dspyrido wrote:Let me know if I got these groups wrong.
For certain people they will be able to approach a subject
from a common frame work others not having it will not be.
The history of taiji indeed much of CMA in gen is quite interesting and tends to explain
what happened, why, and at what points in history the changes occurred.
With out understanding this point IMO one will be always looking for the way it worked or is said to have worked, all of which
is a personal journey.
The most that any can offer are opinions or insights about their practices relevant to common view point or experiences shared.
I for one can understand that. As I stated at the beginning of this series I am not from the Neijia community and my own approach to the martial arts (Wing Chun) is almost devoid of philosophical discussion. That does not mean that I do not think that the martial arts cannot improve health or lead to self-cultivation.
But for the most part I believe that these other things are basically by-products of strenuous training in an environment where one is highly motivated and focused. And if you stop being focused you are likely to be punched in the head or thrown to the ground.
Nothing focuses the mind quite like the desire not to be hit or when fist meets face "RSF JW quote".
https://chinesemartialstudies.com/2013/ ... -part-iii/
Some of the posters here are making the same journey that some of the old masters made rediscovering
or in some cases making their own arts.
In time new masters will emerge with new arts relevant to our time.
There will be always masters persevering the legacies of the past for those looking for historical practices,
or those that have achieved some of the skill sets of the past passing them on in a new updated format.
a little history
As the famous saying goes “Of Luchan’s students, Wanchun (萬春) got his hard fajin, Lingshan (凌山) was adapt as throwing, and Quanyou (全佑) was skilled at neutralization.” So these were his three best students (besides his sons of course). Wangchun, Lingshan, and Quanyou were Manchurian guards working at Prince Duan’s palace.
Wangchun and Lingshan had no desciples, Quanyou today is respected as founder of Wu Style Taijiquan.
According to family lore within Taiji circles, there were actually two other Manchurian students who obtained Taijiquan skill before these three, but they both perished during the invasion of Eight-Nation Alliance.
https://internalmartialart.wordpress.com/?wref=bif
Interesting to note that noted students of YLC would be known for different skill sets and go on to develop to develop their taiji
reflecting this.