8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
1/34
Interview with MasterYang Zhenhe onvarious aspects of Tai
Ji Quan-practicing,led by David Sommer
Master Yang, it is nice
to be able to interviewyou today. I then beginalready directly with the
first question: Can youplease briefly trace thedevelopment and
influence of the Yang
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
2/34
style in Guang Fu?
Yang Luchan wentseveral times afterChenjiagou and learned
Tai Ji Quan of the Chenfamily. Back in Guangfuhe taught several
students, including WuYuxiang, who foundedafter training stays in
Zhaobao the Wu (Hao)style.Yang Luchan hadmany students, even at
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
3/34
the imperial court,
where he taught fromtime to time. His sons,Yang Yang Jianhou
Banhou and gave theart further turn. YangBanhou was, so it has
been handed a tough,relentless teacher andtherefore had few
students. His art wasfor this reason,practiced in a small
circle, especially in
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
4/34
Guangfu.
Yang Jianhou however,had many disciples,among them his sons
shaohou Yang andYang Chengfu. YangChengfu changed the
Yang style very strongby any remote elementsfast and jumps out of
the mold and allowed topractice the movementsgreater. While
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
5/34
previously jumps and
faster movements aswell as switchingbetween high and low
positions wereformative for the longform, it has been
simplified by YangChengfu and theelements described
previously removed.The reasons for this aremany and today it can
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
6/34
only be speculated. At
this time, the so-called.Boxer rebellions tookplace, which led to a
poor image of martialarts. In addition, theYang style underwent a
large spread, whichrequired a moreaccessible form. Some
practitioners is claimedthat was a reason forthe simplification that
the knowledge of the
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
7/34
"secrets" in the family
should be kept and theform has therefore beenchanged for a lesson
"outside". I do not thinkthis is actually verylikely because the
"secrets" not found inindividual movements,but can only be
experienced in itsentirety.
This manifests itself in a
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
8/34
correct posture and
body mechanics, whichare the basis of thedevelopment of
gongfu.Obtain this be aconscientiouscorrection by the
teacher, persistentpractice of shape,partner exercises,
individual exercises andweapons forms.
In the Tai Ji Quan
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
9/34
Guangfu the Yang
family also "Taiji fromoutside the walls" andthe Tai Ji Quan of the
Wu family is the "Taijicalled from within thewalls". This is because
the Yang family livedoutside the city walls,while the wealthy Wu
family has always livedwithin the city walls.Both styles are
practiced in Guangfu
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
10/34
since its inception and
have therefore beenhanded down in anunbroken tradition here.
In Guangfu also lesswidespreadtransmission line of the
Yang style of YangBanhou has beenpreserved, which is why
in our style next to the85 form of YangChengfu the 108er long
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
11/34
form is practiced with
fajin and jumps as wellas the long stick.
Can you tell us
something about yourteacher?
Zhai Wenzhang, in histime the mainrepresentatives of Wu
and Yang style inGuangfu Yongnian, hasdone under Mao
military service and
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
12/34
then returned back to
his hometown Guangfuand has taught thereuntil his death. He
learned from Yang andYang ZhaopengZhaolin, the disciple of
Yang Banhou werethemselves. When hecame back, I got to
know him. I was stillvery young, but it soonbecame clear that he
had incredible skill and
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
13/34
so I immediately
wanted to become hisdisciple. I gave up themartial art that I
practiced before anddevoted myself only theart of my new master.
Since that time Ipracticed with himevery day and my
classmates and studiedwith him until his deathin 1989. Some time
after the death of my
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
14/34
Master, I was taught by
Yang Zhenduo adoptedthe youngest son ofYang Chengfu.
What is important inyour system at special?What is the most
important thing appliesto practice it?
The most important ispracticing the propershenfa. This is the term
for the posture, body
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
15/34
mechanics and
generally the way howto move. Therefore onemust start from scratch.
From the clear, simplethe indeterminateresults. First practice
the basics of square isround, from the greatrounds creates small
circles from the big yinand yang arise mutuallycomplementary small
yin and yang
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
16/34
movements. Then the
Yi is practiced.
Finally, the movementsare "informal". Without
this development canbe no real Tai Ji Quanlearn. The student can
not develop. If you seea master who makesparticularly good Taiji,
then you should not tryto copy the movements,but try the same way to
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
17/34
go to even the master is
gone. The what you seeis the result of theexercise path, not the
beginning. The thingyou can see is not whatmakes Tai Ji Quan. It is
the inner feeling whichmust evolve. It is alsoimportant to embark on
a path of practice andnot to be, confused bythe many options that
exist today. You must
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
18/34
enter a gate before you
can continue and canintegrate other thingsmake sense in the
existing first.It is often talked aboutthe connection between
tuishou and taolu. Formany practitionersthere seems to be
confusion about themeaning of both typesof exercise in Tai Ji
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
19/34
Quan. Can you explain
this a bit?
The geometry of theprinciples, proper
posture, structure typeare to move taught.About practicing the
form of these principlesare absorbed into thebody and can then
Tuishou experienced inthe use with a partnerand deepened. This
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
20/34
deepened
understanding hasimplications for thepractice of the form.
You can begin toexplore and learn whateffect the principles of
the learned myself. TaiJi Quan can develop inall facets Only this
combination and mutualfeedback. Theimportant thing is
always a close
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
21/34
relationship with the
teachers to the studentsdraw the rightconclusions and can
develop in the rightdirection.
Without instructions
quickly unintentionalmistakes may occur. Inthis context, the term
"bu bu da jiao" can beseen. (Translation: donot hit, do not teach). It
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
22/34
is extremely important
that the student canpractice with theteacher and feel
Tuishou regularly to behow it feels pushed andhow generally feel the
movements of theteacher.Just as helearns how it is "right"
feel which way so it candevelop.
What is the significance
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
23/34
of the long pole? Why it
is practiced in yoursystem?
The long cane is a
traditional weapon inthe Yang style. InGuangfu this art has
been passed downthrough the generationsand is therefore also
practiced with us. Thelong stick helps thestudent to obtain
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
24/34
without a partner
feedback. So youpractice with the longstick especially the full-
body movement, fajin,and a stable structurethat is passed through
the legs and pelvis. Ofcourse partnerexercises with the long
stick.Are there other ways toimprove the gongfu?
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
25/34
gongfu means "skill,
which was acquiredthrough hard work". Sothe way to gongfu must
be through persistentpractice. In our systemthere is for the
preliminary exerciseswith and withoutweapons, hand forms,
weapon forms, partnerexercises and individualexercises. It is not
necessary to master
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
26/34
everything in order to
develop gongfu. It isonly important toexercise regularly
according to theinstructions of a goodteacher and to question
his own ability steadily.So for example it is noteffective when a
student alwaysexercises the wholeform. Rather, the
student should be
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
27/34
aware of where his own
weaknesses and justpractice these points inorder to improve
overall.
But the most importantfor obtaining high skills
is to practice the Yi.When you connect withYi with the opponent,
then you can anticipatethe movements of theother. The saying "It
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
28/34
does not move, I do not
move. He moves, I'malready there. "Refersto it. When I feel where
my opponent wants tomove, then I can helpor stop moving. I am at
an advantage.Therefore it is veryimportant to practice
tingjin. Zhan lian niansui. Stick, stick,connect, follow the
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
29/34
basic prerequisite.
What do teachers andmasters for the studentof Tai Ji Quan?
The teacher makes astudent of his
knowledge. It helps thestudents in thedevelopment and
directs the developmentof the student byadjustments in the form
and in the partner
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
30/34
exercises. As a result,
the manner in which thestudent develops,embossed. That's what
I've mentioned before.The teacher mustaccompany the student
on the path he hasgone by you. Bypracticing the partner
exercises with theteacher, the student canlearn how to feel the
movements. He may
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
31/34
contain certain extent
the different energiesthat exist in the Tai JiQuan feel, and so also
perceive where thereare still shortcomings indevelopment at himself.
At the same time, it isimportant to practicewith other students, as
one usually feels whenpracticing with teachersor masters, that is
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
32/34
Chancenlos and much
too far back in their owndevelopment. Their ownability to understand
and deepen the learnedprinciples is onlypossible in the practice
with other students at asimilar level. The formshould not be taught as
a straitjacket. Theteacher can point out tothe students only to
movements and
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
33/34
subtleties, which then
has to implement forthe student. This is onlypossible through their
own practice of form.That's also what makesTai Ji Quan into a living
art. Each exercise "hisown" Tai Ji Quan, that ischaracterized by the
style, the Master andTeacher. As a result, TaiJi Quan is evolving and
each practitioner
8/9/2019 Yang Zhenhe - Tai Ji Quan
34/34
practicing it the way it is
right for his ownpresuppositions, hisown body and his
character.