What is T'ai Chi?

Qigong is the general term for ancient energy practices which involve the study and cultivation of your body's vital energy, or"qi". (see "What is Qigong?" on this website for more information.) Archaelogical discoveries in Chinese tombs have unearthed clay jars, dating back 7,000 years, indicating Qigong was present then! Qigong was originally used for health purposes. Over the centuries it was integrated into the development of different styles of martial arts. T'ai Chi Ch'uan Qigong is an example of one such "soft" martial art practice; Kung Fu is an example of a "hard" martial art style.

T'ai Chi, means "the Great Ultimate", and is a complete set of forms that includes aspects of martial arts as well as highly researched healing properties. Its purpose is to strive towards improving, transforming, and progressing towards the unlimited, the spiritual, the Great Eternal, God. The three keys of good T'ai Chi Ch'uan form are to move like flowing water -- calm, circular, and continuous – originating from the lower dantien located 1.5" below the navel. It's purpose is to help regulate your body, breath, mind, qi, and spirit. The ultimate goal is to work towards your spiritual path.

TIME magazine , in their August 5, 2002 article "Why T'ai Chi is the Perfect Exercise (especially for Seniors)", states that "this slow-motion martial art builds strength, agility and, best of all, balance. It can take a few months for the effects to kick in, but when they do, they can act as a gateway to a new lifestyle."

Tens of millions of Chinese, of all ages, practice this gentle, slow-moving energy exercise, daily, in parks all across China. T'ai Chi Ch'uan was originally expressed into three, then five different styles each named for the family that developed the underlying fighting style (Chen, Yang, Wu, Sun, Hao). Some of the forms that can be practiced are the Yang-style 8-Step, Yang-style 24-Step, and Sword, to name a few. Chen-style T'ai Chi was shrouded in secrecy until the early 20th century as were many Qigong forms until as late as the 1980s.

T'ai Chi was originally an eclectic fighting system when survival was its foremost purpose, not the health, meditative, or aesthetic quality. Practitioners, then and now, derive considerable health benefits from daily practice.

Instructors place great emphasis on students learning to be "rooted" like a tree, and developing the "stance of power" by sinking their qi into their lower dantien, or "Sea of Qi". The following poem succinctly states this important idea about correct T'ai Chi "form":

Stand tall and proud
Sink your roots into the earth
Be content with your natural beauty
Go out on a limb
Drink plenty of water
Go with the wind
Remember your roots, and
Enjoy the view!