everything wrote:It's really interesting because without the label, would people be that interested in this particular art? Maybe, maybe not.
considering
What is now known as "t‘ai-chi ch‘üan" appears to have received this appellation from only around the mid-1800s.[14] A scholar in the Imperial Court by the name of Ong Tong He witnessed a demonstration by Yang Luchan at a time before Yang had established his reputation as a teacher.
Afterwards Ong wrote: "Hands holding Taiji shakes the whole world, a chest containing ultimate skill defeats a gathering of heroes.
The art or demo apparently exemplified some concepts outlined by the book of changes / I-ching.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_ChingThe same could be said with the other three arts xingyi, bagua that would allow the names to stick and be used to describe what for the time
was very different in form and function.
Naming conventions are IME important in China, and chosen with many factors in mind.
for example
The Republic period was a time of extreme nationalism and few instructors wanted to claim to be teaching a foreign system, especially one the Qing royal guard had practiced. For this reason, Wong Yan-Lam's number one disciple, Wong Hon-Wing, adopted the name Hop Gar / Haap Ga (Knight Family Style) based upon his teacher's nickname and the recommendation of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen.
However, most of Wong Lam-Hoi's students did not accept this new name. They simply refused to give more credit to their Si-Baahk (elder uncle) than to their own teacher. In response, Nhg Siu-Chung established the White Crane style (Pak Hok Pai).
The teachers of the day, IMO were the mma guys of their day who created unique skill sets based on answers needed for the challenges of their time.
The main difference was that the style itself was thought to give one the main advantage over the practitioner him/her self. Some might view this as marketing 101 "branding" although as mentioned the Chinese take naming of something differently.
If what YLC practiced was not distinctive and very different along with effective, chances are that it would have not become as famous as it was and continues to be so although not for the same reasons. The problem IMO is that it's morphed beyond its original design intent.
The main families apparently are not concerned with modernizing their families art feeling that its historical relevance has already been established.
A departure from the historical founding of the art and its early days.
His abilities and skill of 'flexible' attack and defence enabled him to overcome the very strong impressed all at the palace. It was there that he was first referred to as "Yang the Unsurpassed" and "Yang the Invincible", while his fame spread for his boxing skills. Yet in all his bouts he harmed no one.
Master Yang could also demonstrate the advanced skill of sticking energy and could make it impossible for a bird, once caught, to leave his hand when placed on his palm.
In this day and age we are left with those claiming to teach "yangs" art able to demo the bird demo, and yet unable to put the art to use as it was once was.
I guess by now the word is out for the birds,,dont mess with people who practice taiji.