延壽功

Yan Shou Gong Canada

The Art of Longevity

Authentic Shaolin NeiGong created by Grandmasters Chee Kim Thong and Yap Cheng Hai

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What is Yan Shou Gong?

An ancient practice made accessible for modern life

Yan Shou Gong (YSG) is an authentic Shaolin NeiGong system created by Grandmasters Chee Kim Thong and Yap Cheng Hai — distilling the essence of practices that traditionally take decades to learn into a system that is remarkably accessible. Instead of requiring years of study across multiple Qi Gong systems, YSG brings together a small number of essential forms designed to deliver results quickly and directly. Each form can be learned in under twenty minutes and practiced in about two minutes — making it perfectly suited for people navigating busy, modern lives.

The focus is simple: what does it actually mean to be grounded, and how do you know it's real? This is one of the few Qi Gong systems where you can test it. You can feel the difference in your stability, your balance, and how your body responds under pressure. Through practices like Grounding, Rooting, and Centering, students develop heightened awareness and a sense of embodied presence — learning to be fully in the body, not just thinking about it.

Whether you're a dancer, martial artist, or simply someone who wants to feel more stable and present, this practice builds a level of internal support that carries into everything you do. And even without any other physical activity, a daily YSG practice helps your body reorganize itself — improving alignment, coordination, and overall resilience. Over time, this becomes a practice of longevity: not through intensity, but through consistency and intelligent design.

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Physical Benefits

  • Strengthens the body and joints through gentle postures
  • Improves posture and natural alignment
  • Enhances balance and coordination
  • Increases flexibility in connective tissues
  • Reduces fall risk — especially valuable for seniors
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Mental Benefits

  • Reduces stress and cultivates inner calm
  • Supports recovery from burnout
  • Grounding and Centering help with anxiety and depression
  • Develops mindfulness and present-moment awareness
  • Potential drug-free support for certain mental conditions
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Qi Benefits

  • Increased sense of well-being and vitality
  • Strengthened immune system
  • Faster recovery from injuries and surgery
  • Greater energy and sense of being fully alive
  • Deepened connection to life force (Qi)
Learn more at yanshougong.org →

Our Story

How Yan Shou Gong found its home in Canada

Late 2023
The Spark

Marcel discovered Yan Shou Gong through online channels and began training remotely. He connected with Sifu Lyndon online and was immediately drawn to the depth and authenticity of the teachings. What started as curiosity quickly became a calling.

Spring 2024
First Meeting — Berlin

After just a few months of online practice, Marcel flew to Berlin for his first YSG workshop. There he met Sifu Lyndon and Master Yap Boh Heong in person — a pivotal moment that deepened his commitment to the art and planted the seed for bringing it to Canada.

Summer 2024
Journey to Shaolin Temple

Meanwhile, Ana and Wendy traveled to the Shaolin Temple itself for a YSG and Five Ancestors workshop, training directly under Sifu Lyndon and Master Yap Boh Heong and immersing themselves in the art at its spiritual birthplace. Their dedication to the practice would soon connect them to the growing Canadian movement.

September 2024
Level 1 Instructor — Ohio

Marcel traveled to the YSG Ohio workshop, where he earned his Level 1 Instructor certificate. This was a major milestone — Canada now had its first certified YSG instructor, ready to share the practice with others.

October 2024
The Canada Group is Born

Sifu Lyndon introduced Ana, Wendy, and Marcel to one another. In October 2024, the three began training together at Wendy's home. Hugo was there from the very first session, and within a few weeks Freddy joined as well. This formed the core group, alongside other dedicated students like Kristen. Every Saturday they would gather at Wendy's place to practice, and when summer arrived, they moved their sessions to the park.

Our Journey in Photos

📷 Training at Wendy's
📷 Park Practice
📷 Berlin Workshop
📷 Ohio Workshop
📷 Shaolin Temple
📷 The Core Group

"From a living room to a national workshop — the journey continues."

The First YSG Workshop in Canada

2025 — A landmark gathering

In 2025, the Canada group organized its first official Yan Shou Gong workshop on Canadian soil, led by Sifu Lyndon. It was a historic occasion — practitioners traveled from different parts of Canada and the United States to take part. The energy and enthusiasm at the workshop exceeded all expectations, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds united by a shared passion for the art.

The workshop was not only a celebration of community but also a milestone for growth. Several members of the Canadian group reached new levels in their practice and teaching credentials.

Instructor Certifications Earned

  • Wendy — Level 1 Instructor
  • Ana — Level 1 Instructor
  • Hugo — Level 1 Instructor
  • Freddy — Level 1 Instructor
  • Marcel — Level 2 Instructor

Following the workshop, the Canada instructors group continues to work closely with Sifu Lyndon. They hold private instructor workshops to review the core forms and have begun studying the Five Ancestors system — deepening their understanding of the broader Southern Shaolin tradition.

Workshop Moments

📷 Workshop Group Photo
📷 Training Session
📷 Instructor Ceremony
📷 Sifu Lyndon Teaching

Our Practice Today

After the success of the first Canadian workshop, the YSG Canada community continued to grow. Rae, the owner of the venue where the workshop took place, was so moved by the experience that she became an active member of the group. Her space has become our new home for weekly practice.

The Yan Shou Gong Canada group remains deeply rooted in the teachings of Grandmasters Chee Kim Thong and Yap Cheng Hai, as transmitted through Sifu Lyndon. At the same time, the group has begun building a connection with Dr. Ortwin Lüers, expanding their horizons to embrace the wider family of Southern Shaolin internal arts — including Wu Ji Quan and the 12 Steps Qi Gong.

📅 Every Saturday  |  10:00 AM – 1:00 PM  |  At Rae's Studio

Meet the Instructors

The people bringing Yan Shou Gong to Canada

👤 Photo coming soon
Marcel
Level 2 Instructor

Marcel began his YSG journey online in late 2023 and quickly immersed himself in the practice. He traveled to Berlin and Ohio to deepen his training and became Canada's first certified YSG instructor. He is the driving force behind the YSG Canada community.

👤 Photo coming soon
Ana
Level 1 Instructor

Ana traveled to the Shaolin Temple for an intensive YSG and Five Ancestors workshop before becoming one of the founding members of the Canada group. Her dedication and warmth have been central to building the community we have today.

👤 Photo coming soon
Wendy
Level 1 Instructor

Wendy opened her home as the very first training space for the Canada group, creating a welcoming environment where the practice could take root. After training at Shaolin Temple and earning her instructor certificate, her commitment to the art continues to inspire everyone around her.

👤 Photo coming soon
Hugo
Level 1 Instructor

Hugo was there from day one — joining the group at the very first session in October 2024. His consistency and enthusiasm helped shape the group's early identity, and he earned his Level 1 Instructor certificate at the landmark 2025 Canadian workshop.

👤 Photo coming soon
Freddy
Level 1 Instructor

Freddy joined the group just a few weeks after it formed and quickly became an integral part of the core team. His energy and commitment were evident from the start, and he became a certified Level 1 Instructor at the 2025 YSG Canada workshop.

"The guas breathe — the center remains still."

Our Lineage

Rooted in the Southern Shaolin tradition

👤 Photo
少林

Grandmaster Chee Kim Thong

1920 – 2001

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延壽功

Grandmaster Yap Cheng Hai

Co-creator of Yan Shou Gong

Yan Shou Gong is an authentic Shaolin NeiGong system created by Grandmasters Chee Kim Thong and Yap Cheng Hai — two masters deeply rooted in the Southern Shaolin tradition. Grandmaster Chee Kim Thong (1920–2001) dedicated his life to preserving the precious martial arts heritage of Southern Shaolin. A true guardian of ancient knowledge, he recognized that without deliberate transmission to a new generation, these arts would be lost forever. In the early 1970s, he began welcoming Western students — an act of extraordinary generosity that ensured the survival of what he had devoted his life to protecting.

Grandmaster Yap Cheng Hai, his student and collaborator, worked alongside him to distill these ancient internal arts into Yan Shou Gong — a system that is easy to learn, quick to practice, and accessible to everyone while remaining true to the original Shaolin teachings. Together, their combined lineage gives YSG its extraordinary depth and authenticity.

During the final decades of his life, Grandmaster Chee Kim Thong personally taught a close group of students from the German and French-speaking world — including Wu Ji Quan and the 12 Steps to Wu Ji Qi Gong — drawing from the core principles of Bodhidharma's (Da-Mo's) legacy within the Shaolin tradition. His teachings live on through two active associations in Switzerland and Germany, and through communities like ours in Canada.

"He knew this precious treasure of knowledge would otherwise die out — so he opened the door."

Expanding Our Horizons

Introducing Wu Ji Quan & the 12 Steps Qi Gong to Canada

Rooted in the same Shaolin lineage as YSG, the YSG Canada group is proud to be expanding its offering. In 2026, we will be welcoming Dr. Ortwin Lüers to Canada to introduce two profound practices from the tradition of Grandmaster Chee Kim Thong.

無極拳

Wu Ji Quan

Wu Ji Quan is a gentle, internal martial art from the Southern Shaolin tradition. Although highly effective for self-defense, it is fundamentally an art of peace — its highest expression being Wu Wei, a state of complete clarity, physical ease, and pure energy. The art originates from the folk traditions of Central Asia and ancient China, and was cultivated for centuries within the Shaolin monastery. It is a path of healing, presence, and deep internal development accessible to practitioners of any background.

十二步

12 Steps to Wu Ji Qi Gong

The 12 Steps to Wu Ji Qi Gong is a unique system that distills the essence of Bodhidharma's teachings and the Shaolin heritage into an accessible, experiential practice. Personally transmitted by Grandmaster Chee Kim Thong to his closest students, it is now taught internationally by Dr. Ortwin Lüers. Through his Wu Chi Dao framework — drawing on modern neuroscience and group dynamics — even complete beginners can quickly access a direct, tangible experience of Qi cultivation and inner stillness.

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Dr. Ortwin Lüers

Germany

Coming to Canada in 2026

Dr. Ortwin Lüers is a German physician, psychiatrist, and psychotherapist, and one of the foremost living transmitters of the teachings of Grandmaster Chee Kim Thong. As second chairman of the German Wu Ji Quan association, he has been instrumental in making these arts accessible to a global audience through his Wu Chi Dao teaching concept.

In 2026, Dr. Ortwin will lead two dedicated workshops in Canada — one for Wu Ji Quan and one for the 12 Steps Qi Gong — under the auspices of YSG Canada. These will be the first workshops of their kind in the country and a historic milestone for the Canadian internal arts community.

Learn more at wujiquaninternational.org →

2026 Workshops in Canada

Four opportunities to deepen your practice this year

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YSG Workshop

Yan Shou Gong workshop with Sifu Lyndon — open to all levels, from complete beginners to experienced practitioners.

Learn More
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Five Ancestors Workshop

Explore the Five Ancestors system from the Southern Shaolin tradition, guided by Sifu Lyndon.

Learn More
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Wu Ji Quan Workshop

An introduction to the gentle internal martial art Wu Ji Quan with Dr. Ortwin Lüers.

Learn More
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12 Steps Qi Gong Workshop

Experience the 12 Steps to Wu Ji Qi Gong system with Dr. Ortwin Lüers — accessible to everyone.

Learn More

Dates and registration details will be announced soon. Join our newsletter below to stay updated.

Join Our Community

Whether you're curious about Yan Shou Gong, Wu Ji Quan, or the 12 Steps Qi Gong, we welcome you. Join our newsletter to stay up to date with upcoming workshops, practice sessions, and the growing YSG Canada community.