Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

Taijiquan's Comprehensive Rhymed Formula is a translation by my former instructor Dr. Xianhao Cheng whom I grew up with in Norfolk/Virginia Beach (now in Philadelphia) has an article out in July/aug issue of Kung fu magazine. It is a translation of a rare poem from Yang chen Fu that gives some guidance on practice and application. Grandmaster Jiang Yu Kueng received this during a time Yang chen fu and students lived and trained in Hangzhou China. Yang taiji is very strong there.

I suggest serious Yang taijiquan enthusiasts of all levels to have a look at this important article. Its poem is translated in english with chinese text as well at end of article. I would like to hear opinions.

matt

Hi Matt,

Is there a chance that will appear online? I would certainly be interested in seeing it.

Take care,
Louis

its in most major bookstores like barnes and Noble, Borders.. Normally I would scan it for everyone but there could be copyrights.

I have seen the handwritten by JYK at Xianhao home, the article has the chinese typed out.

[This message has been edited by mls_72 (edited 06-04-2005).]

I'd like to read it too - but it's hard to fid this magazine in the UK.

Steve

greetings:
I have just bought the Kungfu -tai chi magazine.
The name of the article by Dr. Xianhao Cheng is "Taiji Comprehensive Rhymed Formula" and it is the same material that appears on "Tai Chi Touchstones" Compiled and translated by Douglas Wile; Chapter V: Nine Secret Transmissions on T'ai-chi c'huan: Secrets of Tai-chi Form applications. Page 41 to 63.
I do not read/speak Chinese. There are some differences between the two renderings. For example Wile translates the first line as:" The marvels of Tai Chi Chuan are infinite;...."; and Dr. Xianhao Cheng as:"The clever use of tai chi is infinite...."

Wile's translation has 2 extra Lines:
"In practicing form applications, the most important thing is the mind;
Relax the body, stabilize the chi and concentrate the spiirit."

The magazine includes the Chinese text.
Horacio

Greetings Horacio,

Thanks for the detective work, and for identifying the text. Yang Jwing-ming’s book, _Tai Chi Secrets of the Yang Style_, also has a translation of the same text, and includes the Chinese. It is said that Yang Banhou transmitted this text, but I don’t think we know with certainty who authored it.

Take care,
Louis

Greetings Louis:
...”It is said that Yang Banhou transmitted this text, but I don’t think we know with certainty who authored it.”

Yes. Wile’s book states in page 39 in Hard bound version:
Nine Secret Transmissions on T’ai Chi Ch’uan
From Wu Meng-hsia, T’ai -chi ch’uan chi chueh chu-chieh (Nine Secret Transmissions on T’ai Chi Ch’uan with annotations), Hong Kong: T’ai-p’ing shu-chu, 1975. Author received transmissions from Niu Lien-yuan who received them from Yang Pan-hou.

You are right: We don’t know with certainty who authored it.
Regardless, the text is full of useful gold nuggets.

Louis:
Do the last 2 lines in Wile’s text I quoted previously
("In practicing form applications, the most important thing is the mind;
Relax the body, stabilize the chi and concentrate the spirit."), appear in Yang Jwing-ming’s book, _Tai Chi Secrets of the Yang Style_,?
Take care
Horacio

Greetings Horacio, Louis, and fellow enthusiasts:

I have also bought a copy of the magazine and read the article. I went to compare the Chinese, but could not locate a copy of Tai Chi Touchstones. I do have a copy of Yang Jwing-Ming's Tai Chi Secrets of the Yang Style, but could not locate the text in it. Louis, could you give me a page number?

Take care,
Audi

Bummer- I thought it was the first time this information was published in USA. So Dr. Yang and Douglas Wiles already knew about this chinese text a long time ago. I thought it was something new that had never been heard of before. I looked at the book 'Yang Family Secret Transmissions' and verified Douglases translation. I didnt know it was something from Yang Pan Hao even. For myself, I know Xianhao was translating something from JYK's notebook that the grandmaster gave to him.

Whats important here is the studying of these translated 'classics'and puttting it into taijiquan practice.

Matt

Greetings Horacio, Audi, and Matt,

The last two lines of the text that you mention, Horacio, do appear in Yang Jwing-Ming’s translation, as: “The total applications of entire (Taiji), the Yi is the most important. The body is loose, the Qi is firm, and the spirit is condensed.” (p. 13) My translation is slightly different: “The greater application of the whole body is to make the intention primary (quanti dayong yi wei zhu). The body loosens, the qi is settled, and the spirit must concentrate (ti song qi gu shen yao ning).”

Audi, the text appears on pages 7-13 of Yang Jwing-Ming’s _Tai Chi Secrets of the Yang Style_ (Boston: YMMA, 2001), under the title “The Secrets of Total Applications.” YJM’s translations are in italics, and his commentaries are in roman type.

The Chinese text is also in Yang Zhenduo’s _Zhongguo Yang Shi Taiji_, pp. 12-20, and in Yang Zhenji’s _Yang Chengfu Shi Taijiquan_, pp. 322-323. Both these books say it was “transmitted” (zhuan) by Yang Banhou.

Matt, Re: "Whats important here is the studying of these translated 'classics'and puttting it into taijiquan practice."

Absolutely! I'll look for the magazine and check it out.

Take care,
Louis