Ma Yueliang or Ma Yueh-liang (1 August 1901 – 13 March 1998) was a famous Manchu teacher of

taijiquan Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called " shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. ...

. He was the senior disciple of Wu Chien-ch'uan, the founder of

Wu-style taijiquan The Wu family style () t'ai chi ch'uan (Taijiquan) of Wu Quanyou and Wu Chien-ch'uan (Wu Jianquan) is the second most popular form of t'ai chi ch'uan in the world today, after the Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan, Yang style, and fourth in terms of f ...

, and married Wu's daughter

Wu Ying-hua Wu Yinghua (1907–1996) was a famous Chinese teacher of Wu-style t'ai chi ch'uan. She was born in Beijing and died in Shanghai. She was the eldest daughter of Wu Chien-ch'uan, the best known teacher of Wu-style t'ai chi ch'uan. Her older br ...

in 1930.

Biography

Ma Yueliang was also a medical doctor who graduated from the

Beijing Medical College Peking University Health Science Center is the medical school of Peking University, which has 14 affiliated hospitals in Beijing, China. It was formerly the independent Beijing Medical University. History It was first established in 1902 as the ...

in 1929 and specialized in Hematology. He established the First Medical Examination and Experiment Office and ran the blood clinics at Zhong Shan Hospital in

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...

. Like

Wu Ch'uan-yu Wu Quanyou (1834–1902), or Wu Ch'uan-yu, was an influential teacher of t'ai chi ch'uan in late Imperial China. His son is credited as the founder of the Wu-style t'ai chi ch'uan. As he was of Manchu descent, and would have been named by his ...

and Wu Chien-ch'uan, Ma was of Manchu descent. Ma was educated both in the traditions of China and in Western science. There are accounts that Ma was a gifted martial artist in his youth. He had studied a number of martial arts including,

Shaolinquan Shaolin Kung Fu (), also called Shaolin Wushu (), or Shaolin quan (), is one of the oldest, largest, and most famous styles of wushu, or kung fu of Chan Buddhism. It combines Ch'an philosophy and martial arts and originated and was developed ...

, Three Emperors Pao Chui,

Baguazhang Baguazhang or Pakua chang () is one of the three main Chinese martial arts of the Wudang school, the other two being T'ai chi and Xing Yi Quan. It is more broadly grouped as an internal practice (or neijia quan). ''Bāguà zhǎng'' literally ...

and

Tongbeiquan Tongbeiquan (通背拳 ''tōngbèiquán''; literally "Spreading Power from the Back Boxing", as ''tong'' means "through," ''bei'' means "back" and ''quan'' means "fist") is a school of martial arts popular in northern China, known for engaging o ...

. However,

Wu Jianquan Wu Chien-ch'uan or Wu Jianquan (1870–1942) was a famous teacher and founder of the neijia martial art of Wu-style t'ai chi ch'uan in late Imperial and early Republican China. Biography Wu Chien-ch'uan was taught martial arts by his father, ...

would accept Ma as a student only if he concentrated on Wu-style taijiquan. From about age 18, Ma exclusively studied Wu-style taijiquan.

started the

Jianquan Taijiquan Association The Jianquan Taijiquan Association (also spelled as ''Chien-ch'uan T'ai Chi Ch'uan Association'', ''Chian Chuan Taichi Chuan Association'' and in Chinese: 鑑泉太極拳社) is a well known school teaching Wu style t'ai chi ch'uan. It was found ...

(鑑泉太極拳社) in Shanghai in 1936, and Ma became the deputy director of the Association. Ma studied

Taijiquan Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called " shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. ...

with Wu Chien-ch'uan until the death of his teacher in 1942. The Jianquan Association still exists today internationally and remains a resource for the study of Wu-style

. It is difficult to overstate the importance of Ma Yueliang and his wife in the emergence of Wu-style taijiquan after the

Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goa ...

in China. Even at an advanced age, Ma was chosen as one of the 100 Best Martial Artists in China.

and Ma continued to teach in Taijiquan until their deaths. They taught a large number of students in Shanghai and in their travels to

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

and elsewhere. They published several books on Wu-style taijiquan, including the "Orange Book" relied upon today by Wu-stylists throughout the world. Ma and Wu Ying-hua's Wu-style sword/weapons book includes a family picture with several of their closest students. Ma Yueliang also publicly practiced a number of formerly closed door (private or family secret) forms and methods so that they would not be lost. In public,

would often demonstrate the Wu style Slow Set and Ma would follow by demonstrating the

Wu Style Tai Chi Fast Form The different slow motion solo form training sequences of t'ai chi ch'uan are the best known manifestation of t'ai chi for the general public. In English, they are usually called the ''hand form'' or just the ''form''; in Mandarin it is usually c ...

. Ma taught many high level students, including Xie Bing Can, and Fei Gua-ching who is still active in the Jianquan Taijiquan Association in Shanghai.

Li Li-Qun Li, li, or LI may refer to: Businesses and organizations * Landscape Institute, a British professional body for landscape architects * Leadership Institute, a non-profit organization located in Arlington, Virginia, US, that teaches "political te ...

is one of Grandmaster Ma's oldest and closest living students. He was the deputy vice-secretary of the Jianquan Association (Chien Chuan Association) in Shanghai under masters Ma and his wife Wu Ying Hua. Ma Yueliang and

are survived by their children and grandchildren, including: Ma Jiangchun (b. 1931), Dr. Ma Hailong (b. 1935), Ma Jiang Bao (b. 1941, d. 2016) and Ma Jiangling (b. 1947). Ma Jiang Bao lived in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

and taught traditional Taijiquan throughout

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

. Their adopted daughter

Shi Mei Lin Shi Mei Lin is a teacher of Wu-style t'ai chi ch'uan. She is the adopted daughter of Wu Yinghua and Ma Yueliang A Wushu (sport), Wushu and Tai Chi champion in the 1970s and 1980s, she toured with Chinese Wushu teams internationally, including the ...

now lives and teaches Wu-style taijiquan in

. She also has students in France and in the United States (

Tucson , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

References

Bibliography

Wu Kung-tsao Wu Kung-tsao or Wu Gongzao (1902–1983) was a famous Chinese teacher of t'ai chi ch'uan. He taught in Beijing, Shanghai, Changsha and Hong Kong. The second son of Wu Chien-ch'üan, he was the grandson of the first teacher of Wu-style t'ai ch ...

. ''Wu Family T'ai Chi Ch'uan (吳家太極拳)'' Hong Kong 1980, Toronto 2006, * Wu Ying Hua, Ma Yueh Liang, Shi Mei Lin (1987). Wu Style Tai Chi Fast Form. Henan Science Skills Ltd. Henan (only available in Chinese) /G122. * Wu Ying Hua, Ma Yueh Liang, Shi Mei Lin (1991). Wu Style Tai Chi Fast Form. Shanghai Book Co Ltd, Hong Kong (only available in Chinese) . . * Wu Ying Hua, Ma Yueh Liang (1993). Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan Forms, Concepts and Application of the Original Style. Shanghai Book Co Ltd, Hong Kong. . * Ma Yueh Liang & Zee Wen (1986, 1990, 1995). Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan Push Hands. Shanghai Book Co Ltd, Hong Kong. . * Dr Zee Wen (2002) Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan, Ancient Chinese way to health. North Atlantic Books. .

T'ai chi ch'uan lineage tree with Wu-style focus

External links

Google video of Ma Yueliang performing Wu style fast formQuickTime movie of Ma Yueliang performing 13 posture spear form
* * * * * by

Bill Moyers Bill Moyers (born Billy Don Moyers, June 5, 1934) is an American journalist and political commentator. Under the Johnson administration he served from 1965 to 1967 as the eleventh White House Press Secretary. He was a director of the Counci ...

* * *
Ma Jiang-bao's Traditional Wu style Taijiquan websiteWu style Taijiquan website: Shanghai
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ma Yueliang 1901 births 1998 deaths Chinese tai chi practitioners Manchu martial artists