About the Instructor

Instructor Chris Marshall is a life-long advocate for Tai Chi Chuan.

For over twenty years, Chris traveled across the United States and abroad, studying directly under the world’s greatest living masters. Now, he shares his passion and experience in Seattle, helping others to enjoy the benefits of Tai Chi.

…over my 40-odd years of studying, I have found few with [Chris’] grasp of Tai Chi and his ability to convey it to others.

Ross Andrus

Awards and Accomplishments

In the past, Tai Chi masters would regularly compare skills with other martial styles and schools. This tradition helped to maintain the highest standards of excellence.

Unfortunately, this practice has nearly vanished from the world today, along with the knowledge and skills necessary to sustain it.

Chris Marshall upholds the tradition, by regularly attending martial arts industry conferences, meetups and tournaments—as a coach, a judge, and a competitor.

Aside from his numerous championship medals, Chris is the author of two books on the practice and principles of Taijiquan; chair of the Tai Chi Instructors Alliance; and was recognized by Facebook as an outstanding Tai Chi leader in the United States of America.

See also: How Xu Xiaodong Made a New Tai Chi Champion

Chris has also written and compiled an invaluable selection of educational resources, sharing them freely with students and the world Taiji community.

Lineage and credits

Chris Marshall is a sixth-generation inheritor of Yang style Taijiquan. His lineage can be traced directly to the original founders of the art.

Master Xie Bingcan
← Fu Zhongwen ← Yang Chengfu
← Ma Yueliang ← Wu Jianquan
 

Master Yang Jun
← Yang Zhenduo ← Yang Chengfu ← Yang Jianhou ← Yang Luchan
 

Chris also received instruction from renowned Tai Chi masters Sam Tam, Fong Ha, and many others.

Before his initiation into Taijiquan, Chris spent years learning and teaching other martial arts. His instructors included:

  • Bruce Bookman
  • Mallory Graham
    • ← Paul Sylvain ← T.K. Chiba ← Morihei Ueshiba
  • David Parks
    • ← Minoru Kurita ← Morihei Ueshiba
  • Stephen Elaimy
    • ← Carl Dechiara ← Kenneth Chung ← Leung Sheung ← Ip Man

Kung Fu is best experienced through a mix of personal coaching, independent study, and competitive evaluation.  Chris is deeply grateful to have met, crossed hands and learned from dozens of experts in Taiji, Qigong, and other arts.

A partial list includes Tim Cartmell, Ben Der, Mike Martello, Li Tai-Liang,  Emin Boztepe, Jack Ling, Wong Siu, Ellis Amdur, Wu Wenhan, Chen Zhenglei, Chen Bing, Kumar Frantzis, Xu Mingtang, Chunyi Lin, Jan Diepersloot, Motomichi Anno, Masatoshi Yasuno, Kris Kangas, Henry Wang, Jeff Crosland, Kris Wilder, Nicholas Yang, Iain Abernethy, Benjamin Wu, Marc MacYoung, and Rory Miller. (Any omissions from this list are purely accidental.)

Ready to begin learning?

➡️ Return to the class schedule and sign up now.

Private and online lessons available.

On the Healing Power of Kung Fu

The Search for Real Tai Chi : An Interview by Daoist Arts Organization International