Master Yazi Liu

Master Yazi Liu, born in 1966, is from Xian Yang City/Xian China. He started his martial arts training at eight years of age, beginning with traditional Shao Lin Kung Fu. He then progressed to Western boxing and Chinese San Da.

Starting Zhao Bao Taiji

One day when he was 15 years old, a friend who studied taiji challenged him to a match. Taiji, as everyone knows, is for old people. The young Yazi Liu had no doubt he would win. He lost.

Impressed, he went to meet his friend’s teacher (shifu). Soon after, not only began to learn taiji but became the Master’s TuDi (apprentice or disciple.)
His teacher was Master Pei Guo Qing, a Zhao Bao lineage holder and Master who had himself been taught by Hou Chun Xiu (侯春秀, 1904-1985).

Hou Chun Xiu was from the town of Zhao Bao and was a famous exponent of Zhao Bao style Taiji. He has had considerable influence over the ongoing development of the style.

Master Yazi Liu was taught by both.

Army Service

During his five years of army service, Master Yazi Liu was able to meet many other martial artists, from all over China, serving in his unit. His exposure to many other styles broadened his appreciation considerably. In turn, he was the only person in his unit to have trained in internal martial arts. His army colleagues soon realised that taiji had an equally lethal martial side.

In 1993 Master Yazi Liu received permission from Master Pei Guo Qing to teach Zhao Bao style Taiji Quan. He has taught for over 30 years in both Xian Yang (China) and London, where he now lives full time.

Chen Taiji

Master Yazi Liu has an interest in Chen style taiji, which has some similarities to the Zhao Bao style taiji. As part of his ongoing research, and with the consent of his Master, Pei Guo Qing, he started to learn Chen style taiji in 2005 from Master Li Tian Xiang in China. He subsequently gained permission to teach Chen style in 2013.

Master Yazi Liu is a charismatic, generous and forth-coming teacher who has a sincere desire to teach. He has dedicated his time and is committed to the study and continual development of Zhao Bao style taiji.