Ma Yueh-liang (August 1, 1901 - March 13, 1998) was a famous Manchu teacher of Taijiquan. He was the senior disciple of Wu Chien-ch'uan

Wu Chien-ch'uan

Wu Chien-ch'uan , was a famous teacher of the neijia martial art of t'ai chi ch'uan in late Imperial and early Republican China....

, the founder of Wu style Taijiquan, and married Wu's daughter Wu Ying-hua

Wu Ying-hua

Wu Ying-hua ) was a famous Chinese teacher of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan. She was born in Beijing and died in Shanghai. She was the eldest daughter of Wu Chien-ch'uan, the best known teacher of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan...

 in 1930.

Biography

Ma Yueh-liang was also a medical doctor who graduated from the Beijing Medical College in 1929 and specialized in Hematology

Hematology

Hematology, also spelled haematology , is the branch of biology physiology, internal medicine, pathology, clinical laboratory work, and pediatrics that is concerned with the study of blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases...

. He established the First Medical Examination and Experiment Office and ran the blood clinics at Zhong Shan Hospital in Shanghai

Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

. Like Wu Ch'uan-yu

Wu Ch'uan-yu

Wu Ch'uan-yu or Wu Quanyou was an influential teacher of t'ai chi ch'uan in late Imperial China. He is credited as the founder of the Wu style t'ai chi ch'uan...

 and Wu Chien-ch'uan, Ma was of Manchu

Manchu

The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...

 descent. Ma Yueh-liang had roots both in the traditions of China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 and in Western science.

There are accounts that Ma Yueh-liang was a gifted martial artist in his youth. He had studied a number of martial arts

Martial arts

Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....

 including, Shaolinquan, Three Emperors Pao Chui, Baguazhang

Baguazhang

Bāguàzhǎng is one of the three main Chinese martial arts of the Wudang school, the other two being Taijiquan and Xingyiquan. It is more broadly grouped as an internal practice...

 and Tong Bei Quan. However, Wu Jianquan would accept Ma as a student only if he concentrated on Wu Style Taijiquan. From about age 18, Ma Yueh-liang exclusively studied Wu style Taijiquan. Wu Jianquan started the Jianquan Taijiquan Association

Jianquan Taijiquan Association

The Jianquan Taijiquan Association is a well known school teaching Wu style t'ai chi ch'uan....

 (鑑泉太極拳社) in Shanghai in 1936, and Ma became the deputy director of the Association. Ma studied Taijiquan with Wu Chien-ch'uan until the death of his teacher in 1942. The Jianquan Association still exists today internationally and remains a resource for the study of Wu style Taijiquan.

It is difficult to overstate the importance of Ma Yueh-liang and his wife in the emergence of Wu style Taijiquan after the Cultural Revolution

Cultural Revolution

The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...

 in China. Even at an advanced age, Ma Yueh-liang was chosen as one of the 100 Best Martial Artists in China. Wu Ying-hua

Wu Ying-hua

Wu Ying-hua ) was a famous Chinese teacher of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan. She was born in Beijing and died in Shanghai. She was the eldest daughter of Wu Chien-ch'uan, the best known teacher of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan...

 and Ma Yueh-liang continued to teach in Taijiquan until their deaths. They taught a large number of students in Shanghai and in their travels to New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 and elsewhere. They published several books on Wu style Taijiquan. Ma Yueh-liang and Wu Ying-hua's Wu style sword/weapons book includes a family picture with several of their closest students. Ma Yueh-liang also publicly practiced a number of formerly closed door (private or family secret) forms and methods so that that they would not be lost. In public, Wu Ying-hua

Wu Ying-hua

Wu Ying-hua ) was a famous Chinese teacher of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan. She was born in Beijing and died in Shanghai. She was the eldest daughter of Wu Chien-ch'uan, the best known teacher of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan...

 would often demonstrate the Wu style Slow Set and Ma Yueh-liang would follow by demonstrating the Wu Style Tai Chi Fast Form

Wu Style Tai Chi Fast Form

The different slow motion solo form training sequences of t'ai chi ch'uan are the best known manifestation of t'ai chi for the general public. In English, they are usually called the hand form or just the form; in Mandarin it is usually called ch'uan ....

. Ma Yueh-liang taught many high level students, among whom was Fei Gua-ching who is still active in the Jianquan Taijiquan Association in Shanghai. Li Li-Qun  is one of Grandmaster Ma's oldest and closest living students. He was the deputy vice-secretary of the Jianquan Association (Chien Chaun Association) in Shanghai under masters Ma and his wife Wu Ying Hua.

Ma Yueh-liang and Wu Ying-hua

Wu Ying-hua

Wu Ying-hua ) was a famous Chinese teacher of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan. She was born in Beijing and died in Shanghai. She was the eldest daughter of Wu Chien-ch'uan, the best known teacher of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan...

 are survived by their children and grandchildren, including: Ma Jiangchun (b. 1931), Dr. Ma Hailong (b. 1935), Ma Jiang Bao

Ma Jiang Bao

Ma Jiang Bao is a well known teacher of Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan. He is the third son of Wu Ying-hua and Ma Yueh-liang. In 1986 he came with is father Ma Yueh-liang to Europe to teach Wu style. Ma Yueh-liang returned home after four months. Ma Jiang Bao stayed and lives now in Rotterdam...

 (b. 1941) and Ma Jiangling (b. 1947). Ma Jiang Bao

Ma Jiang Bao

Ma Jiang Bao is a well known teacher of Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan. He is the third son of Wu Ying-hua and Ma Yueh-liang. In 1986 he came with is father Ma Yueh-liang to Europe to teach Wu style. Ma Yueh-liang returned home after four months. Ma Jiang Bao stayed and lives now in Rotterdam...

 lives in the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 and teaches traditional Taijiquan throughout Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

. Their adopted daughter Shi Mei Lin

Shi Mei Lin

Shi Mei Lin is a teacher of Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan. She is the adopted daughter of Wu Yinghua and Ma YueliangA Wushu and Tai Chi champion in the 1970s and 1980s, she toured with Chinese Wushu teams internationally, including the United States in 1974 when she was part of an elite Chinese Martial...

 now lives and teaches Wu style Taijiquan in New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. She also has students in France and in the United States (Tucson, Arizona

Arizona

Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...

).

External links

• Google video of Ma Yueh-liang performing Wu style fast form
• Quicktime movie of Ma Yueh-liang performing 13 posture spear form
• Youtube video of Ma Yueh-liang Taiji sword form
• Ma Yueh-liang pushing hands, Shanghai
• Ma Yueh-liang pushing hands Yong Nian Taiji Festival
• Ma Yueh-liang Pushing hands, New Zealand 1990
• Interview with Ma Yueh-liang by Bill Moyers
  Bill Moyers
  Bill Moyers is an American journalist and public commentator. He served as White House Press Secretary in the United States President Lyndon B. Johnson Administration from 1965 to 1967. He worked as a news commentator on television for ten years. Moyers has had an extensive involvement with public...
  
  
• Wu Ying Hua and Ma Yueh Liang interview in New Zealand 1990
• Wu Ying Hua and Ma Yueh Liang
• A Tribute to Ma Yueh Liang
• Ma Jiang-bao's Traditional Wu style Taijiquan website
• Wu style Taijiquan website: Shanghai