Tai chi

Tai chi is a Chinese martial art used for self-defense. It is also popular for staying healthy and relaxing. People who practice tai chi follow special sequences called "forms" (taolu). These forms have gentle, flowing movements that feel like "meditation in motion." Sometimes, the movements are done faster for sport competitions. In these competitions, people are judged on how well they do their forms, pushing hands, and free sparring.

There are many different styles of tai chi. We do not know exactly where it started, but the earliest records show it began during the Ming-Qing transition in places like Chen Village and Zhabao Village in Henan on the North China Plain.

Today, most modern styles of tai chi come from five old schools: Chen, Yang, Wu (Hao), Wu, and Sun. In the early 1900s, leaders like Yang Chengfu, Wu Jianquan, and Sun Lutang helped make tai chi more well-known. In 2020, tai chi was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for its importance to culture and tradition.

Etymology

The name "tai chi" in English comes from older ways of writing Chinese words. It was first written as "tʻai chi chʻüan" using a system called Wade–Giles. Later, it was shortened to "tʻai chi". Today, it is written in Chinese as tàijíquán, using a system called pinyin.

The true origin of the Chinese name for tai chi is not fully known because there are no old records. In the past, people called it by different names, like "Long Boxing" or "Soft Boxing". Around the mid-1800s, it became linked to the philosophy of taiji. This might have started with writings from the founders of Wu (Hao)-style tai chi. The first well-known link between taiji and tai chi was in a poem by a scholar who saw a performance by a man named Yang Luchan. The Yang family began using the name taiji for their style of tai chi in writings from the late 1800s or early 1900s. After that, other tai chi teachers also started using the term taijiquan.

Philosophical background

See also: Tai chi philosophy

Tai chi comes from old Chinese philosophy, especially ideas from Taoism and Confucian thought. Early books about tai chi often mention famous Chinese texts like the I Ching, Great Learning, and Zhuangzi. It also uses the idea of Taiji, a belief that everything in the universe comes from one source.

Tai chi teaches calm, gentle movements. It shows that being soft can be stronger than being hard, and moving easily is better than fighting. This helps people relax and feel peaceful. The goal is to move with life naturally, letting go of stress and worries.

Practice

Tai chi is often called "meditation in motion." It helps people feel balanced, healthy, and more coordinated by moving in smooth, relaxed ways.

Traditionally, learning tai chi starts with practicing set sequences of movements called taolu. These movements follow specific rules and include special breathing like abdominal breathing. Practitioners also learn how to position their bodies correctly. Other exercises, like Silk Reeling, are used in some styles of tai chi.

There are many activities that support tai chi practice, such as sitting or standing quietly to focus the mind, or using methods like Qigong and Acupressure to become more aware of energy flow in the body. Later stages of training include working with a partner and practicing with weapons like swords and spears. The movements in tai chi can be slow to build skills, but some styles include faster paces once the basics are mastered.

Solo practices

Further information: List of tai chi forms

Taolu are set sequences of movements done alone or in a group. They are usually slow to help practitioners become more aware of their bodies. By repeating these movements correctly, people can improve their posture, balance, flexibility, strength, and coordination. This practice also helps with controlled breathing and prepares students for using these movements in real situations. Solo forms are often done standing but can also be adapted for seated practice.

Weapon practice

Tai chi practices involving weapons also exist. Weapons training and fencing applications often employ:

• the jian, a straight double-edged sword, practiced as taijijian;
• the dao, a heavier curved saber, sometimes called a broadsword;
• the tieshan, a folding fan, also called shan and practiced as taijishan;
• the gun, a 2-meter (6+1⁄2 ft) long wooden staff and practiced as taijigun;
• the qiang, a 2-meter (6+1⁄2 ft) spear or a 4-meter-long (13 ft) lance.

Tai chi principles may be applied to any kind of melee weapon which can include:

• the large dadao and podao sabres;
• the ji, or halberd;
• the cane;
• the sanjiegun, or three sectional staff;
• the feng huo lun, or wind-and-fire wheels.

History

Tai chi started during a time of big changes between the Ming and Qing dynasties. Early records show it began in two villages, Chen and Zhabao, in Henan on the North China Plain.

People often connect tai chi with Taoism and Chinese culture. Stories say a famous Taoist named Zhang Sanfeng created it, but the oldest proof linking him to tai chi only dates to the 1600s. The real history starts with Chen Wangting after the Ming dynasty ended. He helped shape the style we know today.

Later, Yang Luchan learned from the Chen family and spread tai chi to Beijing. Other styles like Wu and Sun also come from this time. In 1912, the government began writing down and changing tai chi to focus more on health. They made simpler forms so more people could learn it. Over the years, many groups worked to create shorter, easier versions for everyone to use. Today, tai chi is practiced all over the world and was even added to a special list of important cultural traditions by UNESCO in 2020.

Styles

See also: History of Chinese martial arts

Chinese origin

The five major styles of tai chi are named after the Chinese families who created them:

• Chen style (陳氏) of Chen Wangting (1580–1660)
• Yang style (楊氏) of Yang Luchan (1799–1872)
• Wu/Hao style (武郝氏) of Wu Yuxiang (1812–1880) and Hao Weizhen (1842–1920)
• Wu style (吳氏) of Wu Quanyou (1834–1902) and his son Wu Jianquan (1870–1942)
• Sun style (孫氏) of Sun Lutang (1861–1932)

Yang style is the most popular, followed by Wu, Chen, Sun, and Wu/Hao. These styles share the same ideas but have different training methods.

Many new styles and mixes of styles appeared later, but the family schools are seen as the standard around the world. Other important styles include Zhaobao tai chi, a close cousin of Chen style, and Fu style, created by Fu Zhensong, which combines movements from different styles.

In the 20th and 21st centuries, some Chinese people who learned tai chi in China continued to practice it in their new homes around the world.

North America

United States

Choy Hok Pang, a student of Yang Chengfu, was the first person to openly teach tai chi in the United States, starting in 1939. His son Choy Kam Man came to San Francisco from Hong Kong in 1949 to teach tai chi in Chinatown. He taught until he passed away in 1994.

Sophia Delza, a professional dancer and student of Ma Yueliang, gave the first known public show of tai chi in the United States at the New York City Museum of Modern Art in 1954. She wrote the first book in English about tai chi in 1961. She taught classes at Carnegie Hall, the Actors Studio, and the United Nations.

Huang Wenshan, a Chinese-American scholar, helped spread tai chi in America. In 1962, with help from Marshall Ho'o, he started the National Tai Chi Chuan Institute in Los Angeles and the National Tai Chi Chuan Association. In 1973, he wrote one of the first popular books on tai chi in English. From 1973 to 1974, Marshall Ho'o had a television show about tai chi in Los Angeles, which became very popular.

Tung Hu Ling, a student of Dong Yingjie, was invited to teach in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Toronto, and Hawaii from 1966 to 1967. He later started schools in Hawaii and Los Angeles, which grew into a worldwide network.

Cheng Man-ch'ing opened his Shr Jung Tai Chi School in New York in 1964. He created a shorter version of the Yang style form that many people found easier to learn. He taught until he passed away in 1975.

Canada

Chen Zhonghua came to Canada from Shandong, China in 1985. He taught Chen-style tai chi there.

Another teacher, Moy Lin-shin, arrived in Toronto, Canada in 1970 and began teaching tai chi and related arts.

Europe

Italy

M°Chang Dsu Yao (1918–1992) was the first Chinese master to bring traditional Chinese martial arts to Italy. He moved there in 1975 and began teaching Tai Chi Chuan and Shaolin Kung Fu. His teachings attracted many students.

United Kingdom

Norwegian Pytt Geddes was the first European to teach tai chi in Britain, starting classes in London in the early 1960s. She first learned tai chi in Shanghai in 1948 and later studied with Choy Hok Pang and his son Choy Kam Man in Hong Kong.

Yin and yang

In Daoist philosophy, motion needs something unmoving to happen, like how you need the ground to push against when you walk. In tai chi, this idea is called yin and yang.

Yin represents the quiet, unmoving part, while yang represents the moving part.

People practice tai chi to balance these two parts. Some schools teach tai chi as a way to help with health and self-defense.

Health

See also: World Tai Chi and Qigong Day

Tai chi is a gentle exercise that helps keep the body and mind healthy. It focuses on good posture to reduce stress and pain in the joints. Because it is easy on the body, it is popular among older adults in hospitals, clinics, and community centers.

Studies have looked at how tai chi might help with different health issues. It has been found helpful for preventing falls and improving mental health in older adults. Some reviews suggest it may also help people with certain long-term health conditions, but more research is needed to be sure.

Sport and competition

Tai Chi can also be a competitive sport. In one common form called tuishou, two people try to shift each other’s balance while staying in control. Competitions may have rules about moving feet. Winners are chosen on how well they can shift their opponent’s weight and control movement.

People also compete by performing Tai Chi routines. Judges look at how balanced, smooth, and skilled the movements are. Some events include sparring to show how Tai Chi can be used in combat, but these are less common. Tournaments happen every year in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Self-defence and martial application

Tai chi can be used for self-defense. It teaches people to use an opponent’s strength against them. By practicing special movements, a tai chi expert can move easily and strongly. This lets them protect themselves using very little force. The art focuses on balance and position to control an opponent.