Tai Chi

Tai Chi
Know About Tai Chi

Surely the most graceful of the martial arts, Tai Chi offers its practitioners a wealth of health benefits. The slow, precise movements of Tai Chi enhance balance and posture, as well as adding to an overall bodily awareness and greater fitness. Unlike Karate or Kung-Fu, Tai Chi is considered a “soft” martial art, because it involves channelling destructive energy out of the body, instead of into punches or hits. The term Tai Chi refers to the interplay between two opposing forces, much like the Ying and Yang of Taoism. Translated, Tai Chi means “force of the vital energy or spirit,” Chi (energy) being the primary concept in all exercises.

Shrouded in mystery, there has been much speculation over the origin of Tai Chi. Since its creation several theories have emerged, tracing the development of Tai Chi back to the twelfth century, to the Taoist monk named Chang San Feng, who, according to legend, created the movements involved in Tai Chi after observing the circular motions of a snake fighting with a magpie. More reputable however is a second theory crediting Chen Wang Ting with the development of Tai Chi in 1644. Those attributing the creation of Tai Chi to the Taoist monk who was inspired by the snake are not far off. Many Tai Chi movements are said to be borrowed from the graceful movements of animals in the wild.

The exercise of calmness

Historically, students of Tai Chi are taught one movement pattern at a time, having mastered it before moving on to the next to later create a sequence, or “set.” The basic exercise is stance keeping (Chan Chuang), reflecting the importance of calm at the very foundation of Tai Chi. Those who practice Tai Chi may easily make the transition into other martial arts, as many of the movements are based in the “hard’ martial arts.