Cheng Man Ching (1902 – 1975) performing the Yang 37 movement short form, push hands, and leading a Tai Chi group in this old film from the 1950’s in Taiwan (possibly 1954). Some of the other participants in the film were Ben Lo, Mr. Lung Chi-shan, Liu Hsi-heng, T’ao Ping-siang, and possibly  Weng Tze-ch’uan.

Cheng Man-Ching in Taiwan 50s- 60s from Greg Knollmeyer on Vimeo.

Cheng Man Ching studied Tai Chi from the famous Yang Cheng Fu, a 3rd generation master of the Yang Family style of Tai Chi Chuan. In 1949 Cheng Man Ching moved from mainland China to Taiwan, where he taught his 37 Movement Yang Tai Chi to many students. including William C.C. Chen, Benjamen Lo, T.T. Liang, and others. In 1964 Cheng moved to New York City in the United States and taught many students Tai Chi at the Shr Jung Center for the Cultural Arts.

Below is an interesting book written by Wolfe Lowenthal, who was a student of Chen Man Ching in New York. Mr.  Lowenthal shares wonderful stories of Chen Man Ching from his time spent training with the man. Click on the book image to see more!

“Wolfe Lowenthal’s quiet little memoir will with window-opening wisdom reinforce, I think, my view of how Cheng stood on Tai Chi. It tells how a young writer reacted to this strange Chinese man when he appeared in New York City in the mid-1960s and stayed there for a decade before returning to Taiwan to die in 1975.”

-Robert W. Smith, from the Preface

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