99% of tai chi is fake

Discussion on the three big Chinese internals, Yiquan, Bajiquan, Piguazhang and other similar styles.

Re: 99% of tai chi is fake

Postby Niall Keane on Tue Aug 01, 2017 3:52 am

"With any part lacking, the result is only a cripple." (Cheng Tin-hung)
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Re: 99% of tai chi is fake

Postby windwalker on Tue Aug 01, 2017 7:17 am

"Yang Lu Chan's family was from Hebei Province, Guangping Prefecture, Yongnian County and since childhood his family was poor. He would follow his father in planting the fields and as a teenager held temporary jobs.

As a child, Yang Lu Chan liked martial arts and started studying Chang Chuan, gaining a certain level of skill.

After Yang, Lu-chan finished his study, he returned to his hometown and taught taijiquan for a while. People called his style Yang Style (Yang Quan, 楊拳), Soft Style (Mian Quan, 綿拳), or Neutralizing Style, (Hua Quan,化拳) because his motions were soft and able to neutralize the opponent's power. He later went to Beijing and taught a number of Qing officers.

One might ask, how could it be called taijiquan if what he learned was "chen style" he could not call it chen style, my guess was because he was not from the chen family, or as some suggest he changed it or even learned a different method then what was taught

He used to carry a spear and a small bag and travel around the country, challenging well-known martial artists. Although he had many fights, he never hurt anybody. Because his art was so high, nobody could defeat him. Therefore, he was called "Yang Wu Di" (楊無敵) which means "Unbeatable Yang." He had three sons, Yang Qi (楊琦), Yang Yu (楊鈺) also called Ban-hou (班侯), and Yang Jian (楊鑒) also called Jian-hou (健侯). Yang Qi died when he was young.


Ban Hou would practice hard, undeterred by winter's cold or summer's heat. Yang Ban Hou had a hard and fierce disposition. He was skilled at sparring, and especially adept in using the staff (made of bai la wood, over three meters long, and used in the same way as the spear).

Yang Jian, called Jian Hou, was nicknamed Jian Hu and called "3rd Son" until his later years when he was referred to as just "old man". Born in 1842, he started studying Tai Chi Chuan with his father at a young age. Under the strict requirements of his father he would practice hard all day. Frequently feeling that he could not endure it any longer, he tried several times to run away. It was clear that working hard daily at practicing gongfu under his father's watchful eye caused his skill to greatly improve.

Yang Zhao Xiong, his imposing manner was quite threatening. Shao Hou taught students to strike quickly after coming into contact with the opponent, wearing expressions from the full spectrum of emotions when he taught them"
http://www.yangfamilytaichi.com/yang/hi ... g-shao-hou
http://legacy.ymaa.com/articles/history ... -taijiquan


Reading the history it clearly shows a different track in training at a certain point in history until this day.
Much like other combative arts the focus changed as the needs changed according to a business module
not necessarily for what the art or development of it was known for.

Interesting to note the early art seems to have been noted for throwing and striking by some masters,
not grappling as seems to be thought of due I would say on the focus of push hands in today's time.

Even the name "taiji" seems to have been a big influence on what was once called other names before becoming known as taiji.

Rather then saying what some are practicing is fake, I look at the focus of the practice.
For those feeling what they practice as practiced is good for "fighting" one can clearly see
the results and make up their own mind.

On the other hand, if push hands is the yard stick that one uses to measure and judge taiji skill sets by
and enters it feeling they will do well, this too might be a mistake with those
that are considered to have high level skill sets...in it.
Last edited by windwalker on Tue Aug 01, 2017 7:27 am, edited 2 times in total.
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