November 01st, 2015

                                                        “Where Were We?”
                                                      (Posted by: J. Parker)
 
 
Okay, I know it’s been awhile but as is Life, we all find ourselves forgetting where we were or what we were doing.  (Yeah Joe, that’s it!! Don’t blame old age, dead brain cells or living everyday life to it’s least potential!) However, if I recall, I was last writing here about where Modern T’ai Chi Ch’uan is today.
 
But, before we get there, let me simply show you again what has led up to where T’ai Chi Ch’uan is as we know it and what took it here. Below is a graph giving but “one” example of the Masters and the times in which they lived. This will be followed by a shortened list of the many different styles of T’ai Chi that are out there. (This list does include Sword Forms as well).





Key:
 

 


CHEN-STYLE
YANG-STYLE
WU-STYLE
SUN-STYLE
WU (HAO)-STYLE

 

 
 
Kindly note, as we are mainly dealing with Master Phil’s Chen Style T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Chen Xiaoxin is the most recent style of this Martial Art on this lit. (DOB: 1952)
 
Now, let’s look at the many different styles out there. Shall we? (We must NOT forget however, that all T’ai Chi forms originated from the Chen style so even though there are many variations,  i.e. Yang, Wu, Sun and Woo, they all began with Master Chen.)
 
Chen styles:
 
To make this easier on you and me.., I will simply provide a link here as there are so many “variations” of the Chen Style , I will let you research for yourself. (Just open the link and choose your style or preferences.)
 
http://www.egreenway.com/taichichuan/chen1.htm
 
So.., in my next posting, perhaps as early as Sat. the 24th Oct. or Sun. the 25th, I will start with the Modern Styles, and I will begin with the “Chen Fake” style.
 
In the meantime, I hope that if you follow these posts, you will research a little on your own and PLEASE feel free to ask Master Phil anything you may have questions with or about. Either he can answer your questions directly, or he will direct your questions to me and I will be happy to research them further.
 
In the mean time, remember..,
 
"Taijiquan is like a bright mirror -
it reflects our physical and mental weaknesses,
we need to polish it constantly to see our true selves."