The first reason: the two Tai Chi dances are totally irrelevant. Zhang Sanfeng's Tai Chi biography of great power comes from "The Dragon Slayer", in which Zhang Sanfeng became a Wulin myth. The true legend of Taiji came not from Zhang Sanfeng, but from a place called Chenjiagou. Coupled with the evolution of Tai Chi for many years, for many people, Tai Chi has long been a health-keeping exercise, and it does not have the ability of actual combat and practical operation.
The second reason: the Taiji biography from Chenjiagou may have lost its true essence, but most of what we are practicing now is superficial. At that time, Tai Ji Chuan of Chenjiagou had the actual combat ability and became famous for a time. But now the preserved Tai Ji Chuan is mostly used by the elderly in parks. Apart from the existence of moves, it has no practical significance.
The third reason: Tailei's strength is far from its competitors. It is impossible for us to make the seemingly soft punch in martial arts novels, but it actually contains a thousand pounds of strength. In real life, you can get what kind of effect if you work hard. Therefore, the gentle moves of Tai Chi are not as vivid as imagined, and it is impossible for ordinary people to give full play to their strength. Even if it can be done, it needs to be supported by strong strength.
So there is no contrast between Zhang Sanfeng and Tai Chi Gaga; If we had Zhang Sanfeng's martial arts, maybe by now, many of us would fly over the eaves and climb over the walls. But reality is reality, just like Gaga. Although he has great attainments in the field of Taiji, he will also lose in actual combat.