A Brief History of the Yang Style

     There has been a lot written about the history of this art, and most of it is uncertain at best. There are plenty of other sources of information available on the various details and stories. I’m only sharing the most certain elements of its history here.

    Yáng Lùchán (杨露禅, 1799-1872), whose birth name was Yáng Fúkuí (杨福魁), was born in Guăngpíng. During his life, he studied a number of martial arts. For part of his life, he worked in the Chén household and learned a version of the Chén Family Fist. He may also have studied in Zhàobăo village.

    When he was older, he returned to his home province and developed what is now known as the Yáng Family Fist, or Yáng Style Tàijíquán. From the number of styles related to the Yáng family, we can gather that his teaching method and forms changed gradually over the years he taught and that his students all added their own approach.

    He passed the art on to two of his sons: Yáng Bānhóu (杨班侯, 1837-1890) and Yáng Jiànhóu (杨剑侯, 1839-1917). Yáng Jiànhóu passed the art on to two of his sons: Yáng Chéngfŭ (杨澄甫, 1883-1936) and Yáng Shàohóu (杨少侯), 1862-1930).

    Yáng Lùchán’s grandson, Yáng Chéngfŭ, is responsible for publicly spreading the practice of his version of the large frame, properly referred to as the Public Form but usually referred to as the “Long Form”.

The Indoor Yang Family System: An Introduction

    The most popular style of Tàijíquán (“T’ai Chi”) in the world is the Yáng Family system. Practitioners learn one empty-handed form that doesn’t have any especially difficult moves in it. Perhaps they also learn Push Hands and a straight sword and sabre form. Some practitioners will be lucky enough to learn a spear form.

    What most practitioners don’t know is that this is only the public version of the system. The “indoor” system that the family has practiced includes much more material: Four main forms, four “corner” forms, thirteen Gōngfă movements, and several other formal sets of skills, including a much more complex Push Hands series than is taught publicly.

    I have received a lot of questions since I published the Wise Hammers Form book. Mostly they had to do with who my teacher was and why it is called the “Indoor Yang Style.”

    Firstly, my teacher was a very private woman who only taught me because she was a good friend of my Daoist master. I’m not going to share her name publicly. All of my more advanced students know her name.

    Secondly the name. My teacher didn’t formally name this system “The” indoor Yáng system. She simply stated that it was “indoor”, which simply means “private”. The implication is that this is the system that the Yáng family practiced among themselves and didn’t share publicly. I have labelled this system “The Indoor Yáng Style” to distinguish it from the more popular “public” styles that most practitioners are familiar. I am not trying to create a new style.

    Personally, what I think we have here is a snapshot of what Yáng Lùchán was teaching at some point in his development. As more information becomes available on this art, we can see the growth of his personal style through several stages. This one is very similar to the Imperial Yáng Style, and may be closely related to it chronologically.

    In this series I am documenting the system, set by set. It is my hope that it will broaden your knowledge of this strange art that manages to be both widespread and obscure at the same time.

    Personally, I still teach the Public Form to my students, because it is a wonderful, refined form and most of my students are not going to be willing to learn about 3 1/2 hours worth of material. I’m in the process of learning the Yáng Jiànhóu version of the system, which suits me perfectly.

    Once again, this is the system exactly as I learned it. If I have added anything myself, I have documented it. With all the mediocrity that’s plaguing the martial arts these days, I think it’s important to take a stand for the traditional arts.

The main forms in this system are:

The Four Main Forms:
The Large Frame Form
The Medium Frame Form
The Small Frame Form
The Long Fist

The Four Corner Forms:
The Post-Heaven Form
The Wise Hammers Form
The Little Nine Heavens Form
The Diăn Mài / Diăn Xúe  (Pressure Point) Form

Other Material Includes:

The Thirteen Cinnabar Gōngfă Movements
The Thirteen Animal MovementsMáo (Spear)
Jiàn (Straight Sword)
Dāo (Sabre)
Gùn (Staff)
Walking Stick
Small Tàijí Ball
Heavy Tàijí Ball

The Little Nine Heavens Form: Introduction

    The Little Nine Heavens Form teaches the important alternate strategy of the art: That is, the secondary style that you fall back on when your main strategy fails you. In the case of Tàijíquán, your main strategy involves heavy rooting to the ground and clever, soft redirecting of your opponent’s attacks. however, there will come a time when these skills become a liability.

    One situation would be when your opponent is beating you. Your heavy rooting will make it difficult to respond to your opponent’s techniques, so you will have to pick up your feet. your clever yielding will not be at your disposal so you will be forced to do some good old-fashioned hard blocking and shielding.

    Another situation would be when your opponent is out of range. Perhaps your throwing technique didn’t work well and your opponent is stumbling away from you. You will once again have to abandon your heavy rooting and make chase.

    This is the third of the four “corner” forms -- forms that support and expand upon the four main forms of the system. The Four Corner Forms can be taught in any sequence the teacher chooses, but they each have a logical position between The Four Main Forms. This form, for example, is performed in the style of the Small Frame Form, and therefore should be taught after this form.

    The name “Little Nine Heavens” refers to traditional Daoist philosophy that states that a human being is a microcosm of the universe itself. In this case, it is referring to the circular walking that is the signature of the Seven Star Eight Steps systems.

    An understanding of basic Baguazhang  movement would be 
useful in studying this form. Baguazhang is built from the same Daoist martial arts system as this form.

    Since this is not a beginner form, I have chosen not to include all the tiny details of where to point the head, how to breathe, etc. To those with the required background, this will all be obvious.

    At the end of the book I have included a list of the movement names. I have not included the graphic sequence in this volume, because it is not a practical size to photocopy. Instead, I will be providing it as a free download from my website in 8.5” x 11” for easy photocopying. You have my permission to do so.

    To those of you who love the martial arts as much as I do, I wish you growth and fulfillment.

Sincerely,

Shifu Jonty Kershaw

The Little Nine Heavens Form: Movement 10

 10. 单鞭 Dān Biān
Single Whip

    Turn your right foot to point to the Northwest and begin to shift your weight entirely over onto it, turning to face North. At the same time, circle your right wrist to the right...
(Picture 10a)

    ...then up and over...
(Picture 10b)

    ...and down into Hook Hand. Your weight should now be entirely over your right foot and your left foot should be touching the ground with the ball of the foot.
(Picture 10c)

    Turn your body to face West. Simultaneously swing your left arm, palm up and elbow slightly bent, all the way past your left knee.
(Picture 10d)

    Drop your body a little as your shift your weight forward into a right Sāntĭ Stance. At the same time, turn your left hand over so it faces West and drop your elbow down a little, just to the left of the knee.
(Picture 10e)







This movement needs a series of rear-view pictures. I will post them shortly.

The Little Nine Heavens Form: Movement 9

9. 穿掌 Chuān Zhāng
Pierce Palm

     Step your right foot up next to your left in a left Empty Stance. At the same time, drop your right hand, palm down, in front of your Dāntián.
(Picture 9a)








    Step through with your right foot into a left Sāntĭ Stance. At the same time, turn your right hand palm-up and thrust it forward at throat height, and turn your left hand palm down, fingers touching the inside of your right elbow.
(Picture 9b)

Movement Notes:

    With the exception of the step, this is exactly the same as the last Pierce Palm.

    This movement should follow smoothly from the last one, continuing the forward momentum. This will generally be the case in this form, since the theme is moving footwork.

The Little Nine Heavens Form: Movement 8

8. 卧虎跳涧 Wò Hŭ Tiào Jĭàn
Crouch Tiger, Jump the Brook

    Take a leaping step forward with your left foot.
(Picture 8a)

    As you put your left foot down, pivot on the heel and leap forward again, turning your body to face North. Make sure you jump pretty high off the floor on this step.
(Picture 8b)

     As your right foot sets down, once again pivot on the heel to face South.
(Picture 8c)








    Set your left foot down to the East and a little to the North and swing around into a left Bow Stance, using the momentum to shift your weight forward as you push both palms straight ahead.
(Picture 8d)

Movement Notes:

    You may have noticed that Jump the Brook happens before Crouch Tiger, rather than in the same order as the movement name. Why name backwards? I don’t know.

    It is very important that in the middle part of the leap you lift up off the ground, high enough to clear something on the ground. For example, a prone body (hint).

The Little Nine Heavens Form: Movement 7

7. 穿掌抱球
Chuān Zhāng Bào Qìú
Pierce Palm, Hold the Ball

    Switch feet...
(Picture 7a)

    ...and step forward with your right foot into Sāntĭ Stance. At the same time, turn your right hand palm up and thrust it fingers-first forward at about throat height. Open your left hand palm down so the fingertips are touching the inside of your right elbow.
(Picture 7b) Missing Picture Coming Soon.

    Hook your right foot in and then shift your weight mostly onto it. (Picture 7c)

    Immediately, turn your right foot to point Southeast and shift most of your weight onto it as you turn your feet into a right Sāntĭ Stance facing East. Only turn your body to face South, and fold both arms inward into Hold the Ball posture, right hand on top.
(Picture 7d)

The Little Nine Heavens Form: Movement 6

6. 下提手 Xià Tí Shŏu
Lower Lift Hand

    Continue from the previous movement without stopping your forward momentum:


    Drop your left hand down next to your side, forming it into a Hook Hand as you completely shift your weight forward onto your right leg and squat a little.
(Picture 6b)

    Step up with your left foot next to your right, the ball of the foot touching the ground. At the same time, swing your left arm, bent wrist forward, forward and up to about chest height. Pull your right hand, palm down, in front of your Dāntián.
(Picture 6c)

The Little Nine Heavens Form: Movement 5

5. 上提手 Shàng Tí Shŏu
Upper Lift Hand

    Step through with your left leg. At the same time, turn your left hand to face to the right and drop your right arm straight down to your side, palm to the rear.
(Picture 5a)




 

    Shift your weight forward until it is entirely on your left leg. At the same time, form a Hook Hand with your right hand.
(Picture 5b)

    Step up with your right leg and lift the knee as high as you can. At the same time, swing your right arm, bent wrist first, forward and up as high as it can go above your right knee.
(Picture 5c)

    Stamp your right foot down to the front. At the same time, swing your right arm down and open the palm facing down. Your palm should stop as though slapping down upon something at about shoulder height at exactly the same time as the right foor stamps the ground.
(Picture 5d)

Movement Notes:

    If you have learned the Post-Heaven Form, you will recognize this as a Post-Heaven movement. If you are familiar with Xíngyìquán (Hsing-I), you should use this type of energy.

The Little Nine Heavens Form: Movement 4

4. 什锦背 Shí Jĭn Bēi
Mixed Shoulder

    Swing both arms, straight to the front and turn the hands palm up. Both hands should arrive straight ahead at about head height a few inches apart.
(Picture 4a)

   Pull both hands straight back to the ribs...
(Picture 4b)

   ...then step through and perform a Leaping Step forward, pushing both palms forward, fingers pointing toward each other.
(Picture 4c)








    When your right leg touches down, step up with your left leg and shift your weight back into Sāntĭ Stance.
(Picture 4d)

Movement Notes:

    Be sure to use your Eight Steps footwork during the forward leap.

    The point of this movement is the forward collapse of your upper back/shoulder area. Allow your upper back to remain loose so as to be able to use the energy of the forward movement.

The Little Nine Heavens Form: Movement 3

3. 开天门 Kāi Tiān Mén

Open Heaven’s Gate

    Throughout this movement, you will perform a 180 degree clockwise turn on both heels, starting at movement 3a and ending on 3c in Sāntĭ Stance facing the opposite direction.



    Lift your elbows upward, allowing your linked wrists to turn so they are facing forward.
(Picture 3a)









   Open both arms out to the side. Your elbows should be at shoulder height, and your forearms should be almost vertical.
(Picture 3b)








    Drop both elbows down to your sides. Using the movement of your elbows, allow your forearms to chop downward until your forearms are almost horizontal, palms forward and fingers pointing out to each side.
(Picture 3c)

Movement Notes:

    I once saw this movement performed as part of the former movement, the arms slowly moving through this movement through the circle walking and ending on the last step. However, the way I am describing the movement is the way I learned it.

    This double-weighted heel turn is unusual in this art. Most turns in this kind of form would be a hook-and-turn style, as described in the last chapter. If you feel as though you are falling backwards, you should try not to bob up in the middle of the turn.

Pictures 3a, 3b, 3c

The Little Nine Heavens Form: Movement 2

2. 八步 Bā Bù
8 Steps

     Continuing from the previous movement without breaking, take eight steps around an imaginary circle using your Eight Steps footwork method. (In other words, Baguazhang style footwork.)
(Pictures 2a-2h)

After eight steps, you will end up in exactly the same position you started from.

Movement Notes:

     One of my teachers' friends performed this movement in combination with movement 3. I will explain this in detail later.

The Little Nine Heavens Form: Movement 1

1. 七星 Qī Xīng
7 Stars

    From Wújí Stance, shift your weight onto your right foot. Then turn to the East and step out with your left foot into Sāntĭ Stance. At the same time, lift both arms up in front of the body, elbows at shoulder height and arms bent, wrists crossed, left hand in front.
(Picture 1a)

Picture 1a and Side View




Movement Notes:

    This movement is a quick and sudden one. Perform it as though you weren’t expecting to have to do it.

    There should be a rigidity to the arms in this movement, as though fending off an attack with a shield.

The Little Nine Heavens Form: Opening Posture

无极势 Wŭjí Shì
Wŭjí Stance

    Stand with your heels touching, feet pointing out at 45 degrees each. The knees are bent slightly. Tuck your tailbone under slightly. Relax your shoulders and let your arms hang loosely.

    Imagine that there is a rope attached to the crown of your head, and that your body is hanging loosely from it.

    This is the time to take a moment to observe all the important body and mind requirements of this system.