For more information on the Yang Style refer to Issue 3 Volume 3.

So Quan-Yu learned from a second generation of the Yang family, Ban Hou, who was reputed to be a robust martial artist. His son Jian-Quan founded the Shanghai Jian-Quan Taijiquan Association in the 1930s. This Shanghai association was restored in 1980 and probably went under cover during the Sino/Japanese war and the cultural revolution (1966-1972).

It was after Mao's death in 1976 that the greater freedom and openness allowed many old traditional teachers to practice openly. The reconstitution of the Shanghai school was under the influence of Ma Yueh Liang (1901-1998). Ma was the son-in-law of Jian-Quan and began his training with him in 1917 at the young age of 16; he married Jian-Quan's daughter in 1930. The daughter, Master Wu Ying-Ha (1904-1996) was President of the reconvened Shanghai Association and her husband was Vice President.

Grand Master Wu Jian-Quan was a native of Daxing County, Hebei Province, quite close to the capital of Beijing. He learned his Taiji skills from his father Quan-You who was a lowly military official in the Manchurian Army of the Qing Dynasty. It is written that while Quan-You's first teacher was Yang Lu-Chan the founder of the Yang Style his lowly station in life excluded him from being a member of the Yang family brotherhood. Yang was of course teaching at the royal court and his followers were nobles of distinction. It was for this reason Yang suggested that Wu should become a disciple of his son Yang Ban-Hou.

Wu Jian-Quan is the teacher who developed his individual style which defines the clear differences from the original Yang form. However there are still many areas of common ground. There are many links in the common principles underlying all styles of Taijiquan Ð from my own observations all styles adopt unique approaches to pushing hands. The desired end result remains the same: to retain equilibrium while uprooting your opponent.

In Issue 2 Volume 3 Simon showed some classic illustrations of the difference between individual forms drawn from the five major styles. One could only discover true distinction of various styles by studying each one for a long period and from a teacher of note and with true ancestral connections. (The possibility probably does not exist).

According to historical records Wu Jian-Quan was noted for his skills in archery and horsemanship, as well as being a consumate martial artist. One can assume the equestrian skills were derived from his Manchurian background. The Wu Style appears to have gone through a similar reformation as the Yang Style if the historical information is correct. In a book written by Ma Yueh-Liang it is said that Jian Quan Òenriched the art of Taijiquan handed down by his family. In the traditional slow forms he omitted some of the repetitions, the stamping and jumping movements so as to make the forms more smooth and structured thus creating one of the main schools of Taijiquan.Ó (Excuse me while I muse on the thought that surely this is exactly what successive teachers of the Yang family have been attributed with. Open up the Taiji annals and you discover a bag of contradictions).

In the first republic of China, Xi Yui-Sen (1879-1945) a Yang Style enthusiast developed an athletic research institute in Beijing. Among the renowned teachers invited to instruct were Yang Shou-Hou (1862-1930) his brother the famous Yang Cheng-Fu (1883-1936) and Wu Jian-Quan (1870-1942).

The revision of the Chen Style that was to spawn the Yang Style had already begun with its founder Yang Lu-Chan (1799-1872) and continued by his two sons Yang Jian Hou and Yang Ban-Hou. The two sons of Yang Jian-Hou, Yang Cheng-fu and Yang Shou-Hou completed the work with Cheng-Fu being credited with the twentieth century standardisation. The standardising included the elimination of fast movements high jumps and fast kicks.