Professional advisor and Master Instructor Yijiao Hong is a 20th generation disciple of Chen Style Tai Chi. She has sponsored Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei’s Chen Style Tai Chi Seminars in Seattle annually since 1998. Master Instructor Yijiao Hong’s top students include: Sifu Restita DeJesus, Sifu James Guidon, Sifu Blake Emery, Joan Laage, Craig Perras, Larry Fung, David Lion, Zach Layng, Russel Layng, Hoan Chung, Jason Hu, Mike Damasco., Dashi Banan, Rebecca Wong, Keli brown and others.
In 2000, Master Hong was certified by the International Wushu Federation in Beijing, China as a Wushu International Judge. In 2004, Master Hong earned the highest rank as a Wushu International A Grade Judge in Beijing. Between 1999 and 2003, she judged for selection of National Wushu Teams for both the U. S. A. and Canada.
Master Hong was born in Jin Hua China, and started practicing Wushu with the Jin Hua Wu Shu Team when she was 8 years old. She was the top Wushu athlete and Tai Chi champion in Zhe Jiang province, China. Master Hong has a B.A. degree in physical education in Wushu and Tai Chi from Zhe Jiang Normal University, China. She became an assistant professor and team coach of Zhe Jiang College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1992. She coached the college Wushu and Tai Chi Team and competed in China national tournaments until she immigrated to Seattle, U.S. in 1994.
Master Hong was named U.S. “Athlete of the Year“ by USAWKF in 1998, and competed on the U.S.A National Wushu Team in the 5th World Wushu championship in Hong Kong in 1999, where she ranked 7th among the top world professional Tai Chi athletes.
In 1996 Master Hong established the Chinese Wushu and Tai Chi Academy in Seattle and fosters thousands of students. She offers seminars and workshops to schools and corporations nationally and internationally, including Forest Ridge, Bush School, Lakeside, Wizards of the Coast, and Microsoft Corp. in Seattle. She has also conducted workshops and seminars in New York, Baltimore, Atlanta,Chicago in U.S., Canada, South America and China. Her students have won many champions and grand-champion honors, including the First World Tai Chi and Health conference in Hainan, China in 2001, Can-Am Wushu Championships in Canada and International Wushu Championships. Her career has been featured in Kung Fu magazine, the Seattle P.I. and the Seattle Times. Master Hong and her students have also been featured in film and performance including “Postcards from Buster” on PBS, “China in Dance” 2000, “Dance This 2009” and a Shaw Brothers promotional film. Master Hong is co-author of a book on Tai Chi in Chinese, not yet translated into English.
Master Hong’s passion in Tai Chi originated from her late teenage years at University, especially after she studied Chinese Medicine for two years and visited Madam Chen Lixing in Xian, China Master Hong’s strong belief in Tai Chi’s therapeutic value in life and Tai Chi’s powerful martial application is a constant source of inspiration for her. Master Hong is a lifetime student of Tai Chi Yang family from Grandmaster Fu Shengyuang and Chen family from Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei, Chen village, China.
Yijiao Hong has mastered many Tai Chi forms and skills from both the traditional families as well as modern competition forms. Competition Tai Chi forms include: 24 Yang style, 32 Yang Tai Chi sword, 42 Taijiquan, 42 Taijijian, and Yang, Chen , Wu, Sun competition forms ; Traditional forms and skills include: 85 Yang family traditional form, push-hands, Chen family Tai Chi silk-reeling, old frame one, old frame two, Chen sword, Chen broadsword, push-hands and Traditional Chinese Medicial Qigong forms.
Currently, Master Hong is focusing her teaching on Tai Chi. In addition, she practices Guzheng – ancient strings, and spends time with her two young children. Her former wushu students are continuing their practice of Wushu at the Seattle Wushu Center, UW Husky Wushu Team, and Northwest Wushu.