Brief Historical Overview of Tai Chi

China, sometimes referred to as the “Land of the Sleeping Giant’, is the undisputed birthplace of Tai Chi. According to legend, and very limited historical documents, Tai Chi was initially developed as a meditative physical movement, imitating the flow and motion of animal-based martial arts techniques. The creation of this earliest form of Tai Chi generally is ascribed to Chang San Feng. He is said to have lived during the year 1391 until 1459.

Chang San Fend lived in the Wu Tang monastery as a monk. By combining the different principles of Taoism, kung fu, and the theory of Yi Jing, he created Tai Chi. Research indicates that wide acceptance of Tai Chi, and additional development of Tai Chi, further developed in the village of Chen.

Characteristic

One meaning of the phrase “Tai Chi” means “Supreme Ultimate Fist”. Tai Chi is performed using hand gestures and different slow motions. Tai Chi may be performed either as a solo exercise or as a partnered exercise. Tai Chi stresses to its practitioners that they must observe proper breathing, and correct posture throughout every movement. Tai Chi can also be used as a form of self-defense but this aspect of Tai Chi is unfortunately not taught to students, and the self-defense knowledge is slowly being lost over time.

Schools

Usually Tai Chi is taught in schools specifically dedicated to the teaching of martial arts. It can also improve the personal characteristics of an individual, such as self-respect, discipline and confidence. While there are many styles of Tai Chi, four of the most popular styles are Yang, Wu, Sun and Chen. These four are all distinctively unique in appearance and method of instruction, yet each follows the fundamentals of the basic Tai Chi principles, including cultivation of chi, correct posture and principles of breathing. In the upcoming sections, a brief overview of each style is provided.

Yang Style

This is the most famous and popular form of Tai Chi. In this style, consistency regarding the speed the movements are performed is paramount. Movements are gentle, graceful, and refined, with a continuous flow throughout the entire session. Every part of the body moves as a piece of the entire body, and maintaining a state of connectedness is important. The rear foot generally maintains an angle of 45 degrees outwards from the forward direction.