Cheng Man-ching, an important figure in the history of Tai Chi Chuan, has been famous for his widely recognized Tai Chi form and his experience. Among various styles of Tai Chi, the Yang-style short form represented by him is also very famous.
Cheng Man-ching, an important figure in the history of Tai Chi Chuan, has been famous for his widely recognized Tai Chi form and his experience. Among various styles of Tai Chi, the Yang-style short form represented by him is also very famous.
About Cheng Man-ching
Cheng Man-ching was born in Yongjia, Zhejiang Province He died March 26, 1975. Cheng was trained in Chinese medicine, Tai Chi Chuan, calligraphy, painting and poetry. Because of his skills in these five areas (among some of the traditional skills and pastimes of a Confucian scholar in traditional China) he was often referred to as the "Master of Five Excellences." Because he had been a college professor, his students called him "Professor Cheng."
Characteristics of Cheng's Yang-style short form
Cheng Man-ching is best known in the West for his Tai Chi Chuan. The following are some of the characteristics of his "Yang-style short form."
It eliminates most of the repetitions of certain moves of the Yang long form.
It takes around ten minutes to practice instead of the twenty to thirty minutes of the Yang long form.
The hand and wrist are held open, yet relaxed, in what Cheng called the "Fair Lady's Hand" formation (as opposed to the straighter "Chinese tile" formation of the Yang style).
The form postures are not as expansive as Yang Ch'eng-fu's form.
Cheng postures are performed in "middle frame" style, which changes the movement of the feet from the Yang version.
Cheng's concept of "swing and return" in which the movement from one movement to another initiates the next.
Cheng Man-Ching's 37 form of Tai Chi
The number of postures in different Tai Chi styles varies greatly. The original Tai Chi form consisted of 13 postures, based on the 8 trigrams and 5 elements. One of the most widely practiced styles of Tai Chi, Yang Style Long Form, uses a form with 108 postures and generally takes at least 20 minutes to complete.
Professor Cheng stated that one should take at least 7 minutes to perform his form for health benefits, and 10-12 minutes for "something more". The 37 form of Tai Chi designed by Professor Cheng include the preparation, beginning and several forms.