Yang-Style Tai Chi Chuan Introduction

Taijiquan first became a noted martial art through the prowess and teachings of the founder of the Yang style of Taijiquan, Yang Lu Chan. It was largely through the efforts of the first 3 generations of the Yang family that Taijiquan has such a large following in the world today. The Yang lineage also resulted in three of the five most important schools of Taijiquan today. To them the Taiji communities of today owes a great debt.

Yang Lu Chan, the founder of the Yang style of Taijiquan learnt his art from Chen Chang Xin, a martial arts master from the Chen Village in Wen County, Henan. Chen Chang Xin was versed in his family martial art Pao Chui (Cannon Pounding) and was also a student of Jiang Fa whose master was Wang Tsung Yueh. From this lineage, the art was traced back to the Internal Boxing founded by Chang San Feng, a Taoist residing on Wu Dang Mountain, the founder of Wu Dang martial arts, second in popularity only to the Shaolin school.2

There have been many variations of the storey of how Yang Lu Chan learnt his art from Chen Chang Xin. All are variations of the simple fact that Yang Lu Chan journeyed from Yung Nien southwards to the Chen villiage to eventually study with Chen Chang Xin. The most commonly accepted version is also one that is probably the most credible.

Yang Lu Chan was born poor, a son of a farmer. He loved martial arts and had studied Shaolin Hung Quan with a local boxer, building up a good martial arts foundation. In any case, after some period of study, so great was his mastery of the form that Chen dismissed him and Yang returned to Yung-nein to teach martial arts. Later, one of his students recommended him go to Beijing to propagate the art. Yang eventually established a school of Tai Chi there, although not without some difficulties. In time he taught Tai Chi to the Imperial court and became known as 'Yang the Unsurpassed'.

This set of routine forms is traditionaly considered to consist of 88 movements. These movements derive from the martial arts. It develops all the basic principals of Tai Chi: balance; centeredness; empty vs. full (wieghted & non-weighted); alignment; careful attention to precise movement; rootedness of the legs; flexibility of the waist; sinking one's energy to the 'Lower Dantian'; internal stillness; smooth movement rhythms, etc. It consists of three 'stages' of increasing length and difficulty.

Product Information

NAME: Yang-style Taichi Chuan
Products No.:VCD0472
Price: U$78.00
Package: 2 VCD, English Version, Introduction Materials Included.
Please contact Mr. Wang Tao to order
P.S. The pictures presented on the right are snatched from the VCD

Such VCD is of English version and both the English subtitle and explanation can help practitioners well understand the essentials of Yang-style Tai Chi Chuan. Lee De Yin, who is the contemporary famous Tai Chi master and professor now working with People's University of China and state-level coach in Beijing Martial Arts Committee, gives lectures in the program regarding the key points for every phases in the 88-posture routine forms. Chen Shi Tan, championship winner in World Tai Chi Chuan Contest' 93, showcase every postures in a detailed way (reviewed often from front or back).