MOCA CINEMA – The Professor: Tai Chi's Journey West

Event Details

“The practice of Tai Chi is about discovering yourself. It’s about forces of the world—both natural and unnatural—and how one relates to them… Art is about the same thing.” — Ed Young

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

This feature documentary explores the life and legacy of Cheng Man-ch’ing (1902–1975), the renowned Tai Chi master who introduced the practice to a generation of students in the United States during the social and cultural upheavals of the 1960s. Revered by many as one of the greatest Tai Chi teachers of the modern era, Cheng helped bring Chinese philosophy, martial arts, and cultural traditions to Western audiences. Through archival footage, interviews, and demonstrations, the film traces his remarkable journey while illuminating Tai Chi as both a martial art and a lifelong spiritual practice.

For centuries, Tai Chi has been a cornerstone of Chinese martial arts and philosophy, offering a path toward balance, mindfulness, and self-discovery. Its reach extends far beyond physical practice, inspiring artists, writers, and thinkers around the world, including acclaimed Chinese American children’s book author and illustrator Ed Young. A student of Cheng Man-ch’ing, Young appears in the documentary reflecting on his teacher’s influence and the role Tai Chi played in shaping his creative life. Much of Cheng’s teaching took place in Manhattan’s Chinatown, where his schools became important sites for sharing Chinese culture and philosophy with generations of students.

Presented in conjunction with Ed Young’s Bright Worlds, this screening offers insight into the enduring influence of Tai Chi on Ed Young’s life and artistic practice while highlighting a significant chapter in New York Chinatown’s cultural history.

About Barry Strugatz
Barry Strugatz directed and co-produced the documentary feature The Professor: Tai Chi’s Journey West. He is a filmmaker who has practiced Tai Chi for many years. Strugatz co-wrote the comedy Married to the Mob, directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Matthew Modine, Alec Baldwin, and Dean Stockwell. He also co-wrote She-Devil, directed by Susan Seidelman and starring Meryl Streep and Roseanne Barr. He wrote the original comedy Furlough, featuring Melissa Leo, Whoopi Goldberg, Anna Paquin, Tessa Thompson, and Édgar Ramírez. Strugatz also wrote and directed the science-fiction comedy From Other Worlds, starring Cara Buono, Isaach de Bankolé, Melissa Leo, and David Lansbury. He has taught screenwriting at Brooklyn College, part of the City University of New York.

About The Professor
The Professor: Tai Chi's Journey West is a feature documentary about Tai Chi and one of its greatest masters, Cheng Man-Ching, a man who brought Tai Chi and Chinese culture to the West during the swinging, turbulent 60s. Though Cheng is an important transformational figure, his teachings have been overlooked. This documentary film tells the story of his remarkable life and features Tai Chi as a martial art and a spiritual practice.

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