Tai Chi

Art

太極拳("Supreme Ultimate Fist")

Overview

Chinese internal martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits, and meditation. Characterized by slow, flowing movements and deep breathing. Major styles include Chen, Yang, Wu, Sun, and Hao.

Country of Origin

China (Henan Province)

Founded

— 17th century era

Practitioners

300,000,000+

Also known as

TaijiquanTai Chi ChuanT'ai Chi Ch'üan

Combat Effectiveness

Overall Combat Rating

3/10

History & Origin

Founder

Chen Wangting (Chen style)

Lineage & Key Figures

Lineage

Major Lineages / Branches

ChenYangWu (Hao)WuSun

Structure & Training

Signature Techniques

Push handsFa jin (explosive power release)Needle at sea bottom

Core Technique Classes

Push hands (tui shou)Ward off (peng)Roll back (lu)Press (ji)Push (an)Single whipCloud hands

Sub-Types

internal kung fuhealthmeditation

Competition

Medical & Safety

Danger Rating

low/10

Sources & References

[1] Wile, Douglas. Tai Chi's Ancestors: The Making of an Internal Martial Art. Sweet Ch'i Press, 1999. — link

[2] Yang, Jwing-Ming. Tai Chi Chuan Martial Power. YMAA Publication Center, 1996.

[3] Jou, Tsung Hwa. The Tao of Tai-Chi Chuan. Tai Chi Foundation, 1980.

[4] Chen Wei-Ming. T'ai Chi Ch'uan Ta Wen: Questions and Answers on T'ai Chi Boxing. (1929). ISBN: 978-0938190677

[5] Davidine Siaw-Voon Sim & David Gaffney. Chen Style Taijiquan: The Source of Taiji Boxing. (2002). ISBN: 978-1556434778

Primary Source

Benjamin Pang Jeng Lo et al.. The Essence of T'ai Chi Ch'uan: The Literary Tradition. (1979). ISBN: 978-0913028636.

Geography & Status

Status

Competitive SportActive

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