But the Chens had never revealed their secrets to outsiders, and Yang had to pass himself off as a servant, trying to learn and practice the movements on the sly, until the elder Chen, moved by his diligence and ambition, decided to break precedent and teach him all the secrets of the art.
但陳家太極一向不傳外地人，楊露禪苦求無效，遂設法混入陳家為僕，偷窺學拳，私下苦練。陳長興發現後，很欣賞他的武術天分及苦學心志，破例收他為徒，他也盡得真傳。