Wu style tai chi chuan
Encyclopedia
Wu Ch'uan-yu
Wu Ch'uan-yu or Wu Quanyou was an influential teacher of t'ai chi ch'uan in late Imperial China. He is credited as the founder of the Wu style t'ai chi ch'uan...
(Wu Quanyou) and Wu Chien-ch'uan
Wu Chien-ch'uan
Wu Chien-ch'uan , was a famous teacher of the neijia martial art of t'ai chi ch'uan in late Imperial and early Republican China....
(Wu Jianquan) is the second most popular form of t'ai chi ch'uan in the world today, after the Yang style, and fourth in terms of family seniority. This style is different from the Wu style
Wu/Hao style T'ai Chi Ch'uan
The Wu or Wu style of t'ai chi ch'uan of Wu Yu-hsiang , is a separate family style from the more popular Wu style of Wu Chien-ch'üan...
of t'ai chi ch'uan (武氏) founded by Wu Yu-hsiang
Wu Yu-hsiang
Wu Yu-hsiang was a Chinese t'ai chi ch'uan teacher and government official active during the late Ch'ing dynasty. Wu was a scholar from a wealthy and influential family who became a senior student of Yang Lu-ch'an...
. While the names are distinct in pronunciation and the Chinese characters used to write them are different, they are often romanized the same way.
History
Wu Ch'uan-yu (吳全佑, 1834–1902) was a military officer cadet of ManchuManchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
ancestry in the Yellow Banner camp (see Qing Dynasty Military) in the Forbidden City
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
, Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and also a hereditary officer of the Imperial Guards Brigade
Imperial Guards Brigade
The Imperial Guards Brigade of Manchu Bannermen were a select detachment of cavalry officers responsible for guarding the Forbidden City in Beijing, especially the Emperor of China and his family, during the Qing Dynasty.-See also:...
. At that time, Yang Lu-ch'an
Yang Lu-ch'an
Yang Lu-ch'an or Yang Luchan, ; also known as Yang Fu-k'ui , born in Kuang-p'ing , was an influential teacher of the soft style martial art t'ai chi ch'uan in China during the second half of the 19th century...
(楊露禪, 1799–1872) was the martial arts instructor in the Imperial Guards, teaching t'ai chi ch'uan, and in 1850 Wu Ch'uan-yu became one of his students.
In 1870, Wu Ch'uan-yu was asked to become the senior disciple of Yang Pan-hou
Yang Pan-hou
Yang Banhou was an influential teacher of t'ai chi ch'uan in Ch'ing dynasty China, known for his bellicose temperament.-Biography:...
(楊班侯, 1837-1890), Yang Lu-ch'an’s oldest adult son, and an instructor as well to the Manchu military.
Wu Ch'uan-yu had three primary disciples: his son Wu Chien-ch'uan
Wu Chien-ch'uan
Wu Chien-ch'uan , was a famous teacher of the neijia martial art of t'ai chi ch'uan in late Imperial and early Republican China....
, Wang Mao Zhai
Wang Mao Zhai
Wang Mao-zhai was one of Wu Ch'uan-yu's of Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan three primary disciples. When Wu Ch'uan-yu's son Wu Chien-ch'uan moved from Beijing to Shanghai in 1928 he remained to lead the Wu Style Beijing group. He was the founder of the Beijing Tai Miao t'ai chi ch'uan Research Centre...
and Guo Fen.
Wu Ch'uan-yu's son, Wu Chien-ch'uan (吳鑑泉, 1870-1942), and grandchildren: grandsons Wu Kung-i
Wu Kung-i
Wu Kung-i was a well-known teacher of the soft style martial art t'ai chi ch'uan in China, and, after 1949, in the British colony of Hong Kong. He was also the "gate-keeper" of the Wu family from 1942 until his death in 1970....
(Wu Gongyi, 吳公儀, 1900-1970) and Wu Kung-tsao
Wu Kung-tsao
Wu Kung-tsao was a famous Chinese teacher of t'ai chi ch'uan. He taught in Beijing, Shanghai, Changsha and Hong Kong. The second son of Wu Chien-ch'üan, he was the grandson of the first teacher of Wu style T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Wu Ch'uan-yü. Wu Kung-tsao was the younger brother of Wu Kung-i and the...
(Wu Gongzao, 吳公藻, 1902-1983) as well as granddaughter Wu Ying-hua
Wu Ying-hua
Wu Ying-hua ) was a famous Chinese teacher of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan. She was born in Beijing and died in Shanghai. She was the eldest daughter of Wu Chien-ch'uan, the best known teacher of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan...
(Wu Yinghua, 吳英華, 1906-1996) were well known teachers.
Wu Chien-ch'uan became the most widely known teacher in his family, and is therefore considered the co-founder of the Wu style by his family and their students. He taught large numbers of people and his refinements to the art more clearly distinguish Wu style from Yang style training.
Wu Chien-ch'uan moved his family south from Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
(where an important school founded by other students of his father is headquartered, popularly known as the Northern Wu style) to Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
in 1928, where he founded the Chien-ch'uan T'ai Chi Ch'uan Association (鑑泉太極拳社) in 1935.
Wu Kung-i then moved the family headquarters to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in 1948.
His younger sister Wu Ying-hua
Wu Ying-hua
Wu Ying-hua ) was a famous Chinese teacher of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan. She was born in Beijing and died in Shanghai. She was the eldest daughter of Wu Chien-ch'uan, the best known teacher of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan...
and her husband, Ma Yueh-liang
Ma Yueh-liang
Ma Yueh-liang was a famous Manchu teacher of Taijiquan. He was the senior disciple of Wu Chien-ch'uan, the founder of Wu style Taijiquan, and married Wu's daughter Wu Ying-hua in 1930.- Biography :...
(Ma Yueliang, 馬岳樑, 1901-1999), stayed behind to manage the original Shanghai school.
Between 1983 and her passing in 1996 Wu Ying-hua was the highest ranked instructor in the Wu family system. Her sons continue teaching and today manage the Shanghai school as well as schools in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
:
- Ma Hai Long is the current head of the Shanghai Jianquan Taijiquan AssociationJianquan Taijiquan AssociationThe Jianquan Taijiquan Association is a well known school teaching Wu style t'ai chi ch'uan....
. - Ma Jiang BaoMa Jiang BaoMa Jiang Bao is a well known teacher of Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan. He is the third son of Wu Ying-hua and Ma Yueh-liang. In 1986 he came with is father Ma Yueh-liang to Europe to teach Wu style. Ma Yueh-liang returned home after four months. Ma Jiang Bao stayed and lives now in Rotterdam...
lives in the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and teaches traditional Taijiquan throughout EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. - Her adopted daughter Shi Mei LinShi Mei LinShi Mei Lin is a teacher of Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan. She is the adopted daughter of Wu Yinghua and Ma YueliangA Wushu and Tai Chi champion in the 1970s and 1980s, she toured with Chinese Wushu teams internationally, including the United States in 1974 when she was part of an elite Chinese Martial...
now lives and teaches Wu Style Taijiquan in New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, with students also in France and The United States.
Wu Kung-i's children were also full time martial art teachers:
- Her son Wu Ta-k'ueiWu Ta-k'ueiWu Ta-k'uei was a Chinese t'ai chi ch'uan teacher of Manchu ancestry. The oldest son of Wu Kung-i, he was born in Beijing, raised in Shanghai and spent most of his adult life teaching in Hong Kong. Wu Ta-k'uei was active in the resistance to the Japanese invasion of China, yet he later taught...
(Wu Dakui, 吳大揆, 1923-1972) was active in the resistance to the Japanese invasion of ChinaBattle of ShanghaiThe Battle of Shanghai, known in Chinese as Battle of Songhu, was the first of the twenty-two major engagements fought between the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China and the Imperial Japanese Army of the Empire of Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War...
, yet he later taught t'ai chi ch'uan in JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
after the war. - His younger brother, Wu Ta-ch'iWu Ta-ch'iWu Ta-ch'i was the descendant of the famous Wu style T'ai Chi Ch'uan founders Wu Ch'uan-yu and Wu Chien-ch'uan...
(Wu Daqi, 吳大齊, 1926-1993), supervised the family's Hong Kong and southeast Asian schools for many years and opened the family's first western hemisphereWestern HemisphereThe Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
school in TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in 1974. - Her daughter, Wu Yen-hsiaWu Yen-hsiaWu Yen-hsia was a Chinese t'ai chi ch'uan teacher of Manchu ancestry. She was the daughter of Wu Kung-i from whom she learned t'ai chi. She also helped in the teaching of her father's students. Wu Yen-hsia was the younger sister of Wu Ta-k'uei and Wu Ta-ch'i, and married Kuo Hsiao-chung, who was...
(Wu Yanxia, 吳雁霞, 1930-2001), was known as an expert with the t'ai chi chienJianThe jian is a double-edged straight sword used during the last 2,500 years in China. The first Chinese sources that mention the jian date to the 7th century BCE during the Spring and Autumn Period; one of the earliest specimens being the Sword of Goujian.Historical one-handed versions have blades...
(swordSwordA sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
). - Her cousin, Wu Ta-hsinWu Ta-hsinWu Ta-hsin was a Chinese t'ai chi ch'uan teacher who lived most of his life in Hong Kong. He was the great-grandson Wu style t'ai chi ch'uan founder Wu Ch'uan-yu and the grandson of the well-known teacher Wu Chien-ch'uan...
(Wu Daxin, 吳大新, 1933-2005), was also known as a weapons specialist, particularly with the t'ai chi taoDao (sword)Daois a category of single-edge Chinese swords primarily used for slashing and chopping , often called a broadsword in English translation because some varieties have wide blades. In China, the dao is known as one of the four major weapons, along with the gun , qiang , and the jian , and referred...
(sabreSabreThe sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger...
).
Training
The Wu style's distinctive hand form108 form Wu family T'ai Chi Ch'uan
The different slow motion solo form training sequences of T'ai Chi Ch'uan are the best known manifestation of T'ai Chi for the general public. In English, they are usually called the hand form or just the form; in Mandarin it is usually called ch'uan: 拳...
, pushing hands
Pushing hands
Pushing hands, , is a name for two-person training routines practiced in internal Chinese martial arts such as Baguazhang, Xingyiquan, T'ai chi ch'uan , Liuhebafa, Quan Fa, Yiquan.-Overview:...
and weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s trainings emphasize parallel footwork and horse stance
Horse stance
The horse stance is an important posture in Asian martial arts and takes its name from the position assumed when riding a horse. It is called mǎbù in Chinese, in Japanese, kekuda or kuda-kuda in Malay, asvavadivu in Malayalam, and juchum seogi or annun seogi in Korean...
training with the feet relatively closer together than the modern Yang or Chen styles, small circle hand techniques (although large circle techniques are trained as well) and differs from the other t'ai chi family styles martially with Wu style's initial focus on grappling
Grappling
Grappling refers to techniques, maneuvers, and counters applied to an opponent in order to gain a physical advantage, such as improving relative position, escaping, submitting, or injury to the opponent. Grappling is a general term that covers techniques used in many disciplines, styles and martial...
, throws (shuai chiao
Shuai jiao
Shuai jiao is the general Mandarin Chinese term for wrestling. As a generic name, it may be used to cover various styles of wrestling practised in China in the form of a martial arts system or a sport. The narrower term pertains to wrestling styles of the North China Plain...
), tumbling, jumping, footsweeps, pressure point leverage and joint locks and breaks
Chin Na
Chin Na or Qinna is a Chinese term describing techniques used in the Chinese martial arts that control or lock an opponent's joints or muscles/tendons so he cannot move, thus neutralizing the opponent's fighting ability...
, which are trained in addition to more conventional t'ai chi sparring
Sparring
Sparring is a form of training common to many martial arts. Although the precise form varies, it is essentially relatively 'free-form' fighting, with enough rules, customs, or agreements to make injuries unlikely...
and fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
at advanced levels.
Generational senior instructors of the Wu family t'ai chi ch'uan schools
1st Generation- Wu Ch'uan-yu (Quanyou, 吳全佑, 1834-1902), who learned from Yang Lu-ch'anYang Lu-ch'anYang Lu-ch'an or Yang Luchan, ; also known as Yang Fu-k'ui , born in Kuang-p'ing , was an influential teacher of the soft style martial art t'ai chi ch'uan in China during the second half of the 19th century...
and Yang Pan-houYang Pan-houYang Banhou was an influential teacher of t'ai chi ch'uan in Ch'ing dynasty China, known for his bellicose temperament.-Biography:...
, was senior instructor of the family from 1870-1902.
2nd generation
- His oldest son, Wu Chien-ch'uan (Wu Jianquan, 吳鑑泉, 1870-1942), was senior from 1902-1942.
3rd Generation
- His oldest son, Wu Kung-i (Wu Gongyi, 吳公儀, 1900-1970) was senior from 1942-1970.
- Wu Kung-i's younger brother, Wu Kung-tsao (Wu Gongzao, 吳公藻, 1903-1983), was senior from 1970-1983.
- Wu Kung-i's younger sister, Wu Ying-hua (Wu Yinghua, 吳英華, 1907-1997), was senior from 1983-1997.
4th Generation
- Wu Kung-i's daughter , Wu Yan-hsia (Wu Yanxia, 吳雁霞, 1930-2001) was senior from 1997-2001.
- Wu Kung-tsao's son, Wu Ta-hsin (Wu Daxin, 吳大新, 1933-2005), was senior from 2001-2005.
5th Generation
- The current senior instructor of the Wu family is Wu Ta-kuei's son Wu Kuang-yuWu Kuang-yuEddie Wu Kuang-yu is a Chinese-Canadian t'ai chi ch'uan teacher. He is the eldest son of the late Wu Ta-k'uei and senior instructor of the Wu family and "Gatekeeper" of the Wu-style as taught in the Wu's T'ai Chi Ch'uan Academies internationally since the death of his uncle, the late Wu Ta-hsin,...
(Wu Guangyu, Eddie Wu, 吳光宇, born 1946).
See also
- 108 form Wu family T'ai Chi Ch'uan108 form Wu family T'ai Chi Ch'uanThe different slow motion solo form training sequences of T'ai Chi Ch'uan are the best known manifestation of T'ai Chi for the general public. In English, they are usually called the hand form or just the form; in Mandarin it is usually called ch'uan: 拳...
- Wu Style Tai Chi Fast FormWu Style Tai Chi Fast FormThe different slow motion solo form training sequences of t'ai chi ch'uan are the best known manifestation of t'ai chi for the general public. In English, they are usually called the hand form or just the form; in Mandarin it is usually called ch'uan ....
- List of Tai Chi Chuan forms
- Silk reelingSilk reelingSilk reeling , also called winding silk energy chánsījìng , refers to a set of neigong movement principles expressed in traditional styles of t'ai chi ch'uan, but especially emphasised by the Chen and Wu styles of t'ai chi ch'uan...
- Wudang Tai Chi ChuanWudang Tai Chi ChuanWudang t'ai chi ch'uan 武當太極拳 is the name of a system of T'ai chi ch'uan that was developed by a Hong Kong 香港 based T'ai chi ch'uan master known as Cheng Tinhung 鄭天熊...
External links
Info and Organizations- http://www.wustyle.com/ International Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan Federation website
- http://www.wutaichi.com/ Wu style Chien Chuan Association Taijiquan website: Shanghai
- http://www.wutaichi.org.nz Wu Taiji New Zealand
- http://www.wutaichi.co.uk Oldest Wu style Tai Chi Chuan school in the UK
- Taijiquan and the search for the little old Chinese man 2003 by Adam Dean Frank, Dissertation, The University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas Digital Repository
- http://www.wutaiji.co.uk/ Northern Wu Style Taiji Society
Video Examples
- Wu Ying-hua video of long form
- Wu Ta-k’uei demonstrating t’ai chi sword form, throws and freestyle applications
- Wu Fast Form - Ma Yueh Liang
- Wu Sword Form - Ma Yueh Liang
- Spear Form - Ma Yueh Liang
- Spear 13 Form - Ma Yueh Liang
- Push Hands - Ma Yueh Liang
- Wu Tai Chi Chuan with Ma Jiangbao
- Wu Tai Chi Chuan Pushhands with Ma Jiangbao