Wu Quanyou

Wu Quanyou (1834–1902), or Wu Ch'uan-yu, was an influential teacher of t'ai chi ch'uan in late Imperial China. His son is credited as the founder of the Wu-style t'ai chi ch'uan.[1] As he was of Manchu descent, and would have been named by his family in Manchu, the name "Wú" (吳) was a sinicisation that approximated the pronunciation of the first syllable of his Manchu clan name, U Hala.[2]

吴全佑
Wu Quanyou
Depiction of a Manchu Imperial Guards Bannerman wearing similar uniform and gear to that worn by Wu Quanyou as a military officer
Born1834 (1834)
China
Died1902 (aged 6768)
NationalityChinese
StyleWu-style taijiquan
Notable studentsWu Jianquan (吴鉴泉),
Wang Maozhai (王茂齋),
Guo Songting (郭松亭),
Chang Yuanting (常遠亭),
Xia Gongfu (夏公甫),
Qi Gechen (齊閣臣)
Wu Quanyou
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese

Background

Wu was a military officer in the Yellow Banner camp (see Qing Dynasty Military) in the Forbidden City, Beijing and also an officer of the Imperial Guards Brigade during the Qing Dynasty. At that time, Yang Luchan (1799–1872) was the martial arts instructor in that banner camp, teaching t'ai chi ch'uan.[1] In the camp, there were many officers studying with Yang Luchan, but only three men, Wan Chun (萬春), Ling Shan (凌山) and Ch'uan Yu (全佑) studied diligently and trained hard enough at t'ai chi ch'uan to become disciples. However, they were unable to become Yang Luchan's disciples, because Yang Luchan taught t'ai chi ch'uan to two men of very high status in the military; they were Shi Shaonan and General Yue Guichen.[2][3]

At that time Wan Chun, Ling Shan and Ch'uan-yu were middle grade officers in the banner camp and because of their rank, they could not be seen as classmates with nobility and high grade officers. As a result, they were asked to become disciples of Yang Pan-hou or Yang Banhou, Yang Luchan's oldest adult son and an instructor as well to the Manchu military.[2]

As a teacher

When Wu retired from the military, he set up a school in Beijing. Wu's Beijing school was successful and there were many who studied with him, he was popularly known as Quan Sanye (全三爺) as a term of respect. His disciples were his son Wu Chien-ch'uan, Guo Songting (郭松亭), Wang Mao Zhai(王茂齋), Xia Gongfu (夏公甫), Chang Yuanting (1860-1918; 常遠亭), Qi Gechen (齊閣臣) (see Wudang t'ai chi ch'uan Lineage) etc. Wu's skills were said to be exceptional in the area of softly "neutralising" (化勁, hua jin) hard energy when attacked, which is a core skill of good t'ai chi ch'uan practice as a martial art.[3] Chang Yuanting's son, Chang Yunji teaches a style known as quanyou laojia tai chi chuan (全佑老架太极拳) or Chang style tai chi chuan (常氏太極拳).[4]

Formation of the Wu-style

Wu's son, Wu Chien-ch'uan (1870–1942) also became a cavalry officer and t'ai chi ch'uan teacher, working closely with the Yang family and Sun Lu-t'ang, promoting what subsequently came to be known as Wu-style t'ai chi ch'uan in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.[1][5][6]

T'ai chi ch'uan lineage tree with Wu-style focus

Note:

  • This lineage tree is not comprehensive, but depicts those considered the 'gate-keepers' & most recognised individuals in each generation of Wu-style.
  • Although many styles were passed down to respective descendants of the same family, the lineage focused on is that of the Wu style & not necessarily that of the family.
  • This lineage tree is based on the refuted testimony of a single source named Tang Hao, whose contention that Taijiquan begins in Chen Village (and therefore implies a "Chen Style" prior to a "Yang Style" is an assertion based on opinion and not demonstrable in fact.)


Key:NEIJIA
Solid linesDirect teacher-student.
Dot linesPartial influence
/taught informally
/limited time.
TAIJIQUAN
Dash linesIndividual(s) omitted.
Dash crossBranch continues.CHEN-STYLEZhaobao-style
YANG-STYLE
(王蘭亭)
Wang Lanting
1840–?
2nd gen. Yang
(杨健侯)
Yang Jianhou
1839–1917
2nd gen. Yang
2nd gen. Yangjia Michuan
(杨班侯)
Yang Banhou
1837–1892
2nd gen. Yang
2nd gen.
Guang Ping Yang
Yang Small Frame
WU (HAO)-STYLEZhaobao He-style
Li-style(杨少侯)
Yang Shaohou
1862–1930
3rd gen. Yang
Yang Small Frame
(吴全佑)
Wu Quanyou
1834–1902
1st gen. Wu
(齊閣臣)
Qi Gechen
2nd gen. Wu
(夏公甫)
Xia Gongfu
2nd gen. Wu
(吴鉴泉)
Wu Jianquan
1870–1942
2nd gen. Wu
WU-STYLE
108 Form
(常遠亭)
Chang Yuanting
1860–1918
2nd gen. Wu
(郭松亭)
Guo Songting
2nd gen. Wu
(王茂齋)
Wang Maozhai
1862–1940
2nd gen. Wu
SUN-STYLE
(董英杰)
Dong Yingjie
1891–1960
4th gen. Yang
(齊敏軒)
Qi Minxuan
3rd gen. Wu
(鄭榮光)
Cheng Wing Kwong
1903–1967
3rd gen. Wu
(吴英华)
Wu Yinghua
1907–1997
3rd gen. Wu
(吴公儀)
Wu Gongyi
1900–1970
3rd gen. Wu
(吴公藻)
Wu Gongzao
1903–1983
3rd gen. Wu
(马岳梁)
Ma Yueliang
1901–1998
3rd gen. Wu
(杨禹廷)
Yang Yuting
1887–1982
3rd gen. Wu
(鄭天熊)
Zheng Tianxiong
1930–2005
Wudang-style
(吴大揆)
Wu Dakui
1923–1972
4th gen. Wu
(吴雁霞)
Wu Yanxia
1930–2001
4th gen. Wu
(吴大新)
Wu Daxin
1933–2005
4th gen. Wu
Li Liqun
1924–2013
4th gen. Wu
(王培生)
Wang Peisheng
1919–2004
4th gen. Wu
(吴光宇)
Wu Guangyu
1946–Present
5th gen. Wu
(骆舒焕)
Luo Shuhuan
1935–1987
5th gen. Wu
CHEN-STYLEYANG-STYLEWU-STYLESUN-STYLEWU (HAO)-STYLE

See also

References

  1. Wile, Douglas (1995). Lost T'ai-chi Classics from the Late Ch'ing Dynasty (Chinese Philosophy and Culture). State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-2654-8.
  2. Wu, Ying-hua (1988). Wu Style T'ai Chi Ch'uan – Forms, Concepts and Applications of the Original Style. Shanghai Book company, Ltd., Hong Kong.
  3. Wu, Kung-tsao (2006) [1980]. Wu Family T'ai Chi Ch'uan (吳家太極拳). Chien-ch'uan T'ai-chi Ch'uan Association. ISBN 0-9780499-0-X.
  4. Zhang, Tina (2006). Classical Northern Wu Style Tai Ji Quan. Berkeley, California: Blue Snake Books. ISBN 978-1-58394-154-6.
  5. Yip, Y. L. (Autumn 2002). "Pivot". Qi: The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness. Insight Graphics Publishers. 12 (3). ISSN 1056-4004.
  6. Philip-Simpson, Margaret (June 1995). "A Look at Wu Style Teaching Methods". T'AI CHI The International Magazine of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. Wayfarer Publications. 19 (3). ISSN 0730-1049.
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