The Yang Family Tai Chi originated about 200 years ago with Yang Lu Chan (1799-1872). His grandson, Yang Cheng Fu (1883-1936) was considered the greatest Tai Chi master of the 20th Century. It was Yang Cheng Fu who simplified the Tai Chi form and started teaching it to people outside the Yang family circles. Because of Yang Cheng Fu's skill and reputation many people wanted to learn his method. His openness in teaching lead the Yang family style of Tai Chi to became the most popular of the five main Tai Chi styles (Yang, Chen, Wu, Sun, and Wu). Yang Cheng Fu had many outstanding students, several who were very well known, including Wu Huichuan, Chu Guiting, Chen Weiming, Dong Yingjie, and Zheng Manjing (Cheng Man-Ch'ing).

 

Another student, Chu Chu Fang (朱楚方 Pinyin: Zhū Chǔ Fāng) (1912-1988) began studying Tai chi with Chen Wei Ming at the Chih Jou Boxing School of Shanghai where he studied for five years. After that he studied the higher levels and techniques with Master Chen's teacher, Yang Cheng Fu, for another five years. Master Chu also studied with Xiong Yang Ho (Hsiung Yang Hou [1886-1984]) who was a student of Yang Shao Hou (Yang Cheng Fu's brother).

In 1971, Master Chu came to California and started teaching Tai Chi. One of Master Chu's students, Paul Pitchford, studied Tai Chi with him in San Francisco for several years learning the Single Movements, San Shou, and Push Hands. Paul later moved to Idaho and started teaching Tai Chi. Michel Czehatowski was in one of Paul's first Tai Chi classes that he offered in Moscow, Idaho in 1975. Michel studied with Paul for five years.