SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA T'AI-CHI CH'UAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXTENSION, RIVERSIDE

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HARVEY KURLAND PRESENTS

THE 7TH ANNUAL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA T'AI-CHI CH'UAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Welcome to the 1997 UCR-NWTCCA T'ai Chi Ch'uan Championships. You will see some of the top competitors in Southern California. This tournament and exhibition was developed to promote the many versions of t'ai-chi ch'uan as an art form and sport. We wanted to give t'ai-chi ch'uan its own arena, rather than it being a minor part of another type of tournament. We also wanted each version to have an honest chance as well, that is why we have so many categories. We aim for fair and unbiased judging. The intent is to stress the basic concepts of t'ai-chi ch'uan and not penalize students because of minor differences in style.Those claiming knowledge, have an opportunity to display their art in an open competition. This tournament is open to all t'ai-chi ch'uan competitors.You will see many versions of t'ai-chi ch'uan. Each competitor is essentially a demonstrator of their version of t'ai-chi ch'uan. So the whole day will be filled with demonstrations for you to watch. This is a great learning experience for us all and an opportunity to share information with each other.As most students know, t'ai-chi ch'uan (taijiquan) is of the "Internal Family" of kung-fu. It is primarily practiced for low intensity exercise and to promote good health, balance and coordination. There are five major styles of t'ai chi, the most popular is Yang style. You will get to see several versions of Yang style.

YANG STYLE was originally a true martial art but was modified several times. A major revision was made by Yang Cheng-fu which popularized it into a health promotion exercise. The popularized Yang Cheng-fu form is done slowly and smoothly without any jerkiness and should not be double weighted. The form has 85 movements which some call the 108 form and others the 150 form. The "Standard" Yang Cheng-fu form has several variations, e.g. the Yang, Fu, Tung, and Chen versions. Relaxation is an important part of the exercise. When forms are done at a faster speed they should still maintain the relaxation and basic concepts. Today, t'ai-chi is practiced primarily as a health promoting activity. Kuang ping, Tchoung and Chen are all versions of Yang style.

KUANG PING is a name given to the form brought to the U.S. by Kuo Lien Ying, and is the most similar to Chen style. It is said that it was passed on by Yang Ban Hou to Wang Jiao Yu to Kuo. Kuang Ping is done with a little more vigor, has fast straight knee kicks and a jumping kick. The stance is more upright and linear that other Yang forms. There are now several versions of this form based on changes that Kuo's students and their students made to the form.

TCHOUNG FORM is a symmetrical version of Yang style developed by Tchoung Ta-tchen. Tchoung was also a friend and practice partner of Kuo Lien Ying, Cheng Man Ch'ing, Wang Shu Chin, and Wu Tu Nan. Tchoung form is based on the older Yang style methods of Yang Shao-hou through Tian Zhao-Lin and Hsiung Yang-ho and his study at the O'mei Shan monastery in the 1940's. It stresses the relaxation of the hands and body. It includes the older fast techniques, balancing movements, fast kicks and twist stances. The Tchoung style includes O'mei Shan ch'i kung, symmetrical long form, pushing hands, t'ai-chi chin na, T'ai chi San-shou, T'ai-chi tuan kun (walking stick), Fast t'ai-chi ch'uan form, t'ai-chi chien (sword) forms, pa-kua chang and Hsin-I Ch'uan. 85 year old Tchoung Ta-tchen still actively teaches in Vancouver B.C. and is head of the CTCCA. NWTCCA is a branch of CTCCA.

CHENG MAN-CH'ING STYLE is another variation of Yang style, an evolution of Yang style, developed by Cheng Man-ch'ing. Cheng was a student of Yang Cheng-fu. He was one of the most popular Yang style t'ai-chi masters of the last generation. He evolved his art to a very soft and subtle method. He took out repetitions of the long form to develop his 42 movement form. The form is characterized by not using force, relaxation, turning the waist, relaxing the hands and not doing unnecessary movements. It is considered a complete exercise incorporation ch'i kung practices and producing a therapeutic effect. It is a subtle but very powerful style of t'ai-chi ch'uan.

OPEN STYLES this category includes other styles such as the Wushu demonstration forms, Wu, Hao, Li, Sun, and Wang styles. Combined forms, e.g. liu he ba fa, which mix several styles together will be in this division. Instructors who would like a separate category for their style in the future should contact the director.

CHEN STYLE is the oldest form of t'ai-chi ch'uan as practiced in the Chen village. It can be directly traced back to the 1700's. It is done with more vigor and has both slow and fast hand strikes and fast kicks. Relaxation and "Silk Reeling Energy" must be seen in this form.

ABOUT THE NWTCCA

The Northwest T'ai Chi Ch'uan Association is a non-profit organization. It is based in Seattle, formed in 1975 for the promotion of the Old Style of the Yang family t'ai-chi ch'uan. It is a branch of the Chinese T'ai Chi Ch'uan Association of Canada. There are affiliated schools in the United States, Canada, Africa, Germany, Australia, Japan and Taiwan. The University of California-Riverside classes are NWTCCA affiliates. Grandmaster Tchoung Ta-tchen, founder of CTCCA, has encouraged the development of this tournament.

TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR

Harvey Kurland M.S., M.F.S., is the Tournament Organizer and Director. 5th Generation Yang stylist. He is a certified teacher through CTCCA and NWTCCA. Kurland received and official certificate from Grand Master Tchoung Ta-tchen to teach his system. Kurland has been teaching for UC Riverside since 1989 and also teaches at Loma Linda University's Drayson Center and Chief Tai Chi Instructor for Kung Fu San Soo of Redlands. When he founded these tournaments, he wanted to give t'ai-chi ch'uan students their own arena, instead of being a poor cousin to karate and kung-fu in the combined tournaments. Kurland studied with several well respected masters starting with Kuo Lien Ying (Kuang Ping), T. T. Liang, R. Chung and several others. Kurland has studied several versions of Yang style, Wu style, Hsin-I ch'uan, ch'i kung, Cheng Ting Hua style pa-kua chang and ch'i kung. He is also an exercise physiologist with emphasis in health promotion.

INTRODUCING THE 1997 JUDGES AND DEMONSTRATORS

Ace Atkinson, Sensei, is the head instructor for UCR Aikido and is responsible for most of the aikido instructors in the area. Aikido is a Japanese martial art which stresses being in harmony with one's partner. It ahs many similar concepts to t'ai-chi ch'uan as it does not want to fight force with force and uses the partners energy to throw them. Aikido uses many techniques of harmony, projection throws, and locking the joints, which in Chinese are called chin na. Aikido is a highly philosophical art as well as being a high level art, as is t'ai-chi. Atkinson is a 4th degree black belt and has been teaching at the UCR for over 20 years.

Jeff Herda teaches (Level 2) t'ai-chi ch'uan in Spokane Washington. He studied Yang style with Harvey Kurland and Cui Bao Yin. He also studied Wu style with Zhang Guojian and Chen style. He has been teaching since 1990.

Kip Leggett is a t'ai-chi ch'uan and karate instructor from Bonita, California and is the chief instructor for International Training Systems. He studies and teaches with Abraham Lui. Abraham Liu studied with Cheng Man Ch'ing. Kip has competed successfully at several national tournaments. Recently he won first place at the UC Berkeley Chinese Kung-fu tournament for form, Reserve Grand Champion and was gold medallist and National light-middle weight champion for USAWKF in pushing hands in 1995. Kip started learning karate in Tokyo, Japan 20 years ago. He studied for 3 years with Sensei Koki Narushima in Ninten Ryu and Kyokushin kan Karate.

Chris Luth is founder of the Pacific School of T'ai Chi and promoter of the Southern California Pushing Hands Retreat. He was a gold medallist in form for the 1990 American T'ai Chi Ch'uan Championships and is a national and international caliber judge. He is well known for his judging national events and for his workshops "Tai Chi in Paradise".

Valerie Prince has been practicing Kuang Ping style t'ai-chi ch'uan since 1978 and has been teaching for 14 years. She also studied with Gil Messenger in Kuang Ping form then Cheng Man-Ch'ing style and pushing hands with Chris Luth, Don Miller, and William Chen. She is currently director of the Kuang Ping School of T'ai-chi ch'uan and teaches in Orange County.

Art Schonfeld is head instructor for the National T'ai Chi Ch'uan Association. He studied with Marshall Ho's and currently studies with Jason Tsou and Shen Wei Min.

Carl Totton is director for the Taoist Institute of Los Angeles and is also a Taoist Priest. He has a 7th degree black belt in Chinese kempo and has studied with 25 instructors. He teaches Kung fu, Hsing-I, pa-kua, kempo, and liu ba fa, Wu, Yang, and Chen styles of T'ai-chi ch'uan. He is Head Other styles, Ch'en and weapons judge.

Nina Sugawara is the Head Instructor for The Chi Garden in Escondito. She studied Kuang Ping style with Patty O'Dea and now studies with Henry Look. She studied pushing hands with Arthur Goodridge and Don Miller. She is the vice-president of the Guang Ping Tai Chi Association.

1997 UCR-NWTCCA Southern California T'ai Chi Ch'uan Championships Results

All the above information is believed to be true. All students and instructors had ample opportunity to double check results and rankings, and to bring it to the attention of the director. We apologize for any spelling errors or omissions. Congratulations to all the competitors.