An Introduction of Master Cui Zhongsan

Mr. Cui Zhongsan, a 5th generation master of Chinese Yang Style Taijiquan, was born in a well-known Taijiquan family in 1948. He began to learn the traditional Yang style Taijiquan from his grandfather, Master Cui Yishi when he was four years old. His grandfather was an indoor student of Master Yang Chengfu, the most famous master of Chinese Yang style Taijiquan of his time. With his superb skills and noble characters, Master Cui Yishi became one of the most important Yang style Taijiquan masters in Beijing. As Taijiquan was handed down in the family at that time, Master Cui Zhongsan learned all of Taijiquan forms, various taiji weapons and pushing-hands techniques from his grandfather, who gave him a strict and systematic training.

Now, Master Cui has grasped Taijiquan perfectly, his forms are open, slow and soft; movements are flexible, firm and gentle; consciousness and movements are closely integrated.

Master Cui began to attend Taijiquan matches when he was very young, and won his first Taijiquan championship in 1957. For his excellence in Taijiquan, he was selected by Beijing Amateur Wushu School in1960. Since then, he had won a lot of prizes in the competitions and national games. He won the Taijiquan champion of Beijing Wushu Matches in 1960 and 1961, the Taijiquan Runner-up of the 6th Beijing Games in 1982, the Taijiquan Champion of Beijing Wushu Matches in 1985 and 1986, the Taiji Sword Runner-up of the National Taijiquan and Taiji Sword Matches in 1986, etc.

Master Cui was not only a good practitioner, but also a good teacher. He had been the General Director for the Taijiquan and Taiji sword performance in the opening ceremony of the National Workers' Games in 1985 ; the Coach of the Beijing Taiji Team in the National Taijiquan and Taiji Sword Matches in 1986; the General Executive Coach of the Dongcheng District for the Chinese-Japan Taijiquan performance in the opening ceremony of the 11th Asian Games in 1990; the Deputy Head Coach and the Yang Style Taijiquan teacher in the 1995,1996 and 1997 World Taiji Conference. In addition, he also took part in the discussion and edition of the competition rules for Taijiquan and pushing-hands, and worked as a Wushu referee in the 7th and 8th China National Games.
Master Cui Zhongsan has always been dedicated to the promotion and popularization of Taijiquan. Due to his outstanding work performance, he was awarded the honorable title of Model Taiji Coach several times. His students such as Yuan Jian won the Taijiquan Championship of the National University Students' Games, and Li Muze won the Taijiquan and Taiji Sword Championship many times in Beijing.

At the invitation of Tokyo Taijiquan Society, he visited Japan twice as the Taijiquan teacher appointed by Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. For the last twenty years, foreign practitioners from over ten countries and regions came to study Taijiquan from him.

Master Cui not only teaches Taijiquan, but also writes books about Taijiquan. The following are some of the books he wrote: "Learning and Practicing of 24-form Taijiquan, 32-form Taiji Sword", "The Courses of Traditional Yang Style Taijiquan", "Yang style Taiji Broadsword".

Master Cui has made great contributions to the popularization of Taijiquan and Chinese Wushu worldwide. He now acts as the Secretary General of the Taijiquan Society in the World Taiji Health Science Union, the Commissioner of Beijing Wushu Association, the Secretary General of Dongcheng District Wushu Association, the Honorary President of Yang Style Taijiquan Society in the cities of Langfang, Changzhou and Bengbu.