Origins of Tai Chi Chuan & Five Winds School
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Legend attributes the origins of Tai Chi Chuan to a 13th Century Taoist monk, Chang San-feng (or Zhang Sanfeng). One account is that after watching a snake and crane in combat, and with a background in yin yang theory, he is attributed with developing a combat method which reflected the soft nature of the snake overcoming the stabbing bird, the soft overcoming the hard.
Whether a factual account is unsupported, but it at the very least reminds us of the influences of Chinese culture running through Tai Chi Chuan, particularly Taoism, and of the underlying theories guiding the art.
Whether a factual account is unsupported, but it at the very least reminds us of the influences of Chinese culture running through Tai Chi Chuan, particularly Taoism, and of the underlying theories guiding the art.
The origins however are more likely rooted in a development of Chinese boxing arts, particularly through the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). It was toward the end of this period that Chen Wan-ting developed what became known as Chen style (family) Tai Chi Chuan, most notably borrowing from General Qi Jiguang circa 1580's. Tai Chi Chuan as we recognise it today is more attributed to origins in Yang family contributions however
(beginning with Yang Lu- chan) and their interactions with Wu Chuan-you, martial instructor to the Imperial Guard, and later trainer of the Republican President's bodyguards. Yang Cheng-fu & Wu Chien-chuan, contemporaries around the beginning of the 19th century, are attributed with the spread of Tai Chi throughout China.
While the early origins are somewhat disputed, the more recent 19th/ 20th century history can be traced through family styles to present day.
(beginning with Yang Lu- chan) and their interactions with Wu Chuan-you, martial instructor to the Imperial Guard, and later trainer of the Republican President's bodyguards. Yang Cheng-fu & Wu Chien-chuan, contemporaries around the beginning of the 19th century, are attributed with the spread of Tai Chi throughout China.
While the early origins are somewhat disputed, the more recent 19th/ 20th century history can be traced through family styles to present day.
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Chang San-feng
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Chen Chang-hsing (1771 - 1853), CHEN STYLE
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Chen Keng-yun
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Wan Lan-ting , FIVE STAR STYLE
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Ching Yat
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Qi Min-xuan
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Cheng Tin HungSee below
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Yang Lu-chan (1799-1872), YANG STYLE
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Yang Pan-hou (1837 -1890)-
** Qi Ke-san
Wu Ch'uan-you (1834-1902)-
Wu Chien-chuan (1870-1942)WU FAMILY STYLE-
Cheng Wing-kwong (1903 - 1967)-
Cheng KamyanCheng Tin Hung (1930-2005)Ian Cameron
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Yang Chien-hou (1839-1917)
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Yang Cheng-fu (1883-1936)
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YANG STYLE
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Early video of Cheng Wing-kwong, uncle and teacher of Chen Tin-hung
Cheng Tin -hung in Edinburgh 1986
Ian Cameron demonstrating Tiger Yawning
Ian Cameron
Ian Cameron is founder of Five Winds School of Tai Chi Chuan …….
Ian Cameron was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1944.
He first came under the tutelage of Cheng Tin hung in 1971 whilst serving in the armed forces in Hong Kong. On his return to Edinburgh he set up his class which was to evolve into the Five Winds School.
He trained in Judo, Karate and Boxing in his youth, seeking out Cheng Tin Hung while serving in the armed forces in Hong Kong (1971-74).
On leaving the armed forces in 1976/77 he began classes in Edinburgh. He subsequently returned to Hong Kong in 1980 for a month, with the purpose of intensively training with Cheng. Cheng Tin Hung was then Mr Cameron's guest in Scotland the following year, and again in 1985 and 86, teaching seminars throughout the UK. Mr Cameron was a founder member of the Tai Chi Union for Great Britain, and sat originally as Technical Director of that body He has entered students in competition with good success. He remains a leading practitioner and teacher of Tai Chi Chuan in the UK and continues to fervently defend the traditional approach to Cheng's system of training.
Ian Cameron has published five books to date :
The Practice of Wudang Tai Chi Chuan,
The Practice of Tai Chi Chuan Weapons Forms,
The Practice of Wudang Spear,
Tai Chi Chuan Practice (free on iBooks),
TCC Life & the martial arts (free on iBooks),
Tai Chi Chuan by Ian Cameron (free on iBooks)
(Jan 2020 update - books now released on Amazon, video on pay hip - links in news page).
Follow on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/fivewinds.taichichuan
He first came under the tutelage of Cheng Tin hung in 1971 whilst serving in the armed forces in Hong Kong. On his return to Edinburgh he set up his class which was to evolve into the Five Winds School.
He trained in Judo, Karate and Boxing in his youth, seeking out Cheng Tin Hung while serving in the armed forces in Hong Kong (1971-74).
On leaving the armed forces in 1976/77 he began classes in Edinburgh. He subsequently returned to Hong Kong in 1980 for a month, with the purpose of intensively training with Cheng. Cheng Tin Hung was then Mr Cameron's guest in Scotland the following year, and again in 1985 and 86, teaching seminars throughout the UK. Mr Cameron was a founder member of the Tai Chi Union for Great Britain, and sat originally as Technical Director of that body He has entered students in competition with good success. He remains a leading practitioner and teacher of Tai Chi Chuan in the UK and continues to fervently defend the traditional approach to Cheng's system of training.
Ian Cameron has published five books to date :
The Practice of Wudang Tai Chi Chuan,
The Practice of Tai Chi Chuan Weapons Forms,
The Practice of Wudang Spear,
Tai Chi Chuan Practice (free on iBooks),
TCC Life & the martial arts (free on iBooks),
Tai Chi Chuan by Ian Cameron (free on iBooks)
(Jan 2020 update - books now released on Amazon, video on pay hip - links in news page).
Follow on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/fivewinds.taichichuan
Early Wu style (1937) with Chu Min-yi
