Master Logray

Master Wu used to be an aerospace engineer in Xian, China. he served as Director of Shaanxi Province's Associations for Somatic Science and Research of Daoist Nourishing Life Practices. In this capacity he conducted many investigations into the clinical efficacy of Qigong. Then he went to USA and taught QiGong and other courses. It looks like he is more a scientist than even a scholar. I think his position would make him contribute a lot to Qigong studies. But if magic is concerned, being a top grade engineer and most likely a party member, how did he learn these superstitious and subversive activities which were tightly against by the China government?

This is not my view. The notion that Master ZSF (Mongolian period) was not the creator of the Taichi Boxing is the results of many scholarly researches. All his writings did not mention anything about martial arts nor creating TCB, nor how he imparted his skills. This conclusion is accepted by the Chinese government and further confirmed by the United Nation Intangible Cultural Heritage process. The most likely scenario is the mixing up with another Taoist 500 years later who had a very similar name with the genuine creator/consolidator of TCB. The name of this boxing style was not even Taichi in the early days, it was 13 Styles. The Taichi classics didn't mention Neidan. And Neidan classics didn't even talk about movements much. Neidanists can do their cultivation without any knowledge of Taichi. ** But Master ZSF is still regarded as the creator of Taichi in fictions, TV, movies and many martial arts sects. We still celebrate his birthday every year.

Taichi Boxing i.e. martial arts, was established by Master Yang. The prototypes and predecessors did exist long time before that. All these were for hand to hand combat purpose. The basic moves were chained together to form a sequence called the Long Form. The original reason was that it was easier to remember, given the lack of means or even literacy. The Long Form was quite interesting as students were expected to do it very slowly. It was said to be developed by Yang when he taught Taichi in the Imperial Court where no one had the physical abilities. You can look at Chen Style which is the predecessor of Taichi. They are more active and have kept movements from the external martial days. It was this slow sequence that gives rise to the Taoist connection, facilitate the training to build up Chi, mental training (Xing) or even regarded as moving meditation etc. The most basic form many centuries ago did have Taoist principles applied but were not prominent. By the way the term Taichi is so widely used. There are Wudang Taichi, Taoist Taichi, Zen Taichi. They are different from the Chen/Yang/Wu/Sun system nowadays, but could be more "Taoist" than the current systems as they were developed in temples and monasteries. I do agree Taichi could be used for spiritual purpose or at least be a very good facilitator. But it is a pity to see it losing the ability as a useful fighting skill system.

For the sake of argument too, the method that creates the most results is always the most risky.

Well, not really, especially recently.

Do you really consider Damo is a "spiritual" teacher? or teaches for "spiritual growth"? I don't think he himself said that. Qigong, Neigong, IMA teachers are not "spiritual" in any sense. Those "seekers" would look in the direction of proper religious context like Taoism or Buddhism or philosophies, Neidan cultivation, not from primarily a physical training teacher. @Vajra Fist: I recall another member entered into argument with Damo and was banned. While he has a right to keep "peace" in his own forum, banning a student or a customer from all online contents violates the commercial contract between the two and the issue of consumer rights arise.