Tai Yi Swimming Dragon Quan 太乙游龙拳
Wudang Mountain
Tai Yi You Long Gong or Tai Yi Swimming Dragon Gong 太乙游龙功 is the family heirloom of Daoist Grandmaster Yu Anren and an ancient intermal martial art system that includes Qigong,Taichi and other Martial Arts. The family system consists of three main most practiced forms, which are the Tai Yi Swimming Dragon Quan (Chuan), Tai Yi Riding the Wind Sword, Tai Yi 72 Closed Hand . It also includes the Tai Yi Walking Gong, Tai Yi Blocking the Mountain Staff, and Tai Yi White Crane Gong. Its static practice is called Tai Yi Tortoise Breathing Gong.
Traditionally, this style was an imperial privileged practice. Breaking his family tradition, Master Yu made it public in the 1980s.
Liping Zhu L.Ac., a disciple of Master Yu Anren, is one of Master Yu’s two appointed representatives of the style outside China. She has won gold medals for both the Tai Yi Swimming Dragon Quan and the Tai Yi Riding the Wind Sword in 1996 International Martiail Arts Tournament.
You can watch Liping on Youtube demonstrating Swimming Dragon Form I in the 1997 in San Francisco. To purchase the DVDs for the Swimming Dragon serie forms, please visit our Online Store page.
Please check Master Yu’s official website for more reference.
Tai Yi Swimming Dragon Quan 太乙游龙拳
(A unique Taichi Qigong and Yoga combination form)
Tai Yi Swimming Dragon Quan or Tai Yi You Long Quan is a fairly advanced Daoist life preservation form which can be used for self-defense, fitness and self cultivation. Originally it was practiced exclusively in the Imperial Palace for health maintenance. It was believed by Daoist practitioners that, with consistent practice, this Quan promotes longevity and culminates in immortality. Legends say that the perfected Quan gives one a body that is as light as a bird and can come and go without a trace. Thus, in the past, this Quan was kept as a secret practice. Even though this might sound very mysterious, at present we do see that people who are persistent in practicing this Quan have achieved improved health and increased longevity. This Quan requires very little space to practice, as little as six by six feet (two by two meters). It combines Qigong, Waist and Leg Gong, Silk Reeling Gong and internal self stretching and massaging Gong into one. Therefore, this form is a comprehensive practice which is graceful and beautiful, fun and enjoyable and suitable for people of all ages, from the young to the elderly.
“《太乙游龙拳》是我们家族数代单传下来的，中华武术宝库中的一个稀有拳种。它是道家防身、健身、修身、养生术中较高级的一个派别，属武当太乙派。太乙即太乙真人。又称太一真人。史书封禅书载：天神贵者太。道家极其信仰，尊为天皇太乙，加以奉祀，尊称为太一救苦天尊。为纪念这位罚恶扶善的天尊而取名“太乙”。“龙”是中华民族的象征和古代王室的标志。华夏民族的先祖炎帝、黄帝和“龙”都有密切的关系。“龙”气势恢弘，天上飞、地上行、水里游、无所不能。它有强劲的生命力，象征着中华民族自强不息奋发向上的顽强精神。这套拳习练起来绵绵不断、行云流水、騰云驾雾，如龙游太空，故称《太乙游龙拳》。中华武术分为两大流派：一为外家拳，称“少林派”二为内家拳，称“武当派”。《太乙游龙拳》属内家拳，故又名《武当太乙游龙拳》。其中有拳术与器械套路，有动功也有静功。它包括《太乙七十二闭手》、《太乙三十六擒拿》、《太乙乘风剑》、《太乙封山棍》、《太乙游龙功》、《太乙行步功》、《太乙阴阳萌生术（又称太乙龟息功）》等。” –Yu Anren
Tai Yi Swimming Dragon Quan is Taoist Master Yu Anren ’s family heirloom, originating from the Wudang Mountain in China. Swimming Dragon is a unique and graceful moving form combining Tai Chi, Qigong, yogic stretching and dancing arts, emphasizing both internal energy and external form practices. It stretches all your tendons and ligaments, and promotes the circulation of Qi (energy) and blood. With persistent practice, it will naturally improves your flexibility, coordination, balance and energy circulation and complements any style of sitting meditation. This form is the external practice of the internal Taoist Qigong practice of Macro-cosmic Orbit (in which Qi is able to pass through all your twelve meridians and eight Extra Meridians.) This form has only been made available to the general public since 1980′s by Grandmaster Yu Anren.
Trainings on Taiyi Swimming Dragon Quan that Qi Dragon currently provides:
Weekly Classes
Tassajar Swimming Dragon Retreat
12 Week Swimming Dragon Workshops
Private Class (limited availability, email liping@qidragon.com)
Tai Yi Riding the Wind Sword 太乙乘风剑
Tai Yi Riding the Wind Sword is the brother form of Master Yu’s family heirloom – Tai Yi Swimming Dragon Quan, which is the hand form. Originated from the Wudang mountain in China, it is a very rare, uniquely beautiful and energetic style. No previous experience is necessary to learn it. You will need to get your own Taichi sword. Check Brenda Lai supplies in the Mission District (around 30th St and Mission St).
Tai Yi 72 Closed Hand 太乙72 闭手
Tai Yi 72 Closed Hand Tai Yi 72 Closed Hand
Tai Yi 72 Bi Shou or Tai Yi 72 Closed Hand is an important form in the family of the Tai Yi You Long Gong. The usual martial art forms mainly focus on attacking and defense with hands and feet. But this unique form primarily focuses on Qin Na (grabbing and acupoints pressing) and counter Qin Na and Feng Bi (blocking and locking) and counter Feng Bi, which is rarely found in the Northern or Southern Chinese martial art schools. In practicing, it emphasizes the harmony of the internal and external,up and down, and continuity of moves that are beautiful and graceful, like floating clouds and flowing water. It not only has its martial and artisitic characteristics but also has very good health benefits.
To read the original Chinese article on Taiyi 72 Closed Hands, click here.
The Book “Who’s who in Chinese Martial Arts” published the following information on Master Yu Anren”
“Yu Anren (1940- ), heir of the Wudang Taiyi Swimming Dragon Chuan, is from Guilin, located in the Guangxi province. His family originated from the Pingjiang county, in the Hunan province.
Yu learned the Taiyi Swimming Dragon Chuan techniques and principals from his grandfather Yu Shao. By tradition, those were only passed from family members to other family members. Yu Anren broke the family’s rule when he compiled and donated to the state the Taiyi Swimming Dragon Chuan, Taiyi Riding the Wind Sword and the other conventions of boxing and weaponry from the Taiyi Men family. When Yu Anren took part in the Changsha Regional Martial Arts Competition in 1984, he performed the Swimming Dragon Chuan for the first time and won first place for internal style martial art. Since then, his form has spread quickly and the number of followers has reached several thousands.
Yu Anren was invited to Hong Kong twice to teach his art. In 1988, he took part in the National Martial Arts Exhibition and Exchange Meet in Jinzhou and performed the Swimming Dragon Chuan and some swordmanship.
Currently, he is preparing materials from the Taiyi Men techniques – boxing and weaponry routines – for publication. He is both the coach and a standing member of the Changsha Martial Arts Association and a standing member of the Hunan Martial Arts Association. He has also invented a Calendar of the Body’s Vital Rhythms chart which has been patented.”
Comments on Master Yu Anren by Kenneth Cohen
“Master Yu Anren’s extraordinary, gold-medal ability in the Chinese healing and martial arts is matched only by his depth as a scholar and human being. He is one of those rare, true masters who not only walks his talk, but lives it, in the finest traditional Taoism.” KENNETH COHEN, M.A. Qi Gong Master, author of Qi Gong Meditations
Story about Master Yu Anren in Kenneth Cohen’s book ” The Way of Qigong” Page 38
“Increasing the reserve of Jing stimulates hair growth. The hair also has a tendency to return to its original color. Qigong Master Yu An-ren was imprisoned for several years during China’s Cultural Revolution. He was in his thirties at the time. During his incarceration, the center of his head developed a spot of gray, which quickly spread, until all of his hair turned silver. At the same time, his spine began to hunch over. His resting heart rate was 90-100 beats per minute, jumping to 120 if he climbed a flight of stairs. On his release, Yu began to practice qigong intensively in order to regain his health. Now at age fifty-seven, he has a full head of black hair, a straight flexible spine, and a resting heart rate of seventy.”
What does Wikipedia say about Taiyi Swimming Dragon Quan?
Tai Yi Swimming Dragon Quan (Chuan) or Tai Yi You Long Gong is the name of an Neijia (internal or soft style) Daoist martial art form that has been practiced in China for hundreds of years. It is Daoist Master Yu Anren’s family heirloom, originating from Wudang Mountain in China. It combines elements found in Qigong, Tai Chi Chuan, and Yogic stretching emphasizing both the inner and outer practice. Today this form is taught by representatives Zhu Mingyuan in Hunan (China); Li Yongliang in Melbourne (Australia) and Liping Julia Zhu in San Francisco (USA). Here is Master Yu Anren’s official website: www.youlongquan.com.
Testimonials
I met Liping when she had just arrived from China. It was one morning in Golden Gate Park. Crossing the street into the park, I saw a young woman doing a martial art form that combined so very beautifully strength and elegance. It was one of those rare moments in life when time seems to stop. Maybe it was the gentle flow of the swimming dragon form, so gentle, almost a whisper in the wind. Certainly it had to do with Liping’s natural grace. Whatever it was, I yearned to know the swimming dragon form and Liping was kind enough to teach it to me. She was such a good teacher, patient, caring and yet making sure that I would progress as much as I could, according to my abilities.
I no longer live in San Francisco, but I carry the swimming dragon with me wherever I go. It has made a big difference in my life. I thank Liping for this gift she has and shares with such warmth.
–David Berger
I practiced Tai Yi Swimming Dragon Quan with Liping for about a year. As a Zen Buddhist practitioner I was eager to bring movement into my rather sedentary daily meditation practice. I originally intended for Tai Yi to be a supplement to my sitting practice, bringing movement back into my life. To an extent it was just this, but what startled me was the profound mindfulness and meditative quality that permeates the practice of Tai Yi. It became clear to me as I continued practicing with Liping that Tai Yi is itself a meditation practice and as I began to loosen my grip on the duality of movement and stillness my understanding of not only my Tai Yi practice, but also my sitting practice expanded. I found myself on day four of a sesshin, sitting in an upright posture and noticing my complete solid mountain stillness begin to flow. My ideas of who I am, how I hold myself, and how I impact others, have all been affected by my time with Liping. She is an authentic, dedicated teacher and will meet you where you are and stay with you as you grow. If you haven’t met this woman, you need to!
–Will Fuller
