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see
also........Scientific
Review of Tai Chi
Tai
Chi Over-view
Wu
Style Tai Chi Chuan Shanghai
Free
Tai Chi in Shanghai (03/08/2007)
The
Shanghai Chin Woo Athletic Federation plans to set up two new martial
arts training centers in Pudong next month, after setting up 11
district-level centers over the last year.
The
centers will offer free martial arts training in the morning in parks
every day.
To date, more than 10,000 people,
mostly senior citizens, have taken part in free classes from the
federation.
"The exercise time is usually set in
the early hours of the morning, and Tai Chi is the most popular," said
Fang Ting, vice secretary of the federation.
Youngsters are the other major target of the federation's martial arts
promotion. The federation will send instructors to dozens of schools
around the city to teach youngsters.
Chinese
martial arts have also interested many expatriates, Fang said, noting
the federation receives more than 10 foreign applicants every month.
"Just now, an American phoned me with the help of his
Chinese friend, and wanted to know our curricular during the two-month
summer vacation," Fang said.
Aarab Bryce Church,
who comes from New Zealand, has been practicing Tai Chi for more than
10 years. He has continued to attend a Tai Chi class twice a week since
he came to the city last year.
"I met someone in
my country a decade ago
who told me that Tai Chi is a good form of exercise for both physical
and mental health. Then I started to learn Tai Chi from a student of
Yang Style Tai Chi," said the 40-year-old, who works as a language
tutor in the city.
Those interested in taking classes can call the federation
at 6383-1024 or check its Website (www.chinwoo.org.cn). Service is only
available in Chinese, however.
The Shanghai Chin
Woo Athletic Federation was set up in 1910 by famed kung fu master Huo
Yuanjia. Huo, who died several months after setting up the association,
was China's most accomplished martial arts hero
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Youngsters
flock to free tai chi lessons in Shanghai (06/22/2007)
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A
former kick boxer is trying to spread tai chi to youngsters in the city
with free training classes that have attracted hundreds of white-collar
workers, the sort of people who previously scoffed at the martial art
as something to keep the elderly busy.
Huang
Zhongda, who spent 10 years mastering tai chi before opening up a
training center at Shanghai Stadium last December, says many young
people are taking up the exercise to stay fit.
His center offers free training for beginners, but members who wish to
master the skill are expected to pay for lessons.
"The number of new members is increasing almost every day, even some in
their early 20s come for tai chi though it was traditionally thought of
as a sport for elders before," said Huang.
"People have many misunderstandings about tai chi. They consider it a
movement only designed for elders," Huang said. "But that was never the
truth."
Born in Chongming County, Huang practiced
kick boxing for 20 years and won many matches, but an illness forced
him from the ring.
He went into business, but
found he spent too much time drinking with associates and not enough
getting exercise.
"I could feel myself getting
weaker and weaker day by day," Huang said. "At last I choose tai chi to
keep fit."
Last year, famed tai chi master Chen
Xiaowang named Huang his eleventh disciple.
"Chen
told me that tai chi is not a simple movement elders play without using
their minds." Huang said. "Real tai chi contains a series of skills and
trick that make it different from common sports, but somewhat like kung
fu, requiring repeated and accurate movements."
Now Huang's disciples are teaching elders almost every morning from 7am
to 10am in Zhabei Park for free, rectifying their nonstandard movements
and showing them new skills.
"Thousands of tai
chi fans have learned from me or my disciples and changed their
attitude and former misunderstandings to the movement, many of whom are
young persons." Huang smiled.
Earlier this year,
Huang's tai chi training center has signed agreements
with the city's cancer clubs, dispatching his disciples to give free
lessons to those battling the disease.
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Wu Style Tai Chi
Chuan
Wu's
Tai Chi Chuan Academy, Shanghai
China,Shanghai,
No.5, lane 1295, Fuxing Road (m)
A Brief
History of Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan
Founding
Master
Wu Chuan Yau studied under Master Yang Lu Chan, then under his son
Master Yang Ban Hau. Master Wu's disciples included Hsia Kong
Pu, Wang Mao Chi, Kuo Song Ting, Chang Yuan Ting among others.
The
second generation Master
Wu Chien Chuan
was originally employed by the Ching court in the palace battalion of
the Imperial Guards. After the emperor Puyi abdicated the throne, Chief
of General Staff Yin Chang recommended Master Wu Chien Chuan to
President Li Yuan Hong. Subsequently he was appointed teacher to the
Eleventh Corps of the Presidential Body Guards. Among his students were
Chiefs of Staff Chang I Ke, Tuan Chih Kui, Lu Mian and others.
In
1916 Master Wu Chien Chuan, along with other famous Wushu experts of
the time Yang Shao Hou, Yang Cheng Fu, Hsu Sheng Chi Tzu Hsiu, Sun Lu
T'ang, Liu En Shou, Liu Tsai Chen, Chang Chung Yuan, Tong Lian Chi,
Chiang Teng Tsui, Hsing Shih Ju and others established the Beijing
Institute of Physical Education. The Institute recruited more than
sixty students from the teaching ranks of high schools and universities
throughout Beijing. Third generation Masters brothers Wu
Kung Yi
and Wu
Kung Cho
were among the first graduates. Because of the excellent results
achieved by students there, the institute won the praise of the Beijing
University Dean Tsai Yuan Pei who recommended to the Ministry of
Education that the Institute be moved to a new location and expanded.
The new institute was named the Beijing School of Physical Education.
Students were selected from the provinces to go to the capital and
train at the school for a two year period. After returning to their
respective provinces they became Wushu teachers. This aided the spread
of Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan throughout China.
In
1924 Chu Min Yi, the director of the Medical Corps of the Main
Headquarters of the Guangdong Nationalist Revolutionary Army, also the
dean of the Zhongshan University, asked Chiang Chong Cheng, director of
the Huangpu Military Academy to cable Beijing and invite Master Wu Kung
Yi to take up the position of enlistment corps and advanced Tai Chi
Chuan group instructor. At the same time he became a physical education
instructor at Zhong Shan [Sun Yal (Yat) Sen] University. His followers
included Fang Yan Ying, Tan Ting, Chu Pei Te, Hsiong Shih Hui, Chen
Chia You, Wu Si Yu and others.
Following
the success of the Northern Expedition [1926-1927] the Central Guoshu
Institute headed by Li Ching Lin and Chang Chih Chiang was established
in Nanjing. This institute always invited Master Wu Chien Chuan to sit
on the judges committee during Guoshu examinations.
In
1928 the Shanghai Municipal Government, the Ching Wu [Wu here means
"martial"] Physical Education Association, the Sino-French University
and local notables Huang Ching Jong, Tu Yue Sheng, Chang Hsiao, Lin
Wang Hsiao Lai and others jointly cabled the Beijing Physical Education
School to invite Master Wu Chien Chuan to move south and teach Tai Chi
Chuan. The local response was overwhelming. Important party and
national figures Chiao I T'ang, Wang Yung Ping, Hsiong Shih Hui, Peng
Yang Kuang, Ai Liang, Wu Sse Yu, Ku Cheng Lun, Chu Fu Cheng, Chen Pu
Lei, Zhang Nai Ch'i and others also followed Master Wu Chien Chuan to
Shanghai. In 1929 Master Wu Kung Cho left the Thirteenth Brigade of the
Nationalist Revolutionary Army and headed to Shanghai to teach at the
Ching Wu Association. The first Wu's Tai Chi Chuan Academy was
established in Shanghai in 1935. It was directed by Master
Wu Chien Chuan
himself, with his son-in-law Ma Yueh Liang as vice-director.
In
1931 the Commander Ku Cheng Lun of the Nanking Military Police invited
Master Wu Kung Cho to be a martial arts teacher in the Nanking Police
Training Centre. In the following year he became Tai Chi Chuan
instructor at the Railway Police Management
Board.
In
1933 Master Wu Kung Cho accompanied Wu Chih Hui [another person with
the same surname], Li Shu Cheng, Chu Min I and Hsiao Yu on a
sight-seeing trip to Changsha. During a welcome reception they gave a
Tai Chi Chuan demonstration which impressed the audience, especially
the Provincial Governor Ho Chien. The Provincial Secretary Hsiang Chi
Jan recommended to Ho Chien that Master Wu Kung Cho become teacher to
the Huana Guoshu Training Centre and the provincial Party Headquarters.
He also taught to the Departments of Civil Affairs, Finance,
Construction and Education. In 1934 the Nanjing Central Guoshu
Association organized the second pan-China Wushu examination
[competition]. Master Wu Kung Cho led the Hunan Province team,
achieving remarkable results at the meet. Ho Chien was fond of Wushu
and so supported the establishment of part-time Wushu training classes
throughout Hunan province. Master Wu Kung Cho taught these for three
years. His students ranks steadily rose to over three hundred people,
spreading the reputation of the Wu Tai Chi Chuan throughout Hunan
Province.
In
1937 Master Wu Kung Cho moved south to Hong Kong and set up a Wu's Tai
Chi Chuan Academy. Master Wu Kung Yi and his eldest son Master
Wu Tai Kwei
also set up academies in Hong Kong and Macau. After the
Japanese army invaded Hong Kong the Wu family moved inland until the
war ended. The Hong Kong Wu's Tai Chi Chuan Academy was headed up by
Master Wu Kung Yi and the Macau Academy by Master Wu Tai Kwei. These
two centers developed large followings.
In
January 1954 Macau's New Flower Garden Hotel sponsored a charity fight:
"Wu versus Chen". In the opening seconds the opponent was struck on the
nose causing profuse bleeding. After exceeding the allotted rest-time,
the fight continued, but a kick to the knee violated the regulations
and the fight was called off. Following this spectacle Wu Tai Chi Chuan
became even more popular. Various Chinese communities throughout
Southeast Asia requested that branch Academies be set up for them.
Master Wu Kung Yi ordered his eldest son Master Wu Tai Kwei to set up a
branch club on Nathan Road in Kowloon, while sending his second son
Master Wu Tai Chi as well as Master Wu Kung Cho's second son Master Wu
Tai Sin
to
Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Manila to set up branch Academies. At the
same time the Academies in Hong Kong and Kowloon were becoming too
small to accommodate the growing number of enthusiasts, so the top
floor of the Haldwin Mansion on Kowloon's Jordan Road was purchased and
made into the central Academy. The original central Academy on Hong
Kong's Lockhart Road was made into a branch Academy headed up by Master
Wu Kung Yi's daughter and Master Wu Ying Hsia and son-in-law Kuo Shao
Chiong.
In
1975 members of the Chinese community of Toronto, Canada invited Master
Wu Tai Chi to establish a Canadian Wu's Tai Chi Chuan branch. Master Wu
Tai Chi returned to Hong Kong Headquarters in 1976, and management of
the Toronto
chapter was transferred to Master Wu Tai Kwei's eldest son Master
(Eddie) Wu Kwong Yu. This Academy continues to receive the support and
interest of Canadian enthusiasts.
Ching
Fu
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