Tai Chi - Origins

The original Tai Chi form is called "Chen" style practised in the Chinese Shaolin Temple since the Fifteenth Century. All other common Tai Chi styles were later derived from the Chen style. Until the beginning of this century Tai Chi was considered a secret practice passed down through families and loyal students.
The practice of Tai Chi has come down to the present through three major family traditions. As mentioned Chen, with its combination of soft and explosive power techniques. The second is Yang, with its smooth and even-flowing tempo. The third is Wu, derived from both the Chen and Yang forms. There are also quite a few other styles.

With the military use of firearms martial arts has made a slow transition from being a deadly art of war to becoming a health and longevity practice.

PRINCIPLES
The basic principles of all forms of Tai Chi are essentially the same:

1. Keeping the bone structure aligned with the forces of Heaven and Earth, and transferring the Earth force through the bone structure into a single point of discharge.

2. Relaxing in movement while distinguishing the full (Yang) from the empty (Yin).

3. Allowing the Chi to circulate and move the muscles, bones and tendons in slow, co-ordinated movements without ever pushing the physical limitations of the body to extremes, and moving smoothly and continuously with total bodily integration.

WHAT IS CHI?
Chi can be defined as bio-electricity, life force, vitality, or simply energy. Chi is all of these but none of them exclusively. Chi is the essence of the food we eat and the air we breath, the real nourishment of the body.

When we breath or eat, we are taking Chi into our bodies. Without Chi, there can be no life.