Introduction to Yang Style Tai Chi. Master Simon Wong

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1 TAI CHI Introduction to Yang Style Tai Chi

2 INTRODUCTION

3 PREFACE When people ask me the difference between Karate and Kung Fu, I often quip, with all due respect, that Karate is stiff and Japanese and Kung Fu is loose and Chinese. Several months into my Kung Fu training at the Yellow Dragon Centre it was emphasised that I should begin to learn Tai Chi as well, as I was getting too rigid. I was learning fairly well about the economy of movement - a block and strike in one - but I needed to become more like a supple reed, and not like a brittle wood which does not bend but breaks. While part of what makes Yellow Dragon Fist Kung Fu unique is that it incorporates elements of Yang Family Tai Chi, clearly I was becoming unbalanced. I had been seeking overall balance in my hurried life when I very first came to the Centre. Now it was time to balance what I was learning inside the Centre. The Tai Chi class began similarly to the Kung Fu class. We closed our eyes, and with the scent of incense buoyed along by the breeze and trickling water from the aquariums around the room and our feet on the wood warehouse floor, we began our Chi Kung breathing (legs gently bent, arms around a tree). We tapped into something so soft and simple that it's overlooked by many people. I do not know how many breaths I have left, but hopefully more than I can count. All of my breaths (from the stomach through the nose) now add to my health and don't borrow from it - and that is a hint of eternity. Imagine doing something as slowly, slowly as possible. Whether we think of it as kinetics or aesthetics, the timeless Tai Chi walk gives us a much better understanding of the balance, grace and power of our own gravity and energy. With the outside world moving so fast, internal equilibrium comes from slowing down at times. Kneejerk movements can be necessary (indeed Kung Fu teaches us new instincts in this sense), and from them we learn that unthinking movement is possible. But so refreshingly clear yet focused is the mind and body that we can be moving at a barely discernible speed without thinking about it at all. As the years and world flash by it becomes more and more important to lose oneself at times in the slowness of one's actions. Sifu Wong's most impressive movement, I believe, is a pushing of the arms straight out in front 4 as he steps. The sound he gets from the air is as a master to a wind instrument. With the Yang Family form we try to float in and carve out the air around us. We can only attempt to get Sifu's sound out of the air by totally relaxing and then snapping forward. And we can only correctly arrive at this rather sudden movement by warming up internally with these slow beginnings. Forget about muscle and lungs, heaving and deliberate. Breathing out from the stomach through the nose at the same time that we step, with our tendons whipping forward is true power and not mere exertion. The Yellow Dragon arts practiced in a balanced environment are in part what good music should be: tight but loose. Dr Clinton Orr Ph.D. Graduate of Cambridge University, Tai Chi and Kung Fu student of Master Wong for many years.

INTRODUCTION The origins of Tai Chi According to one well-known story, Tai Chi Chuan was the invention of the Taoist martial artist Chan Sang-Feng, inspired by observing a battle between a crane and

4 INTRODUCTION The origins of Tai Chi According to one well-known story, Tai Chi Chuan was the invention of the Taoist martial artist Chan Sang-Feng, inspired by observing a battle between a crane and a snake over a morsel of food. Each time the crane lunged for the snake, it would coil back out of reach. Each time the snake extended itself in a counter-attack, the bird would step back and sweep the attacker away with its wings. According to various commentators, Chan Sang-Feng was a Taoist monk of the Wudang temple in western China, and may have lived at some time from 970 to 1450 AD. Others have maintained that there was no such individual, and different Tai Chi schools and styles have their own favourite theory or founder legend. In any case, it is almost certainly not the case that Tai Chi Chuan was the invention of any one historical or mythical figure. What Chan Sang-Feng did, if it was he, was rather to draw upon and bring together a number of ancient traditions of martial arts, exercise systems, and methods of spiritual cultivation. Of these we can point in particular to the hard style Kung Fu fighting systems of the Buddhist monks of the Shaolin temple, and the chi kung techniques of breath control and of marrow washing and sinew training. By the time of Chan Sang-Feng, these chi gung techniques had been developed by the Shaolin monks and by Taoist masters, in Wudang mountain and elsewhere, to a very deep level. They were practices that went beyond strengthening the body - they were intended to envigorate the chi, prolong life, and aid the ultimate goal of achieving enlightenment. Again, the chi gung and Kung Fu systems have their own legendary origins - in the Buddhist tradition, they are traced back to the arrival from India of Da Mo (Bodhidharma in Sanskrit) at the Shaolin temple in the sixth century AD. Although the Da Mo story suggests the influence of Indian yoga and meditation practices, it is also the case that there are earlier mentions of indigenous Chinese exercise systems, sometimes based on the movements of animals, and traditionally reaching as far back as the fabled Yellow Emperor. Coming back to more recent history, all the main styles of the art we now know as Tai Chi can be traced to Chen village in Wen county, Henan province. Chen village, like many in China, was so called because all its inhabitants shared the surname Chen, and the Chen clan guarded their Tai Chi jealously from outsiders. Although the tradition is that Tai Chi was taught to the Chen villagers by a master trained in the lineage of Chan Sang-Feng, and the similarities between Tai Chi and Wudang internal arts seem to INTRODUCTION 5

bear this out, there are others after hearing of the power of the fighter who did much to who believe that Tai Chi was indigenous to Chen village.

Yang persuaded Chen Chang Xin to teach him the art when, after spying on the master training his popularise Tai Chi in his travels within China, and was also invincible.

demonstrate a higher level of Yang form, evenly paced and new Yang style Tai Chi from the skill than any of the official without flying kicks and the Chen heritage that brought Tai pupils.

5 bear this out, there are others after hearing of the power of the fighter who did much to who believe that Tai Chi was indigenous to Chen village. Whilst Chen style Tai Chi still exists today, and is nowadays Chen family martial art. Yang persuaded Chen Chang Xin to teach him the art when, after spying on the master training his popularise Tai Chi in his travels within China, and was also invincible. In his public classes, Yang Cheng-Fu taught a INTRODUCTION taught outside the family village, students at night, he was able to simplified version of the original it was the development of the demonstrate a higher level of Yang form, evenly paced and new Yang style Tai Chi from the skill than any of the official without flying kicks and the Chen heritage that brought Tai pupils. After years of study, Yang strength explosions (Fa Jing) that Chi to prominence in China, and returned to his home village of are the summit of Tai Chi combat later generations of the Yang Yung Nien where he acquired a training. This form is the family who brought the art to the reputation as Yang the ancestor of most of the Yang west. invincible, defeating all style Tai Chi taught today. Yang Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan challengers yet baffling them with the softness of the style. On Cheng-Fu s oldest son was Yang Shou-Chung (also The system taught in this book is a version of Yang Ming), taught father s Chenwho his style Yang style Tai Chi widely from Chuan, of which his base in Hong Kong Master and established the Wong is a sixth generation the basis of this reputation, Yang International Tai Chi Chuan master. Although the style has was invited to teach at the Association (ITCCA). Master developed, and variants of it imperial court in Peking, where Wong s teacher was Master Chu have diverged as it has been he had the chance to test his style King-Hung, one of Yang Shou- passed down through six against the greatest fighters from Chung s three closest disciples generations, it is still all over China, and, so they say, and his successor as head of the recognisably the creation of its remained undefeated. ITCCA. founder Yang Liu-Sim (also Master Wong s lineage stems called Yang Lu-Chan, Yang Fu- from Yang Liu-Sim s third son, Kui). Yang Liu-Sim s teacher Yang Kim-Hou (also called Yang Darius Sokolov MSc was Chen Chang Xin of Chen Jian-Hou), who with his brother Graduate of LSE and Tai Chi village. According to one story, Yang Ban-Hou continued to and Kung Fu student of Master Yang Liu-Sim ( ) was teach the imperial court and Wong for many years. a poor farmer s son who maintain their father s legacy. obtained work as a servant in Yang Kim-Hou s third son Yang Chen Chang Xin s household Cheng-Fu was another renowned 6

YELLOW DRAGON TAI CHI FAMILY TREE CHEUNG SAN FUNG (960-1126AD) INTRODUCTION VARIOUS TAOISTS DETAILS UNCERTAIN

(1839-1917) YANG CHEN-FU (1883-1936) YANG SOW-CHUN CHU KIM-HING &SIMON WONG CHU KIM-HING MASTER SIMON WONG This

6 YELLOW DRAGON TAI CHI FAMILY TREE CHEUNG SAN FUNG ( AD) INTRODUCTION VARIOUS TAOISTS DETAILS UNCERTAIN CHEN CHANG-XING (CHEN STYLE) ( ) YANG LIU-SIM (YANG STYLE) ( ) YANG CHEN-FU YANG KIM-HOU ( ) YANG CHEN-FU ( ) YANG SOW-CHUN CHU KIM-HING &SIMON WONG CHU KIM-HING MASTER SIMON WONG This family tree includes only the main proponents of the style that we have knowledge of and is not intended to be comprehensive. 7

7 W A R M- U P E XERCISES

WARM-UP EXERCISES WARMUP EXERCISES 1 Stand relaxed, with your feet shoulder width apart and legs slightly bent. Your back should be straight with your hands relaxed and placed on your waist.

8 WARM-UP EXERCISES WARMUP EXERCISES 1 Stand relaxed, with your feet shoulder width apart and legs slightly bent. Your back should be straight with your hands relaxed and placed on your waist. Turn your head slowly to the left then to the right, while keeping the rest of your body straight and facing forward. Repeat 10 times. 2 From the same position this time lower your head forward bringing your chin toward your chest, then slowly lift your head up and backward. Repeat 10 times. 9

9 WARMUP EXERCISES 3 Next, in the same stance rotate your head slowly in a circular motion clockwise 10 times then anti-clockwise 10 times. 10

10 T A I C HI C H I K UNG

CHI KUNG BREATHING EXERCISES Chi Kung is an ancient system of deep breathing exercises. Its history can be traced back over 3000 years to ancient China.

11 CHI KUNG BREATHING EXERCISES Chi Kung is an ancient system of deep breathing exercises. Its history can be traced back over 3000 years to ancient China. Through the development of Chi Kung, many seemingly impossible tasks can be achieved. These Chi Kung exercises will cause one s hormone secretion to accelerate, enhancing one s health, energy and sexual prowess. With prolonged practice one will be able to enjoy warmth, prolonged life and regain youthfulness. Holding the Tai Chi Ball Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, arms relaxed at your side. Your back should be straight, knees slightly bent with your head facing forward (imagine being suspended by a string from the top of your head) and your body relaxed. Slowly raise your arms in front of you to shoulder height, with elbows pointing out but down slightly. Your palms should be facing inward toward your chest, with your fingers open slightly. The posture should resemble someone hugging a large tree. It is important to keep the shoulders relaxed as beginners will naturally hunch their shoulders using the shoulder muscles to hold the posture. This should be avoided and the whole of your body should be kept relaxed. Once standing in the correct posture you should then concentrate on your breathing. Keep your mouth closed with your tongue touching the roof of your mouth (this is to allow the chi to circulate freely round the body). When breathing in you should breathe from the stomach area and not the chest. As you breathe in the stomach is inflated and when you breathe out the stomach deflates. This allows the breath to reach the dantien area (located a couple of inches below the navel). This exercise should initially be be practiced for a couple of minutes, increasing the more you practice. TAI CHI CHI KUNG 17

Men should begin with the left hand just below the belly button with the right hand on top, women with left hand on

12 WU CHI By using the Yin to help the Yang, and the Yang to help the Yin, this exercise moves the chi and the blood throughout the whole of the body, and builds the store of chi in the dantien. Men should begin with the left hand just below the belly button with the right hand on top, women with left hand on top of right. Breathe as previously described. TAI CHI CHI KUNG From here bring your arms outward and upwards, breathing out. Move your arms up past the chest... 21

13 and begin to extend the arms from the elbow......until completely straight. TAI CHI CHI KUNG Move your arms inward, breathing in as you do so... 22

14 ...and back down towards the dantien... TAI CHI CHI KUNG...until back in the starting position. The exercise should be done 7 times. 23

15 T AI C HI E XERCISES

Your right arm should be in front of your body, palm facing down. Your weight is shifted slightly onto your left leg, and your hips turned 45.

16 TRACING CLOUDS A continuous flowing movement that will gently exercise the wrists and spine, whilst aiding balance and coordination. Start in a position with feet parallel, shoulder width apart. Bring your left arm out to the left side, palm facing you. Your right arm should be in front of your body, palm facing down. Your weight is shifted slightly onto your left leg, and your hips turned 45. TAI CHI EXERCISES Begin to move your left arm down slowly. At the same time bring your right arm up, turning your palm to face your body. As your arms move, follow your right hand with your eyes and begin turning your body slowly to the right. 35

Your right arms moves out to the right side of your body, palm facing you, with your left arm moving

17 Continue this movement......turning your hips 45 to the right, shifting your weight slightly onto your right leg. Your right arms moves out to the right side of your body, palm facing you, with your left arm moving in front of your body palm down. TAI CHI EXERCISES From here the movement is repeated in reverse, turning your body to the left side whilst moving your right hand down and your left hand up. 36

18 Now repeat the movement a further 6 times. TAI CHI EXERCISES 37

19 T A I C H I S HORT F ORM

20 TAI CHI SHORT FORM 1a Begin with your feet together. 1b Bow (right hand fist, left hand palm) TAI CHI FORM 2a Open feet to your left, shoulder width apart. Make sure your feet are parallel. 2b Bring both arms up slowly... 50

21 2c...keeping them relaxed... 2d...until level with your shoulders, fingers pointing downward. TAI CHI FORM 2e Now begin to lower your arms, with fingers pointing upwards. 2f As your hands pass your chest, bend your knees slightly. 51

Bring your left hand across to grip your right wrist, with just the toe

22 3a Your right hand now comes around in a small clockwise circle and makes a fist. 3b ground. Bring your left hand across to grip your right wrist, with just the toe touching the TAI CHI FORM 3c...at the same time moving your left foot next to your right 3d At this point most of your weight is on the right foot. 52

4a Now step forward and outward with your left foot.

bent with palm facing you; your right arm moves to the right side of your body, palm

23 4a Now step forward and outward with your left foot. 4b You should step so that your left foot is shoulder width from your right, and the same distance forward. TAI CHI FORM 4c As you step, your left arm moves out in front of your body, slightly bent with palm facing you; your right arm moves to the right side of your body, palm facing the floor. 4d Your weight should be centred, your front leg bent so that your knee is over your toe, and the back leg slightly bent. Make sure that your shoulders are straight. 53

24 5a Shift your weight onto your left leg... 5b...turning your hips 90 to the right, with just the toe of your right foot touching the ground. TAI CHI FORM 5c As you turn, your hands come together... 5d... holding the ball in front of your body. 54

5e Now place the heel of your right foot where the toe had

From here turn your hands so that the left palm is facing up,

25 5e Now place the heel of your right foot where the toe had been, and transfer your weight forward. 6a down. From here turn your hands so that the left palm is facing up, the right palm facing As you shift your weight, your left foot turns in 45. TAI CHI FORM 6b Your hands now move into the left side of your body... 6c...as if you were pulling something toward you. 55

26 TAI CHI FORM APPLICATIONS

27 TAI CHI FORM APPLICATIONS Block punch From form: move 2 Opponent punches, left arm. Bring your right arm up... APPLICATIONS 94

28 ...block, hitting the bottom of your opponent s arm with the back of your hand to deflect the punch. Jab with fingers into chest. APPLICATIONS 95

29 Wrist Lock From form: move 3 Opponent grabs your right arm with their right arm. Move your right arm up... APPLICATIONS 96

30 and place your left hand on top of their hand, gripping tightly. Bring right hand underneath opponent s arm. and apply downward pressure onto opponents wrist. As opponent goes down, bring your knee into their face. APPLICATIONS 97

31 We hope you have enjoyed this free sample! The complete book is 130 pages and includes the following: *The complete Yang Style Tai Chi form - 32 moves *8 Chi Kung Deep Breathing Exercises to increase your energy, strengthen bones and keep intenal organs healthy *4 Tai Chi Chi Kung Exercises to improve balance, co-ordination and health *15 self defence applications from the Tai Chi form The book is available in 3 formats: 1) a download from our website in PDF format 2) high quality CD-ROM version, including the Tai Chi Form Video 3) printed version for details of how to order, click here to go to our website

Master Simon Wong is a distinguished practitioner of both the internal and external Chinese martial arts. He is known and respected throughout the martial arts community.

In this book Master Wong presents a Yang Style form, illustrated by numerous photographs and explained by means of step-by-step written instructions, though without unnecessary technicalities.

32 Master Simon Wong is a distinguished practitioner of both the internal and external Chinese martial arts. He is known and respected throughout the martial arts community. Through his teacher Chu King- Hung, he traces his lineage in Tai Chi Chuan directly back to Yang Cheng-Fu, the founder of the modern version of Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan. In this book Master Wong presents a Yang Style form, illustrated by numerous photographs and explained by means of step-by-step written instructions, though without unnecessary technicalities. Also, he introduces the student to the self-defence applications of the form, again in a way which is practical and easy to understand. Master Wong has an exceptional talent for making complex matters simple and accessible. This book is the result of his many years experience. It will be a valuable asset to all practitioners of Tai Chi Chuan, particularly those who do not have regular access to a teacher. Dr. R. W. Dyson is a graduate of Durham University, professional academic & author. He is a Tai Chi, Chi Kung & Self Defence Instructor under Master Wong, holds a 3rd Dan in Karate and is a practising Buddhist.

TAI CHI SHORT HAND FORM CLASSICAL YANG STYLE Updated 10/03/ updates available from

TAI CHI SHORT HAND FORM CLASSICAL YANG STYLE Updated 10/03/2017 - updates available from www.taichichuan.org.uk During my 17 years learning of tai chi with Tony I have developed the following notes, both