Over time there have evolved a variety of styles or schools of Tai Chi Chuan. These reflect both a growth and devlopment of the form in general, as well as differences of style and emphasis between different techers. Elements of other martial arts forms have made themselves felt in Tai Chi, and this has changed its character as well.

Most of the different schools or styles of Tai Chi have been given the surnames of their founders. The following are the principal schools of Tai Chi that are in existance today.

There are two principal traditions of Tai Chi in the Chen Family. In both cases the traditions were a combination of the Tai Chi that was taught to the Chen Family by Chiang Fa with the traditional Chen Family Cannon Pounding (Pao Chui) art which had derived from the Shaolin Temple tradition.

One school of Tai Chi, the so-called Old Frame of Chen Tai Chi developed from Chen Chiang-hsing (who taught Yang Lu-chan) and his student, Chen Gen-yun. His student Chen Yan-xi taught Chen Fa-ke (1887- 1957, the foremost exponent of this style whose students are responsible for its spread.

The New Frame of Chen Tai Chi developed from Chen You-heng, another student of Chiang Fa and developed via Chen Chung-sang to Chen Xin [a.k.a Chen Pin-sang] (1849-1929), the foremost latter- day exponent of this style .

The Old Frame Chen Style of Tai Chi bears a close resemblance to the New Frame Chen Style and also to the Zhao Bao and Hu Lei styles. Apparently it is not based on the classic '13 postures' which are central to the Yang and Wu Styles of Tai Chi and so it varies considerably from them.

For more detailed information on the historical development of these styles of Tai Chi see Peter Lim's fine articles:

Both of these traditions have their origins with Wu Yu-xiang (1812-1880) a student of both Yang Lu-chan, the founder of the Yang Style of Tai Chi and Chen Ching-ping (or Chen Qing-ping) who taught Zhao Bao Tai Chi.

Wu Yu-xiang had only one prominent student, his nephew Li I-yu (1833- 1892) who, in turn passed his art on to Hao Wei-chen (1849-1920). One of his students was his son, Hao Yue-ru (1877-1935) who continued to teach the Wu Shi (or Hao) style of Tai Chi.

Another of Hao Wei-chen's pupils was Sun Lu-tang (1860-1932) who had already studied Hsing-I Quan with the master Kuo Yun-shen and Pa Kua with master Chen T'ing-hua. He combined elements of all three of these teachings to create the new Sun Style of Tai Chi Chuan. For more detailed information on the historical development of these styles of Tai Chi see Peter Lim's fine articles:

The Wu Family style of Tai Chi originates with Wu Quan-yu, a student of both Yang Lu-chan, the founder of the Yang Style of Tai Chi, and his son, Yang Pan-hou. He was Manchurian by race and worked as a bodyguard in the Imperial Court in Beijing. Because of his skill in it and his renown, he did much to popularize Tai Chi Chuan

It is said that the smaller movements and more restricted style of the Wu Form (in comparison with the Yang Style) has its origin in the elaborate and restrictive clothes of the Imperial Court. In order to be able to practice combat in this apparel the movements of the original Yang Style had to be modified somewhat.

For many years there was no differentiation between the Yang and Wu Styles. There was close contact between the two families and, for instance Wu Jian- quan and Yang Cheng-Fu would practice Push-hands together.

Quan-yu taught the style to a number of students, including his son Wu Jian-quan. He, in turn passed his teaching on to his son Wu Kong-yi and students Ma Jiang-bao and Cheng Wing-kwong from whom many of today's Wu Style students descend.

Currently the Wu Style of Tai Chi is second in popularity only to the Yang Style.

For more detailed information on the historical development of these styles of Tai Chi see Peter Lim's fine article:

Yang Lu-chan was born in 1799 in Yung-nein in the prefecture of Kuang-p'ing in the province of Hopeh in China. There are several versions of his early life. One maintains that his family were farmers but his father soon noticed an interest in his son in martial arts. He arranged for lessons for him from a teacher named Liu. Yang Lu-chan soon mastered all his teacher could teach him and wanted to know more. Liu told him about Tai Chi Chuan, the secret of the Chen Family, but said that it was impossible for outsiders to learn the form.

Undeterred Yang Lu-chan set out for Hui-hsing in Hunan province where he managed to get employment as a servant in the household of Chen Chai-kou. At this household there was a famous teacher of Tai Chi, Chen Chang-hsing who was teaching the form to the young men there. Yang spied on them and at night practiced what he had seen.

After some time Chen Chiang-hsing happened to see him practicing one evening and realized the excellence of his technique. He decided to break with the tradition of secrecy and invited Yang into the school. Other accounts of Yang Lu-chan's early life claim that he came from very poor circumstances and was a bonded worker in a pharmacy before coming to Chen Chang-hsing's attention.

In any case, after some period of study, so great was his mastery of the form that Chen dismissed him and Yang returned to Yung-nein to teach martial arts. Later, one of his students Wu Yu-xiang, recommended that he go to Beijing to propagate the art. Yang eventually established a school of Tai Chi there, although not without some difficulties. In time he taught Tai Chi to the Imperial court and became known as 'Yang the Unsurpassed'.