About Tai Chi

There are five 'officially' recognised styles of tai chi: Chen, Yang, Wu, Wuu and Sun. Chen, Yang and Wu styles are the most commonly practised; Wuu and Sun styles are rarer. Chen style tai chi is the original form of tai chi, and is characterised by fluid athletic movements. Yang style tai chi is derived from Chen tai chi, and Wu style is in turn derived from Yang style. The Yang and Wu styles retain the essential qualities of tai chi, but not the apparent athleticity of the Chen style. Another example of differences between Chen tai chi and the Yang and Wu styles is that the latter two are slightly leaning in form, whereas the Chen form is upright (an exception to this is the Cheng Manching Yang style, which, like the Chen style form, is upright). One distinguishing characteristic of the Wu style is that nearly 100% of one's body weight is placed on one leg in most Wu style postures. Wu style also tends to emphasise acupuncture theory early on, whereas in other styles this usually enters later in the practice.