FYI - There are simply 5 recognised styles in China - Chen, Yang, Wu, Hao, and Sun. All others are non recognised, with practical consequences for health benefits and self-defense.
"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
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| Master Yang Luchan |
Finally there are the other three China recognised "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 non recognised styles such as Wudang Pai, Cheng Man Ching, Li Style, Rose Lea, Lu Hung Bin and many others etc.
