According to legend, Tai Chi (Great Ultimate) was founded by a Taoist monk named Chang San Feng (c. 1300 AD).  Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese system of therapeutic exercise traced back to the Ming Dynasty (c. 1368 AD).  Tai Chi is based on the writings of the I-Ching classics, Taoism Yin and Yang principles, and Shaolin martial arts which promotes relaxing the mind and balancing the body.  Its health benefits and popularity became widespread in China during the mid-1800’s.  Tai Chi harmonizes your blood flow circulation with your breathing while improving your mental focus.  Tai Chi practice emphasizes being effortless, soft, and flowing.  Slow, even, rhythmical movements are its distinctive features.  The use of force, haste, or speed is not desired.  Your flexibility will increase, your balance will improve, and you will gain an overall feeling of wellness.  There are four major family styles of Tai Chi:  Chen, Yang, Wu, and Sun.  At YJP Kung Fu School, we teach the Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan.

Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan was created by Wu Chuan Yau (1834-1902) who learned tai chi from the Yang Style creator, Yang Lu Chan (1799-1872).  Later, Wu Chuan Yau taught his son, Wu Chien Chuan (1870-1942) who continued to modify and refine his family Tai Chi to have large and small circles, and more compact movements for self-defense.  Grandmaster Wu Chien Chuan is responsible for spreading the popularity of Wu Style Tai Chi to Southern China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.  During this time, Wu Chien Chuan’s disciple Grandmaster Cheng Wing Kwong became a famous Tai Chi Master in Hong Kong & Canton (Guangzhou in mandarin).  Grandmaster Ng Wai Nung, at the Hong Kong Ching Mo Association, learned his Wu Style Tai Chi from Grandmaster Cheng Wing Kwong.  Grandmaster Leung Shum, since 1974 has taught Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan and Eagle Claw Kung Fu to thousands of students at his New York City school.

Today, Tai Chi Chuan is even more popular worldwide and practiced by people of all ages from all walks of life.