Chen Taijiquan the past and the future?

[Taiji fan]

At one time, you hardly saw Chen style Taijiquan outwith the Chinese communities but now, the original taijiquan is really taking off....so what does that mean for taiji in general? The most widely practised style is said to be Yang style, but in all reality, it tends to be derevations of Yang style that are the most commonly known. How will this change with the upsurge in popularity of Chen style? Will more and more people come to understand what taijiquan is really all about, or will it suffer the same fate as Yang style and become watered down, and deconsrtructed by poorley informed teachers......will we have the beijing chen form etc.......

 

[East Winds]

Good post Taijifan!!

Can you imagine a Cheng Man-ching equivalent of Chen:erg: I think that Chen style is sufficiently strong to survive the Tai Cheese people. It is too overtly martial to succumb to the cotton wool brained hippy crystal gazers. It is also sufficeintly difficult to resist the "I've invented a new form" brigade. I have studied Chen style (Laojia) a little and it is truly a beautiful form. Had I not decided to pusue Traditional Yang, then this would have been the form for me. More power to its elbow.

Best wishes

Alistair Sutherland

 

[RobP]

"Can you imagine a Cheng Man-ching equivalent of Chen"

Yes, and it has probably already happened. After all, tai chi is a nice money spinner and teachers will always want to make it "more accesible" to a wider audience.

Then again from what I've seen of attendances at Chen style seminars, it looks to be pretty much the usual tai chi crowd.

At the moment it's popular in tai chi circles as it has a strong marketing angle - the original style, fast moves, overtly martial, etc, etc. That's ok as long as they can deliver on the promise. If not, another couple of years and it will be in the same position as the other styles.

 

[Taiji fan]

After all, tai chi is a nice money spinner and teachers will always want to make it "more accesible" to a wider audience.

which is part of what has turned taiji bad....ask half a dozen folk what taiji is and you will get everything form 'gentle exercise for old people' to meditation in motion.....or it used to be a martial art.....which lets face it that last statement is almost true.

It is too overtly martial to succumb to the cotton wool brained hippy crystal gazers

hey I have a few crystals but I know what you mean!

Then again from what I've seen of attendances at Chen style seminars, it looks to be pretty much the usual tai chi crowd.

thats a shame, I guess while people have the 'gentle dance' frame of reference, it is hard to get past that to people who may be interested in Chinese martial arts. I think we have a long way to go to change peoples attitudes, but if crap is being taught and thats all you ever see you can hardly be blamed for having that opinion of the art. :asian:

 

[East Winds]

RobP.

Yes, good points. There is no doubt that Chen is becoming as much commercialised as the other forms of Taijiquan. However it is up to us, the practioners, to demand high standards, both in the way we teach and the way we are taught. The more we can make "real" Taijiquan available and accessible, the less chance we have of groups like the Taoist Tai Chi Society promoting Tai Cheese.

Best wishes

Alistair Sutherland

P.S. I miss your excellent magazine!!

 

[Kodanjaclay]

I am not too familiar with this group. can you tell me more about them? I thought about taking some training from them; however, if they propagate tai Cheese, I am not interested.

Thanks,

 

[RobP]

If it's the Taoist group that used to be headed by Moy, with HQ in Canada - avoid them at all costs, it's awful stuff.

 

[East Winds]

Kodanjaclay,

Yes, they were headed by Moy Lin Shin until his death. Students were expressly forbidden by Moy to talk about or practice any martial aspect, although they have no difficulty teaching sword, sabre and Liu Ho Pa Fa. With no martial content???:erg: That about says it all!!!

Moy took Yang Cheng-fu's form and dropped most of Yangs 10 essences thereby tearing the heart out of the original form. As RobP says "Avoid them at all costs"

regards

Alistair Sutherland

 

[Kodanjaclay]

Thanks.

I appreciate it... How could they hope to be a Taoist Society? LOL.

 

[Taiji fan]

Re: Taoist Tai Chi.....

and they are not particularly nice to deal with either. I sent them some information about a course I was doing, after all they are doing a kind of Yang style, and I was told in no uncertain terms to bog off. So much for their openness in cultural exchange