Wu Kung-i

Wu Kung-i or Wu Gongyi (1898–1970) was a well-known teacher of the soft style martial art t'ai chi ch'uan (taijiquan) 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.[1]

吳公儀 Wu Kung-i
Born	1898 China
Died	1970 (aged 71–72)
Nationality	Chinese
Style	Wu-style taijiquan
Notable students	Wu Daxin (吳大新), Wu Dakui (吴大揆), Wu Daqi (吳大齊), Wu Yanxia (吴雁霞)

Wu Kung-i
Traditional Chinese	吳公儀
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Wú Gōngyí Wade–Giles Wu^2 Kung^1-i^2 Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Ng4 Gung1 Yi4

Biography

Wu Kung-i was the grandson of the founder of Wu-style t'ai chi ch'uan, Wu Ch'uan-yu. Wu Ch'uan-yu's son, Wu Chien-ch'uan, became the best known teacher in his family, and is therefore also considered the co-founder of the Wu-style. Wu Kung-i was his eldest son. Wu Kung-i's younger brother and sister, Wu Kung-tsao and Wu Ying-hua, were also well-known teachers. The Wu family were originally of Manchu ancestry.

There was a tradition in the Chinese martial arts that youngsters be taught by teachers of a generation older than their parents'. Since Wu Ch'uan-yu had died while Wu Kung-i was an infant, he and his brother were taught as young men by Yang Shao-hou, who was technically a generation senior to their father. Both Yang Shao-hou and Wu Chien-ch'uan were famous for their "small circle" martial expertise. The motions of t'ai chi ch'uan forms and pushing hands are all based on different sized circles, small circle movements in the forms and applications follow a more compact pathway for different leverage applications than larger circles.[2]

After the fall of the Ch'ing dynasty in 1912, a new teaching environment was created. More people became aware of t'ai chi ch'uan, and the former dynamic of small classes and intensive military instruction of relatively young students became less practical. Wu Kung-i responded to the new demands of larger class sizes and older beginning level students by changing some aspects of the beginning level hand forms he taught. His modifications of the "square" forms he had learned from his father and the slightly different form he learned from Yang Shao-hou, distinguished by clear sectional instructions for each move in the form sequence, more compact "small circle" movements in the body and somewhat higher stances with the feet relatively closer together than in other styles of t'ai chi ch'uan. Wu Kung-i also formulated new styles of pushing hands based on smaller circles, most notably the "four corner" method of basic pushing hands.[3]

Wu Kung-i's children were also full-time t'ai chi ch'uan teachers; his oldest son Wu Ta-k'uei, his second son, Wu Ta-ch'i and his daughter, Wu Yen-hsia.[4]

In 1953, the fifty-three-year-old Wu was publicly challenged to a fight by the thirty-something Tibetan White Crane stylist Ch'en K'e-fu (陈克夫). The contest was arranged and fought in Macau in January, 1954. The ring was set up as if for a Western boxing match, and there were many rules prohibiting various techniques being used by the fighters; kicks, throws or joint locks, for example. The contest lasted not quite two rounds. During the second round, the judges ended the fight, declaring the contest a draw. This was done to ensure that there was no loss of face to either party. Both Wu and Ch'en invited the opposing sides to celebratory banquets. The contest was reported in detail by the media of the day, and resulted in many new students for the Wu family school, including a martial art teaching contract for Wu Ta-k'uei from the Kowloon police.[1]

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 lines

Direct teacher-student.

Dot lines

Partial influence /taught informally /limited time.

TAIJIQUAN

Dash lines

Individual(s) omitted.

Dash cross

Branch continues.

CHEN-STYLE

Zhaobao-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)-STYLE

Zhaobao 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-STYLE

YANG-STYLE

WU-STYLE

SUN-STYLE

WU (HAO)-STYLE

References

1. Yip, Y. L. (Autumn 2002). "Pivot". Qi: The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness. Insight Graphics Publishers. 12 (3). ISSN 1056-4004.
2. Yip, Y. L. (Autumn 1998). "A Perspective on the Development of Taijiquan". Qi: The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness. Insight Graphics Publishers. 8 (3). ISSN 1056-4004.
3. Philip-Simpson, Margaret (June 1995). "A Look at Wu Style Teaching Methods - T'AI CHI The International Magazine of T'ai Chi Vol. 19 No. 3". Wayfarer Publications. ISSN 0730-1049. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
4. Cai, Naibiao (2006). "In Memory of Wu Daxin - Journal of Asian Martial Arts Vol. 15 No. 1". Via Media Publishing, Erie Pennsylvania USA. ISSN 1057-8358. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

External links

• International Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan Federation website
• Detroit, Michigan Wu style website
• Video Footage of Macau Fight on YouTube