Chen Style
Although the origin of Tai Chi Quan is subject to much debate, it is not disputed that modern Tai Chi Quan all stem from Chen Style Tai Chi Quan practiced by the Chen Family. For a general description of Chen Style Tai Chi Quan and its history, please see Wikipedia article on Chen-style t’ai chi ch’uan.
Chen Style Tai Chi Quan has many distinct characteristics. Among many, it emphasizes on the movement of Qi in the abdomen and chest areas, which is less seen in other Tai Chi Quan forms. Second, it manifests itself typically in circular movements of every part of the body while other Tai Chi forms are less obvious with these circles. Third, Chen Tai Chi Quan emphasizes on sudden release of power therefore it is also referred to as cannon fist. Last but not the least, Chen Tai Chi form is more direct in its martial art application and contains many Qin Na techniques (joint locking techniques).
For Chen Style friends of UTCC, please explore the following sites:
Chen-style Hunyuan Tai Chi Institute of China
Chen Style Tai Chi Development Center