WANG YEN-NIEN TALKS ABOUT ZHANG QINLIN

An interview by Sam Tomarchio
Translated by Julia Fisher-Fairchild
(Volume 3, NO. 2, FALL 1995)
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Zhang laoshi then found Su Qigeng, also from Shanxi province. Su was a little bit taller than me. He was not thin and not fat, just an average physique - except he had very long arms. Zhang first taught Su the basic exercises and saw that he practiced very well, was able to relax, listened to instructions and was obedient. He decided to teach Su Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan. He taught this one person for this was the way it had been handed down. He had found the person he had been looking for.

About two years later there was a national martial arts competition in Nanjing, and Zhang Laoshi took first place in the bare-fisted competition. Along came Zheng Manqing, who had studied both taijiquan and tuishou with Yang Chengfu. He saw Zhang Qinlin and realized how good Zhang's gongfu was. After the competition was over, Zheng Manqing asked the National Martial Arts Federation president, Zhang Zhijiang, and Pu Bingru's father to sponsor Zheng and recommend him to Zhang Qinlin. Zhang Zhijiang was an influential figure in the martial arts world. "OId Man Pu" was a high-ranking civil servant and philanthropist. Zheng asked them to say good things about him to Zhang Qinlin so that Zhang would take him as a student. The dinner invitation was made and Zhang Laoshi, seeing that these two men had agreed to sponsor Zheng, accepted.

After dinner Zheng Manqing demonstrated his form and asked Zhang Qinlin to do likewise. Zheng watched and saw Zhang do the 81-Step and thought, "Nothing special." Zheng Manqing then asked Zhang Laoshi to push hands with him. Zhang Laoshi looked at Zhang Zhijiang and "OId Man Pu" with a questioning expression. Zhang then said to Zheng Manqing, "Do you really want to push hands with me?" Zheng replied, "Yes." After making sure everyone agreed, Zhang Laoshi consented.

In 1993 I went to Shanghai⁵ and met with Pu Bingru⁶. Pu was an avowed student of Yang Chengfu and the only one alive today to have studied with both Zhang Qinlin and Yang Chengfu. She recounted the same story (that Zhang Laoshi told me) but from Zheng Manqing's point of view (as follows):

"In the room was a table where they had eaten. The two men were on one side of the table pushing hands. On the other side of the table was a wall, which was not very thick and made of wood (something like plywood). At that time Zheng Manqing considered himself to be pretty good. While pushing with Zhang Qinlin, he was very intent on trying to push Zhang over. Zhang Laoshi was just deflecting right, deflecting left. He then made a Ji, and Zheng Manqing flew - over the table and into the wall, which almost fell over."

Pu bingru (who was laughing while telling the story) said that the impact left a hole in the wall, and Zheng Manqing, after crashing into the wall, slumped to the ground. Everyone ran over, picked him up while asking if he was okay. Zheng stood up (a little shaken but not hurt - the outcome was not what he had anticipated) then went to his knees and said to Zhang Laoshi, "You must take me as your student." Zhang replied, "I just came for dinner. You demonstrated your form, and I demonstrated my form. This is not something I had expected." He told Zheng, "At the moment I do not have any time, and I am only here temporarily. I live in Shanxi province right now. If you want me to be your teacher, you will have to send someone to get me."

Zheng Manqing was very happy and realized that he would have to send a proper invitation to Zhang as well as make whatever special arrangements were necessary in order to bring Zhang Laoshi from Shanxi to Shanghai, where Zheng Manqing was living. Zheng spent a lot of money making these necessary preparations. In those days, there were no commercial planes. Because Zheng Manqing had a lot of connections he was able to use a military plane to fly Zhang Qinlin from Shanxi to Shanghai. In those days, the people used those round coins on strings, and the plane trip cost one string (about $100) and another string (or two) was given as a gift to Mrs. Zhang for her use while Zhang Laoshi was away. A string of money in those days could buy quite a lot. After Zhang Qinlin arrived in Shanghai he said to Zheng, "You already know taijiquan, so we are not going to work on that. Because you are so interested in push hands, we will concentrate on that." For about three months, Zhang Laoshi lived and worked with Zheng Manqing. Some people say that Zhang Laoshi stayed with Zheng Manqing for three years, but it is not true - it was about three months. So, of course, Zheng Manqing did not learn Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan.

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