Wu Style Tai Chi Fast Form

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 (Chinese: 拳; pinyin: quán; Wade–Giles: ch'üan²).

They are performed slowly by beginners and are said to promote concentration, condition the body and acquaint students with the inventory of motion techniques for more advanced styles of martial arts training. There are also solo weapons forms, as well as much shorter and repetitive sequences to train power generation leverages as a form of qigong (ch'i kung). The various forms of Wu-style pushing hands have two person drill routines as well, which fulfil some of the same functions as the power generation drills.

In 1914 Xi Yui-seng established the Athletic Research Institute in Beijing and Invited Yang Shao-hou, Yang Chengfu and Wu Chien-ch'uan to teach. From then on T'ai Chi was taught to the public changing the ancient closed door policy where T'ai Chi was only taught privately to very close and well known people within a limited circle known as the tutor disciple relationship.[1]

Grand Master Wu Chien-ch'uan revised and enriched the art of t'ai chi ch'uan handed down from his father Wu Ch'uan-yu. His development of the slow set led to the creation of the style of t'ai chi today known as Wu-style t'ai chi ch'uan .[2]

He omitted some of the repetitions, Fa-jing, stamping and jumping movements to make the form smoother, more structured with continuous steady movements. This form promoted the health aspects of Tai Chi and was more suitable for general practitioners though it still contained all the martial applications and training.[1]

Yang Chengfu of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan also modified his own Yang style in a similar way at the same time. His brother, Yang Shou-hao's form had a high frame with lively steps alternating between fast and slow movements with hard and crisp Fa-jing.[3] Chen Pan-ling, who was a student of Yang Shao-hao and Wu Chien-chuan describes T'ai Chi form practice beginning with slow movement changing to fast and returning to slow movement. He also points out learning to exercise rapid movement in the form and training from soft to hard and hard to soft movements.[4]

The Shanghai Wu-style Fast Form kept the original Fa-jing 發勁 (release of power), jumping, attacking and stamping movements to be studied by those eager to advance their T'ai Chi practice. This advanced form was not yet taught openly.[1]

In December 1982 there was a martial arts meeting held in Beijing to foster the traditional martial arts of China. Wu Ying-hua and Ma Yueh-liang of The Shanghai Jianquan Taijiquan Association contributed to this effort by disclosing the original Wu-style Fast Set for the first time to the public. In 1983 their adopted daughter Shi Mei Lin demonstrated the Wu-style T'ai Chi Fast Form at the All China Traditional Martial Arts competition in Nanchang where she received the Award of Excellence.[2]

Other Wu-style fast forms

The Wu family's Hong Kong branch also teaches a somewhat different fast form.

Shanghai Wu-style fast form list

The following list is an English translation from Chinese of the empty hand or fist form list published in Ma Yueliang's, Wu Yinghua's and Shi Mei Lin's Wu-style T'ai chi Fast Form'.[2] (Note: Traditionally this set consists of 108 forms. For transcribing purposes some of the repeated forms are given one reference number in both the Chinese and English versions of the Wu-style Fast Form book.)

The 95 postures of the Wu fast form style of t'ai chi ch'uan are listed below.

1. The Preparation

2. The Beginning Form

3. Grasp the birds tail

4. Single whip

5. Raise hand and step up

6. White crane flaps its wings

7. Brush knee, twist step(1)

8. Brush knee, twist step(2)

9. Brush knee, twist step(3)

10. Brush knee, twist step(4)

11. Hand strums the lute

12. Step up, diverting and blocking fist

13. As if closing up

14. Tiger and leopard spring to the mountain

15. The cross hands

16. Oblique brush knee, twist step

17. Turn body, oblique brush knee, twist step

18. Grasping the bird's tail

19. Oblique Single Whip

20. Fist under the elbow

21. Step back and repulse the monkey

22. Flying oblique

23. Raise hands and step up.

24. White crane flaps its wings

25. Brush knee and twist step

26. Needle at the sea bottom

27. Fan through the back

28. Turn body, parry and punch

29. Remove step diverting and blocking punch

30. Step up, grasping the bird's tail

31. Cloud hands(1)

32. Cloud hands(2)

33. High pat on horse

34. Open body and kick(1)

35. Open body and kick(2)

36. Turn body, pedaling foot

37. Step up, planting punch

38. Turn body, parry and punch

39. Turn body, double kicking

40. Retreat step, beat the tiger

41. Right parting leg

42. Strike the ears with both fists

43. Open body, kick

44. Turn body, pedaling foot

45. Step up, diverting and blocking fist

46. As if closing up

47. Tiger and leopard spring to the mountain

48. The cross hands

49. Oblique brush knee, twist step

50. Turn body, oblique brush knee, twist step

51. Grasping the birds tail

52. Oblique single whip

53. Parting wild horse's mane(1)

54. Parting wild horse's mane(2)

55. Parting wild horse's mane(3)

56. Jade girl works the shuttles(1)

57. Jade girl works the shuttles(2)

58. Parting the wild horse's mane

59. Jade girl works the shuttles(3)

60. Jade girl works the shuttles(4)

61. Grasping the bird's tail

62. Cloud hands(3)

63. Cloud hands(4)

64. Downward posture

65. Golden cockerel stands on one leg(1)

66. Golden cockerel stands on one leg(2)

67. Step back, repulse the monkey

68. Flying oblique

69. Raise hand and step up

70. White crane flaps its wings

71. Brush knee and twist step

72. Needle at the bottom of the sea

73. Fan through the back

74. Turn body, parry and punch

75. Step up, diverting and blocking punch

76. Grasping the birds tail

77. Cloud hands

78. High pat the horse

79. Palm goes to meet the face

80. Turn body, cross swing lotus

81. Brush knee, twist step

82. Planting punch to groin

83. Grasping the bird's tail

84. Downward posture

85. Step Up to form seven stars

86. Retreat step, ride the tiger

87. Turn body, palm meets face

88. Turn body, double lotus swing

89. Curve bow, shoot the tiger

90. Step up and pound down

91. Palm goes to meet the face

92. Turn body, parry and punch

93. Step up, grasping the bird's tail

94. Like single whip

95. Closing T'ai Chi

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ma, Yueh-Liang (1987, 1990, 1995). Wu Style T'ai Chi Ch'uan Push hands. Shanghai Book Co Ltd, Hong Kong. ISBN 962-239-100-1. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. 1 2 3 Wu, Ying-Hua (1991) [1987]. Wu Style T'ai Chi Fast Form. Shanghai Book Co Ltd. ISBN 7-5349-0121-9.
  3. ↑ Fu, Zhong-Wen (1999). Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan. Translated by Louis Swaim. North Atlantic Books. ISBN 1-55643-318-2.
  4. ↑ Chen, Pan-ling (1998). Chen Pang-ling's Original Tai Chi Chuan Textbook. Translated by Y. W. Chang and Ann Carruthers. Blitz Design. ISBN 0-9660240-3-6.
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