Tchoung Ta-tchen
Encyclopedia
Tchoung Ta-tchen was a martial arts
teacher who developed his own version of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan. He died February 22, 2000.
As a young man Tchoung studied his family style of t'ai chi ch'uan and tui na
(massage). He also was a track athlete. He became a professional soldier and Army officer.
In 1943, he studied qigong and t'ai chi ch'uan with Abbott Hui Kung, at the Omei Monastery in Sichuan
province. He learned baguazhang
and I-ch'uan from his friend Wang Shu Chin and Xingyiquan
from his friend Yuan Tao.
Tchoung studied with Shi Tiao Mei who was a student of Tian Shaolin. Tian was a disciple of Yang Chien-hou
.
Tchoung Ta-tchen also studied with Hsiung Yang-ho who was one of the few disciples of Yang Shao-hou
. Hsiung also taught Tchoung's friend Liang Tsung-tsai. Tchoung and Liang were workout parters. Tchoung was also a pushing hands partner of Cheng Man-ch'ing
. Liang was Cheng's teaching assistant in Taiwan but had several other teachers as well. Kuo Lien Ying
was another of Tchoung's practice partners.
Tchoung was a member of the Taiwan based Chinese Tai Chi Ch'uan Association. The CTCCA was a multi style group of t'ai chi ch'uan masters. The CTCCA made Tchoung a delegate and he traveled to Africa to teach President Bongo
of Gabon
t'ai chi ch'uan. Tchoung then traveled to South Africa
where he taught for some time. Eventually he moved to Vancouver BC, Canada. He taught in Vancouver and Seattle Washington.
"Tchoung felt the previous generation's skill being lost or watered down was due to the concept of always holding a little back from the student (as well as intentional persecuting of the art and modernizing it on the mainland). So every generation lost a little more, so now even the top names were merely shells of the older art, very few had any real skill."
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....
teacher who developed his own version of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan. He died February 22, 2000.
Dual method of the Old Form of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan
Tchoung Ta-tchen developed his own form based on the Yang style of t'ai chi ch'uan.As a young man Tchoung studied his family style of t'ai chi ch'uan and tui na
Tui na
Tui na , is a form of Chinese manipulative therapy often used in conjunction with acupuncture, moxibustion, fire cupping, Chinese herbalism, t'ai chi, and qigong....
(massage). He also was a track athlete. He became a professional soldier and Army officer.
In 1943, he studied qigong and t'ai chi ch'uan with Abbott Hui Kung, at the Omei Monastery in Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
province. He learned 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 I-ch'uan from his friend Wang Shu Chin and Xingyiquan
Xingyiquan
Xingyiquan is one of the major "internal" or Wudang styles of Chinese martial arts. The word translates approximately to "Form/Intention Boxing", or "Shape/Will Boxing", and is characterized by aggressive, seemingly linear movements and explosive power...
from his friend Yuan Tao.
Tchoung studied with Shi Tiao Mei who was a student of Tian Shaolin. Tian was a disciple of Yang Chien-hou
Yang Chien-hou
Yang Chien-hou , was the younger son of the founder of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan, Yang Lu-ch'an, and a well known teacher of the soft style martial art of t'ai chi ch'uan in late Qing dynasty China. Yang Chien-hou's older brother, Yang Pan-hou, was the senior of Chien-hou's generation, and also...
.
Tchoung Ta-tchen also studied with Hsiung Yang-ho who was one of the few disciples of Yang Shao-hou
Yang Shao-hou
Yang Shaohou along with Yang Chengfu 楊澄甫 represent the third generation of Yang family taijiquan 楊氏太極拳.At birth he was named Yang Zhaoxiong and was later named Mengxiang, and then Shaohou, commonly known as "Mr...
. Hsiung also taught Tchoung's friend Liang Tsung-tsai. Tchoung and Liang were workout parters. Tchoung was also a pushing hands partner of Cheng Man-ch'ing
Cheng Man-ch'ing
Cheng Man-ch'ing was born in Yongjia , Zhejiang Province . He died March 26, 1975; his grave is near the city of Taipei. Cheng was trained in Chinese medicine, t'ai chi ch'uan, calligraphy, painting and poetry...
. Liang was Cheng's teaching assistant in Taiwan but had several other teachers as well. Kuo Lien Ying
Kuo Lien Ying
Kuo Lien Ying, born in Inner Mongolia, China, in 1895, was one of the most distinguished and revered martial artists of the twentieth century. He is credited with bringing the rare and powerful Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan to the United States.-Early years:...
was another of Tchoung's practice partners.
Tchoung was a member of the Taiwan based Chinese Tai Chi Ch'uan Association. The CTCCA was a multi style group of t'ai chi ch'uan masters. The CTCCA made Tchoung a delegate and he traveled to Africa to teach President Bongo
Omar Bongo
El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba , born as Albert-Bernard Bongo, was a Gabonese politician who was President of Gabon for 42 years from 1967 until his death in office in 2009....
of Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
t'ai chi ch'uan. Tchoung then traveled to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
where he taught for some time. Eventually he moved to Vancouver BC, Canada. He taught in Vancouver and Seattle Washington.
Continued Teaching of his System
His students who continue to teach his system include Andrew Dale, Harvey Kurland, Tim Glasheen, Peter Dickson, Laurens Lee and several others. Tchoung Ta-chen taught his evolving version of t'ai chi ch'uan in Vancouver, British Columbia, and in Seattle, Washington. His primary school was in Vancouver's Chinatown. He became a popular t'ai chi ch'uan teachers in the Pacific Northwest in the 1970s.Public Ceremony in 1986
Tchoung officially authorized a few of his advanced students to teach his system. In a public ceremony in 1986 Tchoung said only five students in the USA could teach his system at that time. Those students were Carey Brooks, Andrew Dale, David Harris, Harvey Kurland and Don Scott. There are several teachers of his system who are currently teaching including the following direct students in the United States: Andrew Dale, David Harris, Don Scott in Seattle, WA and Harvey Kurland in Riverside, CA. Several of his students are teaching in Canada including: Tim Glasheen in Vancouver, BC, Peter Dickson in Terrace, BC, John Camp in White Rock, BC, and Eric Eastman in Nelson, BC, Canada. Most of Tchoung's official students pictures can be found in Tchoung's text (Tchoung 1995).Philosophy
According to Kurland, "Tchoungs philosophy was to teach his students everything he could. Not hold back, as many teachers did. That is the reason so many students left their previous schools to study with him. He tells his students from the beginning that he can teach them the method, but it is up to them as to what they do with it. That is if they do not train hard, they will not achieve their potential. He says there are no magical secret, just hard training and coaching. He saw that there was a decay in t'ai-chi ch'uan quality in China and the world. That is the art was becoming conceptually a calisthenics exercise or performance art, and the old martial value and traditional method was being lost.""Tchoung felt the previous generation's skill being lost or watered down was due to the concept of always holding a little back from the student (as well as intentional persecuting of the art and modernizing it on the mainland). So every generation lost a little more, so now even the top names were merely shells of the older art, very few had any real skill."