Tai Ji Chuan was called "long fist", "cotton circle", "thirteen potential" and "soft hand" in his early days. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, Wang Zongyue, a native of Shanxi, wrote an article on Taiji Zhuan before determining the name of Taiji Zhuan. The word "Tai Chi" comes from Zhouyi. Cohesion: "It is easy to have Tai Chi, which is to give birth to two instruments." It contains supreme, extreme, absolute and unique meanings.
There are always different opinions about the origin and founder of Tai Ji Chuan, including Xu Xuanping in Tang Dynasty, Zhang Sanfeng in Song Dynasty, Zhang Sanfeng in Ming Dynasty, Chen in Qing Dynasty and Wang Zongyue. Although both Zhang Sanfeng and Wang Zongyue have their own "Tai Ji Chuan Theory", most boxers now believe that Chen created a boxing method by spreading various Tai Ji Chuan on the basis of Chen Tai Ji Chuan. Generally speaking, Tai Ji Chuan's source is the comprehensive absorption of the famous Ming Boxing, especially Qi Jiguang's 32-potential Long Boxing, and the combination of ancient guiding, breathing qigong, meridian theory of traditional Chinese medicine, and the theory of Yin-Yang and Five Elements of ancient simple dialectical materialism. Tai Ji Chuan is based on philosophical theories such as Taoism, Tai Chi and Eight Diagrams, and is rich in China traditional culture and philosophical thoughts. First of all, Tai Ji Chuan is always in motion, with interlocking movements, constant strength and intention, constant potential and intention, and his fist is like a silkworm spinning silk, like the water of the Yangtze River. At the same time, the Tai Ji Chuan movement is also a contradictory movement of unity of opposites. In Tai Ji Chuan, there are some contradictions, such as rigidity and softness, virtual reality, movement, speed, opening and closing, flexion and extension, which are both unity of opposites and mutual transformation.
Tai Ji Chuan takes "giving up, rowing, squeezing, pressing, picking, stretching, elbowing, leaning, advancing, retreating, supporting, looking and deciding" as the basic methods. When exercising, meditation is required, and actions are guided by consciousness. Actions and breathing are closely coordinated, breathing is stable, deep and natural, and actions are moderate, comfortable, soft and slow, keeping the body loose and natural, impartial, continuous, gentle and natural, and the actions are arc-shaped, living into a garden, and at the same time, following up and down with the waist as the axis to form a whole. The movements are coherent and coordinated, and the actual situation is clear. The movements are connected smoothly, the actual situation is distinguished everywhere, and the center of gravity remains stable. Lightweight and calm, combining rigidity with softness. The movement is not floating or stiff, soft outside and rigid inside, full of strength. In pushing hands, it is required to use static braking, combine rigidity with softness, avoid reality and attack emptiness, and exert sufficient strength. It is advocated that everything should be carried out objectively, live with others, and be dull. I pay special attention to "listening", judging the strength, direction and position of the other party through physical contact, and responding in time. If the opponent hits hard, I will soften up. "If you are anxious, you will be anxious, and if you are slow, you will be slow." I will move with the crowd and improvise.
After a long period of spreading, Tai Ji Chuan has formed five schools, namely, Tai Ji Chuan of Chen style, Tai Ji Chuan of Yang style, Tai Ji Chuan of Sun style, Tai Ji Chuan of Wu style and Tai Ji Chuan of Wu style, which are called "Tai Ji Chuan of Five Styles".
Chen-style tai chi
Chen Tai Ji Chuan was founded by the famous boxer Chen in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, creating five sets of old styles. Chen style has evolved from generation to generation, adding two sets of styles. After careful arrangement, the speed and strength of movements and the strength of body methods are also different. The first movement is simple, more flexible and less rigid, mainly based on the four positive forces of "shed sliding and pressing", supplemented by the use of "elbow leaning" four-corner hand. Combining rigidity with softness, strenuous exercise, mainly practicing silk winding strength, supplemented by strength. Inside and outside the whole body, the movement is harmonious, and both movement and movement are moving, which embodies the characteristics of rigidity in softness and stability in slowness; The second way (gun hammer) is complex, fast, compact, more rigid and less flexible. The main force is "leaning on the elbow", supplemented by "squeezing the shed"; Give priority to with hard work, jumping, prancing, flashing and shaking your feet. There is softness in rigidity, and rigidity, quickness and crispness in softness.
Chen Tai Ji Chuan's exercise principles and training methods also require the close coordination of heart, qi and body, qi exercises at will, the waist moves from the source, and the waist turns to the spine throughout. In the process of pushing the hand, it is mainly wrapped and stuck, and the law of "giving up, rowing, squeezing and pressing" is used in the process of sticking and sticking, so as to help brake, give up oneself and follow others, listen clearly and control the enemy with strength.
Biography of yang taiji
Yang Luchan, a native of Yongnian, Hebei Province, studied under Chen Changxing, Chenjiagou, wen county, Henan Province. On the basis of Chen Tai Ji Chuan, he and his son and grandson Yang Chengfu jointly created and developed the "Yang Tai Ji Chuan". Its boxing path gradually deleted the original vertical jump, foot shaking and vigorous movements of the old Chen style frame, and changed from middle frame to Yang style frame, which is now popular as Yang style Tai Ji Chuan.
Yang-style Tai Ji Chuan boxing frame is simple in stretching, rigorous in structure, tall and straight in posture, smooth in movement, flexible in content, relaxed and natural, light and calm. Posture development, fairness and simplicity, simple training methods, from loose to soft, from soft to hard, both rigid and flexible. As Yang Chengfu said, "Tai Ji Chuan is the art of combining rigidity with softness, hiding needles in cotton". There are three postures: high, medium and low.
Wu's Taiji Biography
Wu Yuxiang, a native of Yongnian, Hebei Province in the late Qing Dynasty, loved skills after returning from Chenjiagou, Yangluchan. He studied under Old Taiji Biography, and later under Chen Qingping's Zhao Bao. After revision, he created "Wu-style Tai Ji Chuan".
Tai Ji Chuan is a form of martial arts, which is different from both Chen's old frame and new frame, and Yang's big frame and small frame. This is an independent school. Its movements are simple and compact, its posture is small but not cramped, its movements are slow and steady, its hands don't exceed its toes, it doesn't cling to its body when it is closed, and its left and right hands each hold half of its body and don't cross each other. The forward and backward rotation of the chest and abdomen is always positive. Rigorous footwork, distinguishing between reality and reality, small and flexible. When stepping, the toes touch the ground first, then slowly put down the whole foot and step flat. When lunging, the knees of the front legs should not exceed the toes, and the rear legs should not be straight and high. Boxing pays attention to starting, bearing, opening and closing, and its movements are coherent and smooth. It dominates the body with the transformation of internal strength and internal qi, with "God should restrain", "Mind should restrain first, then", "God should be carried by heart, body should be carried by God, meaning should start from it, meaning should move with it, meaning should reach it, meaning should reach it, and meaning cannot be separated"
Wutai Jichuan
Wu-style Tai Ji Chuan is famous for its softness. His movements are relaxed and natural, continuous, regular, relaxed and natural, and have a unique static beauty. Although the boxing frame is small, it has the foundation of a big frame and is developed and compact. It stretches itself in compactness and is unconstrained. Push the hand correctly and strictly, be delicate with iron bars, be quiet and not act rashly, and be good at being kind.
Sun taiji biography
Sun Lutang, a native of Wanxian County, Hebei Province, loved martial arts since childhood. I studied Xingyiquan from Li, then from Li's teacher Guo, and then from Cheng. After years of research and practice, I have profound kung fu. Later, he studied Tai Ji Chuan from Hao Weizhen, joined the essence of three boxing methods, namely, Bagua Palm, Xingyiquan and Taiji, and achieved mastery through a comprehensive study, thus creating a "Sun-style Tai Ji Chuan".
The characteristics of Sun-style Tai Ji Chuan are: advance and retreat, step by step, and retreat. The movements are flexible, agile and natural, the footwork is clear when practicing, and the whole practice is like flowing water. Every turn is connected by "opening" and "closing", so it is also called "opening and closing Tai Chi Chuan".