Re: Chen Pan Ling Tai Chi Form -- Chen Pan Ling Taijiquan

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Date Posted: Fri, May 27 2005, 7:38:26 PDT
Author: PD
Author Host/IP: user-12lcldr.cable.mindspring.com / 69.86.85.187
Subject: Re: Chen Pan Ling Tai Chi Form
In reply to: James Anthony 's message, "Chen Pan Ling Tai Chi Form" on Fri, May 27 2005, 4:50:44 PDT

Before I try to answer your question, I just want to say that I haven�t really done primary research on this so please take this as deduction/opinion. There is definitely uncertainty about the exact origins of Chen Panling�s form. I think the confusion comes from Chen Panling having chaired a committee set up in 1941 by the Ministry of Education and Military Training Department to compile standardised materials/textbooks on Chinese martial arts (In Chongqing, the Nationalist government�s wartime capital, not Nanjing). What is not clear is whether his taiji was one of the forms compiled by the Committee. In his textbook he makes no reference to a connection between that Committee and the Taiji depicted in the book. Given Chen�s general candour, he would have most likely acknowledged if the form was one the forms created by the Committee. Instead, he wrote:

� After I arrived in Taiwan in 1950 my Guoshu friends encouraged me to continue compiling Guoshu textbooks. However, because human and materials resources were unsufficient, I did not dare take on the task light-heartedly. It was not until spring of this year that I started making plans for compiling general textbooks, which were to be followed by special texts on xingyi, bagua and taiji. �Taijiquan� is now recognised and respected all over the world. Having been encouraged by both my Chinese and foreign friends, I therefore started by publishing "Taijiquan," the content of which maintains the original spirit, clear instructions and illustrations in order to be suitable for the average learner. It is also being translated into English and promoted internationally.�

In addition, he wrote in the next section of the book:

�This Taijiquan combines the strengths of Chen, Yang, Wu and other schools of taijiquan, selecting the best postures with the heaviest exercise load and most widely used fighting applications. In addition these are combined with the author�s more than forty years of experience and understanding...�

From this, It would certainly seem that the creation of this particular form took place during the 17 years Chen spent on Taiwan. Most likely in the early years since Wang Shujin was teaching the form quite early and learned it from Chen. However, I have also seen a form taught on the mainland that was very similar to Chen�s form, albeit without some of the movements, principles and spiralling power of Chen style that are present in CPL�s form. The form had been taught by a teacher who had learned it at the Nanjing Guoshu Academy. The practitioner of the form referred to it as small frame Yang style. It would make sense that Chen�s taiji would be similar given that he studied with Wu Jianquan in Beijing during a time when Wu�s form was essentially the same as the small frame Yang style.

Another issue that has surfaced over the past decade or so is the origin of Wang Shujin�s taiji. Wang Fulai and the Chengming Association have perpetuated the story that Wang was a member of the committee that created the form. I think this comes from a amalgamation and conflation of Chen and Wang�s biographies. It may be that Wang somehow participated in the creation of Chen�s form, but to what extent remains unclear. In his book "Bagua Lianhuanzhang, Wang claimed that he and Chen Panling (a.k.a. Chen Junfeng) created the form together from a combination of Chen�s knowledge of taijiquan and Wang�s skills in an art called Silianquan, the latter of which apparently resembled Chen style taiji (though it's questionable if Wang had sufficient knowledge of Chen style to really know what it was). If indeed Wang did participate, it was most likely more in terms of giving feedback on Chen�s ideas, rather equal collaboration. Chen was without question Wang�s senior in Guoshu circles. Having said that, Wang was one of the first members of Chen Panling�s "Jiujiu Jianshen Hui" and also a member of the "zhonghua Guoshu Jinxiuhui" and was actively involved in promoting/teaching Chen�s taiji as an instructor of both associations. It would make sense that, to a certain degree, he would also have been involved in the development of the style.

Unfortunately, that�s all I have to offer to answer your question. My two teachers in Taiwan, one a disciple of Wang Shujin and the other a student of Chen Panling, have never been able to provide much details about this. To them, it�s just �taijiquan�. I think that�s a healthy stance. The style, I believe, speaks for itself. However, if you need more information, I'm sure Chen Panling's son, Chen Yunchao, wouId be able to provide it.

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Replies:

a few additional thoughts... -- PD, Sat, May 28 2005, 16:40:40 PDT (user-12lcldr.cable.mindspring.com/69.86.85.187)
- Final comment.... -- PD, Sat, May 28 2005, 17:21:39 PDT (user-12lcldr.cable.mindspring.com/69.86.85.187)