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Chinese boxing
Although most people think of Chinese martial or fighting arts as being
'kung fu', the actual term kung fu is fairly recent and only came into more
common use in the 1960's.
Before then, Westerner's referred to Chinese martial arts as being 'Chinese
boxing', as in the Boxer Rebellion (1899).
The popular book Chinese Boxing by Robert Smith refers to kung fu as
being 'Chinese boxing'.
The word 'boxing' summons images of fists and punching.
What is tai chi?
Tai chi is an advanced Chinese martial art based on the yin/yang
principle. The syllabus teaches a wide variety of powerful,
functional skills, along with an in-depth philosophical background.
It encourages a calm, focussed mind and trains a supple, strong, flexible
body. A student of tai chi discovers how to neutralise and incapacitate
the opponent without sustaining any injury to oneself.
Tai chi means...
Tai chi chuan/taijiquan (tai chi) literally means
-
"martial art that uses the yin/yang
principle in combat".
Tai chi is supreme ultimate (yin/yang).
Chuan is fist (combat/martial art/boxing).
Dynamic Balancing Boxing
Tai chi chuan is commonly translated as 'supreme ultimate fist'. Author Thomas
Cleary referred to this style of kung fu as 'absolute boxing'.
A better translation might be 'dynamic balancing boxing' because it
suggests that yin/yang is a process.
Yang style has something of the
feeling of 'killer energy' about it; it is more martial in appearance.
A
spectator can see the applications of the movements when they watch the
form.
(Master Xu Shu
Song)
4 styles
There are 4 traditional styles of tai chi: Chen,
Yang, Wu and Hao. (People often include Sun style on this list,
but Sun is a combination style, incorporating elements of bagua and
xingyi also).
Wudang
Tai chi was created in the Wudang Mountain range in Hubei, China. This
mountain region is famous for Taoism.
Although bagua and
xingyiquan are often referred to as
'Wudang', neither of those styles originated in the Wudang Mountain range.
Only tai chi is from Wudang.
Tai chi chuan is not tai chi for health
When most people say 'tai chi' they mean
tai chi for health. Tai chi for health is a simplified, non-martial exercise
adapted from tai chi chuan.
Most modern tai chi classes are
teaching an art that an old person could cope
with... By definition this cannot
conceivably be a martial art.
Old/classical
Yang style tai chi
Old Yang style
tai chi
is a
fluid, dynamic, exciting martial art
style that involves
a wide range of 'counter-intuitive' methods.
The art is thought-provoking and insightful; with lessons about living as
well as about fighting. There is nothing macho, aggressive, confrontational
or competitive about tai chi.
Legendary skill
The old Yang style of tai chi was developed by the
martial arts legend Yang Lu-chan. Yang Lu-chan's nickname was
'Yang-the-Invincible'.
He is famous for teaching his tai chi to the Manchu Emperor's elite palace
guards.
Tai chi was created more
than 1000 years ago.
(Yang Jwing-Ming)
Advanced
Tai chi was designed to be an advanced method. It cultivates
whole-body strength, whole-body
movement, fluidity and
whole-body power.
The muscles do not tense up and the student remains calm and
composed. In the melee of combat, the aim is to
become 'the eye of the storm'; unflustered and focused.
Secrecy
The combat methods and principles
behind tai chi have been a well-kept secret in China for hundreds (if not
thousands) of years.
Even today very few people understand how to use tai chi as a martial art.
Although the exact origin of tai chi remains a mystery, it employs
insights and principles that are ancient.
New tai chi students are faced with the challenge of exploring these
ancient practices in order to discover how
and why the art works.
Self defence
Tai chi teaches you how to defend yourself from harm. This means less
fear, greater confidence, and the ability to identify (and avoid) dangerous
situations.
The aim of self defence is to incapacitate the attacker and walk away;
ideally unharmed. Discover how to keep a cool head, avoid conflict and
cope with hostility.
Basic fighting skills
Martial arts classes teach people how to punch, kick and
grapple, along with self defence
skill and martial concepts (what combat constitutes and how to do it effectively).
Tai chi students start out by
learning these 'generic' martial arts skills. But must perform them in a
tai chi way. This means no aggression, and no tensing-up,
bracing or forcing.
Tai
chi fighting method
Having laid the
martial foundation, tai chi diverges
from mainstream martial arts... cultivating
more complex,
sophisticated abilities that require an
advanced use of the body.
The application of tai chi always follows the guidelines presented in
The Tai Chi Classics.
Isn't tai chi just slow motion exercise?
No. Some of the training methods are slow, and some are not. Slow motion
movement, chilled out exercise or dance cannot be considered tai chi.
Authentic tai chi practice follows specific guidelines.
To quote The Tai Chi Classics:
"If the opponent's movement is quick, then
quickly respond; if his movement is slow, then follow slowly."
Some of the training methods (i.e. form) are slower than normal speed; this
is to develop strength, accuracy, balance, smoothness and control.
Combat is fast.
Why did they make the forms long in the old days, like the tai chi
forms?
Because the longer you can keep your intent awake and mind-body unified and
focus on your movements, the stronger your mind is, the better chance you have
of winning a fight.
(Tim Cartmell)
13 authenticity combat essence FORM internal jing neigong power principles syllabus the Tao why? yang
Page created 11 January 1993
Last updated
18 June 2023