Compare and Contrast - Cheng Man Ching / Guangping (Kwonping) Yang Long form 1st sections

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This video is to show that whilst there are stylistic differences, you can see in the Cheng Man Ching form the impression of the same movements.
The nature of each form does not allow for a simple side by side comparison but I’ll do my best.
In the future I hope to be able to meet up and film with more Tai chi and Choi Li Fut stylists to share and compare notes and hopefully get more footage for interesting videos for you here.
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[@ambulocetusnatans]

I like your Guangping style. I've been going to a Yang style class because my Chen teacher lives in another state. We are learning the family style version under a student of Yang Jun. It seems to be in between these two styles.

[@spinningdragontao]

I will be putting up the whole Guanping/ Kwonping Yang form in the near future.

[@markdonovan1540]

An interesting comparison that shows both similarities and differences of the external aspect of the forms. It also shows, at least to my eye, two types of approaches to the form practice. For example, the CMC practitioner has very relaxed and soft movements. Your movements have a clear martial application focus as well as being relaxed and performed gently. I've found that within CMC practitioners, there are a wide range of approaches to training. I imagine this is partly due to the different lineage branches, schools and teachers over the years. My own CMC form has changed about 3 times, but its essence hasn't really changed. After learning the Lam Short Form with you, back in the day, I went to a CMC based school, where they taught and practised a 47 form version of the standard CMC 37 form. The 47 form was developed by a student of Cheng Man-Ch'ing, Dr. Chi Chiang Tao. I've since learnt and have been taught the more standard 37 form, but with an additional set, called the 18 lower hand form, which together encompass all the movements of the Yang style long form, but without so many repetitions.This was something developed by another student of Cheng Man-Ch'ing, Yap Siu Ting. Hopefully, we will get to meet up again one day soon and you can help me rediscover the Lam Short Form. I kept practising it for a couple of years after leaving Ray's class, but eventually I dropped it as I began to learn the CMC 47 form and the long form versions. You are right in saying they have movements in common, due to the common root in the Yang style. But the Lam form, correct me if I'm wrong, also had some movements or influences from Sun style.

[@spinningdragontao]

It is unfortunate that there is so much splitting of hairs as it were in the world of Tai Chi. Sometimes there are good reasons for change, when that change keeps to principle with better understanding and growth of skill. Unfortunately change is sometimes made to beg fame or legacy - Neither of which are good reasons to change anything. It is curious as to the different styles that exist. I do not speak of the short forms that were developed to balance out the longer forms for left and right movements and in the case of the Yongquan form for the rise of practising Tai Chi for health. Each style of Tai Chi, named after a family or the person who started that particular twist yet all obey the same principles - or should do. Yet they differ so widely in appearance; Chen style with its fast and slow movements often with deep movements, Yang style with its practical adherence to the principles with its focus on the martial side with hidden power i.e. no obvious use of power Wu style its focus on foot and legwork and an emphasis on chin na and throwing Little Woo aka Hao style with its focus on opening and closing so early on and small frame movements Sun style known for its mix of the three main internal styles into one form Yet they all follow the same principles and have more in common than separates them in essence. Grandmaster Lam studied under Yim Sheung Mo who learnt the Yang style that came through Sun Lu Tang however it was before he developed his own Sun style. It was the original Yang style that he learnt from Yang Lu Chan and passed on to Yim Sheung Mo and on to GM Lam and obviously us. I feel that for as long as we all follow the guiding principals correctly then we should be at peace. Vivre la difference as they say in France.

[@GermanSausagesAreTheWurst]

Hello Sir. After first watching this video a couple of weeks ago, I was intrigued because I have heard of your Guangping Yang style, but I had never seen it before. So I went looking for more videos of it, but the only thing I found was a group in California, but it looks different from the little bit shown here. Do you know the folks in California, is that a different branch? Also whatever else you can tell me about history or methods would be appreciated.

[@spinningdragontao]

Hi, thank you for your interesting question. So as explained in this video this is the first section of three from our Guanping Yang Long Form. I have rarely seen footage of our form, though some similar and the only one I ever saw that was nigh on exactly the same was a small grainy video from a South American school who had Yim Shim Mo/ Kim Shueng Mo as their Grandmaster and obviously his form was the same because it is through him we have our form. Our lineage is explained in my welcome to the channel video. I know of the group in America called Guang Ping Yang T'ai Ch'i Association and I am friends with David Chosid who is their president of their association, the California group could be part of their association. Our form is significantly different to theirs in a number of ways and I think this is down to the different lineages and interpretations. Their master was Kuo Lien Ying who I believe began teaching in San Francisco. Our lineage comes through Ku Yu Chang/ Gu Ru Zhang through to Yim Sim Mo, Lam Kam Chuen to my teacher and then his students. It has always taken a very practical attitude to training, from what I understand of the stories I've heard of our list of teachers. The application of the Internal principles and their maintenance no matter what you are doing and especially when sparring. The development of the full range of skills from fighting to healing and everything in between. The full Guangping Yang Long Form will be up in the near future. Aspects of training will also be covered in future videos as well as a video commenting on the limitations of what can be discussed/ shown on an international, public platform, for obvious safety reasons. I hope this answers your question.

[@spinningdragontao]

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[@macmus98]

When did we start calling those pulldown movements Needle at Sea Bottom?

[@spinningdragontao]

They are part of that movement. For ease I used the generic but to be fair, it could be called just pull down or shock but not so poetic is it 🙂 as it is a transitional movement it doesn't have a specific name like wave hands like clouds etc.

[@ambulocetusnatans]

@@spinningdragontao In the Yang family version it's just small movement of the wrist and a lift of the heel. I like the way your style really shows the yanking aspect of it. That detail is not only missing in most versions of Yang, but it's also missing in Chen, as far as I know.

[@spinningdragontao]

@@ambulocetusnatans There seems to be a common practice to hide techniques/ applications in forms ours has hidden movements too which I have mixed feelings about. The vast majority of Tai Chi is self secret so it doesn't need to be hidden because without proper instruction it fails to do what it's meant to.