Tang Hao

(1887-1959)

Tang Hao was poor when he was a child. At the age of 10 he quit school. He continued learning by himself and developed an avid interest in martial arts at the same time. He studied Liu He Quan (Six Harmonies Style) from Master Liu Zhennan[1] of Dezhou city, Shandong province. When he became the principal of Shanggong Elementary school in Shanghai, he taught his martial arts to the school students.

In 1927 he went to Japan to study politics and law. There he also studied judo and kenjitsu. After returning to China, he promoted Wushu, emphasizing practical usage and avoiding superfluous fakery. He would visit martial artists of various schools to experience and verify the authenticity and usefulness of techniques of wushu before deciding which to take and which to avoid.

He was also especially interested in research of martial art history. His approach to martial art history was serious and cautious. He published over ten books including: Taijiquan and International Martial Arts; Comparative Study of Shaolin and Wudang; Authenticity of Shaolin Secrets; and Cannon of Qijiguang[2] Boxing.

Exaggeration (Yuguai 语怪) and fakery (Fuhui 附会) were two main techniques of the authors of the day in Shaolin and Wudang arts. These are poisonous methods that influence people’s understanding of the martial arts. Tao Hao was the first to openly expose and criticize these methods.

Tang Hao lived a simple life. He used all his savings to collect martial art historical materials. Even during hard times, he continued to write his martial history books. In 1941 he was still living in Shanghai as a lawyer. The Wang Jingwei[3] government issued an arrest warrant for him IC because he was regarded as a leftist lawyer. He went into hiding. During the two-month stay hiding in his friend’s house, he completed “Authenticity of Shaolin Secrets”. The original book “Shaolin Secrets” is both a martial art book and history book. It contained numerous untrue fantastic stories and forged history accounts. Tang Hao wrote this “Authenticity” book in order to correct the erroneous history and call upon the people to respect the history of the nation.

In 1955, he was transferred to the Physical Education Commission of the national government to do research on the history of Chinese sports. He died in January of 1959.

Tang Hao was also a famous martial artist. He studied from the famed Chen Fake. He was instrumental in the publication of many historical martial art materials including Chen Xin’s “Illustrated Book of Chen Family Taijiquan”.

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[1] Liu Zhennan was also Gu Liuxin’s teacher.

[2] He was a Ming Dynasty general and martial artist. He authored “Ji Xiao Quan Shu” (纪效全书).

[3] He was one of the Chinese leaders during WWII that cooperated with the invading Japanese.