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Asian culture
Tai chi is not a modern art.
Its roots lie in the ancient Chinese
wisdom of
Taoism. Taoism and its off-shoot Zen have produced many
fascinating cultural arts.
Exploring Asian culture can enrich your
tai chi practice and offer inspiration beyond the training.
3 stages
Art moves through 3 stages:
New
Classical
Baroque
Many modern
expressions of art are baroque whereas Zen and Taoism is classical.
Consider a chair...
Somebody came up with the idea of making a chair - this is stage 1.
Stage 2 involved exploring every possible permutation of what a 'chair'
constituted; fabric, shape, size and so on.
Stage 3 is when someone creates a chair that looks like a chair but it can
no longer serve its function - it is purely aesthetic/decorative.
Like wushu in contrast with
tai chi?
The Emperor's New Clothes
People splatter some paint on a canvas, or draw a few
lines and a dot.
An art critic likes it and explains to people what it means and why they
should appreciate it.
The meaning and significance is attributed by the
critic. There isn't anything new happening here.
In fact, Hans Christian Anderson even wrote a story
about it.
Tao
Taoist art is about illustrating humanity's place in the context of a vast
world.
Paintings usually feature a lot of white space, natural flow of trees and
hills, and somewhere (perhaps) they may be a tiny human figure reclining and
watching a waterfall.
Harmony, flow, nature, context, humility... these are the themes.
Not symbolic
Rather than seek to represent or symbolise anything, Taoist and Zen art
simply imparts a feeling, a mood.
Like climbing up a hill and suddenly seeing the view. There is no deeper meaning to be found.
Zen
Zen aesthetics encourage a taste for natural
things.
Instead of glossy, flamboyant, outward show, it turns the attention
inward.
You begin to notice the small, the seemingly insignificant, and you see the
wonder of the ordinary.
Beauty in imperfection
Beauty can be found in everyday things: in simplicity, in imperfection, in
the subtle.
Wrinkles, creases, wood grain and irregular patterns in the sand are all
examples of an alternate aesthetic.
They are called 'li' and are seen as being similar to incense smoke
rising or the swirling, unpredictable flow of water.
Wrinkles show character and creases add texture.
Cultural arts
Japan in particular has maintained many rich traditions that incorporate
a Taoist influence:
•
Painting
• Textiles
• Music
• Pottery
•
Literature
• Tea ceremony
• Gardening
• Food presentation
• Calligraphy
• Wrapping things using fabrics
• Flower arrangement
• Poetry
• Theatre
•
Architecture
• Clothing
• Food
•
Language
All of these areas of study provide opportunities to deepen your
understanding and appreciation of Asian culture.
Art form
Many modern tai chi forms are
baroque; separated from functionality
and true purpose.
Not in our class.
There are no wasted movements. No crowd-pleasing displays.
The art is 'classical': simple, direct, focussed and effective in combat.
Page created 2 March 1995
Last updated
12 May 1998