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History of Tai Chi

Today, the different training forms of the Chinese martial art tai chi or tai chi chuan have spread worldwide. In fact most of the modernized styles of the art that are being exhibited can easily be categorized to the tai chi development in at least one of the following five traditional tai chi chuan schools of art: Yang, Chen, Sun, Wu Hao and Wu. There have been quite a few debates on the origins of the numerous training forms of the Chinese martial art tai chi or tai chi chuan.

Its creation has been a matter of deep argument and people from across the globe have been involved in detailed speculation of every aspect of the art form. However, going by meticulously kept records, the oldest tradition of this art form was documented way back in the year 1820, by the traditional Chen family from China. In fact the term and name ‘tai chi’ is Mandarin in origin and translates literally into many widely accepted phrases such as ‘the ultimate’, ‘supreme ultimate fist’, ‘great extremes of boxing’ and even ‘boundless fist’. The chi of the term tai chi does not in any way relate to the otherwise accepted ‘energy’ or ‘life-force’, as it is accepted especially in the ancient art of Chinese Feng Shui.

Interestingly the various training forms of the Chinese martial art tai chi or tai chi chuan have a mention in the traditional Taoist as well as ancient Confucian philosophy from China. The term in both these contexts actually refers to mother or fusion. Whenever the merging of yin and yang energies is denoted, basically the male and female in the universe, the symbol for the training forms of the Chinese martial art tai chi or tai chi chuan is used. So much for the fusion of the various art forms in symbolism!