Master Yan Long Chang,
About two months ago on the Blog of Jon Dyer (my disowned student), I saw your letter to him for the first time. Since then I have thought of writing a letter to you, but due to being busy training, working, teaching and writing it did not happen until today.
Today when I was about to put down the words there was still some reluctance on my part. There are so many things on my mind to talk about, but there is also an unwillingness to record all of these things. I do not like to talk too much about these types of things. People who read this might laugh at both of us. You were indeed my teacher for well over 15 years. So why would I want to make mention of our conflicts?
Evan Chen and Jon Dyer, who in their gratitude towards you for raising their rank and by issuing them both Teaching Certificates (it is quite laughable this whole affairs of fast tracking disciples succession) passed on their rumours about me, their very own teacher for over 10 years. I have been strongly criticised, and put down with this spreading of lies.
Given the situation, I prefer to be direct, clear and not beat around the bush. So I will try my best to address here the letter that you have written to Jon Dyer and was published on his blog site
In march 2009 or there abouts, I had just returned from China. Jon Dyer called me on the phone and He asked about my tour in China. Jon had been with me for well over 10 years as a student, and also he was at that time one of my disciples. I trusted him and hence gave him a warm reception on the phone. But at that time he has already been accepted by you as your disciple behind my back, the phone call was merely a way to find out how much I actually knew about the betrayal. This constitutes the first step to criticise and denigrate me. I was as ever so trusting and unaware of anything at this point
The following day Evan Chen, another disciple of mine for well over 10 years, made his appearance in the plot against me (Evan Chen was one of my most trusted disciples at that time).
Evan wrote on the web site that he and Jon Dyer are authentic certified teachers of your art. At the same time Evan refuted the authenticity of the story in the preface of my first Taiji book. This is the preface that he wrote for me in 1999.
Specifically Evan was refuting the story about my exchange with Dan Brook the then kickboxing champion. Evan was fully aware that the fabricated story he was now spreading came from Jon Dyer. (If the exchange with Dan happened the way Jon is now saying it did, then is he saying that he is a stupid person and an idiot, or that his brain was somehow damaged by something so that he ignored my supposed failing and yet continued to learn from me for another 10 years? Or has he gotten confused about what happened 10 years ago due to his poor memory? In either case, I told him to bring Dan back and try on me again to refresh his memory. The only other possibility is that he is just simply an ugly liar). Yet Evan intentionally passed on this new story from Jon as if it were the truth. Finding an excuse to stab me behind my back. He did all this for you. It is to be said that I think he has done all this against his better nature, and that I know he wanted to thank you for the fast track promotion and the gift of the certificate.
Let’s think about this. If Evan Chen and Jon Dyer had been with you for say 3-5 years, then all this is actually credible. Unfortunately they have met you merely on a few occasions, and with that you fast track their path and certified their qualification. Are you trying to deceive them? Why would you do such a thing?
This act of yours is deemed irresponsible towards the DSXYLHQ system. Why indeed should a man in your position do it?
It seems it is your selfish way of doing things that has driven you to do this. Indeed China and its current ill air has corrupted and changed you.
When I saw Evan’s letter, there was disbelief and anger. I forthwith wrote to Evan and Jon informing them that they had been disowned and expelled from my school.
Among my students, some are good in martial skills, others not so good. All those that are able to, improve gradually with patient teachings and coaching. But such a taint in personality and disregard for the traditions simply cannot be further encouraged nor allowed. There is simply no choice but to expel both of them.
After about a week of them being disowned Jon Dyer started his spreading of rumours on his web site. Spreading lies to put me down. He also posted to other web sites as well, and posted most 'specifics' in web blogs.
In the blog they gathered a few of my past students of mine and a Russian person whom I have never even met and criticised me and set about to destroy my reputation on the Internet. After Jon’s phone call, and Evans web posting, this constituted the 3rd step in your plot.
The above behaviours were met with protests from both other students of mine as well as me in a most vehement manner.
The 4th step of your plot is in a form of a letter to Jon Dyer in January 2009, and published on Jon’s web site. This letter's purpose was for aiding the lies against me.
On reading the letter, I found it first shallow then even amusing. In that letter my DSXYLHQ was criticized as being incorrect, and Jon Dyer’s way is more correct - more authentic. And it is with this you intend to select Jon as the successor. Jon Dyer then also wrote to www.rumsoakedfist.com informing Tom one of the the blog administrators that he will be the successor of the arts and will spread the arts worldwide. Aiming at providing a future to DSXYLHQ.
(But Master YLC you yourself have yet to be appointed to be a successor, so how can you appoint Jon Dyer as one? What then about Evan? Or the Russian?)
In my 20 odd years as a teacher of martial arts Jon is one of those few that I have had to repeatedly correct. He could still never get it quite right like other better students.
May be you can correct his forms. And also be able to make sure he will never change them in the future. My thinking is that if you can first guarantee this, then and only then you can talk about the subject of “Successor”. Hence the spreading of the arts to the end of the world will be realistic.
The letter and the certificates have made fools of Evan and Jon. They are irresponsible to DSXYLHQ. It benefits only yourself (Perhaps they can support you financially). You have not considered others.
On the web site where the video of your training is shown, you have considered that my forms are not as correct as Jon’s. If that is the case, I am willing to put my “Shi Ba” and my “Hu Pu” forms side by side with Jon’s similar videos. Let’s compare them. Why not? Will that not make it clear to all?
These untruths can be so easily proven as such. Yet you have committed these untruths... You have indeed changed.
Now another issue has came to mind. It is about the story of Wang Guo An, and your discontent with your Master YUE GUI NING for leaving out the DSXYLHQ spear and Dian Xue Jue out of your syllabus. You waited until YUE GUI NING had passed on and then introduced a distant relation of your wife, Wang Guo An, and said that he was your secret Master. This was for the purpose of venting your frustration and hatred towards Master YUE GUI NING.
I believed your story at first, but later I found out that apart from an external breathing exercise, this Master Wang Guo An had never taught you anything at all. And you have designed your very own version of Er Mei Ci even. It was never from Master Wang Guo An at all. You have admitted this to me in 2007 after my incessant inquiry. I did not wish to follow you erroneously and be accused of being a person who disregards history and the truth. Seeking the truth remains the highest personal principle in my study of martial arts and learning. It is a measure I am living by in all areas of my life.
A few of your classmates, such as Cao Ju Zi, Zhao Sui Gen, Duan Zi Gang, have followed you in error. They believe the lineage of Master Wang Guo An in you (Jon Dyer’s essay has lied about yourself being the only disciple of Master Wang Guo An as well).
In the end they never learned even a single authentic move. Cao Ju Zi was publicly criticised due to his mistake of making mention of Master Wang Guo An. A similar shame happened to you. You have been always very bitter about the fact that you were announced disowned by YUE GUI NING’s DAI XIYI orgnisation.
In a similar fashion to your story about Wang Guo An, due to your discontent with me, you have written to Jon Dyer creating stories to deceive Jon. This seems to be your way to vent frustration and hatred towards myself.
It seems that you are in the habit of creating stories when you are not happy with others. It is not necessary due to my specific behaviours that you are focusing upon. This is your habit.
For nearly 2 years I refused to contact you. You thought that it is due to my ungratefulness towards you. Thinking that after learning the complete arts I then began abandoning the Master.
Because of this you felt there is now a need for you to find my replacement. One or more people to provide a regular monthly income for you. Hence you deceived Jon Dyer making him believe that he indeed can be the “successor”.
You also think that I have become wealthy through the teaching of martial arts. Actually I have in the past 10 years only taught 2-3 students this DSXYLHQ and mostly these students learnt for free...
Encouraging Evan and Jon to create rumours in order to ridicule me, in the hope that I will loose students and hence be unable to make a living. It is both laughable and immature of you indeed.
I first thought all these attacks were the works of Evan and Jon. It was not until the emergence of the January 2009 letter that I began to see that you are the dominant hand in this plot. Evan and Jon both have paid dearly for this. Most importantly with their personal creditworthiness. Irredeemable indeed. And all for fast tracking promotions and the certificates.
You should be aware of the truth:
To rely on teaching martial arts is not only impossible but risking starvation even. The money I input into the learning of the martial arts far outweighs the money I get from teaching and writing of books by many hundred fold. This I do realize is a guaranteed loosing business, yet I still proceed with it, only because I love martial arts. Also I feel I have a responsibility towards Chinese culture, and wish to preserve the traditions in the arts. And I am also trying to avoid further bastardization of the already dying arts.
Truth shall remain, the videos of you on the web site, those that we have filmed together...They speak louder than the rumours from Evan and Jon disputing the authenticity of the story of Dan Brook’s exchange with myself. Later using Master Yek Sing Ong and my push hands video (SE Asian Taiji Champion) and the doubting of my lineage from Master Ma Yueh Liang. All these are rumours.
I have no choice but to present the still picture of the video of push hands with Master Yek Sing Ong and to show on the Internet a personal letter written to me by Master Ma Yueh Liang. They are all now on my blog (www.drstephenyan.blogspot.com).
This is to refute the shameless lies said about me (By this way I have harmed both Master Yek and Master Ma’s other students out of great reluctance .I prefer compassion and non vengeance).
It breaks my hearth thinking that before this I trusted these two expelled disciples. I have thought of passing on all that I had ever known and realized to them unreservedly. It included all styles. Their unsavoury acts in collusion with you are indeed an unfortunate event in the drama of play and event in life.
Creating rumours is one thing. Spreading is yet another. There is a rumour that they spread on the Chinese web sites against me, denying me as a disciple of Master Wang Shu Wen. It even went as far as someone falsely claiming to be a reporter that interviewed Master Wang Shu Wen. I did reveal the truth of the matter by taking Jon along to Master Wang’s place. At his home on the wall are many pictures of his disciples. The first one was showing me being accepted as a disciple. It was in Shanghai, taken in Shanghai Wang Kai Photography shop. That picture is clearly the picture of a master and his disciple.
Further rumours said that if I were to return to China they most certainly would seek me out perhaps even harming me.
You are aware of course those who tried to damage me and threaten me are those whose scams I have exposed as false previously.
The two expelled students of mine have helped to spread these lies onto the English websites. When I returned to China at the end of last year I published on the Chinese web sites of my impending return and stated the time and places I would be. I spent three days waiting and yet they were a no show. They are Liars, totally lacking in any resolve.
I attended the XYLHQ competition, in particular the “Shi Ba Cui” and “Duan Pin” events. I won first prize for each of them. Rumours said that I was not even there.
However after I posted the videos of the competition on the web I no longer hear from any of them. How unreliable all those sorts of rumours are indeed.
I am not too sure if it is Jon Dyer lying or if it is you Master Yan Long Chang that has deceived Jon. He mentioned that there is this “Yin Yang Tian Di Ba zhen tu” from DSXYLHQ system. It is this that you have not taught me, hence proof that I have not learned everything from you. However this set is from Master Ma Er Niu(created by MA.Er Niu) YUE GUI NING‘s branch has not got this set. It is so wrong to deceive Jon Dyer like that.
On reflection, I consider what could be the reasoning for you to destroy this 15 odd years of our relationship. And also to cause harm to so many others . And not even benefiting yourself in the end.
I have looked after you for so many years. Let’s not delve into the 2 occassions that I have arranged for you to come to NZ (On the second occassion it included your wife as well) You are the only teacher of mine that I did this. Other teachers never repeatedly asked to come to NZ. Definitely not twice.
On the second stay in NZ at the end of the 6 month stay there indeed was some conflicts between us. Ancient way says: “Wisemen or Gentlemen agree to disagree”
You wanted me to promote you, find more students for you and get you more income. I did all that. I wrote a long essay on the Chinese Internet to promote you. And Jon Dyer did the same for you on the English websites. Despite this you recently asked the Russian student to comment on my essay promoting you and say I had a ‘great imagination’. In truth when we did exchange for the very first time you did not strike me out at all. I however have in the spirit of promoting you said that I was pushed to the wall and 1 foot off the ground even. It is all exaggerated to promote you.
In my love to preserve the culture and not wishing to see it disappear into oblivion, I worked hard for you. However to you, culture or not, complete or not, matter little to you. All you want is promotion and for you to get rich in this period.
To promote you I do not have any problem with that. But to care not about others it is a problem. To promote XYLHQ and not just DSXYLHQ is my wish.
There are other XYLHQ like :
* Luo Yang Xin Yi liu he Quan
* Mai Zhuang Tu Xin Yi liu he Quan
* Li Chun Hu Xin Yi liu he Quan (12 da shi)
These are also the Xin Yi liu he Quan styles that I care about. I just simply cannot focus on your personal interest alone. It is the whole of XYLHQ culture that matters to me. I hope to do research, and arrange the materials of all the styles of XYLHQ. I feel I have a personal responsibility and purpose as a scholar as well as a martial artist to do this. Our irresolvable conflict lies in these differences.
There is another conflict of ours. I have decided to go to another teacher to learn DSXYLHQ Spear and Dian Xu Jue since you have not learned these from your teacher. But you were unhappy about that, thinking that I should give you the money instead. You do not understand my wish to preserve the culture of XYLHQ. I want to have complete knowledge and study all the different styles of XYLHQ. You have a different wish altogether.
There is another thing. During our exchange you did fall out repeatedly. You thought that I was disrespecting you. You Felt very raw about it despites my continuous consolation. You remain upset with me.
Of course you worship Chairman Mao. You have come consider him as a great man. I however think that he is the number 1 criminal of Chinese culture and race. He destroyed the Chinese traditions as well as our culture, perverted human values, and committed great human atrocity. He is a mega historical criminal. That we debated countless times.
On Deng Xioa Pin, you dislike him because you have not benefited from his changes. I however praise Deng and strongly dislike the dictatorial system instead.
There is a blog writer called “Wen Wu Jian Pe” he told me that you informed him that I have become wealthy through teaching martial arts. That is so laughable indeed. As I said before this is simply not possible in New Zealand. Especially as the number of people interested in DSXYLHQ would struggle to make up a single class.
The above conflicts have lead you to do the followings to me. Disregarding our 15+ years of Master and student relationship
* I let 2 of my students taking you out .You abuse my good intention. You deceived them. Issuing them teaching certificates behind my back. Trying to cut out my hope to set up DSXYLHQ
* You care nothing about traditions or etiquette. You seduced the two students to betray me. In reality all you have to do is to tell me your wish. I would gladly allow those two to serve under you just like I allowed Tony to work with you. You have ignored the proper way of doing things. Rather you like the status struggle of Mao’s way.
* I got my wife to take you out buying you gifts. Not only have you told some untruth in my father’s face leading him to warn me of you, saying that you have unkind intention. But similarly creating rumours in front of my 8-9 months pregnant wife, upsetting her greatly.
Why are you like that? I have more than 10 Masters, and none of them are like you.
* Was it not enough that I have arranged for you and wife to come to NZ? What about nearly fifty of thousands of RMB? You want a truck for your business use, and house in Qi Sian city. Those two things were beyond what I can afford. so I couldn’t supply them to you. Why would you interfere with my personal life, creating lies? When I teach my students I have never got involved with their personal matters...What is this tradition of yours?
* What you do not like about others you have spoken. That is your habit. I listened to it and made no comment. Your attempt to put a wedge between my wife and I however is beyond the limit of my level of tolerance. I got so upset, I called you to tell you off.
* For 2 years I ignored you. Last year I went to Pin Yao, China and I did not visit you. You thought that I had abandoned you. Hence plotting all these schemes to hurt me. But none of these harm me a bit. It has instead brought on a new wave of interest in my school. There is even a policeman came once a week or a fortnight from far away to do the class with me. Why do all that?
* You are a two face person. And very skilled in that I might add. Before you left in 2007 you pretend to tell Jon Dyer off for taking Kris’ student (I allowed Kris to follow you, to let you make some money, I do not know why after a few lessons he left you for Jon’s class, and you were feeling quite upset about that). At the farewell in the Airport with an embrace you thanked me for arranging you to come to NZ, you told me that foreigners like Jon is somewhat unreliable, and you even pretend to tell Evan off for taking away my students, saying that he does not know the proper way. As you were leaving he did not even come to send you off (but all you three have been in collusion with each others even at that point) Yet in tears you delivered all these touching words.
* About your relationship with your son and daughter-In-laws because it is your personal matters, I will not mention here. Your error is in your constant selfishness. It is because of that you cannot be fulfilled.
* Try this, if you would have asked for Evan and Jon from me I will never reject you. And if you would not have put a wedge between my family and I, I would be still sending you money monthly. Helping to promote you and gather students your way.
* If you are more open and sincere about XYLHQ I can share with you whatever you have yet to know. Its total content and its complete theory. Sharing unreservedly with you. Just as you have done for me in the last 15 years.
* All these years Master YLC you have indeed been diligent in your teaching, including the healing of my injured back. You performed Tui Na on me. I am indeed very touched. Master YLC you have trained hard for so many years you do possess the “Gong Li”. The shame is that all that gong li came solely from you. Why don’t you seek deep from the classical knowledge of DSXYLHQ? In that depth there is a wealth of knowledge.
* Master YLC your understanding of DSXYLHQ history, martial theory and methods etc including applications and weapons and its applications have yet to attain the level befitting that of a true transmission. There is in fact a lack. It is exactly because of this reason that when you met with an adapt hand in martial arts you cannot issue forth the true force of DSXYLHQ instead opening up gaps that make you susceptible to an attack.
* DSXYLHQ is indeed a very conservative art form. Master YLC you want me to show you the “Cai Yi”. You told me that you have heard of Master Yue gui Ning trained in some “Cai Yi” and he did not teach you. And you wanted to learn. If Master YLC remain as open like this. I perhaps can bring it all out to discuss and investigate and share them with you.
* When we talked about the Monkey Squat of DSXYLHQ. On the body of BOW. You did not know where “Gong Ba” or “Gong Xiao” actual locations were. However after I told you the locations that were taught to me by Master Ma Yueh Liang you suddenly realized and jumped with joy. Praising unceasingly the skills of Master Ma Yueh Liang.
* If you have not planned all these unpalatable acts, knowing the error of your way. I will look upon our relationship of many years and perhaps one day I could have forgiven you. This time you have caused me to abandon you.
* When I saw Jon Dyer’s letter passing rumours and lies about me, I thought he received instructions from you to have it written as he has a regular habit to exaggerate and lie. After a while I saw your letter on his web site then I knew for sure it was all from you.
* Selfishness has blinded your ability to rise above yourself.
* You have presented faked lineage of master from whom you have not even learned a move.
* You make the martial arts brother of the same rank as yours juniors. Robbing Master Yue gui Nin’s students from him. (I will not go into details here)
* You robbed me of my students.
* Wishing someone to send you regular income you then deceived them with your lies.
* I ignored you but you did not reflect on its underlying reasoning. Instead you schemed a plot to destroy me.
* Your established a Master-Disciple transmission traditions of your own. I still remember the story you told me about Master Yue gui Nin.
* A lof of your self seeking tendency I can tolerate. But present a barrier in my family that I cannot tolerate that at all. It is totally unforgivable.
* 10 years ago your tears moved me. Then was your first time in NZ. My family suffered tremendously because of you then.
* The second time in NZ, you recycled your hideous act to destroy my home once more. Most selfish and I cannot allow that.
* Evan Chen’s nature is very good. He is highly educated. His ability to understand martial arts is not bad. At first I thought that he can understand this objective of mine, to restore the Chinese traditional arts and culture. Working together to put together and arrange and present them in the future.
* I do not have the ability to promote world peace for the Chinese race but to realize the common or universal values of peace, democracy, individual freedom, justice. These can be considered practical deeds on behalf of the Chinese people. But for the price of a certificate, to spread rumours. It briefly broke my heart. (Jon Dyer also mentioned that you were sad because of me, I believe there is no truth in that. You have used me, now that you have many students, are you sad? However, if the heart break is real, then my sadness for loosing Evan and the reason of your sadness is as different as heaven and earth. The former grieves for loosing a partner of a common goal in life’s ideal. The latter grieves for failing to reach a self seeking goal)
* Jon Dyer is also not a bad person. Not as highly educated as Evan. Jon has a bad habit to tell lies. When I consider the XYLHQ principals of 3 reasons to teach and 3 reasons not to teach, I almost did not want to accept him as my disciple. This was mainly because of what I knew about Jon’s past. But Jon had followed me for well over 10 years, and I thought that maybe he was sincere. I have indeed corrected many of his mistakes. In the end I accepted him as a disciple. But due to his desire to be the DSXYLHQ’s successor, under your instructions he spread poisonous lies against me. Although the onus of responsibility in his error I still place it squarely on you, Master YLC.
* I expelled both these students, starting a new path for them to learn DSXYLHQ from you. Do teach them properly. Do not play successor game any more. Avoid their struggle to be a successor of DSXYLHQ and get into fights amongst Evan, Jon and the Russian. In reality, learn the skills, pass on the DSXYLHQ arts. Make that your true objective.
As I write till this point, the anger that was in me has subsided. Perhaps I cannot solely put the blame on you. I blame Chairman Mao. He severed the spinal cord of the Chinese people’s long and rich culture. Halted the achievement of reaching cultural climax. In its rightful place Chairman Mao has instead replaced achievement with cultures of the peasant minds, such as the minds of land grabbers, minds of men who can think only of severely harsh rules to torture and to punish. The current government promotes Mao’s culture in an unprecedented manner. In the cities people are more selfish. They care very little except for themselves. Your behaviour is a reflection of the current social ill.
A gentleman likes to have wealth. But more importantly is to attain it in the proper way. If you leave behind “self” you will be even richer. Now you have many overseas students. You have crossed that bridge indeed. We who resemble a temporary bridge structure have passed our “use by date”. I hereby willingly dismantle this structure of support. Let the past flow eastward. I herby wishing you and you successor all the very best and hope to see you truly spread the arts of DSXYLHQ in Ernest.
This relates to an American named Kris Bowen. It is yet another episode in this saga.
About a year ago, Kris rang in requesting about the format of the DSXYLHQ training. After we had met he told me that he is an American married to a NZ wife. He related to me that he has a disability on one side of his body. That injury was caused by an accident during a play while he was in the Army. Part of his neck vertebrae was broken. His purpose in training DSXYLHQ is to strengthen the body. I then proceeded to teach Kris.
After a while, he told me that he would like to change his job from the Telephone exchange to something else. So he enrolled in a Web Design course. It was then he noticed that my Web Site had not been updated for a while. He then told me that he will update my Web site for me. This will then also give him an opportunity to practise what he was then learning at the course.
I trust people rather easily despites some people have told me that people can be difficult. Hence I believed in Kris. I proceeded to provide him my Web site’s password as well as material for the Web updates.
Kris was rather dedicated in the work at first so I decided to wave his private lesson fee in exchange for the work he was doing for me. He agreed in gratitude.
After a while he met Jon Dyer. Jon was another student of mine. After they got to know each other well Jon told me that Kris had given him many bits of software.
Jon got upset one day with Evan for not paying Kris for doing his web site and he complained to me. Evan was another student of mine... I told Jon that I really did not know what had transpired between Kris and Evan at all. It would be best Jon to ask them directly.
In 2007 Master Yan Long Chang came to NZ. I wanted to help him financially. So I introduced Kris to him as a student. After learning from Master Yan Long Chang for a short time Kris left without giving anybody involved the reason. Master Yan Long Chang was feeling rather upset. He complained that Jon had taken Kris off him. That Kris is now learning from Jon. I was rather amused by all these especially considering the drama that Master Yan, Evan and Jon have created against me later. One really does not know what to make of it. A comedy or a tragedy? The like minded gathered together, I Suppose.
After Kris left Master Yan Long Chang I too had little contact with him.
In fact gradually I even forgot that he was doing my web site updates.
A surprise, on the second half of 2008 someone came and inform me that my Web site had gone disappeared.
Fortunately the Host company of my Web Site had previously did a backup. But the Web Host company told me that the disappearing of the Web site was due to someone who has my password and can access the web site to delete things.
It became clear to me that it must have been Kris. A nasty person indeed.
People might ask why that guy would do such a thing to me. What right had he to do that? Especially considering that his Service to me was in exchange for his waving of private lesson’s fee. And my Web site was in a way the materials for his Web course training. And before all these my Web site might not have been updated but there was content on that web. There indeed cannot be any good reason for him to offend me. If I were to venture a reason it could only be that he is being just a nasty person.
And nasty person and bad characters are always in co-hort in their endeavour... That is just being natural.
But I am grateful to them for opening up my eyes and educated me to identify future nasties and bad characters much easier. And to be able to quickly avoid or rid of them in the future.
I will never allowed these unruly baddies to messed about with the progress of Chinese culture
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
谈谈“吴图南”
谈谈“吴图南” 颜紫元 2009.7
吴氏太极拳家吴图南，是我的老师一辈的同门，谈吴图南前辈，并非本人与吴前辈个人之间有什么恩怨，作为晚一辈的我，甚至没有见过他的面，然而吴前辈的一些涉及太极拳史的文章，给太极拳史造成了不少混乱，而历史（拳史也是历史的一部分）是个严肃的课题，对于造假的揭露是每个拳学者应尽的责任，本着这种精神，我便只好将自己所知道的史实写出来，让大家作参考。
吴图南先生的原名。
吴氏太极门一直奉老子、陈抟及张三丰为太极拳的三位祖师，即老子是道家的鼻祖；陈抟是道家隐仙派的鼻祖，且为三教合一承先启后的关键人物；张三丰是道家隐仙派的一代祖师，又是太极功、太极十三式拳剑的鼻祖。陈抟，字“图南”，自号“扶摇子”，宋太宗封老祖为“希夷先生”。
吴图南先生，原名“吴荣培”，成年后（大约十八、九岁时）开始从吴鉴泉宗师学太极拳，数年后改名为“吴图南”，与陈图南祖师之名相若，其所图谋者可见一斑。
2，吴图南先生的真实年龄
我的业师马岳樑先生曾说过，当初吴鉴泉宗师门下有三人几乎是同一年出生的，三人分别是吴公议（1901-1970），吴图南（1901？-1989），及马师岳樑先生（1901-1998）。
上世纪末，本人编著的《吴氏太极秘谱诠真.卷一》中也提到吴前辈年龄的问题，然而一直没有其他文字证据来说明吴前辈的真实出生之年。前几日，本人偶尔上网时，看到一张吴图南先生民国时期参加南京中央国术馆首届国术考试时（1928年）所得的证书（见照片），上面清楚地记载了吴前辈出生于1902年，这就证明了业师马岳樑先生早年所言之正确，及回答了所有对吴前辈年龄的质疑。
事实上，在吴图弟子马有清先生编著的《吴图南太极拳之研究》（1984年7月初版，香港商务印书馆出版）一书上，有张中央国术馆国考期间，吴鉴泉宗师、徐致一及吴图南在中山陵前的合影，吴图南显然是个二十多岁的后生，绝非四十多岁的中年人（见照片）。
因此吴图南先生所谓生于1885年（比1902年生竟大了十七岁），显然是欺世之说。
这个出现在上世纪八十年代的夸大了十七岁的做法，与其二十年代由原名“吴荣培” 改名为“吴图南”，及三十年代著书是在杨少侯传人中安插一个无中生有的“乌拉布”，都是一脉相承的，只是吴鉴泉宗师在世时，及同辈知晓底细的人太多，故一直忍着，等到那些人绝大多数都去世了，他便说自己生于1885年（也许吴图南先生自知活的会不如马岳樑先生寿长，便不等了，来个“孤注一掷”），至于“乌拉布”名字的人，自然是子虚乌有的，好在杨少侯先生去世之后，来个死无对证，为将来说“乌拉布”就是他本人吴图南打好伏笔，用心真是良苦啊！
（笔者按：摘录一些网上一些对吴图南国考证书的评论：另外，给大家提供一些线索：
考试委员长张之江先生署名签发的《国考证书》，顶额有孙中山总理遗像。底上暗嵌白色“国考证书”四字。正文写着“中央国术馆,为发给证书事,兹有吴图南,年二十六岁,系河北省通县人,应第一届国考,评定成绩为中优等。合行给予证书。以昭郑重。此证。考试委员长：张之江 评判长：李烈钧 右给：吴图南。 中华民国十七年十月 日”
第一次国考“国考证书”分成三类。第一类是“预试及格证书”，没有张之江、李烈钧签名的。第二类是“主试、襄试及格证书”，不单有张之江、李烈钧的签名，还有马良、姚以价的签名。
这两份及格证书，四角上有“国考证书”四字，党国旗中间为孙中山像，孙中山像上为中央国术馆旗帜。
《第一次国考特刊》上刊登的就是“预试及格证书”与“主试、襄试及格证书”。除此以外，中央国术馆还颁发过“评定”证书。就是吴图南的证书。左右上角均有中央国术馆的旗帜。
民国十七年系1928年。是年10月6日---10月18日，为时13天，中央国术馆在南京中央体育场举办第一次全国国术考试。国考分预试和正试。预试为套路表演，依评分取得正试资格。正试的内容包括徒手对抗的“拳脚门”和“摔角门”，持械对抗的“刀剑门”和“棍枪门”。正试比赛不按体重分级，三打二胜，没有时间限制，没有统一的护具规定和要求。报名参赛者400余人。预赛淘汰之后，实际参加正试对抗赛者333人。赛后颁发“最终最优者”15名、“优等”38名、“中优等”82名。
证书中的“中优等”，并非是“优等”，也非“中等”，而只是给予预试及格者的证书。吴图南当年只是预试及格。万籁声是“中等”，万籁声的证书上写的是“优等”。这些只是人情世故所致，与真假无关的。
李烈钧题词或者张之江的签名，其实都是签名章。每一张的字迹一样的。只要你有机会去查查南京图书馆的资料，就能清楚这一点。
这份由官方颁发的证书，在法律上具有“直接证据”的证明力。以此推断，吴图南出生年份应该是1902年。而不是1885年。两者相差整整17年。即便按照虚年龄计算，吴图南寿命应该是88岁的，而不是105岁。吴图南“高寿”之谜，就此被解密了，百岁太极拳老人的神话，也从此破灭。
1984年2月,中国武术协会主席徐才和北京市副市长孙孚凌等领导祝贺吴图南先生百岁寿辰,并颁发了“武术之光”锦旗。这两位官方人士愚蠢的行径，也为百岁神话起到推波助澜的作用。回头再看吴老先生的长寿秘诀，显得有点搞笑了。
毕竟高手如云，吴先生成绩虽然未入中等，可我们依然对吴先生充满了敬意。其实只要敢于报名登台的我们都会致敬的。)
3，关于吴图南先生编造其业师的民族。
吴先生在其《太极拳之研究》一书中，称自己是蒙古族，蒙名为“乌拉布”，在其书第19页上有这样一段话：“全佑（1834-1902）清端王载漪之护卫，曾和杨露禅学太极拳，后拜杨班候为师，家传其子鉴泉（蒙古人，冠姓吴，即吴鉴泉1870-1942）”。
众所周知，吴鉴泉为满族人，吴图南先生却敢冒天下之大不韪，将其师之民族改换成与自己一样的“蒙族”。也许当时吴先生想（上世纪八十年代）：先打下伏笔，将业师改成同族人，以后待机会成熟了，再改成亲戚或堂兄弟的关系，反正年龄已改了差不多靠近了……
4，吴图南先生关于他“九岁开始学太极拳”。
吴先生在《太极拳之研究》一书中称，其出生后得多种先天性疾病，“于是我在九岁那年，由家长带我到练拳的功房去，教拳的老先生是全佑先生，由他的儿子爱绅吴鉴泉教我……”。
吴先生在这里的文字，让人读起来，仿佛他见过吴全佑（字公甫,号保亭），要知道吴图南先生的真实出生年龄即1902年，吴全佑已在同年过世，已归道山，吴先生刚出生便能去全佑教拳的功房学拳，岂非一神婴？！事实上，吴氏前辈们都知道，吴图南是近二十岁才拜吴鉴泉为师学艺的，也就是其随师南下，赴南京中央国术馆国考前的八、九年。
吴图南的好友赵润涛，为吴图南《科学化的国术太极拳》(1929)作序(页5)时说：“吴君图南，予之同学友也。幼同游戏，长同读书，故对于吴君知之最深。吴君自幼工于文学，既入中学，始致志于国术．．．”。
这里“既入中学，始致志于国术”，并非开始就是太极拳。前文已述，吴先生是大约十八、九岁时才开始从吴鉴泉宗师学太极拳的。
因此，无论是上世纪二十年代末吴图南的好友赵润涛，还是吴门太极前辈的历来口述，都说明吴图南先生关于他“九岁开始学太极拳”也是一个谎言。
5，吴图南先生关于他是吴鉴泉的第一个徒弟及吴鉴泉介绍吴图南去杨少候处学拳。
在同一本书上的第16页上，吴先生写到：“我是吴鉴泉先生的第一个徒弟，后来他又介绍了我跟杨少侯先生学拳……”，在第14页上，他又写道： “我跟鉴泉先生学了8年，后来由鉴泉先生介绍又跟杨少侯先生学了4年，前后共学了12年。”
出生于1902年的吴图南先生称自己是吴鉴泉宗师的第一个弟子，那是图南先生把自己编造的假出生之年，当成事了。 吴鉴泉宗师弟子中早于吴先生拜师的不止十余位。历史一再告诉我们：当一个人生活在谎言包围之中，于是谎言也神奇的被当成真理了。
吴图南先生关于由吴鉴泉介绍其向杨少侯学艺的文字，向人暗示他在吴鉴泉宗师处已将吴鉴泉宗师的功夫学到尽头，便由吴鉴泉介绍他到杨少侯处进一步深造。
首先，从未有人评论过杨少侯与吴鉴泉功夫孰高孰低，而有下例事实，我们可以窥其一斑：
其一，许禹生在民初(1914年)同郭志云、杨季子、赵鑫州、恒寿山、纪子修、高克兴、佟瑞甫等人成立了大学 “北京体育社”，同时又聘请杨少侯、孙绿堂、杨澄甫、刘彩臣、刘恩绶、姜殿臣、梁师如、张忠元、姜登撰、兴石如及吴鉴泉宗师为体育社教师。其间有美国大力士及拳击家WILLIAN WYNEY 挑战体育社，因事关中国武术及体育社的名誉，众多名家讨论过后一致推举吴鉴泉代表体育社迎接挑战，比赛结果WILLIAN WYNEY成了吴鉴泉的学生（见照片）。试想，当时各派名家都在，大众一致推举吴鉴泉宗师去迎接挑战者，自然已说明问题。
其二，吴鉴泉宗师长子吴公仪年少时，初因自己父亲不重视教自己而更多注重教别的徒弟而赌气去杨少候处学艺，杨先生对吴公仪说：“你父亲不教，我来教。”过了一段时间，某日吴鉴泉宗师偶见公仪拳练得有模有样，这才认识到公仪虽年少，但也能学好，于是便开始细心传授爱子。试想：若杨少候先生比吴鉴泉技高一筹的话，吴鉴泉能介绍吴图南去进修，反而要让已在杨少候先生处学艺的吴公依回到自己身边学艺？这不是极违背常理？！
其三，据吴英华恩师说：“早年在北京，吴、杨二家是近邻，杨澄甫年轻时不肯学艺，待其父杨建候耋耄之年时才觉悟要学，其父亡故后，三、四十岁的杨澄甫常到吴鉴泉宗师处学习推手（见二位宗师那时的合影照）。倘若吴鉴泉宗师功夫不如杨少候的话，杨澄甫先生为何不到自己兄长处学习推手，反学到吴鉴泉宗师处？！这不是又违反常理？
其四，马润之先生是杨少候的弟子，但年龄与杨少候相仿。马先生为满族人，原本就精通武艺，亦精术数，恩师马岳梁先生曾从马润之先生学术数，诸如奇门遁甲、诸葛亮之马前科、一掌经等等。马润之先生曾对恩师马岳梁先生提及杨澄甫先生的太极剑（即吴氏第三路九九八十一势“连环剑”)学自他，惜因故未全。马润之先生将独子马普安拜在吴鉴泉宗师门下，试想，若鉴泉宗师不如少候先生，马润之先生为何让子拜鉴泉宗师为师？
因此，吴鉴泉介绍吴图南去杨少候处进修的理由根本不能成立。
6，吴图南不是杨少侯的徒弟
吴图南在1937著的《国术概论》中写道：“少侯执教京师时，得其传者，有海甸东润芳、北平尤志学、田肇麟、乌拉布、马润之等。润芳为人，慷慨好义，工诗文，善书画，与同里韩久亭先生，均以文名。时从润芳先生游。。。。”
当时虽然杨少候已逝世，但许多同辈人还健在，尤其是其太极业师吴鉴泉宗师还健在，故吴图南只字未提杨少候和他是师徒关系，只说了他从杨少候的弟子东润芳先生游，他在《太极拳之研究》书中的杨少候小架（又称“快架”），便极可能学自东润芳先生，绝非学自杨少候本人。
为吴图南《国术概论》 写序的刘亚子先生在的序中说：“吾友吴图南，当今之国术大师也。其先世本蒙古旺族，宦游北平，遂就居焉。”这里提出吴图南是蒙族人，但并无指出他原名乌拉布。
而直至五十年后，即上世纪八十年代，吴图南才说那个“乌拉布”就是他本人“吴图南”。
试想，若吴图南果真是杨少候的弟子，为何不用“吴图南”而用“乌拉布”？同时期他的著述中写到吴鉴泉弟子名单时都用“吴图南”？既然是吴鉴泉介绍去杨少候处学的，其本人又真的是杨少候的弟子话，那么，有什么理由不取用“吴图南”？！
反过来，吴图南在《国术概论-通臂拳史略》一节(页107)中说：“著者于民国二十二年夏，始遇(张策)先生于首都，畅谈刀法之理，妙不可言，恨相见之晚也。于是由吴鉴泉先生之介绍，而拜(张策)先生之门，只因时间仓卒，仅学刀法之应用，未暇及于拳剑枪棍。至今每忆之，未尝不五中怅然也！”。
吴图南只是在短时间内随张策学刀，尚且详细交代师承，如果他真的拜过杨少候为师，学拳四年，在《国术概论》中又岂会完全不交代在《太极拳研究》中，说吴鉴泉介绍吴图南跟杨少候学拳的详情？随张策短时间学刀尚能用汉名“吴图南”，而“拜过杨少候为师，学拳四年”，却不敢汉名“吴图南”，岂不怪哉？要知道那是提高名气的事，吴图南先生岂能聪敏一时，又糊涂一时？
这种羞答答地用“乌拉布”的方式，正说明他的故事是一个一厢情愿自编的故事，非事实，充其量只是偷偷地拜访过杨少候，因其著述时 杨少候、吴鉴泉二宗师都还健在，故不取用吴图南，而用一个无人知晓的“乌拉布”，为将来的沽名钓誉做伏笔。
再者，若真是如吴图南所道，那么，1928年10月中国第一届国术考试期间，吴先生所陪的老师应是杨少候，而不是吴鉴泉宗师了。
7、吴图南先生所谈的关于《宋氏太极功源流支派论》不实之言
图南先生在其《太极拳之研究》一书中的第26页上写道：“那是在清朝光绪末年或宣统初年时（1908—1909）我的一位朋友送的、、、、这本书看样子年代久远了，朋友说：你别弄碎了，最好把它糊上一层纸做襯就结实啦。我慢慢翻看，其中字迹还清楚。我 抄了一本把这本旧书当文献存了起来”。
图南先生并说：“吴鉴泉、杨少候、纪子修、许禹生都问他要，他都给他们抄了一份送去。还有位“吴君鍾霈的同学，他练形意拳，又跟吴鉴泉练太极拳。他也借去抄，到拿回来时我发现他给抠掉许多字，幸好我有另一本，要不然就麻烦了”。
图南先生又写道：“袁世凯有一位机要秘书叫宋书铭，这位老先生到了北京，自称是宋远桥的后人。我们拿着书去拜访他，见到他之后，他说他家里也有这本东西，是他先人宋远桥写的。经过两边对照，就是开首题目有点不同。我们的是：《宋氏家传太极功源流支派论》，下面就提到正文。他的是：《宋远桥太极功源流支派论》，下面正文的内容完全相符。说明这本书确乎是宋远桥在明朝时候和张三丰太极拳时所记载的东西，是不错的。”
对于上述文字，首先,1908—1909时，吴先生还是一幼童子，故不可能有朋友送其书。其次，据恩师马岳梁先生说，这篇《宋氏家传太极功源流支派论》是出自许禹生之手，是许氏假宋书铭之名，将许氏自己在宋书铭处听到的一些关于明朝初期宋书铭远祖宋远桥的故事，结合自己的观点杜攒而出，故吴氏太极不收入那篇伪文，但碍于情面，隐忍不提，直到笔者1996年问起恩师时，恩师方告知此文的真实来源（吴鉴泉宗师一门根本没有这篇内容，但有宋书铭1916年编著的“太极功”的内容。这篇《宋氏家传太极功源流支派论》中谬误颇多，后文会详述）。
显然，吴图南先生将源自许禹生先生处的《宋氏家传太极功源流支派论》，倒过来说成是许禹生等先生抄他的，反正吴鉴泉、杨少候、纪子修、许禹生早都不在世了。
再者，据许禹生及其弟子王新午、张虎臣等人描述，“宋书铭性格古癖，视拳技如性命，且极其保守，和弟子们约法，不许传人，不许说是他教的，从不显山露水”，岂可能让一个十四、五岁愣头小子拜访他时就轻易地把“家传”的古谱与他对照？
更荒唐的是,吴图南的一位学生写了一篇“杨少候凌空空劲，艺折宋书铭”的文章，文章中始称吴图南与一班人去宋书铭处，宋除了表演其祖传的“三世七”太极拳外，还与他们推手。
吴先生为了蹿辈，已把自己当成是许禹生、吴鉴泉、纪子修、刘恩绶其中的一员了，把上述那些老师去拜访宋书铭与推手，说成了是自己的亲身经历。试想，如此保守的宋书铭，又岂能给一个楞头小子表演太极，并与之推手？更何况宋书铭在京期间，吴图南大概还未开始学太极拳呢！
后来文章中吴先生的故事就显得更滑稽：“一天，杨氏太极拳宗师杨少侯携徒东润芳、尤志学、乌拉布(吴图南)、马润芝，来到宋书铭住所拜访。少侯先生是当时京师太极拳第一人，其技艺之高、名气之大胜过杨澄甫，他的太极拳得班侯的亲传，儿时得乃祖禄禅教授，功夫极佳。宋闻听少侯来访，亲自迎出门外。把少侯一行让到室内，寒喧过后，少侯表明切磋拳艺的来意。宋书铭对少侯久已闻名，能与少侯接手，就是一份殊荣，何况登门造访。当即到室外，接手。宋与少侯一搭手，竟然空如无物，就感到遇着对手了。少侯也觉得宋的全身没有实处。两人似乎静止，少有动作。只见少侯像是在练气功，头悬、身正、气沉、体舒；宋则相反，运功、提气，不敢稍有松懈。突然，少侯抬手，一拉一放，就见宋书铭像被风刮跑了一般，倒出三丈开外，连退数十步，才慢慢停下来。过了一会，连声说：“好厉害的‘凌空劲’，我领教了。”接着咏歌诀一首： 无形无象，全身透空，应物自然，西山悬磬，虎吼猿鸣，泉清河静，翻江播海，尽性立命。。。。”
首先，民国初年许禹生（1879——1945）33岁，杨少候（1862—1930）50岁， 宋书铭（约1840—？）72岁。那时不到十岁的吴图南还未开始学习太极拳，与其所述的“学了八年吴氏太极拳后再从杨少侯学了四年”的杨少候，还未某过面，杨少候怎么就率领吴图南等弟子去宋书铭处试手？
其次：是许禹生发现的宋书铭，民国初，许任职教育部专门司主事,宋书铭是总统的幕僚，二人都具有高文化水准且精通易理，共同的爱好使他们由同事关系发展成忘年交，在切磋拳技中被宋折服以弟子礼师之（许从杨建候学太极，从刘凤春学八卦、也从学刘德宽学岳氏八翻手，有相当功夫）。由许牵线，纪子修、吴鉴泉、刘彩臣等与宋试手后，都佩服的五体投地，磕头请为弟子，说明宋书铭的功夫非同凡响，高出纪、吴、刘、许甚多。
在尉先生的《鹰手拳》一书中有纪德（纪子修）传，其中写到：“。。年七十矣。然师性谦抑好学，见有胜己，既欲从学。有宋书铭者，年与师相若，而师愿为弟子。宋与师约密不传人。师曰，余习技即以传人，若秘之，宁勿习耳。其坦白如此。”
1921年许禹生在《太极拳势图解》书中所写：“有宋书铭者，自云宋远桥后，久客项城（指袁世凯，袁为河南项城人）幕，精易理，善太极拳术，颇有所发明，与余素善，日夕过从，获益非鲜，本社教员纪子修、吴鉴泉、刘恩绶、刘彩臣、姜殿臣等，多授业焉”
王新午先生（1890-1964）师承许禹生、纪子修、吴鉴泉三位大家，1942年他所著《太极拳阐宗》记载其师许、纪、吴等与宋书铭推手较技事最详,“皆随其所指而跌,奔腾其腕下,莫能自持。其最妙者,宋式一举手,辄顺其腕与肩,掷至后方寻丈以外”，但书中没有“少候携弟子拜访宋书铭”与宋试技的论述。吴图南本人在其三十年代的几本著述中也只字未提杨宋试技之事，倘若确有其事，图南先生何妨同王新午先生一样，也记述一番？
1921年许禹生著书时，纪子修、吴鉴泉等几位大家都健在，说明大家都认同其说的。
而来自非太极门的《鹰手拳》一书中的纪德传，也说明确有许、纪、吴等与宋书铭推手较技之事，马岳梁恩师晚年也提到。吴氏太极的不少推手手法来自宋书铭先师，“太极功”也来自宋书铭。（注：吴门太极并无 “三世七” 的太极拳，所谓“三世七”太极拳之说及其动作名目，自许禹生的杜撰，而非宋之口。宋书铭先师1916年著的《太极功》中并无“三世七”，只有十篇拳经，目前真正宋书铭留下的有：太极功拳经十篇，阴阳二十四法太极功，推手手法，均存于吴门太极中，并无后人杜撰的“三世七”及《宋氏家传太极功源流》一文）。
宋书铭先师功夫了得，杨健候的弟子许禹生根本不是对手。年已六旬、性情庚直好动的杨班候的弟子纪子修，第一个不服气，于是撺掇着许禹生，伙同全佑之子吴鉴泉、刘彩臣等五、六人一起造访宋书铭。待到和宋一接触，方知古稀之年的宋书铭身手不凡、武技高深莫测，沾接瞬间，纪、吴等人无不跌出丈外，于是钦佩之至，磕头请为弟子，从而使他成为民国初年轰动武术界的新闻人物。而“宋与诸师约密不传人”，纪子修遂说“余习技即以传人，若秘之，宁勿习耳。”，于是纪子修先生退出，余皆从学，然而，只有吴鉴泉宗师全面地继承了宋先师的“太极功”及推手手法。
由此可见,年龄和杨班侯(1837—1892)、杨健侯(1839—1917)相仿的宋书铭(约生于1840年前后),武技高深莫测,功夫当不在班侯、健侯之下。 若真有宋书铭、、杨少候推手试技的话，应该是杨少候被扔出去老远才对。因此，这个故事，显然也是吴图南的一贯自编自导的作风。
吴图南先生及其门人马有清及学生于志均，为什么要时时抬出一个吴图南本人根本就没有跟着学过而最多只是去拜访过几次的杨少侯先生呢（按田兆麟先生记述的杨少候弟子名单中，根本无乌拉布或吴图南）？那大概是因为吴鉴泉宗师早已察觉斯人有问题，故吴门的许多内容都未传授给吴图南。而在吴门中，吴图南所学仅仅只是一隅，而且推手功夫也不在吴门好手之列，所以吴先生本人在二、三十年代，当各位老师还健在时，犹抱琵琶半遮面地把自己以一个无人知晓的“乌拉布”之名，偷偷地例在杨少候传人名单之后，反正当时无论是吴鉴泉、杨少候等前辈或同辈如田兆麟等责问起来，可以来个死不认帐，因为除了吴先生本人及其父母外，无人知道乌拉布就是吴图南。
到了八十年代后，非但吴先生老师辈的人物都不在世了，杨少侯的所有弟子也不在世了。于是，吴先生及其门内外学生便狂爆起“内幕”来，并说“五十岁的杨少候以凌空劲将七十余岁的宋书铭打出几丈外，等等”。既然纪子修、吴鉴泉、许禹生、刘彩臣、刘恩绶等与宋书铭推手均“奔腾于其腕下，并执弟子礼”，而杨少候把这些人的老师宋书铭发出几丈外，杨少候岂不是比诸先辈高出许多？吴图南又是杨少候的弟子，吴图南也就不是也比诸先辈高出许多或至少同等？吴图南的门人、学生也不就自然高水平了？
同辈王子午著书提到了诸先辈与宋书铭推手的情况，而吴图南先生在三十年代编著了好几本书却无一处提及杨少候与宋书铭推手之事，是当初暂时失忆了，还是这段“天方夜谭”，其时还未酝酿成熟，或怕先辈、同辈们揭穿，于是憋了五十余年才爆出来？
吴先生的门人马有清先生在2004年香港商务印书馆出版的“太极拳之研究 吴图南太极功”一书的第59页上写道：他（指吴图南）治学严谨，主张研究太极拳历史，要本着“既不冤枉古人，又不欺骗今人，更不贻害后世”的治学态度，实事求是地对待过去、现在和未来”。
本人切以为此段话应改成：“吴图南先生从来就本着既要冤枉古人，又要欺骗今人，更要贻害后世的吴图南式治学态度，实不事，求不是地对待过去、现在与将来”，更能准确地描述吴图南先生。
8，吴图南先生关于“清初的太极功抄本”及吴先生的“太极功”
2004年称是吴图南先生唯一的入室弟子马有清先生在香港商务印书馆出版了“太极拳之研究---吴图南太极功”一书，其中“世传《太极功》古谱”一章，有声称是“清初抄录的《太极功》古谱复印件”，又附有该谱“民国初手抄本”的复印件。
令人吃惊的是：二谱的字迹一模一样，吴图南、马有清师徒二人竟称其中一本是“清初抄本”，而另一本是吴图南抄自“清初抄本”的“民国初抄本”（请见二书之封面、内容的照片）。
吴、马二人竟敢制造如此明显的谎言，其勇气令人啧啧称奇。
至于吴图南称所谓“清初抄本”是清光绪末年其友“张君熙铭所赠”，“亲自抄写了六本分赠许禹生、吴鉴泉、杨少候、刘彩臣、刘恩绶、纪子修，并自己又于民国初年（1912年）自抄了一份保留”云云，吴先生出生于1902年，这番言语纯粹是荒诞不经之言。
而吴图南又煞有其事地说：“子修先生曰：不可再赠他人为要、、、、、后有吴君钟霈者，与余有同学之谊，持此书去抄，将此书中许多字挖去复还，幸有抄本尚在，原书尚能核对，此亦该书不幸中之不幸也。”
然细看整本清初复印件照片，并不见“许多字挖去”，看来是吴先生以子虚乌有之事损同学，为该谱所谓之“珍贵”来增重。唉，斯人如此，难怪吴鉴泉宗师有所察觉后，便不再继续传他。
难么吴图南先生的这本谱究竟来自何处哪？
原来1916年初宋书铭将家传的十个练功歌诀传给了许禹生、吴鉴泉等先辈，该年下半年宋书铭便隐退河北保定老家。许禹生先生突发奇想，将宋书铭的先祖宋远桥等事迹，配合自己的愿望，以明初宋远桥的名义，杜撰成一本“宋谱”。全称为《内家后天第一功集要——太极拳总纲目》，内容设及太极拳的起源、传承、名目、拳论，以及十不传、四大忌，三小忌等等。其中有篇文章，题目叫作《宋氏家传太极功源流支派论》，被伪称成宋远桥绪记的。许禹生先生将当时流传的太极十三势名目、太极拳经、一并收录谱中，并参照太极十三势名目，编造出一个宋远桥“三世七”太极拳动作名称（取“人有三世：天前、地后、人今，拳分七品：门外、入门、阶及、当堂、入室、开窍、神化”之意，称作“三世七”）
许禹生先生还凭空编出程珌的“小九天”名目，殷利亨的“后天法”名目以作伪证，同时也收录了宋书铭传的十诀中的八诀（遗漏了二诀：太极歌、无极歌
此谱经许禹生之手，便以“宋远桥绪记，宋书铭外传的名义”流传到社会上，而吴鉴泉宗师则未收藏那本出自许禹生之手的“宋谱”,仍只传留来自宋书铭本人的十个口诀。
许禹生整编的“宋谱”至今在其弟子张虎臣一支传人有传留，吴图南的“宋谱”便是抄自由许禹生流传出的“宋谱”，而令人不可思议的是，吴图南先生将自己上世纪于二、三十年代抄自许禹生流传出的“宋谱”，却在五、六十年后颠倒过来，声称是他抄自“清初的宋谱”赠送给了许禹生、纪子修、吴鉴泉等人（注：吴鉴泉宗师总是从未收留过那本“宋谱”），让人感觉上他似乎是与那些先辈们同辈。
且吴图南先生著书说“张三丰老师是火龙真人，而火龙真人的老师是陈希夷，字图南。。。”（笔者按：这在年代上有极大谬误）。非但如此，吴先生还把许禹生的《太极拳总目》的“宋谱”，在抄谱时，改称为“太极功”（现在其弟子又称吴图南会“太极功”），由此也可窥吴图南先生一斑心思。
事实上宋书铭确实传有“太极功”，而并非“三世七”。前文已叙述过所谓于欢子、许宣平传“三世七”，是许禹生的杜攒，其动作名目也是许从当时流传的太极十三势中整编而来。这个许禹生的“宋谱”的确误导了许多人，包括所谓上世纪四十年代传授王知刚先生“三世七”的白云道长（王知刚先生在上海交大上学时由蒋维乔老师介绍到白云道长中一子处学习三世七式太极拳），以及后来的太极拳史研究者顾留馨等人。
但许禹生并未声明《内家后天第一功集要——太极拳总纲目》，是来自宋书铭，而吴图南先生就不一样了，他竟然说1916年（注：吴才14岁，尚未开始练太极拳）“他拿着朋友的拳谱去宋书铭处，宋看后说他自己也有一本祖传的谱，对照之下几乎完全一样”。这就把后人（许禹生先生）的编造杜攒，栽赃在宋氏家属身上，而且接直指向明初的宋远桥。这个吴图南与宋书铭的会晤，非但是个大谎言，而且性质恶劣之极，堪称文革造谣诬陷遗风在吴图南先生身上的极致发挥。
宋书铭的推手功夫在上世纪二十年代许禹生、王新午的著述上已有详细描述，而他们的著述出版时，与被提及宋书铭推手的名师们都健在，若非事实，许、王断然不敢记述在书中。
在拜访宋书铭的人中（后来还有全佑弟子齐格臣），宋特重爱吴鉴泉宗师的性格、人品与功夫，因此将其先祖明初宋远桥学自张三丰弟子麸子李的“太极功”、“推手手法”及“十个口诀”均悉数传给了吴鉴泉宗师。吴鉴泉宗师将这些内容都完整地传承了下来（并无“三世七”的内容）。
“太极功”又称“阴阳二十四法”，即阴段十二段，阳段十二段，都是单式练习。许禹生等不得窥其内容，便杜攥了一个“三世七”来说是宋书铭的宋远桥的太极拳，并还拉上了唐代于欢子（于欢子可能根本不存在）及许宣平。
（笔者按：有位二水先生终于在翻阅仙家道流图集《续仙传》时，找到了许宣平的来源。《续仙传》载： “ 许宣平，新安歙县人也。睿宗景云年（710-711）中，隐于城阳山南坞，结庵以居，不知其服饵，但见不食，颜若四十许人，轻健行疾奔马。时或负薪以卖，薪担常挂一花瓢及曲竹杖，每醉行腾腾以归，吟曰：‘负薪朝出卖，沽酒日西归，路人莫问我，穿云入翠微’。 迩来三十余年，或施人危急，或救人疾苦。城市之人多访之，不见，但览庵壁题诗云：‘隐居三十载，筑室南山巅。静夜翫明月，闲朝饮碧泉。樵人歌垄上，谷鸟戏岩前。乐以不知老，都忘甲子年。’ 好事者多诵其诗，有抵长安者，于驿路洛阳同华间传舍，是处题之。天宝（742-756）中，李白自翰林出，东游经传舍，览诗吟之，叹曰：‘此仙人诗也。 ’诘之于人，得宣平之实。白于是游及新安，涉溪登山，累访之不得，乃题诗于庵壁曰：‘我吟传舍诗，来访仙人居。烟岭迷高迹，云林隔太虚。窥庭但萧索，倚仗空踌蹰。应化辽天鹤，归当千载余。’宣平归庵，见壁诗，又吟曰：‘一池荷叶衣无尽，两亩黄精食有余。又被人来寻讨着，移庵不免更深居。’其庵后被野火烧之，莫知宣平踪迹。 后百余载，至咸通十二年，郡人许明恕家有婢，常逐伴入山采樵，一日独于南山中，见一人坐于石上，方食桃甚大，问婢曰：‘汝许明恕家人也？’婢曰：‘是。’其人曰：‘我即明恕之祖宣平也。’婢言曰：‘常闻家内说，祖翁得仙多年，无由寻访。’宣平谓婢曰：‘汝归为我向明恕道，我在此山中。与汝一桃食之，不得将出。山内虎狼甚多，山神惜此桃。’婢乃食之，甚美，顷之而尽。遣婢随樵人归家言之。婢归觉担樵轻健，到家具言：‘入山逢祖宣平。’其明恕嗔婢将上祖之名牵呼，取杖打之。其婢随杖身起，不知所之。 后有人入山内逢见婢，童颜轻健，身衣树皮，行疾如风，遂入昇林木而去。”
《续仙传》三卷，旧题“唐朝请郎前行潥水县令兼监察御史赐绯鱼袋沈汾撰”。
这位二水先生又写道：“生活在公元937年前后的地方县令沈汾，或‘览传记，兼复闻见，皆铭于心，而书于牍’，成《续仙传》三卷。《四库提要》称‘其中附会传闻均所难免，而大抵因事缘饰，不尽子虚乌有’。其有关许宣平事，则取材于《李白集》之《题许宣平庵壁诗.我吟传舍诗》。可见，李白与许宣平在庵壁发帖跟贴，也确有其事的。远离李白时代二百余年的沈汾，所记许宣平事，‘附会传闻均所难免’，然而，较南宋文人计有功之《唐诗纪事本末》又早了数百年。数百年的时间，自然可以产生许多传奇。但相比而言，沈汾记许宣平事显然更有说服力。即便如此，我们也没能从沈汾的文字中觅得太极功的只字片语。。。。将原本与太极拳毫无关联的许宣平，扯进了太极拳的圈子之中。”
诚然，许禹生先生在整个事件中，非但将《续仙传》中的许宣平扯进了太极拳，且将韩拱月、程灵洗、程珌、胡镜子、宋仲殊、俞清慧、俞一诚等均扯进了太极拳的圈子之中，所谓这些人与太极有关，及’小九天、后天法”的名目，与“三世七”一样，均属许禹生先生的杜攥。）
吴鉴泉宗师推手手法着法的细腻与招式多变，方法多种，均与宋书铭先师的悉心传授有关，只是吴鉴泉谨遵师训，对外不予提及。吴鉴泉宗师当然清楚那“宋谱”的来源，他鄙视那种杜攥行为，但碍于友人情面，故从未公开反对，当然也不收留该谱，默默的练习宋书铭前辈所传的技艺，并不关心外面如何在折腾。
吴鉴泉的师兄弟齐名臣似乎也得到宋书铭传授“太极功”，因其子齐敏轩曾向香港吴氏太极名家郑天熊大师传授过宋书铭的部分“太极功”。
回过来，我们再看马有清先生编著的“吴图南太极功”，该书说：“太极功因为知之者稀，又苦不能受，濒于失传。吴图南先生蒙杨少候先生垂爱，授予杨家之绝学，又有幸得吴图南恩师之真传，实为余终生之幸也！”并说图南先生的太极功由“松功，势功，樁劲功和气功四部分组成”。
首先，吴图南先生再次发挥伪造天才，将其“太极功”说成是杨少候所传，故意制造一个“宋氏太极功，杨家也有”的混乱。
其次，细看吴图南太极功的四个部分，原来所谓“势功，樁劲功均为吴先生自编，而势功则是学来的太极拳，刀，剑三样套路，气功分四式，唯其中第一式：龟腹调息，与宋书铭先师传太极功阴阳二十四法中的阴段第一式“金龟式”有相似之处（吴图南此功势的手势仍不正确），故可知吴图南在吴鉴泉宗师处听闻了宋书铭传“太极功”，并可能偶窥见了其中一式“金龟式”（而且并未全部看清招式），但得不到吴鉴泉宗师的传授，于是在五，六十年后，自创“太极功”，并声称是得杨少候的绝学，以此与宋书铭“太极功”抗衡。可惜，假的真不了，真的假不了。吴图南所谓的“杨氏绝学太极功”，就同其伪造的“出生年龄”、“清初的宋谱”及其层出不穷的谎言一样，最终在阳光下，显得丑陋不堪，被丢进了历史的垃圾堆中。
略谈宋书铭
颜紫元 2009.7
宋书铭先生是民国初期袁世凯任大总统时期的袁的一位幕僚，许禹生时任教育部办事人员，许当时三十余岁，宋七十余岁，二人因工作和拳术关系认识，许又介绍了纪子修，吴鉴泉，刘彩臣，刘恩绶等于宋相识并执弟子礼。宋书铭性格古僻，视拳技如性命且极其保守，和弟子们约法“不须传人，不须说是他教的”，从不显山露水。
据吴鉴泉宗师一脉口传：宋书铭曾述其为明初宋远桥先师之十七世嫡孙（河南陈家沟陈氏十六世陈鑫年龄略小于宋书铭，其第一世祖陈卜也是由明初洪武年间由山西洪洞迁至河南，故宋远桥为明初人当无误）。宋书铭又述其先祖宋远桥得武当麸子李（据太和之志记载麸子李是元末张三丰的武当弟子之一）传授“太极功”、“推手”打手手法、“太极功口诀’等。上述聊聊数语竟被许禹生先生极度发挥，非但扯进了俞莲舟，俞岱，张松溪，张翠山，殷利亨，莫谷声六人，还进一步扯入了南北朝时的韩拱月、程洗灵、宋代的程珌、唐代于欢子、许宣平、李道子、胡镜子、宋代的宋仲殊等人，并编造“三世七”, “小九天”, “后天法”的动作名目。这些名目除了在许禹生的“宋谱”上出现外，在历史上均无据可查，而将明末嘉靖年间人张松溪，说成是明初人，将明初麸子李说成是唐初李道子，更显得浅显，而且唐初的李道子并非江南安庆人而是河南怀庆府人。此 “宋谱”最后还扯进了汉武帝时的东方朔及春秋时的孟子，令人啧啧称奇。
然，由此则引起了太极拳界的一片混乱！于是不少人说：太极拳在元末张三丰前就有四支：南北韩拱月传程洗灵程家的“小九天”；唐代于欢子、许宣平传宋远桥先祖宋家的“三世七”；唐代李道子传俞莲舟先祖俞清慧、俞一诚的俞式先天拳；唐代胡镜子传宋仲殊，宋仲殊又传殷利亨先祖的殷式后天法；而明末嘉靖年间人张松溪并不练元末张三丰的十三式拳，却被说成张松溪、张翠山得张三丰亲授十三式。
因此，上述四支及张三丰传张松溪，张翠山十三式拳并不存在，根本就是许禹生先生的杜攥。
回归简朴的历史，那就是：明初宋远桥得武当山张三丰弟子麸子李传“太极功”等技法，是张三丰太极拳的别支，另一支“十三式拳、剑”，则由张三丰祖师传到了云南，明中后叶，由云南云游道人父女俩传到山西，再从山西传到河南。
（笔者按：元代的张三丰祖师则曾住过河南济源道家第一洞天王屋山，并可能去过与王屋山同属于河南怀庆府的河内千载寺，了解过千载寺唐初李道子创的“无极养生功”。
文献记载，张三丰祖师曾在嵩山崇福宫住过，因此，张三丰祖师极可能去过嵩山少林寺，并与元代才首次入住少林寺的禅宗一脉方丈福裕禅师 “慧、智辈” 的传人交流过，得悉禅宗初祖达摩创的“易筋经”。
于是，张三丰祖师结合其隐仙派陈抟老祖一脉的道家修练功法，及李道子的无极养生功，“翻而复之”，创造出比“易筋经十二式”，唐代李道子“无极养生功”更神奇的“太极十三式”及“太极功”等，分别传人。
其中“太极十三式”后由来自云南的云游道人携女赴山西汾州府汾河小王庄的观庙，并传小王庄王氏七世祖王宗岳（公悦）。由王宗岳途径河南怀庆府时，与通背拳鼻祖怀庆府小董人董成交流，并由董成介绍子侄辈的千载寺太极宫道人董秉乾及博公道长向王宗岳学太极十三式，而董成又与张松溪也交流过。王宗岳并传蒋发。
蒋发所告知的其学艺于山西王宗岳及王宗岳学艺于云南云游道人父女俩之事，分别在赵堡邢喜怀一支传人，及陈家沟陈王庭一支传人中流传，陈氏十六世陈鑫在“太极拳图说”中记载了其九世祖如何与蒋发相遇，并在“辨拳论”中记载了山西汾州府汾河小王庄王宗岳之事。
张三丰祖师的单式“太极功”等，则由其弟子麸子李传给了明初的宋远桥，并由其十七世孙宋书铭先师于民国初传给了吴鉴泉、齐格臣等，并传留至今。宋书铭先师于1916年袁世凯亡后，回到河北保定隐居，宋氏原本为清季词村巨子，精研易理，所传内功原道明理诸篇，实为太极瑰宝，惜其晚年困瘁家居，报道自娱，积搞盈屋，欲以重金求其稿，亦不允，后作古于于保定。其遗物不知流落何处，徒令人向往矣！
许禹生先辈以宋远桥名义所作的“宋谱”将明初宋远桥所接触过的太极拳分成五支，我们对这段再作一简略分析：
一、 在许禹生先的文章里，宋远桥的太极来自三方面：唐初于欢子传许宣平，许宣平又传十四代至明初宋远桥为其一；宋远桥明初于武当山麸子李即李道子为其二；宋氏后又遇武当张三丰为其三。
首先于欢子不见文献记载，与后文的朝拱月一样，可能是许禹生凭空杜攒的人
物，以增神秘性。许宣平历史上虽有其人，但无只字片语记载他会武功，及“三十七”太极拳的任何名目。“三十七”或“三世七”纯粹是许禹生先生杜攒出。 “三十七”的动作名目是许禹生先生根据杨露禅传的十三势改编而成，后人竟还将杨澄甫的太极拳架揍拼在一起，称为属代许宣平“三世七”太极拳，而顾留馨则将刘彩臣弟子李先吾的吴鉴泉氏早期太极拳架也断论为“三世七”太极拳，以致一再引发混乱。
许禹生先生又将唐初李道子混淆为明初张三丰的武当弟子麸子李。同时，唐初的李道子也非江南安庆人，实为河南怀庆府河内千载寺三教合一的道人，曾创无极养生功，而无极养生功从唐初一直在千载寺流传到明末千载寺旁唐村李氏八世祖得传，并写了“无极养生功谱”（见附文其它关于李道子的生世及清初千载寺对李道子的碑刻请见附文），然而“无极养生功”并非“十三势”。
至于宋远桥明初又遇张三丰，并得传授，自然也是杜攒，缘张三丰于元末便在陕西宝鸡金台观仙逝了，明初再遇张三丰是许禹生先生受了明史影响后的杜攒。
二、 许禹生将俞莲丹的先天拳也杜攒成是一个跨越六、七百年从唐初到明初还活着的李道子所传授的，并与许宣平的拳术一样，也是“三十七”，只是名称不同而已。许进一步杜攒出俞清慧、俞一诚等人名，称他们是俞莲丹的上祖，这些人名不见任何文献记载。“三十七”是杜攒，与“三十七”一样的“先天拳”，自然也是许禹生先生的杜攒了。
三、韩拱月传程洗灵的“小九天”
韩拱月，前文述，或为许氏杜攒的人物，因许禹生先生也好“易经”并找 出一个精于《周易》的程珌来，并将程珌做学问的“用功五志”及对事物认识的“四性归原歌”说成是“小九天”拳术的歌诀（事实上，此二歌诀适合所有学问的研究）。又找出一个南北朝梁时人程灵洗说是程珌的先祖，据记载，仅知程灵洗“少以勇力闻”（笔者按：程灵洗“少以勇力闻”，而非“以拳勇闻”，在明初官方对张三丰祖师的文献记载就不同了，如：永乐四年即公元1407年,“侍读学士胡广奏言,先师深通道法,拳技绝伦”、《道统源法》载:张三丰好道善剑，三丰祖师自己也作有“刀、尺歌”、“十三势论”等，均直接指明三丰祖师精于武功，与程灵洗截然不同。）。程灵洗梁时以据侯景乱，授焦州刺史，入陈，官歙州太守、、、只是记载其有“勇力”，做过官，无只字片语说他会武功，或小九天拳术。历史上没有出现过“小九天”及其动作名称，直至民国初期许禹生先生杜攒出时，才出现。吴图南先生还煞有其事地说：“小九天法於宋版《洺水集》中尚存。后历经改朝动乱，于明嘉丙辰刻本甲，惜已失散。”反正根本没有存在过，说原先有，后来失散了，说宋版的、元版的、明初的都行，总之查无可查，故可随意编造。
四、 唐代胡镜子传宋代人宋仲殊，又传明初人殷利亨“后天法”
如前一般，许禹生先生杜攒的都是活几百年不老死的神仙，从唐代到宋代，宋代又到明代的三级跳远胡镜子、宋仲殊、殷利亨均无任何文献记载过他们会武功或“后天法”及其动作名目。许禹生还煞有其事地编造了一个“后天法”的动作名目来，可见许氏也费了一番心思。
五、 张三丰传张松溪、张翠山“十三式”
张松溪为明末嘉靖年间人，其师为孙十三老，宁波府誌均有记载，其武功及至今的传人都没有“十三式”，明末人张松溪如何在明初去向元末已仙势的张三丰学“十三式”，显然，许禹生受了黄宗義、黄百家文章的影响，随便杜攒了一个传承。张松溪的内家拳在宁波已传了十三、四代，其十三代传人至今仍在设馆传授其艺。
由此可见，除了宋远桥明初遇武当麸子李得到“太极功”的传授，与吴鉴泉宗师一支口传相吻合外，即与宋书铭先师告知吴鉴泉宗师的相吻合外，余均为许禹生的杜攒，而吴图南先生在上世纪八十年代更肆无忌惮地编造、篡改，以致世人对宋书铭先师一支到底是否存在，心存疑惑，甚至全盘否认。所幸吴鉴泉宗师将宋书铭的“太极功”、“推手手法”、“十个口诀”在吴门中全面继承并传留了下来，实属太极拳界的一桩极幸之事。
吴氏太极拳家吴图南，是我的老师一辈的同门，谈吴图南前辈，并非本人与吴前辈个人之间有什么恩怨，作为晚一辈的我，甚至没有见过他的面，然而吴前辈的一些涉及太极拳史的文章，给太极拳史造成了不少混乱，而历史（拳史也是历史的一部分）是个严肃的课题，对于造假的揭露是每个拳学者应尽的责任，本着这种精神，我便只好将自己所知道的史实写出来，让大家作参考。
吴图南先生的原名。
吴氏太极门一直奉老子、陈抟及张三丰为太极拳的三位祖师，即老子是道家的鼻祖；陈抟是道家隐仙派的鼻祖，且为三教合一承先启后的关键人物；张三丰是道家隐仙派的一代祖师，又是太极功、太极十三式拳剑的鼻祖。陈抟，字“图南”，自号“扶摇子”，宋太宗封老祖为“希夷先生”。
吴图南先生，原名“吴荣培”，成年后（大约十八、九岁时）开始从吴鉴泉宗师学太极拳，数年后改名为“吴图南”，与陈图南祖师之名相若，其所图谋者可见一斑。
2，吴图南先生的真实年龄
我的业师马岳樑先生曾说过，当初吴鉴泉宗师门下有三人几乎是同一年出生的，三人分别是吴公议（1901-1970），吴图南（1901？-1989），及马师岳樑先生（1901-1998）。
上世纪末，本人编著的《吴氏太极秘谱诠真.卷一》中也提到吴前辈年龄的问题，然而一直没有其他文字证据来说明吴前辈的真实出生之年。前几日，本人偶尔上网时，看到一张吴图南先生民国时期参加南京中央国术馆首届国术考试时（1928年）所得的证书（见照片），上面清楚地记载了吴前辈出生于1902年，这就证明了业师马岳樑先生早年所言之正确，及回答了所有对吴前辈年龄的质疑。
事实上，在吴图弟子马有清先生编著的《吴图南太极拳之研究》（1984年7月初版，香港商务印书馆出版）一书上，有张中央国术馆国考期间，吴鉴泉宗师、徐致一及吴图南在中山陵前的合影，吴图南显然是个二十多岁的后生，绝非四十多岁的中年人（见照片）。
因此吴图南先生所谓生于1885年（比1902年生竟大了十七岁），显然是欺世之说。
这个出现在上世纪八十年代的夸大了十七岁的做法，与其二十年代由原名“吴荣培” 改名为“吴图南”，及三十年代著书是在杨少侯传人中安插一个无中生有的“乌拉布”，都是一脉相承的，只是吴鉴泉宗师在世时，及同辈知晓底细的人太多，故一直忍着，等到那些人绝大多数都去世了，他便说自己生于1885年（也许吴图南先生自知活的会不如马岳樑先生寿长，便不等了，来个“孤注一掷”），至于“乌拉布”名字的人，自然是子虚乌有的，好在杨少侯先生去世之后，来个死无对证，为将来说“乌拉布”就是他本人吴图南打好伏笔，用心真是良苦啊！
（笔者按：摘录一些网上一些对吴图南国考证书的评论：另外，给大家提供一些线索：
考试委员长张之江先生署名签发的《国考证书》，顶额有孙中山总理遗像。底上暗嵌白色“国考证书”四字。正文写着“中央国术馆,为发给证书事,兹有吴图南,年二十六岁,系河北省通县人,应第一届国考,评定成绩为中优等。合行给予证书。以昭郑重。此证。考试委员长：张之江 评判长：李烈钧 右给：吴图南。 中华民国十七年十月 日”
第一次国考“国考证书”分成三类。第一类是“预试及格证书”，没有张之江、李烈钧签名的。第二类是“主试、襄试及格证书”，不单有张之江、李烈钧的签名，还有马良、姚以价的签名。
这两份及格证书，四角上有“国考证书”四字，党国旗中间为孙中山像，孙中山像上为中央国术馆旗帜。
《第一次国考特刊》上刊登的就是“预试及格证书”与“主试、襄试及格证书”。除此以外，中央国术馆还颁发过“评定”证书。就是吴图南的证书。左右上角均有中央国术馆的旗帜。
民国十七年系1928年。是年10月6日---10月18日，为时13天，中央国术馆在南京中央体育场举办第一次全国国术考试。国考分预试和正试。预试为套路表演，依评分取得正试资格。正试的内容包括徒手对抗的“拳脚门”和“摔角门”，持械对抗的“刀剑门”和“棍枪门”。正试比赛不按体重分级，三打二胜，没有时间限制，没有统一的护具规定和要求。报名参赛者400余人。预赛淘汰之后，实际参加正试对抗赛者333人。赛后颁发“最终最优者”15名、“优等”38名、“中优等”82名。
证书中的“中优等”，并非是“优等”，也非“中等”，而只是给予预试及格者的证书。吴图南当年只是预试及格。万籁声是“中等”，万籁声的证书上写的是“优等”。这些只是人情世故所致，与真假无关的。
李烈钧题词或者张之江的签名，其实都是签名章。每一张的字迹一样的。只要你有机会去查查南京图书馆的资料，就能清楚这一点。
这份由官方颁发的证书，在法律上具有“直接证据”的证明力。以此推断，吴图南出生年份应该是1902年。而不是1885年。两者相差整整17年。即便按照虚年龄计算，吴图南寿命应该是88岁的，而不是105岁。吴图南“高寿”之谜，就此被解密了，百岁太极拳老人的神话，也从此破灭。
1984年2月,中国武术协会主席徐才和北京市副市长孙孚凌等领导祝贺吴图南先生百岁寿辰,并颁发了“武术之光”锦旗。这两位官方人士愚蠢的行径，也为百岁神话起到推波助澜的作用。回头再看吴老先生的长寿秘诀，显得有点搞笑了。
毕竟高手如云，吴先生成绩虽然未入中等，可我们依然对吴先生充满了敬意。其实只要敢于报名登台的我们都会致敬的。)
3，关于吴图南先生编造其业师的民族。
吴先生在其《太极拳之研究》一书中，称自己是蒙古族，蒙名为“乌拉布”，在其书第19页上有这样一段话：“全佑（1834-1902）清端王载漪之护卫，曾和杨露禅学太极拳，后拜杨班候为师，家传其子鉴泉（蒙古人，冠姓吴，即吴鉴泉1870-1942）”。
众所周知，吴鉴泉为满族人，吴图南先生却敢冒天下之大不韪，将其师之民族改换成与自己一样的“蒙族”。也许当时吴先生想（上世纪八十年代）：先打下伏笔，将业师改成同族人，以后待机会成熟了，再改成亲戚或堂兄弟的关系，反正年龄已改了差不多靠近了……
4，吴图南先生关于他“九岁开始学太极拳”。
吴先生在《太极拳之研究》一书中称，其出生后得多种先天性疾病，“于是我在九岁那年，由家长带我到练拳的功房去，教拳的老先生是全佑先生，由他的儿子爱绅吴鉴泉教我……”。
吴先生在这里的文字，让人读起来，仿佛他见过吴全佑（字公甫,号保亭），要知道吴图南先生的真实出生年龄即1902年，吴全佑已在同年过世，已归道山，吴先生刚出生便能去全佑教拳的功房学拳，岂非一神婴？！事实上，吴氏前辈们都知道，吴图南是近二十岁才拜吴鉴泉为师学艺的，也就是其随师南下，赴南京中央国术馆国考前的八、九年。
吴图南的好友赵润涛，为吴图南《科学化的国术太极拳》(1929)作序(页5)时说：“吴君图南，予之同学友也。幼同游戏，长同读书，故对于吴君知之最深。吴君自幼工于文学，既入中学，始致志于国术．．．”。
这里“既入中学，始致志于国术”，并非开始就是太极拳。前文已述，吴先生是大约十八、九岁时才开始从吴鉴泉宗师学太极拳的。
因此，无论是上世纪二十年代末吴图南的好友赵润涛，还是吴门太极前辈的历来口述，都说明吴图南先生关于他“九岁开始学太极拳”也是一个谎言。
5，吴图南先生关于他是吴鉴泉的第一个徒弟及吴鉴泉介绍吴图南去杨少候处学拳。
在同一本书上的第16页上，吴先生写到：“我是吴鉴泉先生的第一个徒弟，后来他又介绍了我跟杨少侯先生学拳……”，在第14页上，他又写道： “我跟鉴泉先生学了8年，后来由鉴泉先生介绍又跟杨少侯先生学了4年，前后共学了12年。”
出生于1902年的吴图南先生称自己是吴鉴泉宗师的第一个弟子，那是图南先生把自己编造的假出生之年，当成事了。 吴鉴泉宗师弟子中早于吴先生拜师的不止十余位。历史一再告诉我们：当一个人生活在谎言包围之中，于是谎言也神奇的被当成真理了。
吴图南先生关于由吴鉴泉介绍其向杨少侯学艺的文字，向人暗示他在吴鉴泉宗师处已将吴鉴泉宗师的功夫学到尽头，便由吴鉴泉介绍他到杨少侯处进一步深造。
首先，从未有人评论过杨少侯与吴鉴泉功夫孰高孰低，而有下例事实，我们可以窥其一斑：
其一，许禹生在民初(1914年)同郭志云、杨季子、赵鑫州、恒寿山、纪子修、高克兴、佟瑞甫等人成立了大学 “北京体育社”，同时又聘请杨少侯、孙绿堂、杨澄甫、刘彩臣、刘恩绶、姜殿臣、梁师如、张忠元、姜登撰、兴石如及吴鉴泉宗师为体育社教师。其间有美国大力士及拳击家WILLIAN WYNEY 挑战体育社，因事关中国武术及体育社的名誉，众多名家讨论过后一致推举吴鉴泉代表体育社迎接挑战，比赛结果WILLIAN WYNEY成了吴鉴泉的学生（见照片）。试想，当时各派名家都在，大众一致推举吴鉴泉宗师去迎接挑战者，自然已说明问题。
其二，吴鉴泉宗师长子吴公仪年少时，初因自己父亲不重视教自己而更多注重教别的徒弟而赌气去杨少候处学艺，杨先生对吴公仪说：“你父亲不教，我来教。”过了一段时间，某日吴鉴泉宗师偶见公仪拳练得有模有样，这才认识到公仪虽年少，但也能学好，于是便开始细心传授爱子。试想：若杨少候先生比吴鉴泉技高一筹的话，吴鉴泉能介绍吴图南去进修，反而要让已在杨少候先生处学艺的吴公依回到自己身边学艺？这不是极违背常理？！
其三，据吴英华恩师说：“早年在北京，吴、杨二家是近邻，杨澄甫年轻时不肯学艺，待其父杨建候耋耄之年时才觉悟要学，其父亡故后，三、四十岁的杨澄甫常到吴鉴泉宗师处学习推手（见二位宗师那时的合影照）。倘若吴鉴泉宗师功夫不如杨少候的话，杨澄甫先生为何不到自己兄长处学习推手，反学到吴鉴泉宗师处？！这不是又违反常理？
其四，马润之先生是杨少候的弟子，但年龄与杨少候相仿。马先生为满族人，原本就精通武艺，亦精术数，恩师马岳梁先生曾从马润之先生学术数，诸如奇门遁甲、诸葛亮之马前科、一掌经等等。马润之先生曾对恩师马岳梁先生提及杨澄甫先生的太极剑（即吴氏第三路九九八十一势“连环剑”)学自他，惜因故未全。马润之先生将独子马普安拜在吴鉴泉宗师门下，试想，若鉴泉宗师不如少候先生，马润之先生为何让子拜鉴泉宗师为师？
因此，吴鉴泉介绍吴图南去杨少候处进修的理由根本不能成立。
6，吴图南不是杨少侯的徒弟
吴图南在1937著的《国术概论》中写道：“少侯执教京师时，得其传者，有海甸东润芳、北平尤志学、田肇麟、乌拉布、马润之等。润芳为人，慷慨好义，工诗文，善书画，与同里韩久亭先生，均以文名。时从润芳先生游。。。。”
当时虽然杨少候已逝世，但许多同辈人还健在，尤其是其太极业师吴鉴泉宗师还健在，故吴图南只字未提杨少候和他是师徒关系，只说了他从杨少候的弟子东润芳先生游，他在《太极拳之研究》书中的杨少候小架（又称“快架”），便极可能学自东润芳先生，绝非学自杨少候本人。
为吴图南《国术概论》 写序的刘亚子先生在的序中说：“吾友吴图南，当今之国术大师也。其先世本蒙古旺族，宦游北平，遂就居焉。”这里提出吴图南是蒙族人，但并无指出他原名乌拉布。
而直至五十年后，即上世纪八十年代，吴图南才说那个“乌拉布”就是他本人“吴图南”。
试想，若吴图南果真是杨少候的弟子，为何不用“吴图南”而用“乌拉布”？同时期他的著述中写到吴鉴泉弟子名单时都用“吴图南”？既然是吴鉴泉介绍去杨少候处学的，其本人又真的是杨少候的弟子话，那么，有什么理由不取用“吴图南”？！
反过来，吴图南在《国术概论-通臂拳史略》一节(页107)中说：“著者于民国二十二年夏，始遇(张策)先生于首都，畅谈刀法之理，妙不可言，恨相见之晚也。于是由吴鉴泉先生之介绍，而拜(张策)先生之门，只因时间仓卒，仅学刀法之应用，未暇及于拳剑枪棍。至今每忆之，未尝不五中怅然也！”。
吴图南只是在短时间内随张策学刀，尚且详细交代师承，如果他真的拜过杨少候为师，学拳四年，在《国术概论》中又岂会完全不交代在《太极拳研究》中，说吴鉴泉介绍吴图南跟杨少候学拳的详情？随张策短时间学刀尚能用汉名“吴图南”，而“拜过杨少候为师，学拳四年”，却不敢汉名“吴图南”，岂不怪哉？要知道那是提高名气的事，吴图南先生岂能聪敏一时，又糊涂一时？
这种羞答答地用“乌拉布”的方式，正说明他的故事是一个一厢情愿自编的故事，非事实，充其量只是偷偷地拜访过杨少候，因其著述时 杨少候、吴鉴泉二宗师都还健在，故不取用吴图南，而用一个无人知晓的“乌拉布”，为将来的沽名钓誉做伏笔。
再者，若真是如吴图南所道，那么，1928年10月中国第一届国术考试期间，吴先生所陪的老师应是杨少候，而不是吴鉴泉宗师了。
7、吴图南先生所谈的关于《宋氏太极功源流支派论》不实之言
图南先生在其《太极拳之研究》一书中的第26页上写道：“那是在清朝光绪末年或宣统初年时（1908—1909）我的一位朋友送的、、、、这本书看样子年代久远了，朋友说：你别弄碎了，最好把它糊上一层纸做襯就结实啦。我慢慢翻看，其中字迹还清楚。我 抄了一本把这本旧书当文献存了起来”。
图南先生并说：“吴鉴泉、杨少候、纪子修、许禹生都问他要，他都给他们抄了一份送去。还有位“吴君鍾霈的同学，他练形意拳，又跟吴鉴泉练太极拳。他也借去抄，到拿回来时我发现他给抠掉许多字，幸好我有另一本，要不然就麻烦了”。
图南先生又写道：“袁世凯有一位机要秘书叫宋书铭，这位老先生到了北京，自称是宋远桥的后人。我们拿着书去拜访他，见到他之后，他说他家里也有这本东西，是他先人宋远桥写的。经过两边对照，就是开首题目有点不同。我们的是：《宋氏家传太极功源流支派论》，下面就提到正文。他的是：《宋远桥太极功源流支派论》，下面正文的内容完全相符。说明这本书确乎是宋远桥在明朝时候和张三丰太极拳时所记载的东西，是不错的。”
对于上述文字，首先,1908—1909时，吴先生还是一幼童子，故不可能有朋友送其书。其次，据恩师马岳梁先生说，这篇《宋氏家传太极功源流支派论》是出自许禹生之手，是许氏假宋书铭之名，将许氏自己在宋书铭处听到的一些关于明朝初期宋书铭远祖宋远桥的故事，结合自己的观点杜攒而出，故吴氏太极不收入那篇伪文，但碍于情面，隐忍不提，直到笔者1996年问起恩师时，恩师方告知此文的真实来源（吴鉴泉宗师一门根本没有这篇内容，但有宋书铭1916年编著的“太极功”的内容。这篇《宋氏家传太极功源流支派论》中谬误颇多，后文会详述）。
显然，吴图南先生将源自许禹生先生处的《宋氏家传太极功源流支派论》，倒过来说成是许禹生等先生抄他的，反正吴鉴泉、杨少候、纪子修、许禹生早都不在世了。
再者，据许禹生及其弟子王新午、张虎臣等人描述，“宋书铭性格古癖，视拳技如性命，且极其保守，和弟子们约法，不许传人，不许说是他教的，从不显山露水”，岂可能让一个十四、五岁愣头小子拜访他时就轻易地把“家传”的古谱与他对照？
更荒唐的是,吴图南的一位学生写了一篇“杨少候凌空空劲，艺折宋书铭”的文章，文章中始称吴图南与一班人去宋书铭处，宋除了表演其祖传的“三世七”太极拳外，还与他们推手。
吴先生为了蹿辈，已把自己当成是许禹生、吴鉴泉、纪子修、刘恩绶其中的一员了，把上述那些老师去拜访宋书铭与推手，说成了是自己的亲身经历。试想，如此保守的宋书铭，又岂能给一个楞头小子表演太极，并与之推手？更何况宋书铭在京期间，吴图南大概还未开始学太极拳呢！
后来文章中吴先生的故事就显得更滑稽：“一天，杨氏太极拳宗师杨少侯携徒东润芳、尤志学、乌拉布(吴图南)、马润芝，来到宋书铭住所拜访。少侯先生是当时京师太极拳第一人，其技艺之高、名气之大胜过杨澄甫，他的太极拳得班侯的亲传，儿时得乃祖禄禅教授，功夫极佳。宋闻听少侯来访，亲自迎出门外。把少侯一行让到室内，寒喧过后，少侯表明切磋拳艺的来意。宋书铭对少侯久已闻名，能与少侯接手，就是一份殊荣，何况登门造访。当即到室外，接手。宋与少侯一搭手，竟然空如无物，就感到遇着对手了。少侯也觉得宋的全身没有实处。两人似乎静止，少有动作。只见少侯像是在练气功，头悬、身正、气沉、体舒；宋则相反，运功、提气，不敢稍有松懈。突然，少侯抬手，一拉一放，就见宋书铭像被风刮跑了一般，倒出三丈开外，连退数十步，才慢慢停下来。过了一会，连声说：“好厉害的‘凌空劲’，我领教了。”接着咏歌诀一首： 无形无象，全身透空，应物自然，西山悬磬，虎吼猿鸣，泉清河静，翻江播海，尽性立命。。。。”
首先，民国初年许禹生（1879——1945）33岁，杨少候（1862—1930）50岁， 宋书铭（约1840—？）72岁。那时不到十岁的吴图南还未开始学习太极拳，与其所述的“学了八年吴氏太极拳后再从杨少侯学了四年”的杨少候，还未某过面，杨少候怎么就率领吴图南等弟子去宋书铭处试手？
其次：是许禹生发现的宋书铭，民国初，许任职教育部专门司主事,宋书铭是总统的幕僚，二人都具有高文化水准且精通易理，共同的爱好使他们由同事关系发展成忘年交，在切磋拳技中被宋折服以弟子礼师之（许从杨建候学太极，从刘凤春学八卦、也从学刘德宽学岳氏八翻手，有相当功夫）。由许牵线，纪子修、吴鉴泉、刘彩臣等与宋试手后，都佩服的五体投地，磕头请为弟子，说明宋书铭的功夫非同凡响，高出纪、吴、刘、许甚多。
在尉先生的《鹰手拳》一书中有纪德（纪子修）传，其中写到：“。。年七十矣。然师性谦抑好学，见有胜己，既欲从学。有宋书铭者，年与师相若，而师愿为弟子。宋与师约密不传人。师曰，余习技即以传人，若秘之，宁勿习耳。其坦白如此。”
1921年许禹生在《太极拳势图解》书中所写：“有宋书铭者，自云宋远桥后，久客项城（指袁世凯，袁为河南项城人）幕，精易理，善太极拳术，颇有所发明，与余素善，日夕过从，获益非鲜，本社教员纪子修、吴鉴泉、刘恩绶、刘彩臣、姜殿臣等，多授业焉”
王新午先生（1890-1964）师承许禹生、纪子修、吴鉴泉三位大家，1942年他所著《太极拳阐宗》记载其师许、纪、吴等与宋书铭推手较技事最详,“皆随其所指而跌,奔腾其腕下,莫能自持。其最妙者,宋式一举手,辄顺其腕与肩,掷至后方寻丈以外”，但书中没有“少候携弟子拜访宋书铭”与宋试技的论述。吴图南本人在其三十年代的几本著述中也只字未提杨宋试技之事，倘若确有其事，图南先生何妨同王新午先生一样，也记述一番？
1921年许禹生著书时，纪子修、吴鉴泉等几位大家都健在，说明大家都认同其说的。
而来自非太极门的《鹰手拳》一书中的纪德传，也说明确有许、纪、吴等与宋书铭推手较技之事，马岳梁恩师晚年也提到。吴氏太极的不少推手手法来自宋书铭先师，“太极功”也来自宋书铭。（注：吴门太极并无 “三世七” 的太极拳，所谓“三世七”太极拳之说及其动作名目，自许禹生的杜撰，而非宋之口。宋书铭先师1916年著的《太极功》中并无“三世七”，只有十篇拳经，目前真正宋书铭留下的有：太极功拳经十篇，阴阳二十四法太极功，推手手法，均存于吴门太极中，并无后人杜撰的“三世七”及《宋氏家传太极功源流》一文）。
宋书铭先师功夫了得，杨健候的弟子许禹生根本不是对手。年已六旬、性情庚直好动的杨班候的弟子纪子修，第一个不服气，于是撺掇着许禹生，伙同全佑之子吴鉴泉、刘彩臣等五、六人一起造访宋书铭。待到和宋一接触，方知古稀之年的宋书铭身手不凡、武技高深莫测，沾接瞬间，纪、吴等人无不跌出丈外，于是钦佩之至，磕头请为弟子，从而使他成为民国初年轰动武术界的新闻人物。而“宋与诸师约密不传人”，纪子修遂说“余习技即以传人，若秘之，宁勿习耳。”，于是纪子修先生退出，余皆从学，然而，只有吴鉴泉宗师全面地继承了宋先师的“太极功”及推手手法。
由此可见,年龄和杨班侯(1837—1892)、杨健侯(1839—1917)相仿的宋书铭(约生于1840年前后),武技高深莫测,功夫当不在班侯、健侯之下。 若真有宋书铭、、杨少候推手试技的话，应该是杨少候被扔出去老远才对。因此，这个故事，显然也是吴图南的一贯自编自导的作风。
吴图南先生及其门人马有清及学生于志均，为什么要时时抬出一个吴图南本人根本就没有跟着学过而最多只是去拜访过几次的杨少侯先生呢（按田兆麟先生记述的杨少候弟子名单中，根本无乌拉布或吴图南）？那大概是因为吴鉴泉宗师早已察觉斯人有问题，故吴门的许多内容都未传授给吴图南。而在吴门中，吴图南所学仅仅只是一隅，而且推手功夫也不在吴门好手之列，所以吴先生本人在二、三十年代，当各位老师还健在时，犹抱琵琶半遮面地把自己以一个无人知晓的“乌拉布”之名，偷偷地例在杨少候传人名单之后，反正当时无论是吴鉴泉、杨少候等前辈或同辈如田兆麟等责问起来，可以来个死不认帐，因为除了吴先生本人及其父母外，无人知道乌拉布就是吴图南。
到了八十年代后，非但吴先生老师辈的人物都不在世了，杨少侯的所有弟子也不在世了。于是，吴先生及其门内外学生便狂爆起“内幕”来，并说“五十岁的杨少候以凌空劲将七十余岁的宋书铭打出几丈外，等等”。既然纪子修、吴鉴泉、许禹生、刘彩臣、刘恩绶等与宋书铭推手均“奔腾于其腕下，并执弟子礼”，而杨少候把这些人的老师宋书铭发出几丈外，杨少候岂不是比诸先辈高出许多？吴图南又是杨少候的弟子，吴图南也就不是也比诸先辈高出许多或至少同等？吴图南的门人、学生也不就自然高水平了？
同辈王子午著书提到了诸先辈与宋书铭推手的情况，而吴图南先生在三十年代编著了好几本书却无一处提及杨少候与宋书铭推手之事，是当初暂时失忆了，还是这段“天方夜谭”，其时还未酝酿成熟，或怕先辈、同辈们揭穿，于是憋了五十余年才爆出来？
吴先生的门人马有清先生在2004年香港商务印书馆出版的“太极拳之研究 吴图南太极功”一书的第59页上写道：他（指吴图南）治学严谨，主张研究太极拳历史，要本着“既不冤枉古人，又不欺骗今人，更不贻害后世”的治学态度，实事求是地对待过去、现在和未来”。
本人切以为此段话应改成：“吴图南先生从来就本着既要冤枉古人，又要欺骗今人，更要贻害后世的吴图南式治学态度，实不事，求不是地对待过去、现在与将来”，更能准确地描述吴图南先生。
8，吴图南先生关于“清初的太极功抄本”及吴先生的“太极功”
2004年称是吴图南先生唯一的入室弟子马有清先生在香港商务印书馆出版了“太极拳之研究---吴图南太极功”一书，其中“世传《太极功》古谱”一章，有声称是“清初抄录的《太极功》古谱复印件”，又附有该谱“民国初手抄本”的复印件。
令人吃惊的是：二谱的字迹一模一样，吴图南、马有清师徒二人竟称其中一本是“清初抄本”，而另一本是吴图南抄自“清初抄本”的“民国初抄本”（请见二书之封面、内容的照片）。
吴、马二人竟敢制造如此明显的谎言，其勇气令人啧啧称奇。
至于吴图南称所谓“清初抄本”是清光绪末年其友“张君熙铭所赠”，“亲自抄写了六本分赠许禹生、吴鉴泉、杨少候、刘彩臣、刘恩绶、纪子修，并自己又于民国初年（1912年）自抄了一份保留”云云，吴先生出生于1902年，这番言语纯粹是荒诞不经之言。
而吴图南又煞有其事地说：“子修先生曰：不可再赠他人为要、、、、、后有吴君钟霈者，与余有同学之谊，持此书去抄，将此书中许多字挖去复还，幸有抄本尚在，原书尚能核对，此亦该书不幸中之不幸也。”
然细看整本清初复印件照片，并不见“许多字挖去”，看来是吴先生以子虚乌有之事损同学，为该谱所谓之“珍贵”来增重。唉，斯人如此，难怪吴鉴泉宗师有所察觉后，便不再继续传他。
难么吴图南先生的这本谱究竟来自何处哪？
原来1916年初宋书铭将家传的十个练功歌诀传给了许禹生、吴鉴泉等先辈，该年下半年宋书铭便隐退河北保定老家。许禹生先生突发奇想，将宋书铭的先祖宋远桥等事迹，配合自己的愿望，以明初宋远桥的名义，杜撰成一本“宋谱”。全称为《内家后天第一功集要——太极拳总纲目》，内容设及太极拳的起源、传承、名目、拳论，以及十不传、四大忌，三小忌等等。其中有篇文章，题目叫作《宋氏家传太极功源流支派论》，被伪称成宋远桥绪记的。许禹生先生将当时流传的太极十三势名目、太极拳经、一并收录谱中，并参照太极十三势名目，编造出一个宋远桥“三世七”太极拳动作名称（取“人有三世：天前、地后、人今，拳分七品：门外、入门、阶及、当堂、入室、开窍、神化”之意，称作“三世七”）
许禹生先生还凭空编出程珌的“小九天”名目，殷利亨的“后天法”名目以作伪证，同时也收录了宋书铭传的十诀中的八诀（遗漏了二诀：太极歌、无极歌
此谱经许禹生之手，便以“宋远桥绪记，宋书铭外传的名义”流传到社会上，而吴鉴泉宗师则未收藏那本出自许禹生之手的“宋谱”,仍只传留来自宋书铭本人的十个口诀。
许禹生整编的“宋谱”至今在其弟子张虎臣一支传人有传留，吴图南的“宋谱”便是抄自由许禹生流传出的“宋谱”，而令人不可思议的是，吴图南先生将自己上世纪于二、三十年代抄自许禹生流传出的“宋谱”，却在五、六十年后颠倒过来，声称是他抄自“清初的宋谱”赠送给了许禹生、纪子修、吴鉴泉等人（注：吴鉴泉宗师总是从未收留过那本“宋谱”），让人感觉上他似乎是与那些先辈们同辈。
且吴图南先生著书说“张三丰老师是火龙真人，而火龙真人的老师是陈希夷，字图南。。。”（笔者按：这在年代上有极大谬误）。非但如此，吴先生还把许禹生的《太极拳总目》的“宋谱”，在抄谱时，改称为“太极功”（现在其弟子又称吴图南会“太极功”），由此也可窥吴图南先生一斑心思。
事实上宋书铭确实传有“太极功”，而并非“三世七”。前文已叙述过所谓于欢子、许宣平传“三世七”，是许禹生的杜攒，其动作名目也是许从当时流传的太极十三势中整编而来。这个许禹生的“宋谱”的确误导了许多人，包括所谓上世纪四十年代传授王知刚先生“三世七”的白云道长（王知刚先生在上海交大上学时由蒋维乔老师介绍到白云道长中一子处学习三世七式太极拳），以及后来的太极拳史研究者顾留馨等人。
但许禹生并未声明《内家后天第一功集要——太极拳总纲目》，是来自宋书铭，而吴图南先生就不一样了，他竟然说1916年（注：吴才14岁，尚未开始练太极拳）“他拿着朋友的拳谱去宋书铭处，宋看后说他自己也有一本祖传的谱，对照之下几乎完全一样”。这就把后人（许禹生先生）的编造杜攒，栽赃在宋氏家属身上，而且接直指向明初的宋远桥。这个吴图南与宋书铭的会晤，非但是个大谎言，而且性质恶劣之极，堪称文革造谣诬陷遗风在吴图南先生身上的极致发挥。
宋书铭的推手功夫在上世纪二十年代许禹生、王新午的著述上已有详细描述，而他们的著述出版时，与被提及宋书铭推手的名师们都健在，若非事实，许、王断然不敢记述在书中。
在拜访宋书铭的人中（后来还有全佑弟子齐格臣），宋特重爱吴鉴泉宗师的性格、人品与功夫，因此将其先祖明初宋远桥学自张三丰弟子麸子李的“太极功”、“推手手法”及“十个口诀”均悉数传给了吴鉴泉宗师。吴鉴泉宗师将这些内容都完整地传承了下来（并无“三世七”的内容）。
“太极功”又称“阴阳二十四法”，即阴段十二段，阳段十二段，都是单式练习。许禹生等不得窥其内容，便杜攥了一个“三世七”来说是宋书铭的宋远桥的太极拳，并还拉上了唐代于欢子（于欢子可能根本不存在）及许宣平。
（笔者按：有位二水先生终于在翻阅仙家道流图集《续仙传》时，找到了许宣平的来源。《续仙传》载： “ 许宣平，新安歙县人也。睿宗景云年（710-711）中，隐于城阳山南坞，结庵以居，不知其服饵，但见不食，颜若四十许人，轻健行疾奔马。时或负薪以卖，薪担常挂一花瓢及曲竹杖，每醉行腾腾以归，吟曰：‘负薪朝出卖，沽酒日西归，路人莫问我，穿云入翠微’。 迩来三十余年，或施人危急，或救人疾苦。城市之人多访之，不见，但览庵壁题诗云：‘隐居三十载，筑室南山巅。静夜翫明月，闲朝饮碧泉。樵人歌垄上，谷鸟戏岩前。乐以不知老，都忘甲子年。’ 好事者多诵其诗，有抵长安者，于驿路洛阳同华间传舍，是处题之。天宝（742-756）中，李白自翰林出，东游经传舍，览诗吟之，叹曰：‘此仙人诗也。 ’诘之于人，得宣平之实。白于是游及新安，涉溪登山，累访之不得，乃题诗于庵壁曰：‘我吟传舍诗，来访仙人居。烟岭迷高迹，云林隔太虚。窥庭但萧索，倚仗空踌蹰。应化辽天鹤，归当千载余。’宣平归庵，见壁诗，又吟曰：‘一池荷叶衣无尽，两亩黄精食有余。又被人来寻讨着，移庵不免更深居。’其庵后被野火烧之，莫知宣平踪迹。 后百余载，至咸通十二年，郡人许明恕家有婢，常逐伴入山采樵，一日独于南山中，见一人坐于石上，方食桃甚大，问婢曰：‘汝许明恕家人也？’婢曰：‘是。’其人曰：‘我即明恕之祖宣平也。’婢言曰：‘常闻家内说，祖翁得仙多年，无由寻访。’宣平谓婢曰：‘汝归为我向明恕道，我在此山中。与汝一桃食之，不得将出。山内虎狼甚多，山神惜此桃。’婢乃食之，甚美，顷之而尽。遣婢随樵人归家言之。婢归觉担樵轻健，到家具言：‘入山逢祖宣平。’其明恕嗔婢将上祖之名牵呼，取杖打之。其婢随杖身起，不知所之。 后有人入山内逢见婢，童颜轻健，身衣树皮，行疾如风，遂入昇林木而去。”
《续仙传》三卷，旧题“唐朝请郎前行潥水县令兼监察御史赐绯鱼袋沈汾撰”。
这位二水先生又写道：“生活在公元937年前后的地方县令沈汾，或‘览传记，兼复闻见，皆铭于心，而书于牍’，成《续仙传》三卷。《四库提要》称‘其中附会传闻均所难免，而大抵因事缘饰，不尽子虚乌有’。其有关许宣平事，则取材于《李白集》之《题许宣平庵壁诗.我吟传舍诗》。可见，李白与许宣平在庵壁发帖跟贴，也确有其事的。远离李白时代二百余年的沈汾，所记许宣平事，‘附会传闻均所难免’，然而，较南宋文人计有功之《唐诗纪事本末》又早了数百年。数百年的时间，自然可以产生许多传奇。但相比而言，沈汾记许宣平事显然更有说服力。即便如此，我们也没能从沈汾的文字中觅得太极功的只字片语。。。。将原本与太极拳毫无关联的许宣平，扯进了太极拳的圈子之中。”
诚然，许禹生先生在整个事件中，非但将《续仙传》中的许宣平扯进了太极拳，且将韩拱月、程灵洗、程珌、胡镜子、宋仲殊、俞清慧、俞一诚等均扯进了太极拳的圈子之中，所谓这些人与太极有关，及’小九天、后天法”的名目，与“三世七”一样，均属许禹生先生的杜攥。）
吴鉴泉宗师推手手法着法的细腻与招式多变，方法多种，均与宋书铭先师的悉心传授有关，只是吴鉴泉谨遵师训，对外不予提及。吴鉴泉宗师当然清楚那“宋谱”的来源，他鄙视那种杜攥行为，但碍于友人情面，故从未公开反对，当然也不收留该谱，默默的练习宋书铭前辈所传的技艺，并不关心外面如何在折腾。
吴鉴泉的师兄弟齐名臣似乎也得到宋书铭传授“太极功”，因其子齐敏轩曾向香港吴氏太极名家郑天熊大师传授过宋书铭的部分“太极功”。
回过来，我们再看马有清先生编著的“吴图南太极功”，该书说：“太极功因为知之者稀，又苦不能受，濒于失传。吴图南先生蒙杨少候先生垂爱，授予杨家之绝学，又有幸得吴图南恩师之真传，实为余终生之幸也！”并说图南先生的太极功由“松功，势功，樁劲功和气功四部分组成”。
首先，吴图南先生再次发挥伪造天才，将其“太极功”说成是杨少候所传，故意制造一个“宋氏太极功，杨家也有”的混乱。
其次，细看吴图南太极功的四个部分，原来所谓“势功，樁劲功均为吴先生自编，而势功则是学来的太极拳，刀，剑三样套路，气功分四式，唯其中第一式：龟腹调息，与宋书铭先师传太极功阴阳二十四法中的阴段第一式“金龟式”有相似之处（吴图南此功势的手势仍不正确），故可知吴图南在吴鉴泉宗师处听闻了宋书铭传“太极功”，并可能偶窥见了其中一式“金龟式”（而且并未全部看清招式），但得不到吴鉴泉宗师的传授，于是在五，六十年后，自创“太极功”，并声称是得杨少候的绝学，以此与宋书铭“太极功”抗衡。可惜，假的真不了，真的假不了。吴图南所谓的“杨氏绝学太极功”，就同其伪造的“出生年龄”、“清初的宋谱”及其层出不穷的谎言一样，最终在阳光下，显得丑陋不堪，被丢进了历史的垃圾堆中。
略谈宋书铭
颜紫元 2009.7
宋书铭先生是民国初期袁世凯任大总统时期的袁的一位幕僚，许禹生时任教育部办事人员，许当时三十余岁，宋七十余岁，二人因工作和拳术关系认识，许又介绍了纪子修，吴鉴泉，刘彩臣，刘恩绶等于宋相识并执弟子礼。宋书铭性格古僻，视拳技如性命且极其保守，和弟子们约法“不须传人，不须说是他教的”，从不显山露水。
据吴鉴泉宗师一脉口传：宋书铭曾述其为明初宋远桥先师之十七世嫡孙（河南陈家沟陈氏十六世陈鑫年龄略小于宋书铭，其第一世祖陈卜也是由明初洪武年间由山西洪洞迁至河南，故宋远桥为明初人当无误）。宋书铭又述其先祖宋远桥得武当麸子李（据太和之志记载麸子李是元末张三丰的武当弟子之一）传授“太极功”、“推手”打手手法、“太极功口诀’等。上述聊聊数语竟被许禹生先生极度发挥，非但扯进了俞莲舟，俞岱，张松溪，张翠山，殷利亨，莫谷声六人，还进一步扯入了南北朝时的韩拱月、程洗灵、宋代的程珌、唐代于欢子、许宣平、李道子、胡镜子、宋代的宋仲殊等人，并编造“三世七”, “小九天”, “后天法”的动作名目。这些名目除了在许禹生的“宋谱”上出现外，在历史上均无据可查，而将明末嘉靖年间人张松溪，说成是明初人，将明初麸子李说成是唐初李道子，更显得浅显，而且唐初的李道子并非江南安庆人而是河南怀庆府人。此 “宋谱”最后还扯进了汉武帝时的东方朔及春秋时的孟子，令人啧啧称奇。
然，由此则引起了太极拳界的一片混乱！于是不少人说：太极拳在元末张三丰前就有四支：南北韩拱月传程洗灵程家的“小九天”；唐代于欢子、许宣平传宋远桥先祖宋家的“三世七”；唐代李道子传俞莲舟先祖俞清慧、俞一诚的俞式先天拳；唐代胡镜子传宋仲殊，宋仲殊又传殷利亨先祖的殷式后天法；而明末嘉靖年间人张松溪并不练元末张三丰的十三式拳，却被说成张松溪、张翠山得张三丰亲授十三式。
因此，上述四支及张三丰传张松溪，张翠山十三式拳并不存在，根本就是许禹生先生的杜攥。
回归简朴的历史，那就是：明初宋远桥得武当山张三丰弟子麸子李传“太极功”等技法，是张三丰太极拳的别支，另一支“十三式拳、剑”，则由张三丰祖师传到了云南，明中后叶，由云南云游道人父女俩传到山西，再从山西传到河南。
（笔者按：元代的张三丰祖师则曾住过河南济源道家第一洞天王屋山，并可能去过与王屋山同属于河南怀庆府的河内千载寺，了解过千载寺唐初李道子创的“无极养生功”。
文献记载，张三丰祖师曾在嵩山崇福宫住过，因此，张三丰祖师极可能去过嵩山少林寺，并与元代才首次入住少林寺的禅宗一脉方丈福裕禅师 “慧、智辈” 的传人交流过，得悉禅宗初祖达摩创的“易筋经”。
于是，张三丰祖师结合其隐仙派陈抟老祖一脉的道家修练功法，及李道子的无极养生功，“翻而复之”，创造出比“易筋经十二式”，唐代李道子“无极养生功”更神奇的“太极十三式”及“太极功”等，分别传人。
其中“太极十三式”后由来自云南的云游道人携女赴山西汾州府汾河小王庄的观庙，并传小王庄王氏七世祖王宗岳（公悦）。由王宗岳途径河南怀庆府时，与通背拳鼻祖怀庆府小董人董成交流，并由董成介绍子侄辈的千载寺太极宫道人董秉乾及博公道长向王宗岳学太极十三式，而董成又与张松溪也交流过。王宗岳并传蒋发。
蒋发所告知的其学艺于山西王宗岳及王宗岳学艺于云南云游道人父女俩之事，分别在赵堡邢喜怀一支传人，及陈家沟陈王庭一支传人中流传，陈氏十六世陈鑫在“太极拳图说”中记载了其九世祖如何与蒋发相遇，并在“辨拳论”中记载了山西汾州府汾河小王庄王宗岳之事。
张三丰祖师的单式“太极功”等，则由其弟子麸子李传给了明初的宋远桥，并由其十七世孙宋书铭先师于民国初传给了吴鉴泉、齐格臣等，并传留至今。宋书铭先师于1916年袁世凯亡后，回到河北保定隐居，宋氏原本为清季词村巨子，精研易理，所传内功原道明理诸篇，实为太极瑰宝，惜其晚年困瘁家居，报道自娱，积搞盈屋，欲以重金求其稿，亦不允，后作古于于保定。其遗物不知流落何处，徒令人向往矣！
许禹生先辈以宋远桥名义所作的“宋谱”将明初宋远桥所接触过的太极拳分成五支，我们对这段再作一简略分析：
一、 在许禹生先的文章里，宋远桥的太极来自三方面：唐初于欢子传许宣平，许宣平又传十四代至明初宋远桥为其一；宋远桥明初于武当山麸子李即李道子为其二；宋氏后又遇武当张三丰为其三。
首先于欢子不见文献记载，与后文的朝拱月一样，可能是许禹生凭空杜攒的人
物，以增神秘性。许宣平历史上虽有其人，但无只字片语记载他会武功，及“三十七”太极拳的任何名目。“三十七”或“三世七”纯粹是许禹生先生杜攒出。 “三十七”的动作名目是许禹生先生根据杨露禅传的十三势改编而成，后人竟还将杨澄甫的太极拳架揍拼在一起，称为属代许宣平“三世七”太极拳，而顾留馨则将刘彩臣弟子李先吾的吴鉴泉氏早期太极拳架也断论为“三世七”太极拳，以致一再引发混乱。
许禹生先生又将唐初李道子混淆为明初张三丰的武当弟子麸子李。同时，唐初的李道子也非江南安庆人，实为河南怀庆府河内千载寺三教合一的道人，曾创无极养生功，而无极养生功从唐初一直在千载寺流传到明末千载寺旁唐村李氏八世祖得传，并写了“无极养生功谱”（见附文其它关于李道子的生世及清初千载寺对李道子的碑刻请见附文），然而“无极养生功”并非“十三势”。
至于宋远桥明初又遇张三丰，并得传授，自然也是杜攒，缘张三丰于元末便在陕西宝鸡金台观仙逝了，明初再遇张三丰是许禹生先生受了明史影响后的杜攒。
二、 许禹生将俞莲丹的先天拳也杜攒成是一个跨越六、七百年从唐初到明初还活着的李道子所传授的，并与许宣平的拳术一样，也是“三十七”，只是名称不同而已。许进一步杜攒出俞清慧、俞一诚等人名，称他们是俞莲丹的上祖，这些人名不见任何文献记载。“三十七”是杜攒，与“三十七”一样的“先天拳”，自然也是许禹生先生的杜攒了。
三、韩拱月传程洗灵的“小九天”
韩拱月，前文述，或为许氏杜攒的人物，因许禹生先生也好“易经”并找 出一个精于《周易》的程珌来，并将程珌做学问的“用功五志”及对事物认识的“四性归原歌”说成是“小九天”拳术的歌诀（事实上，此二歌诀适合所有学问的研究）。又找出一个南北朝梁时人程灵洗说是程珌的先祖，据记载，仅知程灵洗“少以勇力闻”（笔者按：程灵洗“少以勇力闻”，而非“以拳勇闻”，在明初官方对张三丰祖师的文献记载就不同了，如：永乐四年即公元1407年,“侍读学士胡广奏言,先师深通道法,拳技绝伦”、《道统源法》载:张三丰好道善剑，三丰祖师自己也作有“刀、尺歌”、“十三势论”等，均直接指明三丰祖师精于武功，与程灵洗截然不同。）。程灵洗梁时以据侯景乱，授焦州刺史，入陈，官歙州太守、、、只是记载其有“勇力”，做过官，无只字片语说他会武功，或小九天拳术。历史上没有出现过“小九天”及其动作名称，直至民国初期许禹生先生杜攒出时，才出现。吴图南先生还煞有其事地说：“小九天法於宋版《洺水集》中尚存。后历经改朝动乱，于明嘉丙辰刻本甲，惜已失散。”反正根本没有存在过，说原先有，后来失散了，说宋版的、元版的、明初的都行，总之查无可查，故可随意编造。
四、 唐代胡镜子传宋代人宋仲殊，又传明初人殷利亨“后天法”
如前一般，许禹生先生杜攒的都是活几百年不老死的神仙，从唐代到宋代，宋代又到明代的三级跳远胡镜子、宋仲殊、殷利亨均无任何文献记载过他们会武功或“后天法”及其动作名目。许禹生还煞有其事地编造了一个“后天法”的动作名目来，可见许氏也费了一番心思。
五、 张三丰传张松溪、张翠山“十三式”
张松溪为明末嘉靖年间人，其师为孙十三老，宁波府誌均有记载，其武功及至今的传人都没有“十三式”，明末人张松溪如何在明初去向元末已仙势的张三丰学“十三式”，显然，许禹生受了黄宗義、黄百家文章的影响，随便杜攒了一个传承。张松溪的内家拳在宁波已传了十三、四代，其十三代传人至今仍在设馆传授其艺。
由此可见，除了宋远桥明初遇武当麸子李得到“太极功”的传授，与吴鉴泉宗师一支口传相吻合外，即与宋书铭先师告知吴鉴泉宗师的相吻合外，余均为许禹生的杜攒，而吴图南先生在上世纪八十年代更肆无忌惮地编造、篡改，以致世人对宋书铭先师一支到底是否存在，心存疑惑，甚至全盘否认。所幸吴鉴泉宗师将宋书铭的“太极功”、“推手手法”、“十个口诀”在吴门中全面继承并传留了下来，实属太极拳界的一桩极幸之事。
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
My Journey In Wu Style Taiji By Dr Stephen Yan( Yan Zhi Yuan) 30-04-09
My initial exposure to Taiji Quan was learning the Wu Style Taiji Fast Form in 1981. At the time I was still studying at the Shanghai Medical University (currently known as Fu Dan University Medical College). It was in my first year at the University.
One day I had the opportunity to witness Wu Style Taiji Master, Master Ma Yueh Liang, performing the Fast Form at the Shanghai Wan Ren Stadium. It was this eyes opening event that first aroused my curiosity in Taiji Quan. Until then I always had an understanding that Taiji was a slow exercise. I was curious about the “Fastness” in the Fast Form. Due to conservatism in the ancient Chinese arts, many of the arts (the Fast Form especially) was seldom displayed in public.
I went with a school mate from my High School, Mr Yang Ming Qian. We both enrolled into the Fast Form class. It was an honour to see first hand Master Ma’s performance as well as receiving instructions from him.
Master Ma did not take much notice of me as I was one of the many students who were in the class. There was no special teachings or attention given to me. Also I had not yet seen Master Ma’s push hands techniques. Yet it was in this hazy arrangement of fate that my journey in learning Wu Style Taiji Quan began.
Around the end of 1982 and the beginning of 1983, my University started a Martial Arts association. As I had trained in the Martial arts since the age of 13, I was also an active member in the newly formed association. Eventually I was made a Committee member.
In my role as a Committee member I invited Master Ma and his wife Master Wu Ying Hua, to be consultants for the Association. Ma Jiang Bao (Master Ma’s son) and Shi Mei Lin (Master Ma’s adopted daughter) also came along with them. Ma Jiang Bao and Shi Mei Lin were both made instructors in the Association.
Shi Mei Lin was already the instructor of the Xu Hui District Martial Arts team. She often represented the Shanghai Wu Shu Team in performances overseas. Whenever she was away I was asked to look after her team.
It was during those few years that I learnt the Wu Style Taiji Slow Form and Weapons forms from Shi Mei Lin. Master Ma’s senior student Pei Zu Yin also taught me the elementary push hands. Later I learnt more advanced push hands from Shi Mei Lin, including dynamic stepping push hands techniques. However the applications of the forms and “Lan Cai Hua” were taught later to me by Master Ma.
In the mid 80’s I got to know the people in the association well and often visited Master Ma’s residence as well as the Xu Hui District training Hall. I got to push hands with Master Ma’s students there. Out of respect I never did that in a competitive manner.
Six years passed and I graduated from the Medical University, and I worked a year as a General Practitioner at the Hospital. Due to my preference for a govt system that is more inclining towards treasuring human values and freedom, I decided to immigrate to NZ. Not long after, I made arrangements for Shi Mei Lin to come to NZ from Europe where Shi Mei Lin was then teaching Taiji. Shortly after she arrived we were married. We studied the arts together. Unfortunately there were times my queries on the Martial aspect of the arts could not be satisfactorily answered.
In 1990, we invited both Master Ma and Master Wu to come to NZ. Master Ma was in his 90’s and Master Wu around 85.We were honoured by their acceptance.
At that time my martial art focus was in Xin Yi Liu He Quan and external martial arts. I was not fully convinced of the Taiji Quan system yet.
One day at the family home pushing hands with Master Ma I decided to try a Chin Na techniques called “Chien Jin Chui” taught by Master Ji Jin Shan. The intention is to try to seize Master Ma’s arm.
The next thing that happened was something that shocked me thoroughly. My body sprang like a plate off into mid air for half a circle and then I fell squarely on my side. Lying on the floor I was unable to utter a word, my eyes wide open looking at Master Ma. I did not get up until Master Ma motioned for me to rise. I then slowly picked myself up off the floor.
Master Ma was not upset with my “sneaking attack”, and he decided to show me more ‘higher level’ martial techniques of Taiji Quan. He even allowed me to use punching and kicking techniques on him. In the exchange, I threw a left punch intending to follow on with a right kick. To my surprise, I felt that I could not raise my right foot at all. Master Ma has stuck his arms to mine, leading me off the centre of gravity, and at the same time he then followed through with a “Pan Lan Cui” to my chest area.
There and then I felt the full body momentum of Master Ma’s punch. It was as if it had gone through my body. I could no longer response but with great fear in me. Master Ma stopped the attack on seeing my reaction.
What I felt was likely to be more aptly described by two Chinese proverbs :
“Fire arrow penetrating the heart” or “As if collapsing a thin wall”
From then on I began to study Taiji Quan in equal proportion to XYLHQ.
For 6 months both Masters lived with us in NZ. Other than practising Taiji Quan I requested for my forms to be corrected. Shi Mei Lin had attained very accurate forms, so both Masters did not need to correct me much except to explain the moves. It was then I began to ask questions, including all those martial questions that were on my mind from 1981 to 1990.
Master Ma was most talented in Taiji Quan. He had full understanding on Taiji’s history, forms, weapons, and their applications. He knew more than any others. Be it accurate measurements in posturing, standards, applications, martial understanding, historical facts, and internal gungfu (nei gong). Master Ma had firm grasp of all. His explanations were detailed and indepth. Having said that I felt he actually knew more, and many subtleties had yet to be revealed. It was then I resolved to make Master Ma my role model in martial arts, and to learn the total syllabus of Wu Style Taiji Quan.
In Wu Style Taiji Quan many techniques are not transmitted outside, be it select hand or weapon forms. Even though Shi Mei Lin and I were a married couple, the rule still applied. There was this form called “Lian Huang Jian” (the Wu 3rd sword form), which only Shi Mei Lin knew, at that time not even Ma Jiang Bao knew it. I wished to learn, so I exchanged with Shi Mei Lin using an ancient and precious YiJinGin set that I learnt from Master Zu Yun Fei. This was how I learnt “Lian Huang Jian”.
In that period of time Master Ma had passed on to us many of his push hands videos. Also in their final years at their Shanghai family home there were many recorded videos of Master Ma’s explanations of push hands to me. They were all very valuable and have never been revealed to outsiders. It can be said that without Master Ma’s explanations it is impossible to truly understand real push hands!
Master Ma’s Nei Gong was also at a very high level. He taught me the “Five Elements Nei Gong”.
In September 1992, after I became Master’s Ma disciple at his home I was then taught Wu Style Taiji’s
* 13 Spear set
* Life Saving 3 Spear set
* Sticking staff (spears without spear heads , 2 sets for two man practise)
* Crossing spear set
* Eight posture Nei Gong
Master Wu taught me the Dual Sword Form with both Masters correcting my forms.
Both Masters did a tour around NZ with Shi Mei Lin and I joining in push hands with Master Ma. These videos are now displayed on the Youtube.
In 1991, while sending Master Li Zun Shi (my XYLHQ master) back to Shanghai, we visited Master Ma and Master Wu. They were please to see us. There was even a welcoming party at the Jian Quan Association for us, and a Vegetarian dinner party at Long Hua Temple.
It was in those few months stay in Shanghai that Shi Mei Lin learnt her acupuncture at the Chinese Medical College. I visited Master Ma almost everyday, practising push hands and attended the push hands sessions at the gardens with his students, such as Qian Zhao Chun, Zhang Jin Gui, Chen Zhao Mao etc. The gardens we practised in were:
Shanghai Public Garden
Fu Xin Garden
Xiang Yang Garden
Zia Bei Garden
I benefitted a lot from this learning. It was definitely a good variety of people, and very different from pushing hands with Master Ma. He was in a totally different level of skill, out on his own, so to speak.
In the second half of 1991 due to our differences in the pursuits of martial arts Shi Mei Lin and I were separated.
In the beginning of 1992, I went back to Shanghai in order to explain to both Masters seeking forgiveness and understanding from them for this unfortunate event.
To my surprise they understood my situation and accrued the whole matter to the “intention of Heaven”. Both Masters treated me just as before. Their teaching and their explanations remained the same as well. I was really touched by their kindness and great capacity to understand and forgive.
I had a wish to be the disciple of Master Ma, but it remained unexpressed for fear of adding pressure to both Masters and for two other reasons: firstly, my separation with Shi Mei Lin, secondly, considering Master Ma's other senior students were already jealous about me learning much more than them, even though they had followed Master Ma many years earlier than me. But both Masters had already guessed my wish.
In September 1992 it was my second trip that year back to Shanghai to learn push hands, Martial theories and its practices.
One day I was invited to a tea drinking session at Master Ma’s residence. Master Ma then asked if I have heard of the story of the 6th Generation Zen Master Hui Neng. I replied “Yes”. Master Wu was there as well.
Master Ma then proceeded to explain that Hui Neng was a man of great wisdom. After only hearing the chant of the Diamond Sutra he actually understood it, far exceeding any other students including the No.one student Shen Hui of 5th Genaration Zen Master Hong Ren. It was for that reason the title was decided to be passed on to Hui Neng. But fearing jealousy from amongst the other disciples, Master Hong Ren decided to ask Hui Neng to meet him at 3am in his living quarters. The ceremony of the transmission was carried out in secret.
After tasting a mouthful of tea, Master Ma continued that such an arrangement was out of no other choice.
Master Ma then spoke of his awareness of my wish to be his disciple. They were very touched by my tenacity to learn and patience to wait, and my attitude and ability to comprehend their teachings had impressed them. In order not to harm Shi Mei Lin or rouse any unease amongst the rank, Master Ma decided to accept me as his disciple without public announcement.
I was then asked to come to Master Ma’s living quarter on 28th September 1992 at 10am. It was mainly to avoid any visitors’ intrusion. It was on the second floor, in Master Ma’s bedroom. I was asked if it was a good idea.
I was touched by this kindness and I was practically in tears on hearing that.
Master Ma’s advice to me was that though I am highly talented and acute in understanding Taiji, which is important in learning Taiji, I must still train very hard and to accept no limitation in the arts of Taiji.
After the ceremony I was taught “Hun Yuan Zhuang “,”Eight Postures Nei Gong” and “Lan Cai Hua” push hands in detail.
From 1993 to 1996 I invested in a medicine production plant in China and was made a General Manager of the plant. For those three years as I lived in China, Master Ma further taught me Wu Style Taiji inner transmission methods and its secrets. He was around 94 or 95 years of age. I was always invited to lunches or dinners with both Masters(often in 2nd floor where they had bed and table in the big room and where only very close people would be invited there).
One day Master Wu related to me that there was another set of Nei Gong called “Yin Yang 24 Methods”(also called "taiji gong"). Due to both Masters being busy making a living, they had forgotten it. Master Ma’s martial brother and brother-in-laws Yu Sheng was also taught by Master Wu Jian Quan this very set. In the 60’s Master Wu requested Yu Sheng to teach Ma Jiang Bao, but was only met with rejections. Until Yu Sheng passed away no one had been taught that Nei Gong set. Master Wu felt very disappointed about this.
I have heard that while Master Wu Jian Quan was in Hong Kong he had taught this set to Master Cheng Yong Guang. It was then transmitted to Cheng Tin Hung (Master Cheng Guang Yong’s nephew. Cheng Tin Hung also learned it from Qi Ming Xuan whom was Qi Ke Chen’s son). The only difference is that they have renamed the set as “Taiji Gong”.
I then expressed my wish to go to Hong Kong to learn this set and hence completing the entire Wu Style Taiji system.
At the end of 1995, I was in Hong Kong. It was in Guang Dong Zhong Shan Taiji Shan Village I finally got the opportunity to meet Master Cheng Tin Hung . Master Cheng knew my background in Taiji, and he was happy to teach me “Yin Yang 24 Methods” (Yin 12 methods and Yang 12 methods).
Master Cheng gave praise to my being a hard worker. He said it was as if I have already learnt the set before.
While I was there Master Cheng’s disciple Mei Xiang Ming learned push hands from me. It is quite a humbling occasion.
One day when I visited Master Ma he appeared very solemn and said that Master Wu was taken ill and in Xu Hui hospital asking me to be there to talk to the doctors to see if there is anything that they can do for her.
I went and there were many of my classmates and school mates there. Unfortunately the doctor responsible told me that there was nothing he can do for her. They can only make her feel comfortable for her last days.
This news weighed down heavy on all of us as I related that back to Master Ma. It was a most difficult news and time as if stood still for us all.
As previously mentioned, from 1993 to 1996 I worked as a general manager in a Pharmaceutical company near Shanghai. During those three years Master Ma who was already 95 years of age orally transmitted unreservedly the Wu Style Taiji secrets. It was the most important three years of my taiji learning.
In 1996, Tian Chong my son was born in NZ, I left my work in China and returned to NZ.
Before I left Master Ma told me that to improve the martial arts I would have to be brave and put to practise what I have learnt. Do push hands more often with others talented practitioners, students and any outsiders from other systems... That I must not train in isolation as the arts has no limit in itself.
It was very sad and unpredictable that farewell in 1996 was the last farewell as well with Master Ma. I have never forgotten Master Ma’s advice, hard training and hard study, and put into practice what I have learnt. Especially in the last two years I felt that I have improved a lot. It goes to show that the arts indeed has no limit.
Master Ma and Master Wu Taiji system is the most complete of all in China.
Nei Gong:
· Hun Yun Zhuang Nei Gong
· Five Elements Nei Gong
· Taiji Yin Yang 24 Methods (also called 'tai ji gong", was the one Master Wu Jian Quan learned from Master Song Shu Ming 宋书铭whom was Song Yuan Qiao's宋远桥 17th generation decendent,and Song Yuan Qiao宋远桥 was a disciple of Fu Zi Li麸子李in early Ming Dynasty ,Fu Zi Li 麸子李 was a direct disciple of the great taiji founder Zhang San Feng.Master Song Shu Ming 宋书铭wrote a book called "taiji gong太极功"in 1916 , when Master Wu Jian Quan met Master Song , Song was also a secreatary of China president 袁世凯）
Forms:
· Modefied Form by Master Ma and Master Wu
· Slow Form (founded by Master Wu Jian Quan)
· Fast Form (Zhang San Fong's original 13posture soft hands)
· Single moves' practise of above forms
Push hands:
· Single person practice
· Two persons basic practice (5 types for single hand and 3 for double hands)
· Also for two person push hands there are distance and near methods,Upper ,middle and lower sections method 13 types,8 Types of dynamic stepping and finally “Lan Cai Hua”
Weapons:
· Taiji Broad sword
· Jian Kun sword
· Seven Star sword
· Lian Huang sword
· Double sword
· 6 sets of sticking sword(two person)
· 24 Spear
· Life Saving 3 Spear
· 13 Spear
· Sticking Spear( two sets of two man Sticking Staff --spear without head)
· Nian Lian 4 Spears
· Nian Li 4 Spears
· 4 SHAN SPEAR
Both Masters have had many students. Those who had learnt the whole system remain at not more than 2-3 people at the most. I am one of them who possess its history, theories, applications and various other in-depth studies.
At present I have selected 5 disciples to transmit the total system to so that Wu Style Taiji will have a future.
As I recalled before I left Shanghai in 1996, as I wish to know how much I have learned in push hands I did push hands with a few of Master Ma’s senior students but to my surprise no one was able to push me out then. That had caused some discomfort which I can totally understand. If only they knew about my being accepted by Master Ma and the reasoning behind it they might be upset. Especially one who has divorced their adopted daughter and yet receiving all the oral transmissions unreservedly. How can any of them remain calm let alone understand?
Both Masters are persons of knowledge of Dao, and they possessed great compassion towards others’ feelings. Their secret acceptance is totally out of their kindness and wanting no one to be affected unduly. I hereby also reply to the Internet remarks by a few of the younger generation students doubting my lineage from Master Ma.
In the beginning I did not wish to write that essay nor reveal a personal letter written to me by Master Ma, as I too do not wish to hurt others’ feelings, especially while both Masters were still alive. Unfortunately the rumours of others have been taken as truth by the writer on the Internet not only doubting my lineage but also made mention that I was actually pushed out by Master Yek Sing Ong in one of my many exchanges with other Masters in push hands. I therefore have no choice but to put the still pictures of the push hand videos with Master Yek on the Internet as well to defend myself. Please refer to my Blog ( http://drstephenyan.blogspot.com/) on these matters mentioned.
Some people use information from Master Ma's disciples who are not fully aware of the special situation to doubt that I am Master Ma's disciple. If that is the case then why did Master Ma write a personal letter to me in 1993 in which he addressed me as his "Good Disciple" and signed off with "Yu Shi" (which is a traditional way only applied to Master to his own disciple). Why would Master Ma not respect himself to have said that if I am not indeed his own disciple? (please see the pictures of the letter in my above blog)
This is merely to reply to the rumours against me. It was never an intention to hurt Master Yek or Master Ma's other disciples at all. If there is a need to assign blame those who spread the rumours should be the ones to be blamed.
One day I had the opportunity to witness Wu Style Taiji Master, Master Ma Yueh Liang, performing the Fast Form at the Shanghai Wan Ren Stadium. It was this eyes opening event that first aroused my curiosity in Taiji Quan. Until then I always had an understanding that Taiji was a slow exercise. I was curious about the “Fastness” in the Fast Form. Due to conservatism in the ancient Chinese arts, many of the arts (the Fast Form especially) was seldom displayed in public.
I went with a school mate from my High School, Mr Yang Ming Qian. We both enrolled into the Fast Form class. It was an honour to see first hand Master Ma’s performance as well as receiving instructions from him.
Master Ma did not take much notice of me as I was one of the many students who were in the class. There was no special teachings or attention given to me. Also I had not yet seen Master Ma’s push hands techniques. Yet it was in this hazy arrangement of fate that my journey in learning Wu Style Taiji Quan began.
Around the end of 1982 and the beginning of 1983, my University started a Martial Arts association. As I had trained in the Martial arts since the age of 13, I was also an active member in the newly formed association. Eventually I was made a Committee member.
In my role as a Committee member I invited Master Ma and his wife Master Wu Ying Hua, to be consultants for the Association. Ma Jiang Bao (Master Ma’s son) and Shi Mei Lin (Master Ma’s adopted daughter) also came along with them. Ma Jiang Bao and Shi Mei Lin were both made instructors in the Association.
Shi Mei Lin was already the instructor of the Xu Hui District Martial Arts team. She often represented the Shanghai Wu Shu Team in performances overseas. Whenever she was away I was asked to look after her team.
It was during those few years that I learnt the Wu Style Taiji Slow Form and Weapons forms from Shi Mei Lin. Master Ma’s senior student Pei Zu Yin also taught me the elementary push hands. Later I learnt more advanced push hands from Shi Mei Lin, including dynamic stepping push hands techniques. However the applications of the forms and “Lan Cai Hua” were taught later to me by Master Ma.
In the mid 80’s I got to know the people in the association well and often visited Master Ma’s residence as well as the Xu Hui District training Hall. I got to push hands with Master Ma’s students there. Out of respect I never did that in a competitive manner.
Six years passed and I graduated from the Medical University, and I worked a year as a General Practitioner at the Hospital. Due to my preference for a govt system that is more inclining towards treasuring human values and freedom, I decided to immigrate to NZ. Not long after, I made arrangements for Shi Mei Lin to come to NZ from Europe where Shi Mei Lin was then teaching Taiji. Shortly after she arrived we were married. We studied the arts together. Unfortunately there were times my queries on the Martial aspect of the arts could not be satisfactorily answered.
In 1990, we invited both Master Ma and Master Wu to come to NZ. Master Ma was in his 90’s and Master Wu around 85.We were honoured by their acceptance.
At that time my martial art focus was in Xin Yi Liu He Quan and external martial arts. I was not fully convinced of the Taiji Quan system yet.
One day at the family home pushing hands with Master Ma I decided to try a Chin Na techniques called “Chien Jin Chui” taught by Master Ji Jin Shan. The intention is to try to seize Master Ma’s arm.
The next thing that happened was something that shocked me thoroughly. My body sprang like a plate off into mid air for half a circle and then I fell squarely on my side. Lying on the floor I was unable to utter a word, my eyes wide open looking at Master Ma. I did not get up until Master Ma motioned for me to rise. I then slowly picked myself up off the floor.
Master Ma was not upset with my “sneaking attack”, and he decided to show me more ‘higher level’ martial techniques of Taiji Quan. He even allowed me to use punching and kicking techniques on him. In the exchange, I threw a left punch intending to follow on with a right kick. To my surprise, I felt that I could not raise my right foot at all. Master Ma has stuck his arms to mine, leading me off the centre of gravity, and at the same time he then followed through with a “Pan Lan Cui” to my chest area.
There and then I felt the full body momentum of Master Ma’s punch. It was as if it had gone through my body. I could no longer response but with great fear in me. Master Ma stopped the attack on seeing my reaction.
What I felt was likely to be more aptly described by two Chinese proverbs :
“Fire arrow penetrating the heart” or “As if collapsing a thin wall”
From then on I began to study Taiji Quan in equal proportion to XYLHQ.
For 6 months both Masters lived with us in NZ. Other than practising Taiji Quan I requested for my forms to be corrected. Shi Mei Lin had attained very accurate forms, so both Masters did not need to correct me much except to explain the moves. It was then I began to ask questions, including all those martial questions that were on my mind from 1981 to 1990.
Master Ma was most talented in Taiji Quan. He had full understanding on Taiji’s history, forms, weapons, and their applications. He knew more than any others. Be it accurate measurements in posturing, standards, applications, martial understanding, historical facts, and internal gungfu (nei gong). Master Ma had firm grasp of all. His explanations were detailed and indepth. Having said that I felt he actually knew more, and many subtleties had yet to be revealed. It was then I resolved to make Master Ma my role model in martial arts, and to learn the total syllabus of Wu Style Taiji Quan.
In Wu Style Taiji Quan many techniques are not transmitted outside, be it select hand or weapon forms. Even though Shi Mei Lin and I were a married couple, the rule still applied. There was this form called “Lian Huang Jian” (the Wu 3rd sword form), which only Shi Mei Lin knew, at that time not even Ma Jiang Bao knew it. I wished to learn, so I exchanged with Shi Mei Lin using an ancient and precious YiJinGin set that I learnt from Master Zu Yun Fei. This was how I learnt “Lian Huang Jian”.
In that period of time Master Ma had passed on to us many of his push hands videos. Also in their final years at their Shanghai family home there were many recorded videos of Master Ma’s explanations of push hands to me. They were all very valuable and have never been revealed to outsiders. It can be said that without Master Ma’s explanations it is impossible to truly understand real push hands!
Master Ma’s Nei Gong was also at a very high level. He taught me the “Five Elements Nei Gong”.
In September 1992, after I became Master’s Ma disciple at his home I was then taught Wu Style Taiji’s
* 13 Spear set
* Life Saving 3 Spear set
* Sticking staff (spears without spear heads , 2 sets for two man practise)
* Crossing spear set
* Eight posture Nei Gong
Master Wu taught me the Dual Sword Form with both Masters correcting my forms.
Both Masters did a tour around NZ with Shi Mei Lin and I joining in push hands with Master Ma. These videos are now displayed on the Youtube.
In 1991, while sending Master Li Zun Shi (my XYLHQ master) back to Shanghai, we visited Master Ma and Master Wu. They were please to see us. There was even a welcoming party at the Jian Quan Association for us, and a Vegetarian dinner party at Long Hua Temple.
It was in those few months stay in Shanghai that Shi Mei Lin learnt her acupuncture at the Chinese Medical College. I visited Master Ma almost everyday, practising push hands and attended the push hands sessions at the gardens with his students, such as Qian Zhao Chun, Zhang Jin Gui, Chen Zhao Mao etc. The gardens we practised in were:
Shanghai Public Garden
Fu Xin Garden
Xiang Yang Garden
Zia Bei Garden
I benefitted a lot from this learning. It was definitely a good variety of people, and very different from pushing hands with Master Ma. He was in a totally different level of skill, out on his own, so to speak.
In the second half of 1991 due to our differences in the pursuits of martial arts Shi Mei Lin and I were separated.
In the beginning of 1992, I went back to Shanghai in order to explain to both Masters seeking forgiveness and understanding from them for this unfortunate event.
To my surprise they understood my situation and accrued the whole matter to the “intention of Heaven”. Both Masters treated me just as before. Their teaching and their explanations remained the same as well. I was really touched by their kindness and great capacity to understand and forgive.
I had a wish to be the disciple of Master Ma, but it remained unexpressed for fear of adding pressure to both Masters and for two other reasons: firstly, my separation with Shi Mei Lin, secondly, considering Master Ma's other senior students were already jealous about me learning much more than them, even though they had followed Master Ma many years earlier than me. But both Masters had already guessed my wish.
In September 1992 it was my second trip that year back to Shanghai to learn push hands, Martial theories and its practices.
One day I was invited to a tea drinking session at Master Ma’s residence. Master Ma then asked if I have heard of the story of the 6th Generation Zen Master Hui Neng. I replied “Yes”. Master Wu was there as well.
Master Ma then proceeded to explain that Hui Neng was a man of great wisdom. After only hearing the chant of the Diamond Sutra he actually understood it, far exceeding any other students including the No.one student Shen Hui of 5th Genaration Zen Master Hong Ren. It was for that reason the title was decided to be passed on to Hui Neng. But fearing jealousy from amongst the other disciples, Master Hong Ren decided to ask Hui Neng to meet him at 3am in his living quarters. The ceremony of the transmission was carried out in secret.
After tasting a mouthful of tea, Master Ma continued that such an arrangement was out of no other choice.
Master Ma then spoke of his awareness of my wish to be his disciple. They were very touched by my tenacity to learn and patience to wait, and my attitude and ability to comprehend their teachings had impressed them. In order not to harm Shi Mei Lin or rouse any unease amongst the rank, Master Ma decided to accept me as his disciple without public announcement.
I was then asked to come to Master Ma’s living quarter on 28th September 1992 at 10am. It was mainly to avoid any visitors’ intrusion. It was on the second floor, in Master Ma’s bedroom. I was asked if it was a good idea.
I was touched by this kindness and I was practically in tears on hearing that.
Master Ma’s advice to me was that though I am highly talented and acute in understanding Taiji, which is important in learning Taiji, I must still train very hard and to accept no limitation in the arts of Taiji.
After the ceremony I was taught “Hun Yuan Zhuang “,”Eight Postures Nei Gong” and “Lan Cai Hua” push hands in detail.
From 1993 to 1996 I invested in a medicine production plant in China and was made a General Manager of the plant. For those three years as I lived in China, Master Ma further taught me Wu Style Taiji inner transmission methods and its secrets. He was around 94 or 95 years of age. I was always invited to lunches or dinners with both Masters(often in 2nd floor where they had bed and table in the big room and where only very close people would be invited there).
One day Master Wu related to me that there was another set of Nei Gong called “Yin Yang 24 Methods”(also called "taiji gong"). Due to both Masters being busy making a living, they had forgotten it. Master Ma’s martial brother and brother-in-laws Yu Sheng was also taught by Master Wu Jian Quan this very set. In the 60’s Master Wu requested Yu Sheng to teach Ma Jiang Bao, but was only met with rejections. Until Yu Sheng passed away no one had been taught that Nei Gong set. Master Wu felt very disappointed about this.
I have heard that while Master Wu Jian Quan was in Hong Kong he had taught this set to Master Cheng Yong Guang. It was then transmitted to Cheng Tin Hung (Master Cheng Guang Yong’s nephew. Cheng Tin Hung also learned it from Qi Ming Xuan whom was Qi Ke Chen’s son). The only difference is that they have renamed the set as “Taiji Gong”.
I then expressed my wish to go to Hong Kong to learn this set and hence completing the entire Wu Style Taiji system.
At the end of 1995, I was in Hong Kong. It was in Guang Dong Zhong Shan Taiji Shan Village I finally got the opportunity to meet Master Cheng Tin Hung . Master Cheng knew my background in Taiji, and he was happy to teach me “Yin Yang 24 Methods” (Yin 12 methods and Yang 12 methods).
Master Cheng gave praise to my being a hard worker. He said it was as if I have already learnt the set before.
While I was there Master Cheng’s disciple Mei Xiang Ming learned push hands from me. It is quite a humbling occasion.
One day when I visited Master Ma he appeared very solemn and said that Master Wu was taken ill and in Xu Hui hospital asking me to be there to talk to the doctors to see if there is anything that they can do for her.
I went and there were many of my classmates and school mates there. Unfortunately the doctor responsible told me that there was nothing he can do for her. They can only make her feel comfortable for her last days.
This news weighed down heavy on all of us as I related that back to Master Ma. It was a most difficult news and time as if stood still for us all.
As previously mentioned, from 1993 to 1996 I worked as a general manager in a Pharmaceutical company near Shanghai. During those three years Master Ma who was already 95 years of age orally transmitted unreservedly the Wu Style Taiji secrets. It was the most important three years of my taiji learning.
In 1996, Tian Chong my son was born in NZ, I left my work in China and returned to NZ.
Before I left Master Ma told me that to improve the martial arts I would have to be brave and put to practise what I have learnt. Do push hands more often with others talented practitioners, students and any outsiders from other systems... That I must not train in isolation as the arts has no limit in itself.
It was very sad and unpredictable that farewell in 1996 was the last farewell as well with Master Ma. I have never forgotten Master Ma’s advice, hard training and hard study, and put into practice what I have learnt. Especially in the last two years I felt that I have improved a lot. It goes to show that the arts indeed has no limit.
Master Ma and Master Wu Taiji system is the most complete of all in China.
Nei Gong:
· Hun Yun Zhuang Nei Gong
· Five Elements Nei Gong
· Taiji Yin Yang 24 Methods (also called 'tai ji gong", was the one Master Wu Jian Quan learned from Master Song Shu Ming 宋书铭whom was Song Yuan Qiao's宋远桥 17th generation decendent,and Song Yuan Qiao宋远桥 was a disciple of Fu Zi Li麸子李in early Ming Dynasty ,Fu Zi Li 麸子李 was a direct disciple of the great taiji founder Zhang San Feng.Master Song Shu Ming 宋书铭wrote a book called "taiji gong太极功"in 1916 , when Master Wu Jian Quan met Master Song , Song was also a secreatary of China president 袁世凯）
Forms:
· Modefied Form by Master Ma and Master Wu
· Slow Form (founded by Master Wu Jian Quan)
· Fast Form (Zhang San Fong's original 13posture soft hands)
· Single moves' practise of above forms
Push hands:
· Single person practice
· Two persons basic practice (5 types for single hand and 3 for double hands)
· Also for two person push hands there are distance and near methods,Upper ,middle and lower sections method 13 types,8 Types of dynamic stepping and finally “Lan Cai Hua”
Weapons:
· Taiji Broad sword
· Jian Kun sword
· Seven Star sword
· Lian Huang sword
· Double sword
· 6 sets of sticking sword(two person)
· 24 Spear
· Life Saving 3 Spear
· 13 Spear
· Sticking Spear( two sets of two man Sticking Staff --spear without head)
· Nian Lian 4 Spears
· Nian Li 4 Spears
· 4 SHAN SPEAR
Both Masters have had many students. Those who had learnt the whole system remain at not more than 2-3 people at the most. I am one of them who possess its history, theories, applications and various other in-depth studies.
At present I have selected 5 disciples to transmit the total system to so that Wu Style Taiji will have a future.
As I recalled before I left Shanghai in 1996, as I wish to know how much I have learned in push hands I did push hands with a few of Master Ma’s senior students but to my surprise no one was able to push me out then. That had caused some discomfort which I can totally understand. If only they knew about my being accepted by Master Ma and the reasoning behind it they might be upset. Especially one who has divorced their adopted daughter and yet receiving all the oral transmissions unreservedly. How can any of them remain calm let alone understand?
Both Masters are persons of knowledge of Dao, and they possessed great compassion towards others’ feelings. Their secret acceptance is totally out of their kindness and wanting no one to be affected unduly. I hereby also reply to the Internet remarks by a few of the younger generation students doubting my lineage from Master Ma.
In the beginning I did not wish to write that essay nor reveal a personal letter written to me by Master Ma, as I too do not wish to hurt others’ feelings, especially while both Masters were still alive. Unfortunately the rumours of others have been taken as truth by the writer on the Internet not only doubting my lineage but also made mention that I was actually pushed out by Master Yek Sing Ong in one of my many exchanges with other Masters in push hands. I therefore have no choice but to put the still pictures of the push hand videos with Master Yek on the Internet as well to defend myself. Please refer to my Blog ( http://drstephenyan.blogspot.com/) on these matters mentioned.
Some people use information from Master Ma's disciples who are not fully aware of the special situation to doubt that I am Master Ma's disciple. If that is the case then why did Master Ma write a personal letter to me in 1993 in which he addressed me as his "Good Disciple" and signed off with "Yu Shi" (which is a traditional way only applied to Master to his own disciple). Why would Master Ma not respect himself to have said that if I am not indeed his own disciple? (please see the pictures of the letter in my above blog)
This is merely to reply to the rumours against me. It was never an intention to hurt Master Yek or Master Ma's other disciples at all. If there is a need to assign blame those who spread the rumours should be the ones to be blamed.
Monday, June 15, 2009
练功的宗旨
练功的宗旨
颜紫元 2009年6月4日
练功的宗旨，是为了性命双修双成。而任何高级的传统功法，都追求这种双修双成。
性命双修容易理解，那么性命双双修成的表现又是什么呢？
那就是：返璞归真、赤子婴儿的状态。也就是身体清新自然如婴儿（易筋的作用），灵性也回归本来无一物、一尘不染，无知无识的婴儿状态（洗髓的作用）。
传统的功法分为：行、住、坐、卧、动五功，即行走、住立、坐势、卧躺，以及手、眼、身法、步都配合运动的功法，武功是这种动功中含有技击作用的功法。
五种功法的侧重点不同。不含技击的功法以行、住、坐、卧、动，各为其主要练功方式。而武功一门，则以动法为主，以行、住、坐、卧为辅的练习功法。
所有功法无论含否技击，都可以配合饮食、作息、药物等来增功，以早日达到性命双修双成的目的。
武功修成时，尚能保身家、顾性命，有御敌防辱等作用。
就武功一门而论，虽以动法为主，但平素行、住、坐、卧时，均应利用起来练功，惜时如金，否则，岁月蹉跎，白白了浪费大好光阴。
试以心意六合门为例，说明一下平素行、住、坐、卧，如何来辅助练功的：
行，以踩鸡步，微蹲，一肘抱肋，足带踩意，谨记身法原则。旁人不识，虽觉怪怪，但又与通常走路无大异。
住，则吞日光月辉，或微蹲而开合中节，或选择“易筋经贯气诀”中某式练习，旁人鲜能察觉，外观与普通人站立几无区别。
坐，在电脑上读文章或看电视等，一般均在自己的个人办公室、或书房、或居室中，有人注意也无所谓，可边看边练“手摩内五行”、“板凳四把”、“双把”、“单把”等内功及手法。
卧，则有睡功等道家功法。一代宗师纪晋山恩师还传有“床上无形八段锦”，与站着练的“易筋经贯气诀”相似，同室之人也不易察觉。
这心意无所不在，无时不在，无处不在，至诚者可以前知，能洞察秋毫。此时，用于武功技击，则全身透空，应物自然，出于性能，发乎本性，不期然而然。
总之，内练五脏六腑髓海，外练筋骨皮毛肌肉，练精化气，练气化神，练神还虚，虚与道合，性命双修双成，武技也自然大成矣。
心意、太极、阴阳八卦（盘）拳掌的传统哲学概念 颜紫元 2009年6月10日
无极与太极：
是“无”与“有”的阴阳关系，无中生有，亦即无极生太极。
无极为宇宙天地万物开始、存在以前，又称为“先天”。虽“无”，却有无穷无尽的创造力与无限的生机。
这种创造力与生机，只是以相对“静”的形式存在，宗教人士名之曰：“无极老母”、或“上帝”、或“造物主”……
当这种创造力与生机，静极生动，开始表现的时候，即“无中生有”之时，该“有”的形式便称为“太极”。
太极即一气流行，一气又分为阴阳。
于是宇宙、天地、万事、万物遂形成，并在太极一气流行的阴阳作用下，生生不已，万世万代，永无尽头。因此，宇宙、天地、万事、万物，也都离不开阴阳，孤阴不存，独阳不长，离开了阴阳，一切便不存在了。
这一气流行也称为“道”，即阴阳之道不可须臾离也，可离非道也。
由道还虚，即由太极一气流行回归无极先天，而道与虚，便是太极与无极的关系，也是一对阴阳。
练拳行功便应由“本来无一物”、“一尘不染”的、无一丝执着的无极状态，即起势前状态，静极生动，而成太极一气流行。于是，在阴阳二气的作用下，手舞足蹈，忽疾忽缓，忽柔忽刚，忽前忽后，忽左忽右，忽上忽下，忽束忽长，忽定忽纵，忽开忽合，忽圆忽方。。。。，千变万化，生生不已，如长江、大海，滔滔不绝，劲断意不断，心动意随，一本散于万殊。
收势时，明了一切皆有心生，不迷失在由心所生的意象中，万殊咸归一本，即回归心性之本。心无所执，象无所住。心止，则意灭、象亡，万般如过眼云烟，虚幻飘渺，皆为假象，并无永恒。于是，心止则太极复归无极，即有中归无。由无到有，又复归无的先天混沌状态。心之妙用如明镜一般，应时万象丛生，止时一象不存，朗朗然如赤子婴儿，无知无识，与太虚同体，此为练拳行功之收势后状态，与起势前同然。
演拳如此，人生亦如此，而社会、世界、天地、宇宙无不如此。
文武皆可入道，欲出世者，以武演道、弘道；欲入世者，武可修身、齐家、治国、平天下。
拳术中之极品：心意拳即无极一本到意念万殊之拳，一本与万殊，心与意，即无与有，即无极与太极的阴阳关系。
太极拳亦即一气流行的阴阳作用，而千变万化，生生不已之拳，而一气与阴阳亦是阴阳关系。
阴阳八卦（盘）掌，阴为无极，阳为太极，八卦为千变万化。
无极与太极，一气与阴阳，心与意、无与有，乃至宇宙天地万物皆不能离阴阳，因此，阴阳八卦（盘）掌之阴阳，已包含上述所有之概念，而八卦则表示千变万化。
而无论怎样变化皆离不开阴阳，故阴阳八卦掌的拳名之含义，与心意六合拳、太极拳拳名之含义并无二致，三者皆以拳名表示其艺符合宇宙、天地、社会、人生的自然法则，又能以武入道，以武演道，是出世入世的上乘法门。
明了上述哲学内涵，则无极、太极、两仪、三才、四象、五行、六合、八卦、九宫、河图、洛书、天干、地支、先天易、后天易等等，皆为阴阳变化，则无不迎刃而解，信手拈来。
故学习传统武术、功法，尤其此三门内家绝学，必须了悟其三门之哲学内涵，方能有机会达大成境界。
注：心意六合拳在上海卢嵩高宗师留下的拳谱中称：“原有八大势、二十四小手”，而马学礼师兄李存湖、李存海等一支，至今仍只有十二大势、二十余小手；太极十三势也是由可以单独演练的十三个主要动作（大势）组成，其他皆为连接并有独立作用的小手重复组成，去除重复的动作，其数也不足三十余手；阴阳八卦（盘）掌也是由八大势，二十余手组成。三门拳学构造，何其近也！
颜紫元 2009年6月4日
练功的宗旨，是为了性命双修双成。而任何高级的传统功法，都追求这种双修双成。
性命双修容易理解，那么性命双双修成的表现又是什么呢？
那就是：返璞归真、赤子婴儿的状态。也就是身体清新自然如婴儿（易筋的作用），灵性也回归本来无一物、一尘不染，无知无识的婴儿状态（洗髓的作用）。
传统的功法分为：行、住、坐、卧、动五功，即行走、住立、坐势、卧躺，以及手、眼、身法、步都配合运动的功法，武功是这种动功中含有技击作用的功法。
五种功法的侧重点不同。不含技击的功法以行、住、坐、卧、动，各为其主要练功方式。而武功一门，则以动法为主，以行、住、坐、卧为辅的练习功法。
所有功法无论含否技击，都可以配合饮食、作息、药物等来增功，以早日达到性命双修双成的目的。
武功修成时，尚能保身家、顾性命，有御敌防辱等作用。
就武功一门而论，虽以动法为主，但平素行、住、坐、卧时，均应利用起来练功，惜时如金，否则，岁月蹉跎，白白了浪费大好光阴。
试以心意六合门为例，说明一下平素行、住、坐、卧，如何来辅助练功的：
行，以踩鸡步，微蹲，一肘抱肋，足带踩意，谨记身法原则。旁人不识，虽觉怪怪，但又与通常走路无大异。
住，则吞日光月辉，或微蹲而开合中节，或选择“易筋经贯气诀”中某式练习，旁人鲜能察觉，外观与普通人站立几无区别。
坐，在电脑上读文章或看电视等，一般均在自己的个人办公室、或书房、或居室中，有人注意也无所谓，可边看边练“手摩内五行”、“板凳四把”、“双把”、“单把”等内功及手法。
卧，则有睡功等道家功法。一代宗师纪晋山恩师还传有“床上无形八段锦”，与站着练的“易筋经贯气诀”相似，同室之人也不易察觉。
这心意无所不在，无时不在，无处不在，至诚者可以前知，能洞察秋毫。此时，用于武功技击，则全身透空，应物自然，出于性能，发乎本性，不期然而然。
总之，内练五脏六腑髓海，外练筋骨皮毛肌肉，练精化气，练气化神，练神还虚，虚与道合，性命双修双成，武技也自然大成矣。
心意、太极、阴阳八卦（盘）拳掌的传统哲学概念 颜紫元 2009年6月10日
无极与太极：
是“无”与“有”的阴阳关系，无中生有，亦即无极生太极。
无极为宇宙天地万物开始、存在以前，又称为“先天”。虽“无”，却有无穷无尽的创造力与无限的生机。
这种创造力与生机，只是以相对“静”的形式存在，宗教人士名之曰：“无极老母”、或“上帝”、或“造物主”……
当这种创造力与生机，静极生动，开始表现的时候，即“无中生有”之时，该“有”的形式便称为“太极”。
太极即一气流行，一气又分为阴阳。
于是宇宙、天地、万事、万物遂形成，并在太极一气流行的阴阳作用下，生生不已，万世万代，永无尽头。因此，宇宙、天地、万事、万物，也都离不开阴阳，孤阴不存，独阳不长，离开了阴阳，一切便不存在了。
这一气流行也称为“道”，即阴阳之道不可须臾离也，可离非道也。
由道还虚，即由太极一气流行回归无极先天，而道与虚，便是太极与无极的关系，也是一对阴阳。
练拳行功便应由“本来无一物”、“一尘不染”的、无一丝执着的无极状态，即起势前状态，静极生动，而成太极一气流行。于是，在阴阳二气的作用下，手舞足蹈，忽疾忽缓，忽柔忽刚，忽前忽后，忽左忽右，忽上忽下，忽束忽长，忽定忽纵，忽开忽合，忽圆忽方。。。。，千变万化，生生不已，如长江、大海，滔滔不绝，劲断意不断，心动意随，一本散于万殊。
收势时，明了一切皆有心生，不迷失在由心所生的意象中，万殊咸归一本，即回归心性之本。心无所执，象无所住。心止，则意灭、象亡，万般如过眼云烟，虚幻飘渺，皆为假象，并无永恒。于是，心止则太极复归无极，即有中归无。由无到有，又复归无的先天混沌状态。心之妙用如明镜一般，应时万象丛生，止时一象不存，朗朗然如赤子婴儿，无知无识，与太虚同体，此为练拳行功之收势后状态，与起势前同然。
演拳如此，人生亦如此，而社会、世界、天地、宇宙无不如此。
文武皆可入道，欲出世者，以武演道、弘道；欲入世者，武可修身、齐家、治国、平天下。
拳术中之极品：心意拳即无极一本到意念万殊之拳，一本与万殊，心与意，即无与有，即无极与太极的阴阳关系。
太极拳亦即一气流行的阴阳作用，而千变万化，生生不已之拳，而一气与阴阳亦是阴阳关系。
阴阳八卦（盘）掌，阴为无极，阳为太极，八卦为千变万化。
无极与太极，一气与阴阳，心与意、无与有，乃至宇宙天地万物皆不能离阴阳，因此，阴阳八卦（盘）掌之阴阳，已包含上述所有之概念，而八卦则表示千变万化。
而无论怎样变化皆离不开阴阳，故阴阳八卦掌的拳名之含义，与心意六合拳、太极拳拳名之含义并无二致，三者皆以拳名表示其艺符合宇宙、天地、社会、人生的自然法则，又能以武入道，以武演道，是出世入世的上乘法门。
明了上述哲学内涵，则无极、太极、两仪、三才、四象、五行、六合、八卦、九宫、河图、洛书、天干、地支、先天易、后天易等等，皆为阴阳变化，则无不迎刃而解，信手拈来。
故学习传统武术、功法，尤其此三门内家绝学，必须了悟其三门之哲学内涵，方能有机会达大成境界。
注：心意六合拳在上海卢嵩高宗师留下的拳谱中称：“原有八大势、二十四小手”，而马学礼师兄李存湖、李存海等一支，至今仍只有十二大势、二十余小手；太极十三势也是由可以单独演练的十三个主要动作（大势）组成，其他皆为连接并有独立作用的小手重复组成，去除重复的动作，其数也不足三十余手；阴阳八卦（盘）掌也是由八大势，二十余手组成。三门拳学构造，何其近也！
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Other Dirty Attacks to Be Aware In PH
Traditionally PH is PH, to suddenly strike without both people's hands making light contact first, was regarded as a dirty attack.
I remembered once in Xu Chang (许昌), Hen Nan, there were seven Wu-Hao style Tai-chi masters lined up to have PH with me in Xu Chang Mosc. They were all famous top disciples of Wu-hao Tai-chi grand Master Chen Gu An’s (陈固安).
The PH went smoothly for the first six opponents, but the last one who was in his forties, when he was pushed around, got upset and suddenly punched my face. Even though I tried to avoid his fist, as it was so unexpected (such behaviour was regarded as dirty and low class in PH tradition, so people normally wouldn’t expect it will happen in PH), I was still hit on the cheek.
I said to the guy, "that was not PH. If you want free sparing, then ok, let’s do that".
Very soon he dropped on the ground, and we stopped free sparing. From that event on, I have been always alert and more ready for any dirty attacks in PH.
In 1995, after taking Patric Kelly to master Ma Yue Liang, I also took Patric to meet some other Tai-chi masters (while Patric was having some private tuition from Master Ma’s senior student Chen Zhao Mao <陈兆毛>). We went to Shanghai Wu Shu Institute and Patric had PH with the instructors Master Feng Ru Long (冯如龙) whom was Fu Zhong Wen’s (傅钟文) student, and Master Chen (forgot his name, he was a Chen Zhao Kui’s <陈照奎> student). Both of the instructors didn’t manage to get any advantage when doing PH with Patric. During his PH, Master Feng suddenly tried to hit Patric’s groin with his hand, then PH discontinued.
One of the Chen Style practioner Master Gu in "Shanghai People’s Park" said to us that Master Qian Zhao Hong’s (钱兆鸿, a Chen Tai-chi and XYLHQ practioner) PH was very good, and took us to meet Master Qian. I don’t know whom Master Qian leared his Tai-chi from, but he was a student of master Wang Shu Gen (王树根) for his XYLHQ.
As Qian’s job was a carpenter for a primary school, he got big and strong arms through years of doing lots of manual sawing and shaving work. Master Qian and Patric were locked in PH, nobody was able to push other side out, as they both used lots of strength. Suddenly Qian grabed Patric’s small finger and tried very hard to break it, Patric got out of it with lots of pain and lucky his finger wasn’t broken as Qian was not fast enough.
Patric was understandably very upset. At the time, I thought that if Qian wanted to break someone’s bone in PH with his Chen style Tai-Chi grabing technique, why didn’t he try to lock or break bigger joint, like wrists, elbow etc. Trying to break someones finger, and also being the small finger, was the dirtiest thing I had ever seen! It was a shame to CMA (and even he tried so hard, he still failed!)
I was sorry for Patric to see the ugly dirty side of the new generation of Chinese martial artists.
The reason I wrote all the previous cases, was that Master Ma Yue Liang’s teaching never mentioned those dirty tricks and attacks, so I was not aware that people in PH could have no respect of tradition and do all those dirty tricks and attacks. Even if those dirty tricks and attacks are successful, they wouldn’t prove anything; in fact only make the opponent look down on them.
I remembered once in Xu Chang (许昌), Hen Nan, there were seven Wu-Hao style Tai-chi masters lined up to have PH with me in Xu Chang Mosc. They were all famous top disciples of Wu-hao Tai-chi grand Master Chen Gu An’s (陈固安).
The PH went smoothly for the first six opponents, but the last one who was in his forties, when he was pushed around, got upset and suddenly punched my face. Even though I tried to avoid his fist, as it was so unexpected (such behaviour was regarded as dirty and low class in PH tradition, so people normally wouldn’t expect it will happen in PH), I was still hit on the cheek.
I said to the guy, "that was not PH. If you want free sparing, then ok, let’s do that".
Very soon he dropped on the ground, and we stopped free sparing. From that event on, I have been always alert and more ready for any dirty attacks in PH.
In 1995, after taking Patric Kelly to master Ma Yue Liang, I also took Patric to meet some other Tai-chi masters (while Patric was having some private tuition from Master Ma’s senior student Chen Zhao Mao <陈兆毛>). We went to Shanghai Wu Shu Institute and Patric had PH with the instructors Master Feng Ru Long (冯如龙) whom was Fu Zhong Wen’s (傅钟文) student, and Master Chen (forgot his name, he was a Chen Zhao Kui’s <陈照奎> student). Both of the instructors didn’t manage to get any advantage when doing PH with Patric. During his PH, Master Feng suddenly tried to hit Patric’s groin with his hand, then PH discontinued.
One of the Chen Style practioner Master Gu in "Shanghai People’s Park" said to us that Master Qian Zhao Hong’s (钱兆鸿, a Chen Tai-chi and XYLHQ practioner) PH was very good, and took us to meet Master Qian. I don’t know whom Master Qian leared his Tai-chi from, but he was a student of master Wang Shu Gen (王树根) for his XYLHQ.
As Qian’s job was a carpenter for a primary school, he got big and strong arms through years of doing lots of manual sawing and shaving work. Master Qian and Patric were locked in PH, nobody was able to push other side out, as they both used lots of strength. Suddenly Qian grabed Patric’s small finger and tried very hard to break it, Patric got out of it with lots of pain and lucky his finger wasn’t broken as Qian was not fast enough.
Patric was understandably very upset. At the time, I thought that if Qian wanted to break someone’s bone in PH with his Chen style Tai-Chi grabing technique, why didn’t he try to lock or break bigger joint, like wrists, elbow etc. Trying to break someones finger, and also being the small finger, was the dirtiest thing I had ever seen! It was a shame to CMA (and even he tried so hard, he still failed!)
I was sorry for Patric to see the ugly dirty side of the new generation of Chinese martial artists.
The reason I wrote all the previous cases, was that Master Ma Yue Liang’s teaching never mentioned those dirty tricks and attacks, so I was not aware that people in PH could have no respect of tradition and do all those dirty tricks and attacks. Even if those dirty tricks and attacks are successful, they wouldn’t prove anything; in fact only make the opponent look down on them.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
消亡中的原生态武术
颜紫元
惠灵顿
新西兰
2009-02-27
从2008年12月,至2009年2月的为期近两个月的时间里,我去了中国的湖北、河南、陕西、山西及河北五省中一些原生态武术之乡,这些地方大多数在山里及大山脚下的乡间。这已是我二十年来,第七次远赴那些穷乡僻壤,去学习与记录其正在消亡中的原生态武术了。而二十年来,我所接触过的、了解过的武术,已有不少已彻底绝迹,只留下其流派的名称及一些文字资料,没有文化的传承人了。
从1949年前曾经存在的数千种武术拳种、流派,到上世纪八十年代初,因香港电影"少林寺"在大陆播放而引起的武术热,及随之而来的国家体委发动的"武术挖掘整理"运动,其时,仅存有百余种拳种。说明曾在历史上被尊为"国粹"之一的传统武术,已经在五、六、七十年代的短短三十年中,大部分被革掉了命。而八十年代初国家体委发起的民间传统武术挖掘整理运动,其人员、资金及力度远不如历次国家发起的政治运动,而且是为了政治需要,只停留在形式上,十分缺乏真心诚意,所以仅存的民间传统武术文化的传承人,也都是或明或暗地拒绝其政治需要意义上的"挖掘整理",情愿带到棺材里(或火葬场),也不愿再被利用。
从八十年代初到如今,又将近三十年过去了,仅剩的百余种传统武术尤其是原生态武术也基本上消亡了,或者正在消亡中。
充斥在社会上的是变质武术、假传统武术、造假的武术文化……,这与整个中华传统文化的命运是一致的。
八十年代初的文化造假与假文化产品,与上世纪八十年代前"一切文艺活动,必须为政治服务",虽无本质的区别,却在内容上灵活了些、开放了些。
其除了政治需要及为统战工作服务外,还可谋取经济利益,然而真正的传统武术文化传承人却没有得到利益,虽然他们也被"少林寺"电影播放所引起的武术热,所感染与激动了一番。有的也曾拿出从牙缝中省下的微薄的积蓄,办过简陋的传统武术班,终因得不到政府的支持与帮助,在底气严重不足的情形下,都纷纷夭折了。剩下的,只有发出"带到土里算了"的绝望与哀叹。
中国人极具创造发明性,在消灭传统文化、革其性命的同时,又创造出新的文化,如上世纪六十年代初开始的国家统一新武术。这就同另一个"国粹"京剧的命运一样,传统京剧被革了命,取而代之的有样板京戏。然而,传统武术的命运比传统京剧更惨,如八十年代以来,样板戏基本上没有人练了,可"样板武术"却仍在从国家到地方的官方武术队中盛行。一些本来就已是冒牌的"传统武术学校",见"样板武术"表演比赛时得高分,于是也纷纷引进"样板武术",以谋求更高利益……。
传统武术的命运落到这般地步,也就在情理之中了。
"稳定超过一切"、"一切为政治服务",存在于民间几百年乃至几千年的鸟铳、弓箭、传统武术兵器,都在1949年后被收缴、毁掉了。那样即使有人造反,也只能是用嬴弱的血肉之躯,去抵挡人民军队的洋枪洋炮了。在我国民间的弓箭社、传统武术社被消灭的同时,我们的邻国日本却将从中国学去的剑道、弓箭,以民间社团的形式传播到世界各地,为日本民族赢得了更多的尊重与敬畏。
二十年前,当我意识到传统武术文化,尤其是原生态的传统武术文化在彻底消亡而假文化将充斥市场时,我便放下手头上的一些事,将大部分精力投入到原生态传统武术文化的抢救与保存中。未料,一投入便是二十年。在轻重缓急、优先稍后选择的原则下,在漫长的二十年文化抢救之旅后,我总算将原生态的心意六合拳、阴阳八盘(卦)掌、吴氏太极拳,及易筋经、十三太保功等完整体系的文化种子,紧紧地纂在怀中,唯恐稍有闪失。在无比欣慰、同时又无比怜惜的心情下,目视着从我身旁擦肩而过的其它传统拳种……,在心中,默默地向那些永逝在黑暗中的传统拳种说:"对不起……,我个人能力,真的很有限…我已尽了力…"。
当我这一次(也是我决定的最后一次)离开那些地方时,心情不由自主地澎湃起来… 我感到从未有过的宽慰。二十余年的心血总算未付诸东流,苍天给了我厚报。我如今所保存的三个完整拳术体系是传统武术种类中珍品中的珍品,极品中的极品,两种功法也是同样顶级的珍品,多么幸运啊!
这文化的种子能被保存在安全的新西兰,是老天不忍心见到中华传统武术文化珍品全部消亡。
二十年来除了七次去中国考察、学习、记录、挖掘这些珍品外,还请了十余位宗师级传统武术传承人来新西兰家中授艺、整理、记录。二十年来勤练、整理、实地考证、考察… 充满着酸甜苦辣。中国偏远农村,并非人们在电视中见到的国家领导人参观的农村。二十年前是极为贫瘠的,二十年后,农村虽然多几栋新盖的农舍,内部却是一样的家徒四壁。更令人担忧的是环境的污染、脏乱。每次去都腹泻,并非是‘水土不服‘而是水质的严重污染。所到之处,没有一个村庄的浅表水不受污染的。捕鱼的老翁告诉我:那里已有近二十年捕不到鱼了,连鱼苗也不见。河沟大部分干枯了。有水的河沟也变窄了,沟水乌黑发臭。沟旁、水中到处是生活垃圾,工业废品。我问当地人:"环保部门不管吗?" 他们回答说:"环保部门是管的,但只管你买了‘通行证’没有,只要你花了钱,你就有可以继续污染环境的‘通行证’了,不买通行证是不行的。"
村民不敢用浅井水,通常要打三百米深的深井水,才敢饮用,尽管不少深井水含氟量高,是硬水,长期饮用对骨关节,牙齿造成永远的损害(村民牙齿一律发黄),但他们比起家畜、农作物来说,还是幸运多了。那些只能饮用、灌溉浅表受污染的水。然而整个食物链受到毒害,村民们为污染的环境付出了沉重代价:癌症、肝炎、心、血管疾病、糖尿病、婴儿先天性疾病等发病率极高,有一个病号,一家人都被拖垮。
村民中的老年们告诉我:上世纪四十年代末、五十年代初,新政府发动土改运动后,农村大户人家消失,大家开始为吃饱肚子而忙碌,无心习武,武术便开始衰败。紧接着连绵不断的政治运动,谁还敢练武术?不饿死已经是十分幸运了。到了改革开放后,农村劳动力严重过剩,年青人都到城里当农民工,没有人要学武术,都希望能打工挣些钱回家乡盖房子娶媳妇,总之,在保持政治体制不变及稳定的情况下一切向钱看。于是在"一切向钱看"的全国运动中,已奄奄一息的原生态武术,终于熬到寿终就寝的时候了…
我形色匆匆、面目凝重地离去。。。不愿再看到那肮脏、饱受毒害的土地上,那些饱受创伤的善良人民们的那种茫然无助的目光,我暗自在说:无论怎样,紧攥在我怀中的文化种子,会被转移到一个安全的地方,在那个和平自由与安全的国度里,我会让这些在中国即将消亡的文化,发芽、成长,很好的保存下去,哪天中国真心诚意需要的时候,我会把这些文化种子,再植回那块曾经欲将它们消灭的土地上。
2009年元月,颜紫元医师在太行山,李存湖一支的村庄中,练心意六合十二势中的第一势:上步停手。又称:单手虎扑势。
Dr. Yan practising one of XYLHQ branch Li Cun Hu's 12 big posture, first one "Shang Bu Ting Shou", also called "Single palm Hu(tiger) Pu", in January 2009, in Tai Hang Mouation.
惠灵顿
新西兰
2009-02-27
从2008年12月,至2009年2月的为期近两个月的时间里,我去了中国的湖北、河南、陕西、山西及河北五省中一些原生态武术之乡,这些地方大多数在山里及大山脚下的乡间。这已是我二十年来,第七次远赴那些穷乡僻壤,去学习与记录其正在消亡中的原生态武术了。而二十年来,我所接触过的、了解过的武术,已有不少已彻底绝迹,只留下其流派的名称及一些文字资料,没有文化的传承人了。
从1949年前曾经存在的数千种武术拳种、流派,到上世纪八十年代初,因香港电影"少林寺"在大陆播放而引起的武术热,及随之而来的国家体委发动的"武术挖掘整理"运动,其时,仅存有百余种拳种。说明曾在历史上被尊为"国粹"之一的传统武术,已经在五、六、七十年代的短短三十年中,大部分被革掉了命。而八十年代初国家体委发起的民间传统武术挖掘整理运动,其人员、资金及力度远不如历次国家发起的政治运动,而且是为了政治需要,只停留在形式上,十分缺乏真心诚意,所以仅存的民间传统武术文化的传承人,也都是或明或暗地拒绝其政治需要意义上的"挖掘整理",情愿带到棺材里(或火葬场),也不愿再被利用。
从八十年代初到如今,又将近三十年过去了,仅剩的百余种传统武术尤其是原生态武术也基本上消亡了,或者正在消亡中。
充斥在社会上的是变质武术、假传统武术、造假的武术文化……,这与整个中华传统文化的命运是一致的。
八十年代初的文化造假与假文化产品,与上世纪八十年代前"一切文艺活动,必须为政治服务",虽无本质的区别,却在内容上灵活了些、开放了些。
其除了政治需要及为统战工作服务外,还可谋取经济利益,然而真正的传统武术文化传承人却没有得到利益,虽然他们也被"少林寺"电影播放所引起的武术热,所感染与激动了一番。有的也曾拿出从牙缝中省下的微薄的积蓄,办过简陋的传统武术班,终因得不到政府的支持与帮助,在底气严重不足的情形下,都纷纷夭折了。剩下的,只有发出"带到土里算了"的绝望与哀叹。
中国人极具创造发明性,在消灭传统文化、革其性命的同时,又创造出新的文化,如上世纪六十年代初开始的国家统一新武术。这就同另一个"国粹"京剧的命运一样,传统京剧被革了命,取而代之的有样板京戏。然而,传统武术的命运比传统京剧更惨,如八十年代以来,样板戏基本上没有人练了,可"样板武术"却仍在从国家到地方的官方武术队中盛行。一些本来就已是冒牌的"传统武术学校",见"样板武术"表演比赛时得高分,于是也纷纷引进"样板武术",以谋求更高利益……。
传统武术的命运落到这般地步,也就在情理之中了。
"稳定超过一切"、"一切为政治服务",存在于民间几百年乃至几千年的鸟铳、弓箭、传统武术兵器,都在1949年后被收缴、毁掉了。那样即使有人造反,也只能是用嬴弱的血肉之躯,去抵挡人民军队的洋枪洋炮了。在我国民间的弓箭社、传统武术社被消灭的同时,我们的邻国日本却将从中国学去的剑道、弓箭,以民间社团的形式传播到世界各地,为日本民族赢得了更多的尊重与敬畏。
二十年前,当我意识到传统武术文化,尤其是原生态的传统武术文化在彻底消亡而假文化将充斥市场时,我便放下手头上的一些事,将大部分精力投入到原生态传统武术文化的抢救与保存中。未料,一投入便是二十年。在轻重缓急、优先稍后选择的原则下,在漫长的二十年文化抢救之旅后,我总算将原生态的心意六合拳、阴阳八盘(卦)掌、吴氏太极拳,及易筋经、十三太保功等完整体系的文化种子,紧紧地纂在怀中,唯恐稍有闪失。在无比欣慰、同时又无比怜惜的心情下,目视着从我身旁擦肩而过的其它传统拳种……,在心中,默默地向那些永逝在黑暗中的传统拳种说:"对不起……,我个人能力,真的很有限…我已尽了力…"。
当我这一次(也是我决定的最后一次)离开那些地方时,心情不由自主地澎湃起来… 我感到从未有过的宽慰。二十余年的心血总算未付诸东流,苍天给了我厚报。我如今所保存的三个完整拳术体系是传统武术种类中珍品中的珍品,极品中的极品,两种功法也是同样顶级的珍品,多么幸运啊!
这文化的种子能被保存在安全的新西兰,是老天不忍心见到中华传统武术文化珍品全部消亡。
二十年来除了七次去中国考察、学习、记录、挖掘这些珍品外,还请了十余位宗师级传统武术传承人来新西兰家中授艺、整理、记录。二十年来勤练、整理、实地考证、考察… 充满着酸甜苦辣。中国偏远农村,并非人们在电视中见到的国家领导人参观的农村。二十年前是极为贫瘠的,二十年后,农村虽然多几栋新盖的农舍,内部却是一样的家徒四壁。更令人担忧的是环境的污染、脏乱。每次去都腹泻,并非是‘水土不服‘而是水质的严重污染。所到之处,没有一个村庄的浅表水不受污染的。捕鱼的老翁告诉我:那里已有近二十年捕不到鱼了,连鱼苗也不见。河沟大部分干枯了。有水的河沟也变窄了,沟水乌黑发臭。沟旁、水中到处是生活垃圾,工业废品。我问当地人:"环保部门不管吗?" 他们回答说:"环保部门是管的,但只管你买了‘通行证’没有,只要你花了钱,你就有可以继续污染环境的‘通行证’了,不买通行证是不行的。"
村民不敢用浅井水,通常要打三百米深的深井水,才敢饮用,尽管不少深井水含氟量高,是硬水,长期饮用对骨关节,牙齿造成永远的损害(村民牙齿一律发黄),但他们比起家畜、农作物来说,还是幸运多了。那些只能饮用、灌溉浅表受污染的水。然而整个食物链受到毒害,村民们为污染的环境付出了沉重代价:癌症、肝炎、心、血管疾病、糖尿病、婴儿先天性疾病等发病率极高,有一个病号,一家人都被拖垮。
村民中的老年们告诉我:上世纪四十年代末、五十年代初,新政府发动土改运动后,农村大户人家消失,大家开始为吃饱肚子而忙碌,无心习武,武术便开始衰败。紧接着连绵不断的政治运动,谁还敢练武术?不饿死已经是十分幸运了。到了改革开放后,农村劳动力严重过剩,年青人都到城里当农民工,没有人要学武术,都希望能打工挣些钱回家乡盖房子娶媳妇,总之,在保持政治体制不变及稳定的情况下一切向钱看。于是在"一切向钱看"的全国运动中,已奄奄一息的原生态武术,终于熬到寿终就寝的时候了…
我形色匆匆、面目凝重地离去。。。不愿再看到那肮脏、饱受毒害的土地上,那些饱受创伤的善良人民们的那种茫然无助的目光,我暗自在说:无论怎样,紧攥在我怀中的文化种子,会被转移到一个安全的地方,在那个和平自由与安全的国度里,我会让这些在中国即将消亡的文化,发芽、成长,很好的保存下去,哪天中国真心诚意需要的时候,我会把这些文化种子,再植回那块曾经欲将它们消灭的土地上。
2009年元月,颜紫元医师在太行山,李存湖一支的村庄中,练心意六合十二势中的第一势:上步停手。又称:单手虎扑势。
Dr. Yan practising one of XYLHQ branch Li Cun Hu's 12 big posture, first one "Shang Bu Ting Shou", also called "Single palm Hu(tiger) Pu", in January 2009, in Tai Hang Mouation.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
吴氏太极之旅 "My Journey in Wu Style Tai Chi" By Dr Yan
颜紫元 2009年四月三十日
我初次接触的太极拳是吴氏太极快架，那是在我就读上海医大（现为复旦大学医学院）的第一年，即1981年时。
某日我看到吴氏太极宗师马岳樑先生首次将吴氏太极绝技：“太极快架”在上海万体馆开班，向社会招生的广告，很好奇。因为我总觉得太极拳是慢吞吞的，心想怎么还有“太极快架”？还是历来不公开传授的绝技？于是，我约上了上海交大的好友（中学同班同学）杨铭潜，一起去报名参加快拳班。在班上，我见到了一代宗师马岳樑先生的练拳风采，并荣幸地受教于马先生。
当时马岳樑宗师并没有注意到我这个普通学员，我也没有机会个别受教，也无机会见马老的推手功夫，但这个冥冥中安排的与马老的缘分则开始了。
到了1982年底1983年初，我们医大成立了武术协会，因我从十三岁便开始练拳，在大学里是武术活跃份子，于是我成了协会的负责人之一。我们请了马岳樑、吴英华宗师等为顾问，二老之子马江豹，及马岳樑、吴英华夫妇之继女施梅林，作为医大武协的教练。当时施梅林是徐汇区武术队教练，还常常代表上海武术队出访海外各国及参加全国比赛。每逢那种时候，她便请我帮忙照顾其所执教的区武术队。在那几年里，我向施梅林学习了吴氏太极慢架、一些器械，而我的推手的启蒙老师则是马岳樑宗师的大弟子裴祖荫先生。裴先生教了我吴氏太极推手的入门手法，后来我又向施梅林学了进一步的推手手法，包括活步推手手法，而对吴氏太极拳、械及推手手法的应用，包括推手最高技艺“烂采花”，则是多年后马岳樑宗师亲自给我讲解（开讲）示范及传授的。
在八十年代初、中期，因与吴氏太极门人关系渐熟，故常能去马岳樑宗师的寓所及其徐汇网球场的教拳场子，也常有机会与马老其弟子推手，但出于礼貌，我未尽能力去挑战一下他们的推手。
六年大学毕业后，我在医院的普外科工作了一年多，便因向往自由人性化的社会制度，而应聘来到了新西兰。不久我便将在欧洲教拳的施梅林办来新西兰成了亲，并彼此研究拳艺，但本人的许多的太极拳的疑问，梅林也解答不了。
时至1990年，我们邀请马岳樑、吴英华二位宗师来新西兰度假旅游，年已九十的马老、及八十五岁的吴老高兴地接受了邀请，我们倍感荣幸。
但那时， 我还是以练心意六合拳、外家拳为主，对太极拳的技击效应尚存很大的怀疑。
一日在家中与马老推手，我突然用纪晋山老师传我的擒拿手法“千斤坠”，想擒拿住马老的手腕。然而，根本没看清怎么回事，我的身体却像一个飞盘样腾地而起，在空中旋转了半圈，横着摔落在地毯上。我当时惊讶得半天说不出话来，瞪着眼睛，躺在地上，看着马老，直到马老示意让我站起来，我才缓过神来。 马老为了让我认识一下太极拳的奇异又极强的技击性，非但没有怪我的“偷袭”，且让我散开拳脚向他打踢。待我一个左直拳打去，想踢右腿时，腿根本起不来，人已被马老粘着前倾失去重心，而马老的搬拦捶已对着我的心窝，我当时感觉到马老的拳峰上一股强劲的整体之力穿心而来，却什么也不能做，使我惊恐万分，而马老却收住了。我那时才明白什么叫“火焰穿心”、“如催薄壁”的感觉。自那时起，我开始注重练太极，所花时间与心意拳等同。
在马、吴二老与我们居住一起的半年多时间里，除了练拳、请二老替我纠正、讲解动作外（梅林的动作本身已非常正确，所以马、吴二老替本人纠正的少，讲解的多），便不断地将近十年来（从1981到1990）对太极拳的疑问，一一请教二老。尤其马老是个太极拳史上少有的天才与全才，拳路、器械演练的精准性、应用、拳理、历史、内功无所不精通，对太极拳经的解释入木三分，隐微精妙之处无不凸显，令我当时暗下决心要有朝一日象马老一样，全面继承吴氏太极拳艺。
吴氏太极一些深层次的内容是十分不轻易外传的，就是拳械、套路也是一样，尽管当时我与施梅林是夫妻，可是吴氏第三路剑“连环剑”，只有她会，连马江豹也不会。我要学，便拿极珍贵的“易筋经”（竺云飞恩师所传）与她换，才学到的。
那段时间所留下的马老师给我们俩的推手讲解录像，以及后来几年在上海马老家中马老对我的推手讲解录像，是最珍贵的，至今没有外露过。可以说，没有那些马老的示范讲解，是很难明白真正的太极推手。
马老的 内功极深，在新西兰亲传了我吴门太极“五行内功”，1992年9月，我在马老家悄悄地拜师后，马老又将吴氏太极十三大枪、救命三枪、二路粘杆（亦称“缠枪”）、对扎枪、及内功八式传于我，而吴老则传我太极双剑，二老又纠正我的太极对剑等。
马、吴二老在新西兰期间还在各地进行了好几场表演，我与施梅林都参加了，尤其是马老与本人表演的推手，一部分在网上流传。
1991年梅林与我一起送来访我的心意六合拳老师李尊思先生回上海。我们俩去看望了马、吴二老，二老十分高兴，特意为我们举行了鉴泉太极拳社欢迎会，又在龙华寺素斋馆设宴招待我们。在上海的几个月里，梅林去上海中医学院上针灸课，我则几乎每天去马、吴二老寓所练拳、练推手。我也去上海的人民公园、复兴公园、襄阳公园、闸北公园等地与马老的门徒弟子，如钱超群、张金贵、陈兆毛等，练习推手。与他们的推手使我获益良多，同时也品味到与他们的推手，同我与马老推手之间的不同与距离。
1991年下半年，我与施梅林因对拳术上追求的理念不同等原因而分手。1992年初，我去上海马、吴二老处解释与施梅林分手的原因，希望得到二老的谅解，未料二老十分通情达理，未因本人与他们的干女儿离婚而愤怒，并说“万般皆天意”。仍对我依旧如故，一样地教我，一样的为我讲解，令我为二老博大的胸怀深深感动。我曾几度欲表达拜师的愿望，但想到二老面对的压力（即与施梅林分手后二老继续教我，及二老一些弟子已经嫉妒二老所教我的拳艺，比他们学了几十年还多），便欲言又止，二老也自然明白了我的心思。
1992年9月，是我在这一年内第二次回中国跟马、吴二老深入学习，除推手外，更深研拳理、拳法。
一日练完拳后，马老让我一起和他喝茶，吴老也在。马老问我：知道不知道佛教禅宗六祖慧能的故事？我说：知道。马老说：“慧能有大慧根，闻香客背诵金刚经，已知其真义，他的悟性远高于跟着五祖弘仁多年的包括大弟子神会在内的弟子们。五祖发现了这个能传其衣钵的人才慧能，却又担心其它众弟子会因嫉妒而加害于慧能，遂让慧能在半夜三更前去方丈室，秘密举行衣钵的传授仪式。。。品了一口茶，马老接着说：那是五祖不得已的安排，我俩（指马、吴二老夫妇）早已注意到你要拜师的意图，我们也被你求艺的顽强精神所感动，也十分欣赏你的悟性，但为了不伤害梅林，及不引起众弟子的嫉妒与怨恨，我们决定悄悄地，不声张地收你为徒。。。你于九月二十八日上午十时来，为了防止万一在仪式过程中出现来访者，那天就在二楼我俩的寝室举行收徒仪式，你看怎样？。。。。”
我当时感动得流出了眼泪。
马老又说：“你是一个难得的人才，悟性很高，太极拳没有很好的悟性，是难以达到大成境界，你以后要好好努力，艺无止境”。
拜师后，马老即开始传我吴门太极浑元桩功、八式内功、及烂采花等吴门秘传内容。
从1993年到1996年，因我在江苏投资一家合资药业公司，并任公司总经理，故在中国居住了近三年。那三年的时光里，马老也已九十四、五岁了，他将吴门太极的心法、秘要，全数传给了我。每次去二老处，二老总让我在他们二楼寝室一起用中餐或晚餐。
一日，吴老说起吴门另一太极内功“阴阳二十四法”，因当年二老工作生活繁忙及时事等原因，长久不练而遗忘了。马老的师兄弟兼妹夫于森，也曾得吴鉴泉宗师传授那套内功，可六十年代吴老请于森先生传该内功给马江豹时，于森竟推托其辞，直至亡故，未传一人。吴老觉得未能把那套内功传承下来，十分遗憾。
我曾听说过吴鉴泉宗师在香港时，将那套内功传授给香港弟子郑荣光等人，郑荣光之侄郑天熊从郑荣光及齐敏轩（齐阁臣之子）处继承了那套功法（亦称“太极功”），我于是向二老表示欲去香港将“阴阳二十四法”学回来，以便使吴氏太极保持完整，二老未表示反对。我即于1995年底去了香港，最后在广东中山市三乡镇的太极山庄，找到了郑天熊老师。郑老师得知我吴门太极的背景，十分高兴并认真地传授了我整套太极阴阳二十四法（即阴段十二段，阳段十二段）。郑老师还赞扬我“刚练，就看上去很有功底了，好像已练了几年“太极功”了），其三乡镇的弟子麦向民先生，也谦虚地向本人学习推手。
某日去见马老，马老神色凝重地对我说：“你师母病发，病情严重，在徐汇中心医院的重危病房抢救，你去看看，让医生再尽尽力，看看能否有希望抢救回来”。
我迅速去了徐汇区中心医院，那里有不少医生是我的同学或校友，可是负责师母的主任医师告诉本人，他们已回天无力，只能尽力延长生命。这个沉重悲痛的消息在我禀报给恩师马先生的过程中，显得很艰难，时间仿佛凝住了。
1996年四月初，我儿子天宠即将在新西兰出生，我遂放下在中国的一切工作，赶回新西兰。
临别时，恩师马先生告诉我：“拳艺的精进，必须在大胆的实践与总结过程中才能实现，你非但要与学生多推，更与各派好手多推，不能固步自封，艺无止境。”
未料96年一别恩师、师母，竟成永别。这些年来，本人谨记恩师的谆谆教诲，努力练习、努力思考、努力实践，尤其近一、二年体悟多多，技艺也突飞猛进，可见此艺之深，诚无止境。
马、吴二老传的吴氏太极拳是中国所有太极流派中保持最完整的一个流派。
内功有：太极浑元桩功、五行内功、内功八式、太极功阴阳二十四法；
拳路有：精简吴氏太极拳（马、吴二老编著）、吴氏慢架、吴氏快架（有单操练法及整趟拳路练法）；
推手有：既可单人练，又可双人练的五种单手法、三种入门双手法。双人练的长短手、上中下三盘十三势手法，八种活步推手，散手烂采花。
吴门太极器械有：太极刀、太极乾坤剑、太极七星剑、太极连环剑、太极双剑、太极六趟粘刺对剑、太极二十四枪、太极救命三枪、太极十三大枪、太极缠枪（即二路粘杆）、粘黏四枪、粘离四枪、四散枪等。
二老在六、七十年的教拳生涯中，传授了众多的弟子与学员，但能掌握全艺的，仅二、三人！本人很荣幸能得到全盘传授，并掌握了其理论、应用，对拳史也有深入的研究。目前已择五人系统传授，欲使完整吴门太极待有传人，发扬光大。
记得96年离开上海前，为了验证我的推手长进程度，我遂与几位大师兄推手，结果对方竟不能将我推出。然而，却因此而招致对方的不满。因为他们学了几十年，拳艺没有我学的多，如今推手又推不出我，所以不满，也是可以理解的。
试想，如果他们知道马、吴二老还收了我为徒，岂能不怨恨二老？这些人是理解不了马老得人便传，唯才是授的胸襟，更何况二老还收了一个与自己的干女儿离了婚的人为徒，并毫无保留地传授包括所有口传秘诀、心法的全艺给他，这些人怎么能受得了？！二老是得道之人，悲天悯人，不愿给人痛苦，所以当初二老秘密收我为徒，是十分有远见而且慈悲的。
本人对网上无奈一些晚辈小儿，无聊小人的回应：
“你是想说：那个跟你讲的马老的弟子在说他自己的师父（马老）说谎，即明明不是他的弟子，却写信称人为“贤徒”，还自称为“愚师”？你能傻！本来本人不愿写那篇文章，也不愿亮出马老的信，因为马老不愿伤害他们的感情，本人也以慈悲为怀，不提那事，尤其二老还健在之时。无奈一些晚辈小儿，无聊小人，将不知内情的马老的弟子们的说法，当成谣言来传播，就同那些小人造谣说本人与东南亚推手重量级冠军葉神恩大师（sing ong yek）推手时被推倒在他的櫈子上一样，本人不得已，才把推手过程的录像照片放在本人的博客里：http://drstephenyan.blogspot.com/，并详细叙述当时情形，以回应小人们的造谣，并不想伤害葉神恩大师，不得已而已，要怪，就怪那些小人吧。”
The following is the letter from Master Ma in 1993 addressing Dr Yan as his "good disciple" and signing as "yu shi", which is a very traditional form of writing from Master to Disciple:
Grand Master Wu and Ma with Dr. Yan in NZ in 1990:
Master Ma teaching Dr Yan "lan cai hua" the day after his Disciple Ceremony:
我初次接触的太极拳是吴氏太极快架，那是在我就读上海医大（现为复旦大学医学院）的第一年，即1981年时。
某日我看到吴氏太极宗师马岳樑先生首次将吴氏太极绝技：“太极快架”在上海万体馆开班，向社会招生的广告，很好奇。因为我总觉得太极拳是慢吞吞的，心想怎么还有“太极快架”？还是历来不公开传授的绝技？于是，我约上了上海交大的好友（中学同班同学）杨铭潜，一起去报名参加快拳班。在班上，我见到了一代宗师马岳樑先生的练拳风采，并荣幸地受教于马先生。
当时马岳樑宗师并没有注意到我这个普通学员，我也没有机会个别受教，也无机会见马老的推手功夫，但这个冥冥中安排的与马老的缘分则开始了。
到了1982年底1983年初，我们医大成立了武术协会，因我从十三岁便开始练拳，在大学里是武术活跃份子，于是我成了协会的负责人之一。我们请了马岳樑、吴英华宗师等为顾问，二老之子马江豹，及马岳樑、吴英华夫妇之继女施梅林，作为医大武协的教练。当时施梅林是徐汇区武术队教练，还常常代表上海武术队出访海外各国及参加全国比赛。每逢那种时候，她便请我帮忙照顾其所执教的区武术队。在那几年里，我向施梅林学习了吴氏太极慢架、一些器械，而我的推手的启蒙老师则是马岳樑宗师的大弟子裴祖荫先生。裴先生教了我吴氏太极推手的入门手法，后来我又向施梅林学了进一步的推手手法，包括活步推手手法，而对吴氏太极拳、械及推手手法的应用，包括推手最高技艺“烂采花”，则是多年后马岳樑宗师亲自给我讲解（开讲）示范及传授的。
在八十年代初、中期，因与吴氏太极门人关系渐熟，故常能去马岳樑宗师的寓所及其徐汇网球场的教拳场子，也常有机会与马老其弟子推手，但出于礼貌，我未尽能力去挑战一下他们的推手。
六年大学毕业后，我在医院的普外科工作了一年多，便因向往自由人性化的社会制度，而应聘来到了新西兰。不久我便将在欧洲教拳的施梅林办来新西兰成了亲，并彼此研究拳艺，但本人的许多的太极拳的疑问，梅林也解答不了。
时至1990年，我们邀请马岳樑、吴英华二位宗师来新西兰度假旅游，年已九十的马老、及八十五岁的吴老高兴地接受了邀请，我们倍感荣幸。
但那时， 我还是以练心意六合拳、外家拳为主，对太极拳的技击效应尚存很大的怀疑。
一日在家中与马老推手，我突然用纪晋山老师传我的擒拿手法“千斤坠”，想擒拿住马老的手腕。然而，根本没看清怎么回事，我的身体却像一个飞盘样腾地而起，在空中旋转了半圈，横着摔落在地毯上。我当时惊讶得半天说不出话来，瞪着眼睛，躺在地上，看着马老，直到马老示意让我站起来，我才缓过神来。 马老为了让我认识一下太极拳的奇异又极强的技击性，非但没有怪我的“偷袭”，且让我散开拳脚向他打踢。待我一个左直拳打去，想踢右腿时，腿根本起不来，人已被马老粘着前倾失去重心，而马老的搬拦捶已对着我的心窝，我当时感觉到马老的拳峰上一股强劲的整体之力穿心而来，却什么也不能做，使我惊恐万分，而马老却收住了。我那时才明白什么叫“火焰穿心”、“如催薄壁”的感觉。自那时起，我开始注重练太极，所花时间与心意拳等同。
在马、吴二老与我们居住一起的半年多时间里，除了练拳、请二老替我纠正、讲解动作外（梅林的动作本身已非常正确，所以马、吴二老替本人纠正的少，讲解的多），便不断地将近十年来（从1981到1990）对太极拳的疑问，一一请教二老。尤其马老是个太极拳史上少有的天才与全才，拳路、器械演练的精准性、应用、拳理、历史、内功无所不精通，对太极拳经的解释入木三分，隐微精妙之处无不凸显，令我当时暗下决心要有朝一日象马老一样，全面继承吴氏太极拳艺。
吴氏太极一些深层次的内容是十分不轻易外传的，就是拳械、套路也是一样，尽管当时我与施梅林是夫妻，可是吴氏第三路剑“连环剑”，只有她会，连马江豹也不会。我要学，便拿极珍贵的“易筋经”（竺云飞恩师所传）与她换，才学到的。
那段时间所留下的马老师给我们俩的推手讲解录像，以及后来几年在上海马老家中马老对我的推手讲解录像，是最珍贵的，至今没有外露过。可以说，没有那些马老的示范讲解，是很难明白真正的太极推手。
马老的 内功极深，在新西兰亲传了我吴门太极“五行内功”，1992年9月，我在马老家悄悄地拜师后，马老又将吴氏太极十三大枪、救命三枪、二路粘杆（亦称“缠枪”）、对扎枪、及内功八式传于我，而吴老则传我太极双剑，二老又纠正我的太极对剑等。
马、吴二老在新西兰期间还在各地进行了好几场表演，我与施梅林都参加了，尤其是马老与本人表演的推手，一部分在网上流传。
1991年梅林与我一起送来访我的心意六合拳老师李尊思先生回上海。我们俩去看望了马、吴二老，二老十分高兴，特意为我们举行了鉴泉太极拳社欢迎会，又在龙华寺素斋馆设宴招待我们。在上海的几个月里，梅林去上海中医学院上针灸课，我则几乎每天去马、吴二老寓所练拳、练推手。我也去上海的人民公园、复兴公园、襄阳公园、闸北公园等地与马老的门徒弟子，如钱超群、张金贵、陈兆毛等，练习推手。与他们的推手使我获益良多，同时也品味到与他们的推手，同我与马老推手之间的不同与距离。
1991年下半年，我与施梅林因对拳术上追求的理念不同等原因而分手。1992年初，我去上海马、吴二老处解释与施梅林分手的原因，希望得到二老的谅解，未料二老十分通情达理，未因本人与他们的干女儿离婚而愤怒，并说“万般皆天意”。仍对我依旧如故，一样地教我，一样的为我讲解，令我为二老博大的胸怀深深感动。我曾几度欲表达拜师的愿望，但想到二老面对的压力（即与施梅林分手后二老继续教我，及二老一些弟子已经嫉妒二老所教我的拳艺，比他们学了几十年还多），便欲言又止，二老也自然明白了我的心思。
1992年9月，是我在这一年内第二次回中国跟马、吴二老深入学习，除推手外，更深研拳理、拳法。
一日练完拳后，马老让我一起和他喝茶，吴老也在。马老问我：知道不知道佛教禅宗六祖慧能的故事？我说：知道。马老说：“慧能有大慧根，闻香客背诵金刚经，已知其真义，他的悟性远高于跟着五祖弘仁多年的包括大弟子神会在内的弟子们。五祖发现了这个能传其衣钵的人才慧能，却又担心其它众弟子会因嫉妒而加害于慧能，遂让慧能在半夜三更前去方丈室，秘密举行衣钵的传授仪式。。。品了一口茶，马老接着说：那是五祖不得已的安排，我俩（指马、吴二老夫妇）早已注意到你要拜师的意图，我们也被你求艺的顽强精神所感动，也十分欣赏你的悟性，但为了不伤害梅林，及不引起众弟子的嫉妒与怨恨，我们决定悄悄地，不声张地收你为徒。。。你于九月二十八日上午十时来，为了防止万一在仪式过程中出现来访者，那天就在二楼我俩的寝室举行收徒仪式，你看怎样？。。。。”
我当时感动得流出了眼泪。
马老又说：“你是一个难得的人才，悟性很高，太极拳没有很好的悟性，是难以达到大成境界，你以后要好好努力，艺无止境”。
拜师后，马老即开始传我吴门太极浑元桩功、八式内功、及烂采花等吴门秘传内容。
从1993年到1996年，因我在江苏投资一家合资药业公司，并任公司总经理，故在中国居住了近三年。那三年的时光里，马老也已九十四、五岁了，他将吴门太极的心法、秘要，全数传给了我。每次去二老处，二老总让我在他们二楼寝室一起用中餐或晚餐。
一日，吴老说起吴门另一太极内功“阴阳二十四法”，因当年二老工作生活繁忙及时事等原因，长久不练而遗忘了。马老的师兄弟兼妹夫于森，也曾得吴鉴泉宗师传授那套内功，可六十年代吴老请于森先生传该内功给马江豹时，于森竟推托其辞，直至亡故，未传一人。吴老觉得未能把那套内功传承下来，十分遗憾。
我曾听说过吴鉴泉宗师在香港时，将那套内功传授给香港弟子郑荣光等人，郑荣光之侄郑天熊从郑荣光及齐敏轩（齐阁臣之子）处继承了那套功法（亦称“太极功”），我于是向二老表示欲去香港将“阴阳二十四法”学回来，以便使吴氏太极保持完整，二老未表示反对。我即于1995年底去了香港，最后在广东中山市三乡镇的太极山庄，找到了郑天熊老师。郑老师得知我吴门太极的背景，十分高兴并认真地传授了我整套太极阴阳二十四法（即阴段十二段，阳段十二段）。郑老师还赞扬我“刚练，就看上去很有功底了，好像已练了几年“太极功”了），其三乡镇的弟子麦向民先生，也谦虚地向本人学习推手。
某日去见马老，马老神色凝重地对我说：“你师母病发，病情严重，在徐汇中心医院的重危病房抢救，你去看看，让医生再尽尽力，看看能否有希望抢救回来”。
我迅速去了徐汇区中心医院，那里有不少医生是我的同学或校友，可是负责师母的主任医师告诉本人，他们已回天无力，只能尽力延长生命。这个沉重悲痛的消息在我禀报给恩师马先生的过程中，显得很艰难，时间仿佛凝住了。
1996年四月初，我儿子天宠即将在新西兰出生，我遂放下在中国的一切工作，赶回新西兰。
临别时，恩师马先生告诉我：“拳艺的精进，必须在大胆的实践与总结过程中才能实现，你非但要与学生多推，更与各派好手多推，不能固步自封，艺无止境。”
未料96年一别恩师、师母，竟成永别。这些年来，本人谨记恩师的谆谆教诲，努力练习、努力思考、努力实践，尤其近一、二年体悟多多，技艺也突飞猛进，可见此艺之深，诚无止境。
马、吴二老传的吴氏太极拳是中国所有太极流派中保持最完整的一个流派。
内功有：太极浑元桩功、五行内功、内功八式、太极功阴阳二十四法；
拳路有：精简吴氏太极拳（马、吴二老编著）、吴氏慢架、吴氏快架（有单操练法及整趟拳路练法）；
推手有：既可单人练，又可双人练的五种单手法、三种入门双手法。双人练的长短手、上中下三盘十三势手法，八种活步推手，散手烂采花。
吴门太极器械有：太极刀、太极乾坤剑、太极七星剑、太极连环剑、太极双剑、太极六趟粘刺对剑、太极二十四枪、太极救命三枪、太极十三大枪、太极缠枪（即二路粘杆）、粘黏四枪、粘离四枪、四散枪等。
二老在六、七十年的教拳生涯中，传授了众多的弟子与学员，但能掌握全艺的，仅二、三人！本人很荣幸能得到全盘传授，并掌握了其理论、应用，对拳史也有深入的研究。目前已择五人系统传授，欲使完整吴门太极待有传人，发扬光大。
记得96年离开上海前，为了验证我的推手长进程度，我遂与几位大师兄推手，结果对方竟不能将我推出。然而，却因此而招致对方的不满。因为他们学了几十年，拳艺没有我学的多，如今推手又推不出我，所以不满，也是可以理解的。
试想，如果他们知道马、吴二老还收了我为徒，岂能不怨恨二老？这些人是理解不了马老得人便传，唯才是授的胸襟，更何况二老还收了一个与自己的干女儿离了婚的人为徒，并毫无保留地传授包括所有口传秘诀、心法的全艺给他，这些人怎么能受得了？！二老是得道之人，悲天悯人，不愿给人痛苦，所以当初二老秘密收我为徒，是十分有远见而且慈悲的。
本人对网上无奈一些晚辈小儿，无聊小人的回应：
“你是想说：那个跟你讲的马老的弟子在说他自己的师父（马老）说谎，即明明不是他的弟子，却写信称人为“贤徒”，还自称为“愚师”？你能傻！本来本人不愿写那篇文章，也不愿亮出马老的信，因为马老不愿伤害他们的感情，本人也以慈悲为怀，不提那事，尤其二老还健在之时。无奈一些晚辈小儿，无聊小人，将不知内情的马老的弟子们的说法，当成谣言来传播，就同那些小人造谣说本人与东南亚推手重量级冠军葉神恩大师（sing ong yek）推手时被推倒在他的櫈子上一样，本人不得已，才把推手过程的录像照片放在本人的博客里：http://drstephenyan.blogspot.com/，并详细叙述当时情形，以回应小人们的造谣，并不想伤害葉神恩大师，不得已而已，要怪，就怪那些小人吧。”
The following is the letter from Master Ma in 1993 addressing Dr Yan as his "good disciple" and signing as "yu shi", which is a very traditional form of writing from Master to Disciple:
Grand Master Wu and Ma with Dr. Yan in NZ in 1990:
Master Ma in late 1995, photo by Dr Yan:
Master Ma and Dr Yan in Ma's house in November 1994:
Master Ma teaching Dr Yan "lan cai hua" the day after his Disciple Ceremony:
After the disciple ceremony , Master MA was teaching Dr Yan "nei gong ba shi"
Grand Master Cheng Tin-Hung's writing for Dr Yan's book, it says: A TALENT OF MARTIAL ARTS; EXCELLENT SKILLED PERSON IN TAI CHI ,GREAT REPUTATION IN MEDICINE; ALL OF THOSE ARE PRAISED BY PEOPLE (郑天熊大师为颜紫元书著的题词）
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