Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi, A Brief History

Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi was originated by the great Tai Chi Master, Yang Lu-Chan, with his second son, Yang Ban-Hou (1st and 2nd Generations). From Yang Ban-Hou this lineage was passed down to only three disciples. One of the three was Wang Jiao-Yu (3rd Generation). Wang in turn passed this style down to only four disciples. One of the four was Kuo Lien Ying (4th Generation), who brought this style to the United States in 1965. All the students who studied directly from Kuo are considered 5th Generation.

As a young boy, Yang Ban Hou was exceptionally talented in martial arts with outstanding natural athletic abilities. However, he hated the tough training that was forced upon him by his proud father, Yang Lu-Chan, and would often run away from home. Each time his father would find him and drag him back home.

Although Ban-Hou hated his daily training, his natural abilities helped him, and his martial arts improved very rapidly. In a few short years when he became a grown man, his martial arts abilities were unequaled, even more superior than his own father's. Thus, his name became famous and known throughout the Country.

In the 17th Century, when the Manchu from the north invaded China, the Emperor put out a command to find the best martial artist to teach his Royal Family and his Imperial Guards. Yang Ban-Hou was considered the best at that time and was ordered by the Emperor to serve as a Royal Coach in the martial arts for the Imperial Court. Ban-Hou did not like the Manchu, but knew that any refusal to the Emperor's command would mean death (He would be beheaded).

Ban-Hou did not wish to teach the true secrets of Guang Ping forms to the Manchu invaders, so he deliberately altered the movements into soft forms. later known as Beijing Style. The nightly Tai Chi sessions for the Royal Family were conducted behind high brick garden walls and closed high wooden gates.

One day, Ban-Hou, on his way to the Imperial Court walking past the Royal Horse Stable, observed a young stable boy practicing the same Tai Chi forms he was teaching nightly in the Royal Garden. He confronted the boy as to how he could know this style of Tai Chi so well. The stable boy, named Wang Jiao-Yu, confessed that he had learned the forms by spying on his teaching nightly.

Ban-Hou learned the boy was Chinese, not a Manchu, and that they both came fro the same same city of Guang Ping. He asked the boy if he was serious about learning Kung-Fu from him. The boy immediately said yes and dropped to his knees to pay respect and appreciation by bowing to Ban-Hou one hundred times and with each bow hitting his forehead against the hard stone pavement.

When Wang finished bowing. his forehead red and bruised. Ban-Hou said to him. "If you really want to learn real Kung-Fu from me, you have to bend down to touch your chin to toe within 100 days." Wang Jiao-Yu practiced very hard daily and succeeded in touching his chin to toe way before the 100 days had passes and thereby became one of the only three disciples accepted by Yang Ban-Hou.

By Henry Look (To be continued in the next issue of The Universal Post)

"The end purpose of Tai Chi is to prolong life and endow it with the youth of eternal spring. "

"Remember to be consciously mindful of every single move by trying to feel its meaningfulness, and you will eventually come into possession of the art's secrets without conscious effort.

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