Taijiquan Master Gao Tao

Born in 1932, his ancestral home is Tianjin in Hebei province. In Shanghai in 1944 he became a formal student of master Yue Huanzhi from Henan province, from whom he studied Yang style taijiquan for three years. After graduating from junior high school, he moved to Hong Kong, where through an introduction from master Yue, he studied under Dong Yingjie, who in those years was a famous Taijiquan master, originally from Hebei province.

He graduated from senior high school, and then moved to Taiwan in 1954, attending what is now known as National Chengchi [pinyin: Zhengzhi] University. During the ensuing four years he received invitations to demonstrate pugilistic skills on many occasions. In 1959, after graduating from university, he took up a teaching position at Xinzhu Provincial High School. During the many years he taught there, he simultaneously provided Taijiquan guidance at five schools.

Upon retirement, he moved to Zhuwei, near Danshui in Taipei [pinyin: Taibei] county. Beginning in 2005, in the Guanhai Jipin (“Widely Experienced, Best Quality”) residential community, he again began giving instruction in traditional Yang style taijiquan. Soon thereafter, his name became known and the places he has been invited to teach include the Meng Die (“Dream Butterfly”) community in Puding and the Dizhong Hai (“Mediterranean Sea”) community in the town of Bali. He received a similar invitation by the Teacher Friendship Association at Sacred Heart High School for Girls, also in Bali.

For more than sixty years he has practiced and taught martial arts, achieving a high level and enlightening others. Taijiquan has been his constant companion. Now, students have recommended that he participate in the World Cup Taijiquan Championship by giving a demonstration and thereby form bonds of friendship with people from around the world who are likewise interested in Taijiquan and would seek his advice.