Uptown Tai Chi Chuan

We are finally back indoors. St. Martin's Activity Center has re-opened.

We have one session left for this year - 12/20/2021 - Monday - and then we are back January 3, 2022.

Right now, classes are on Monday nights with the aim to add Wednesday back in soon. Class starts at 7 and goes until 8:30 PM

Everyone in class is expected to be vaccinated AND we practice masked since we are indoors.

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/houstonchronicle/obituary.aspx?n=chngde-wu&pid=196673952

Chngde Wu 1930 - 2020 - Obituary View Chngde Wu's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1554&fbclid=IwAR2PZTrooUTz-87aiXkXUVMYZHiVAmGjCMo8IbGq_FLimzAF5LscrSfUHGE

Welcome to KungFuMagazine

It is with a heavy heart that I let people know of an end of an era. I spent years learning Taijiquan, Kung Fu, and Qi Gong from Madam Wang Jurong and Dr. Wu Chengde. Madam Wang passed on Christmas Day in 2005. Dr. Wu celebrated his 90th birthday August 15, 2020. However, he passed away peacefully on August 17, 2020.

St. Martin's Activity Center is closed at least until April 4. So, no classes until the all clear is given for the virus outbreak. Everyone stay safe and healthy.

Class is meeting on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30 PM - normal time

But at the City of Bellaire Recreation Center. Thanks to the center there.

The St. Martin's Activity Center is undergoing some renovation and construction. Best guess right now is we will be able to resume classes there March 1.

This week, St. Martin's Activity Center is hosting their annual Autumn Gift of Giving bazaar so there will be no class. All goes back to normal next week.

To illustrate a couple of things about Chinese history, Wushu (martial arts) history, how things are not all good or all bad, and then how myth, legend, and simple misinformation can grow and make discerning the truth difficult, a good example to look at is Zaiyi – Prince Duan (or Tuan) who was part of the imperial court that was infamous under the Dowager Empress Cixi.

Records indicate that Prince Duan was born in 1856 and died in 1922. This means that he was born AFTER the first O***m War (1839–1842) that started the European powers carving out pieces of China for their own property and use. But, he was born at the start of the second O***m War (1856–1860) that ended with the opening of China to foreign trade… and in particular, o***m trade.

It is understandable that a member of the imperial family born at this time would not be predisposed to kind views towards anything non-Chinese. After all, if you factor out the o***m trade with the western nations, China had a trade SURPLUS. It was mostly self-sufficient with little interest in foreign made goods (though they WERE interested in manufacturing, industrial works, military goods – but they wanted to be able to make their own…)
When you factor in the o***m trade, however, China had a monstrous trade deficit that was bankrupting the nation. It was a strange situation. There were designated people allowed to trade with the foreigners. Trade was for goods from the Chinese in exchange for gold or silver. This gold or silver would have bankrupted the west had it actually been from their own coffers. Instead, they grew o***m and shipped in in to China. Granted, the o***m trade was illegal in China…but the o***m was traded for gold or silver. The gold or silver was then used to purchase the goods to go back to the west. Even factoring in the cost of o***m growth and shipment, the western powers made enough money in this sleight of hand to grow even wealthier and to weaken an already crumbling imperial China.

But, the O***m Wars are not the point…so let’s move on…
According to many sources…and keep in mind, when it comes to history of Taijiquan, a LOT of it is oral history, a lot hearsay, and a lot just plain wrong…. But, in any event, the story goes that Yang Luchan was invited to Beijing to teach the imperial family. Sources date this to 1850 or later. Then, some sources say that he was hired for that post by Prince Duan. That would be rather difficult given that Prince Duan would not be born for 6 more years.
However, if the 1850 time is correct, the information goes that Yang Luchan taught the imperial family until his death in 1872. It is a pretty safe bet that Yang Luchan had some contact and stories also say that he taught Prince Duan – who would have been 16 years old when Yang Luchan died.
In addition, while in Beijing, Yang Luchan taught Wu Yuxiang. Through Yang, Wu learned from Chen Qingping and combined what he learned to create what is today known as Wu or Wu/Hao Taijiquan.
Wu Yuxiang taught a nephew, Hao Weizhen. Hao later taught Sun Lutang who combined Hao’s Taijiquan with Xingyi and Bagua to create Sun’s version of Taijiquan.

Yang Luchan and his sons also taught Wu Quanyu and later his son, Wu Jianquan..the founders of the other Wu style of Taijiquan.
This all started with the imperial family promoting the development of Wushu (Chinese Martial Arts) by employing many well known teachers. It is clear from history that both Prince Duan and his brother, Zailan, were both involved at the highest level with the Boxers that participated in the Boxer Rebellion.

Prince Duan had a deep hatred for foreigners and was responsible for the imperial forces supporting the Boxers during the uprising. In fact, he was instrumental in introducing the head of the Boxers to Empress Dowager Cixi.
On one hand, you have a Prince Duan, a lover of his nation and its culture and a supporter of Wushu. But on the other, you have a political man who plotted to have all foreign influence and all foreigners removed from China either by them leaving or through their deaths.

In the end, his efforts weakened and already weak nation and bankrupted China further.

His anti-foreign sentiments were so strong that even after the rebellion and his subsequent exile and later re-emergence to help Puyi, the last emperor, he refused to eat at a military banquet that was served western style and was reported to be angry with his grandchildren for riding in trains since he viewed them as non-Chinese.

So, here you have a man that was extreme in many cases and responsible for a grave miscalculation that arguably hastened the end of the Qing dynasty and imperial China.

But, without him, ALL of the people throughout the world that practice Taijiquan today would probably have never found it as an art to study.

Yang style Taijiquan is the most widely practiced style of Taijiquan today. Without Prince Duan, it can be argued that Yang Luchan and his sons would not have had their long term employment. Yang Luchan may have, but he might have disappeared into obscurity after his death.

Wu/Hao style would have been impacted by no funding for martial study. This would have then made the creation of Sun style less likely.
Wu Jianquan and Yang Luchan’s sons would have had not place to connect without Prince Duan and the support of the imperial family.

That leaves only Chen Style with no direct root to Beijing and Prince Duan. Keep in mind that with the formation of the PRC, there were discussions about which styles of Taijiquan to preserve. Chen was not favored until some historian/martial artists pointed out its connection as the root to all of the other more well known styles. So, without Prince Duan supporting the other styles, it is entirely possible that even Chen style would have been lost over the years.

With none of those, there would be no standardized routines like 24 Posture, 42, 48, or the weapons sets.

So, for all that practice and enjoy Taijiquan, you can thank the existence of one historical figure – Prince Duan – who was flawed and shortsighted…but a lover and patron of all things Wushu.

No class this week or next Monday. Everyone stay safe in the winds, rain, and flooding. No idea what is happening with St. Martin's but we can hope it is OK.

Uptown Tai Chi Chuan Refer to :
https://www.facebook.com/UptownTaijiquan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUMfXBw-WW0

Master Aiping Cheng - Sun Style Tai Chi 1988 Official video by the Chinese Wushu Research Institute for the Sun Style Tai Chi Competition Routine as demonstrated by Master Aiping Cheng.

https://aeon.co/essays/the-true-expert-does-not-perform-in-a-state-of-effortless-flow

The true expert does not perform in a state of effortless 'flow' – Barbara Gail Montero | Aeon Essays In the myth of flow, the performer soars when the music starts. But it's grit and self-analysis until the very last bar