One of our greatest joys at TQSpirit is bringing like-minded people together to practise Tai Chi and Qigong. We each come with our own story, yet as we move and breathe together, we find friendship, encouragement, and a shared sense of belonging.

Our T-shirts bring that spirit to life. Each design tells a story, and each person who wears one becomes part of the story we are creating together. The Crane and the Snake are the newest expression of that connection: a reminder to feel grounded in our practice, open in our hearts, and proud of the community we share. Our T-shirt collection is a treasured part of TQSpirit.

This page shows you our T-shirt designs over the past many years. Each of them have a story. They are all part of the Our TQSpirit Collector’s Edition T-Shirt” . “The Crane & the Snake” is our latest. 

For generations, one of the great legends associated with Taijiquan — Tai Chi — has told of an encounter between a bird, most often described as a crane, and a snake. The story is traditionally associated with the legendary Daoist Zhang Sanfeng, connected with China’s Wudang Mountains.

The crane attacked from above — using height, reach, speed and its powerful beak. But the snake did not meet force with force. It yielded. It coiled, curved, shifted and changed direction. When the crane attacked, the snake moved with the attack rather than simply resisting it.

And within that encounter was an extraordinary idea:

Strength does not always have to overcome strength.
Sometimes softness can overcome hardness.
Sometimes the answer to force is not greater force — but change.

Why this legend matters to Tai Chi

The Crane and Snake is a legend, not a documented account of how Tai Chi was invented. But legends can preserve important ideas. This one has endured because the encounter between the crane and snake beautifully illustrates principles at the very heart of Taijiquan.

• Yield — without collapsing.
• Root — without becoming rigid.
• Move in circles rather than meeting force head-on.
• Redirect rather than resist.
• Empty one side as the other fills.
• Sink before rising.
• Receive before issuing.

These are not merely philosophical ideas. We practise them with our bodies.

The crane and snake give us a picture of something Tai Chi students can spend a lifetime learning:

True strength does not always look strong.

Two different kinds of power

Look closely at the crane and snake in our TQSpirit design.

The red-crowned crane rises upward. Its great wings expand toward Heaven. It is elegant, balanced and precise. In Chinese culture, the crane has long symbolized longevity, dignity and transcendence.

The snake remains close to Earth. It coils. It yields. It changes direction. Its apparent softness can become sudden power. Its body has almost no hard corners — one curve simply becomes another.

Neither creature in our picture has won. That is deliberate. The story isn’t really about defeating an opponent. It is about what happens when two different expressions of power meet.

One rises.
One remains close to Earth.
One expands.
One coils.
One descends.
One rises to meet it.

And between them — there is Tai Chi.

Yin & Yang

Above the crane and snake is the ancient Taijitu — the symbol most of us know as Yin and Yang. It is at the top of our design for a reason.

Yin and Yang are not enemies. They are complementary forces that continually change into one another:

Soft and firm.
Stillness and movement.
Empty and full.
Closing and opening.
Descending and rising.
Earth and Heaven.

The crane is not simply Yang. The snake is not simply Yin.

The crane can attack — and become still. The snake can yield — and suddenly strike.

Yin contains Yang.
Yang contains Yin.

Neither remains unchanged. And that continual transformation is at the very heart of Taijiquan.

The garden has a story too

Surrounding the crane and snake are symbols drawn from the rich visual language of Chinese culture.

THE RED PEONY — 牡丹, MǓDĀN

Beauty • Prosperity • Abundance • Honour

THE GOLDEN CHRYSANTHEMUM — 菊花, JÚHUĀ

Longevity • Endurance • Autumn • Strength of Character

BAMBOO — 竹, ZHÚ

Resilience • Flexibility • Integrity

Bamboo may bend dramatically in the wind — but it does not easily break. That makes it a particularly beautiful symbol for Tai Chi:

Rooted, but flexible.
Strong, but not rigid.

And beneath everything is the natural ground. The snake belongs to Earth. The crane reaches toward Heaven. And between Heaven and Earth — There is life, movement and breath.

Why this is the TQSpirit

Running down the side of our design are the Chinese characters:

北岸太極與氣功 North Shore Tai Chi & Qi Gong

The English words appear below the picture. But the real TQSpirit story is inside the image itself.

We learn to root and to rise.
To open and close.
To distinguish empty from full.
To become softer without becoming weaker.
To become stronger without becoming rigid.
To understand that sometimes we move forward — and sometimes we must first move back.

The crane and snake remind us that there is more than one kind of strength. The flowers remind us of beauty, endurance and life. The bamboo reminds us to bend without breaking. The Yin-Yang reminds us that everything changes.

And the Earth and Heaven remind us of something we have long shared within TQSpirit:

You are the breath between Heaven and Earth.

Crane and Snake.
Strength and Softness.
Earth and Heaven.
Yin and Yang.

Together, they tell a story that has travelled through generations of Tai Chi tradition — and now becomes part of the TQSpirit.

• Every few years we come out with a custom-designed piece of art for our students to wear. Anyone who loves Tai Chi & Qigong is welcome to pre-order “Our Community Tshirt.
• This year our shirt displays The Wood Dragon and the Tiger.
• There was such a demand for this design that we are almost sold out! We have a few sizes and colours left so please email us if you are interested in a TQSpirit t-shirt. CONTACT US 
• Collaboration on design concept: Sifu Josie, Phoenix, and artist, Allan Burns. 
• More updates on the next T-shirt design will be coming soon. 

The Tiger and the Green Dragon – Yin and Yang

The Green Dragon and the Tiger are two of the most legendary and respected creatures in Chinese mythology, and they’re often seen together as opposites that balance each other — like yin and yang, Heaven and Earth, strength and wisdom. Read on…

A Tale of Balance…

Long ago, in a land where mountains brushed the sky and rivers sang ancient songs, there lived two great guardians of the natural world: the fierce Tiger of the West, and the wise Green Dragon of the East.

The Tiger ruled the forests and mountains. He was strong, brave, and fearless. Every animal respected his power, but many were also afraid. The Tiger believed in strength above all, and he solved problems with a growl and a swipe of his mighty paw.

The Green Dragon, meanwhile, lived in the clouds and rivers. She was graceful, clever, and full of ancient knowledge. She could make it rain or shine, and her voice carried on the wind. The Dragon believed in peace and patience, but some thought she was distant and mysterious.

For a long time, the Tiger and the Dragon stayed far apart. They ruled their own lands and had no reason to meet—until one day, something changed.

A terrible drought came upon the land. Rivers dried up, plants withered, and animals grew hungry and desperate. The Tiger roared in frustration, demanding the skies to open. But no rain came. The Dragon wept in the clouds, but could not find the strength to bring balance to the Earth alone.

Finally, the two met at the center of the land—where mountain met sky, where Earth reached toward Heaven. At first, the Tiger growled, “You watch from above while we suffer below!”

The Dragon replied gently, “And you, mighty Tiger, strike without asking what can be done.”
They argued and paced around one another, the Earth trembling and the skies rumbling. But as they moved, something happened. They noticed their shadows on the ground—swirling in a perfect circle. The Tiger’s strong form curved into the Dragon’s flowing shape. They realized: they were opposites, but not enemies. They were part of the same world.

So the Tiger used his strength to move clouds from the mountain tops, and the Dragon summoned the winds and rain. Together, they restored the balance of nature.

From that day on, they became known as the Guardians of Balance —Tiger representing the courage and power of the Earth, and Dragon representing the wisdom and flow of the Heavens. When seen together, they reminded all creatures that true strength comes not from one side alone, but from harmony between the two.

What can we learn from this tale?

The Story Behind Our Logo: The TQSpirit in Every Thread

At the centre of every North Shore Tai Chi & Qigong shirt sits our signature emblem. Designed many years ago as a bridge between the traditions of Tai Chi and Qigong and our Canadian community, it is more than a beautiful design. It carries the ideas and feelings we bring to our practice.

Here is the deeper meaning behind the symbol we proudly wear over our hearts:

• The Sacred Centre: The design echoes Tian Yuan Di Fang—the ancient idea of round Heaven and square Earth. For us, the centre represents the body: grounded, aligned, and steady. The flowing shapes around it speak to the spirit: open, free, and able to move with life’s changes.
• The Five Coins of High Value: Look closely and you will see five square openings inspired by traditional Chinese coins. In our logo, they speak to a treasure beyond money: the value of making time for our health, our awareness, and one another. The benefits we cultivate through practice are a kind of wealth we can carry into everyday life.
• A Circle of Connection: Traditional Chinese coins had square holes so they could be strung together and carried. Around our logo, the coin-inspired shapes and leaves form a turning circle. It reminds us of our community: each person brings their own story and energy, and together we create friendship, encouragement, and a place to belong.
• The Pinwheel of Motion: The long, curved leaves seem to turn with the gentle momentum of Tai Chi and Qigong. They suggest movement that is continuous rather than forced: breathing, softening, and finding our way back to balance, one practice at a time.
• The Five Elements (Wuxing): The five leaves also call to mind Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Each has its own nature, yet each is connected to the others. That feels true of the people who practise together at TQSpirit. We bring different strengths and experiences into the room, and we learn from one another.

When you put on your shirt, you wear a reminder of the practice we share and the community we have built together. That is the TQSpirit.

A Story of the Dragon and the Koi – Courage, Perseverance, and Never-Giving-Up

One legend tells about a place called Dragon Gate.

If a Koi Fish is able to jump over the Dragon’s Gate, located at the top of a waterfall, along the Yellow River, cascading from a legendary mountain, its success in leaping over the waterfall will transform it into a dragon.

As the legend goes, every year, in the third month of spring, a huge school containing thousands of Koi swam up from the sea on the Yellow River. The colours of their beautiful bodies flashed in the sunlight making them look like living jewels.

All was going well until the Koi reached a waterfall. Immediately, a large number of them grew discouraged and turned back, finding it much easier to simply go with the flow of the river. Yet, a smaller but very determined number of them stayed on, straining and leaping to reach the top of the falls.

Again and again they flung their bodies through the air only to fall back into the river below. All this splashing noise drew the attention of local demons who laughed at their efforts and all their struggles. Adding to their misery, the demons sadistically and repeatedly increased the height of the falls.

Despite the demons and the barrier, many of these Koi refused to give up. Undeterred, the Koi continued their efforts for one hundred years.

At last, with one heroic leap, a single Koi reached the top of the falls. The Gods smiled down in approval and transformed the exhausted Koi into a shining dragon. Forever he (or she) would spend their days chasing pearls of wisdom across the skies of the vast and eternal heavens. Any Koi who finds the strength and courage to leap up the falls, he or she will become a heavenly dragon. If you look closely, a Chinese dragon’s large scales indicate its origin from a Koi.

When you look at the new t-shirt design, we want you to imagine hundreds of red and white Koi swimming upstream. Imagine what an effort it would take to overcome the power of the mighty Yellow River, swimming against its swift current. Some will not be deterred by anything, not even a waterfall.  The Koi’s goal is to travel upstream to fulfill its destiny and reach its goal of transformation.

This Dragon Koi design symbolizes overcoming obstacles and never giving up.

Our blue Dragon are all about consciousness, communication, and mental awareness. It is an auspicious symbol of great and benevolent magical power. It is also meant to symbolize rebirth, a new beginning and a new chapter in one’s life, starting with a clean slate.

A Dragon and a Koi, the two together, reminds us that if a person works hard and diligently, a transformation will occur and success one day will be achieved.

In addition to the dragon and Koi symbolism, if you look closely, you’ll also see the symbolism of the Yin Yang Symbol and the Infinity symbol or figure 8.

A MYTHICAL UNION – The Dragon and the Phoenix

In Chinese mythology, the Dragon and the Phoenix together represent one of the most enduring and powerful symbols of harmony. Their pairing is not about sameness, but about balance through difference—a union where opposing forces strengthen one another rather than compete.

The Dragon is a symbol of strength, wisdom, movement, and transformative power. Often associated with Heaven, it represents yang energy—active, dynamic, and expansive. The Dragon moves through clouds and water, shaping the unseen currents of the world, reminding us of the force that drives growth, change, and courage.

The Phoenix, by contrast, embodies grace, renewal, and virtue. Associated with yin energy, the Phoenix represents beauty, compassion, and rebirth. Rising from ashes, it is a symbol of resilience and the quiet strength found in renewal after challenge. Where the Dragon surges forward, the Phoenix ascends with elegance and calm.

Together, Dragon and Phoenix symbolize marriage, partnership, and cosmic balance—a sacred union where strength meets gentleness, and action is guided by wisdom. In traditional imagery, they are often shown circling one another, not in struggle, but in harmony—each completing what the other alone cannot.

This pairing has long been seen as an emblem of prosperity, mutual respect, and shared purpose. It reminds us that true harmony arises when different qualities are honoured equally—when power is softened by compassion, and beauty is supported by strength.

WEARING The Dragon and the Phoenix

Created in 2017, the Phoenix Dragon design reflects this ancient symbolism: movement and stillness, fire and air, courage and grace—woven together as one. It stands as a visual reminder that balance is not static, but alive, dynamic, and continuously unfolding.

Balance Worn in Motion

To wear the Dragon and Phoenix is to carry balance with you.
This symbol represents strength guided by wisdom, action tempered by compassion, and the harmony that arises when different energies move as one. It is a reminder that power does not need to dominate, and grace does not need to yield—together, they create something greater than either alone.

The Dragon, the Phoenix, and the Way of Tai Chi & Qigong

Tai Chi and Qigong are living expressions of the same principles embodied by the Dragon and the Phoenix. In these practices, we train not to overpower, but to balance—to move with intention, breathe with awareness, and allow opposites to inform one another. Strength is softened. Softness becomes strong.

The Dragon reflects the flowing, spiralling energy cultivated in Tai Chi—the continuous movement of Qi through the body, guided by awareness rather than force. The Phoenix mirrors the Qigong principle of renewal: releasing tension, restoring vitality, and rising again with each breath. Together, they echo the core truth of these arts—that health, resilience, and inner power arise when yin and yang are in dialogue, not opposition.

To practice Tai Chi and Qigong is to embody the Dragon and the Phoenix within—moving through life with steadiness, grace, and the courage to continually begin again.

A true story…Inspiration comes when you least expect it!

Figuring out a new design for a group t-shirt can be challenging. This time around we just couldn’t decide on what would be interesting, meaningful, or creative. How could we top our 2014 Dragon Koi Design which stands for Courage, Strength, and Perseverance?
We wanted our new design to have a story… but nothing was speaking to us!

Well, about 6 months before, the General Manager of the TQSpirit, Phoenix, one day said “Do a crane design!” At the time, I (Instructor Josie) said: “I just can’t “see” it.” I just shook my head and said “It doesn’t speak to me right now.”

THEN…

In 2016, I was getting ready to drive to our our first tai chi class of the session in Lions Bay. Glennys, my dear friend and training partner, was meeting me at our house and we’d drive up together. I decided to wait outside in my car. Glennys pulled up and as she was walking over to my car, I got out to give her a hug hello. As we were both getting back in the my car that was when something huge drew my eye skyward. My mouth dropped open as I saw the largest bird I have EVER seen in the sky coming straight towards us. It was so humungous I imagined it to be an ancient teradactyl. It’s wing span was the largest I had ever seen!

I yelled to Glennys… “whoa, look at that… holy (bleep).”

We both watched in awe as it lightly landed on the roof of our house. It just sat there and stared at us. Luckily, I managed to get a picture of it, as without it, no one would believe our story. I had never seen anything so big that could fly! It had to have been over 5 feet tall.

That evening I told the story to Phoenix. I showed him the picture as proof! Phoenix just stared at me, smiled, and said: “I told you so.”

We both laughed. I said, “Ok, I see it now.” We then set out to create this Crane Design.

What I learned later from some Birdie friends,was that it was likely a rare sighting of a Sandhill Crane. I am told that few of them are ever seen in B.C., let alone in North Vancouver on our roof! After a bit of google research I learned that the Sandhill Crane was recently on the endangered list.

It was quite an amazing sight! After having this unique experience I knew this had to be part of our groups’ new design.

As I have told everyone…sometimes husbands are right! (hee hee)

OUR CRANE DESIGN – Its Deeper Meaning

Our last tshirt design, the Koi and the Dragon, was designed to represent: Courage, Strength, Determination, and Never Giving Up.

• This year’s design with the Two Cranes, is designed to represent Longevity, Happiness and Eternal Youth.
• The Crane is legendary in China for being the prince of all feathered creatures on earth.
• The Crane feeds in the water, stands on land, and flies through the air with grace.
• Next to the Phoenix, the Crane is the most favored of all Chinese bird symbols.
• The Crane is the ancient symbol for longevity because of its exceptionally long life span.
• In many legends, the spirits ride on cranes, which are also said to bear the souls of the departed to the heavens. One Chinese legend says that an immortal rode a crane to heaven.
• The crane also represents a lasting soaring spirit, health, and happiness.
• Cranes are usually painted with other symbols of longevity such as pine trees and peaches or pears. – Cranes with peony flowers symbolize longevity and prosperity. Cranes and lotus symbolize longevity and purity. In our t-shirt design we have included the pine tree and the plum tree.
• Because it is evergreen, the pine tree is regarded as a symbol of longevity. Unlike most other trees, the pine does not wither during winter and thus represents noble endurance in the face of adversity.
• Plum blossoms are the first flower to bloom each year.
• The plum blossom stands for renewal and emblematic of perseverance and purity.
• Its appearance while the weather is still cold makes the plum blossom the flower of winter while spring belongs to the peony, summer to the lotus and autumn to the chrysanthemum.
• The five petals of the plum blossom are auspicious since the number five is sacred in China.
• The crane’s white feathers are seen as a symbol of purity and relate to the AIR element and the yang of the heavens. The white feathers are also part of a symbol of old age and wisdom.
• The crane’s red head feathers are considered to be a sign of vitality and connect to the yang element of FIRE.
• The Crane has long been an auspicious symbol and next to the Phoenix is the most important bird in Chinese legends and Chinese art.
• It is also a Chinese symbol for wisdom and is sometimes called the “heavenly” or “blessed” Crane. The death of a Taoist priest is said to be “turning into a feathered Crane”.
• The Chinese also embroidered cranes on their clothing and their images are seen in many ancient paintings as they also represent happiness and a soaring spirit, capturing the beautiful way it soars through the skies.
• The Chinese Writing on the right hand side of the design reads “North Shore Tai Chi & Qigong”.
• The Red Square with Chinese Writing is an idiom in Chinese. It means longevity. There are four characters. 1st word means Pine Tree. 2nd word means Crane. 3rd and 4th words means long life. Chinese people see crane as immortal. Pine has long life and it’s tall and very upright; it symbolizes one’s virtue. Crane is immortal which means it will never die; pine tree lives for over hundred or thousand years! Two together means longevity.

Content coming soon….