Cheng Man-ch'ing's Tai Chi Chuan

Yang Taijiquan 37 Form of Master Cheng Man-ch’ing in 1940

1.  Preparation: Standing, Step
2.  Beginning: Raise Hands, Lower Hands
3.  Ward Off Left
4.  Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail: Ward Off L/R, Roll Back, Press, Push
5.  Single Whip
6.  Raise Hands
7.  Shoulder Strike
8.  White Crane Spreads Its Wings
9.  Brush Left Knee, Twist Step 
10.  Play the Lute
11.  Brush Left Knee, Twist Step
12.  Step Forward, Deflect, Parry, Punch
13.  Apparently Sealing, Seemingly Closing, Apparent Close, Push
14.  Cross Hands, Embrace Tiger
15.  Return to Mountain Brush Knee, Grasping Sparrow’s Tail, Single Whip
16.  Rely on Fist Under Elbow
17.  Step Back, Retreat, Repulsing Monkey 3X  
18.  Diagonal Slant Flying
19.  Cloud Hands 4X, Single Whip
20.  Snake Creeps Down  
21.  Golden Rooster Stands on Both Legs 2X
22.  Kick with Right Foot
23.  Kick with Left Foot
24.  Turn, Kick with Left Heel
25.  Brush Knees 3X, Punch Down
26.  Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail, Single Whip
27.  Fair Lady Works the Shuttles 4X
28.  Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail, Single Whip 
29.  Snake Creeps Down Left Leg
30.  Seven Stars of the Big Dipper Step Forward 
31.  Step Back, Ride the Tiger
32.  Rotate and Turn Body, Sweeping Right Leg Lotus Kick
33.  Bend the Bow, Shoot the Tiger  
34.  Step Forward, Deflect Block, Intercept and Punch
35.  Apparent Close, Withdraw and Push 
36.  Cross Hands, Horse Stance
37.  Conclusion: Feet Together, Hands Down, Standing


List of the 37 Movements, 1 page, PDF format, 4/15/2016
http://www.egreenway.com/taichichuan/chengform4.pdf

Cheng Man-ch'ing (1902-1975): Tai Chi Chuan Master

Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Resources, Reflections, Notes.
A hypertext notebook by Michael P. Garofalo.

Relax (Sung) in Tai Chi Chuan

Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Notes, Instructions. By Mike Garofalo.

Cheng Man-ch'ing on UTube

There is a very good article by Master Wasentha Young titled "Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing's Design of the Yang Style Short Form."  It is located in the recent Qi Magazine: Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness (Volume 27, Number 4, 2017, pp. 30-37.)  Her instruction on pacing energetic flow levels at subsequences of dingdian, parts of the 37 form, were valuable.  

Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing was also known affectionately by one of his many nicknames -  "Whisker's Man."  Lots of pictures of him smiling - I like that.  

Maggie Newman and Tai Chi Chuan

Professor Cheng Man-c'hing performed his 37 Form in around 8 minutes in the video clip we have of him.  Ms. Newman slows down the performance in this video clip to nearly 18 minutes.

Maggie Newman performing the Professor Cheng Man-c'hing 37 Movements Tai Chi Chuan Yang Style Form:

Here is a recent photo of Ms. Newman on ther 100th birthday.  Congratulations!

Relax, Teacher

A Repost from the Cloud Hands Blog on December, 2017

"I have been practicing Tai-Chi Chuan for over fifty years. Only two years ago that I started to understand the word “relax”. I remember my Tai-Chi Chuan teacher Yang Cheng-Fu who did not like to talk much and he used to sit all day without saying a word if no one asked him questions. However, in our T’ai-chi class he would tell us to “relax” repeatedly. Sometimes it seemed like he would say the word hundreds of times during the practice so that the word could fill up my ears. Strangely enough he also said that if he did not tell me of this word that I would not be able to learn T’ai-chi in three life-times (meaning never). I doubted his words then. Now that I think back, I truly believe that if he did not keep reminding me of the word “relax”, I doubt if I could have learned T’ai-chi Chuan in six life-times.

What is the meaning of “relax” in T’ai-chi? Here is an example to help you understand the word. When we go visit a Buddhist temple we usually see a statue of Me-Lo Buddha. The one who has a big rounded stomach with a big smile on his face. He carries a large bag on his shoulder. On top of this statue we see a motto: “Sit with a bag. Walk with a bag. It would be such a relief to drop the bag.” What does all this mean? To me, a person himself or herself is a bag. Everything he or she owns is baggage, including one’s children, family, position and wealth. It is difficult to drop any of one’s baggage, especially the “self” bag.

T’ai-chi Chuan is difficult to learn. To relax in practicing T’ai-chi Chuan is the most difficult phase to go through. To relax a person’s mind is the most significant obstacle to overcome in practicing T’ai-Chi. It takes a great effort to train and exercise one’s mind to relax (or drop one’s “self” bag)."

- Cheng Man-Ch'ing, Taijiquan Master

Strike with shoulder and/or elbow.

Professor Cheng Man-Ch'ing, Whisker's Man

Come On, Whisker's Man!  

It took a multi-talented fellow like you 48 years before you started to understand the word "relax"???   A cryptic, intriguing, peculiar, perplexing remark.  A teacher's puzzler.  

Of course, the professor had high standards for productivity, being a master of five excellences and more.  Obviously, little time to relax.  Then, add the psychological quest of the dropping one's 'self" bag [by Daoist, Buddhist, or psychoanalytical methods and standards] ... 

Alternatives??  Yes, yes ....  let me lie down and have my Feldenkrais' teacher, Ms. Toscano, lead me into deeper relaxation and self-observation and self-exploration.  My ego (one's "self" bag) dissolves in the attention given to the minutia of internal bodily feelings while languidly lying on a soft cushion.  The self bag is gone; or, at least, my everyday busy, yang self, action man self is set aside for while.  Pleasures can induce self-forgetfulness.  One delicious,simple, effortless form of loosened and relaxed. 

But, maybe, Whisker's Man, wants us to reflect on more important matters.  Clever fellow.  

Yes, however, indeed, experiencing Sung while doing Taijiquan is essential to this body-mind performing art.   

Cheng Man-ch'ing (1902-1975): Tai Chi Chuan Master
Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Resources, Reflections, Notes.
A hypertext notebook by Michael P. Garofalo.

Cheng Man-ch'ing on UTube

37 Form of Yang Style Taijiqua by Cheng Man-ch'ing
List of Named Movements

Relax (Sung) in Tai Chi Chuan
Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Notes, Instructions. By Mike Garofalo.


A good article in the recent Qi Magazine: Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness (Volume 27, Number 4, 2017, pp. 30-37.) by Master Wasentha Young titled "Professor Cheng Man-Ching's Design of the Yang Style Short Form."

The Tai Chi Book: Refining and Enjoying a Lifetime of Practice. By Robert Chuckrow, Ph.D.. Including the Teachings of Cheng Man-ch'ing, William C. C. Chen, and Harvey I. Sober. Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, YMAA Publication Center, c 1998. Index, 209 pages. ISBN: 1886969647. Dr. Chuckrow was a student of Cheng Man-ch'ing and others. The Cheng 37 Posture form is described and illustrated with photographs on pages 177-204. VSCL.

Cheng Man-ch'ing T'ai-Chi Short Form. Instructional DVD. As taught by Robert Chuckrow, Ph.D.. NTSC DVD, color, 63 minutes. ASIN: B00BMAVIVC. "This DVD has three parts: (1) Demonstration of Cheng Man-ch'in's Short Form by Robert Chuckrow, (2) Form instruction, and (3) Rear view of form (student view). The instruction part is clear and detailed, and all the movements are taught in succession with different camera views and repetitions." VSCL. 

Yang Taijiquan, Cheng Man-Ching's 37 Form

Grandmaster Chen Man- Ch'ing's (1901-1975)

37 Movement Tai Chi Chuan Form in the Yang Style

Let It Go

"To study Tai Chi Chuan means to learn to relax," were his first words to my beginners' class, and it was his constant message.  "Relax.  Let go of all tension, all hardness.  Be soft.  Hardness is the discipline of death; softness is the discipline of life.  So, wherever you identify tension or hardness, let it go.  Relax completely.  This is what it means to study Tai Chi Chuan."

- The words of the Tai Chi Chuan Master Cheng Man-ch'ing, 1967.  Gateway to the Miraculous: Further Explorations in the Tao of Cheng Man-ch'ing.  By Wolfe Lowenthal, p. 41.  


Gateway to the Miraculous: Further Explorations in the Tao of Cheng Man-ch'ing.  By Wolfe Lowenthal.  Berkeley, California, North Atlantic Books, Frog Ltd., 1994.  124 pages.  ISBN: 1883319137.  Wolfe Lowenthal was a student of Cheng Man-ch'ing from 1967-1975; and later taught Taijiquan at the Long River Tai Chi Circle.  VSCL. 

Relax (Sung) in Tai Chi Chuan
Relaxed, Loosened, Soft, Released
Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Notes, Resources, Instructions.
A hypertext notebook by Michael P. Garofalo.

Valley Spirit Taijiquan, Vancouver, Washington

Cloud Hands Taijiquan



"If we want to fold something up, we must first spread it out.
If we want to weaken something, we must first strengthen it.
If we want to get rid of something, we must first encourage it.
If we want to have something, we must first let it go.

This is called The Secret Wisdom:
That the soft and the weak shall overcome the hard and the strong."

- Dao De Jing, Chapter 36
  Translated by Roderic and Amy Sorrell, 2003

Tai Chi Chuan with Whisker's Man

Yang Taijiquan 37 Form of Master Cheng Man-ch’ing in 1940

1.  Preparation: Standing, Step
2.  Beginning: Raise Hands, Lower Hands
3.  Ward Off Left
4.  Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail: Ward Off L/R, Roll Back, Press, Push
5.  Single Whip
6.  Raise Hands
7.  Shoulder Strike
8.  White Crane Spreads Its Wings
9.  Brush Left Knee, Twist Step 
10.  Play the Lute
11.  Brush Left Knee, Twist Step
12.  Step Forward, Deflect, Parry, Punch
13.  Apparently Sealing, Seemingly Closing, Apparent Close, Push
14.  Cross Hands, Embrace Tiger
15.  Return to Mountain Brush Knee, Grasping Sparrow’s Tail, Single Whip
16.  Rely on Fist Under Elbow
17.  Step Back, Retreat, Repulsing Monkey 3X  
18.  Diagonal Slant Flying
19.  Cloud Hands 4X, Single Whip
20.  Snake Creeps Down  
21.  Golden Rooster Stands on Both Legs 2X
22.  Kick with Right Foot
23.  Kick with Left Foot
24.  Turn, Kick with Left Heel
25.  Brush Knees 3X, Punch Down
26.  Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail, Single Whip
27.  Fair Lady Works the Shuttles 4X
28.  Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail, Single Whip 
29.  Snake Creeps Down Left Leg
30.  Seven Stars of the Big Dipper Step Forward 
31.  Step Back, Ride the Tiger
32.  Rotate and Turn Body, Sweeping Right Leg Lotus Kick
33.  Bend the Bow, Shoot the Tiger  
34.  Step Forward, Deflect Block, Intercept and Punch
35.  Apparent Close, Withdraw and Push 
36.  Cross Hands, Horse Stance
37.  Conclusion: Feet Together, Hands Down, Standing

List of the 37 Movements, 1 page, PDF format, 4/15/2016
http://www.egreenway.com/taichichuan/chengform4.pdf




Cheng Man-ch'ing (1902-1975): Tai Chi Chuan Master

Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Resources, Reflections, Notes.
A hypertext notebook by Michael P. Garofalo.

Relax (Sung) in Tai Chi Chuan

Bibliography, Links, Quotes, Notes, Instructions. By Mike Garofalo.

Cheng Man-ch'ing on UTube


There is a very good article by Master Wasentha Young titled "Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing's Design of the Yang Style Short Form."  It is located in the recent Qi Magazine: Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness (Volume 27, Number 4, 2017, pp. 30-37.)  Her instruction on pacing energetic flow levels at subsequences of dingdian, parts of the 37 form, were valuable.  

Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing was also known affectionately by one of his many nicknames -  "Whisker's Man."  Lots of pictures of him smiling - I like that.  

Tai Chi Chuan 37 Form of Master Cheng Man-Ch'ing

Yang Taijiquan 37 Form of Master Cheng Man-ch’ing in 1940
Prepared by Mike Garofalo

1.  Preparation: Standing, Step
2.  Beginning: Raise Hands, Lower Hands
3.  Ward Off Left
4.  Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail: Ward Off L/R, Roll Back, Press, Push
5.  Single Whip
6.  Raise Hands
7.  Shoulder Strike
8.  White Crane Spreads Its Wing
9.  Brush Left Knee, Twist Step 
10.  Play the Lute
11.  Brush Left Knee, Twist Step
12.  Step Forward, Deflect, Parry, Punch
13.  Apparently Sealing, Seemingly Closing, Apparent Close, Push
14.  Cross Hands, Embrace Tiger
15.  Return to Mountain Brush Knee, Grasping Sparrow’s Tail, Single Whip
16.  Rely on Fist Under Elbow
17.  Step Back, Retreat, Repulsing Monkey 3X  
18.  Diagonal Slant Flying
19.  Cloud Hands 4X, Single Whip
20.  Snake Creeps Down  
21.  Golden Rooster Stands on Both Legs 2X
22.  Kick with Right Foot
23.  Kick with Left Foot
24.  Turn, Kick with Left Heel
25.  Brush Knees 3X, Punch Down
26.  Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail, Single Whip
27.  Fair Lady Works the Shuttles 4X
28.  Grasping the Sparrow’s Tail, Single Whip 
29.  Snake Creeps Down Left Leg
30.  Seven Stars of the Big Dipper Step Forward 
31.  Step Back, Ride the Tiger
32.  Rotate and Turn Body, Sweeping Right Leg Lotus Kick
33.  Bend the Bow, Shoot the Tiger  
34.  Step Forward, Deflect Block, Intercept and Punch
35.  Apparent Close, Withdraw and Push 
36.  Cross Hands, Horse Stance
37.  Conclusion: Feet Together, Hands Down, Standing

Valley Spirit Taijiquan, Mike Garofalo, 4/15/2016, PDF
http://www.egreenway.com/taichichuan/chengform4.pdf


Cheng Man-Ch'ing (1902-1975)
Chinese Medical Doctor, Taijiquan Master, Painter, Poet, Scholar

Relax and Drop the Bags

"I have been practicing Tai-Chi Chuan for over fifty years. Only two years ago that I started to understand the word “relax”. I remember my Tai-Chi Chuan teacher Yang Cheng-Fu who did not like to talk much and he used to sit all day without saying a word if no one asked him questions. However, in our T’ai-chi class he would tell us to “relax” repeatedly. Sometimes it seemed like he would say the word hundreds of times during the practice so that the word could fill up my ears. Strangely enough he also said that if he did not tell me of this word that I would not be able to learn T’ai-chi in three life-times (meaning never). I doubted his words then. Now that I think back, I truly believe that if he did not keep reminding me of the word “relax”, I doubt if I could have learned T’ai-chi Chuan in six life-times.

What is the meaning of “relax” in T’ai-chi? Here is an example to help you understand the word. When we go visit a Buddhist temple we usually see a statue of Me-Lo Buddha. The one who has a big rounded stomach with a big smile on his face. He carries a large bag on his shoulder. On top of this statue we see a motto: “Sit with a bag. Walk with a bag. It would be such a relief to drop the bag.” What does all this mean? To me, a person himself or herself is a bag. Everything he or she owns is baggage, including one’s children, family, position and wealth. It is difficult to drop any of one’s baggage, especially the “self” bag.

T’ai-chi Chuan is difficult to learn. To relax in practicing T’ai-chi Chuan is the most difficult phase to go through. To relax a person’s mind is the most significant obstacle to overcome in practicing T’ai-Chi. It takes a great effort to train and exercise one’s mind to relax (or drop one’s “self” bag)."
-  Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing

I think it takes somewhat of a Stoic or Buddhist attitude to view one's children, family, position and wealth, and self as "baggage."  I favor an Epicurean view regarding these generally pleasant aspects of our life - namely as a means to ongoing pleasures derived from kinetic (movement) activity and interactions, social and intellectual conviviality, natural healthy functioning, and katastematic awareness.   

Relaxation (Sung) and Taijiquan

Professor Cheng Man-Ching (1902-1975)  

Chinese Medical Doctor, Author, Painter, Taijiquan Master

Prolong Life Through Softness

"When I teach taichi today, I still cure illnesses, prolong life, and gladden the spirit, but I can also enjoy the gathering of young and old, and the sharing of goodness with others.

Resembling Old Lai's childish antics,
never retiring though aged,
Surpassing Hau Tuo's animal frolics,
always concentrating ch'i for softness.

Swallow the heaven's ch'i,
Tap the earth's strength,
Prolong life through softness.  
Herein, truly, lie health and happiness."
-  Dr. Cheng Man-ch'ing, New Method of Taichi Ch'uan Self-Cultivation, 1963, 1999, p.15


Dr. Cheng Man-ch'ing (1902-1975)  Bibliography, Links, Quotations, 37 Form 

Cheng Man-ch'ing T'ai Chi Ch'uan Workshop

A two day master workshop on the Cheng Man-ch'ing style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan will be held in Newport, Oregon on Saturday and Sunday, June 25th and 26th, 2016, 10:00 a.m. - noon and 2:00 - 5:30 each day. This workshop will be taught by Oliver Pijoan and assisted by Jon Griffis (past senior student of Oliver’s and a current Tai Chi instructor in Fort Collins, Colorado). 

The entire form will be covered in detail emphasizing the finer and more challenging aspects of Dr. Cheng’s style of Tai Chi Chuan, its philosophical attributes and integration of the five principles.

Cost: $175.00 both days, $95.00 one day.  $165.00 both days, $90.00 one day if paid in full before May 15th.  A $50.00 deposit is required to secure your place.  Mail to: Oliver Pijoan, 345 SE 98th St., South Beach, OR 97366.

Oliver Pijoan, a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for 25 years, is a master teacher of tai chi with more than 40 years of tai chi experience. Oliver began studying Wu style tai chi with John Menken in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1974, and then Cheng Man-ch'ing style in 1999.  His teachers have included Benjamin Lo, Tam Gibbs (direct students of Professor Chen), Michael Stenson (a second generation teacher of Professor Chen) and other notable instructors.  Please contact Oliver at (970) 222-8529 or email him at dr.olivario@gmail.com for further information."  Teaching in Newport and Waldport, Oregon.  

I plan to attend this Cheng Man-ch'ing Workshop in Newport, Oregon, in June of 2016.  

Flyer for this workshop.  

Chen Man-ch'ing (1901-1975)  Chinese medical doctor, Tai Chi master, author, poet, painter.  This webpage includes a brief chronology, extensive bibliography, links, resources, and quotations.  

Chen Man-ch'ing T'ai Chi Ch'uan 37 Movement Form in the Yang Style
List of postures in English with the Wade-Giles transliterations of the Mandarin Chinese posture phrases, facing directions for each posture, and source references.  A Valley Spirit Taijiquan Guide by Mike Garofalo.  PDF, print only format.  First published online in September, 2008.  

T'ai Chi Ch'uan in Northern California, Oregon and Washington