I was asked (again) what my “lineage” was over the weekend and I couldn’t help but think about that request… again.

The term “lineage” from a Taiji perspective refers to what style you have trained in and under which teacher. I can remember having conversations with my teacher about this very subject and we stood on different sides of the lineage fence.

My teacher was always a proponent of “lineage” because it was a part of the traditional ways. In the old days when students travelled from village to village and participated in challenges, winning a challenge commanded a sense of respect not only for the participant but for the teacher as well. This was how a teacher became famous. His students manifested his teachings and thus it was assumed he was a good teacher.

On the other hand I always try to see things from a base perspective. So my retort was and still is, what about Zhang Sanfeng, the legendary figure some say was the founder of the internal arts and Taijiquan? If you are the founder, then there’s no lineage to speak of!

In today’s world when someone morphs disciplines together of makes a change there are those that decry blasphemy and shun the new manifestation and then there are those that test the potential of the new “child” and only then deem it to be worthy of acceptance, or not. A prime example of this is MMA (mixed martial arts). It did not take long for the world to recognize that there is no ONE discipline that is all encompassing. Every discipline has something to offer the whole.

Does lineage sculpt the student? Maybe.

Is your son or daughter exactly like you? Or are they the exact opposite? Or do you share only some similarities? And is your relationship indicative of the rest of the parent-child relationships in the world? Do you get my point?

Back to Taiji. In some cases a student will mimic their teachers forms and words. But I think a true student of the art will outgrow that phase and move on to create his own “child.” And I for one, welcome creativity in the practice of Taijiquan.

After all… it IS a Living Artform.