Wu Yuxiang (18 12- 1880) was born in Yongnian County, Guangping Prefecture, Zhili (now Yongnian County, Handan City, Hebei Province). Influenced by the times and family, he read classics and learned martial arts. His Tai Ji Chuan benefited from Chen Qingping (1795- 1868), a boxer in Qibao Town, wen county City.
It is said that Wu Yuxiang's younger brother Wu Clarification accidentally obtained Wang Zongyue's "Taiji Biography" in Wuyang Salt Shop and gave it to him. After Wu Yuxiang won Wang Zongyue's "Tai Ji Chuan Spectrum", he gradually became famous. After years of practicing boxing, he founded and edited the "Wu Pai" Tai Ji Chuan, which has been handed down to this day, with the help of the extraordinary theory of military experts, the theory of meridians and qi and blood of doctors, the breathing guidance of health care experts and the storage and distribution of martial artists. It can be seen that Tai Ji Chuan, the "Wu School", like many other kinds of boxing, is the embodiment of boxing in a certain historical stage, and is a martial artist with profound boxing skills and rich practical experience, who is good at summing up the experience of predecessors. Of course, these martial artists often deeply influence the descendants of literati. The successful descendants of scholars of later generations, with their own heterosexual experiences, continue to influence the inheritance and development of the Boxer Rebellion, just like the works of Li Yishe, a descendant of Wu Yuxiang, and Tai Ji Chuan, a descendant of Wu Yuxiang, still influence the descendants of Tai Ji Chuan, Yang, Wu Pai and Sun, and thousands of Tai Ji Chuan lovers.
( 1)
In the past 10 years, the history of Taiji Zhuan, a martial arts school, has been studied and sorted out by many boxers and scholars, and has been published in many books and periodicals one after another, so I won't repeat it here. Today, we can see that Wu Yuxiang has left behind only his boxing theories and boxing essentials such as Thirteen Actions Essentials, Tai Ji Chuan Explaining, Tai Ji Chuan Explaining, Thirteen Actions Outline, Four-character Secret, Boxer Disassembly and Eight-body Method Essentials. It is a great pity that people can't feel and appreciate Wu Yuxiang's boxing and martial arts because there is no image left. If all the descendants of Wu Yuxiang can inherit the essence of Tai Ji Chuan's martial arts and express it with words of body movements (as do other martial artists), then Tai Ji Chuan's family, Han Qinxian, Li Shengduan, Li Xiangyuan, Hao Zhongtian, Hao and Yan, the representatives of modern martial arts, can all mention it. They are all modern and influential people who promote the spread of Tai Ji Chuan.
The biography of Taiji, the earliest "Wu Pai" in book publishing after liberation, is the book Wu's Taiji Biography compiled and published by Mr. Hao Shaoru in the 1960s with his photos. This book can be said to be a summary of "Wu Pai" Tai Ji Chuan represented by Vivi. 1982 when I went to Shanghai to interview and solicit contributions, I tried to contact several predecessors of Tai Ji Chuan, including Fu Zhongwen, Ma Yue and Hao Shaoru, under the recommendation of Shanghai Wushu Association. After that, I only contacted Fu Zhongwen and Mr. Ma Yueliang, but Hao Shaoru failed to get in touch. Hao Shaoru died soon. Fortunately, through my friends in the Hong Kong martial arts circle, I later transferred the video of five Tai Ji Chuan representatives practicing Tai Ji Chuan in Shanghai 1964, in which Hao Shaoru practiced martial arts. Although the video took a little time, we can appreciate Hao Shaoru's Tai Ji Chuan boxing style.
Other books about Wu Pai and Wu-style Tai Ji Chuan, mainly concentrated in the north and northeast of Tai Ji Chuan, were not published until the late 1980s, such as A New Frame of Wu-style Tai Ji Chuan by Anhe Taiji Club (published in 1988) and Wu's Complete Works of Wu Pai and Tai Ji Chuan (published in 2000)
Due to the influence of personal factors and regional cultural factors, the inheritance of Tai Ji Chuan and Wu Pai can be roughly divided into four branches. First, Ma Rong, An and Wu were handed down from generation to generation by Han Qinxian, Li Shengduan and Li Xiangyuan who concentrated in Hebei and Beijing. Second, the descendants of Hao Shaoru, taking Hao Zhisun as the truth, such as Pu Gongda, Hao and Liu Jishun in Shanghai; The third is the Boxer Regiment in Guangfu, Hebei Province, which was handed down by the descendants of Li Yishe, represented by Yao Jizu. Fourth, Yan, a disciple who took Hao as the truth, was introduced to the Northeast.
It should be Mr. Hao Weizhen who plays an important role in the wide spread of Tai Ji Chuan. Li Yishe is the main inheritor of Wu Yuxiang's martial arts school Tai Ji Chuan. Li Yishe not only inherited Wu Yuxiang's boxing theory, but also enriched and refined it, which is of course inseparable from the combination of Li Yishe's theory and practice. After Li Yishe, Tai Chi circles regarded Wu Yuxiang and Li Yishe's Tai Chi theory, together with other sages' theories, as the classic theory of Tai Chi. By studying the theoretical practice of Wu Yuxiang and Li Yishe, it is proved that among the descendants of Li Yishe who had extensive communication with various schools in Wushu at that time, Hao Weizhen was afraid of being photographed. From Hao Weizhen's disciples, we can see Sun Lutang, who was in Peiping when he used to gossip about Xingyiquan, Yang Chengfu's men, and Yan, who practiced Xingyiquan since childhood and later developed in Northeast China. In addition, Hao Weizhen's disciple Li Xiangyuan often communicates with Yang Chengfu's disciples. Li Yaxuan, Yang Chengfu's favorite pupil, mentioned Li Xiangyuan's "... hard all his life, his body was full of twists and turns, especially his motivation was more substantial than anyone else's." He is really a good cook. " This evaluation shows that Li Yaxuan, who taught himself Yang Pai Tai Ji Chuan, can imagine that Hao Weizhen's disciples often communicate with friends in martial arts. Because Hao Weizhen's kung fu was recognized by the martial arts community at that time, and there was a great exchange between the North and the South, Tai Ji Chuan, Wu Pai spread all over the motherland, and Tai Ji Chuan, Wu Pai was also well known by the martial arts community.
(2)
The earliest introduction to the characteristics of Wu Pai and Tai Ji Chuan was Tai Ji Chuan School written by Mr. Wang in 1930s. He wrote ... Haopai (that is, Taiji Chuan, Martial Arts School) is especially good at using it, and its practice method is simple and clever. Its posture is the most compact, such as Laomei, all branches and leaves are gone, the circle is small, the number of roads is the simplest and the most economical. Also worthy of the relatives of Wu and Li. Mr. Hao Shaoru (1908- 1983) said that the characteristics of Wushu boxing are "focusing on Tai Chi (internal strength), focusing on internal strength, practicing spirit with will and refining spirit." "Every trend runs through the four essentials of opening and closing"; "This posture is based on Chiang Kai-shek ... based on the middle of the tail, emphasizing from the inside out; Strictly distinguish between reality and falsehood in footwork; The technique is mainly vertical palm, but the hand only has toes, and the left and right hands are in charge of half the body, so they can't cross casually; Emphasize the organic coordination and unity of body posture, footwork and technique; Emphasize the consistency inside and outside, and lead the movement of modeling with the change of modeling. " Mr. Yao Jizu (19 17- 1998) said that the characteristic of Wupai boxing is opening and closing. When you walk, you will open it all, open it for your hair and exert your strength. When practicing, the body is dominated by the transformation of internal qi and internal strength, so that the transition from opening to closing to opening and mutual change gradually fades. Mr Wu (1928-) made a detailed analysis. He said that the characteristics of Wu Pai's Tai Ji Chuan potential are "concise and concise; It is not a flower method, but it is very practical. " Wu believes that the arrangement of Wushu boxing routines is easy before difficult, step by step, simple and appropriate, and highlights key points. Boxing pays attention to opening and closing, five bows and eight methods, clear technique, compact and meticulous, small circle, inward and outward, stretching the atmosphere. The walking frame is flexible in body, stable in movement, sensitive in operation, stable in center of gravity and supported on all sides; Left and right sides are connected for protection; Hands around the waist, fingers stretched, let nature take its course. Mentally, it is required to be calm and relaxed, calm and calm, and guide the operation of boxing with heart. Walking fighters demand to be a family with spirit, meaning, spirit and shape, and to be integrated inside and outside.
Hao Shaoru is the grandson of Hao Weizhen. Yao Jizu's first teacher Han Qinxian (1885- 1958) is Hao Weizhen's disciple, while Yao Jizu's apprentice Li Xunzhi (1882- 1944) is Hao Weizhen's younger brother, and most of his skills were handed down by Hao. After 1950, Yao Jizu studied pushing hands with Hao disciple Zhang Zhenzong (1882- 1956) for many years. Wu is Hao Weizhen's second disciple. The three of them represent three branches of modern development of Wupai Boxing, and their understanding of Wupai Boxing Tai Ji Chuan is roughly the same. As for flexible application and practical operation, it is a higher level of Tai Ji Chuan's self-cultivation and the key to his profound self-cultivation and skill.
(3)
Before 1980s, Tai Ji Chuan, a martial arts school, was mostly confined to the master's teaching skills at home or in some inconspicuous places, and few people learned it. I'm afraid Mr. Ma Rong, who was the chairman of Handan Wushu Association before the "Cultural Revolution", can say it. Mr. Ma Rong (19 12-]965) vigorously promoted all kinds of martial arts in Handan, so that "Wu Pai" Tai Ji Chuan was spread locally. Teacher Chen Guan has also taught many apprentices and students in Xingtai area. In 1960s and 1970s, Ma Rong, Chen Guan, Wu and other students often studied Tai Ji Chuan, martial arts and explored theories together. Hao Shaoru also took several disciples to learn Hao Tai Chi in Shanghai, among which Pu Gongda and others continued to spread Wu Pai Tai Chi. Yao Jizu has been working in Yongnian, and he also takes some disciples to practice boxing in his spare time. In Northeast China, Yan not only spread Tai Ji Chuan, but also taught Xingyiquan and Bagua Boxing.
1. Chen Guan, Wu Branch.
Before the 1980s, both An and Wu belonged to this branch, except Hao Shaoru, who was widely known by the martial arts community because of the publication of Tai Ji Chuan. Chen Guan and Mr. Wu are both apprentices of Han Qinxian, Li Shengduan and Li Xiangyuan in Hebei Province, and they are the great-grandchildren of Hao Weizhen, an important propagator who spread Wu Men Tai Ji Chuan. Judging from Hao Weizhen's second-generation disciples, including Li Shengduan, Han Qinxian, Li Xiangyuan and other masters, the professor's disciples are not limited to Han people, but also teach kung fu to nearby Muslims, and Mr. Chen Guan is one of them.
When studying art, Mr. Chen Guan and other disciples benefited from the personal guidance of Li Shengduan and Han Qinxian, which had a far-reaching impact on his later development.
Mr. Chen Guan was fascinated by martial arts when he was young. He absorbed the advantages of Eight Diagrams, Form, Meaning and Boxing, and integrated Tai Chi, Eight Diagrams, Form, Meaning and Meaning into a whole, making his skills refined and becoming a master among the descendants of contemporary Wu Pai in Tai Ji Chuan. In the 1930s and 1940s, he was famous for his superb boxing skills, conquering barbarians many times and defeating those who despised Tai Chi martial arts.
65438-0988 At the 2nd National Tai Ji Chuan Masters Seminar and Performance, Mr. Chen Guan explained Tai Ji Chuan's Kung Fu with his body language, agile posture, techniques and flexible use of his body, which won unanimous praise from the participants. At that Tai Chi seminar, the inheritance of Tai Chi Kung Fu and how to embody and use it were one of the contents. At that time, all Taiji teachers expressed their understanding and methods in various ways at the seminar, but Mr. Jiang Jiajun practiced Chen Jia and Mr. Chen Guan practiced martial arts. Mr Jiang Jiajun is over 40 years old, and Mr Chen Guan is 75 years old. On such occasions, it is necessary to express it in this way with skilled skills and rich practical experience. Therefore, this has also become a highlight of the second Taiji Master Seminar. Teacher Chen Guan expounded the application and embodiment of Tai Chi Kung Fu with his profound Tai Chi internal skills, the temperament of a martial artist, flexible posture changes, cold and crisp explosive strength, and his relaxed and steady pace to beat opponents. Unfortunately, some of the photos taken at the scene are damaged, and the only ones left will not be turned over for a while.
Among the descendants of Mr. Chen Guan, Chen, Gao Liancheng and others are also teaching boxing.
Mr Wu is Ann's younger brother. He went to Beijing to study when he was young. During the Cultural Revolution, Wu returned to his hometown nearly 10 years ago, so he had to get together with his fellow Taiji brothers from time to time to exchange and learn boxing, and his skills improved greatly. After the Cultural Revolution, Mr. Wu returned to work in Beijing. Since then, Mr. Wu has been devoted to the publicity and promotion of Wushu Tai Ji Chuan after work. Mr. Wu officially accepted the disciple's boxing, which was after the 1990 s. Mr. Wu's character is gentle and sincere. He usually practices boxing by himself and has no intention of showing it to outsiders. So many people don't know that he is proficient in boxing, but only know that he is a stroke in the Wulin. In fact, after decades of research and practice, Mr. Wu's skill is not shallow. Because of his in-depth study of boxing theory, on the other hand, it also helps him practice martial arts. He emphasized that "internal skills should be practiced and the spirit should be integrated", which is not only the experience of predecessors, but also the realm pursued by martial artists. When giving boxing, Mr. Wu emphasized the organic cooperation and unity of body posture, footwork and techniques, and emphasized the consistency between inside and outside, and the internal changes dominated the movement of appearances. Mr. Wu described his knowledge and understanding of Tai Ji Chuan in detail in his book "The Complete Book of Wu Pai and Tai Ji Chuan".
After Ann's death, Mr. Wu became the head of his department. Because he is modest and unpretentious, he is also respected by the descendants of other sects in Wumen, Tai Ji Chuan.
2. Hao Shaoru Shanghai Branch
After liberation, Tai Ji Chuan, a form of martial arts, was well known to the martial arts community, which depended on the promotion of Hao and Hao Shaoru's father and son in Shanghai. Especially 196 1, People's Sports Publishing House organized and published the Tai Ji Chuan series, published the book Tai Ji Chuan, a martial arts form based on Hao Shaoru's boxing frame, and published articles on Hao Shaoru's understanding of Tai Ji Chuan's martial arts form and his role in Tai Ji Chuan's boxing frame.
As mentioned earlier, Hao Weizhen has played a great role in the spread of modern Wushu-style Tai Ji Chuan in many places in China. Hao Yueru is the son of Hao Weizhen, and I believe that Hao Weizhen will pass on what he has mastered to Hao Yueru. Hao preached in Shanghai, and most of his disciples were intellectuals, such as Xu Zhen and others. But Xu Zhen and others have jobs and don't make a living by teaching boxing, so there are no successors. Hao Shaoru's son taught many apprentices, and organized and established the Tai Ji Chuan Association of Shanghai Wushu, and taught boxing to Pu Gongda, Liu Jishun, Tu Pengnian and others.
Hao, Han Qinxian, Li Xiangyuan and Li Shengduan are all disciples of Hao Weizhen. Therefore, the Shanghai Branch Library is the same as the Beijing Branch Library and Hebei Branch Library in Tai Ji Chuan in terms of boxing requirements, posture requirements and boxing methods. What we are seeing now is the difference in personal experience, understanding, knowledge and mastery of boxing.
From the article "Tai Ji Chuan's Walking Fighter" by Hao, we can see his experience in practicing Tai Ji Chuan, such as "Tai Ji Chuan is not in the form but in the position, not outside. When you walk on weekdays, you must study it and find out that you live a little looser and rounder. You must be arrogant, your whole body is like a balloon, your momentum is wide, and your body is hanging. " Hao and his son are very particular about holding chest, pulling back, wrapping hip, shoulder pad, jacking, hanging hip, loosening shoulder, sinking elbow, separating reality from reality, prancing, flashing, twisting tail and sinking breath. After Pu Gongda and Liu Jishun became the presidents and vice presidents of Tai Ji Chuan Wushu Association, they continued to spread their activities in Tai Ji Chuan. These principles and requirements have been handed down. For "starting, bearing, opening and closing", Hao's understanding is that "opening" is the beginning, and "closing" is the closing, opening in the middle, and closing again, without losing the top, just right everywhere.
"Support from all sides" and "self-sacrifice" are often emphasized by Hao and his descendants. Hao said: "Those who learn from Tai Ji Chuan must first seek the end." "Hold up the right hip with the left hip, the tail is in the center, and it can be supported on all sides in the center; If you can support it on all sides, you can rotate freely and have no strength. " "Eight-sided support" is Hao's emphasis on practicing boxing correctly and well, so as to achieve the purpose of being virtual, lively, natural and flexible and conforming to nature. When Pu Gongda and Liu Jishun explained their understanding of Tai Ji Chuan's characteristics and requirements, they also emphasized the role of "eight-sided support" and often demonstrated how to "give yourself up and follow others".
On 1986, in front of many experts from Tai Ji Chuan and scholars and researchers from Tai Ji Chuan, Pu Gongda and Liu Jishun demonstrated Tai Ji Chuan for the first time, showing the posture and boxing frame of holding out the chest, pulling back, loosening shoulders, sinking elbows and "eight-sided support". I remember that before this, I saw a coach practicing martial arts Tai Ji Chuan at the National Tai Ji Chuan Championship, but it was very different from Hao Jiachuan, in order to know the difference in understanding. Chen Guan, Wu and Yao Jizu were all invited not to attend the first National Tai Ji Chuan Masters Seminar. Therefore, Tai Ji Chuan's martial arts are only reflected from Pu Gongda and Liu Jishun, and their interpretation has attracted the attention of the participants, especially their frequent performances together, which can better reflect the norms of Hao Shaoru's boxing. It was not until 1988 that the Second National Taiji Master Seminar had the opportunity to witness the use of Wu's Taiji Shanghai Branch. At the second seminar, Mr. Liu Jishun demonstrated the usage of martial arts Tai Ji Chuan.
Skillful use is an application method to make the other party become a reality. As mentioned above, the characteristic of intellectual martial arts is the wonderful use of boxing, and Hao's father and son and their descendants are quite skilled. It is said that during the Republic of China, when Hao taught martial arts, he learned boxing skills from excellent boxers. He said that Hao showed the profound skill of letting the other side fall instantly, and his skills and art were wonderful. Unfortunately, he didn't have a chance to see their kung fu.
3. Yongnian branch
Yongnian is the hometown of Wu Yuxiang, the founder of five schools of Tai Ji Chuan, and Li Yishe, an important developer. Hao Weizhen, who is widely circulated in many places in China, is also from Yongnian. Modern Yongnian Boxers such as Li Xunzhi, Li, Fan and Zhang Zhenzong studied under Hao Weizhen. In modern times, the Taiji biography of practicing martial arts in Yongnian is mostly the descendants of these Boxers. It is also because the main boxers in Yongnian in modern times all studied under Hao Weizhen, so the deductive style of boxing routines is roughly the same as that of Hao descendants in Shanghai.
Yao Jizu is a representative figure of Tai Ji Chuan in Yongnian Modern Martial Arts School. Since 1950s, like many places in China, the development of Wushu activities in Yongnian has been restricted. At the end of 1970s, after the state reorganized and excavated martial arts, Tai Ji Chuan activities in Yongnian set off a new climax. Due to personal coincidence, Mr. Yao Jizu was not invited to attend the two Tai Chi master seminars held by 1986 and 1988, but he left some letters and photos, which is very regrettable. In Yongnian, Mr. Yao Jizu trained a group of Wu Pai Tai Ji Chuan fans, including, Zhai Weichuan, Ji Changhong, etc., who are still active on the stage.
In On Tai Ji Chuan, Yao Jizu inherited the research system of Wu Yuxiang, Li Yishe, Hao and others, and also asked later scholars to "stop by static", "watch by static", "be firm with softness" and "be strong with weakness" on the basis of the thirteen potentials, and then "accumulate softness to a certain extent, and finally change from quantitative to qualitative with the increase of energy accumulation. From Mr Yao Jizu's narration, we can see his understanding of Tai Ji Chuan's dialectics.
4. Northeast Branch
Yan, another descendant of Hao Weizhen, was the first person to spread martial arts to Tai Ji Chuan in Northeast China. At present, most fans of Tai Ji Chuan in Northeast Wu Pai are Yan's heavy disciples. Yan studied Shaolin, Xingyiquan and Bagua when he was young. Later, he met Hao Weizhen and changed to practice Tai Ji Chuan for Hao's boxing. Mr. Yan was a martial arts lover when he was young. After studying Tai Ji Chuan, he often practiced the single drill for hundreds of times. He is eager to learn and feel, and Tai Chi left a deep impression on him. Later, Yan went to Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, became friends with martial arts, and had close contacts with martial artists at that time. In the 1940s, Yan was invited by friends in the martial arts field in northern Yan to teach Wu-style Tai Ji Chuan in Fuyang, and only then did he spread Wu-style Tai Ji Chuan's boxing to the northeast. It is said that during the period of 10, Yan taught more than 600 apprentices, and dozens of them acquired skills. More prominent are, Bu, Liu Changchun and others.
Judging from the boxing frame practiced and the boxing methods mastered by the descendants of Tai Ji Chuan in modern Northeast Martial Arts School, it is slightly different from Beijing, Hebei and Shanghai, which is related to Yan's integration of Shaolin, Xingyiquan and Bagua Palm. According to the memory of Yan's descendants in Northeast China, Yan often naturally used some classic usages of Shaolin in form and meaning when boxing. The same is true for the descendants of Emperor Yan, but the skills handed down by Hao Weizhen are also well preserved.