Academy Membership: Lineage Apprenticeship

[TO BECOME A SUCCESSOR AND LINEAGE HOLDER]

The Academy Membership is a multi-year, contract-based apprenticeship for practitioners devoted to mastering and transmitting Chen Family Taijiquan.

This program is designed for individuals who aspire to become:

• Teachers

• Community Leaders

• Program Directors

• Seminar Instructors

• Branch Developers

• Future Successors of CBTA USA

While Public Membership establishes the foundation of practice and Trademarked Membership develops specialized understanding through focused cohort training, the Academy Membership is dedicated to the preservation, transmission, and future growth of authentic Chen Family Taijiquan.

This is not a casual class.

This is not a drop-in workshop.

This is not a therapeutic program.

This is not simply advanced training.

It is a deep, lineage-based journey for those who seek to become certified instructors and true successors of the Chen Family tradition.

Most importantly, this is not the end of one's Tai Chi journey.

It is the beginning of a lifelong commitment to preserving, embodying, and transmitting a living tradition for future generations.

[THE PURPOSE OF THE ACADEMY]

Chen Bing Taiji Academy USA was founded with a clear mission:

To preserve and transmit authentic Chen Family Taijiquan directly from its birthplace, Chenjiagou.

The Academy Membership exists to identify and develop practitioners who are willing to take responsibility for that mission.

Academy students are not merely learning forms, weapons, or teaching methods.

They are preparing to become future custodians of a living tradition.

The Academy serves as the backbone and leadership foundation of CBTA USA.

Its students are expected to become future instructors, mentors, organizers, ambassadors, and successors who will help preserve authentic Chen Family Taijiquan for future generations.

[MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS]

Before applying for Academy Membership, candidates are generally expected to demonstrate:

• Completion of Public Membership training

• Completion of Trademarked Membership training

• A minimum of 200 accumulated training hours through Public and Trademarked training combined

• Consistent participation and good standing within the CBTA USA community

• Demonstrated commitment to the mission and values of CBTA USA

• Readiness for long-term apprenticeship, teaching development, and community leadership

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission.

These requirements represent the minimum qualifications necessary to be considered for Academy Membership.

[ADMISSION IS BY APPLICATION ONLY]

Admission into Academy Membership is highly selective.

There is no automatic advancement from Public Membership.

There is no automatic advancement from Trademarked Membership.

There is no automatic approval based on training hours, program completion, or tuition payments.

Applicants must submit a Statement of Purpose (SOP) describing:

• Their motivation for entering the Academy

• Their long-term goals

• Their commitment to Chen Family Taijiquan

• Their desire to contribute to CBTA USA

Admission is granted only after review and approval by Academy leadership.

The Academy seeks individuals who demonstrate the potential to become future teachers, leaders, and successors of CBTA USA.

[PROGRAM AVAILABILITY]

The Academy Program is not offered on a regular or annual basis.

Enrollment typically opens once every two to three years, depending on the overall training progress, development pace, and instructional capacity of the current Academy Program practitioners.

This limited availability ensures the depth, quality, and integrity of the lineage-based transmission.

[WHY COMMITMENT IS REQUIRED]

Training takes place in private or semi-private cohorts (minimum 4, maximum 8 students) and follows a progressive, year-based structure:

• Body-mind integration, Fang Song (relaxation), Elixir Field training

• Stepping drills, central equilibrium, Primary Reeling Silk, explosive power

• Beginner forms: Oldest Five, Old Frame 8 Form A & B, Old Frame 11 Form, Harmony 13 Form, Essence Cannon Fist 17 Form

• Refinement of Reeling Silk and stepping techniques

• Dynamic force development, Old Frame First Road & Second Road (Cannon Fist)

• Traditional weapons: Single Broadsword, Straight Sword, Long Pole, Double Mace, Tai Chi Fan

• Optional: 5 Kinds of Push-hands & Intermediate martial applications

• Advanced explosive power, internal-external integration

• New Frame First & Second Roads

• Dual & heavy weapons: Double Broadsword, Double Straight Sword, Spear, Spring-Autumn Big Blade

• Optional: Deepening 5 Kinds of Push-hands & Advanced martial applications

[ANNUAL TEACHER EXAMINATION]

All students in the Academy Program are required to take the Annual Teacher Examination once per year to assess readiness and progress.

These examinations are mandatory and help ensure high standards of teaching ability, technical understanding, leadership development, and lineage fidelity.

[AVERAGE DURATION: 8 YEARS]

While timelines may vary per individual, completing the full curriculum of Chen Family Taijiquan—including internal foundations, bare-hand forms, martial applications, and weapons—is a long-term journey.

On average, it takes approximately eight years of consistent training to fully embody and understand the complete system.

The Academy is designed for those seeking mastery, not shortcuts.

[THE NATURE OF COMMITMENT]

This program is for practitioners who are ready to commit to becoming true lineage holders from Chenjiagou—the birthplace of Taijiquan.

You are not just learning techniques.

You are inheriting a living tradition, and with it, a responsibility to protect it, embody it, and pass it on.

Participants are expected to:

• Train consistently and intentionally

• Uphold deep respect for the lineage

• Embody perseverance, humility, and integrity

• Contribute actively as future instructors and ambassadors of the art

[THE ROLE OF ACADEMY STUDENTS IN CBTA USA]

Students of the Academy Program form the core foundation and backbone of CBTA USA.

They are not passive learners but active leaders—committed to preserving the Chen Family legacy and promoting it to a wider audience with excellence, ethics, and authenticity.

Academy students are expected to help support the future growth of CBTA USA through teaching, mentorship, community leadership, seminars, outreach, and lineage preservation.

[BENEFITS OF FULL COMMITMENT]

Additional Academy benefits include:

• Priority access to private seminars, events, and closed-door sessions with Master Chen Bing, Master Bosco Baek, and visiting instructors

• Direct mentorship and guidance from the core instructional team

• Participation in annual teacher examinations

• Access to advanced lineage curriculum unavailable through Public Membership or Trademarked Membership

• Eligibility for instructor certification

• Teaching privileges: Certified graduates may lead CBTA USA-approved classes, courses, and seminars

• Continued mentorship and support from the core instructional team

• Leadership opportunities within CBTA USA

[ENROLLMENT DETAILS]

Submit a written Statement of Purpose (SOP) outlining your motivation, long-term goals, and commitment to the Chen Family lineage.

$899 (One-time, non-refundable)

Covers application review, curriculum onboarding, mentorship alignment, and program administration.

$350 per month

Paid via mandatory auto-pay under contract.

Ensures consistency and structure throughout long-term training.

Minimum 4 students required to start a cohort.

Maximum 8 students per group to maintain high-quality, personalized instruction.

Sessions are arranged between students and instructors based on mutual availability and learning rhythm.

[CURRICULUM OVERVIEW: A PROGRESSIVE PATHWAY]

Primary Level 1

Level 1.1 – Fang Song (Relaxation): Foundational techniques for relaxation and internal energy flow.

Level 1.2 – Elixir Field, Stepping, and Central Equilibrium: Training to cultivate the Dantian and achieve balance.

Level 1.3 – Primary Reeling Silk: Core spiraling movements to build strength and coordination.

Level 1.4 – Primary Explosive Power: Introduction to dynamic power generation.

Primary Level 2

Level 2.1 – Oldest Five, Old Frame Eight A & B: The most essential and traditional sequences from Chen Family Taijiquan, embodying the foundation of classical form training.

Level 2.2 – Old Frame Eleven: A comprehensive form for deeper practice.

Level 2.3 – Harmony 13 Form: Cultivating fluidity and synchronization.

Level 2.4 – Essence Cannon Fist 17 Form: Introduction to explosive energy applications.

Intermediate Level 3

Level 3.1 – Intermediate Stepping & Reeling Silk: Refinement of spiraling and footwork techniques.

Level 3.2 – Intermediate Explosive Power: Advanced dynamics of force generation.

Level 3.3 – Old Frame First Road: Classic Chen Family form emphasizing flow and precision.

Level 3.4 – Old Frame Second Road: Exploring advanced martial applications.

Intermediate Level 4

Level 4.1 – Single Broadsword: Weapon mastery for agility and focus.

Level 4.2 – Single Straight Sword: Enhancing precision and grace with the sword.

Level 4.3 – Long Pole: Developing core strength and stability.

Level 4.4 – Double-Mace (Sword-Breaker): Training in short-range weapon applications.

Level 4.5 – Fan: Integrating artistic and martial expression.

Advanced Level 5

Level 5.1 – Advanced Stepping & Reeling Silk Practice: Mastery of internal and external coordination.

Level 5.2 – Advanced Explosive Power: Maximum refinement of power dynamics.

Level 5.3 – New Frame First Road: Expanding into modern interpretations of Tai Chi forms.

Level 5.4 – New Frame Second Road: Advanced martial principles and applications.

Advanced Level 6

Level 6.1 – Double Broadsword: Dual-weapon training for agility and precision.

Level 6.2 – Double Straight Sword: Strengthening ambidextrous coordination.

Level 6.3 – Spear: Harnessing long-range weapon skills.

Level 6.4 – Spring Autumn Big Blade: Mastery of heavy weapon techniques.

Push-Hands & Applications (Optional): Dedicated training in Tai Chi martial applications, available as an optional course.

[A TRANSFORMATIVE COMMITMENT]

By joining the Academy Program, you are not just learning Taijiquan—you are stepping into the role of a torchbearer in one of the most respected martial arts lineages in the world.

This journey will shape your body, mind, and spirit—and prepare you to lead, teach, and preserve the living legacy of Chen Family Taijiquan for future generations.

[FINAL NOTES]

This is where the real journey begins.

This is where practitioners become teachers.

This is where teachers become leaders.

This is where leaders become successors.

This is where successors become lineage holders.

This is the backbone of CBTA USA.

This is where the mission to preserve the original Tai Chi from its source continues.

This is Chen Family Taijiquan rooted in its birthplace.