Black Bamboo Pavilion Taijiquan School

01/20/2026

Wang Ning Chinese Calligraphy - A weekend immersion in Chinese brushwork, ink, and meditative movement with Master Wang Ning

This Chinese calligraphy workshop in Durham, NC, welcomes both beginners and experienced practitioners.

Feb 21, 2026; 11am-4pm

79°West Coworking Space & Innovation Hub
120 Mosaic Blvd #120, Pittsboro, NC 27312

https://www.laughingmountaintaiji.com/wang-ning-chinese-calligraphy-workshop

01/13/2026

SAVE THE DATE and JOIN US!

Magic Tortoise Taijiquan School & Black Bamboo Pavilion Taijiquan School co-host

Lunar New Year 2026
Taiji Family Potluck
Year of the Fire (Red) Horse

4723 Sunday, February 22, 2026 12:00–2:30 pm
(Lunch starts at 12:15, program starts at 12:30)

SAVE THE DATE and JOIN US! Magic Tortoise Taijiquan School & Black Bamboo Pavilion Taijiquan School co-host Lunar New Year 2026 Taiji Family Potluck Year of the Fire (Red) Horse . 4723 Sunday, February 22, 2026   12:00–2:30 pm (Lunch starts at 12:15, program starts at 12:30) Shared Visions...

07/14/2025

Patrick King and Allison Newby Raise Our Ranks!

Patrick King and Allison Newby have recently elevated all their sister and brother classmates by achieving the rank of Senior Student and earning their red sashes!

Patrick King performed the entire Wudanghan 108 taiji form on May 3rd, 2025. Patrick’s focus has been fastidious from the first day he started classes and the hard work showed up in the accuracy of his form - what a delight to see all the hard work his classmates poured into him during class time on such bright display!

He was cheered on by his partner, Kiesha LaPorte.

Allison Newby followed closely on Patrick’s heels, completing her red sash test on May 19th, 2025. Allison’s attention to detail and consistent focus on counts and function in her form meant that her performance was completed at a high level. Advanced and beginning students have benefited in working with her, both by teaching her and learning from her. Inquisitive minds elevate us all!!

My heart is always so full when one of our number make it to this important milestone. And it was (and is) doubly so with these two sashes. As we all know, once learning a form’s choreography is finally completed, it is just the beginning of the journey.

Many of us come to taiji to learn form - a set of pretty motions that are renowned for their ability to teach us balance, meditation and calmness. That journey often is fraught with teeter totters, aggravation, frustration, confusion, distractions - sometimes muscle pain - and so many other things that don’t spring to mind when we think of calming mindsets. But working through those spots with persistence and perseverance is part of learning the balance and calmness - after all - what good is calmness in the middle of a peaceful spring day! We benefit from learning to stay balanced and calm in the middle of the nastiest storms on the deepest oceans.

Patrick and Allison have made the first step towards learning the art of taijiquan - there is so much more to learn and be inspired by! This step allows them to open the toolbox!! So many treasures in there!

Congratulations to Allison and Patrick. We ALL are elevated and encouraged by your growth. And we all are excited to see your art form develop!

https://www.laughingmountaintaiji.com/attempting-translation/8ee3somuovcnu56emzhzodkgg1c1se

12/16/2024

SAVE THE DATE and JOIN US!

Magic Tortoise Taijiquan School & Black Bamboo Pavilion Taijiquan School
co-host a

Lunar New Year 2025 Taiji Family Potluck
Year of the Wood (Green) Snake, 4722

Sunday, February 2, 2025 12:00–2:30 pm

Shared Visions Retreat Center (Murphey School)
3717 Murphey School Road, Durham, NC 27705

• our traditional ceremony to honor Zhang Sanfeng (legendary founder of
Taijiquan), LaoMa (founder of the Black Bamboo Pavilion School), & all our teachers
• demonstrations and participatory exercises
• astrological perspectives on what the coming year might hold for you
• honoring those born in SNAKE years: 1929, ’41, ’53, ’65, ’77, ’89, ’01, ’13
• door prizes and other festive surprises!
Fun for all ages! Bring friends, family, and
a LABELED potluck dish (with serving utensil) to share.
$4 donation each, children 12 & under free.

Coming?... email:
[email protected]

12/12/2024

"Professor [Chen Man-ch’ing] used to say, “As you grow more relaxed, you become less afraid. As you become less afraid you grow more relaxed.” This is the nature of progress. " - Wolfe Lowenthal

www.laughingmountaintaiji.com/attempting-translation/relax-under-pressure

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As you know, taiji encourages relaxing in response to incoming pressure and force.  It strongly discourages the idea of meeting force with force.  Instead, it asks us to relax and meet aggression with softness and listening.  This should not be mistaken for inaction or sur

12/04/2024

Ever wonder how to use taiji in your daily life?

Ever wonder what the white snake tastes when it flicks it’s tongue?

Here’s the answer to both questions!!!

https://www.laughingmountaintaiji.com/attempting-translation/taiji-in-everyday-life

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Ever wonder how to use taiji in your daily life? Ever wonder what the white snake tastes when it flicks it’s tongue?

09/16/2024

Raise in Rank! Allie Fowler.

Congratulations to Allie Fowler on her successful Red Sash Test!! She raises our rank at the same time she raises hers! She performed the entire form with grace and solidity that makes us all proud. She has come a long way - from back pain that prevented her from moving to leading her classmates through 45 minutes of constant motion that was controlled and focused - such an impressive change!

Allie has the great support of her wife, Deborah. To hear it told, Deborah supports Allie’s understanding of the form with slow motion combat routines that are spontaneously coordinated with the postures while Allie practices- who could ask for more!

https://www.laughingmountaintaiji.com/attempting-translation/raise-in-rank-allie-fowler

09/09/2024

We will hold a calligraphy workshop this Sunday, Sept 15th from 10:00am - 12:30pm. Come dance the words with us!

We will start with sitting practice and end with standing practice at a table so we can feel larger characters and the movement inherent in the artform. For those who would like to try their hand, we will have a long handle brush available. It’s a fantastic way to feel the character in the whole body! After all, calligraphy is a movement art as well as a visual art!

This practice is meditative, calming and is very good for becoming sensitive to the amount of pressure and movement that we have in our bodies - there's visual evidence of that on the page in front of you!!

Please let me know if you plan on joining us. If you don't have supplies and would like to try it out, I have supplies for those who don't have their own brushes, ink and paper. Just let me know to set up a workspace for you when you rsvp.

I'm looking forward to enjoying the fall air with the brush and ink!

Workshop fee $20. We'll meet at Laughing Mountain Pavilion - 2621 Princeton Ave, Durham.

03/08/2024

03/04/2024

What a great time and special form! Always lovely to fellowship with like minds! :-)

02/16/2024

The slow-moving Chinese martial art tai chi is known to increase flexibility and balance. Now, research suggests it's more effective at reducing blood pressure than more vigorous forms of exercise.