13 Facts About Yang Shao-hou

Yang Shaohou was a Chinese martial arts master who, along with Yang Chengfu, represents the third generation of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan.

Yang Shao-hou Shaohou had a very forceful nature, and like his uncle Banhou he was a demanding teacher, only interested in students that could stand their tough training regimes.

Yang Shao-hou taught at the Beiping Sports Research Institute as well as an associated institute and club, but preferred to give private lessons to disciples and other serious students in small groups or individual sessions.

Yang Shao-hou briefly travelled to teach in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Nanjing, but preferred Beijing.

Yang Shao-hou practiced traditional Chinese medicine, treating patients with a combination of Yang family herbal formulas and a prescription of regular t'ai chi practice.

Second generation master Yang Shao-hou Jianhou developed his "middle frame" form with a focus on bringing all the benefits of t'ai chi to more people, while his older brother and the grandmaster of that generation, Yang Shao-hou Banhou, concentrated on a more demanding range of training that appealed to few students.

Wu Kung-i and Wu Kung-tsao trained with Yang Shao-hou Shaohou, based on a tradition that required they be taught by teachers of the same lineage generation as their grandfather, Wu-style cofounder Wu Ch'uan-yu, who died while they were infants.

In martial arts circles, Yang Shao-hou Shaohou regarded only Xu Yusheng and Chen Weiming as friends and confidants.

Yang Shao-hou Shaohou found himself living in increasingly strained circumstances in Beiping after the government moved south to Nanjing in 1927.

In 1928 his younger brother Yang Shao-hou Chengfu led a group of disciples south to establish training classes across the region, and found success.

Yang Shao-hou returned to Beiping, but by that winter had traveled back to Nanjing after being unable to arrange new work.

Yang Shao-hou reportedly stated he was committing suicide to protect the Yang family reputation.

Yang Shao-hou's patron brought him to a hospital but was unable to save him, then raised funds to assist the family, now led by Yang Chengfu, with the funeral arrangements.