Curriculum Certification · 目錄認證
Get certified — unit by unit, in the lineage.
We certify by curriculum unit, not by belt or dan. Pick a unit from the Yizong syllabus — say the Later-Heaven 1st Trigram (8 palms) — and when you pass, you get a certificate stating you’ve studied that unit and demonstrated competence in it, assessed by Chang Wenteng. Build a portfolio of certified units at your own pace.
Who can certify
Certification is the $50 membership track. To sit a unit exam you need an active $50 membership and the unit’s material completed in the Inner Door (師匠) — your practice log shows it. $25 members get full Inner Door access and can train everything; the $50 tier makes you eligible to be examined and certified.
How it works
- Video screen (async). Submit an unedited, single-take video of the unit. Chang reviews it first.
- Live exam (paid). If it passes, book a live video call (timezone-friendly): perform the unit in real time, a short check of understanding, Q&A.
- Result: Pass · Merit · Not yet (with specific feedback). On passing you get a digital certificate for that unit, marked in your Inner Door profile.
Partner, application, weapon and internal units are examined in person (a seminar or private lesson) — listening energy, issuing and live application can’t be verified through a screen.
What you can be certified in
Online (video + live call)
- Basic hands (基本手)
- Eight-posture standing (八形樁) · Circle walking (走圈)
- Single & double palm change (單換掌 / 雙換掌)
- Pre-heaven eight mother palms (先天八掌) — per palm or set
- Later-heaven 64 palms — per trigram (第一卦…第八卦)
- 五龍擺尾 · 烏龍擺尾與兩儀掌
- Heavenly-stem drills + song (天干・鬆)
- Xingyi five elements (形意五行) — per element or set
In person only
- Push hands (推手) · 八卦對溜
- Weapons — 子午鴛鴦鉞 / 八卦刀
- Eight opening hands (八大開手) · Advancing hands (進手)
- Free application (散手)
- Internal method (內功)
How each unit is assessed
Every unit is judged on the same five things, applied to that unit’s content:
- Accuracy — correct forms, sequence and detail.
- Structure — vertical line, rooting, six-direction frame held throughout.
- Force — a clean force path / power appropriate to the unit.
- Intent & timing (意領) — intention leads the motion.
- Application (partner/application units) — it works, live, under light pressure.
Fees (per unit, one-time)
Paid before your exam is scheduled (secure link sent once eligibility is confirmed):
- Solo unit (a single form / drill set) — US$75
- Set unit (a full trigram of 8 palms, the 先天八掌 set, the five-element set) — US$125
- In-person unit (partner / weapons / internal) — from US$180 (with the session)
- 3-unit pack (three solo units, prepaid) — US$199
- Printed certificate (sealed & shipped, optional) — US$40
- Retake — 50% of the unit fee.
Founding rate: members active today who book their exam before Sep 1, 2026 keep the original rates (US$50 solo / US$80 set).
Ready to certify a unit?
1) Be a $50 member with the unit’s material done in the Inner Door. 2) Email your name, the unit you want certified, and your time zone. We’ll confirm eligibility, send the payment link, and book your exam.
Not yet a member? See the Inner Door · Join on Patreon
A certificate here means the material is in your body and Chang has checked it — not a rank you bought. Certified units show in your Inner Door profile while your $50 membership is active.