that Tai Ji Men would bring greater energy of health and peace to Toronto in the years to come.

The graceful Blue Peacock presentation aims to inspire the audience to transform life’s challenges into positive energy.

Paola Gómez expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the warm welcome, saying, “We also want to express gratitude for your presence here . . . to come to Toronto, and be part of our communities. How lucky we are to finally have you here supporting our communities, these multicultural communities, to become more empowered, but also to become more connected with ourselves.”
Alex Usquiano, said, “I can feel the energy around here. I'm so happy.” He encouraged Tai Ji Men to continue to spread positivity to all.

Tai Ji Men’s powerful drum formation demonstrates the spirit of intergenerational inheritance and teamwork.

To mark this important milestone, influential leaders from over 20 countries, Toronto city councilors, NGO leaders, and internationally renowned scholars sent congratulatory videos or letters, including seven former heads of state such as former President of Ecuador Rosalía Arteaga Serrano.

Tai Ji Men’s female members present “Angels of Love,” sharing peace and warmth with the people of Canada.

The grand opening program included presentations by the World Peace and Love Philharmonic Orchestra, including a piece called A Whole New World, highlighting Tai Ji Men’s integration of ancient qigong into modern life. A graceful blue peacock dance symbolized positive transformation, followed by a martial arts presentation that blended tradition with innovation. A lively children’s drum routine demonstrated intergenerational teamwork, and Tai Ji Men members—dressed as “Angels of Love”—performed Song of Hope, encouraging audience members to follow their conscience and strive for self-betterment.

The energetic Energy Boys and Energy Girls bring joy and positive energy to the audience.

Participants also shared personal stories. Nancy Huang, one of the young drummers, expressed deep gratitude to Dr. Hong for guiding her on a healing journey. Diagnosed with ligament laxity and scoliosis with a 36-degree spinal curvature, she recalled, “I was really scared, but Shifu (grandmaster) taught me to be brave.” Through qigong, rehab, and drum training, her curvature improved to just 9 degrees. “Drumming not only helped restore my health but also brought me happiness and confidence.”

The World Peace and Love Orchestra presents beautiful music, creating a peaceful and heartwarming atmosphere.

Erica Wu, a Columbia University graduate, performed the peacock dance as a message of love and peace. She shared that practicing qigong taught her to face herself, care for her well-being, overcome challenges, and reconnect with inner peace and love. She hoped her presentation would inspire others to pursue happiness through compassion.

Tai Ji Men is deeply committed to conscience education and holistic learning. Over 20 members who are current or former educators volunteered for the event. One such member, Joyce Lin, a retired English teacher, joined the Tai Ji Men Goodwill Group for the 69th East York Canada Day Parade—a moment featured by CBC, CTV, and CP24. The parade organizers praised Tai Ji Men’s message as timely and impactful.

Tai Ji Men’s auspicious lion dance welcomes guests with joy and good fortune.

Elementary school teacher Samantha Chen, one of Tai Ji Men’s “Angels of Love,” shared how practicing qigong has improved her health, inner peace, and emotional resilience. Through regular practice and reflection, she learned to manage emotions and shift her mindset. Now enjoying a happy family life—with both families practicing Tai Ji Men Qigong—she brings these lessons into her teaching, helping students develop emotional stability and sowing seeds of love and peace in their hearts.

Another volunteer, Linda Chen, now a medical research scientist, arrived in Toronto in 1995 and later earned degrees up to the doctoral level. She reflected, “Tai Ji Men has been a lifelong learning path for me—a place where I’ve gained not only better health and energy but also tools to manage stress, reflect on my values, and make meaningful contributions to the world. Dr. Hong, our Shifu, emphasizes the importance of cultivating a pure heart and conscience. This kind of inner education complements academic learning by helping people live with clarity and compassion.”

She emphasized that the establishment of Tai Ji Men in Canada broadens the definition of education: “Education isn’t limited to textbooks or degrees—it’s also about understanding ourselves, developing emotional resilience, and cultivating wisdom. Tai Ji Men offers a unique kind of lifelong education that integrates physical health, mental clarity, and moral conscience.” She believes Tai Ji Men’s new chapter in Toronto will enrich Canada’s multicultural society and support future generations’ holistic development.

About Tai Ji Men in Toronto

Tai Ji Men is a non-profit organization that promotes qigong for health, the philosophy of yin-yang balance, and the holistic well-being of the body, mind, and spirit. In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world, it helps people relieve stress, restore physical and mental health, and enhance their quality of life. This grand opening event marks an important step in advancing its mission of holistic education and sharing this timeless heritage in Canada.

The first Tai Ji Men chapter in Canada, located in Toronto at 125 King Street East, offers high-quality, holistic education that combines physical training with spiritual guidance. Tai Ji Men Qigong is easy to learn and highly effective. With consistent practice, individuals of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds can attain health, wealth, wisdom, joy, and happiness.