(Editor's Note:  Sal Canzonieri supports Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming's theories about the origin of tai chi.)

Lohan was a Shaolin martial art that incorporated the famous "The Muscle-Tendon Changing" and "Bone Marrow Washing" Chi Gung exercises into various self-defense movements that were based on the martial postures seen in the 18 Lohan "holy warriors" statues.

The Emperor himself also had many, many years of martial arts experience by time he rose up the military ranks to governor-general. A leading general during the short-lived Later Chou dynasty (951-60), he usurped the throne, and by the time of his death he had reunited most of China proper. Over time, he learned not only Shaolin Lohan, but also an early form of Tong Bei (which was practiced by another contemporary general, Han Tong), and the Cha Quan-like Moslem martial arts practiced by many soldiers of his time. By the Ming Dynasty, the Chinese military used his Hong Quan forms as part of their training, as soldiers returned to civilian life, they spread Hong Quan all over China, creating "village" long fist. Chao's reign (960-976) followed the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of Chinese history, between the fall of the T'ang dynasty (A.D. 907) and the establishment of the Sung dynasty (A.D. 960), with the capital in Bianjing of Henan Province (near Shaolin). His greatest accomplishment, and the reason for the longevity of the Sung, was his replacement of the system of autonomous local military commanders with large professional armies under the control of the central government.

Centuries later, Chen Wang Ting had been an army officer in Shan Tung Province in 1618, and had become an accomplished martial artist. In 1641, three years before the fall of the Ming dynasty, he became the militia battalion commander of Wen County (cited in Gazetteers of Wen County and Huaiqing County,) where it appears that he was exposed to Chang Nai Chou's Nei Jia Quan (the almost lost Chen 108 Techniques Long Form has many similarities to Chang's style.) When he returned to the Chen village in 1644, according to recent research in China of the very recent discovery of lishi jiapu, or the Li Family Genealogy, Chen took the boxing methods he learned from various sources and began to refine and perfect them with his cousins from the Li family, at the Qianzai Temple, about 30 miles from Chen village.

These researchers (Yuan Quanfu; Li Xiangyi; Li Bing; Qu Jian) examined very ancient Li family. Ming historian Wang Xingya of Zhengzhou University spent a year tracing and studying the origin and the authenticity of the Li Family Genealogy. He concludes "the Li Family Genealogy was edited by the tenth generation Li Yuanshan in 1716, and is taken from eye witness accounts." According to the Li Family Genealogy, the early patriarchs of Li, Chen (Chen Bu), and three other families became sworn brothers on their migration from Shanxi in the fourteenth century. This event took place in the Qianzai Temple of Tang Village in Boai County, which is about 30 miles away from the present Chen Village.

By the ninth generation, the Li patriarchs Zhong and Xin, and their inter-marriage cousin Chen Wangting again swore themselves to be brothers like their forefathers, and took the abbot Bogong Wudao as their master at the Taiji Gate of Qianzai Temple. The contents of the papers day that Chen and the Li brothers created taiji yangshen gong, or "the art of Taiji Cultivating Life," and practiced and transmitted wuji yangshen gong, or "the art of Wuji Cultivating Life," shisanshi tongbei gong, or "the Thirteen Postures Boxing." "The art of Wuji Cultivating Life" and "the Thirteen Postures Boxing" had been created by the Qianzai Temple priest Shi Li (614-741,) or Li Daozi, according to stone tablets at the temple, who well studied the Three Teachings, Qianjin yifang: "Revised Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold," daoyin: "guiding and pulling" and tunai—"expelling the old breath and drawing the new."

It is said that various martial art postures (from nearby Shaolin and other sources, such as the Chang Nai Chou's Nei Jia Quan, from the neighboring Wen county) were combined with classic Chinese internal health theories of passages of blood, airflow, and energy. This new art eventually became known as Chen family boxing. By the 1700's, Chen Wang Ting's style had developed into the Five Routines of Pao Chuoi and Hong Quan, a 32- and a 108-posture Taiji form, and one Duan Da (short strike) form.

Many Forms Lost Over the Ages

Over time many of these forms were said to have been lost. By the end of the century, the art had been passed to Chen Chang Xing, fourteenth generation, who united and simplified the various routines. It is said by some that Chen Chang Xing re-introduced Nei Jia Quan into his Chen family art via teachings from Wang Zong Yue and Jian Fa. According to an interview (by Yuan Quan Fu) with Li Libing, the present eighteenth generation of Li family, Wang Zong Yue came from Shanxi, and lived in the Tang village as a schoolteacher for five or six years. There, Wang studied martial arts with Li Helin, who was born in 1721, the twelfth generation of the Li Family. (Chen Chang Xing was also the teacher of Yang Lu-chan, originator of Yang Taiji Quan. What is very interesting is that the Chen linage, Yang Lu Chan, and Wu Yu Xiang and his brothers, ALL had learned Shaolin Hong Quan in their youth. Many of the ideas and movements seen in Yang style, but not obvious in Chen style, can be found in Hong Quan forms, especially the Xiao Hong Quan form. The concept and movements of Taiji Quan's Push Hands are also found in the Step Forward Push Palms postures in Xiao Hong Quan, along with the Fair Lady Works at Shuttles movement.)

Much talk surrounds the form found in the Ming imperial general Qi Ji Quan's (1528-1587) famous book, Classic of Pugilism (Tang Hao,) as being a source for the moves in Chen Taiji Quan. Qi claimed to have collected and surveyed about sixteen both ancient and contemporary boxing styles, and synthesized them into a 32-posture form intended for troop training. Tang Hao and Gu liuxin listed twenty-nine postures from Qi's Classic of Pugilism that can be found in the Chen Family forms, along with the language paralleling that in the Classic. Other researchers say that the form shown in Qi's book was an actual Tai Tzu Quan form, not a synthesis of styles.

While the Chen forms may have used the names of the postures from the Qi book, if one looks closely at a set of three ancient Shaolin forms received from the Emperor Tai Tzu, called the Shaolin Tai Tzu Chang Quan forms (yi, er, and san lu), one can see some astonishing parallels between the movements of the Chen Lao Jia form and those seen in Shaolin Chang Quan. Also, many of the moves seen in the Shaolin Tai Tzu Chang forms are also found in some older Shaolin Lohan forms, in chi gungs, and in Hong Quan forms as well.

If one skips the repetition of movements that occur throughout the Chen Lao Jia form, one can see that, move by move, the two forms not only follow each other in sequence, but also in functionality. So, even though the names of the Chen postures may come from the form in Qi's book, evidently the actual movements appear to have origins in the Shaolin Tai Tzu Chang Quan forms. It is worth pointing out that today the access to posture names and technical descriptions is unrestricted, but at that time one had to deeply know a style to have access to this information. Why would Shaolin monks give away the names of the postures to non-disciples? Depending on who taught them the forms, perhaps the Chen ancestors did not know the Shaolin names of the movements and instead used the names of similar looking postures in Qi's book? Or perhaps by Chen Chang Xing's time much of the original information was lost and the Shaolin forms were later used as a base for providing movements to taiji skills and ideas?

This commonality between the two styles is especially evident in the Lao Jia Yi Lu Quan of Chen Taiji lineages, such as the Chen Zhao-Pei style of Chen Taiji, now taught by Chen Qing-Zhou (19th generation,) Chen Zhao-Pei was of Chen Fa Ke's father's generation. Also, very similar is the Chen Ting Yuan style of Chen Taiji. As with a number of other recorded sets, this one was lost to the Chen Family in its 13th generation, because the sole 12th generation inheritor left Chen Village. This Chen Bu Fu is believed to have committed a crime while aiding other people. He relocated to Shan Xi region and changed his name to Guo Yung Fu.

In 1975, Chen Li Qing, from Chen Jiz Guo, visited master Hsu Fong Qin Hsu in Shan Xi and recovered the form. Furthermore, Chen Fa Ke's original version of the Yi Lu has extra moves than today's average version of this form, and these extra moves match analogous movements from the Shaolin Tai Tzu Chang Quan Yi Lu form precisely in the same place in the two form's sequence. Surely, this must be more than a coincidence? Clearly, the Chen lineage has had intimate knowledge with these Shaolin Tai Tzu Chang Quan and Hong Quan forms.

Throughout the Chen Lao Jia Yi Lu form, certain movements also have visually and functionally obvious connections to analogous movements in the Shaolin Xiao Hong Quan form. The Chen Yi Lu posture "Jin Gang Pounds the Mortar" matches the Xiao Hong posture: "Embrace Elbow Restrain Body." Both postures happen four times in the forms, right after very similar movements during the sequence in both forms. Also, the Yi Lu movements: "Six Sealings, Four Closings", and "Single Whip" are derived from the Xiao Hong Quan movements: "Left/Right Cloud Peak, Seven Star", and "Single Whip."

Interestingly, the Chen Yi Lu version of Single Whip is done more like an analogous movement in the sequence in the Tai Tzu Chang Quan form. Clearly, the genius of the Chen lineage combining movements from the Shaolin and other forms into the foundation of Chen Taiji forms was that they merged together and synthesized analogously functional movements from these forms to make them more efficient and effective when applied to the internal martial art ideas.

These are the equivalent moves between the Shaolin Tai Tzu Chang Quan and Chen Lao Jia Yi Lu forms:

Shaolin Tai Tzu Chang Quan Yi Lu Chen Lao Jia Yi Lu Taiji Quan Comments

Preparing Form

1. Preparing Form (Taiji chu shi)

Same exact Buddhist style opening.

1. Scoop Moon from Ocean Bottom (Hai di lao yue)

2. Buddha's Warrior Attendant Pounding Mortar (Jin Gang Dao Dui)

Buddha Pounds occurs 4 times in Chen Lao jia (because there are 4 Jin Gang warriors), it is the slightly altered version of 4 similar movements in the Tai Tzu Quan form, which uses different names each time it occurs in the form.

2. Head-on wrenching hand (Ying-mian ban shou)

3. Lazily Tying Coat (Lan Zha Yi)

Same exact movements in every way.
This move happens many times in the Yi Lu Shaolin Xiao Hong Quan form.

3a. Pull up hidden block (Liao Yin Jie)
or Pull Up Genitals & Cut Off

4. Six Sealings and Four Closings (Liu Feng Si Bi), and

5. Single Whip (Dan Bian)

Chen Lao Jia form's Single whip looks very much like an elaborate way to perform this movement in Tai Tzu Quan form.
Also, in the Shaolin Tai Tzu San Lu form, Head-On Wrench Hand and Turn Body Single Whip Position are movements #7 & 8, which are the same as moves #3 & 5 in the Chen Lao Jia Yi Lu form.
This move happens twice in the Yi Lu Shaolin Xiao Hong Quan form, and signals a change of direction.

3b. Grasp Hammer (ba chui)
 

6. Buddha's Warrior Attendant Pounding Mortar (Jin Gang Dao Dui)

Identical movements

4. Support forearm (Cheng Bang)

7. White Crane (or goose) Spreads Wings (Bai He Liang Chi)

Same function and similar in appearance.

5. Close Body (He shen)

8. Walk Obliquely (Xie Xing)
9. Holding Knees, Brushing Knees (Lou Xi or Lou Qi)
10. Twist Step (Ao Bu) or Stepping Forward Three Steps (Shang San Bu)
11. Walking Obliquely (Xie Xing)
12. Holding Knees, Brushing Knees (Lou Xi or Lou Qi)
13. Twist Step (Ao Bu) or Stepping Forward Three Steps (Shang San Bu)

These movements in Chen Lao Jia are single weighted versions of these double weighted movements in the Tai Tzu Quan form. Instead of doing them on both sides at once as in the Tai Tzu version, the Chen version does them on each side of the body.

6. Lift ground seize sky (ti di qing tian)

7a. Plundering or Brush Past Hand (Lue shou)
Also called Liao Shou (leave behind hand)

14. Hidden Thrust Punch (Yan Shou Hong Quan)

Identical movements.
In both forms, the body turns left to do the punch movement.

7b. Rudely stamp foot & Squeeze hand Cannon (Hen Jiao, Ji shou pao)

15. Buddha's Warrior Attendant Pounding Mortar (Jin Gang Dao Dui)

8a. Plundering (or leave behind) hand (Lue or Liao shou)

16a. Draping over Body Fist (Pi Shen Chui) – first part

Even the brush past leg intermediate movement is the same between the two forms.

8b. Single Dashing Fist (dan dong quan)

9. Right Two lifting flying feet (You Er qi fei jiao)

(SKIPPED)

Chen style does this move later, as those the Yang style, in the Yi Lu form, see moves 40 &41.

10. Double embrace or parentheses (Shuang kuo)

16b. Draping over Body Fist (Pi Shen Chui) – second part

Yang style does this movement exactly the same as Tai Tzu Quan, in their Box the Ears movement.
Chen Fa Ke's Yi Lu does this move the same way as well.

11. Close body with both wrapping fists (Su shen shuang bao quan)

16c. Lean With Back (Bei Zhe Kao)

Same function.

12. Left Plowing (Digging Wedge) hammer (Zuo jue-xie chui)

17. Blue Dragon Out of Water (Qing Long Chu Shui)
also called:
Fist points to groin (Shi dang chui)

Same function.

13. Phoenix spreads wing (Feng Hwang zhan chi)

18. Push With Both Hands (Shuang Tui Shou)

Same function. Movements are identical in Chen Fa Ke's Yi Lu.

14. Shake Mountain ( Yao shan)
15. Wrench hand and Push Waist (Ban shou, Tui yao)
 

19a. Change Palms Three Times (San Huan Zhang)

Movements are totally identical, especially in Chen Fa Ke's Yi Lu.

19b. Under Elbow Strike (Zhou Xia Kan Chui)

19c. Step Back and Swing Arms at Both Sides (Dao Nian Hong).

16. Tiger strike (hu pu)

20a.Step Back and Press Elbow (Tui Bu Ya Zhou)
20b. Middle Winding (Zhong Pan)

Similar function & movements.

17. Expel strike energy to eye (Pai da qi yan)
OR
Raise striking instrument to eye (Tiao da qi yan)

Chen Lao Jia form repeats some previous moves:
21. White Crane Spreads Wings (Bai He Liang Chi)
22. Walking Obliquely (Xie Xing)

Similar function & movements.

23. Flash through the Back (Shan Tong Bei)

18. . Close Body both wrapping (Su shen shuang bao)
19. Right plowing hammer (You Jue-Xie Chui)

24. Hidden Thrust Punch (and Whirling Upper Arms) (Yan Shou Hong Quan)
 

Similar in function.

 

Chen Lao Jia repeats some previous moves:
25. Six Sealing and Four Closing (Liu Feng Shi Bi)
26. Single Whip (Dan Bian)

(acts as transitional move in Chen Lao Jia)

 

27. Wave / Cloud Hands (Yun Shou)

(Same as first half of #18. Shake Mountain ( Yao shan) in Tai Tzu Quan form)

 

28. High Pat on Horse (Gao Tan Ma)

(very similar to #19 in Tai Tzu Quan form, which happens right after #18 Shake Mountain movement.)

20a. Cross-shape wide steps (Shi-zi Kuo Bu)

29. Brushing Right Foot (You Tsa Jiao)
30. Brushing Left Foot (Zuo Tsa Jiao)

Identical movements, also in Yang style.

 

31. Kicking With the Left Heel and Following (Zuo Deng Yi Gen)

(same as #39 Embrace knees and Kick in Tai Tzu Quan Yi Lu form)
This move also happens in the Er Lu Shaolin Xiao Hong Quan form.

 

32. Stepping Forward Three Steps (Shang San Bu) or
Advance with Twist Steps (Qian Tang Ao Bu)

This move also happens in the Yi Lu Shaolin Xiao Hong Quan form.

20b. Cross-shape dashing fist (Shi-zi dong quan) OR
Front and back striking fist (Qian hou zhung quan)

33. Pounding the Ground (Zhi Di Quan) OR
Grasp & Hit (Shen Xian Yi Bao Zhua)

Very similar movements.
This move also in the San Lu Shaolin Tai Tzu Quan form, move #22.

21a. Double Jump Kick (Ti Er Qi)

34. Double Jump Kick (Ti Er Qi)

Identical movements

21b. Circle elbow (Pan Zhou)

35. Protect-the-Heart Fist (Hu Xin Quan)

All three movements (#27-29) in the Tai Tzu Quan form are found in #35 of Chen Yi Lu form.

22. Empty step show palm (Xu bu liang zhang)

23. Black Tiger Pulls out Heart (Hei Hu tao xin)

24. Two Lifting flying Feet (Er qi fei jiao)

36. Tornado Foot (Xuan Feng Jiao)

Very similar movements.
This move also happens in the Er Lu Shaolin Xiao Hong Quan form.

37. Kicking with the Right Heel and Following (You Deng Yi Gen)

25. Elaborate Ground Cannon (Zhui di pao)

38. Hidden Thrust Punch (and Whirling Upper Arms) (Yan Shou Hong Quan)

All three movements (#38-40) in the Chen Yi Lu form are found in #25 of Tai Tzu Yi Lu form.

39. Small Capturing and Hitting (Xiao Qin Da)

40. Embracing Head and Pushing Mountain (Bao Tou Tui Shan)

 

Chen Lao Jia repeats some previous moves:
41. Six Sealing and Four Closing (Liu Feng Shi Bi)
42. Single Whip (Dan Bian)

(transitional movement in Chen Lao Jia form)

 

43. Forward Move (Qian Zhao)
44. Backward Move (Hou Zhao)

Similar movements found in Xiao Hong Quan forms, sequence #26 to #29 in Xiao Hong Quan Yi Lu.

 

45. Parting the Wild Horse's Mane (Ye Ma Fen Zhong)

Similar movements found in Xiao Hong Quan forms, as "Shaung Bu Qiang Shou" – Forward step rushing hand.

 

Chen Lao Jia repeats some previous moves:
46. Six Sealing and Four Closing (Liu Feng Shi Bi)
47. Single Whip (Dan Bian)

(transitional movement in Chen Lao Jia form)

 

48. Fair Maiden Works Shuttles (Yu Nu Chuan Suo)

Similar movements found in Xiao Hong Quan forms – as "Three Push Palms", sequence #41 to #45 in Xiao Hong Quan Yi Lu.

26a. Head-on wrenching hand (Yin-mian ban shou)

49. Lazily Tying Coat (Lan Zha Yi)

Identical movements.

 

Chen Lao Jia repeats some previous moves:
50. Six Sealing and Four Closing (Liu Feng Shi Bi)
51. Single Whip (Dan Bian)

(transitional movement in Chen Lao Jia form)

 

52. Cloud Hands (Yun Shou)

(Same as first half of #18. Shake Mountain ( Yao shan) in Tai Tzu Quan form)

26b. Swallow takes water (Yan-zi qu shui)

53. Double White Lotus (Shuang Bai Lian) OR
Swing Foot (Bai Jiao)

Very similar movements.
Move #53 in Chen Yi Lu also happens exactly the same in the Shaolin Xiao Hong Quan Er Lu form.

54. Shake Foot and Fall into Split (Die Jiao Da Cha)
also called: Swallow Dragon
Swing The Foot And Drop Down (Bai Jiao Die Cha)

27. Overlord observes battle formation (Ba-wang guan zhen)

55. Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg (Jin Ji Du Li)

Similar movements.
Same move as in Chen Yi Lu with same name is also found in move #4 of Shaolin Tai Tzu San Lu form.

 

Chen Lao Jia form repeats these movements :
56. Stepping Back and Wrapping Upper Arms (Dao Juan Hong)
57. White Crane Spreads Wings (Bai He Liang Chi)
58. Walking Obliquely (Xie Xing)
59. Flashing Turn to Back (Shan Tong Bei)
60. Hidden Thrust Punch and Whirling Upper Arm (Yan Shou Hong Quan)
61. Six Sealing and Four Closing (Liu Feng Si Bi)
62. Single Whip (Dan Bian)
63. Cloud Hands (Yun Shou)
64. High Pat on Horse (Gao Tan Ma)

 

28. Pull out kneecap Hammer (Tao bin Chui)
 

65. Cross Feet (Shi Zi Jiao)
also called: Reverse sweep with Right Leg Crossing.

Similar function & movements.

66. Punch the Groin (Zhi Dang Chui)

 

67. Monkey Presents Fruit (Yuan Hou Xian Guo)

Same movement found in Yi Lu Xiao Hong Quan, as "Rushing Hand".

 

68. Single Whip (Dan Bian)

(transitional movement in Chen Lao Jia form)
There are seven of these in the Chen Yi Lu form.

29. Grind waist, pull out rib hammer (Mo yao tao lei chui)

69. Dragon hacks ground (Que Di Long)
 

Similar movements & function.

30. Right Tiger strike (you hu pu)

70. Stepping Forward to Form the Seven Stars (Shang Bu Qi Xing)

Similar movements & function as the first part of TZQ Yi Lu "Tiger Strike"movement.
Seven Stars move also in Yi Lu Xiao Hong Quan form.

 

71. Stepping Back to Ride the Tiger (Xia Bu Kua Hu)

This move also in the Er Lu Shaolin Tai Tzu Quan form, move #33.

31. Double embrace knees (shaung bao qi, jiao) and kick

72. Turn Back and Wave Double Lotus (Zhuan Shen Shuang Bai Lian)
Also called: Turning Around And Sweeping With Both Legs

This move happens in the Er Lu Shaolin Xiao Hong Quan form and also as moves #38 & 39 in Shaolin Tai Tzu Er Lu form.

32. Gather feet, double embracing fists (Bing zu, shuang bao quan)

73. Cannon Right in Front (Dang Tou Pao)

Identical movements

 

74. Buddha's Warrior Attendant Pounds Mortar (Jing Gang Dao Dui)

(There are 4 of these in the Chen form, one for each of the 4 Jin Gang warriors.) This move happens 4 times in the Yi Lu Shaolin Xiao Hong Quan form.

Close form

75. Close Taiji Form (Taiji Shou Si)

same

References:

Tang, Hao and Gu Liuxin. 1963. Studies on Taiji Quan, Taiji quan yanjiu. Hong Kong: Bailing Chubenshe.

Shaolin Temple. 1982. Song Shan Shao Lin Quan Fa. China.

Wile, Douglas. 1996. Lost T'ai-chi Classics from the Late Ch'ing Dynasty. Albany: State University of New York.

Chen, Mark. 2004. Old Frame Chen Family Taijiquan. Berkeley CA: North Atlantic Books.

Li, Bin. 2005. "Taiji Quan, Taoist Transmission-A reflection on the Copy of Tang Village 'Li Family Genealogy, taiji quan daojiazhuang-tangcun 'lishijiapu' chaojian guanggan." http:/ /www.chenjiagou.net

Li, Xiangyi. 2005. "Taiji quan-Searching the Secret in the Qianzhai Temple, taiji quan-qianzaisi tanmi."
http://www.taiji.net.cn/Article/Print. asp?ArticleID=2470

Wang, Xingya and Li Libing. 2005. "A New Study on Li Yan's Birthplace and Origins, the discovery and its Value of the Kangxi Fifity-fifth Year Tang Village 'Li Family Genealogy' Liyanjiguan yuyuanliu xinshu kangxi wushiwunian tangcun 'lishi jiapu' defaxian jiqijiazhi." Zhongzhou Academic Journal 7:4, Zhongzhou xuekan.
http://www.qinghistory.cn/c ns

Yuan, Ququan. 2005. "The Significant Discovery-A Study on Chen Wangting and Wang Zongyue from the Tang Village of Boai County, Zhongda faxian-boaixian tangcun kao Chen Wangting chuntaiji quan he Wang Zongyue ." http://www.e-wulin.com/ch annel/taiji.asp

Qu, Jian. 2006. "A Talk on the Factual Origins of Taiji, Zhenben qingyuan hua taiji." http://www.taijicn.net/viewarticle.php? id=206
**
The above article is reprinted by permission by Sal Canzonieri
http://www.bgtent.com/naturalcma/CMAarticle30.htm

**Sal Canzonieri is a teacher and healer in qigong with a bachelor's degree in Behavioral Science.
Since 1975, Conzonieri has been practicing traditional Chinese martial arts including Shuai Jiao (Chinese art of takedowns,) Tong Bei, Shaolin, Taizu Chang Quan, Yue Jia Quan (Ba Fan Shou,) Xing Yi, Tai Ji Quan, Ba Gua Zhang, and others. In 1980, he began learning and practicing qigong / Neigong. He has been a certified instructor since 1998 by the "International Congress of Oriental Medicine and Martial Arts" to represent the state of New Jersey in Chinese Qigong and Internal Martial Arts. Currently, he is the chief instructor of "The Whippany Kung Fu Club" and the "Natural Chinese Martials Arts & Qigong School of NJ."