Grandmaster Yang Yang, PhD, is a leading tai chi and qigong master, educator, and researcher dedicated to alleviating chronic pain through ancient Chinese healing practices. He is the founder and director of the Center for Taiji and Qigong Studies (CTQS) in New York City, where he has been studying the benefits and mechanisms of tai chi and qigong since 1998. His research, including randomized controlled trials, has focused on chronic back pain, balance, sleep, immune function, strength, mood and stress, and overall well-being.

Trained under the guidance of top grandmasters in China, he became a martial arts champion before bringing his expertise to the United States. He later earned his doctorate in kinesiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Grandmaster Yang is also the author of Taijiquan: The Art of Nurturing, The Science of Power, widely recognized by practitioners and researchers alike. His innovative approach to teaching tai chi and qigong has been utilized at leading medical institutions, including the National Institutes of Health, Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and Weill Cornell Medicine, helping patients and survivors manage chronic pain, improve physical function, and enhance well-being.

Since 2019, Grandmaster Yang’s expertise has also been accessible through the WaQi platform, offering evidence-based programs for managing chronic pain and improving health. His recent groundbreaking study, published in the North American Spine Society Journal (NASSJ), introduced the first online, evidence-based tai chi and qigong program for back pain, which equally integrates stillness and movement.

“Dr. Yang’s program has profoundly changed my life. His philosophy of life has opened up an entire world for me.” —Linda N., MD

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