"secret" yang style versus Michuan style Yang....

Chris Lampe · Post by **Chris Lampe** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 7:59 pm

I've been reading some history on Tai chi and I'm confused about a certain point.

My understanding is that Yang Lu-Chan created a new style when he had to teach his art to the Manchurians. Yang Cheng-Fu then changed this art to make it more accessible to the general public and this 3rd generation style is what is commonly practiced as ?public? Yang Tai chi.

I?ve also read of another lineage of Yang style that has been referred to as the Secret Yang style. This lineage did not descend thru Yang Cheng-Fu but thru Yang Shou-hou and is supposedly the original system Yang Lu-Chan and his sons practiced. The main proponent I?ve seen for this lineage is Earl Montague.

Was the style Yang Shou-hou passed down the Michuan or the new Yang style created by Yang Lu-chan? Is Earl Montague?s ?secret? Yang style the same as the Michuan style practice at GRTC?

Linda Heenan · Post by **Linda Heenan** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 8:53 pm

Hello Chris. I recently spoke with two of Earle Montaigue's students and quickly came to the conclusion that the style you mentioned is not the same as Michuan. Since the Michuan system is passed down through a direct line of disciple students, we can be confident it is worth studying and preserving. I have not researched any other system.