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Explanations of Nei Gong (Internal Skill) Principles

Excerpts from the book "The True Teachings of Yang Jianhou's Secret Yang Style Taijiquan"by Wei Shuren


Historical background of Yang style Taijiquan as passed down by late Wang Yongquan

For more than half a century people in China and other countries have learnt about and to a certain degree understood Taijiquan, while health aspects of Yang style Taijiquan attracted special attention all over the world.

However very few people know that during the transmission of Yang style Taijiquan, its true essence has almost been lost and forgotten because old masters kept it secret.

Happily, the lineage that has been secretly passed down from Yang Jianhou in Beijing, has fairly completely preserved the practice methods and Kneading Hands (Rou Shou, i.e. Pushing Hands) techniques of original Yang family boxing. This is because of all the energy and efforts that Mr.Wang Chonglu and my teacher Wang Yongquan poured into as well as subtle inspiration that cannot be forgotten.

The origins of this art should be traced back to the end of Qing dynasty (1644-1911). At that time Mr.Yang Jianhou was summoned to the residence of Bei Lei and Bei Zi to teach Taijiquan to the members of the imperial family. Since at that time the Qing dynasty imperial family members and aristocrats enjoyed high positions and lived in comfort, it became fashionable to pay attention to good health. Most "bigwigs" learnt Taijiquan only because of fashion and considered it just another entertainment to divert themselves from boredom and did not really practice hard.

Only the oldest grandson of emperor Xuanzong, Pu Lun Bei Zi had become extremely interested in the skill that Mr.Yang Jianhou was occasionally revealing during the classes, and was often inviting Mr.Jianhou to his residence asking for guidance, paying very high salary and showing special favor to him. Because of dept of gratitude for Pu Bei Lun Zi's recognition and appreciation as well as special treatment, Mr.Jianhou gradually passed to him secret art of Yang family Taijiquan.

WANG CHONGLU

At that time there was a servant at Pu Bei Lun Zi's residence called Wang Chonglu, who was very interested in martial arts. Wang was receiving waiting upon Mr.Jianhou when he was coming to Pu Bei Lun Zi's residence to teach boxing. Wang, already skilled in boxing, when listening to Mr.Jianhou's very clear explanations of boxing principles, realized this art was out of ordinary and contained the ultimate principles of all times, heaven and earth, all things of creation; moreover, Wang noticed that the practice method taught by Mr.Jianhou was utterly different from everything he had seen before, and truly was the best martial art he had been yearning for day and night. For this reason he was particularly venerating Mr.Jianhou, very careful in all respects all the time, showing him every consideration.

After some time Mr.Jianhou was moved by Mr.Chonglu's sincerity and often taught him one or two boxing postures in free time. After few years Chonglu became very skilful at Taiji, and since he was honest, sincere and kind-hearted, Mr.Jianhou thought high about him and gladly accepted him as indoor disciple.

WANG YONGQUAN

Wang Yongquan, Chonglu's son, was interested in martial arts since childhood and when seven started to study Buku ("wrestling" in Manchu language) and became very sturdy and his movements were strong and vigorous. At the age of eight he often accompanied father to Yang's house. Mr.Jianhou liked Yongquan as he was a very bright kid and allowed him to learn martial art of yang family. Mr.Jianhou ordered him to accept Yang Chengfu, Jianhou's third son, as his master. Since then father and son often went to Yang's house in the western part of the capital to study martial art.

Yongquan was also often sent by his father to Yang's house to help manage household affairs and could often hear Jianhou's and Shaohou's (father and son) discussions on boxing techniques. Sometimes in the height of his enthusiasm Shaouhou would call Yongquan to come and cross hands to feel his strength hence prove his point; since Yongquan had good basics in "Buku" and knew how to fall and was not afraid of it, every time he was hit by his gongfu uncle's (i.e. Shaohou's; since Yang Chengfu was Wang Yongquan's master - Shifu, gongfu father - and Shaohou was Chengfu's older brother, then Shaohou was Wang's Shibo - gongfu uncle; word "uncle" used later in the translations should read as Shibo - gongfu uncle; note from translator) swift and fierce power and tumbled several times on the ground, he would immediately stand up and move close to Shaohou waiting for another show of uncle's skill; for this reason Shaohou liked him a lot.
 
   
Wang Yongquan (1904-1987)
At that time Shaohou, also called "Mr. Big", used to strike showing the opponent no mercy and became famous for his fierce and malicious power. People who had a taste of this power and were flung by him high up would tremble with fear and not dear to come close to him again. However Yongquan would do what he could to cross hands with uncle Shaohou to feel the direction of his strength (Jin), the power and timing, although hit and thrown on the ground. He could only feel the strength and would not dare to ask uncle what power he used. During several years Yongquan was imperceptibly influenced by what he saw and heard and was able to comprehend it. For this reason, and because of instructions he received earlier from Mr.Jianhou and later from his father, Mr.Yongquan received true transmission of Yang family Internal Skill (Nei Gong) and Power Methods (Jin Fa), and had high attainments in Kneading Hands (Rou Shou). After that for the next decades all along he kept practicing the original early methods of Old Six Routines (Lao Liu Lu) that he had learnt together with his father from Mr.Jianhou; the movements he taught were different from the postures and methods his teacher Yang Chengfu taught when he (i.e. Yang Chengfu) went south to Shanghai and other places. (...)

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