Yang Yang Biography
		Yang Yang was born in 1961 in Henan province near the Chen Village in China. At the age of 12, he began studying Taiji because of a congenital heart defect. He credits his practice of Chen Style Taiji with curing his heart condition and allowing him to pass the physical exam required in China to enter the universities. Master Yang studied for six years with three local teachers, Wu Xiubao, Yuan Shiming, and Zhang Xitang before going away to Shanghai to attend the university. During the next few years, he met and studied with Gu Liuxin, Chen Zhaokui and Feng Zhiqiang, all famous eighteenth generation masters. Yang Yang's dedicated Taiji practice was rewarded in formal competitions. He won first place in the Shanghai University Kungfu Tournament for three straight years (1981-1983) and in 1983 was voted Best Overall Martial Artist. These accomplishments earned him a job as an instructor with the Shanghai Chen Style Research Association. In 1985, he went to law school in Beijing, in large part so he could study on a regular basis with Master Feng. He formally became a disciple of Grandmaster Feng in 1988. Master Yang's Taiji studies now span 30 years. With both Law and Engineering degrees earned in China, Master Yang practiced business law for several years before coming to the United States to study for a Master's Degree in Economics at Illinois State University. He is currently the Director of the Center for Taiji Studies in Champaign, Illinois, and has recently completed a Doctorate Degree in Kinesiology at the University of Illinois. His research focuses directly on the benefits and mechanisms of Taiji practice. More information about Yang's Taiji training, including personal stories of his experiences with the 18th generation Masters of the Chen Style, is provided in the magazine and journal articles.
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