foundations
History, Folklore, and Legends
Taoist Master Chang San-Feng (Zhang Sanfeng) Credited as the Founder of Tai chi chuan .
One tradition claims that Master Chang San-Feng was born at midnight on April 9, 1247 CE, near Dragon-Tiger Mountain in Kiang-Hsi Province in the southeast of China. He is said to have been a government official in his youth, learned Shaolin martial arts while living in the Pao-Gi Mountains near Three Peaks (San Feng), and then lived for scores of years as a Taoist priest, healer, and sage at the Wudang Mountain Taoist Temples (Wutang, Wu Tang Shan). He is reported to have lived to be 200 years old (1247-1447 CE), but his death date is uncertain. He would have lived in the Sung, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties if these dates were accurate.
Another tradition claims that there were two Master Chang San-Feng Taoist priests and sages. One was born in the Sung dynasty (960-1279 CE), lived on Wudang Mountain as a recluse, and combined the thirteen postures with other Taoist practices and arts to create a style of internal martial arts that became popular amongst the Taoists living and studying at Wudang Mountain. The second Master Chang San-Feng (1279-1368), was a native of I-Chou in LiaoTung Province. His scholarly name was Chuan Yee and Chun Shee. He also lived on Wudang Mountain and was a highly regarded Taoist Master and scholar with many amazing magical, divinatory and healing powers. He lived a very long life and was very popular with the local people.
Master Chang is known by a variety of names: Chang San-Feng, Cheng San Feng, Chang Chun Pao, Chang Sam Bong, Zhang Sanfeng, Chang Tung, Chang Chun-pao, Grandmaster Chang, Chang the Immortal, Immortal Chang, Zhangsanfeng, Zhan Sa-Feng, Zhan Jun-Bao, Yu-Xu Zi, Chuan Yee and Chun Shee. There may have been a number of male Taoist priests and hermits who chose to use the name Chang San-Feng.
Some legends have made Chang San Feng into a Xian (Hsien) 仙 仚 僊. A Xian is a Taoist term for an enlightened person, an immortal, an alchemist, a wizard, a spirit, an inspired sage, a person with super powers, a magician, or a transcendent being. AXian 仙 is similar in function to a Rishi who is an inspired sage in the Indian Vedas. I myself consider Chang San Feng, Master Chang, to be a Xian in my poems.
"Xian are immune to heat and cold, untouched by the elements, and can fly, mounting upward with a fluttering motion. They dwell apart from the chaotic world of man, subsist on air and dew, are not anxious like ordinary people, and have the smooth skin and innocent faces of children. The transcendents live an effortless existence that is best described as spontaneous. They recall the ancient Indian ascetics and holy men known as rishi who possessed similar traits."
The early legends about Master Chang San-Feng are linked with activities of Emperor Chengzu (1403-1424) who searched for Master Chang and other political refugees. By 1459, Master Chang had been declared an Immortal and, as with most saints, stories of his miraculous powers became part of the folklore in the Wudang Mountain area. There is a fairly long tradition amongst Wundang Mountain martial artists and Taoists that attributes the development of soft style martial arts to Chang San-Feng and his disciples (Yeo, 2001; Wong Kiew Kit, 1996). In 1670, Huang Zongxi wrote a book called Epitaph for Wang Zhengnan in which Chang San-Feng was called the founder of internal martial arts practiced near Mount Wudang. By the 1870's, Yang family Tai Chi Chuan teachers were claiming that Chang San-Feng was the originator of Tai Chi Chuan. (Wong, 1997; Wile, 1996; Bing YeYoung, 2006.)
Wudang Mountain (Wudangshan æ¦å½“å±±) has many Taoist temples, monasteries, and facilities. It has been an renowned academic center since 700 CE. It has long been associated with Taoist studies and practices, Taoist scriptures, traditional Chinese medicine, herbal research, agricultural arts, meditation, unique exercises to increase longevity, and internal martial arts. Zhang San Feng has been linked with most aspects of this Wudang culture.
More recently, some scholars and tai-chi historians have argued that Chang San-Feng had little or nothing to do with the founding of Tai Chi Chuan or internal martial arts. They contend that this aspect of the Master Chang legend was invented in the late 19th century by Yang family stylists to give their art form deeper historical roots. (Wile, 1996; Tang Hao, History of Chinese Wushu, 1935; Henning, 1981; and Siaw-Voon Sim, 2002; Bing YeYoung, 2006; John Bracy, 2008.) These authors contend that the Tai Chi Chuan systems (i.e., forms, push hands, sword/staff, chi kung exercises, and Taijiquan principles) as we know them today (e.g., Chen, Yang, Wu, Hao, Sun), were all created as successive variants to the system developed by the military leader and martial artist Chen Wangting (1600-1680)of Chenjiagou Village in Henan Province.
In China, Tibet, and India people have for millennia used exercises to improve health, cure disease, restore vitality, and increase lifespan. Gentle stretching, breathing methods, herbal remedies, and use of postures for exercise can be traced back over 4,000 years. Martial arts training methods, of course, are of similar antiquity. Saint Master Chang san-Feng
along with the Bodhidharma of Shaolin Temple , can be seen as patriarch steeped in the many centuries of martial arts culture's , health exercises, and the history of sect such as Taoism, Buddhism, confucianism and the beginning of what we in the twenty first century have come to be known as Tai chi chuan' or internal long boxing with its fascinating History and the many variations of were it all began .
From the Shaolin to Wu dang mountain to the Villages there came 5 major style they are :
1 ) Chen Style
Chen styles--including Da Jia (Big Frame), Xiao Jia (Small Frame), Lao Jia (Old Frame), Xin Jia (New Frame), etc.--are continued to be practiced by Chen Family descendants and disciples. It is generally characterized by fast-slow, soft-powerful, and up-down spiral movements with jumping, punching, and qin na. It contains two basic empty-hand forms. The first form is soft and slow, also known as Yi Lu (First Form), while the second form is powerful and fast, also known as Er Lu (Second Form) or Pao Chui (Canon Fist). The Da Jia system, which Chen Changxing taught to his descendants and students, is commonly referred to as "Lao Jia". A modified "Lao Jia" system, which Chen Fake and his second son, Zhaokui, taught in Beijing, is known to be the seed of Xin Jia (of the original Da Jia). The modified "Lao Jia" system (Xin Jia) has more obvious coiling, spiraling, and large circular movements when compared with Lao Jia, which has a more direct martial arts approach with smaller and more subtle circles. Currently, the Xin Jia system is still undergoing the process of being modified and changed. Chen Zhaopi, a nephew of Chen Fake, insisted on maintaining and preserving the original postures and sequence of the Lao Jia system and passed this unmodified system to his students and descendants.
2) Yang Style:
It is characterized by slow and even expansive tempo movements. This style was developed by Yang Luchan based on Da Jia Yi Lu (Big Frame First Form), which he learned from Chen Changxing. This "unchanged" Da Jia system which Chen Changxing taught Yang Luchan and his descendants are commonly referred to as Lao Jia (Old Frame). It is known that Yang Luchan and his sons never taught Er Lu (Second Form) openly to the public; rather, it was passed down only to Yang's own family descendants and a few close indoor disciples.
3) Wu (as in Wu Yuxiang/Hao):
It is characterized by a small and compact frame, soft and slow tempo with upright postures and the tailbone tucked forward. This style was developed by Wu Yuxiang also from Da Jia Yi Lu (Big Frame First Form), which he learned from Yang Luchan, and from Xiao Jia (Small Frame), which he learned from Chen Qingping (also known as Zhaobao Jia). Hao Weizhen of Wu Taiji lineage later taught Sun Lutang, who developed another branch of taiji styles, which is now called Sun Style.
4) Wu (as in Wu Jianquan)
It is characterized by gentle and slow movements like the Yang style, but with tight, compact, and apparent leaning postures. This style was developed by Wu Jianquan, who learned from his father Quanyou. Quanyou, a Manchurian, learned his taiji from both Yang Luchan and his son Yang Banhou, whose style was described as more compact and less expansive (i.e., Xiao Jia) in comparison with the Yang styles practiced by Yang Luchan and Yang Chengfu.
5) Sun Style of Sun lu Tang
It is characterized by a high stance with fast paces and a unique dexterous, tight, and compact style. This style was developed by Sun Lutang based on the Taiji he learned from Hao Weizhen and his earlier Xingyi and Bagua training.
For generations, the practice of Taijiquan has been compromised to the extent that it has lost its original essence. Of the major styles practiced today, Chen family Taijiquan continues to offer the most complete training system including qigong, empty-hand forms, silk-reeling exercises, push-hand practice, weapon sets, etc. It has gone through the least amount of change as a martial art and preserved most of the training methods as well as some of the most unique training tools (e.g., Taiji ruler, Taiji sphere, etc.). Therefore, although a person is not required to be athletic in order to learn Taiji, patience, consistent practice, and time commitment are essential for a Taiji learner to truly benefit from this ancient internal martial arts system. Beginning students usually start with Yi Lu, qigong, and silk-reeling exercises to help them establish a strong foundation and to prepare them if they wish to continue and further pursue the martial aspects of the system. It is hoped that through the promotion of Traditional Taijiquan, the public will again recognize Taijiquan not only as a health exercise, benefiting both mental and physical health, but also a truly valuable Chinese martial arts system.