Does Tai Chi Origin from Zhang， Sanfeng?

Is Taijiquan originated from Zhang Sanfeng? Who is Zhang Sanfeng? Why is he so famous? And how is he linked to Taijiquan?

The origin of Taijiquan itself is a messy account.

Just like compiling a family genealogy often involves attaching oneself to famous ancestors, many schools of Taijiquan are happy to regard Zhang Sanfeng as their patriarch. The most influential figure who endorsed this claim was the late-Ming thinker Huang Zongxi. In a tomb inscription he wrote for someone, he stated:

There is what is called the "Internal School"... It originated with Zhang Sanfeng of the Song dynasty. Sanfeng was a Taoist of Wudang. Emperor Huizong summoned him, but he could not proceed on the journey. That night, he dreamt that the Mysterious Emperor taught him boxing techniques. At dawn, he fought alone and killed more than a hundred bandits, and thus became renowned in the world for his unique skills.

However, the currently most widely accepted view is that “All Taiji under Heaven comes from Chen Village,” namely that Chenjiagou in Wen County, Henan, is the birthplace of Taijiquan.

The origin of the name “Taijiquan” is widely acknowledged to come from Wang Zongyue’s Taijiquan Treatise.

The earliest record of the lineage of modern Taijiquan is found in A Brief Preface to Taijiquan written in 1867 by Li Yiyu, nephew of Wu Yuxiang:

Taijiquan began with Zhang Sanfeng of the Song dynasty. Its subtlety and ingenuity are fully elaborated in Wang Zongyue’s treatise.Later it was passed down to the Chen family in Chenjiagou, Henan.Only a few in each generation attained spiritual clarity and deep understanding.A certain Mr. Yang from the South Gate of our prefecture loved it and went to study.He devoted himself for more than ten years, mastering all the finesse.After returning home, he taught it to fellow enthusiasts.My uncle Wu Yuxiang saw and liked it, and often practiced and compared techniques with him.But Yang was unwilling to teach others lightly; Wu could only grasp the general outline.Wu had long heard that in Zhaobao Town, Huaixian Prefecture, Henan Province, there was a man named Chen Qingping who had mastered this art.A year later, Wu went to Henan for official duty, passed by and visited Chen.After studying for more than a month, he finally obtained the subtle essence, and his skills became wondrous...

Zhang Sanfeng

In recent years, with the popularity of Jin Yong’s martial arts novels and Jet Li’s film and TV adaptations, Zhang Sanfeng’s profound methods of health preservation and martial arts have been widely promoted.As a result, in the eyes of the general public, Zhang Sanfeng has naturally become the founder of Taoist martial arts such as Wudang Boxing and Taijiquan.

Let us talk about Zhang Sanfeng.

In Chapter 24 of The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, Zhang Sanfeng teaches Zhang Wuji the profound principles of Taijiquan:“Use intention, not force; Taiji moves in circles, without breaks. When the right opportunity and momentum are obtained, make the opponent sever their own root. Every move and posture must be continuously connected, like the great Yangtze River, rolling endlessly.”

One sees his left palm yang, right palm yin, his gaze fixed on his left arm. Both palms slowly come together, heavy as a mountain, yet light as a feather. Zhang Wuji suddenly realizes: “This is the superior martial art of using slowness to overcome speed, using stillness to control movement. Who would have thought such an advanced skill exists in the world.”

So, did the historical Zhang Sanfeng really possess authentic martial skills?

Among existing historical records, there are three “Zhang Sanfengs.” One is Zhang Sanfeng of the Song dynasty recorded in Huang Zongxi’s Epitaph of Wang Zhengnan and Huang Baijia’s Internal Family Boxing Methods, a master of internal martial arts who “single-handedly killed more than a hundred bandits” and was also skilled in Shaolin; one is Zhang Sanfeng of the early Yuan dynasty; and one is the Zhang Sanfeng of the late Yuan and early Ming who founded the Taoist Wudang school. The record of the early Ming Zhang Sanfeng appears in the History of Ming but does not mention martial arts.

For more about Zhang Sanfeng, please see the next blog.