www.Longfei-Taiji.co.uk	Longfei Taijiquan Association of Great Britain
		Longfei Newsletter Volume 8 Issue 1

Taijiquan Lineage

In recent classes (taijiquan) family trees have been a topic of conversation. Past newsletters have covered Longfei's background; however this was almost ten years ago. Although the information is available on the website I thought it apposite to revisit the topic.

In the 1970s to 1990s membership to the BCCMA (once known as the Kung Fu Council) was granted to a school after a group presentation and demonstration by both senior instructors and students. In recent years this has changed and the association already in membership can recommend an instructor/coach through their offices and stand as a referee. The reference has of course to be sincere but it still is a case of who you know and not what you know that can guarantee the recommendation is successful. Simon and I have had enquires from the TCUGB regarding individuals applying for membership to the union along the same lines: "who have they trained with, what is their level of skills, are they known to you, are they suitable for instructor membership or simply as lay members". So officiating bodies look to some degree at the background and lineage of aspiring members.

This, whether we like it or not, is in keeping with the traditional Chinese practice in martial arts when we hear claims of a master or teacher being the 18th generation or whatever. So knowing our connections can place us in good stead in modern times as it did in days of yore.

When I first met Professor Li Deyin I was unaware of his family's background (my first visit to China in 1989). However I had been training in the Yang style of taijiquan since 1974 and was immediately fascinated by his skill, coaching and presence. I visited China twice in 1989, again in 1990 and 1991 to train with Professor Li. On the last two visits I was joined by Simon. On his second visit we were invited to visit the home of Master Li Tianji (Longfei) and we discussed the possibility of introducing their family tradition to Great Britain. We were both invited to demonstrate the 24 taiji for Master Li and I was asked to demonstrate my Yang style.

In 1990 Simon came first in the BCCMA competition and qualified for the British team for the first World championship which was to take place in Beijing . Professor Li was the senior judge at the championships and I feel sure that Master Li Tianji was an observer, so I feel our invitation to represent the family was not random but the result of a traditional evaluation. Professor Li has visited the UK annually since 1990. Our subsequent membership to the BCCMA was subject to the traditional method of evaluation (a presentation and demonstration before a technical committee).

Lineage of the Li family taiji

Master Li Yulin (1888-1965) had three teachers includ-ing Hao EnGuang, whose teacher was Li Cun Yi. They were both famous in the roles of security escorts and Li Yulin learned martial arts from these two teachers. The main thrust of the training was to be Shaolin quan and xingyi quan. Hao EnGuang was fatally wounded on an assignment; Li Yulin made arrangements for his funeral and transported his body to his home for burial.

This came to the attention of Sun Lutang (1861-1933) who was impressed by these actions and subsequently led to Li Yulin being accepted as a student. With Sun Lutang he studied taijiquan, xingyi quan and bagua zhang. He also studied with Li Jinglin who had learned his Yang style taiji from Yang Ban Hao. Ling Jinglin was also skilled in the Wudang Jian (more information can be found in Professor Li Deyin's book Taijiquan).

There are obviously many more acknowledged students for all these teachers, some of them famous in their own right. However I have dealt only with those that I am familiar with on the basis of Longfei's connections.

Once again this chart deals only with the lineage connection of Longfei to the Yang tradition. So there are two Longfei connections to the Yang style, the one in the second chart and the other through Yang Banhou - Li Jinglin - Li Yulin.

Yang Chengfu had many distinguished and famous students with continuous lines to the present day. Among the more famous are Fu Zhongwen, Dong Yingjie, Cheng Manching. There would be lineage lines from most of the names mentioned in these charts but I can only refer to those with whom I have knowledge. For those of you who are interested in taiji family lines I would recommend Complete Tai Chi Chuan by Dan Docherty. Yang Zhendao is currently recognised as the family senior and his grandson is being groomed to follow in his footsteps.

Richard Watson

Longfei Newsletter Volume 8 Issue 1 Table of Contents