# Zhang Qinlin

Zhang Qinlin (1888–1967) was an influential martial artist, teacher, and lineage holder of the Yangjia Michuan style of tai chi. In 1929, Zhang won the All China Fighting Championship in the unarmed division.

## Early life and training

Zhang was born in Xingtai County, Hebei province, China in 1888, into a poor family. After his parents died while he was still young, Zhang ventured out at the age of 14 to find a martial arts teacher. He eventually sought out the nearby Yang family household to learn Yang-style tai chi. There he began his martial arts studies with Yang Chengfu under the supervision of the latter's father, Yang Jianhou. During the initial years of Zhang’s training with Chengfu, he was only taught the publicly known elements of the Yang style disseminated to students outside the Yang family. After Zhang successfully fought a challenge match against a famous martial artist from southern China, Wan Mou, the elder Yang decided the young student had earned the right to learn the Yangjia Michuan teachings. Thereafter, Jianhou had Zhang report to his personal quarters every night between the hours of 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. while the rest of the compound slept. It was then that Jianhou taught Zhang the Yangjia Michuan tai chi system in addition to his regular daily training.

## Competition and teaching

In 1929, the central Chinese government sponsored the All China Fighting Championship, a general competition in Chinese boxing. Each province was to send two participants – one for the armed division, one for the unarmed division—to Nanjing, the then capitol of China, to compete. Zhang, whose occupation as a fur merchant had required that he move to Shanxi in 1925, entered and won the regional competition for that province. According to the history provided by his student, Wang Yen-nien, Zhang went on to win the national championship in the unarmed division later that year. However, there is no written record of Zhang having competed in any national tournament, let alone win one.
After Zhang moved to Shanxi, he began search for a student to whom he could pass on the Yang family teachings. In all, Zhang is known to have taught ten students, although only a subset of those was taught anything beyond the publicly known Yang style. Wang Yen-nien, who moved to Taipei, Taiwan in 1949 where he lived until his death in May 2008, was the second and last student of Zhang’s to receive the entirety of the Yangjia Michuan tai chi system.

## Tai chi lineage tree with Yang-style focus

vteYang-style tai chi lineage tree :
Key:NEIJIA
Solid linesDirect teacher-student.
Dot linesPartial influence /taught informally /limited time.TAI CHI
Dash linesIndividual(s) omitted.
Dash crossBranch continues.CHEN-STYLEZhaobao-style
(陈长兴) Chen Changxing 1771–1853 6th gen. Chen Chen Old Frame
(杨露禅) Yang Luchan 1799–1872 YANG-STYLE Guang Ping Yang Yangjia Michuan
(王蘭亭) Wang Lanting 1840–? 2nd gen. Yang(杨健侯) Yang Jianhou 1839–1917 2nd gen. Yang 2nd gen. Yangjia Michuan(杨班侯) Yang Banhou 1837–1892 2nd gen. Yang 2nd gen. Guang Ping Yang Yang Small Frame(武禹襄) Wu Yuxiang 1812–1880 WU (HAO)-STYLEZhaobao He-style
(李瑞东) Li Ruidong]br />1851–1917 Li-style(杨少侯) Yang Shaohou 1862–1930 3rd gen. Yang Yang Small Frame(吴全佑) Wu Quanyou 1834–1902 1st gen. Wu(王矯宇) Wang Jiaoyu 1836–1939 3rd gen. Guang Ping Yang
(杨澄甫) Yang Chengfu 1883–1936 3rd gen. Yang Yang Big Frame(田兆麟) Tian Zhaolin 1891–1960 3rd gen. YangQi Gechen(吴鉴泉) Wu Jianquan 1870–1942 2nd gen. Wu WU-STYLE 108 FormKuo Lien Ying 1895–1984 4th gen. Guang Ping Yang(孙禄堂) Sun Lutang 1861–1932 SUN-STYLE
(褚桂亭) Chu Guiting 1892–1977 4th gen. Yang Beijing form(傅仲文) Fu Zhongwen 1903–1994 4th gen. Yang Beijing form(董英杰) Dong Yingjie 1897–1961 4th gen. Yang(郑曼青) Zheng Manqing 1902–1975 4th gen. Yang Short (37) Form(陈微明) Chen Weiming 1881–1958(杨振铎) Yang Zhenduo 1926-2020 4th gen. Yang(杨振铭) Yang Shouzhong 1910–1985 4th gen. Yang(張欽霖) Zhang Qinlin 1888–1967 3rd gen. Yangjia Michuan(田英嘉) Tian Yingjia 1931–2008 4th gen. YangWudang-style(吴公儀) Wu Gongyi 1900–1970 3rd gen. Wu(吴公藻) Wu Gongzao 1903–1983 3rd gen. Wu
TaiwanU.S.A.
Robert W. Smith 1926–2011(黃性賢) Huang Xingxian 1910–1992Benjamin Pang Jeng Lo b.1927William C. C. Chen b.1935Big Six Tam Gibbs Lou Kleinsmith Ed Young Mort Raphael Maggie Newman Stanley IsraelLittle Seven Victor Chin Y. Y. Chin Jon Gaines Natasha Gorky Fred Lehrman Wolfe Lowenthal Ken VanSickle(杨军) Yang Jun b.1968 6th gen. YangIp Tai Tak 1929–2004 5th gen. YangChu Gin Soon 1932-2019 5th gen. Yang(王延年) Wang Yennien 1914–2008 4th gen. Yangjia Michuan(田邴原) Tian Bingyuan b.? 5th gen. YangYao Guoqing b.? 5th gen. Yang
CHEN-STYLEYANG-STYLEWU-STYLEWU (HAO)-STYLESUN-STYLE :
Note:
This lineage tree is not comprehensive, but depicts those considered the 'gate-keepers' & most recognised individuals in each generation of Yang-style.
Although many styles were passed down to respective descendants of the same family, the lineage focused on is that of the Yang style & not necessarily that of the family. :
Yang-style tai chi lineage :