What is Tai Ji Quan?
Tai Ji Quan is generally translated as ‘Supreme’ or ‘Ultimate’ Boxing and as its name suggests, it is a comprehensive Chinese martial art of the ‘internal school’. Taiji as a philosophical principle of Taoism denotes ‘undifferentiated unity’. Taiji is a sophisticated expression of chinese health culture and Taoist philosophy . It is a precise and rewarding discipline that trains both body and mind.You do not have to be a martial artist to study or benefit from Taiji Quan. However, as a martial art it is considered to be one of the most profound, subtle and effective systems in China.
Tai ji Quan as Martial Art
Taiji Quan is a Taoist martial art of the ‘internal school’. It trains posture, breath and ‘mind intent’ to cultivate specific physical and mental qualities that are the core foundation of Taiji both as a martial art and as a profound and effective health exercise. There are both hand (slow and fast) and traditional weapons forms and two man combatting exercises. The various forms provide a martial vocabulary that then must be studied in terms of martial meaning. In Taiji this is typically done through Tui Shou and San Shou, two man contact exercises that teach a student martial strategies and applications. Sometimes refered to as Ba Men, Wu Bu ( 8 Gates and 5 Steps) Taiji’s martial strategy is based upon 8 principle hand\body methods (energies) and 5 stepping strategies. Other defining characteristics are ‘connect to your oponent by touch then adhere as if stuck by glue, join with their force and follow it to create an opportunity for attack’. Tui Shou also trains a ‘ do not resist but do not let go’ strategy and cultivates ‘neutralising’, ‘listening’ and ‘interpretting’ skills from which defence and attack methods can be studied.‘Internal schools’ are defined by the cultivation of a ‘soft’, integrated and harmonious energy (Qi) as opposed to a ‘hard’ muscular strength (Li) and ‘Jin’ (directed and elastic force). These are trained through a long slow process or ‘Nei Gong’ (Inner work) which starts with form and progresses through various stages of training to cultivate the Taiji martial body and mind.
Taiji Quan as we know it today underwent significant change in the early 20 th century from a secretive martial art to a more public and less martially oriented exercise/health system. It was taught to the Manchu guards of the Imperial palace in the late Ching Dynasty and Its modern roots are traceable to the 17 century with threads disappearing further into the distance of Chinese history and legend. The most overtly martial of all theTaiji traditional styles recognised in China is the Chen style. The old Chen style remains the root from which the different styles grew. Taiji history places the development of modern Tai Ji in Chen Jia Guo in Nothern China, ancestral home of the Chen clan and the place where Yang Lu Chan, father of modern Tai Ji learned his art. Yang ‘the invincible’ took his skills to Beijing and taught in the Imperial Palace defeating all who challlenged him. He passed his knowledge down through his family and disciples. One highly skilled disciple was Quan You (Wu family patriach.1834-1902) and father of Wu Jian Quan. His Taiji later gave rise to the Wu style, recognised along with Chen, Yang, Sun and Hao as the 5 main traditional styles in China today. More recently ‘combination’ forms have been developed from elements of each of the main 5 styles to allow Tai Ji to become more accessible and to standardise it as a demonstration sport. The Wu Shi Taiji Quan & Qi Gong Assoc. does not teach these modern combination forms.
Taiji Quan as Health Exercise and Taoist practice
Although the Taiji forms are inherently martial the manner of practice, methodology and principles have evolved in accordance with the indiginous Chinese philosophy of Taoism. Taoisms central theme is harmonising man with nature. The aim is both spiritual and material in that it seeks to maximise health and longevity. (an abiding theme in Taoism) whilst cultivating a clear, subtle and trancendant mind able to intuit the unity of all things. Taoism recognizes that all life/nature and matter is a process of continuous interdependant change (expressed by the theory of Yin/Yang). The body is a microcosm of the universe, energetically linked and existing between ‘heaven’ and ‘earth’. Taoist believe that cultivating the physical self in specific ways restores the innate self healing and self balancing ability of the body and brings man into an energetically balanced state with the forces of nature. The body is considered the alchemical crucible within which spiritual development is undertaken. In China,Taiji Quan is considered to be the most effective means of promoting good health and longevity. In this respect Taiji Quan is also considered a sophisticated form of Qi Gong.
Qualities that all students can aquire through directed training are: external physical allignment in both still posture and dynamic movement, muscle tone, improved balance and co-ordination, deep relaxation, body awareness and the dissolving of residual tension both long term and short term, co-ordination and integration of upper and lower body movement, strengthening of the legs and softening of the torso, opening the joints and recovering a degree of flexibility, develop core body strength, use of the ‘mind intent’ to control and direct external movement and internal energy, a low and stable centre at all times and finally the cultivation and awareness of ‘internal energy’ (Qi) and its guided movement, circulation and storage within the body.