Taijiquan (T'ai chi ch'uan)

Introduction

The Academy offers specialised classes in the Chen Pan Ling style of t'ai chi ch'uan (taijiquan).

It is a style that is suited towards all ages and abilities and requires no special agility or coordination.  At the same time, it is a hauntingly beautiful form to behold and even more enticing to practice as a form of moving meditation.

The Academy of Traditional Fighting Arts is the only school in Perth to offer tuition in this unique and highly sought after system of taijiquan.

What is Chen Pan Ling taiji?

Chen Pan-Ling's taijiquan is a synthesis of the 5 major styles of taiji prevalent in pre-War China.  Chen Pan-Ling formulated his synthetic style at the request of the Nationalist government (Koumintang) so as to preserve the essential elements of the major styles of taijiquan (grand ultimate fist boxing) in the face of the Japanese advance.

As a highly respected engineer and a man who already had an impressive martial arts pedigree, Chen Pan-Ling was given access to the knowledge of many different masters whose teaching had previously only been available to a select few.  Rather than preserve each form separately, Chen Pan-Ling combined them into a synthetic form that preserved the essential common elements.  This form is sometimes called the "Nanjing 99" (since the form has 99 movements and was formulated at the Nanjing Institute in 1941) however it is more commonly referred to by the name of its creator.

Today Chen Pan-Ling's art is preserved by his son Chen Yun-Ching.  Shifu Dan is a bai shi (inner circle student) of Master Chen.

For more about Chen Pan-Ling taijiquan see http://rtccc.com/chenpanling_story.

Weapons

The Chen Pan Ling taijiquan system also includes a variety of weapons, notably the straight sword (jian).  Presently the Academy teaches one taiji jian form, the Chung Yang form (known as the "Mother of all jian forms".

Video references

Chen Pan Ling taijiquan beginner drill


Chen Pan Ling taijiquan first section


Chen Pan Ling taijiquan second section


Chen Pan Ling taijiquan third section