BRIEF HISTORY OF WU STYLE TAI CHI

  A Taoist Monk, Chang Sang-Feng of about the 13th Century, is generally acknowledged as the originator of the art.  But the foundations were laid long before in remote monasteries in the form of Taoist yoga (Tao-yin).

Also we have precursors in the form of the famous "Five Animal Frolics" (Wu Chi'in Hsi) created by Hua To, a great acupuncturist and surgeon of the later Han Dynasty (25-220 A.D.) and the "Eight Pieces of Brocade" (Pa Tuan Chin) going back to the time of the Yellow Emperor around 2000 B.C.   The former, possibly the earliest form of Taoist Kung Fu, modelled after the crane, bear, monkey, deer and tiger combines health benefits with self defence.  The latter, a series of eight stretching and meditative exercises, like Chi Kung, are supplementary to Tai Chi.  Since the days of Chang San-Feng, Tai Chi has been developed by succeeding masters, each leaving their own personal imprint on the art.