Wu-Style Tai Chi (3)

The modern competition form in Wu-style is the Wu 45. Like other competition routines, it incorporates the opening of the traditional form, plus many of the most important moves of the old form, but it is more left/right balanced and contains no repetition. Also like other competition routines, the Wu 45 is about six minutes long.

宗維洁 Zōng Wéi jié (1969- Beijing) is a six-time national champion in Wu-style Tai Chi competition.

Here is a list of the 45 movements (PDF).

Alas! The excellent China Wushu YouTube station no longer exists! In fall and winter of 2022-2023, I used the teaching series by Zong Wei Jie to learn the Wu 45. I have hunted down most of the videos on other YouTube stations, but I cannot find the introductory piece anywhere. In it, one of Zong’s students gives an amazing performance of the whole routine.

Here is a demo of the whole routine by Zong herself. Video quality is not the best:

Of the introductory videos on the elements of Wu style, I have located only one:

Video 4: Bufa (footwork)

I have found links to all the segments teaching the routine:

Amin Wu (吳阿敏 Wú Ā Mǐn) (About Master Wu) is another great Wu-style Tai Chi Master. Like Zong, she studied under Master Li Bingci (李秉慈 Lǐ Bǐng cí). She offers a video teaching series on Wu 45, available on Vimeo for only $20. I have used many teaching videos by Master Wu over the years (Yang, Sun, and Wu!)—they are all excellent.

Master Amin Wu teaching Wu-style 45-step Tai Chi

And here is a demonstration of the whole routine by Master Amin Wu:

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