MOCA Cinema - The Professor: Tai Chi's Journey West

The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) presents a special screening of The Professor: Tai Chi's Journey West, followed by a conversation and audience Q&A with director Barry Strugatz.

The documentary traces the life and legacy of Cheng Man-ch'ing (1902–1975), the Tai Chi master who introduced the practice to American students during the cultural upheavals of the 1960s. Through archival footage, interviews, and demonstrations, the film examines his journey from China to Manhattan's Chinatown, where his schools became important sites for sharing Chinese philosophy and martial arts with generations of Western students. Among those featured is Ed Young, acclaimed Chinese American children's book illustrator and a former student of Cheng's, who reflects on his teacher's influence on his creative life.

Presented in conjunction with MOCA's exhibition Ed Young's Bright Worlds.