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Wang Zongyue was a legendary figure in the history of tai chi. In some writings, Wang is supposed to have been a student of the also legendary Zhang Sanfeng, a 13th-century Taoist monk credited with devising neijia in general and tai chi in particular.

Wang is said to have resided in Taigu, Shanxi in the middle of the 15th Century. He learned an early form of tai chi in the Jingtai Taoist Temple in Baoji. Two of Wang's supposed disciples, Chen Wangting and Jiang Fa, went on to make important contributions to the development of modern tai chi.^[1]

Wang is reputed to have authored The Tai Chi Treatise, alleged by the Wu brothers to have been found in Beijing as part of the Salt Shop Manuals in the mid 19th century. This treatise records many tai chi proverbs; among them: "four ounces deflect one thousand pounds" and "a feather cannot be added; nor can a fly alight". The Tai Chi Treatise is among a body of literature collectively referred to as the tai chi classics.

Tai chi lineage tree

Note:

• This lineage tree is not comprehensive, but depicts those considered the "gate-keepers" and most recognised individuals in each generation of the respective styles.
• Although many styles were passed down to respective descendants of the same family, the lineage focused on is that of the martial art and its main styles, not necessarily that of the families.
• Each (coloured) style depicted below has a lineage tree on its respective article page that is focused on that specific style, showing a greater insight into the highly significant individuals in its lineage.
• Names denoted by an asterisk are legendary or semi-legendary figures in the lineage; while their involvement in the lineage is accepted by most of the major schools, it is not independently verifiable from known historical records.

Connection to Karate

Some Karate scholars theorize about the legendary Chinese master known in Okinawa as Kushanku, being in fact Wang Zongyue ^[2]

See also

• Doc Fai-Wong; Hallander, Jane Tai Chi Chuan's Internal Secrets (1991) Unique Publications . ISBN 978-0-86568-147-7
• Yang Jwing-Ming Tai Chi Secrets of the Yang Style: Chinese Classics, Translations, Commentary (2001) YMAA Publication Center. ISBN 978-1-886969-09-4

References

External links

• Louis Swain's English translation of Tai Chi Chuan Treatise
• Index of tai chi classics on Cloud Hands Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Kung