Tai Chi or Taiji is short for Tai Chi Ch’uan a Chinese martial art.
It all started in the house of Chen and all Tai Chi can find its roots in the Chen Style. But Chen style itself didn’t suddenly appear from nowhere. The art is closely linked with the Chinese conception of health and body function which has a very long history going back several thousand years.
Chen 56
I have enjoyed my Chen style journey so far. We study the Chen 56 at the Seven Stars club, and I think it is a good introduction to Chen style given that it draws elements from both lao jia (old frame) routines.
It was fashioned into 56 movements by politics rather than by rooted knowledge of the art, but still provides an excellent starting point for understanding the underlying principles of the style and tai chi in general.
Yang Style
We study several yang style forms, Cheng Man Ching’s short form, Yang 108 long form, sword form and the “Dance of Equality” or sanshou.
Like many other disciplines, Tai Chi has developed in many different ways. Within the various styles, there are many approaches, some differences in the preferred form and technique, but all are joined by fundamental principles underpinning the art.
My teaching is based on the view that the best energetic flow through the body is achieved with postures and movement that reflect the martial application. The application is part of the way, but it’s how you achieve it, through internal development, that allows the forms to be used for health and meditation so successfully.
John Kells
John Kells founded the British Tai Chi Ch’uan Association in the 1970’s and by the time I arrived there in 1981 it was a thriving club that was still one of only a handful of places offering study of Tai Chi in the U.K. It is to John’s credit that he started this venture at such an early time in the expansion of Tai Chi in the west, and that in his classes were many of the future teachers of the art.
I am very grateful to him for getting me started on my own tai chi journey, and for spending so much time on my behalf. His own teacher Dr Chiang Tao Chi told me that one of his greatest gifts was his ability to sink into his root.
Dr. Chi Chiang Tao
In 1986 I made the first of three visits to Vancouver to study with Dr Chi .
He was an extremely gracious man with abilities that I had heard existed but had not experienced. In particular his softness and effortless ability to capture the root of an opponent and dispense with it, without force was extraordinary.
I would like to recommend Richard Farmer’s article honouring Dr Chi which can be found on the internet. http://www.risingdragontaichi.com/artchi.html
Grand Master Zhang Zhi Bin
I met Master Zhang in 2005 at a Taiji gathering in Vancouver. At the time I had been without a teacher for some time. He was very open with his knowledge and understanding of taiji . He has studied taiji and the other Chinese martial arts his whole life, and is particularly fond of Chen style and spear. His approach was just what I needed when we met. The taiji form is one of three things he said, ” offense, defense or change of fighting posture”.
Several members of the seven stars club learnt the rudiments of the Chen style 56 under Master Zhang’s guidance, from 2005 to 2011.
Cedar Lane Studio 