Zhaobao

Taijiquan

One of the reasons for the relative unknown nature of Zhaobao was due to the namelessness of the style. In fact it is only in the last century that the title Zhaobao taijiquan was given. In the past it was Taijiquan and the various followers of leading masters then named the style after their teachers such as Wu tyle or !ulei tyle or !e tyle or !ao tyle and un tyle" but in essence they are all branches of Zhaobao Taijiquan. With the multi#frame to frameless nature of Zhaobao Taijiquan" the variations of the style are many. It is said that great masters such as Zhang $an" Zhang $ingchang and %hen &ingping would teach different frames in accordance to their disciples suitability. This resulted in a few variations and also that many of the branches specialised in a particular frame rather than the range that may have been understood by forefathers. Inevitably since all becomes or is frameless this is of little importance e'cepting for the understanding of differences and branches" since in the end they are part of Zhaobao Taijiquan practice.

He

Style

Taijiquan

!e Zhaoyuan ( " )*)+#)*,+-" one of the key students of %hen &ingping" specialising in .aimaijia" which is central level frame. /s a result the style is rela'ed and flowing and movements are of a standard. It is !e tyle Taijiquan which introduced Zhao 0ao Taijiquan to outsiders of Zhao 0ao village and therefore instrumental in its development. ome of the masters included !e &in'i" !e 1ue'in" !e hiying" Zhao !ong'i and 2uo hikui.

Hou
(Zhaobao

Style
%hengjia

Taijiquan
anheyi Taijiquan-

!ou %hun'iu ( " ),+3#),*4-" was originally from Zhaobao town in Wen %ounty and became a disciple of Zhang 5ing6hi moved to 1iangyang" han'i in the late ),7+8s. /s a descendant of Zhang $ingchang" they practice the older frames methods of Zhaobao" emphasising the principles of Three combine into one" which means that the forms practice" push hands and combat are all equivocal" that is from forms practice to push hands to combat the movements are not modified. ome of the known recent masters descendent from !ou %hun'iu8s teachings of this style include his sons !ou Zhanguo" !ou Zhuanyun" daughter !ou $u8e and son in law Wang 1iyuan. .isciples included 9iu !ongyi" Wang .e'in" Zhao :ong"

Zhou

$u'iang

and

Zhao

5ianying.

Zhaobao

Large

Frame

Taijiquan

(Zheng

Boying's)

Zheng 0oying ( "),+;#),;)-" also known as Zheng 1ijue" was one of the famous two Zheng8s that are descendant from !e tyle Taijijquan (disciple of !e &in'i-. Zheng 0oying taught a larger frame (9ower stance and larger body frame- consisting of )+* <ostures. =oving to 1i8an" haan'i province broght Zhaobao out from it8s home in Zhaobao town and to wider community thus impacting the popularity across %hina greatly. ome of the known recent generation masters of this style include Zhang !ongdao" :en Zhiyi" Zhao %engfu and Wang !ai6hou.

Zhaobao

Small

Frame

Taijiquan

(Zheng

Wuqing's)

Zheng Wuqing ( ")*,4#),*3-" one of the famous two Zheng8s that are descendant from !e tyle Taijijquan (disciple of !e &in'i- . Zheng Wuqing taught a smaller frame (higher stance and smaller body frameconsisting of >4 <ostures. ome of the known recent generation masters of this style include $uan 0aoshan" Wu <eiren" 9i Wenbin" 2uo 1ingliang" Wu hengan" Wu :entang" Zheng :ui and 9iu :ui

Hulei

(Thunder)

Style

Taijiquan

9i 5ingyan (" )*?4#)*,*- was one of the key students of %hen &ingping" specialising in Tengnnuojia" which was then modified through his e'periences. /s a result the style is rela'ed with sudden releases of energy or fajing" the shock power is thus known as !ulei (Thunderstorm-. The tyle also includes the practice of a few different frames but is most known for the !ulei frame which it emphasi6es. ince 9i 5ingyan was developing his style of Taijiquan throughout his life it meant that the students from the earlier sessions differed in compariso to those from later in his life. !is disciples included $ang !u" 9i !uocheng" Zhang 2uodong and 9i !uoyan. It was $ang !u who most responsible for spreading the !ulei style having most followers.

Wu

Style

Taijiquan

Wu $u'iang ( " )*)?#)**+-" one of the key students of %hen &ingping. It is said that he specialised in the small frame and this

style became known as one of the 4 key forms of Taijiquan in %hina (along with un " %hen " $ang and Wu . This is of the Wu ( -. The style is practiced in a very small frame upright manner and is really formless in its interpretation. Wu $u'iang was a scholar and had orignally studied with $ang 9uchan" who later introduced him to %hen &Ingping. !e had few students of which the most well known was 9i $iyu ( " )*7?#)*,?- who became instrumental in the development of the theories and practice of the style having written many treatises regarding Taijiquan.

Hao

Style

Taijiquan

!ao Wei6hen ( " )*,3#),?+-" from $ongnian %ounty" !ebei <rovince who studied with 9i $iyu (disciple (and nephew- of Wu $u'iang-. The style follows the same principles of Wu tyle with small movements and focusing on internal energy development. !is way of practicing was very light and rela'ed mutually balancing and was nicknamed @!uo 0u Aai !e Taijiquan@ (.yamic stepping Opening combined Taijiquan-. !e had four sons which he passed on his Taijquan including !ao Wenqin" !ao Wengui" !ao Wentian and !ao Wen'ing. !e also passed his skills to un 9utang as a favour in return for helping his illness.

Sun
un 9utang master of the result of his which is based on Weichen.

Style

Taijiquan

( " )*;+#),77- from was a famous scholar and three arts of 1ingyi" 0agua6hang and Taijiquan". /s a many studies he developed his own form of Taijiquan includes the genbu (following step- methodology and the !ao tyle Taijiquan which he learnt from !ao

un 9utang also e'changed with masters of other styles such as $an haohou ($ang tyle- and Wu 5ianquan (Wu tyle-. 9ater in his life he contributed much by publishing books and teaching at the 0ejing <hysical Bducation Institute.