Brief Introduction of Taijiquan

1. Brief Introduction of Taijiquan Shenyang Sport University Yao Dan

2. Objectives • Learn about the word “ Taiji” • Learn about the definition of Taijiquan • Learn about the styles of Taijiquan • Learn about the development of Taijiquan after the founding of PRC.

3. Question Time? Have you ever heard of the word “Taijiquan” (shadow boxing or Tai chi) before this class? In your mind, what is Taijiquan?

4. The origin of the word “Taiji” THE Origin of Taijiquan The Book of Changes THE Emperor Wen of Zhou

5. THE Origin of Taijiquan • The word “Taiji” in <The Book of Changes> has the meaning of being extreme, supreme and infinite, moreover, it refers to the ultimate source of the whole universe.

6. THE Origin of Taijiquan • The famous ideologist Zhang Zai in Northern Song dynasty explained it with the materialist method. He thought “Ji in <The Book of Changes> is the material energy, every object has two kinds of energy and the two kinds of energy are the Yin and Yang”.

7. THE Origin of Taijiquan • Zhou Dunyi in Song dynasty explained “When Taiji turns, Yin and Yang comes. Yin and Yang are coming from Taiji. When the dynamic reaches its extreme, it quiets down into the stillness to become Yin. When the stillness reaches its extreme, the dynamic comes again. The dynamic and stillness are the basis for each other.”

8. THE Origin of Taijiquan • The word “Taiji’ in <The book of changes> has established an idea: “one gives birth to two.”

9. Yin and Yang THE Origin of Taijiquan Yang Yang Yang Yang Yin Yin

10. THE Origin of Taijiquan Yin-Yang double fish Picture

11. THE Origin of Taijiquan • Back to the question, what is Taijiquan? • In <Chinese Wushu course>, Taijiquan was defined as follows: “Taijiquan is a kind of performing style which is light, gentle and slow.”

12. THE Origin of Taijiquan • In China, Taijiquan is one of Wushu events, it is a very important performing style in Wushu system.

13. Taijiquan Routine Combat THE Origin of Taijiquan • Taijiquan consists of two types of movements. One is routine, the other is combat.

14. THE Origin of Taijiquan • Some series of movements are called routine movements. It includes 24-Form Simplified Taijiquan, 42-Form Taijiquan, etc. 24-Form Simplified Taijiquan 42-Form Taijiquan

15. The Characteristics of Taijiquan Routine THE Origin of Taijiquan • Moving slowly • Natural Breathing • Physical relaxation

16. THE Origin of Taijiquan • Hand-pushing movement is called combat. Hand-pushing

17. The Characteristics of Hand-pushing • Two people use the techniques of Taijiquan • To adhere and cohere with each other • Judge the strength of your opponents by sensing of muscles • Borrow the strength and apply it back to push the opponent down

18. Originator of Taijiquan THE Origin of Taijiquan • There are few claims about the originator of Taijiquan. Chen Wangting Zhang Shanfeng

19. THE Origin of Taijiquan • Chen Wangting lived in Chen Jiagou, Henan province, which is now the cradle of Taijiquan. Chen Wangting

20. THE Origin of Taijiquan Taijiquan Square in Chen Jiagou

21. THE Origin of Taijiquan • This is the first intangible cultural heritage museum in China. Museum of Taijiquan in Chen Jiagou

22. THE Origin of Taijiquan The Ceremony of following Master

23. THE Origin of Taijiquan The Foreigners Learn Taijiquan The Master Chen Xiaowang The Master Chen Xing

24. THE Origin of Taijiquan • It is recorded in the <Record of Wen County> that Chen Wangting was appointed as the militia commandant of Wen County in Ming dynasty in 1641.

25. The Styles of Taijiquan THE Styles of Taijiquan

26. THE Styles of Taijiquan • Except the five main styles, there are also some other styles of Taijiquan, such as He style, Chang style, Zhaobao Style, etc.

27. Chen Style THE Styles of Taijiquan Chen Wangting Chen Changxing

28. THE Styles of Taijiquan • Besides Chen Changxing, there were Chen Youheng and Chen Youben who were also the famous masters of Taijiquan. • Chen Youben improved the New Form of Chen style. • Chen Changxing improved the Old-Form of Chen style.

29. Yang Style THE Styles of Taijiquan Yang Luchan Yang Jianhou Yang Chengpu

30. THE Styles of Taijiquan • Yang Luchan simplified the performing process, revised some leaping and jumping movements. • Yang style is especially good at overcoming the hard with the soft.

31. Wu Style(吴氏) THE Styles of Taijiquan Wu Jianquan Wu Gongyi

32. THE Styles of Taijiquan • Wu Jianquan inherited the small form of Yang style, and he was exceptionally skilled in resolving other people’s force.

33. Wu style（武式） THE Styles of Taijiquan Wu Yuxiang Li Yishe

34. THE Styles of Taijiquan • Li Yishe passed the Taijiquan to his friend and neighbor Hao Weizhen, so Wushu style also called Hao style at that time.

35. Sun Style THE Styles of Taijiquan Sun Lutang Sun Jianyun

36. THE Styles of Taijiquan • Sun Lutang was good at the Xingyi and Bagua, he combined Taijiquan into those techniques.

37. Taijiquan in ChinaAfter the founding of PRC The Development of Taijiquan • Chairman Mao once said: “We have to promote everything we can do, something like doing gymnastics, playing balls, climbing mountains, swimming, performing Taijiquan and doing all kinds of sports.” In the 1950-1960s

38. The Development of Taijiquan In the 1970-1980s • Deng Xiaoping wrote an inscription: “Taijiquan is good ” in 16 November 1978.

39. The Development of Taijiquan Over one hundred countries, almost one hundred million people In the 1990s Put Taijiquan into Dan system Every May as International Taijiquan Month

40. After 20 years of Deng Xiaoping’s inscription Ten thousand people performing Taijiquan in Tian An Men Square In the 1990s

41. The Development of Taijiquan In the 21 Century

42. The Development of Taijiquan Chen Yi Liu Shaoqi Chinese leaders

43. The Development of Taijiquan Zhou Enlai Wen Jiabao Chinese leaders

44. Review • What is the concept of Taijiquan ? • Who was the originator of Taijiquan? • How many main styles were there in Taijiquan?

45. The end