Yang Lu-ch'an

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Yang.
杨露禅
Yang Luchan
Born 1799
Guangping, China
Died 1872
Style Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan
Notable students Yang Pan-hou,
Yang Chien-hou,
Wu Yu-hsiang
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Yang Lu-ch'an or Yang Luchan, simplified Chinese: 杨露禅; traditional Chinese: 楊露禪; pinyin: Yáng Lùchán; also known as Yang Fu-k'ui (simplified Chinese: 杨福魁; traditional Chinese: 楊福魁; pinyin: Yáng Fúkuí) (1799-1872), born in Kuang-p'ing (Guangping), was an influential teacher of the soft style martial art t'ai chi ch'uan (Taijiquan) in China during the second half of the 19th century. He is known as the founder of Yang-style tai chi chuan.[1][2]

Contents

History

Yang Lu-ch'an’s family was a poor farming/worker class from Hebei Province, Guangping Prefecture, Yongnian County. Yang would follow his father in planting the fields and, as a teenager, held temporary jobs. One period of temporary work was spent doing odd jobs at the Tai He Tang Chinese pharmacy located in the west part of Yongnian City, opened by Chen De Hu of the Chen Village in Henan Province, Huaiqing Prefecture, Wenxian County. As a child, Yang liked martial arts and studied Changquan, gaining a certain level of skill.

One day Yang reportedly witnessed one of the partners of the pharmacy utilizing a style of martial art that he had never before seen to easily subdue a group of would-be thieves. Because of this, Yang requested to study with the pharmacy's owner, Chen De Hu. Chen referred Yang to the Chen Village to seek out his own teacher—the 14th generation of the Chen Family, Ch'en Chang-hsing.[1][2][3]

After mastering the martial art, Yang Lu-ch'an was subsequently given permission by his teacher to go to Beijing and teach his own students, including Wu Yu-hsiang and his brothers, who were officials in the Imperial Qing dynasty bureaucracy.[2]. In 1850, Yang was hired by the Imperial family to teach Taijiquan to them and several of their élite Manchu Imperial Guards Brigade units in Beijing's Forbidden City. Among this group was Yang's best known non-family student, Wu Ch'uan-yu.[4] This was the beginning of the spread of Taijiquan from the family art of a small village in central China to an international phenomenon. [5]Due to his influence and the number of teachers he trained, including his own descendants, Yang is directly acknowledged by 4 of the 5 Taijiquan families as having transmitted the art to them.[1][2][5]

The Legend of Yang Wu Di

After emerging from Chenjiagou, Yang became famous for never losing a match and never seriously injuring his opponents. Having refined his martial skill to an extremely high level, Yang Lu-ch'an came to be known as Yang Wu Di (楊無敵, Yang the Invincible). In time, many legends sprang up around Yang's martial prowess. These legends would serve to inform various biographical books and movies. Though not independently verifiable, several noteworthy episodes are worth mentioning to illustrate the Yang Wu Di character:

Origin of the Moniker Taijiquan

When Yang Lu-ch'an first taught in Yung Nien, his art was referred to as Mien Quan (Cotton Fist) or Hua Quan (Neutralising Fist). Whilst teaching at the Imperial Court, Yang met many challenges, some friendly some not. But he invariably won and in so convincingly using his soft techniques that he gained a great reputation.

Many who frequented the imperial households would come to view his matches. At one such gathering in which Yang had won against several reputable opponents, the scholar Ong Tong He was present. Inspired by the way Yang moved and executed his techniques, Ong felt that Yang's movements and techniques expressed the physical manifestation of the principles of Taiji (太極, the philosophy). Ong wrote for him a matching verse:

“ Hands Holding Taiji shakes the whole world, a chest containing ultimate skill defeats a gathering of heroes. ”

Thereafter, his art was referred to as Taijiquan and the styles that sprang from his teaching and by association with him was called Taijiquan.[10]

Subsequent lineage

Yang Lu-ch'an passed his art to:

Family tree

This family tree is not comprehensive.

Legendary Figures

Zhang Sanfeng*
c. 12th century
NEIJIA
 
 
 
 
Wang Zongyue*
T'AI CHI CH'UAN

Note: These are legendary or semi-legendary figures in the lineage, which means their involvement in the lineage, while accepted by most of the major schools, isn't independently verifiable from known historical records.

Five major classical family styles

Chen Wangting
1580–1660
9th generation Chen
CHEN STYLE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chen Changxing
1771–1853
14th generation Chen
Chen Old Frame
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chen Youben
c. 1800s
14th generation Chen
Chen New Frame
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Yang Lu-ch'an
1799–1872
YANG STYLE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chen Qingping
1795–1868
Chen Small Frame, Zhaobao Frame
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Yang Pan-hou
1837–1892
Yang Small Frame
 
 
 
 
 
 Yang Chien-hou
1839–1917
 
 
 
 
 
 Wu Yu-hsiang
1812–1880
WU/HAO STYLE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wu Ch'uan-yu
1834–1902
 
 
 
 
 
 Yang Shao-hou
1862–1930
Yang Small Frame
 
 Yang Chengfu
1883–1936
Yang Big Frame
 
 Li I-yü
1832–1892
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wu Chien-ch'uan
1870–1942
WU STYLE
108 Form
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Yang Shou-chung
1910–1985
 
 Hao Wei-chen
1849–1920
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wu Kung-i
1900–1970
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sun Lu-t'ang
1861–1932
SUN STYLE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wu Ta-k'uei
1923–1972
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sun Xingyi
1891–1929

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wile, Douglas (1983). Tai Chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmissions. Sweet Ch'i Press. ISBN 978-0912059013. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Wile, Douglas (1995). Lost T'ai-chi Classics from the Late Ch'ing Dynasty (Chinese Philosophy and Culture). State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0791426548. 
  3. ^ Yang Jun
  4. ^ Wu, Kung-tsao (1980, 2006). Wu Family T'ai Chi Ch'uan (吳家太極拳). Chien-ch’uan T’ai-chi Ch’uan Association. ISBN 0-9780499-0-X. 
  5. ^ a b c d e Yip, Y. L. (Autumn 1998). A Perspective on the Development of Taijiquan – Qi, The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness Vol. 8 No. 3. Insight Graphics Publishers. ISSN 1056-4004. 
  6. ^ Gu Liuxin, The Evolution of the Yang School of Taijiquan
  7. ^ T.T. Liang
  8. ^ [1] http://www.itcca.it/peterlim/histnote.htm
  9. ^ [2] http://celestialtaichi.com/content/view/7/49/
  10. ^ Peter Lim Tien Tek, The Development Of Yang Style Taijiquan

External links