Taijiquan
Taijiquan is a martial art. Like most of China's martial arts, its origins are shrouded in China's ancient history. Most legends and folk tales associate taijiquan's creation with the Taoist monk, Zhang, Sanfeng (960-1126 CE), although these stories, at this time, are unverifiable. The earliest accounts of taijiquan, that are historically verifiable, link the fighting art to Chen Village, Shandong Province, a small farming village in Northern China, sometime around the late 17th century.
Throughout most of China's history, villages have been at the mercy of marauding bandits, warlords, invading armies, and even the aggressions of unjust rulers. As a result, many villages developed systems of martial arts for defending individuals and the community. Chen Village was one such village.
Literally translated taijiquan
means "great extremes fist," and the spelling "taijiquan"
is a romanization based on the Pinyin translation. The People's Republic of
Taijiquan draws on Daoist principles such as using softness to overcome hardness, apparent weakness to defeat strength, and the interaction of Yin and Yang, complimentary opposites
such as full and empty, up and down, day and night, fast and slow. Taijiquan should also appear
calm, continuous, and circular.
The student
of taijiquan redirects his opponent's force either allowing the force to
disperse or redirecting it in a way that is disadvantageous for the aggressor. Like other martial arts,
taiji utilizes kicking and striking (with hands, feet, elbows, shoulders, hips,
knees, back -- any part of the body), joint locking (grappeling), pressure point or acupuncture
point striking, and throwing techniques. Taiji students place great value on
softness, relaxation, suppleness, and flexibility, and the feeling of kinetic
energy in taijiquan practice should be of spiraling, coiling, absorbing, and
releasing.
The movements of the most widely taught taiji forms are gentle enough to be practiced by anyone and are well-suited for the elderly and those recovering from physical illness and injury. It is the combination of energy and breathing exercises (qigong) and appropriate physical exertion that make taiji so beneficial. Taijiquan and qigong are also intimately related to traditional Chinese medicine. All of these relationships create the seemingly limitless potential for healing and growth through the practice of taijiquan and qigong. For those who do not need to worry about overexertion or injury, enough variety exists within the practice of taiji that even the most fit and athletic will be challenged if they have a good instructor.
In practice taiji training
consists of taolu (forms)– choreographed movements that tell the story of a fight,
qigong (energy work)– exercises that improve the circulation of energy, blood, and respiration within the body and cultivate whole body coordination, tuishou (push hands)– a sparring practice that
develops technique and sensitivity, and
basic strength and flexibility training. People who practice taiji often
benefit from improved balance and coordination and better resistance to illness
(colds, flu, even more serious conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure,
arthritis, and cancer). For many, the study of taijiquan is a life-long endeavor, a
continual refinement of skill and understanding.
See the recommended reading and viewing page on Coach José Johnson's site for more resources on taijiquan. However, the best way to learn about taiji is to do it.
