An interesting anecdote, though from a long time ago, about taiji and other martial arts in Taipei parks can be read here: Donn Draeger & Robert Smith: Their Intersection Concerning Chinese Martial Arts - 古現武道 . There, Ellis Amdur says that when he was visiting martial artists in Taipei parks, he was warned about getting accidentally/intentionally hurt by ‘white crane’ groups in the parks, because their fighting method (using fingers as “beaks” to peck) was inherently dangerous and because their practice methods encouraged some kind of aggressive or unstable behavior.
I did notice that here on Forumosa there was a post last year from a white crane guy offering to teach: White Crane Fist.
Having seen mostly slow-moving taijiquan and qigong in Taipei parks, it’s hard for me to imagine seeing, in those same parks, more active, sparring-style practice. Does it still exist, post-covid? Inquiring minds want to know…
An update with some more information. I found this YouTube video from a guy in Taiwan doing push-hands.
I don’t recognize this location specifically, but I guess this must be 228 park in Taipei. According to the guy’s Facebook page, he/they seem to practice in 228 park from 10 AM to 12 PM Sundays.
My schedule wouldn’t have permitted me to visit the park at that time on Sunday, but at least this does seem to be an up-to-date piece of information about current push-hands practice in a Taipei park. Looks like authentic practice – in the above video, the guy who is pushed seems to do nothing, but the pusher “bounces” back against his opponent’s structure and flies backwards. I wish I could have experienced that myself! Maybe next time…
And, it seems that in Youth Park (青年公園) there is push-hands on Wednesday mornings from 8:30-10:30, where anybody interested can participate. https://www.facebook.com/suppletaichi/videos/青年公園鬆柔太極拳課程鬆柔推手的要訣在於推手訓練過程中教練必須具備輕靈的身手及身體之陰陽變化如太極拳論陰不離陽陽不離陰陰陽相濟方為懂勁陰陽之變在於雙手有動靜雙腳/985074592927784/