Brief Introduction of
Taijiquan
Shenyang Sport University
Yao Dan
Objectives
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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.
Question Time?
Have you ever heard of the word “Taijiquan”
(shadow boxing or Tai chi)
before this class?
In your mind, what is Taijiquan?
THE Origin of Taijiquan
The origin of the word “Taiji”
The Book of Changes
THE Emperor Wen of Zhou
THE Origin of Taijiquan
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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.
THE Origin of Taijiquan
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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”.
THE Origin of Taijiquan
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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.”
THE Origin of Taijiquan
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The word “Taiji’ in <The book of changes>
has established an idea: “one gives birth to
two.”
THE Origin of Taijiquan
Yin and Yang
Yang
Yin
THE Origin of Taijiquan
Yin-Yang double fish Picture
THE Origin of Taijiquan
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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.”
THE Origin of Taijiquan
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In China, Taijiquan is one of Wushu events, it
is a very important performing style in Wushu
system.
THE Origin of Taijiquan
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Taijiquan consists of two types of movements.
One is routine, the other is combat.
Taijiquan
Routine
Combat
THE Origin of Taijiquan
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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
THE Origin of Taijiquan
The Characteristics of Taijiquan Routine
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Moving slowly
Natural Breathing
Physical relaxation
THE Origin of Taijiquan
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Hand-pushing movement is called combat.
Hand-pushing
The Characteristics of Hand-pushing
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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
THE Origin of Taijiquan
Originator of Taijiquan
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There are few claims about the originator of
Taijiquan.
Chen Wangting
Zhang Shanfeng
THE Origin of Taijiquan
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Chen Wangting lived in Chen Jiagou, Henan
province, which is now the cradle of Taijiquan.
Chen Wangting
THE Origin of Taijiquan
Taijiquan Square in Chen Jiagou
THE Origin of Taijiquan
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This is the first intangible cultural heritage
museum in China.
Museum of Taijiquan in Chen Jiagou
THE Origin of Taijiquan
The Ceremony of following Master
THE Origin of Taijiquan
The Foreigners Learn Taijiquan
The Master Chen Xiaowang
The Master Chen Xing
THE Origin of Taijiquan
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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.
THE Styles of Taijiquan
The Styles of Taijiquan
Taijiquan
Chen style
陈式
Yang style
杨式
Wu style
吴式
Wu style
武式
Sun style
孙式
THE Styles of Taijiquan
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Except the five main styles, there are also
some other styles of Taijiquan, such as He
style, Chang style, Zhaobao Style, etc.
THE Styles of Taijiquan
Chen Style
Chen Wangting
Chen Changxing
THE Styles of Taijiquan
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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.
THE Styles of Taijiquan
Yang Style
Yang Luchan
Yang Jianhou
Yang Chengpu
THE Styles of Taijiquan
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Yang Luchan simplified the performing
process, revised some leaping and jumping
movements.
Yang style is especially good at overcoming
the hard with the soft.
THE Styles of Taijiquan
Wu Style(吴氏)
Wu Jianquan
Wu Gongyi
THE Styles of Taijiquan
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Wu Jianquan inherited the small form of Yang
style, and he was exceptionally skilled in
resolving other people’s force.
THE Styles of Taijiquan
Wu style（武式）
Wu Yuxiang
Li Yishe
THE Styles of Taijiquan
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Li Yishe passed the Taijiquan to his friend
and neighbor Hao Weizhen, so Wushu style
also called Hao style at that time.
THE Styles of Taijiquan
Sun Style
Sun Lutang
Sun Jianyun
THE Styles of Taijiquan
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Sun Lutang was good at the Xingyi and
Bagua, he combined Taijiquan into those
techniques.
The Development of Taijiquan
Taijiquan in China
After the founding of PRC
In the 1950-1960s
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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.”
The Development of Taijiquan
In the 1970-1980s
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Deng Xiaoping wrote an inscription:
“Taijiquan is good ” in 16 November 1978.
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
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After 20 years of Deng Xiaoping’s inscription
Ten thousand people performing Taijiquan in Tian An Men Square
In the 1990s
The Development of Taijiquan
In the 21 Century
The Development of Taijiquan
Liu Shaoqi
Chen Yi
Chinese leaders
The Development of Taijiquan
Zhou Enlai
Wen Jiabao
Chinese leaders
Review
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What is the concept of Taijiquan ?
Who was the originator of Taijiquan?
How many main styles were there in
Taijiquan?