Wu Style Tai Chi Fast Form

The different slow motion solo form training sequences of t'ai chi ch'uan are the best known manifestation of t'ai chi for the general public. In English, they are usually called the hand form or just the form; in Mandarin it is usually called ch'uan (Chinese: 拳; pinyin: quán; Wade–Giles: ch'üan²).

They are performed slowly by beginners and are said to promote concentration, condition the body and acquaint students with the inventory of motion techniques for more advanced styles of martial arts training. There are also solo weapons forms, as well as much shorter and repetitive sequences to train power generation leverages as a form of qigong (ch'i kung). The various forms of Wu-style pushing hands have two person drill routines as well, which fulfil some of the same functions as the power generation drills.

In 1914 Xi Yui-seng established the Athletic Research Institute in Beijing and Invited Yang Shao-hou, Yang Chengfu and Wu Chien-ch'uan to teach. From then on T'ai Chi was taught to the public changing the ancient closed door policy where T'ai Chi was only taught privately to very close and well known people within a limited circle known as the tutor disciple relationship.

Grand Master Wu Chien-ch'uan revised and enriched the art of t'ai chi ch'uan handed down from his father Wu Ch'uan-yu. His development of the slow set led to the creation of the style of t'ai chi today known as Wu-style t'ai chi ch'uan .

He omitted some of the repetitions, Fa-jing, stamping and jumping movements to make the form smoother, more structured with continuous steady movements. This form promoted the health aspects of Tai Chi and was more suitable for general practitioners though it still contained all the martial applications and training.

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