Yang Style

The style of Tai Chi most practiced today is the Yang Style. he name originates from the Yang family; not ‘yang’ as in ‘yin/yang’. The origins and history of this style start with...

  • Yang Lu Chan (1799-1872), studied and modified the Chen style into a new type of Tai Chi. He eliminated some of the jumps and leaps, explosions of strength, and vigorous foot stamping, and refocused training on the understanding of internal power. Yang Lu Chan taught Tai Chi at the Imperial Court. He was challenged many times but no one ever came close to defeating him. So great was his skill that the martial artists bestowed on him the title Yang The Invincible.

  • Yang Pan-Hou (1837 - 1892) the eldest son of Yang Lu Chan and the teacher of Wu Quan You (Wu Style).

  • Yang Chein Hou (1839 - 1917) is the second son of Yang Lu-ch'an.

  • Yang Shao Hao (1862 - 1929) is the oldest son of Yang Chien Hou.

  • Yang Cheng Fu (1883 - 1936) is the son of Yang Chien Hou. He is reputed to have taught
    hundreds of students and popularized Tai Chi throughout China.


    • Learning Yang Style Tai Chi

    The Short Form

    In 1956, the National Physical Culture and Sports Commission of the People's Republic of China, developed a simplified and shortened version of the Tai Chi Chuan form. It was based on the Yang family style of Tai Chi Chuan. The new short form consisted of 24 movements, and could be performed in 4 to 8 minutes.

    The Beijing short form eliminated some of the movements that are found in the Yang family long form such as sweeping Lotus kicks, Toe Kicks, Seven Stars Carry Tiger to the Mountain. The short form also greatly reduced the number of times that some movements are repeated in the long form (e.g., Ward-Off, Grasping the Sparrow's Tail, Waving Hands Like Clouds, or Single Whip).

    The Long Form

    The traditional Yang style long form of Tai Chi Chuan has 108 movements. This 'long' form (so-called to distinguish it from more recent 'short' form) is traditionally considered to consist of 108 movements. These movements derive from the martial arts. It develops all the basic principals of Tai Chi: balance; centeredness; empty vs. full (weighted & non-weighted); alignment; careful attention to precise movement, rootedness of the legs, flexibility of the waist, sinking one's energy to the 'tantien', internal stillness etc. It consists of three 'stages' of increasing length and difficulty.