Wu Gongyi (Chinese: 吳公儀; pinyin: Wú Gōngyí; Wade–Giles: Wu Kung-i; 1898–1970) was a well-known teacher of the soft style martial art tai chi in China, and, after 1949, in British Hong Kong. He was also the "gate-keeper" of the Wu family from 1942 until his death in 1970.[1]

Wu Gongyi
吳公儀
Born1898 (1898)
Beijing, China
Died1970 (aged 71–72)
British Hong Kong
NationalityChinese
StyleWu-style tai chi
Notable studentsWu Daxin
Wu Ta-k'uei
Wu Daqi
Wu Yanxia
Wu Gongyi
Traditional Chinese
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinWú Gōngyí
Wade–GilesWu2 Kung1-i2
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationNg4 Gung1 Yi4

Biography

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Wu Gongyi was the grandson of the founder of Wu-style tai chi, Wu Quanyou. Wu Quanyou's son, Wu Jianquan, became the best known teacher in his family, and is therefore also considered the co-founder of the Wu-style. Wu Gongyi was his eldest son. Wu Gongyi's younger brother and sister, Wu Kung-tsao and Wu Yinghua, were also well-known teachers of Wu-style. 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 Quanyou had died while Wu Gongyi was an infant, he and his brother were taught as young men by Yang Shaohou, who was technically a generation senior to their father. Both Yang Shaohou and Wu Jianquan were famous for their "small circle" martial expertise. The motions of tai chi 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 Qing dynasty in 1912, a new teaching environment was created. More people became aware of tai chi, and the former dynamic of small classes and intensive military instruction of relatively young students became less practical. Wu Gongyi 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 Shaohou, 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 tai chi. Wu Gongyi also formulated new styles of pushing hands based on smaller circles, most notably the "four corner" method of basic pushing hands.[3]

Wu Gongyi's children were also full-time tai chi teachers; his oldest son Wu Ta-k'uei, his second son, Wu Daqi and his daughter, Wu Yanxia.[4]

In 1953, the nearly fifty-five-year-old Wu was publicly challenged to a fight by the thirty-something Tibetan White Crane stylist Chen Kefu (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 Chen 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]

Tai chi lineage tree with Wu-style focus

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Note:

  • This lineage tree is not comprehensive, but depicts those considered the 'gate-keepers' & most recognized 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.


Key:NEIJIA
Solid linesDirect teacher-student.
Dot linesPartial influence
/taught informally
/limited time.
TAI CHI
Dash linesIndividual(s) omitted.
Dash crossBranch continues.CHEN-STYLEZhaobao-style
YANG-STYLE
(王蘭亭)
Wang Lanting
1840–?
2nd gen. Yang
Yang Jianhou
1839–1917
2nd gen. Yang
2nd gen. Yangjia Michuan
Yang Banhou
1837–1892
2nd gen. Yang
2nd gen.
Guang Ping Yang
Yang Small Frame
WU (HAO)-STYLEZhaobao He-style
Li-styleYang Shao-hou
1862–1930
3rd gen. Yang
Yang Small Frame
Wu Quanyou
1834–1902
1st gen. Wu
(齊閣臣)
Qi Gechen
2nd gen. Wu
(夏公甫)
Xia Gongfu
2nd gen. Wu
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
Wang Maozhai
1862–1940
2nd gen. Wu
SUN-STYLE
Dong Yingjie
1891–1960
4th gen. Yang
(齊敏軒)
Qi Minxuan
3rd gen. Wu
Cheng Wing Kwong
1903–1967
3rd gen. Wu
Wu Yinghua
1907–1997
3rd gen. Wu
Wu Gongyi
1900–1970
3rd gen. Wu
Wu Kung-tsao
1903–1983
3rd gen. Wu
Ma Yueliang
1901–1998
3rd gen. Wu
Yang Yuting
1887–1982
3rd gen. Wu
(鄭天熊)
Cheng Tin Hung
1930–2005
Wudang-style
Wu Ta-k'uei
1923–1972
4th gen. Wu
Wu Yanxia
1930–2001
4th gen. Wu
Wu Daxin
1933–2005
4th gen. Wu
(立群)
Li Liqun
1924–2013
4th gen. Wu
Wang Peisheng
1919–2004
4th gen. Wu
Wu Kuang-yu
1946–Present
5th gen. Wu
(骆舒焕)
Luo Shuhuan
1935–1987
5th gen. Wu
CHEN-STYLEYANG-STYLEWU-STYLESUN-STYLEWU (HAO)-STYLE

References

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  1. ^ a b Yip, Y. L. (Autumn 2002). "Pivot". Qi: The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness. 12 (3). Insight Graphics Publishers. 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. 8 (3). Insight Graphics Publishers. 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". T'ai Chi. Wayfarer Publications. ISSN 0730-1049.
  4. ^ Cai, Naibiao (2006). "In Memory of Wu Daxin - Journal of Asian Martial Arts Vol. 15 No. 1". Journal of Asian Martial Arts. Via Media Publishing, Erie Pennsylvania USA. ISSN 1057-8358.
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