Origins of Zhaobao He Style Tai Chi
by Steve Gilshenen
HE ZHAOYUAN
|
HE RENZHI
|
HE QINGXI
|_________________
|
|
XIAN/HONG
KONG LINE
HE FAMILY LINE
ZHEN WUQING
HE XUEXIN
|
|
JI CHANGXIU
HE SHIYING
|
|
HENRY
MURRAY
HE YOULU
|
|
DAVID
GREENLAND
STEVE GILSHENEN
|
BEN
COPEMAN
He
Style Taijiquan was created by He Zhaoyuan (1810-1890) of Zhaobao Town, Wen
County, Henan Province. Born into a family with a history in Traditional
Chinese Medicine, He Zhaoyuan became a student of Chen Qingping at the age of
fifteen, eventually becoming a disciple. After ten years of dedicated training he
had achieved such a high level of skill that he was appointed to a military
post in the Capital City, traveling to the Far North and the trouble soaked
south on many occasions. With duties encompassing body guarding and fighting
robbers and bandits, He Zhaoyuan's exploits are still spoken of today in
Zhaobao Town.
While in the
Capital performing his duties He Zhaoyuan was encouraged by Li Tangjie, a
master of Natural Science also from Zhaobao Town, to reform Taijiquan using his
vast knowledge and experience incorporating his family’s abilities in
Traditional Chinese Medicine with Natural Science, Confucianism, Taoism and
medical science. What would later be called He-Style Taijiquan was born as He
Zhaoyuan acquired the best and most practical combat skills from other styles
of Martial Arts, improving his own skills tremendously in the process. Making
the Frame of practice more natural in posture and movement, and removing the
superfluous he greatly increased the Martial Art's combat efficiency by
modifying the type of manipulation within the applications.
Upon returning to
his hometown, He Zhaoyuan was asked by his teacher, Chen Qingping, to
demonstrate what he had learned while away. Astounded at the skill his student
had achieved, Chen Qingping told He Zhaoyuan, “I am really amazed that you
have worked so hard during these few years while you were in the Capital. Your skills
in Martial Arts have surpassed mine. From now on you can start your own style
and call it He-Style Taijiquan.” Hence the birth of this new evolution came
into being.
When Chen
Qingping’s own teacher, Zhang Yian, returned home from a time away in Shandong
Province, He Zhaoyuan went also to visit him and pay his respects. After
demonstrating for his Sigong, his teacher's teacher, Zhang Yian noted, “I’m
very old now, yet I haven’t seen any Martial Art or Fist Form as good as this.
Your Martial Arts skills have reached the highest peak. A wonderful flower has
blossomed in the Taiji garden of our town!”
The origins of
Taijiquan will most likely never be agreed upon by all. Until a time when an
academically proven account has been discovered He Style Taijiquan will begin
its lineage with He Zhaoyuan. Although, the lineage of David Greenland and
Emerald Dragon Martial Arts as handed down through the Xian/Hong Kong Lineage
holds to the tradition of He Style's parent art, Zhaobao Taijiquan which states
the art was created by Zhang Sanfeng.
Following is a
diagram of the lineage as held by Zhaobao Taijiquan until He Zhaoyuan.
ZHANG SANFENG
|
WANG ZHONGYUE
|
JIANG FA (1st
Generation Zhaobao)
|
XING XIHUAI
|
ZHANG TS'UCHEN
|
CHEN JIANGBUO
|
ZHANG ZHONGYU
|
ZHANG YIAN
|
CHEN QINGPING
|
HE ZHAOYUAN
Therefore,
students of Emerald Dragon Martial Arts are considered the 15th
The Xian/Hong Kong
line to which Emerald Dragon Martial Arts students belong was created when Zhen
Wuqing, a student of He Qingxi, took the art south to the city of Xian.
Although he was already at an advanced age he became well known for his Qinna
skill, becoming an instructor in a military school. A student of his, Ji
Changxiu, had learned Changquan Long Fist and Shaolinquan from her uncle in her
youth and quickly became a talented practitioner. After relocating to Hong Kong
in 1984 Ji Changxiu was given permission to instruct her teacher's lineage
arts, opening the Hong Kong Zhaobao He Style Taijiquan School. Henry Murray,
the instructor of David Greenland in this art, learned from Ji Changxiu in this
school.
