Master Zha Xi (i扎西)
"In 1970, at 38-year-old the Zhaxi suffered from a lung cancer and had to took away part of her right lung and three ribs. In the early days, she used the crutches to go to park to learn Taijiquan from her master ZhaoBin every day... However, with her strong will and perseverance, Zhaxi gradually stopped using the walking stick and became stronger. She remembered that the doctor said she would probably live for more 5-10 years, but she believed Taijiquan let her live for almost more 50 years."
Longer Version: The Tai Chi Pioneer Who Fought Illness with Grace and Grit
Born in 1932 in Qinghai, Master Zhaxi was a fifth-generation Yang Style Tai Chi inheritor, a seventh-degree martial arts master, and president of the Xianyang Yongnian Tai Chi Association. But her legacy didn’t begin with titles — it began with survival.
In the 1960s, while working in Tibet, Zhaxi developed severe rheumatoid arthritis, followed by lung cancer. At 38, she had two lobes of her right lung removed, and the last lobe later failed. After surgery, doctors quietly warned her husband: "She might live five years—ten at most."
After years of failed treatments, she gave up on medicine—and picked up a cane. At her lowest point, Zhaxi discovered Tai Chi., when by chance, she met Zhao Bin, a grandson of the famous Tai Chi Master Yang Chengfu. Encouraged by Mr. Zhao Bin and holding a glimmer of hope for life, Zhaxi began her Tai Chi journey. To her surprise, as she persisted in practicing every day, her body did slowly change. After studying for about half a year, Zhaxi said goodbye to the medicine bottle and her body became stronger!
Her recovery has become a symbol of Tai Chi’s healing power. In 1978, at the instruction of her teacher, Zhaxi officially set up a place to teach Tai Chi at the gate of Xi'an Zoo. In 1986, she won silver at China’s first national Tai Chi Sword Competition. Since then, she’s taught over 10,000 students, founded the Xianyang Yongnian Tai Chi Association (now with 2,000+ members and 30+ coaching centers), and earned nearly 200 medals in national competitions!
She even returned to Tibet to set up a Tai Chi academy, where she was twice honored for her work in aging and national unity. Her story has been featured on CCTV, and she published books and instructional videos to pass down her art.
Master Zhaxi passed away on January 3, 2019, at the age of 88. Her legacy lives on in the thousands she taught, the strength she embodied, and the timeless art she helped preserve.
She was living proof that Tai Chi is NOT just movement — It’s Medicine, Mindset, and a Way Back to Life!