Yang Jianhou

Yang Jianhou was a Chinese martial artist and teacher who lived during the late Qing dynasty. He was the younger son of Yang Luchan, the founder of Yang-style tai chi, and the brother of Yang Banhou, another prominent master of tai chi. Yang Jianhou learned tai chi from his father and his brother, and became proficient in both the fast and slow forms of the art. He also studied other martial arts, such as xingyi and bagua, and incorporated some of their elements into his tai chi. Yang Jianhou was known for his skill in push hands, a two-person practice of tai chi that involves sensing and neutralizing the opponent's force. He was also a respected scholar who wrote several books on tai chi theory and history. Yang Jianhou taught tai chi to many students, including members of the imperial family, military officers, and foreign diplomats. He also passed on his knowledge and skills to his three sons, Yang Shaohou, Yang Chengfu, and Yang Zhenming, who became influential masters of tai chi in their own right. Yang Jianhou's style of tai chi is characterized by its compactness, agility, and subtlety. It is also known as the middle frame or the second generation of Yang-style tai chi. Yang Jianhou's style influenced the development of Yang Chengfu's style, which is the most popular and widely practiced form of tai chi today. Yang Jianhou died on October 10, 1917, in his hometown of Guangfu, where he was buried. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of tai chi.