UWWC
Taijiquan
under
construction:
There is so much information on line that you can't find anything at all. Hunting for taiji info on the web can cause drowning.
To save you this inconvenience, start with the links below.
Some taijiquan history:
My favourite taiji collection of taij-related links is maintained by Peter Lim Tian Tek. For Wu-style, see especially his history section: Part 6- The Development Of Wu Jian Quan Style Taijiquan.
Try Wikipedia at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tai_chi_chuan and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wu_style_Tai_Chi_Chuan [the specific style we learn at UWWC. Be careful: the page listing the Wu-style Form uses a different set of names.. so be sure to use the ones I've provided.]
The Wu-style Taiji Form site: http://www.wfdesign.com/tc/ [wander around in here for beginning advice and drawings of the general form of the postures]
Chiflow is a good site for learning a bit about the taiji universe. Click on the links to find your way around, or follow this link to go directly to the Chiflow Wu-style pages.
The National Institutes of Health National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine [NCCAM} website with reports on taiji and health.
Here are some YouTube vids worth watching:
Books:YouTube - vintage film of Wu Ying Hwa demonstrating the Wu taichi long form [this is the canonical Wu-style form]
YouTube - Wu Tai Chi opening. [This guy is not great, but he's clear and competent.]Some variations in the form for comparison:
YouTube - Tai Chi - Wu Style by Fei Guo Qing
Some interesting applications in pushing-hands and from the form:
YouTube - wu style taichi (2007)YouTube - pushing in that ballroom. A nice intro to tui shou and applications.
YouTube - Ma Yue Liang pushing at 92 [Yep, it's real. No, they aren't faking.]
YouTube - The uses of Tai Chi Chuan: rock'n'roll apps
YouTube - Tai Chi push-hand techniques [much quieter but worth a look]
YouTube - applications from Zhao Bao Taijiquan. [Zhao Bao is another style of taijiquan, but the movements should look familiar -- and as effective. Frankly, I just love the fact that they guy demonstrating is wearing a suit.]
Wu Style Taichichuan: Forms, Concepts and Application of the original style by Wu Ying-hua and Ma Yueh-liang.
Available directly from Wayfarer Publications.
[The prices for this thing on Amazon and elsewhere are completely nuts.]
Publisher: Wayfarer Publications (November 1, 2001)
ISBN-10: 9622391036Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain: The Essence of Tai Ji By Al Chung-liang Huang [a wonderful little book on proper mindset, practice, and application of the principles of taijiquan] You can find it here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0890875049