Comparative: Yang style and Cheng style

Discussion in 'Tai chi' started by Dan Bian, Apr 16, 2015.

  1. Dan Bian

    Dan Bian Neither Dan, nor Brian

    I came across this article on FB, which has some quite cool descriptions of the 'external' & 'internal' differences between traditional Yang 'family' tai chi, and Cheng Man Ching's varient.

    http://www.taichiandqigong.com/yang_compare.php

    It's quite cool in that the observations come from a senior Yang family member, and as someone who practices a mongrol style of tai chi myself, it was reallu interesting to see some reasoning for why these two related styles do things so.differently.

    Thoughts??
     
  2. Johnno

    Johnno Valued Member

    Thanks Dan, that was an intersting article.

    One bit that I found slightly suprising was the differences in the Step Back Repulse Monkey sequence. The author stated that CMC's form does it with the feet parallel, whereas traditional Yang style does it with a forty-five degree angled step which is then adjusted each time. Because it is a retreating move, and is one which could be repeated as many times as necessary (as opposed to it simply being different moves strung together to make up a part of a form) then it seems logical to me that it should be executed quickly and smoothly, without an 'extra' move added in.

    The way we do it in the Wu style is parallel, so that it is simply a Brush Knee Twist Step done in reverse. So I wonder if CMC's style does the Brush Knee in the same way, and whether traditional Yang style adds an extra movement of the foot to their Brush Knees?
     
  3. cloudz

    cloudz Valued Member

    Hi Johnno, Yang style does 45 degree on Brush knee. There is an extra movement in that the foot turns to the side. Except for the first one that follows the 'play pipa' posture where the rear foot is already at that angle.

    Don't know about the CMC brush knee though. Not checked article yet but I'll take a look sounds interesting
     
  4. El Medico

    El Medico Valued Member

    So called "trad" Yang doesn't usually adjust after placing in Repulse,they just put the foot down @ the 45 degree angle.Cheng's parallel stepping is for opening your "dong" (let's see if that gets past the censoring software!) among other things

    You should see what my Tung form does w/that rear foot-it pivots on the ball and the heel moves IN. Different,huh? Uh-oh----maybe that's a secret!

    I think that's an article JM had published in Smallheiser's TC mag years ago. I thought/still think a lot of it is superfluous and some things he just gets wrong-in all fairness I imagine it's simply a matter of his not knowing,and/or only being exposed to certain aspects of Cheng's line.

    If I can get my home PC and ISP up to snuff -(doesn't look promising,that's why I haven't been around much for some time now) -I'll post more about this.

    Think on this-perhaps Cheng's has a bit more of some of the older Yang methods in it due to his study w/Ch'iang,Ching-ling. So p'raps the problem is that it's just not enough of the modern Yang for.... "some".

    Oh,and the "standardization" JM trumpets about is a joke,The Yang family has been trying to do this since Shao-hou's death when his disciples who refused to be inscribed as Cheng-fu's disciples and do his stuff were written out of the lineage. Problem is,the family can't agree among themselves either.
     
  5. El Medico

    El Medico Valued Member

    ....

    Why do my posts keep appearing sans some of the letters?
     

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