Yang Chengfu
Encyclopedia
Yang Chengfu or Yang Ch'eng-fu (1883–1936) is historically considered the best known teacher of the soft style
martial art of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan (Yang-style Taijiquan).
and grandson of Yang Lu-chan. With his older brother Yang Shao-hou
(楊少侯) and colleagues Wu Jianquan (吳鑑泉) and Sun Lutang (孫錄堂), he was among the first teachers to offer T'ai chi ch'uan instruction to the general public at the Beijing
Physical Culture Research Institute from 1914 until 1928. He moved to Shanghai
in 1928.
Yang Chengfu is known for having "smoothed" out the somewhat more vigorous training routine he learned from his family as well as emphasising a "large frame" or "Da Jia 大架" with expansive movements in stepping and using large circular motions with the arms. His smooth, evenly-paced large frame form and its hundreds of offshoots has been the standard for Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan (and overwhelmingly in the public imagination for T'ai chi ch'uan in general) ever since.
Yang Chengfu is the official author of two books on the style, Application methods of Taijiquan, published in 1931, and Essence and Applications of Taijiquan (Taijiquan Tiyong Quanshu), published in 1934. His second book was translated into English in 2005.
(Dong Yingjie, 董英杰, 1898–1961), Chen Weiming, Fu Zhongwen
(Fu Chung-wen, 1903–1994), Li Yaxuan (李雅轩, 1894–1976) and Cheng Man-ch'ing
. Each of them taught extensively, founding groups teaching T'ai chi to this day. Cheng Man-ch'ing, perhaps the most famous outside of China, significantly shortened and simplified the traditional forms Yang taught him after his teacher's passing, reportedly to make them more accessible to larger numbers of students. Although Cheng's modifications are considered controversial by most other schools and are not recognized by the Yang family, Cheng Man-ch'ing is known as the first to teach T'ai chi ch'uan (Taijiquan) in the West.
His sons have continued to teach their father's Taijiquan, including his first son, the late Yang Zhenming (1910–1985) (a.k.a. Yang Shaozhong, Yang Shao-Chung, Yeung Shao-Chung; 楊守中), who brought Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan to Hong Kong
, his second son Yang Zhenji (born 1921, current head of the family), his third son, Yang Zhen Duo
(楊振鐸, born 1926), living in Shanxi
Province, who is widely considered the most prominent of the Yang family T'ai chi ch'uan instructors living today, and his fourth son, Yang Zhen Guo, born in 1928, and living in Hebei
Province, Handan
City.
Note: These are legendary or semi-legendary figures in the lineage, which means their involvement in the lineage, while accepted by most of the major schools, isn't independently verifiable from known historical records.
Neijia
Nèijiā is a term in Chinese martial arts, grouping those styles that practice nèijìng , usually translated as internal martial arts, occupied with spiritual, mental or qi-related aspects, as opposed to an "external" approach focused on physiological aspects...
martial art of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan (Yang-style Taijiquan).
Biography
He was born into the famous Yang Taijiquan family, the son of Yang Chien-houYang 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...
and grandson of Yang Lu-chan. With his older brother 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...
(楊少侯) and colleagues Wu Jianquan (吳鑑泉) and Sun Lutang (孫錄堂), he was among the first teachers to offer T'ai chi ch'uan instruction to the general public at the Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
Physical Culture Research Institute from 1914 until 1928. He moved to 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...
in 1928.
Yang Chengfu is known for having "smoothed" out the somewhat more vigorous training routine he learned from his family as well as emphasising a "large frame" or "Da Jia 大架" with expansive movements in stepping and using large circular motions with the arms. His smooth, evenly-paced large frame form and its hundreds of offshoots has been the standard for Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan (and overwhelmingly in the public imagination for T'ai chi ch'uan in general) ever since.
Yang Chengfu is the official author of two books on the style, Application methods of Taijiquan, published in 1931, and Essence and Applications of Taijiquan (Taijiquan Tiyong Quanshu), published in 1934. His second book was translated into English in 2005.
Students and Descendants
His direct descendants, the many students he taught, and their students, have spread the art around the world. Among Yang Chengfu's students were famous masters such as Tung Ying-chiehTung Ying-chieh
Tung Ying-chieh was an influential teacher of t'ai chi ch'uan. He was born in Hebei, China. A senior student of Yang Chengfu , he originally studied Wu -style tai chi chuan as a young man. Tung also studied with Chengfu's older brother Yang Shao-hou and was the founder of Dong Tai Chi...
(Dong Yingjie, 董英杰, 1898–1961), Chen Weiming, Fu Zhongwen
Fu Zhongwen
Fu Zhongwen was a respected T'ai chi ch'uan teacher and author from China. From an early age, he had been a disciple of Yang Chengfu, and later a family member as he married Zou Kuei Cheng, the great-granddaughter of Yang Chien Hou....
(Fu Chung-wen, 1903–1994), Li Yaxuan (李雅轩, 1894–1976) and 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...
. Each of them taught extensively, founding groups teaching T'ai chi to this day. Cheng Man-ch'ing, perhaps the most famous outside of China, significantly shortened and simplified the traditional forms Yang taught him after his teacher's passing, reportedly to make them more accessible to larger numbers of students. Although Cheng's modifications are considered controversial by most other schools and are not recognized by the Yang family, Cheng Man-ch'ing is known as the first to teach T'ai chi ch'uan (Taijiquan) in the West.
His sons have continued to teach their father's Taijiquan, including his first son, the late Yang Zhenming (1910–1985) (a.k.a. Yang Shaozhong, Yang Shao-Chung, Yeung Shao-Chung; 楊守中), who brought Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, his second son Yang Zhenji (born 1921, current head of the family), his third son, Yang Zhen Duo
Yang Zhen Duo
Yang Zhenduo , a native of Yongnian Hsien County, Hebei, was born in Beijing, China, into the famous Yang family of martial artists...
(楊振鐸, born 1926), living in Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
Province, who is widely considered the most prominent of the Yang family T'ai chi ch'uan instructors living today, and his fourth son, Yang Zhen Guo, born in 1928, and living in Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
Province, Handan
Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
City.
Legendary Figures
Note: These are legendary or semi-legendary figures in the lineage, which means their involvement in the lineage, while accepted by most of the major schools, isn't independently verifiable from known historical records.
Five major classical family styles
External links
- Yang Family Website
- Yang Chengfu Tai Chi Posture
- Dong Tai Chi home page
- Authentic Yang Tai Chi
- Yang Shouchung Disciple's Website
- Yang Cheng-Fu Biography
- Yang Chengfu - Martial Arts Lineage Project
- Several pages comparing the solo form postures of Yang Chengfu and Dong Yingjie