Yang Tai Chi Chuan History
Yang Tai Chi Chuan was founded in the mid-1800's by Si Jo Yang, Lu Chan (1799-1872). He learned Tai Chi directly from the Chen family beginning sometime around 1820. In his later life, he changed the explosive nature of the Chen forms to the softer, steadier style many are now familiar with in the Yang system.
Si Jo Yang, Lu Chan, Founder of Yang Tai Chi Chuan
The story goes that Si jo Yang was a student of Shaolin Kung Fu as a young man, and later, seeking a higher level of understanding, was told of the Chen family and their Tai Chi system by his teacher. He is said to have gone to the Chen village seeking instruction, warned that they did not teach outsiders. There are several accounts of what happened upon his arrival, but one of the common stories says that he was able to gain employment in one of the Chen households where Chen, Chang Hsing resided.
Some believe that Si Jo Yang observed Si Jung Chen teaching his students and mimicked their movements in secret. After a time, he was able to best one of the students in a contest using technique he had refined on his own. Others say that he was accepted as a student, and thus began training under Si Jung Chen. Either way, Si Jung Chen was impressed by Si Jo Yang and agreed to teach him, breaking years of secrecy and tradition.
Later in his life, Si Jo Yang lived and taught in Beijing with the blessing of his teacher. Eventually, the art he taught came to be known as Yang Tai Chi, and he himself was called "Yang the Invincible."
Si Jo Yang had three sons, the eldest of which passed away in early childhood. His surviving sons, Yang, Pan Hou (1837-1892) and Yang, Chien Hou (1839-1917) learned Tai Chi Chuan from their father and passed the family tradition on to their sons and students.
Si Jung Yang, Cheng Fu Demonstrates Tai Chi Chuan
Yang, Cheng Fu (1883-1935), the younger son of Yang, Chien Hou, was very widely known and is accredited with having made Yang Tai Chi Chuan training accessible to the masses. He and many of his students are held in high regard to this day by modern practitioners of the Yang style.
Si Jung Hsiang, Yang He with Student
Si Jo Wang, Jyue Jen (1910-1990), the founder of Tien Shan Pai Kung Fu, was also a Yang Tai Chi Chuan practitioner. He initially learned the system during his time at the Kuo Shou Institute in Nanjing as a young man. As a member of the Nationalist Goverment's army, Si Jo Wang followed Chiang, Kai Shek's forces to Taiwan when they were defeated by the Communist Party in the late 1940's. He later continued his Tai Chi refinement through information exchanges with notable Yang Tai Chi stylists Hsiang, Yang He (1885-1981) and Chang, Dong Cheng (1908-1986), whom were also living on Taiwan at the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War. Si Jo Wang taught both Tien Shan Pai Kung Fu and Yang Tai Chi Chuan from his home in Taichung, Taiwan until he passed away in 1990.