History of Our Tai Chi Form
Master Choy Kam-Man
Robyn Silverstein received her original Tai Chi Chuan instruction from Master Choy Kam-Man in China Town, San Francisco, during the 1960s. Master Choy's father, Choy Hok-Peng, was tutored under Yang Cheng Fu. The Choy family is recognized as having introduced Tai Chi to America, primarily on the West Coast.
Robyn was the first non-Chinese student taught by Master Choy in China Town, San Francisco. She was a private student of the master and associated with the Choy family during the early phase of the spread of Tai Chi in California. She has been a dedicated practicioner of the Choy Family Form for over 45 years and has actively taught in Utah since 1981. She is honored for her service in assisting the disabled, ill and elderly as she leads classes in care facilities and hospitals. She has taught at schools of massage therapy in an effort to empower care providers in helping others. Having experienced her own health concerns, she is especially empathetic in dealing with others. She also enjoys studying the martials art aspects of the exercises and conveying the power of chi to her students.
Master Choy Kam-Man was a strict traditional practicioner of the Yang Style. In his youth he was much interested in sports which he played with the visible influence of his tai chi training. Master Choy taught and developed the 108 Movement Choy Family Form in California. He emigrated to San Francisco from Hong Kong in 1949. Through him, many non-Chinese learned the skills necessary to expand the study in the states. He emphasized that Tai Chi practice was for health and personal development, for strengthening the mind first. Master Choy's teaching style was softer than that of his father, but was also a highly capable fighter. Demonstrations of his skill were indelibly etched on the memories of his students and opponents. He taught in Hong Kong, Berkeley, San Francisco, and Davis, California. In China Town, San Francisco, he taught at the Chinese YMCA for eight years; during that time, the Chinese students didn't connect the postures into a free-flowing form. He greatly increased his scope of influence when he began teaching at the Davis Campus of the University of California and at the Sacramento YMCA. His students migrated across the country and established numerous studios.
Master Choy Kam-Man was also a chief disciple of Yip Sui in the 1950s in Hong Kong. Yip Man also known as Yip Sui (6 November 1893- 2 December 1972) instructed Master Choy in Chow Gar Mantis Style Kung Fu. Master Choy became a martial artist of superb strength and a 5th Generation Yang Tai Chi master. Yip Sui (Yip Man) was Master Lau’s only non-Hakka disciple. Grand Master Lau Soei ( - 1942) had moved from China to Hong Kong in 1913. Yip Sui taught Bruce Lee the Yip Wing Chun style of Kung Fu.
Kam-Man's father, Master Hok-Peng, was a long-time student of Grandmaster Yang Cheng Fu in direct lineage discipleship and a fellow-student at that time with Cheng Man-Ching. He is sometimes referenced as the Elder Master Choy in acknowledgement of both his expertise and that of his son, Kam-Man; some sources state that he was the first proponent of teaching Tai Chi in the United States, at least in the west. Choy Hok-Peng Hok-Peng came to the United States in 1939 with the express purpose of teaching the members of the families of workers in the China Trading Company of San Francisco. This trip took place three years after Chen-Fu had died, leaving Hok-Peng free to expand his teaching. Hok-Peng's style was very physical, the style of a fighter.
It was Grandmaster Yang Chen-Fu of China who popularized the traditional Yang Family solo Long Forms set which is widespread today.
Supreme Ultimate Fist or Tai Chi started out with 13 movements, expanding and branching out to the forms which are today practiced all over the world. Most of the popular modern forms of Tai Chi Chuan practiced today are styles which evolved from the Yang.
First published December 18, 2011
Bibliography
An interview with Gerda Geddes by Ronnie Robinson on PhysicalArts.com
Remembrance of Master Choy by Michael Gilman. Newsletter. GilmanStudio.com. January 1, 2009.
Master Choy by Jack Wada. Blogspot. Monday, July 7, 2008.
Wikipedia
Woodland Wiki
Robyn was the first non-Chinese student taught by Master Choy in China Town, San Francisco. She was a private student of the master and associated with the Choy family during the early phase of the spread of Tai Chi in California. She has been a dedicated practicioner of the Choy Family Form for over 45 years and has actively taught in Utah since 1981. She is honored for her service in assisting the disabled, ill and elderly as she leads classes in care facilities and hospitals. She has taught at schools of massage therapy in an effort to empower care providers in helping others. Having experienced her own health concerns, she is especially empathetic in dealing with others. She also enjoys studying the martials art aspects of the exercises and conveying the power of chi to her students.
Master Choy Kam-Man was a strict traditional practicioner of the Yang Style. In his youth he was much interested in sports which he played with the visible influence of his tai chi training. Master Choy taught and developed the 108 Movement Choy Family Form in California. He emigrated to San Francisco from Hong Kong in 1949. Through him, many non-Chinese learned the skills necessary to expand the study in the states. He emphasized that Tai Chi practice was for health and personal development, for strengthening the mind first. Master Choy's teaching style was softer than that of his father, but was also a highly capable fighter. Demonstrations of his skill were indelibly etched on the memories of his students and opponents. He taught in Hong Kong, Berkeley, San Francisco, and Davis, California. In China Town, San Francisco, he taught at the Chinese YMCA for eight years; during that time, the Chinese students didn't connect the postures into a free-flowing form. He greatly increased his scope of influence when he began teaching at the Davis Campus of the University of California and at the Sacramento YMCA. His students migrated across the country and established numerous studios.
Master Choy Kam-Man was also a chief disciple of Yip Sui in the 1950s in Hong Kong. Yip Man also known as Yip Sui (6 November 1893- 2 December 1972) instructed Master Choy in Chow Gar Mantis Style Kung Fu. Master Choy became a martial artist of superb strength and a 5th Generation Yang Tai Chi master. Yip Sui (Yip Man) was Master Lau’s only non-Hakka disciple. Grand Master Lau Soei ( - 1942) had moved from China to Hong Kong in 1913. Yip Sui taught Bruce Lee the Yip Wing Chun style of Kung Fu.
Kam-Man's father, Master Hok-Peng, was a long-time student of Grandmaster Yang Cheng Fu in direct lineage discipleship and a fellow-student at that time with Cheng Man-Ching. He is sometimes referenced as the Elder Master Choy in acknowledgement of both his expertise and that of his son, Kam-Man; some sources state that he was the first proponent of teaching Tai Chi in the United States, at least in the west. Choy Hok-Peng Hok-Peng came to the United States in 1939 with the express purpose of teaching the members of the families of workers in the China Trading Company of San Francisco. This trip took place three years after Chen-Fu had died, leaving Hok-Peng free to expand his teaching. Hok-Peng's style was very physical, the style of a fighter.
It was Grandmaster Yang Chen-Fu of China who popularized the traditional Yang Family solo Long Forms set which is widespread today.
Supreme Ultimate Fist or Tai Chi started out with 13 movements, expanding and branching out to the forms which are today practiced all over the world. Most of the popular modern forms of Tai Chi Chuan practiced today are styles which evolved from the Yang.
First published December 18, 2011
Bibliography
An interview with Gerda Geddes by Ronnie Robinson on PhysicalArts.com
Remembrance of Master Choy by Michael Gilman. Newsletter. GilmanStudio.com. January 1, 2009.
Master Choy by Jack Wada. Blogspot. Monday, July 7, 2008.
Wikipedia
Woodland Wiki