History of Tai Chi

Chinese people have emigrated and settled in just about every country in the world. This has meant that Chinese culture has taken root everywhere, and this culture includes the art of Tai Chi. Consequently, any history would have to be encyclopaedic if it were to be comprehensive. However, the following “family tree” is believed to be a path leading to the present modern day Yang Style of Tai Chi.

Legends mention that the founder and acknowledged patriarch of Tai Chi was a Taoist Priest by the name of Chan San Feng (1270-1364). He lived as recluse on Mount Wu-Tang in the Hupeh Province. He reworked the original Forms of Shao-Lin with a new emphasis on breathing and inner control. It is reputed that he learnt and created the so-called “internal” boxing method either as a result of a dream, or, by watching a fight between a bird (crane) and a snake. The snake protected itself by using soft, circular, flowing movements. He then started a school, which was known as the Wu-Tang School of Internal Boxing. The most ancient style of Tai Chi is Chen style – after a garrison commander named Cheng Wang Ting (1557-1664) who expanded the original ideas. The Chen style contained jumps, leaps and explosion of strength all within a circular path. The Yang style, formulated in the mid-19th century, is however the most popular system.

Yang Lu-Shan (1799-1872) lived in the Chen village of the Honan Province. He was a servant of a drug merchant and secretly watched, from a hidden vantage point through a crack in the wall, for ten years the training sessions being conducted by the members of the Chen family. During the night he would practice what he had seen during the day, and so he became very efficient at fighting using this art (boxing system). As a result he was invited to practice with the Chen family. Later Yang Lu-Chuan went to Peking where he became the chief combat instructor for the Manchu Imperial Guards. Yang Lu-Chuan was the founder of the Yang style of Tai Chi. He gradually changed the fighting style, which he had learnt, into a system of keeping fit.

Yang Lu-Chuan had two sons: Yang Pan-Hou (1837-1892) and Yang Chien-Hou (1839-1917).

Yang Chien-Hou had two sons: Yang Shoa-Hou (1862-1929) and Yang Cheng-Fu (1883-1936). (Grandsons to Yang Lu-Chuan).

Yang Chen-Fu started teaching in 1928 and developed the modern day Yang style of Tai Chi; the Long Form consisting of one hundred eight movements and thirteen sequences. The Form became at this point in time a set of slow continuous and harmonious movements, performed at a constant speed. This became the foundation of Tai Chi as we know it today.

Cheng Man-Ching (1901-1975) was a student of Yang Chen-Fu.

As a young man he suffered from tuberculosis and while receiving treatment for his condition he developed an interest in traditional Chinese medicine. Professor Cheng started to study traditional Chinese medicine with Yang Chen-Fu in 1932. Yang Chen-Fu also taught him the Yang Tai Chi system.

Professor Cheng went to teach Tai Chi at military academy. While at the academy he found he could not teach the complete Yang Long Form to the soldiers in the time allocated. He looked for a way to shorten the form, which would allow the soldiers to learn it in less time. By 1947 Professor Cheng had simplified the 108 form by removing many of the repetitive movements. This process reduced the total number of individual non-repetitive movements to 37 and the form still retained the skills and essence of the longer form. In 1949 the Communists took control of China and Professor Cheng Man-Ching fled with his family to Taiwan. He established himself as a teacher and taught the Short Yang Tai Chi or Cheng Man-Ching 37 posture form, painting poetry and calligraphy.

He travelled to New York and continued to teach Tai Chi. His knowledge and love of Tai Chi was and still is an example which has inspired many students to spread his innovative ideas throughout North America, Europe and the Far East. Today the “Cheng Man-Ching Form” as it is known is one of the most popular Tai Chi forms outside of mainland China.

Professor Cheng Man-Ching died in 1975.

Cape Town South Africa – Dr Feng Chao Lin

Dr Lin was born and raised in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. He became a student of Cheng Man-Ching in 1966 when he was 18 years old. He studied many subjects with Professor Cheng: Tai Chi; Traditional Chinese Medicine; Calligraphy. He believes that traditional philosophy is created through the inclusion of many disciplines and through these Chinese culture is transmitted.

Dr Lin came to South Africa in 1990 spending one and a half years in Queenstown before coming to Cape Town. He is currently a practicing doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Cape Town. He has adapted his teaching of Tai Chi to conditions in South Africa. For him, it is not about imposing Taiwanese culture on top of South Africa culture. He teaches through acceptance and understanding of our cultural needs. He has introduced Tai Chi to South Africa without “expectations” as a means of health, harmony and happiness to peoples' lives.

Thanks to my teachers

Dr Lin has in turn taught many ‘disciples' who are now teaching in Cape Town. I owe my thanks to one such disciple: Michael Lan H Fung for his many years of patience and inspiration.

I would also like to thank my friend Grant Isaaks (who now teaches Tai Chi in Germany) for his support, encouragement and Love.