The Curriculum

A five-stage path. 五 階 進 修 次 第

Year 1 → Disciple
1,500 hours total

Stage 01 · Foundation

Standing, breathing, ground.

First 30 days

Before a single form, you learn to stand. Zhan zhuang, diaphragmatic breathing, and the Eight Brocades. This is where every Wudang student begins — whether they are nine years old or ninety.

Stage 02 · The Form

The Wudang Thirteen.

Months 2–6

Learn the signature Wudang Taiji sequence, posture by posture. You'll study each transition from multiple angles, practice with a senior student, and receive weekly correction from a certified teacher.

Stage 03 · Application

Push hands & partner work.

Months 6–12

Form becomes function. Through continuous, contact-based partner work, you develop sensitivity, rooting, and the capacity to neutralize incoming force. This is where Taiji stops being exercise and becomes an art.

Stage 04 · Sword

The jian, extended.

Year 2+

After a year of grounded empty-hand work, students are introduced to the jian — the straight double-edged sword. The 54-form Wudang sequence deepens internal refinement and demands total body coordination.

Stage 05 · Lineage

Teaching is the final practice.

Year 3+

The most senior students are invited into teacher training — learning to transmit the art to others. This is not a certification. It is a lifelong obligation to keep the tradition breathing, and the last stage you will ever complete.

Enrollment

Choose your path. 四 種 入 門 方 式

Commit when ready
14-day refund window
Level 01 · Foundation

First Hundred Days

For those beginning the path. Standing, breathing, and your first form.

$420 / quarter
  • 12 core lessons + daily drills
  • Wudang 13-form video curriculum
  • Weekly live Q&A with instructor
  • Private student community
  • Progress tracking & self-assessment
Begin Practice
In-Person · Retreat

Mountain Week

Seven days of full immersion at Zixiao Temple — where it all began.

$1,020 / week
  • Dawn practice on Mount Wudang
  • Monastery lodging + vegetarian meals
  • Daily Taiji, Qigong & tea practice
  • Guided walking meditation
  • Handmade training garment included
Reserve Spot
Self-Study · On Demand

Video Library

Every lesson we've ever filmed — at your own pace, no deadlines.

$145 / year
  • 120+ hours of HD instruction
  • 15 illustrated digital manuals
  • New content added monthly
  • Members-only forum
  • Lifetime access to archive
Subscribe

Your teachers. 師 者 · LINEAGE HOLDERS

Every senior instructor at WUDANG is a certified lineage holder — trained on the mountain for at least fifteen years before teaching. They are also, crucially, patient.

24th Gen

Master Li Yanshan

Head Instructor · 24th Generation

Thirty-four years of practice. Formal disciple of the 23rd-generation abbot of Zixiao Temple. Teaches slowly, says little, corrects precisely.

Taiji Sword Daoist Philosophy
23rd Gen

Master Chen Ruolan

Senior Instructor · 23rd Generation

Specialist in Xingyi and Bagua. Teaches from a small mountain studio in Sichuan. Former national champion who quietly left competition to study privately for nine years.

Xingyi Bagua Partner Work
24th Gen

Master Wang Xiuying

Qigong Director · 24th Generation

Trained as a physician before entering the monastery. Bridges classical Qigong with contemporary neurology and biomechanics research. Gentle, precise, and relentlessly honest.

Qigong Standing Somatic Health
From students

Not testimonials.
Just what they wrote us.

I came in skeptical — I'd taken two other online Taiji programs and they felt like yoga with softer music. This is completely different. Master Li corrected something about my weight transfer in week three that I'd been doing wrong for six years. I felt it immediately.

D
Daniel Rivera
Portland · Year 2 Disciple

I'm 61. I started with Foundation after my doctor suggested I needed to "slow down." I did not expect to actually change — at this age you assume the body is what it is. Six months in, I sleep deeper, my lower back stopped hurting, and I feel, genuinely, more like myself than I have in years.

M
Margaret Holloway
Edinburgh · Foundation graduate

The Mountain Week ruined me in the best possible way. One morning we stood facing sunrise over the temple courtyard for forty-five minutes. No one spoke. When it ended I realized I hadn't had a single intrusive thought the entire time. I cannot explain it. I think about it daily.

S
Sophie Laurent
Paris · Retreat alum

Still wondering?

The honest answers to what we get asked most.

Have something specific?

We answer every email, and usually within 24 hours. If you're unsure which program fits you best, we'd rather talk first than sell you the wrong thing.

hello@wudang.com →
Do I need to be in any kind of physical shape to begin?

No. Our Foundation curriculum is specifically designed to meet beginners where they are — including people who've been sedentary for decades, people recovering from injury, or older students. Standing and breathing are the two first skills, and both are accessible to nearly everyone. If you have serious mobility concerns, we'd suggest a short call with our team first so we can recommend the right entry point.

How much time do I need to commit each week?

For the Foundation tier, we suggest 15–20 minutes a day, five days a week. For the Disciple Year, plan on 30–45 minutes a day plus one 90-minute live class weekly. The honest reality: students who do 15 minutes daily progress faster than students who do 2 hours on weekends. Consistency matters much more than duration.

What equipment do I need?

A quiet space about 6×6 feet. Loose clothing you can move in. For the sword curriculum (Year 2+), we'll recommend a training jian when you're ready — we don't sell them through the course, so you can buy from any reputable maker.

Is this religious?

No. Wudang internal arts grew out of Daoist philosophical traditions, and we're not going to pretend otherwise — some of our vocabulary comes from that world. But our teaching is secular, practical, and non-denominational. Students of every religious background (and none) practice with us.

Can I switch from one package to another?

Yes. Foundation students who complete the first 100 days can upgrade to Disciple Year with prior tuition credited. Video Library subscribers can apply their subscription toward any higher tier within the first year.

What if I'm not happy with the program?

We offer a 14-day refund window on all online packages, no questions asked. Retreat bookings are refundable up to 60 days before the start date. We'd rather you leave than stay resentfully.

Are the teachers English-speaking?

Our lead instructors speak Mandarin; all lessons are professionally interpreted and subtitled by senior Western students who've trained for 10+ years. Weekly live Q&A sessions are led by English-speaking certified instructors who trained under the masters.

The first step is standing still.

Every student who has ever trained on Mount Wudang began the same way. Eight centuries of teachers, one instruction: begin.