Wu Ta-k'uei

吳大揆 Wu Ta-k'uei
Born	1923 Beijing, China
Died	1972
Style	Wu-style taijiquan
Notable students	Wu Guangyu (吴光宇)

Wu Ta-k'uei
Traditional Chinese	吳大揆
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Wú Dàkuí Wade–Giles Wu^2 Ta^4-k'uei^2 Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Ng4 Daai6 Kwai4

Wu Ta-k'uei or Wu Dakui (1923–1972) was a Chinese Wu-style t'ai chi ch'uan teacher of Manchu ancestry.^[1]

Biography

The oldest son of Wu Kung-i, he was born in Beijing, raised in Shanghai (where he was first taught t'ai chi ch'uan by his grandfather, Wu Chien-ch'uan) and spent most of his adult life teaching in Hong Kong. ^[2][3] Wu Ta-k'uei was active in the resistance to the Japanese invasion of China, yet he later taught martial arts in Japan after the war.^[2]

Wu Ta-k'uei was reputed to be a fierce fighter, and known as always ready to accept a challenge match. He is reported to have never been defeated, and to have been famous for badly injuring and taunting his opponents in those matches.^[3] An attested story circulated about Wu Ta-k'uei was about a fight that started in a Hong Kong dockside bar between an unarmed Wu Ta-k'uei and "over 30" stevedores armed with clubs and boathooks. The dockworkers eventually fled to a local police station for protection from the enraged Wu. Interviews with dockworkers and the police records of this fight led to sensational newspaper headlines in Kowloon and Hong Kong.^[3]

Wu Ta-k'uei assisted his father and his uncle Wu Kung-tsao to set up academies in Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore.^[3] He also sat on the Advisory Board of the Martial Art Association in Hong Kong and taught martial arts in the Kowloon Police Force.^[3]

His oldest son, Eddie Wu Kuang-yu, is the current "gate-keeper" of the Wu family.

Generational senior instructors of the Wu family

1st Generation

• Wu Ch'uan-yu (Wu Quanyou, 吳全佑, 1834–1902), who learned from Yang Lu-ch'an and Yang Pan-hou, was senior instructor of the family from 1870-1902.

2nd generation

• His oldest son, Wu Chien-ch'uan (Wu Jianquan, 吳鑑泉, 1870–1942), was senior from 1902-1942.

3rd Generation

• His oldest son, Wu Kung-i (Wu Gongyi, 吳公儀, 1900–1970) was senior from 1942-1970.
• Wu Kung-i's younger brother, Wu Kung-tsao (Wu Gongzao, 吳公藻, 1903–1983), was senior from 1970-1983.
• Wu Kung-i's younger sister, Wu Ying-hua (Wu Yinghua, 吳英華, 1907–1997), was senior from 1983-1997.

4th Generation

• Wu Kung-i's daughter, Wu Yen-hsia (Wu Yanxia, 吳雁霞, 1930–2001) was senior from 1997-2001.
• Wu Kung-tsao's son, Wu Ta-hsin (Wu Daxin, 吳大新, 1933–2005), was senior from 2001-2005.

5th Generation

• The current senior instructor of the Wu family is Wu Ta-k'uei's son Wu Kuang-yu (Wu Guangyu, Eddie Wu, 吳光宇, born 1946).

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.

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

See also

• 108 form Wu family T'ai Chi Ch'uan

External links

• Wu Ta-k’uei demonstrating t’ai chi sword form, throws and freestyle applications

References

1. 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.
2. Yip, Y. L. (Autumn 1998). "A Perspective on the Development of Taijiquan – Qi, The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness Vol. 8 No. 3". Insight Graphics Publishers. ISSN 1056-4004.
3. Yip, Y. L. (Autumn 2002). "Pivot – Qi, The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness Vol. 12 No. 3". Insight Graphics Publishers. ISSN 1056-4004.