http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc8urlr8RM0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IN62YtrlIQ
I’m developing a strong interest in Wu/Hao style taiji. Strangely enough, I couldn’t really accept it a while back because it looked so strange to me. I thought that “real taiji” didn’t move like this, especially with the fingers being kept straight.
Now that I’ve been studying taiji for a while, I find that Hao style is brilliant in what they are trying to achieve. If we look at taiji as a progression of an idea or a set of ideas, it’s fairly clear to see where Hao style picks up where Yang style left off.
The clips above show Hao Shao-ru — one of the main teachers of this style during his lifetime.
4 responses so far ↓
1 CreidS // Nov 2, 2007 at 11:40 pm
“If we look at taiji as a progression of an idea or a set of ideas, it’s fairly clear to see where Hao style picks up where Yang style left off.”
What do you see as the major ideas behind the branches of Tai Chi Chuan or other IMA?
I’ve made a good deal of progress in my Yang style, but I am nowhere near branching out into other styles. Could you give us a brief primer?
2 thomas // Nov 3, 2007 at 3:23 am
“If we look at taiji as a progression of an idea or a set of ideas, it’s fairly clear to see where Hao style picks up where Yang style left off.”
Dave, could you clarify your statement above? What idea(s) do you think Hao develops further than Yang style? And which “Yang style” are we talking about? I think your suggested comparison/contrast of Yang and Hao ideas is important, but only if the specific principles being looked at can be stated clearly.
3 Dave Chesser // Nov 3, 2007 at 10:28 am
Sure, I can talk a little about that. It will really controversial to say that later styles developed things further beyond the earlier styles, making this a perfect topic for blogging.
As a preview, I’m finding that Hao and Sun styles really seem to have some cool things going on in terms of qi work, the evolution of chansijin, and the nature of specific moves.
4 taijiquestion // Nov 3, 2007 at 12:15 pm
I watched just a bit of both these clips. To say I know nothing about the Hao style of taiji is to say that the sun is hot.
Immediate, powerful impression: man this guy has a compact and tidy (and so relaxed?) lower-body stance and legwork going on.
I have a personal interest in compact taiji forms. But this seems to take it to the limit? I’m curious about the genesis of such a form. Guess I’d better stay tuned.
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