Tai Chi Wu Style: Advanced Techniques for Internalizing Chi Energy

308 Pages·2013·10.5 MB·English

by  Mantak Chia

HealtH/tai CHi $18.95 C
h
Following the flow of chi energy, rather than directing it as in traditional Tai Chi,
i
a
Wu style Tai Chi focuses on internal development, seeking to conserve chi energy

and gather jin power from the earth through the tan tien. Centered on a “small &
frame” stance—that is, feet closer together and arms closer to the body—and a
J
slower progression of movements in solo practice, Wu style offers a gentle Tai Chi
a
form for beginners and, when practiced with a partner, a grounding introduction to n
martial arts boxing and Fa Jin (the discharge of energy for self-defense). The more
functional stance, smaller movements, and conservation of internal energy make
Wu style Tai Chi ideal for older practitioners as well as those with health disabilities.
Presenting a short Wu style form performed to three directions and an
expanded version of that form performed to eight directions, Master Mantak Chia
and Andrew Jan illustrate how to build a personal short-form Wu style Tai Chi prac-
tice. They explain how Wu style Tai Chi removes energetic blockages and helps to
elongate the tendons, reducing stiffness and allowing the limbs to return to their
T
natural length and full range of motion. Regular practice of Wu style relieves back
a
pain as well as reducing abdominal fat, the biggest hindrance to longevity.
i
Exploring the martial arts applications of Wu style, the authors trace its his-
tory beginning with founder Wu Chuan-Yu (1834–1902) as well as explain how to C
apply Wu style to “Push Hands” (Tui Shou) and Fa Jin. Through mastering the
h
short-form Wu style detailed in this book, Tai Chi practitioners harness a broad
i
range of health benefits as well as build a solid foundation for learning the com-
plete Wu style long form. W
MANTAK CHIA, world-famous Inner Alchemy and u
Chi Kung master, founded the Universal Healing
Tao System in 1979. He has taught and certified S
tens of thousands of students and instructors t
from all over the world and is the author of 40 y
books, including Iron Shirt Chi Kung and The Inner l
Mantak Chia Andrew Jan e
Structure of Tai Chi. ANDREW JAN is a senior
instructor for the Universal Healing Tao and former Australian National Tai Chi
Champion. The coauthor with Master Chia of Tai Chi Fa Jin, he lives near Perth,
Australia.
DESTINY BOOKS
ROCHESTER, VERMONT
www.DestinyBooks.com
This page intentionally left blank.
Tai Chi Wu Style
Advanced Techniques for
Internalizing Chi Energy
U
Mantak Chia
and
Andrew Jan
Destiny Books
Rochester, Vermont • Toronto, Canada
TaChWu.indd 3 12/20/12 4:19 PM
Destiny Books
One Park Street
Rochester, Vermont 05767
www.DestinyBooks.com
Destiny Books is a division of Inner Traditions International
Copyright © 2011, 2013 by North Star Trust
Originally published in Thailand in 2011 by Universal Tao Publications under the
title Tai Chi Wu Style: Tendon Form (Tai Chi Chi Kung III)
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or
by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from
the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Chia, Mantak, 1944–
Tai chi, wu style : advanced techniques for internalizing chi energy / Mantak Chia
and Andrew Jan.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
print ISBN: 978-1-59477-471-3 — ebook ISBN: 978-1-62055-005-2
1. Tai chi. 2. Exercise. I. Jan, Andrew. II. Title.
RM727.T34C45 2013
613.7'148—dc23
2012027660

Text design by Priscilla Baker and layout by Virginia Scott Bowman
This book was typeset in Janson Text with Present, Futura, and Sho used as display
typefaces
Photographs by Sopitnapa Promnon
Illustrations by Udon Jandee
TaChWu.indd 4 12/20/12 4:19 PM
U
Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Putting Wu Style Tai Chi into Practice ix
1 • History of the Wu Style 1
2 • Why Practice Wu Style Tai Chi Chi Kung? 15
3 • Wu Style Principles 27
4 • Wu Style Warm-Ups 64
5 • The Tai Chi Chi Kung Wu Style Form 104
6 • Summary of the Complete Wu Style Form 148
7 • Martial Applications of the Wu Style Form 169
8 • The Wu Style Tai Chi Boxing System 188
9 • Home Practice 225
Glossary 268
Notes 273
Bibliography 280
About the Authors 283
The Universal Healing Tao System and Training Center 286
Index 288
TaChWu.indd 5 12/20/12 4:19 PM
This page intentionally left blank.
U
Acknowledgments
The Universal Tao Publications staff involved in the preparation and
production of Tai Chi Wu Style extend our gratitude to the many gen-
erations of Taoist masters who have passed on their special lineage, in
the form of an unbroken oral transmission, over thousands of years.
This book is dedicated to the Wu masters of Mantak Chia and Andrew
Jan. They are Eddie Yee, John Yuen, Liu Hong-Chi, Kwong Ken-Yue,
and Chen Tin-Hung.
We offer our eternal gratitude and love to our parents and teach-
ers for their many gifts to us. Remembering them brings joy and sat-
isfaction to our continued efforts in presenting the Universal Healing
Tao system. As always, their contribution has been crucial in present-
ing the concepts and techniques of the Universal Healing Tao.
We wish to thank the thousands of unknown men and women of
the Chinese healing arts who developed many of the methods and
ideas presented in this book.
We thank the many contributors essential to this book’s final form:
the editorial and production staff at Inner Traditions/Destiny Books
for their efforts to clarify the text and produce a handsome new edi-
tion of the book and Gail Rex for her line edit of the new edition.
We wish to thank the following people for their assistance in
producing the earlier editions of this book: Bob Zuraw for sharing
his kindness, healing techniques, and Taoist understandings; Colin
Drown for his editorial work and writing contributions, as well as his
ideas for the cover; Otto Thamboon for his artistic contributions to
the revised edition of this book; and our senior instructors, Walter
vii
TaChWu.indd 7 12/20/12 4:19 PM
viii Acknowledgments
and Jutta Kellenberger, for their insightful contributions to the revised
edition. Special thanks to Charles Morris for inspiring and reorganiz-
ing the book, without whom the book would not have come to be.
A special thanks goes to our Thai production team: Hirunyathorn
Punsan, Saysunee Yongyod, Udon Jandee, and Saniem Chaisam.
TaChWu.indd 8 12/20/12 4:19 PM
U
Putting
Wu Style
Tai Chi into
Practice
The practices described in this book have been used successfully for
thousands of years by Taoists trained by personal instruction. Read-
ers should not undertake the practice without receiving personal
transmission and training from a certified instructor of the Universal
Healing Tao, since certain of these practices, if done improperly, may
cause injury or result in health problems. This book is intended to
supplement individual training by the Universal Healing Tao and to
serve as a reference guide for these practices. Anyone who undertakes
these practices on the basis of this book alone does so entirely at his
or her own risk.
The meditations, practices, and techniques described herein are
not intended to be used as an alternative or substitute for professional
medical treatment and care. If any readers are suffering from illnesses
based on mental or emotional disorders, an appropriate professional
health care practitioner or therapist should be consulted. Such prob-
lems should be corrected before you start training.
Neither the Universal Healing Tao nor its staff and instructors
can be responsible for the consequences of any practice or misuse of
the information contained in this book. If the reader undertakes any
ix
TaChWu.indd 9 12/20/12 4:19 PM
x Putting Wu Style Tai Chi into Practice
exercise without strictly following the instructions, notes, and warn-
ings, the responsibility must lie solely with the reader.
This book does not attempt to give any medical diagnosis, treat-
ment, prescription, or remedial recommendation in relation to any
human disease, ailment, suffering, or physical condition whatsoever.
TaChWu.indd 10 12/20/12 4:19 PM