Fat Cicada

I am thinking of starting to learn Taiji, but I wanted the real deal, not some simplified display competition type of Taiji. I found a place called Singapore Jian Chuan Tai Chi Chuan Physical Cultural Association, which teaches Wu style Taiji. I am wondering if this place teaches Taiji as a Martial Art. If anybody knows, please tell me. Thanks.
I know that there are quite a few Chen style Taiji practitioners in this forum. I understand that Chen style Taiji is the style of Taiji from which all other styles are derived from. How is Wu style Taiji different from Chen style? Is it better that I learn Chen style instead? If anybody knows, please advise. Thanks.

Graven90

If u really wan to know whether the school teaches Taiji as a Martial Art, the best way would be visiting the school and see for urself, u can try to go down afew times. You can also try asking the in-charge whether they teach the Self-Defense part and maybe ask him/her to demostrate afew moves. :biggrin4:

Fat Cicada

Hi Graven90,
judging from your avatar, you seem to be practicing Taijiquan also. What style do you practice?
I am actually more interested in Chen style Taijiquan, but I do not know where to learn. Do you have any recommendations?

wrapping crackers

Hi Fatcicada,

I got the impression that Singapore Jian Chuan Tai Chi Chuan Physical Cultural Association teach all sorts of forms. Most established chen taiji teacher in singapore will also teach many routines (old frame, new frame, competition etc).

As for difference between chen and wu taiji, you can best view those at youtube and form your own views.

Chen taiji is good for building your foundations as it physically more demanding. However many learners can't breakthrough the physical stage (me included) to really appreciate the wonders of the internal stage to this art.

Wu taiji is less physically demanding and therefore you'll take longer for foundation building(i.e opening of joints and etc). However it is possible to start learning the internal aspects within 2-3 years of hard practice.

Northern Wu style is the system taught by the founder of Wu taiji (Wu Quanyou) while southern Wu (i.e Singapore Jian Chuan Tai Chi Chuan Physical Cultural Association) is the system taught by the founder's son( Wu Jianquan). It is not surprising that northern Wu taiji is very rare in this part of the world.

Hope you have fun!

wrapping crackers

wrapping crackers

Hi Fatcicada,

Generally, it is not easy to find martial arts taijiquan in Singapore simply because masters here are not too open. The taijiquan scene in singapore is still quite conservative compared to say UK or the US where high level masters teach openly if you're willing to learn.

I have heard good things about the following masters and you may want to try their lessons if you're free:
1) ww.hsin-i.com/main.cfm?cid=358&nid=3566
2) ww.rchongtaichi.com/main.html
3) ww.singapore-taiji.com/foosw/index.html
4) ww.singapore-taiji.com/tanchingngee/index.html

Finding a good teacher is one thing; fate is another; more importantly is your own practice.

goodluck.

wrapping crackers

Fat Cicada

Hi wrapping crackers,

Thanks a million!! The links you provided are very useful.

I have watched various YouTube videos of both Chen and Wu style and Chen style Taijiquan is really more energetic. There various push hands videos but I think majority of them are Chen style practitioners, not much Wu style.
However, I saw a very old video of a Wu style Taijiquan master fight a White Crane stylist in a ring, and frankly, they looked like they were brawling in a pub.
Here is the link: youtube.com/watch?v=SZuJBsIWl_k
I understand that there were strict rules that constrained them from using their arts' full potential, but I do not see any distinctive Taiji moves.
I attribute this to my lack of knowledge of Taiji, but maybe you can see them?

wrapping crackers

Hi fatcicada,

It was said that the match was stopped becos the southern Wu stylist applied 'fist under elbow' to the nose of his opponent which shed some blood.

IF you have a chance, catch Ma Yueliang pushing hands on youtube and you'll see the flavour of Wu style pushing hands. Li Jingwu is both chen and wu stylist and his skills are pretty impressive too.

How about yang style? Is that not within your radar?

wrapping crackers

Fat Cicada

Hi wrapping crackers,

In my search for a Taijiquan teacher, Chen style Taiji keeps popping up in forums and websites in Singapore, whereas Wu style Taiji has an official Singapore website which keeps appearing within the top 3 search results in Google. I did not see much of Yang style Taijiquan, so I guessed it sort of fell beneath the radar.

How about you? Which style are you studying/mastered? From whom do you learn Taijiquan?

Graven90

Hi Cicada,
im currently learning Yang Style Taiji. Sry, but i also dun know where got teach Chen Style in SG. You might wanna try asking around in sgWutan.com:rock:

MenWaiHan

Hi Cicada,

Since u stay in Yishun, try Chong Pang CC. There should be Taiji classes around.

Benjo83

I know a very good Tai Chi Teacher
his name is Nicholas Ang.
He teachs privately and group lessons
he contact number is 96868929

MelvinLee

thanks

I made a terrible mistake That I can't take back.Now when I close my eyes, All I see is black.Whoever thought,That this would happen to me I'm not chained physically,But mentally,I'll never be the same,Never again.I deeply regret ,what I did.The mistake I can't take back.I regret it deeply, I just have one plea....God please forgive me.

hzj

anybody noe whr to learn taiji 春秋大刀 anot???