Wang Zongyue

Wang Zongyue was one of the Old Masters and an architecht of modern T'ai Ch'i Ch'uan as it is practiced today. Master Wang was a famous student of the legendary Zhang Sanfeng, a 13th-Century Taoist monk credited with the devisement of neijia in general and T'ai Ch'i Chuan in particular.

Master Wang's most famous contribution to T'ai Ch'i Ch'uan was authoring The T'ai Ch'i Treatise. This treatise was the origin of many T'ai Ch'i proverbs; among them being "Four ounces deflect one thousand pounds," and "A feather cannot be added; nor can a fly alight." The T'ai Ch'i Treatise is among a body of literature collectively referred to as the "T'ai Ch'i Ch'uan Classics".

From Wang, T'ai Ch'i Ch'uan branches off to Northern and Southern style T'ai Ch'i Ch'uan. The Northern style was handed down to the Chen family village (Chenjiagou) via Jiang Fa during the Qing dynasty (1644-1912).

Family tree

This family tree is not comprehensive.

LEGENDARY FIGURES
Zhang Sanfeng* circa 13th century NEI CHIA
Wang Zongyue* T'AI CHI CH'ÜAN
THE 5 MAJOR CLASSICAL FAMILY STYLES
Chen Wangting 1600-1680 9th generation Chen CHEN STYLE
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Chen Changxing Chen Youben 1771-1853 14th generation Chen circa 1800s 14th generation Chen Chen Old Frame Chen New Frame

Yang Lu-ch'an Chen Qingping 1799-1872 1795-1868 YANG STYLE Chen Small Frame, Zhao Bao Frame

+---------------------------------+-----------------------------+
| |
Yang Pan-hou Yang Chien-hou Wu Yu-hsiang 1837-1892 1839-1917 1812-1880 Yang Small Frame | WU/HAO STYLE
+-----------------+
| |
Wu Ch'uan-yü Yang Shao-hou Yang Ch'eng-fu Li I-yü 1834-1902 1862-1930 1883-1936 1832-1892
Yang Small Frame Yang Big Frame
Wu Chien-ch'üan | Hao Wei-chen 1870–1942 Yang Shou-chung 1849–1920 WU STYLE 1910–1985
108 Form
Sun Lu-t'ang Wu Kung-i 1861–1932 1900-1970 SUN STYLE

Wu Ta-kuei Sun Hsing-i 1923-1970 1891-1929

Note to Family tree table

"Names denoted by an asterisk are legendary or semilegendary figures in the lineage, which means their involvement in the lineage, while accepted by most of the major schools, isn't independently verifiable from known historical records."

References

*Doc Fai-Wong; Hallander, Jane "Tai Chi Chuan's Internal Secrets" (1991) Unique Publications . ISBN 978-0865681477
*Yang Jwing-Ming "Tai Chi Secrets of the Yang Style: Chinese Classics, Translations, Commentary" (2001) YMAA Publication Center. ISBN 978-1886969094

External links

* Louis Swain's English translation of "Tai Chi Chuan Treatise" [http://www.whynaturalhealth.co.uk/taichi/index.cfm?s=classics&p=treatise]
* Index of Tai Chi Chuan Classics on Cloud Hands Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Kung [http://www.egreenway.com/taichichuan/classics.htm]