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Tai Chi Chuan
 Tai Chi Chuan ('Great Ultimate Fist') is a
traditional Chinese system of exercise that integrates martial arts,
physical health and spiritual development, laying special emphasis on the
cultivation of internal energy, or 'Chi'. The slow graceful movements
develop balance, co-ordination and a mind that is calm, yet alert. The
gentleness of the movements means that Tai Chi can be practised by
everyone, including the old and the weak.
Although it is an exercise which promotes general health and mental well-being, it is primarily
a strict internal martial art using the legs and waist together with whip
hand and foot manipulations for both defence and attack. It is an art - the
highest level of martial art - and consequently time, effort and patience
are required in order to master it.
Often considered a yoga-like exercise, Tai
Chi blends soft, flowing yin strength with hard, fast yang power to become
an effective fighting art. It is an art of manoeuvring the body mainly by
mental visualisations and to understand it, the learner must understand the
principles and relationships of yin
and yang. (Too yin is incomplete and incorrect – as is too yang.)
The two words, Tai Chi, describe the
Chinese symbol for yin and yang. The Tai Chi symbol represents the Chinese
belief that all life contains a blending of positive yang forces and
negative, dark, cool, gentle, female strength. According to ancient Chinese
writings, life cannot exist without a balance of these two forces. Yang
continually flows into and becomes yin, and vice versa.
The history of Tai Chi is long and complex and there
are many sources of information available on the web. Here we give a brief
outline of the development of the main branches of Tai Chi today. The
history pages on this site give just a broad picture of the central key
figures and events. We encourage those that are interested in the history
to seek and compare the works of expert scholars. One good starting point
is Peter Lim’s website that has many linked resources.
There are three main systems of Tai Chi Chuan - Chen,
Yang (Young) and Wu,
all of which have their roots in the Wu Dang
temple systems (see Early History). All others are copies
of these or a mixture of them. All the principle surviving styles of Tai
Chi emerged from the Chen village in Huo Nan
province (see Later History and Branches). Here, Chiang-Fa taught members of the Chen
family in the 18th century.
o
Chen Chang-hsing
(1771-1853) studied with Zhiang-Fa and the two
combined the Cannon Pounding (Pao Chui) form of
the Chen Family, their Tai Chi, and the Tai Chi taught by Zhiang-Fa. Chen
style traces back to this point though significance of prior lineage is
contentious.
o
Chen Chang-hsing,
in turn, was the teacher of Yang Lu-chan, the
originator of the Yang Style of
Tai Chi.
o
One of Chen Chang-hsing’s students, Chen You-heng, taught
what is known as the New Frame
Style of Chen Tai Chi.
o
Another Chen
family member and student of Chen Chang-hsing was
Chen Gen-yun whose descendants continued the Old Frame Style of Chen Tai Chi.
o
Wu Quan-yu
was a Manchu guard in the Imperial
Palace at Beijing and was a student of both Yang
Lu-chan and his son Yang Pan-hou.
Wu taught it to (amongst others) his son Wu Chien-chuan
and from here emerged the Wu Style
of Tai Chi.
o
Another Chen
family member was Chen Yau-pun who veered away
from Zhiang Fa's tradition
to create the 'new' school
of Tai Chi. His
student Chen Quin-ping is credited with founding
the Zhao Bao
Style of Tai Chi.
o
One of Chen Quin-ping's students was Li Jing-Ting
who founded the Hu Lei Style of Tai Chi.
o
Wu Yu-xiang
was a student of both Yang Lu-chan and Chen Qing-ping. He taught his nephew Lee I-yu who in turn taught Hao Wei-chen. This gave rise to the Wu Shi Style (or Hao Style) of
Tai Chi Chuan.
o
One of Hao
Wei-chen's students was Sun Lu-tang. He also
studied Hsing-I Quan
under Kuo Yun-shen and
Pa Kua Chang under Cheng T'ing-hua
(a student of Dong Hai-chuan, the founder of Pa Kua Chang). He combined these forms in the new Sun Style of Tai Chi Chuan.
These are the principle styles of Tai Chi
that are in existence in the present day.
The White Dragon school teaches Yang (Young) and Chen systems and the Bai Ying school teaches the Sun style. Within these we also teach Chi Kung, Acupressure, Meditation and, at a later
stage, Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Long Sword, Broad Sword, Spear
and Staff. Tai Chi Chuan is an art - the highest level of martial art
and consequently time, effort and patience are required in order to master
it. Wu Dang temple tai
chi may be taught to those students reaching advanced levels.
In the West, Tai Chi Chuan standards have become
poor with only the slowness of the movements bearing any resemblance to the
art. In every other respect, so many principles have been violated, with
most learners never developing beyond a superficial level. We believe that
the teaching of Tai Chi Chuan must be the old way. It must not be
tampered with or changed with each new generation.
Lower age limit for Tai Chi Chuan training is 18 years.
 Click Here for information on our Introduction Courses and class fees
"To yield is to preserve unity. To
bend is to become straight. To empty oneself is to
become full.
To wear oneself
out is to be renewed. To have little is to be content. To have abundance is
to be troubled." - Lao zu
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