Wu Yen-hsia

吳雁霞 Wu Yen-hsia
Born	1930
Died	2001 (aged 70–71)
Nationality	Chinese
Style	Wu-style taijiquan

Wu Yen-hsia
Traditional Chinese	吳雁霞
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Wú Yànxiá Wade–Giles Wu^2 Yen^4-hsia^2 Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Ng4 Ngaan6 Ha4

Wu Yen-hsia or Wu Yanxia (1930–2001) was a Chinese t'ai chi ch'uan teacher of Manchu ancestry.

Biography

She was the daughter of Wu Kung-i (1900-1970) from whom she learned t'ai chi. She also helped in the teaching of her father's students. Wu Yen-hsia was the younger sister of Wu Ta-k'uei and Wu Ta-ch'i, and married Kuo Hsiao-chung, who was also a disciple of her father. She held the position of senior instructor of the Wu family from 1996 to her death in 2001 and was succeeded by her cousin Wu Ta-hsin.^[1]

Wu Yen-hsia moved to Hong Kong from Shanghai in 1948. In an interview late in her life, she mentioned that she had often seconded her older brother Wu Ta-k'uei at his many challenge fights in those years. She mentioned applying first aid to any injuries resulting from the fights, and she was "fearful that someone would be killed and there would be big trouble for the family" because her brother was "young and overly fierce".^[2]

She attended to the affairs of the Chien-ch'uan Tai Chi Chuan Association while training her students and disciples.^[3] She became known as a specialist with the t'ai chi sword and t'ai chi spear.^[4]

Generational senior instructors of the Wu family

1st Generation

• Wu Ch'uan-yü (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'üan (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

• Wu-style form list
• Wu-style t'ai chi ch'uan

References

1. Cai, Naibiao (2006). "In Memory of Wu Daxin". Journal of Asian Martial Arts (Erie, Pennsylvania USA: Via Media Publishing) 15 (1). ISSN 1057-8358.
2. Yip, Y. L. (Autumn 2002). "Pivot". Qi, The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness (Insight Graphics Publishers) 12 (3). ISSN 1056-4004.
3. Yip, Y. L. (Autumn 2002). "Pivot". Qi, The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness (Insight Graphics Publishers) 12 (3). ISSN 1056-4004.
4. Wu, Kung-tsao (2006) [1980]. Wu Family T'ai Chi Ch'uan (吳家太極拳). Chien-ch’uan T’ai-chi Ch’uan Association. ISBN 0-9780499-0-X.

External links

• Wu Yen-hsia demonstrating a partial set of the Wu-style hand form on YouTube
• International Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan Federation website
• Detroit, Michigan Wu style website