TAI CHI CHUAN FAMILY TREE

The school of Tai Chi came into being during the Sung Dynasty, about 1101 AD. The Taoist Chang Shan Feng was actually the beginner of this school, consolidating into Tai Chi lessons drawn primarily from four pugilist of his time. Chang's real name was chang Tsung, seldom known to other people. He did not care much about his appearance. His wild beard and untidy clothing were not appealing to other people. But Chang was very healthy and robust, and had a very good appetite. During a journey to Wutang Mountain in Hupei Province, he became so fond of its beautiful scenery that he built a hut and lived there with several disciples for many years. Therefore, another name for tai chi was Wutang School.

Chang Shan Feng demonstrated his martial feats very remarkably. Once he personally disposed of more than 100 robbers who lurked on the way to prevent him from passing. His fighting skill had grown in fame since that time. It is said that Tai Chi pugilism was invented by Chang through his personal observation of the snake's fighting style. Another story regarding this is that Chang was taught the Tai Chi skill by a marvelous deity through a dream. However, this is just casual report of superstition which people should not put faith in.

Chang passed down his skill primarily to several persons, namely Wang Chun from Shensi Province, Chen Tung Fu from Kiang su Province, and Chang Tung Che from Hiyen who is a direct ancestor of Shum Fei Che. Since the time of the early Tsing dynasty, Tai Chi was divided into several branches: the old style, the new style, the quick styles, and the slow styles. The old style included 13 forms, while the new style added more movements and foot work. The quick style was practiced in a faster action, while the slow style was performed with a slower action.

Generally speaking, the Tai Chi school put more emphasis on the cultivation of the human mind and the promotion of health than it did on the improvement of fighting skills. Therefore, it belonged to the internal school, something related to the soft school which focused on flowing movements that were performed slowly in contrast with the Shaolin school which concentrated on the training of the ligaments and bones for good fighting skill.