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An Introduction to the World of T'ai Chi

T'ai Chi, once an exercise practiced by only a handful of devoted disciples in China, has now become an internationally recognized and practiced art form. The international popularity of T'ai Chi has prompted me to create a text for beginners that would help familiarize them with this holistic art before beginning more formal instruction.

In the following section, I will present the information that one should know before beginning the practice of T'ai Chi. I will begin by describing the reasons why one should study T'ai Chi and illustrating the many benefits of its regular practice. Next I will briefly describe the history of T'ai Chi and why I chose to present the "Simplified T'ai Chi Form" in this book. Lastly, before beginning description of the form, I will describe how to best make use of this book as an aid in studying T'ai Chi.

Why T'ai Chi?

Perhaps you have begun this book because you have heard something about T'ai Chi and believe that reading this manual and practicing its exercises will help you become more healthful, flexible, and freer in movement and mind. Congratulations! You have made the right choice!

The graceful and lithesome movements of T'ai Chi recently have attracted worldwide attention, not only by the sports and recreation community but also by the medical profession and business persons. This is because T'ai Chi is both medicinal and practical in its effects. Whether you are seeking an exercise regimen, a path to better health, or simply a way to relax and find your "center," T'ai Chi fits the need. The movements of T'ai Chi are forms of kung fu, but the T'ai Chi forms are very different from the more combative forms of kung fu in their execution. Whereas kung fu techniques are usually swift and sometimes sharply defined, the T'ai Chi movements are part of a routine that when well executed may appear almost dreamlike in its flowing smoothness.

A Glimpse into the History of T'ai Chi

Although no official records have been found to document the origin of T'ai Chi, according to Chinese legends a man named Zhang San Feng founded the art almost eight hundred years ago. Most of our available information about the origins of T'ai Chi has been passed on orally from generation to generation, and errors and exaggerations have of course crept into the many versions.

The most interesting tale is a product of the Song* dynasty (960-1279). According to this story, Zhang one day came upon a fight between a magpie and a snake. Zhang was wonder-struck at the constant repositioning of the two creatures who shifted effortlessly from attack to defense and back again, finally breaking off, as if by mutual agreement, and going their separate ways.

For days Zhang marveled at the clinging fluidity of those movements and the wonderful appropriateness of their ever-changing attitudes. Suddenly enlightened, he saw a previously unidentified source of strength within the human body. Zhang recognized that the quality present in the martial dance of the snake and the magpie was nothing more than softness. Zhang saw that softness, this mysterious and powerful element, could be developed in human beings. He decided to find out how to do so. To prove that softness overcomes hardness in the fighting arts, Zhang withdrew from the world for several years to think and to test his hypothesis. He experimented in various ways until finally he achieved success.

Today Zhang's outstanding principles and method of training have been handed down as T'ai Chi Ch'uan together with its offspring Xing-yi Quan (sometimes rendered "Hsing-i Ch'uan") and Ba-gua Zhang (Pa-kua Chang). To differentiate Shaolin martial arts and other systems, masters down through the ages have classified T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Xing-yi Quan, and Ba-gua Zhang as "soft fist" schools distinct from the earlier-mentioned "hard fist" kung fu schools.

Ingeniously incorporating techniques and attitudes from Shaolin temple boxing and Daoist breathing, Zhang succeeded in creating a wondrous style that differed from all the other systems of martial arts in his time. Today Zhang's principles and method of training have been handed down as T'ai Chi.

Why This Form for the Beginner?

Conventional forms of T'ai Chi consist of eighty or more movements. These forms take a considerable amount of time to learn and perform. Many people today find it difficult to devote the time necessary to learn such lengthy routines. They exhaust their patience trying and give up. Many people are thus lost to the art.

As the correct execution of a few movements is more important than running through a lengthy routine sloppily, China's Physical Culture and Sports Commission created a shorter course called "Simplified T'ai Chi" based on the contemporary Yang Style, which traces its origins back to Master Zhang. The course presented here is that revised form. You may consider it a springboard to advanced forms, but it is also legitimate in itself.

The Basic Movements

Thirteen techniques in 24 forms comprise the basics. The first five address whole-body technique, while the remaining eight refer to movements of the hands and arms. The names attached to the forms are "classic" and relate to kung fu technique.

About Learning from a Book

It will take some practice just to orient your mind and body to the written directions for the movements. At first the instructions may seem like the printed directions that accompany some complex toys. Initially you may experience some irritation and frustration as you try to follow the illustrations and written directions so as to perform the movements "simultaneously."