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Wu Tunan

Once Wu Tunan was so exhausted by training that he decided to throw himself into the well and commit a suicide. Seeing this, Wu Jianquan said: “You want to be cured of your diseases and at the same time you are afraid of difficulties, you are such a worthless person".

 

Master Wu Tunan was born in the family of top rank militarists in 1884, January 23 (Lunar Calendar). His grandfather was a well-known combat general  - Xian Kui (祥煃). He was a feudal lord, who got the first rank out of three from the Qin Dynasty and became a royal guard. He carried  Dao sword in the presents of top public officials.

 

Wu Tunan’s father   named Qin Bin (庆滨) was a martial arts teacher. Wu Tunan was a late child for his parents. That is why he had a lot of inborn chronic diseases like epilepsy, asthma, hepatitis, pulmonary tuberculosis, unthriftiness, anemia and his left leg was seven centimeters shorter than his right one.

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At the age of nine Wu Tunan began to study taijiquan with master Ai Shen (爱 绅), nicknamed Jianquan (鉴 泉). Later Ai Shen (爱 绅) got the Chinese family sign Wu (吴), and used this sign as signature of his own style in taijiquan. Wu Tunan became Ai Shen's first student and spent with him eight years. As a result, Wu Tunan mastered basic training complex "fixed positions" ( liànjià 练 架, dìngshì 定 式), practice of “pushing hands” (tuīshǒu 推 手) and weapon practices. Such training was a real challenge for a weak and sick boy.

 

Wu Tunan’s training of the taijiquan complex lasted for hours, he was sweating profusely in every season. Every muscle in the boy’s feeble body ached, and he just could not bear it. Once Wu Tunan was so exhausted by training that he decided to throw himself into the well and commit a suicide. Seeing this, Wu Jianquan said: “You want to be cured of your diseases and at the same time you are afraid of difficulties, you are such a worthless person".

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