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 What
is Tai Chi Chuan (Taijiquan)?
The following contents are put together by
me from my viewpoint based on asking my masters and investigating the
reference books.
What isTaiji?  Tai Chi Chuan is equal to Taijiquan, which is a
Pinyin way of writing it. .
Yin and Yan, which is the
philosophy lying in the basis of Tai Chi chuan can be found in
Yijing, the classic oriental philosophical book on
fortune telling. The Yijing contains philosophical
principals that state that the destiny of one's life is predicted.
The Yijing , which is one of the the primary
classical works in major five Chinese sutras ;(Yi,
Shu, Shi, and Chunqiu,) is
seen as the sacred book of the Cofucianism.
The idea of
Yin and Yan (the negative; shade & positive;
lights) is found in Yijing. There is an old saying
derived from Yijing such as "
Taiji exists in Yijing.
Yijing makes Lianyi.
Sixiang arises from Lianyi.
Bagua originates from Sixiang in
Yijing (a fortunetelling sutra).
This saying
describes that the process of how Bagua is developed
from Taiji.
Ba-Gua in
Ba-Gua-Zhang which is one of the Chinese martial arts,
is the Bagua.
It is a word often used in the
oriental fortune telling.
Taiji had already
existed before the sky and ground separated. It has a round shape
and its size is unlimited.
It is in the chaotic state, so
precisely speaking, it doesn't have a stable shape.
It is said
that a piece of vigor Qi arose in this chaos and the
chaos was divided into Lianyi which had Yin and
Yang.
In other words, all creations were regularly
separated to Yin and Yang by this vigor
Qi.
This is the universal view of
Taiji.
This is a point we must pay more
attention.
The Yin and Yang idea is completely
different from dualism generally supported in western cultures; the
relationship of Yin and Yang is completely different
from that of good and evil nor the bourgeoisies and the
proletariat.
Yin and Yang idea explains that
Yin and Yang are mixed, and connected together pulling
each other, circulating in the process of its
creation.
Yang increase as Yin
decreases until Yang reaches the maximum, and then
after Yin increases as Yang
decreases.
Zhaou Lianwo (1017-1073) , a scholar
in Bei Song (one of Chinese dynasty) drew Taiji figure
stated as follows; " the movement turns into the stillness when it
reaches its extreme . On the other hand, the stillness turns into
the movement when it reaches its maximum. Therefore, we can say that
the stillness is in the movement as well as the movement is in the
stillness. This fact explains that the generation and the
development are in Yin and Yang, which are infinitely
changing and harmonies and unifications are kept in such an endless
circulation. "
The nature and human bodies are totally
dependent on the harmony between Yin and Yang.
It
is also true that nature and human beings do not confront each
other; harmonies are maintained as human beings adapt itself to the
changes of the nature.
Therefore, when the harmony between the
nature and human beings are disturbed, human beings can become sick
and may reach their death.
The law of Yin-Yang
transformation is called Dao.
If one understands
Dao, he/she would be able to predict the fate of
oneself as well as others.
In addition, he/she will never lose in
fighting since he/she would be able to read the movement of one's
enemy.
Such beliefs of Daoism lie under the Tai Chi
Chuan.
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Tai Chi Chan has a history
of 300 years and it is one of the Chinese martial arts which was
started more than 3000 years ago.
Tai Chi Chuan was started at
the beginning of the 1500, which is during the Ming
dynasty.
It was first developed for the purpose of strengthening
the dynasty's army, by putting several civil martial arts
together.
This original style of Tai Chi Chuan is called
Quan Jing meaning first sutra.
Later in he middle
of the 17th century, Master Chen Wangting who lived in
Chenjia village, located in the Henan state in
China, further developed Quan Jing to originate
Chen Style of Tai Chi Chuan.
At first, it was a
secret Kung fu, but in Chen Zhangxing's
era (Chen 14th), Yang Luchan peeped into the Chen
family practicing Tai Chi Chuan and secretly practiced it on his
own.
Chen Zhanxing, who happened to find out about
Yang Luchan was impressed by the passion of Yang
Luchan and gave him lessons of Tai Chi Chuan.
This is how
Tai Chi Chaun started to spread throughout China.
Various
schools have developed as Tai Chi Chuan was transmitted to various
people.
Yang Luchan who learned Chen
Style of Tai Chi Chuan originated Yang Style
of Tai Chi Chuan.
Yang Dengfu developed it further,
and his student Wu Quanyou originated Wu
Style.
Wu Jianquan then
further developed it.
On the other hand, Wu
Yuxiang generated Wu Shi (Hao) Style from
Yang Style.
Sun Lutang who had
learned Wu Shi (Hao) Style developed Sun
Style of Tai Chi Chuan taking in the step method of
Hsing / Chuan (a kaind of Kung fu) and the hand method
of Tai Chi Chuan.
From the view point of Chinese cultural
heritage, many kinds of schools in Tai Chi Chuan have originated and
developed.
Among those, there are 5 major schools of Tai Chi
Chuan today. (Of course there are other schools of Tai Chi Chuan
prospering besides these major 5 schools)
■Chen Style of Tai Chi
Chuan
■Yang Style of Tai Chi Chuan
■Wu
Shi (Hao) Style of Tai Chi Chuan
■Wu
Style of Tai Chi Chuan
■ Sun Style of Tai
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The Tai Chi Chuan which has been developed for 2
centuries by five major schools is called traditional Tai Chi
Chuan.
Tai chi Chuan has changed its purpose according to the
trends of the eras. As a result, various schools, each of which is
characterized by its own excellent styles and forms, have been
developed.
However, it had been very difficult to spread these
Tai Chi styles among common people
since they are all
complicated in terms of styles and forms.
To develop the Tai
Chi for common people, Chinese National Physical Exercise Committee
gathered Tai Chi masters in 1956.
Based mainly on Yang
Style of Tai Chi Chuan, they came up with a new Tai Chi
Chuan which can be learnt and practiced by common citizens without
any difficulties.
This Tai Chi is the national establishment of
Tai Chi Chuan and it consists of simplified 24
forms.
Later they established nationally standardized Tai Chi
forms such as 42 forms Tai Chi Chuan,
88 forms Tai
Chi Chuan, Tai Chi Chuan push hands, 32 forms sword Tai Chi
Chuan etc.
We can say that all of them have contributed to the
technical progress and popularization of Tai Chi Chuan.
It is
also true that they are as distinctive as the traditional Tai Chi
Chuan; they are great body and mind exercises, which are effective
in keeping good health and treating sickness.
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