Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

Hi there. This post is about the following video i was made aware of on youtube...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnwNU4MoR6k

My Tai Chi friend shared it with us, and told us that it featured Chen, Wu, and Yang styles of Taijiquan. What i noticed on watching it, was the relatively minor part Yang Style played in the program. Now they managed to get Chen Xiaowang to feature in the program, and after watching other episodes on other styles of Chinese martial arts, it seems that they got most of the top exponents of the featured style to appear (my favourite was when two Wing Chun practitioners went to Shanxi to learn Xingyi Quan).

The entry in this episode pertaining to Yang Style Tai Chi was pretty poor, and i was wondering if anyone here would like to suggest a reason why?

Sean.

Hi Sean,

My view is that as the title of the features suggest i.e. Kung fu Quest, they allocate more time to those taijiquan with more martial representation. However, the following videos have better representation of the Yang style.

http://youtu.be/KHEMA7v4bQ4

I like to take this opportunity to wish everyone here, a Happy New Year 2014 .

Cheers,
UniTaichi

UniTaichi wrote:Hi Sean,

My view is that as the title of the features suggest i.e. Kung fu Quest, they allocate more time to those taijiquan with more martial representation. However, the following videos have better representation of the Yang style.

http://youtu.be/KHEMA7v4bQ4

I like to take this opportunity to wish everyone here, a Happy New Year 2014 .

Cheers,
UniTaichi

Hi there. Let me first wish you a Happy New Year when it comes. New Year is a favourite time for me (as a Scotsman).

Let me start by saying that i in no way wish to argue, but to discuss. I can think of a few reasons why a representative from Yang Style might've refused to participate, but i don't believe it was a good move.

First let me point out something about the video you posted. The Gentleman in the blue top who heavily features in the video is actually Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang, 10th Generation Chen style. Grand master Chen also featured in the video i posted. I honestly can not name the other people in the video (although i think i recognise Chen Xiaoxing, i might be wrong), so i can not comment on which style they study. If this video better represents Yang Style, we are in a sorry state indeed. (this is in no way meant to be offensive to your good self).

Second, although it pains me to admit that too many Yang style teachers relegate the martial aspect of the style in order to teach the health aspect, i find it hard to believe that someone couldn'tve stepped up to the plate to give the style an adequate representation in this series. Having the style as two minute addendum consisting of "Mostly Harmless" does not sit well with me to be honest. I've watched 6 of the 10 episodes of this program and all styles were represented by the lineage holders or the best in their style. Has our style really lost it's martial aspect as the program suggests? I don't believe so, but i do believe that the method they use to test the styles (a free sparring contest) was inadequate as a way of showing the benefits of internal martial arts.

When i was switched on to that video i was looking forward to seeing our style, especially after seeing the sections on Chen and Wu. I was deeply disappointed by what i saw, that's all.

Hi Sean,

What I have posted is only the episode 8 A. The video below is episode 1.

http://youtu.be/6O1ZjtZG43U

It is about the mystic of TJQ and it has 6 masters representing Yang, Wu, Hao/Wu, Sun, He ? , Chen style. The introduction of the 6 masters starts at 2.59. (after CXW is the Yang representative) Basically, each episode will have each style/master explaining one principle of TJQ eg. use Yi, not Li. or yi rou ke gang(soft overcome hard).

Looking at the external form and training, Yang style does not have the ''look'' of something you can use martially. Most taiji practitioners are in for the health reasons. Few want to learn the martial aspect and few masters have this aspect. Most are in China and east Asia teaching small group and don't advertised. For this group they don't have contest. I was ''lucky'' and found several of these group and have benefited from their teaching.

IMO, the Yang style is also represented in the other style that evolved from YLC, like Wu, Sun etc. So in the KUNG FU QUEST clip, Wu was representing Yang.

Cheers,
UniTaichi

Hi Uni (?)

I fear that you are right. For me Taijiquan without the martial aspect is like a car without an engine. Sure, it looks pretty in your driveway, but it has little purpose. Traditional Tai Chi Chuan is a very effective martial art, to relegate it to health pastime is a sinful bastardisation in my honest opinion. It would be a deep shame for the martial art of Yang Lu Chan to be lost in favour of flower power hippies (both have their place, don't get me wrong). Mystic is nice, but too much of one without the other and you've got nothing but prayer beads and dream catchers...Poo to that, i say.

We have a good martial style here, it should not be lost in favour of Jaw sticks.

I have skimmed through the first video posted, I have not watched it in depth except for one part, the bit that features Si Kung Eddie Wu.
I saw his face and immediately found where his bit started and watched it quite closely because he was my teacher for a long time and I always watch everything I can about or from him any chance I get. I trained at a Wu's Tai Chi Chuan Academy and Eddie was my Sifu (his Uncle, Wu Tai Sin, was Si Kung at the time I trained there).
If you watch that part of the video you will see, quite clearly, some of the same methods I was trained to use for the combat aspects of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan. Watching that part was like "old home week" for me.
Not having seen the rest of the video I will not at this time even attempt to offer any kind of comment on the initial question asked in this thread as to why Yang style is under represented. After I have time to review all of the videos in depth then I may be able to make some comment at that time.Then again, maybe not. That would most likely be a question for the makers of the documentary rather than a rhetorical question to those of us who can only watch it after the fact.
However, I would like to address the idea that seems to be being bantered about on here that Yang style Tai Chi Chuan is "under represented" as to the martial art and is all and only about the health aspects.
My response to that is...
How can I do this delicately...
Well... I can't think of one so I'll just say it plain.
If I could put it on here somehow as a sound bite you would have to listen to rather a large amount of hilarious laughter.
For a really, really long time.

It's just SO funny to me to hear that idea being put out there!
Sorry, but it's simply ludicrous.
Take it from me, a guy who has trained in both the Wu Chien Chuan and Yang Cheng Fu lineages of this art under the Grand Masters of both styles.
I can tell you, beyond a doubt, that there is no lack of martial arts intent or training in the teachings of the International Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Association under GM Yang Jun.
I cannot speak about what is taught by any other other lineages of the Yang style of TCC as I have not trained in any of them.
Still, I sincerely doubt that the martial art is lacking in very many of them either.


Bob

Greetings Bob,

Happy New Year!

That's the exact same video that I posted for you here:
http://yangfamilytaichi.com/phpBB3/view ... =22&t=3937

Greetings all,
,
Thank you all for the links; I enjoyed watching them, especially the part where Chen Xiaowang went through the Eight Gates within the circling pattern. That is the method I like to use in teaching, even if some of my details differ and my skill and knowledge don't come close to his.

I think that Tai Chi is a very vast field that no one individual can explore in all its details. Different people will find different aspects appealing. The corner I have been trying to explore within Yang Style has both Wen and Wu, both cultivation and usage; however I don't want to begrudge others their own approaches.

One issue with many people's view of Yang Style is that they see only a part of the practice and perhaps reach wrong conclusions about what the whole looks like. Some is soft, but some is hard too. As you get better I think you better appreciate the hard in the soft and the soft in the hard. If all someone has seen or done is the solo form and elementary push hands circles, I think it is hard to understand or appreciate the usage aspect.

Take care,
Audi

The cause of the misrepresentation might also be from an honest ignorance on the part of the producers and directors. Of course the purpose of such a project is for the directors to educate themselves on their chosen topics and what I see in the video is bad research. Even for educated martial artists some have fallen for the propaganda that the Yang style was only made for health benefits but that the other styles are still applicable.