The Development of Folk Kung-fu
    Chinese Kung-fu, with a long history, was mentioned by the famous works, such as "Shi Jing" (the Book of Songs), "Guanzi", "Xunzi" and so on more than two thousand years ago. Kung-fu resulted from the social situation at the ancient time. The ancient society was in disorder and low productivity with all kinds of contradictions, conflicts and wars. Then, because fist fighting was suitable for short distance fight and it was relatively easy to practice, various methods of fist fighting developed fast as well as other martial arts with weapons like broadsword, spear, sword, cudgel and so forth. From then on, there were more and more schools arising in the society. Some schools can be further divided into several branches. Spreading here and there, Chinese folk Kung-fu develops and has formed the particular system.
     Chinese folk Kung-fu has an extensive knowledge and profound scholarship. According to the statistic, there are close to 300 fist fighting methods. And different methods have their own focuses, developments and directions. Take Tai Ji Quan for example, at the foundation period, the purpose and aim were to attack with skills in order to stick up for the clan members' existence and development by protecting home from invasion. At the very beginning of learning Tai Ji Quan, trainees should practice twining, gluing and following as their core lesson to manage the special chand methods ("Da Shou"). They should foster the sensitiveness of the skin touching feeling and the inside reacting feeling, which complies with the mechanics principles. Thus, the Kung-fu skills are scientific and systematic. In the next studying process, the comprehensive skills of Ti (kicking), Da (hitting), Na (seizing) and Die (tumbling) are aggressive and hazardous, which is valuable for advancing energy, patience, speed and sensitive skills. The requirement is on the line with Tai Ji Quan's principle: hardness and softness moving in harmony; diverse things incorporating together; movements coordinating according to the enemy' s; encountering opponents and defeating them; using different methods to dissolve different movements; learning and mastering the keys are time consuming.
    When we are talking about the development of Chinese folk Kung-fu, we cannot make any judgment about Chinese folk Kung-fu, based on only some individual phenomena within one period or school only. Otherwise, the outcome cannot escape the limitation and narrowness. Instead, we should discuss the topic based on the history and districts comprehensively and objectively.
    History refers to the several thousand years from primitive time to the modem time.
    Kung-fu has experienced periods of foundation, development, climax, recession, redevelopment, another climax and another recession... District element means the different understanding and awareness of the Kung-fu held by people, resulted from the various social status, living environment and other factors at the same time. Take the feudal society for example, leaders would use their political power to assemble the skillful Kung-fu masters to strengthen their leadership in a wide scale. On the other hand, the people would make use of the Kung-fu knowledge to resist oppress and protect their lives, wealth and safety as well as their families'. On this depressing occasion, people had to manage some Kung-fu skills for survival. Otherwise, they would be in the destiny of being bullied, humiliated and even killed. Therefore, all genres of Chinese folk Kung-fu are passed on from generation to generation because of the tough social situation. However, the essence of Kung-fu is changing in accordance with the social advancement.
     Society is changing, resulting in the changes of Kung-fu. The traditional Tai Ji Quan requires heavy exercises, mass energy expenditure and difficult skills, which is outdated to the modern society. So the Kung-fu deliverers have to develop the new aims and direction of the arts and create the slogan, "What is the purpose for practicing Kung-fu? A healthy and lasting life". This is also the transition from Kung-fu for fight to that for health. And for the recent one hundred years, Tai Ji Quan has changed a lot, maintaining the traditional part and developing the creative part, and different schools have been founded to satisfy different demands of different people. As a result, Tai Ji Quan can be accepted by people all over the world.
     With the analysis on the development of Tai Ji Quan, we can get some information of developing feature and direction of Kung-fu.

The Aim and ethics of kung-fu-----A Speech for the Anniversary
    Chee Kim Thong (a famous Wu Zu Quan master, the founder of Malaysian Body-Building Exercises Union, the chairman of the International Wu Zu Quan Organization)
     Now there is a misunderstanding among us generally called Kung-fu experts, i.e. when we talk about the aim of learning Kung-fu, simply to strengthen the body or to use Kung-fu to fight and help others is the very goal of studying Kung-fu. In fact, it mistakenly takes the effect as the cause, although it sounds great. If we do not study the cause but only the effect at the beginning of practice, it is practical and useful neither, nor distracting our attention and hindering us to go forward.
     The most important for any Kung-fu practitioner to do is to build a healthy body, eliminate such diseases as disorder and illness in his spirit and heart. It is quite need for us at the very beginning to build a good moral character, and to be courteous by restraining ourselves whenever facing any trouble or infuriation whatever. In other words, to improve our skill level and to conquest the enemy is by our ethics. First of all, it is also quite necessary for one to build a peaceful mind himself and try to do his best from using Kung-fu practically.
     By analyzing the structure of Chinese characters as pictograph, we should better understand what the character of “µ(ethics)” implies, and better help us grasp its real meaning well. For example: “Two ‘¸ê’ plus one ‘½ð’ is ‘Ç®’.” And “‘¸ê’ plus ‘Ö¹’ is ‘Îä.’ The implication of money has been known well by the public, but the implication of Kung-fu has still been understood only by a few people.
     Stopping Fighting' the meaning of this two Chinese characters is stopping fighting in the world. It is concerned with our purpose. There are two ways to stop fighting: One is that we stop fighting first, calm down ourselves and think about the ethics. This is called the ethics of Kung-fu. The other is to stop others' fighting. This requires us to do our best to mediate the dispute and prevent the fight to happen. The second way expresses ethics while we are using Kung-fu.
     The Kung-fu practitioner particularly needs to know the two ways well, treating others with consideration, abide by the law as well as all the right principles and keep your honesty first everywhere. Liu Zongyuan, a famous writer in Tang Dynasty, said, "One doesn't know how to treat others as his friends, but insists on doing something at his own strong will and behavior merely depending on some advantage, he will surly be responsible for what he did." This saying is still useful for us, and I hope my posterity can take it seriously. If one abandons his behavior and pursues some material enjoyments, sooner or later, he will lose his good will and perseverance. Without right will and ethics, one is not a Kung-fu lover but a desperado.

Tai Ji Quan Master Wu Wenban
    Destined to Learn Kung-Fu
    Mr. Wu Wenhan, styling himself Run Zhang, also call himself Liyang oldster. He was born in the 1920s , at Nanhe Town in Xingtai region, where Kung-fu such as Mei Hua Quan and Er Lang Quan was very popular. His grandfather actively took part in the one-year "anti-foreigner" movement at that time with his Kung-fu. His farther was a famous Mei Hua Quan boxer. Edificated by his family, Mr. Wu Wenhan began to learn and practise Kung-fu. He learnt Tai Ji Quan from Mr. Li Shengduan-a Muslim Tai Ji Quan magnate in Xingtai. From the popular fictions in the 1930s such as Stolen Boxing and Twelve Treasure Escort, he showed great respect to the Kung-fu masters like Yang Luchan. Apart from his teacher Li Shengduan, he visited almost all the Tai Ji Quan masters in Xingtai and Yongnian for advice. He was once instructed by some renowned masters such as Li Xiangyuan, Fan Shupu and Han Qinxian. Wu cleverly applied the comparative study technique to practising Tai Ji Quan, and consciously summed up and compared different schools of Chinese boxing, practice and teaching methods, which played an important role for his Tai Ji Quan research later.
    Orientation of Tai Ji Quan Study After Many Great Sufferings
    From 1949 to 1979, Wu underwent many sufferings and turned his life orientation several times. He once carried out Chinese literature study for nearly 10 years. He learnt to repair bicycles and shoes as a profession. He acted as a driver for some time. At last, he turned to study traditional Chinese medicine, and cured many patients. However, he gave up the traditional Chinese medicine after 1979, and took up his former career to study Tai Ji Quan with great concentration. Wu took cognizance of the potential social value of Tai Ji Quan during his study, and even successfully looked ahead to the potential international foreground of Tai Ji Quan. Whether or not useful for the nation and society becomes the cardinal principle for him to make a choice in study.
Not Became a Boxer But Kung-fu Researcher
    After retired, he studied Tai Ji Quan with great concentration and published a number of academic articles which sorted up his study results. With the historical dating research technique, he studied the occurrence and evolution of Tai Ji Quan in different political, economic and cultural backgrounds. He put the Tai Ji Quan to an academic height once again after two great Tai Ji Quan researchers-Mr. Xu Zhen and Mr. Tang Hao, and becomes an influential researcher and scholar of Tai Ji Quan. At the same time, he timely set forth important theories in terms of culture, philosophy and social science in allusion to connecting Tai Ji Quan with metaphysics and mysticism.
    Opposing Personality Cult and Apotheosis
In Wu's opinion, academic research cannot be separated with practice, and mystification and mysticism are disreputable. Academic research unbenefitial to practice will be washed outby history. Against some feudal appellations and organizations, he seriously expounded the origin and argument of some historical issues. He explicitly put it, difference in genre means difference in understanding of theory and different way of practising. He strongly opposes personal fetishism and apotheosis.
Exclusion of Faction in Talent Cultivation
    In Tai Ji Quan practice, though teaching was not Wu's original intention, he began to cultivate talent of "Wu" school of Tai Ji Quan by coincidence. He is quite different from others in teaching Tai Ji Quan. He is not confined by the old genre in narrow sense. He treats his own and other's disciples equally without discrimination. In recent years, Wu even more wakes up to the significance of talent cultivation. He believes that the primary cause for flourishing of "Yang" and "Chen" schools of Tai Ji Quan is talent issue. Where there are more talents, there are more practitioners, and vise versa, which could form a good circulation.
   Mr. Wu is a man of tremendous promise. Studying and workign for the revival and development of the State and nation is his lifetime pursuance. But the most respected thing for the aged scholar is that he could see how the land lies and do everything at his power in different historical periods. His research results in Tai Ji Quan, his successful experience in teaching and his encyclopedical knowledge influence many young people with ideal and gumption, and direct them on the way to study Tai Ji Quan and other academic fields for the benefit of the country.

Some Opinions on Studying Tai Ji Quan of Wu Style
    Tai Ji Quan of Wu style was founded by Wu Yuxiang (1812----1880). Its technique was benefited by Chen Qingping (1795----1868) of Wen County of Henan Province. Wu's theory was profited by the Treatise of Tai Ji Quan written by Wang Zongyue. Under the guidance of the Confucian theory, with the theory of Yin and Yang, the falsehood versus reality of the strategists in war fighting and the theory of energy channels and breath and blood of the Chinese traditional medicine, and on the base of practices, he founded a set of Tai Ji Quan including the methods of fighting, keeping in good health, keeping fit and some exercise patterns of sword and rod. He also changed the skill of one step of advancing and one step of retreating to three and a half steps of advancing and retreating respectively. On theories, he inherited Wang Zongyue and wrote Somc Advice of Practicing the Thirteen Skills, Some Explanation of Tai Ji Quan, Some Opinions of thc Treatise of Tai Ji Quan, the Concise Doctrine of the Thirteen Skills, the Secret Idiom in Four Words, etc. He formed a complete system of Tai Ji Quan inheriting the tradition, developing and bringing forth lots of new ideas, enhancing the theory, the skills, the weapons and the method of fight.
    Wu Yuxiang and his successor Li Yishe (1832----1892), Li Qixuan (1835----1900) were all the members of the family of Confucian school. They amused themselves by studying and practicing the boxing theory and skills, but very rare to accept apprentices, so just until the third generation He Weizhen, the Kung-fu of their style began spreading widely and became a sect around the state
The features of the boxing stance of Tai Ji of Wu style are as follows:
1. The stance is easy but the skills are difficult. The organization is reasonable, the operation is concise, and the skill is clear. It values the practice but not the showy movements.
     2.The attitude is serious, the body upright and the stance round. The hands protect the middle of Zhongtian, stretch forth not out of the tiptoe, and the elbows bend behind not onto the costal region. The left and the right are keeping connected and following each other, the upper and the lower are considered together, three sections and nine steps are associated as a whole, interior and exterior are joined closely, so all of the body is linked together well.
     3.The mind drives the breath to link the interior and the exterior; the breath drives the body to make it smooth. The skills change much, and the subtlety is on the waist.
     4.The beginning, the continuation, the changing and the ending are together. There are five curves on the body. The style is simple, gentle outside and firm inside, putting force into gentleness and implying magnificence into common things, so this skill has another state.
     5.it presents the boxing theory, and the sophistication of Kung-fu. It arrives at the communality on the boxing theory, the stance and the methods, and forms the style" concise and meticulous, clear, simple and elegant, dignified and free."
    Now, I’ll attach herewith some important ideas to present some experiences about Tai Ji of Wu Style that I find when I practice the Tai Ji for reference.
    1. Zhong Zheng ---- Wu Yuxiang required walking and fighting should be "upright and hold by eight aspects" in The Explanation of The thirteen Skills, so it is called Zhong Zheng. "Zhong" means not to be aside. The movements should be well situated neither too much nor too little. "Zheng" means upright. No matter how the stances change, the shoulders and the body should keep in the situation of quadrilateral but not to wind. Only being upright can make the power complete. Tai Ji of Wu style puts Yin Yang as some converse substances and "Zhong Yong" (the Doctrine of the Mean) as its principle. Further more, falsehood shall be considered versus reality or being conversely for using. The boxing system is precise and the law is complete. It should be upright and observe the regulars. Liu He and Yin Yang will join together and effect with each other. The balance is symmetric, the root is deep, and the spirit is up to the top. Accumulating when still, the breath will be thick; nimble when move, the form will be elegant. When the interior and the exterior become together, it is better.
     2. An Shu ----"An" means that the manner is calm and the movements are not absurd; "Shu" means the movements are unfold and the breath is smooth. If Anshu, the manner will be elegant, the movements will be refined, and the spirit will be magnificent. Every skill is the complete set of the beginning, continuation, changing and the end. it couldn't only avoid being hasty and careless, but also smooth out the muscles and bones. So it can make one's breath and blood drive and move much better and his power stronger. After being familiar, it requires to be compact and careful. So, being compact and unfold are together. The hands move reasonably and the feet move correctly. It had the definite goal and does neatly.
      3. Rou Shun (Gentleness)----Wang Zongyue required the fighter “be proper and bend and stretch nimbly" in The Theory of Tai Ji. To arrive at this state, the body must be very yielding. To be yielding , it must be loose at first. Only if the body is loose, one can link the interior and the exterior and make the form follow the spirit, just as" the spirit is the empire and the form is the official". Slow, and the stance is correct; Move properly, and the eyes and the mind are together, the mind and the breath are mixed together, the breath and the body are combined together the body and the hands are moving together, the hands and the feet are joining together ,the feet and the waist are rounding together, so the six aspects are all together ". The body is loose and the movements are slow, so the gentleness is inside.
      4.Yuan He---Under the premise of "stand upright, and be hold by eight aspects", the boxing operation needs Yuan He, which takes the feet as axle, and forms the movement of spiral in solid, just like the movement of the planets, the "revolution" and the "rotation". The skill is clear but avoiding moving straight, just like a puppet. If the boxing has no fault the stance is right and the operation can stop and continue, the power will be "changed at eight aspects ".  The boxing is proper, the operation is skilled and the mind and the breath are harmonious, it is called "he". Getting harmonious and perfect, the boxing will be purified.
    5. Understanding the theory of boxing and knowing the method Hao Yueru said in Thc skills and Fighting of Tai Ji Yuan, "if you want to practice the boxing, you must understand its theory." The theory of boxing is the direction to do the boxing, only if you know the theory you will have the standard of boxing. Through the movement to know the "theory" and "skill" of every stance, you can practice better. The advanced stage of Wu style requires the apprentices to know the names, familiar to the degree sand, clear to the methods and understand the possible change of each stance. Knowing the regulations, observing the regulations and theng ettingoff the regulations and merging into the regulations, you could make your spirit , your mind, your breath and your body mixed together.
      in a word, it must be fast rather than confused, slow rather than off, strange rather than nervous and familiar rather than careless. You must observe the regulations from the beginning to the end.