A.S.K.T. - Tai Ji Quan style Yang

Yang Lu Chan - Founder of Tai Ji Quan style Yang

     Yang style is one of the most important Taiji quan styles. It was created by Yang Lu Chan (1799 – 1872) who was born in Hebei Province. He was sold as a slave in Chen Jia Gou (the village of the Chen family) in the town of Wen, Henan province, when he was 10, because of the poor conditions of his family. Chen Chang Xin, the Chen style Tai ji Quan leader at that time, appreciated his cleverness and accepted him as a student, which was an extraordinary event for a person not member of the Chen family.
    Yang Lu Chan studied very hard with his Master and came back to his town around 1850.Then he went to Beijing, where he officially served in the Army as martial art teacher.
     At that time the Emperor and his courtiers were not enjoying good health because of their over-indulgence at table and lack of gymnastic: Yang began to work by modifying the Taiji style and eliminating the most difficult aspects and movements, such as for instance fa jing (explosive force issuing), the several jumps and kicks and created a new internal style of Kung-Fu which today is called Taiji Yang.

Yang Jian Hou -
son of Yang Lu Chan

Later his son, Yang Jian Hou (1839 – 1917) and his nephew, Yang Cheng Pu (1883 – 1936) continued his work, introducing and modifying movements and re-organising the style which today is the most practised in the world.
The peculiarity of this style are its simplified forms and slow and gentle movements.
Master Yang Cheng Pu indicated ten most important points to be studied and applied in Taiji quan: the body has to be kept straight; the chest hollow and the back rounded; waist has to be relaxed: force derives from relaxation, first of all from shoulders and elbows, but mostly from the use of mind instead of muscles; the

Yang Chen Pu -
son of Yang Jian Hou

Master Liu Chun Yan - showing the tecnique of "Peng" of Tai Ji Quan

superior and inferior parts have to collaborate just like the interior and exterior; the sequence of movements has to be performed without interruptions; one has to achieve calm in movement.
Those who wish to have more information they may read Yang Cheng Pu’s posthumous works “Taiji Quan Shi Yong Fa” (Taiji quan elements) and “Taiji Quan Ti Yong Quan Shu” (Taiji Quan official manual); the works of Gu Liu Xin “Taiji Quan Shu” (Ability in Taiji Quan).
The Chinese office for physical education also issued the text “Taiji Quan Yun Dong” (The sport of Taiji Quan).

Master Liu Chun Yan with her master Yang Zhen Duo -
son of famous master Yang Cheng Pu