Wu Yinghua

Wu Yinghua
Wu Yinghua
Traditional Chinese	吳英華
Simplified Chinese	吴英华
Hanyu Pinyin
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Wú Yīnghuá
Wade–Giles	Wu2 Ying1-hua2

吴英华
Wu Yinghua
吴英华; Wu Yinghua
	Wu Yinghua on the left,; Ma Yueliang on the right
Born	1907; Beijing, China
Died	1996 (aged 88–89); Shanghai, China
Style	Wu-style tai chi
Notable students	Ma Jiangbao (马江豹),; Shi Meilin

Wu Yinghua (1907–1996) was a famous Chinese teacher of Wu-style tai chi. She was born in Beijing and died in Shanghai. She was the eldest daughter of Wu Jianquan, the best known teacher of Wu-style tai chi. Her older brothers were Wu Gongyi and Wu Gongzao, also well-known tai chi practitioners.

Biography

Wu Yinghua began studying tai chi at age nine, and by age seventeen, she was a full-time teacher in her father's school. In 1921, she was invited to teach tai chi in Shanghai. In 1928, her father followed her to Shanghai and she became his teaching assistant. In 1930, she married Ma Yueliang, who was Wu Jianquan's senior disciple. In 1935, Wu Jianquan founded the Jianquan Taijiquan Association (鑑泉太極拳社) in Shanghai. Wu Jianquan died in 1942.

After the Cultural Revolution, it became possible around 1980 to teach tai chi publicly in China again. About this time, her brother Wu Gongzao was released from prison and moved to Hong Kong. Wu Yinghua and Ma Yueliang, remaining in mainland China, created a simplified Wu tai chi form, and were again able to have public meetings of the Jianquan Taijiquan Association. They taught a large number of students in Shanghai and in their travels to New Zealand, Germany and elsewhere. Together with Ma Yueliang, Wu Yinghua published several books on Wu-style tai chi. The books "Wu style Taijiquan: Forms, Concepts and Applications of the Original Style" (commonly known as the "Orange Book"), "Wu Simplified Taijiquan", and "Wu style Taiji Kuaiquan" (Wu-style tai chi fast form) have been collected in a single volume in China. They also co-authored a Wu-style sword book. Wu Yinghua was the senior instructor of the Wu family from 1983 until she died in 1996.

Ma Yueliang and Wu Yinghua are survived by several children and grandchildren, including: Ma Jiangchun (b. 1931), Dr. Ma Hailong (b. 1935), Ma Jiangbao (b. 1941), and Ma Jiangling (b. 1947). Ma Jiangbao lived in the Netherlands and taught traditional tai chi in Europe. He died in 2016. Their adopted daughter Shi Meilin now lives and teaches in New Zealand. She also has students in Switzerland, France and in the United States (Tucson, Arizona).

Generational senior instructors of the Wu family

1st Generation

Wu Quanyou (吳全佑, 1834–1902), who learned from Yang Luchan and Yang Banhou, was senior instructor of the family from 1870-1902.

2nd generation

His oldest son, Wu Jianquan (1870–1942), was senior from 1902-1942.

3rd Generation

His oldest son, Wu Gongyi (1900–1970) was senior from 1942-1970.

3rd Generation

Wu Gongyi's younger brother, Wu Gongzao (1903–1983), was senior from 1970-1983.

3rd Generation

Wu Gongyi's younger sister, Wu Yinghua, was senior from 1983-1997.

4th Generation

Wu Gongyi's daughter, Wu Yanxia (1930–2001) was senior from 1997-2001.

4th Generation

Wu Gongzao's son, Wu Daxin (1933–2005), was senior from 2001-2005.

5th Generation

The current senior instructor of the Wu family is Wu Daokui's son Wu Kuang-yu.

Tai chi lineage tree with Wu-style focus

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 lines

Direct teacher-student.

Dot lines

Partial influence
/taught informally
/limited time.

TAI CHI

Dash lines

Individual(s) omitted.

Dash cross

Branch continues.

CHEN-STYLE

Zhaobao-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)-STYLE

Zhaobao He-style

Li-style

Yang 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-STYLE

YANG-STYLE

WU-STYLE

SUN-STYLE

WU (HAO)-STYLE

Bibliography

Wu Kung-tsao. Wu Family T'ai Chi Ch'uan (吳家太極拳), Hong Kong, 1980, Toronto 2006, ISBN 978-0-9780499-0-4.
Wu Yinghua, Ma Yueliang, Shi Meilin (1987). Wu Style Tai Chi Fast Form. Henan Science Skills Ltd. Henan (only available in Chinese) ISBN 978-7-5349-0121-8.
Wu Yinghua, Ma Yueliang, Shi Meilin (1991). Wu Style Tai Chi Fast Form. Shanghai Book Co Ltd, Hong Kong (only available in Chinese) . ISBN 978-962-239-106-2.
Wu Yinghua, Ma Yueliang(1993). Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan Forms, Concepts and Application of the Original Style. Shanghai Book Co Ltd, Hong Kong. ISBN 978-962-239-103-1.
Ma Yueliang & Zee Wen(1986, 1990, 1995). Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan Push Hands. Shanghai Book Co Ltd, Hong Kong. ISBN 978-962-239-100-0.
Dr. Wen Zee (2002) Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan, Ancient Chinese way to health. North Atlantic Books. ISBN 978-1-55643-389-4.

External links