Fitness Tai Chi & Yoga

FYI - There are simply 5 recognised styles in China - Chen, Yang, Wu, Wu(Hao), and Sun. All others are non recognised, with practical consequences for lacking evidence for comparative health benefits and self-defense. These are the styles exclusively recognised by the Chinese state approved "Chinese Wushu Association" (CWU) established in 1958 operating under Chinese government's General Administration of Sport.

"There are different styles of Tai Chi practiced in modern society, which can be broadly classified into traditional styles (e.g., Chen, Yang, Wu/Hao, Wu, and Sun) according to the General Administration of Sport of China. 2 Chen style Tai Chi is the original style, and all the other styles are developed from traditional Chen style." ref: ScienceDirect & also cited as such on Wikipedia.

Chen and Yang are the most popular styles for medical research, hence vitality of teaching given scientific peer-reviewed proven evidence that supports Yang first and Chen secondly across numbers of studies. "Among the popular traditional Tai Chi styles (i.e., Chen, Yang, Wu, Wu/Hao, Sun), Yang style was applied most (487/830, 58.7 %), followed by Chen style (57/830, 6.9 %) and Sun style (19/830, 2.3 %). " ScienceDirect

"Chen style is the oldest of all formal Tai Chi systems and the one back to which all other contemporary styles can be traced."
-Page 23 of Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi

"Another key figure in Tai Chi’s martial development is Yang Lu-ch’an (1799–1872), who learned this art in Chen village."
-Page 23 of Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi

Master Yang Luchan

"...One day when master Chen Chang Shing was not home, a troupe of martial artists visited the village and challenged the Chen family practitioners to a fighting match. After the troupe defeated Chen’s family members, Yang emerged, defeated the troupe, and defended the Chen family’s honor. This earned him the respect of Master Chen, who accepted Yang as his first “outside” (nonfamily) student. Master Chen also gave Yang permission to leave the Chen village and teach others. "

-Page 23 of Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi

Finally there are the other three China recognised described on Wkipedia as follows: "This Wu style (武, Wǔ) is the third-oldest among the five major styles – Chen, Yang, Wu (Hao), Wu (吳, Wú), and Sun – but is the smallest and least well-known of the five, in part because Wu Yuxiang and his family had no need to teach professionally."

Hence there are a number of non-recognised styles bearing next to no evidence of self-defence or having undergone any science-proven research of valid Tai Chi health benefits: examples of unrecognised styles include Wudang Pai, Cheng Man Ching, Li Style, Rose Lea, Lu Hung Bin and many others etc.

Of note, for example, reported by Hunan Daily News of China itself in September 2025, at a major competition there were - as one would anticipate - only the 5 recognised Tai Chi Styles participating, an event which was "hosted by the Wushu Sports Management Center of the General Administration of Sport of China and the Chinese Wushu Association" The competition "...featured various styles, including the powerful and explosive Chen style, the graceful and expansive Yang style, the delicate and compact Wu style, the subtle and restrained Wu style, and the agile footwork of the Sun style. Over a thousand participants from 80 teams representing various parts of Hunan Province and some other provinces competed."