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The Heritage Of Tai Chi

by Chia Siew Pang and Goh Ewe Hock

Tai chi came into prominence in the eighteenth century when Yang Lu-ch'an introduced it in Beijing. Prior to this, tai chi was reported to have been taught only to members of the Chen family living in a small village in Hopeh Province. Yang Lu-ch'an was the first non-member of the Chen family to be taught this most secret art. The following version of how this occurred was related by our teachers. We cannot vouch for its authenticity but nonetheless have recorded it as it gives an insight into and forms an interesting background for this ancient and rich art.

Yang Lu-ch'an was a pugilistic enthusiast. He studied the 'hard' schools of martial art from many tutors. One day, he had a heated discussion with a Chen and was beaten up for his pains. Yang was very frustrated as he realized his skill in martial art was very inferior to Chen's. He requested a return bout. During the interim he practiced assiduously. In the return bout, he was again handled like a babe and thrashed so soundly by Chen that he forswore the practice of all other forms of martial art. He was determined to learn Chen's system.

He soon discovered that it was taught only to members of the Chen family and then only if the Chen stayed in a particular village - the Chen Chia Kou village. The Chen who defeated him was the nephew of the grandmaster. Yang wished to learn from the grandmaster but realized that a direct approach would be unsuccessful. He decided to 'steal' the art from the family. First he disguised himself as a beggar, then he made himself temporarily dumb by swallowing some hot charcoal. He hoped that the sight of a poor, suffering beggar outside his home would evoke the grandmaster's sympathy.

The ruse worked. Yang gained entry and was eventually employed as a servant in the grandmaster's household. He soon became a trusted servant and was given access to the inner courtyards of the family household. Here he spied on the Chen family as they practiced. Religiously, he copied their moves and practiced them in secret. He was able to benefit from this activity as he already had a good grounding in the martial art.

One night, as Yang was practicing secretly, he suddenly found the grandmaster observing him. He was terrified. In those days in China, the price one paid for spying on other martial art systems was either one's head or right hand! The grandmaster, surprisingly, demanded neither. He merely said, 'Do you think I did not realize you were spying on us when we were practicing? I allowed you to watch because I wanted to see how serious you were and how well you would benefit from the instruction. If you had shown neither interest nor skill, I would have killed you myself.'

On saying that, he tapped Yang three times on the head and walked away, leaving a puzzled but very relieved man. From that day, Yang went to the grandmaster's quarters every morning at 3 a.m. for personalized instruction in tai chi. During the day he did his chores as usual and no one in the family realized he was receiving secret instruction from the grandmaster.