Gh0st1 wrote:The practice of taiji should follow the evolution of the art. Chen Form(s) should always be studied first, its principles understood and mastered. Only then should the Yang Form be studied, for only by mastering Chen could Yang be truly understood. The final stage of evolution was expressed in the Wu/Hao Form, which internalized the principles to its subtlest nuances. Beyond that was pure mind method. These, the “four classic forms,” as he considered them, comprised the heart of his taiji study and teachings. At the same time he made no secret of how he felt about the forms outside of these four. The Wujianquan Form was a less advanced derivative of the Yang Form. The Sun Form was a redundant hodgepodge of the three internal arts. Weapons forms were often learned too early in a student's taiji education -- a waste of time that could be better spent in practice and understanding of the principles. All other variants were simply a distraction from the originals.
That is coming from Master Jou Tsung Hwa teachings.
http://www.taichifarm.org/Tai_Chi_Farm_Homepage.htm
http://www.taichifarm.org/Teachings_of_Jou_Tsung_Hwa.htm
So to try and totaly bounce the debate into another direction, I think it is not "one or the other", but "all of them" (TJQ styles).
According to Master Jou Tsung Hwa, they should all be learned and in a specific order preferably.
After training TJQ with Dr. Yang, for a month in a very specific environment in California made me get a deeper understanding of TJQ overall. Also asking many questions and having open discussion with Dr. Yang, I came to think that one style mastered deeper and deeper should/can be enough. As it was said, it would take a lot of time to master all of these styles with their sequences, qigong and martial applicatons.
So I have to say that I changed the way I look at the choice of style in TJQ. I also do not think anymore that it is really possible to master so many styles of TJQ and remember their applications enough to make them all alive in a fight situation.