Historical Timeline of Taijiquan Lineage
ZIRAN TAIJIQUAN
The following provides an explanation of how the two major
lineages that we study were passed down to us and also gives brief biographical
background information for many of the major figures in the lineage.
| Zhang San Feng 1279-1368? |
| Wang Zhong Yue 1736-1795? |
| Zhang Fa | Chen You Ben |
| Chen Zhang Xing (1771-1853) | Chen Qing Ping(1795-1868) |
| Yang Lu Shan(1799-1872)Founder of Yang /Yang Michuan Taijiquan | Wu Yu Xiang |
| Yang Jian Hou(1842-1917) | Li Yi Yu (1832-1892) |
| Yang Public | Michuan | Old Yang Long Style ("Sun Branch Kuo Style"Form) |
Xi Wei Zhen (1849-1920) |
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| Yang Chen Fu (1883-1936) | General Li Jing Lin (1886-1933?) The God of Swords | Sun Lu Tang (1860-1932) |
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| Zheng Man Qing (1901-1975) Established Yang Short Form widely practiced in the United States. |
Zhang Qinlin (1888-1967?) | Kou Yu Cheung |
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|
Wang Yen Nien (1913?- | Lung Chi Cheung | |||
| Tam Fung Gnar Paul (1935- ) | |||||
| Tam Wing On |
| Scott M Rodell () | Kaneiki, Iwao (born 1960) |
Seth
Davis (born 1975) |
Note: This history is a brief narrative to illuminate the figures presented in the lineage chart above. Furthermore, the lineage chart does not show all significant practitioners of Tai Chi Chuan, and is only intended to show a direct path of transmission for the Yang Michuan System, Yang Public System, and Old Yang Long Form "Sun Branch Kou Style" to the students at Ziran T`aichi Kungfu.
1. Zhang San Feng 1279-1368? is counted as the founding patriarch of T'ai chi chuan. He is a legendary or symbolic figure for the art and is surrounded by myths and fantastic tales. His achievement of taoist immortality after his exodus from Shaolin to the Wudang mountain is particularly famous. The exact period of his life and his actual contributions to t'aichi chuan are not varifiable. He is credited with the classics presented in the T'ai Chi Chuan Ching (Lo,pg. 10)
2.Yang Lu Shan(1799-1872)
Founder of
Yang /Yang Michuan Taijiquan spent a number
of years in the Chen Village learning the Chen method of T'ai Chi Chuan. He
then disseminated the art widely throughout China. He came to be know as "Yang
with no rivals" (Invincible Yang) and is alleged to have fought countless
matches and remained undefeated. The presentation and interpretations of his
teachings seem to vary somewhat dependant on the place and period during which
he was teaching. It is probable that he integrated skills into his T'ai Chi
Chuan from a number of arts that he learned throughout his life. Several major
branches of T'ai Chi Chuan including Wu style and Sun style have variously developed
from or have been strongly influenced by Yang during his many years of traveling
and teaching.
Yang and his sons served as trainers for the Imperial Military during much of the 1800's. The T'ai Chi Chuan that was used as a basis for sword and combat teachings and that was also taught openly in the Yang training halls is called Yang Style T'aichi Chuan. The term Yang "Public" Style has only recently been used to distinguish this aspect of Yang's teachings from Yang Jia Michuan Style. Michuan refers to "family" or "secret" teachings that were kept strictly amongst the Yang family members initially. Both styles are are martial in nature and comply with t'aichi principles. Michuan preserves certain mechanics, techniques and strategies not illustrated in the "Public" form. Yang Lu Shan established the Michuan forms and passed it on to his son Yang Jian Hou.
3. Yang Jian Hou(1842-1917) was
also reputed as a great master of T'ai Chi Chuan. His Son Yang Chen Fu also
became famous, and in the Yang family lineage is second only to his grandfather
Yang Lu Shan. Surprisingly enough, Jian Hou did not teach the Michuan System
to Yang Chen Fu. This may because, Chen Fu's only became serious about T`ai
Chi after entering his adult life. Instead, Jian Hou taught Michuan to Zhang
Qinlin, an orphan student.
Jian Hou also trained with and taught many of his contemporaries
in the martial arts. Amongst them, General
Li Jing Lin, exchanged techniques with Yang Jian Hou and learned the Traditional
Yang Long form, later standardized and adapted by Yang Chen Fu as the 108 posture
form, which he adjusted towards "large frame" with expansive movements.
Yang Jia Michuan T'ai Chi Chuan:
A. Zhang Qinlin (1888-1967?) recieved
the Michuan teachings after defending the reputation of Yang Family by defeating
a famous martial artist who came as a challenger to the Yang training hall.
Jian Hou opted to pass the secret Michuan system out of the Yang Family since
he perceived Zhang to be his most worthy student. Zhang earned a reputation
as a top martial artist and became famous after winning the unarmed division
of the All China Fighting Championships in 1929(Rodell, pg. 279).
Zhang did not teach a large number of students. Although it is clear that he taught more than one student Michuan, he realized the risk of losing this aspect of the Yang Family teachings when one of his disciples was killed in World War II. He gave instructions to Wang Yan Nien to teach Michuan to whomever wanted to learn if he was able to make it through the chaos of war and the aftermath.
B. Wang Yen Nien (1913?- was an expert in several systems of Bayonet fighting and a trainer for the Chinese military. After WWII he went to Taiwan, amidst the political upheaval that was occurring between the Komingtang and the Communists. In Taiwan he ultimately became a T'ai Chi teacher of the Michuan System and has shared the system openly. He has said that enough students have advanced to become qualified teachers of the system so that he is confident of the survival of the art.
C. Scott M Rodell () studied t'aichi chuan Yang "Public Form" of the Zheng Man Qing lineage under the guidance of several master instructors including William C.C. Chen, famous for his union of Western Boxing with t'ai chi chuan and with T.T. Liang, a senior disciple of Zheng Man Qing. Liang was well known for his swordsmanship. He passed Rodell along to Master Wang Yen Nien from whom Rodell learned the whole of the Michuan system and received special guidance in Chinese Swordsmanship using advanced skills from the Michuan System. Rodell is a leading dealer of Chinese antique arms and armor and is the Director of Great River Taoist Center. He regularly teaches and Chinese Historical Swordsmanship and Michuan T'ai Chi Chuan at branches of Great River Taoist Center and by invitation throughout the US, Europe, Russia, and most recently Australia.
Old Yang Long Style ("Sun Branch Kuo Style"Form)
General Li Jing Lin (1886-1933?) The God of Swords was among other things renowned for his Wudang Swordsmanship. It is said that he was outmatched only by Yang Jian Hou in swordplay, although another version of the story credits Yang Bou Hou, the older brother of Jian Hou with this accomplishment. As a military general, Li was also a charismatic diplomat for the martial arts and brought together many members of the martial arts community to teach at a unified school with his sponsorship. He passed the Yang Long form along with several Wudang Sword sets onto Northern Shaolin Longfist Grandmaster Kou Yu Cheung, one of "Five Tigers Who Came South" to teach at Li's academy. Li suffered an untimely death at the age of 47 after being poisoned by an apothecary who gave the God of Swords a pill to make him truly imortal.
Kou Yu Cheung
(1894-1953?) "Iron Palm" is
widely considered to have achieved the top level of martial arts mastery. He
is counted as the Great Grand Master of Bei Shaolin, Northern Long Fist. Several
famous martial artists in the United States descended from his lineage include:
Master Wing Lam, and Master Wong Jack Man(retired in 2005 and known for a fight
with Bruce Lee with an unclear outcome.)
As noted above, Kou Yu Chueng studied t'ai chi chuan with Li Jing Lin. Lin also introduced Kou to Sun Lu Tan, the founder of Sun Style T'aichi. Sun had learned taichi from a separate lineage and then integrated the Yang style "traditional" long form from Li Jing Lin and Yang Jian Hou into his 13 postures method. Sun was considered a leading master of Emei Bagua and Hsing Yi Chuan at the time.
Kou adopted many of Sun Lu Tan's principles into his t'aichi, -enough to call
his method the "Sun Branch Kou Style" form.(Tam, pg. 27)
Sun Lu Tan likely performed this Yang Style form incorporating aspects of Bagua
stepping and T'ai Chi Chuan which were practical and appealing to Kou Yu Cheung.
Sun later created his own form Sun style T'aichi chuan, which was a culmination
of his understanding of T'ai Chi Chuan, synthesized with Bagua and Hsing Yi.
Sun Style should not be mistaken for Kou Yu Cheung`s Yang Long Form Sun Branch
Kou Style, although the name has evidently resulted in substantial confusion
amongst practitioners trying to clarify lineage.
Further investigation reveals that Kou`s form closely coincides in sequence with Yang Chen Fu's longform although the presentation of the movements differs significantly. Kou`s form has smaller steps and agile footwork compared with Yang Chen Fu`s Large frame. Kou`s form appears to retain certain mechanical aspects of Yang style that are also present in the Michuan form as well, but which are not present in Yang Chen Fu's version. This suggests that Kou Yu Chueng's modifications to the form did not take it far from its original presentation by Yang Jian Hou. On the other hand, there are plenty of variations even within the Kou Yu Cheung lineage, so it is innacurate to make any absolute statements or to assign undue significance to similarities that may be present. The history is interesting nonetheless.
It is likey that Kou Yu Chueng was shot by the Communists in 1953, although the details of his fate are unclear.
Lung Chi Cheung
Tam Fung Gnar Paul (1935- )
Tam Wing On- is listed as a disciple student in Tam Fung Gnar Paul`s text book (# 4 below). Little biographical information is currently available on Tam Wing On other than that Kaneiki, Iwao met him in the nineties while Tam was teaching T`ai Chi in a park in Hong Kong. Kaneiki recognized his t`ai chi as exceptional and studied with him over a number of years and on repeated trips to Hong Kong. Kaneiki judged Tam to be in his seventies in the late 1990s. Tam may have made chenges or adjustments to the form from what he learned from his teacher and from the original simpler form practiced by Grand Master Kou Yu Cheung. Later modifications incorporated by Kaneiki were relatively small. Kaneiki incorporated slightly greater angles in leaning postures derived from Wu style. He stated that these were useful in push hands, grappling, counter grappling, and throws..
Kaneiki, Iwao (1959-).
Kaneiki
Iwao is a Doctor of Chinese Chiropractic Medicine and Acupuncture, based in
Takamatsu City, Kagawa Japan. He is also a master martial artist of several
Chinese martial arts. He is 190 cm tall, approx. 6 ft 3, a rare height in Japan.
Here is his story.
Born In Takamatsu city, he grew up the elder of two brothers. At the age of
five while traveling on a fishing boat, he drempt that the ghost of a white
snake entered his body and merged with his spirit, affecting him in mysterious
ways. Shortly thereafter, because of his frightend behavior his parents accompanied
him to a shinto shrine to have the "ghost excorcised."Following this
experience, his curiosity about "things that could not be seen," and
his innate sensitivity two chi (life force) would choose his path in life.
Iwao first learned Okinawan Gojuryu karate as a child aound the age of ten.
Kaneiki was an exceptionally tall and athletic youth. Once
While practicing kicks in a park at the age of fifteen, he was spotted by a chinese man named Li. Li was a master of the Shaolin school of Wu In Chuan, (Moeken in Japanese,) "No Shadow Fist" in English. He had fled to Japan, like many other masters, avoiding the restrictive communist rule. He would become Iwao`s mentor during a three year discipleship. The discipleship took place from the age of 15 to 18. After graduating Junior High School Iwao opted to work while studying under Master Li instead of attending High school. During the day Kaneiki worked as a welder and riveter in a shipyard, working on the hulls in narrow spaces inside of ships. Because of his large size and independence, he was treated as an adult by employees, who overlooked his age.. Every night, from 9:00-12:00 he would meet with his teacher to train. Keneiki claims that he never once missed a training session during that period. His teacher's policy was: "If you miss a practice, don`t bother to come back." There was one other student and he failed to live up to these standards and was dismissed. During three years of concentrated training, Iwao gained the whole system including licensure. At age 16-17 he tested himself by going to various Dojo and conducting "dojo yaburi" which may be politely translated as "issuing challenges." He commented during ourinterview in the summer of 2006 that he was only beaten twice and implied with some ammusement that this was only a small percentage of his mischief during his teen years. I have heard a number of stories from my teacher and from witnesses about various exploits around Kagawa during his earlier days as a martial artist. Kaneik's teacher master Li ultimately returned to China.
As a portion of the Wi In Chuan system taught by Li, Kaneiki learned a Chen Style Tai C'hi shortened fighting form of Canon Fist. This was his first exposure to T'ai Chi Chuan.
At the age of 18, Kaneiki Iwao traveled to Hong Kong and studied Chinese Medecine
from1981 to 1984 and continued to learn martial arts. While in Hong Kong, he
encountered a man nameed Tam Wing On (see above), teaching t`ai chi in a park.
Noting the man`s skill, Kaneiki began to study with him and continued to learn
from him over a period of several years during visits to Hong Kong. Tam Wing
On was a disciple student of Tam Fung Gnar, a third generation disciple of famous
Kou Yu Chueng for whom the style is named "Sun Branch Kou Style T'ai Chi Chuan.
It is in fact a Yang style variation with close ties to Yang Jian Hou, Li Jing
Lin, and influenced by Sun Lu Tan. Kaneiki received teaching licensure from
Tam Wing On and took The "Gu " style form into his repertoire.
During this time, he also befriended a former disciple of the famous Wing Tsun
master, Yip Man, and learned a complete system of Wing Tsun which he pollished
over a number of visits to Hong Kong.
After returning home to Japan he lived in Kagawa for several years and then moved to Matsuyama City in Ehime prefecture in 1987. During this time, he traveled to Hyogo prefecture on weekends to receive study for licensure from a Japanese School for eastern medecine. Ultimately he opened a practice for Chinese medicine in Matsuyama and taught Wu In Chuan. He regularly returned to Hong Kong to continue learning and attending medical seminars and to study martial arts.
In 1993 he again returned to Takamatsu, the home town of his parents where he purchased a small building in his family's neighborhood of Ogimachi and began a medical practice. He taught martial arts to small groups of students in Ogimachi Park beside a Buddhist Temple. He was married, and had a daughter, but divorced in 2004. He maintained his martial arts school in Matsuyama and placed it under the direction of two disciple students, Ms. Utsonmiya, who now has her own successful t'ai chi school in Matsuyama, and Mr. Yuguchi, who teaches Wu In Chuan.
Kaneiki learned Wu Style T'ai Chi and the 42 step Chinese National Sword form Mr. Chi, a Chinese friend living in Takamatsu and working for the JR train company. Chi was a high level practitioner of Wu family t'ai chi. He also shared push hands skills with Kaneiki.
Kaneiki made numerous trips to China and studied with many reputable martial arts teachers. Over a series of trips to Taiwan in the early 1990`s, he learned Yang Jia T'ai Chi from Master Wang Yen Nien's disciple Li Shin Sen. Master Wangs` school was highly reputed as a stronghold of pushhands, which attracted Kaneiki. While there he focused on developing his push hands expertise. He also learned the Michuan long form with a high level of proficiency, and received teaching licensure, signed by Li Shin Sen.
Sources:
1. Tai Chi Chuan Theory and Practice, Paul F.N. Tam (English
Translation by Peter Chan and Ying-Lok Lee , PBI Publications (Hong Kong) Limited
1991
2. Chinese Swordsmanship The Yang Michuan Jian Tradition, Scott M. Rodell
Seven Stars Books and Video, Annandale, Virginia 2003
3. Video Interview with Kaneiki Iwao Sensei 2000 regarding Lineage and History of Kou Yu Cheung`s taijiquan
4. The Essence of T`ai Chi Chuan Benjamin Lo, Martin Inn, Robert Amacker , Susan Foe North Atlantic Books, Berkley, CA 1985
5. Interviews with Kaneiki Iwao August 2006, Kagawa Japan, regarding biographical information
