The Montreal Gongfu Research Center was founded by Ethan Murchie. We are a member school and clinic of the North American Tang Shou Tao Association (NATSTA).
The Center is built on four pillars of activity: we offer martial arts classes (gongfu school), training in tuina, various seminars, and we are a Chinese medicine clinic (Clinique Gongfu Montréal).
We offer classes and the opportunity for serious study in traditional physical culture and medicine. At the core of our curriculum are the martial arts of xingyiquan (or hsing-i chuan), baguazhang (or pakua chang) and taijiquan (taichi chuan). Each of these is taught with a complete method which includes basic exercises or warmups, neigong, qigong, solo forms, partner drills, self-defence applications and/or weapons forms.
These systems are the culmination of many centuries of dedicated research in applying the theories of Chinese medicine to physical culture. They present the student with a method of martial training and health cultivation that is rigorous and effective. We strive to maintain the integrity and coherence of each system as it was traditionally taught.
The key feature of the training is the cultivation of a strong energy, calm mind, focused intent and healthy body through the practice of boxing skills.
In addition to regular classes in xingyiquan, baguazhang and taijiquan, our curriculum includes Filipino eskrima, qigong and neigong classes focused on health cultivation for lay people and health care professionals, Chinese medical theory, and tuina massage.
Students are also invited to take part in annual regional and national seminars, sparring events, seminars with visiting teachers and research trips abroad.
The writings left by the old masters tell us it takes three years to build a foundation but that a lifetime of study will still not bring you to the bottom of the subtleties and wonders contained in the boxing method. The Montreal Gongfu Research Center was created to establish and support a community that can sustain students through the process of researching and preserving the arts of xingyiquan, baguazhang and taijiquan in hopes that their true beauty will not be lost to the world.