The controversy involves content in the line of transmission including form and writings that are not found in any other transmission.
The names involved are Niu Lianyuan and Wu Mengxia.
If I am not mistaken Niu was a student of Ban-Hou and Wu was a student of Niu.
Both of these individuals published material about taijiquan that is not the same as that found in other Yang lines, for this reason some of the content of the published material has been suspected by some to not come from the Yangs but to come from Niu Lianyuan and Wu Mengxia. However the evidences pertaining to this are inconclusive.
I have also heard it said that it lacks the flavor of the Old Yang methods, that can be seen in Wu and Wu-Hao taijiquan, which comes from students of Yang Luchan himself. However this could be seen as a matter of taste...
Here is the primary content of the original text from Niu that is considered suspect
乱环诀 (七言八句)
乱环术法最难通,上下随合妙无穷。
陷敌深入乱环内,四两千斤招法成。
手脚齐进横竖找,掌中乱环落不空。
欲知环中法何在,发落点对即成功。
And for fun here is the google translate translation of it!!!
Arbitrary ring tactic (Seven-eight)
The most difficult to pass arbitrary loop operation method, combined with the wonderful endless up and down.
Trap the enemy in depth chaos ring, 42 tactics into extremely heavy.
Looking into if they had hands and feet together, hands off the chaos ring is not empty.
For what the French ring, hair placement of that success.
Not the best translation by any means.
Here is a site that has a translation and exposition:
http://www.ycgf.org/Articles/RandomCirc ... les_1.htmlAnd of course because of fair use doctrine we may examine the translation they give there:
Random Circles Formula (eight seven-character sentences)
The method of random circles is the most difficult skill to understand and master. When you can integrate them fully with your whole body movement and follow your opponent well, you will find endlessly ingenious uses for them.
f you can entrap the enemy deep within these random circles, then you can successfully use four ounces of force to move a thousand pound force.
Hands and feet arriving at the same time, probing in every direction, your random circles will not fail to ensnarl the enemy.
If you want to know the key to success with random circles, it is about finding the correct point to - release your force and the correct place to do so - in order to throw your opponent down.
Some of the reasons this is suspect is that the grammar and words are a bit divergent than similar teachings in other Yang transmissions. However this does not mean that the teaching is not true. I find it fascinating.