The Emergence and Development of the Wu Style Taijiquan
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Wu style Tai Chi Chuan was derived from the Yang style Tai Chi Chuan. The Wu style Tai Chi Chuan was developed by a Manchurian named Wu Chuan You. Mr. Wu Chuan You learned Tai Chi Chuan from Yang Lu Chan (the founder of Yang style Tai Chi Chuan) and his son Yang Ban Hou. Wu Chuan You’s dedication allowed him to attain the essence of both the Chen’s and Yang’s style. He passed his knowledge on to the subsequent successors. After several decades of refinement as well as development, his son Wu Jian-Quan founded a new distinctive style known as the Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan. Softness (yin), sensitivity, agility, precision and spontaneity are some of the distinctive traits of the Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan.
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Wang Mao-Zhai was one of the primary disciples of Wu Chuan You and was very close to Wu Jian-Quan (son of Wu Chuan You). He was a man of integrity; his inquisitive mind to pursue knowledge had helped him to acquire a very high level of skills in martial arts. After the death of Wu Chuan You, he made a tireless effort to uphold the reputation of the Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan. He continued to practice and research Tai Chi Chuan with Wu Jian-Quan and Guo Sony-Ting for many more decades and together they had enriched and fine-tuned the Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan .
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ITai Chi Chuan spread to the Southern part of China and eventually lead to the branching off of the Southern and Northern Lineage. Although the Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan had already received recognition during the time of Wu Chuan You, His son (Jian-Quan)’s contribution to the framing and orchestrating of the Wu Style had made him the founder of Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan, while Wong Mao-zhi was attributed to being the key developer and builder of the Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan. Wu Jian-Quan moved to Shanghai to popularize the Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan. He was the first person to spread the art of Wu Style to the Southern China. Wang Mao-Zhi remained in Bejing and became the leader of the Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan in the Northern China. These two great Tai Chi Chuan masters had earned the reputation of “South Wu and North Wang”. The Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan evolved into two main groups: one lead by Master Wu Tai Chi Chuan in Shanghai (Southern Linage) and the other lead by Master Wang Mao-Zhi (Northern Linage) during their times. The Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan, which has gained immense popularity and is widely practiced both in China and overseas, becomes one of the five main streams of Tai Chi Chuan.
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**The English version is translated by Master Shao Lei’s student. The contents of the English translation could deviate from the original Chinese document written by Master Shao.. The translator apologizes for any errors, oversight, omissions and misinterpretations.
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