Classical Tai Chi and its link to "The Bee King of China"

"The Torso Method" (aka Internal Discipline)

There are some perennial but interesting mistakes made about Classical Tai Chi and other Tai Chi.  By the same token, my own teacher "Hua Jiping" (Stephen Hwa "Uncovering the Treasure") is confused with the author (The Tao of Taijiquan, Jou Tsung Hwa) This is because of a  Western penchant for not understanding how Chinese surnames are placed.

Actually, his name is Hua Jiping and written so in a book about his father Hua Yizhi "The Bee King of China".  From Amazon.com:  "Hua Yizhi (1893-1956) was a pioneer in Chinese modern agricultural development, the father of Chinese scientific Apiculture, and a dedicated educator, providing modern education to his home town. He was a renowned industrialist and a philanthropist of the Wuxi region" 

In an email to me from Master Hwa: "Jim: I know the confusion between "Jou" and "Hwa". Actually, I regret not meeting him. He is one of the few tai chi practitioners who is truly searching for the truth. Sometimes, he told his students " what I taught you last month, forget about it, it is not correct. let's do this way."

Stephen Hwa

I'm under the impression from speaking to Master Stephen Hwa, that he gets the question "are you related to Jou Tsung Hwa" quite a bit. He patiently explains that his surname is Hwa and therefore no relation to Jou (surname Jou). Actually, at a Rochester, NY World Tai Chi Day event (2005) while watching a demo of Hua Tuo's "5 animal frolics", Master Stephen Hwa told me that his family surname Hwa in original Chinese spelling is Hua. He also tells me that the family is related to a distant ancestor Hua Tuo who may be the first ancient Chinese surgeon.

Stephen Hwa mentions the "Dao of Taijiquan" published in 1989 in his own book "Uncovering the Treasure" published in 2010 and speaks of a couple of Jou's statements. In his book Hwa, (Stephen Hwa) makes reference to Jou, Tsung Hwa's statement that the "Torso Method" "The Torso Method" (aka Internal Discipline) he mentions in "The Tao of Taijiquan, p. A31" is none other than the "Internal Discipline" explained in loving detail in "Uncovering the Treasure, p. 1 and 2, that he teaches in Classical Taijiquan.