To choose which tai chi, you need to know which tai chi to choose from, and then decide according to your personal preferences. This section will introduce the main tai chi schools, characteristics, and provide a little reference.
What are the genres of Tai Chi?
Chen-style Tai Chi
Chen-style Taijiquan is divided into two kinds, old frame is the early Qing Dynasty Chen Wang Ting compiled, the original 5 routines, also known as the thirteen potentials, there are another long fist 100 single eight postures 1 set, cannon pounding 1 set. Since Chen Wangting, after more than 300 years of practice, he has accumulated a lot of experience, and has continuously processed and refined the original boxing sets, and finally formed the 1st and 2nd way of Chen-style Taijiquan that has been circulated in modern times. Both sets of punches are carefully choreographed, with different speeds and intensities, as well as different body styles, movements and difficulty. Chen-style 1st-way boxing set exists in the 83rd type, the main features are as follows:
(1) The winding strength is obvious, requiring attention to the waist ridge everywhere, the intention to penetrate the four ends (that is, two hands and two toes), the action is arc-shaped spiral, winding and rotating and to achieve "one move inside and outside";
(2) Rigidity and softness, softness in the rigid, that is, can play a kind of like rigidity, like soft non-soft, heavy and flexible internal strength;
(3) The action should be combined with breathing luck, not only to achieve "qi sinking Dantian", but also to carry out "Dantian internal rotation" while practicing the action, and sometimes you can also make a sound (such as huh, huh, boo, blow) when exhaling, in order to increase the strength;
(4) Fast and slow, that is, fast at the change of action, generally slow when punching;
(5) The boxing shelf can be divided into three kinds, high, high and low, the weak and sick can practice the high shelf, and the young and healthy can practice the low shelf.
Chen-style 2nd-way punch set, formerly known as Cannon Punch, is currently Type 71, and its main features are as follows:
(1) More movements of shaking feet;
(2) The action is faster and more rigid than the first road, and the explosive force is strong;
(3) There are more movements of "jumping and jumping, flashing and moving", and the momentum is majestic. The second route is only suitable for young adults to practice, and it is not widely spread.
Chen style new frame routine is Chen Youben (Chen Jiagou boxing master) compiled and created, the order is the same as the old frame, the frame style is smaller than the old frame, the circle is also smaller than the old frame, removing some of the original more difficult actions, Chen Jiagou villagers call it "small circle fist", the old frame is called "big circle fist". This kind of boxing was later transmitted to Chen Xin, who wrote "Illustrations of Chen's Taijiquan", which expounded the experience of practicing boxing accumulated by Chen over the years. Chen-style Taijiquan is an ancient style of boxing, and most other schools of Taijiquan (such as Yang style, Wu style, Wu style, Sun style) have a certain relationship with Chen style taijiquan.
Another branch of Chen's Taijiquan is the Nan lengjia Taijiquan in Wenxian, China
Learn Tai Chi, go to Wen County, everyone knows. Wenxian Taijiquan is the three branches of "Chen Jiagou, Nan Leng Jia and Zhao Bao Jia". Among them, "Nan Leng Jia" takes the profundity of the traditional Chinese Tai Chi philosophical culture it contains, the ancient style is strong, and the frame style is pure Inner Family Fist. Nan Leng Jia has always been a kung fu, in the fourth generation of Nan Leng Tai Chi kung fu master, Qin Yifeng's improvement corrected the complexity of the ancient transmission of tai chi, making nan leng tai chi more prominent in actual combat. Nan Leng Tai Chi, vigorously whistling the wind, the tricks have the law, the style is rigorous, the qi and blood are through, the rigidity and softness are combined, and it can be called the most ancient style charm in the Taijiquan family.
The "Southern Cold Frame" strictly follows the ancient method of walking the meridians, practicing qi and blood, regulating the five internal organs, promoting metabolism, drumming up true qi, and strengthening muscles and bones. Against the enemy in actual combat, it is offensive and defensive mergers, longer than "four or two strokes of a thousand pounds", the strength of the whole body, the strength of the silk, endless, serious practice for 2-3 years, the skill gradually deepened, just like "walking on thin ice near the abyss and calming down, flowing in the water and having a great wilderness" Of the divine experience.
Yang style tai chi
Yang Luchan (1800 ~ 1873), a Yongnian of Hebei Province, loved martial arts, learned Taijiquan from Chen Jiagou Chen Changxing, and learned to return to learn Taijiquan, because he could avoid and subdue the strong force, at that time people called his fist "Sticky Fist", "Soft Fist", "Hua Fist". Yang Luchan went to Beijing to teach boxing, and the princes and nobles of the Qing Dynasty learned more from him. He was highly skilled in martial arts, and was known as "Yang Invincible" at the time. After watching Yang Luchan compete with people, Weng Tonggong, the emperor of the Qing Dynasty and Guangxu, said to the ministers: "Yang Jin and Retreat are fast, unpredictable, like apes, hands like dribbling, and the Jewish pole is also a circle." The couplet for Yang Luchan's personal question: "Holding Tai Chi in his hand and shaking the world, and suppressing the crowd with his stunt skills" in his heart." Later, yang Luchan continued to develop the existing boxing frame according to practice, and after repeated revision by his grandson Yang Chengfu, it was finalized as Yang-style Tai Chi Chuan, which became the most popular Yang-style Tai Chi Chuan in modern times because the practice method was plain and simple. The Yang family has three generations of grandchildren and is famous in Beijing. Yang Luchan had three sons, the eldest son Fenghou died early, but left one, which was passed down in the Xingtai region of Hebei, and the second son Yang Banhou and the third son Yang Jianhou had their own strengths. Ban Hou had a fiery temper, focused on the technical role of Tai Chi Chuan, was fierce in actual combat, "shot to see red", left good stories in Kyoto such as "Punching XiongXian Liu" and "Beating Ten Thousand Pounds of Strength", inheriting the title of "Yang Invincible", and becoming famous in Beijing, there was a saying that "Yang Lu Zen broke into the world, Yang Banhou beat the world", which established a prestige for Taijiquan in Beijing, where the masters were like clouds, and then promoted the rapid popularization and spread of Taijiquan throughout the country. However, because he killed foreigners with his hands and could no longer return to the countryside in Beijing, it was a pity that the scope of the spread was not widespread, and at present, there are Eighty-one-style Great Gongjia inheritance in Yongnian Guangfu and Qi Deju in Hebei Province. Jianhou has a gentle personality, attaches more importance to the fitness role of taijiquan, and has many disciples, which is said to be the middle frame, and most of the taijiquan circulating today is Jianhou Yizhi. After 1928, Yang Chengfu, the third son of Jianhou, went to Nanjing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Hankou and other places to teach apprentices, and his fist style spread in major cities across the country. The characteristics of the Yang-style large shelf are stretching and concise, the action is smooth and smooth, light and flexible, rigid and soft, light and natural, such as the flow of clouds and water, endless, the exercise steps from loose into soft, soft into rigid, rigid and soft, can naturally show the unique style of grandeur and image beauty. Its frame type is divided into high, medium and low. The amount of exercise can be appropriately adjusted according to the different ages, genders, physical conditions and different requirements of the boxers. Therefore, it is not only suitable for medical care, longevity and longevity, but also for those with better physical strength to enhance physical fitness, improve technology, and have wide adaptability. Therefore, Yang-style Taijiquan is the most widely circulated Taijiquan, and according to statistics, 300 million people around the world are practicing Yang-style Taijiquan. In 1956, on the basis of Yang-style Taijiquan, the State Sports Commission organized the creation of 24 types of simplified Taijiquan. In 1957, it was compiled into "Taijiquan Movement" (88 style) based on Yang-style Taijiquan, and in 1963, the book "Yang-style Taijiquan" was published. Yang-style small frame tai chi and two-way cannon hammer are only practiced in a few generations, mainly emphasizing the role of martial arts. After years of development, the Yang-style Taijiquan gong method system is complete, the theoretical works are vast, and the sweat cattle are abundant. Yang Chengfu had five major disciples, known as the Five Tiger Generals: Fu Chongwen, Chu Guiting, Tian Zhaolin, Chen Weiming, and Wu Huichuan.
Wu-style Tai Chi
Wu-style Taijiquan Manchu Quanyou, a daxing person in Hebei at the end of the Qing Dynasty, first learned Taijiquan from Yang Lu Zen, and later worshiped Yang Luchan's second son as a teacher to learn small shelves, famous for being good at softening. His son changed his surname from the Han nationality to Wu and his name was Jianquan. The fist style inherited and taught by Wu Jianquan is continuous, not vertical and non-jumping, and the adaptability is extensive. Because wu made some modifications to the fist style, posterity called it a Wu style small shelf. It has become a modern Wu-style taijiquan that is widely spread. Wu Jianquan has been passing boxing in Beijing and Shanghai for a long time, he punches the right move round, Shu Song natural, although the frame style is small, but there is a large frame skill, from the development and compact, in the compact with its own stretch, pushing the hand when upright and tight, delicate ironing. In 1958, he published the book "Wu-style Taijiquan".
Martial style Tai Chi
Wu Yuxiang, a Wu-style Taijiquan in the late Qing Dynasty and the Yongnian of Hebei Province, first learned Taijiquan from Yang Lu Zen, and later learned the new Taijiquan, and obtained the "Taijiquan Notation" in Wuyang County, so he summarized the exercise points of practicing boxing as the "Ten Essentials of body methods". Wu-style Taijiquan is characterized by strict body style, compact posture, soothing movements, strict footwork, clear distinction between virtual and real, the advance and retreat rotation of the chest and abdomen is always maintained in the middle, and the virtual and real conversion of the action and the "inner qi submersible rotation" are used to dominate the shape, and the left and right hands are each half of the body, and the shot is not on the tip of the toe. Wu-style Taijiquan was introduced to Beijing in the early years of the Republic of China, and later to Nanjing and Shanghai. In 1963, he published the book "Wu style Tai Chi Chuan". The wu-style taijiquan Ge Shuncheng lineage is as follows: The Wu Yuxiang family was a wang family in Yongnian and its family was a Hanmo family, but Wu Yuxiang himself loved martial arts as his life and did not live forever. The business of the Chen clan in Yongnian County, Chen Jiagou, rented the property of Wu Yuxiang's family. Wu Yuxiang saw that the Chen clan people were practicing a kind of clever boxing, and they liked it very much, but because of their identity and status, they could not go to the master to learn the art, so they entrusted their fellow villager Yang Luchan (who already had a fairly high martial arts foundation) to go to Chen Jiagou to worship Chen Changxing as a teacher to learn the art, and when he returned, he handed it over to himself, and he himself came out to provide for Yang Luchan's family. Yang Luchan went to Chen Jiagou three times to learn art, and each time he came back, he devoted himself to Wu Yuxiang. In the end, Wu Yuxiang was not satisfied with what Yang Luchan had learned, and personally went to Chen Jiagou to ask for advice. Chen Changxing was old at the time and introduced him to Chen Qingping to learn boxing. The consequences are enormous. From Li Yishe's writings, Wu Yuxiang went to Zhao Fort on official business and returned in January. It can be seen that Wu still mainly learned Tai Chi from Yang. The main descendants of Wu Yuxiang in the early days were Yang Banhou (Yang Luchan's son, who was originally a scholar of literature with Wu Yuxiang, and later became a master of martial arts, far exceeding his cultural level), and his two nephews, known as Mr. Li Da and Mr. Li Er. Mr. Li Da and Mr. Li Er passed on Hao Weizhen, Ge Shuncheng and others. Hao Weizhen has the highest martial arts, and his fist frame has been modified by his descendants and set by the state as the standard fist frame of martial taijiquan. The fist fighting handed down by Ge Shuncheng and others still retains the original style.
Li Shengduan, Chen Lanting, Hao Zhongtian, Zheng Yuenan, Wang Laoyan, Chen Gu'an, Wu Wenhan, etc. are all martial arts tai chi masters.
Sun-style Tai Chi
Sun Lutang, a native of Hebei Guanxian County at the end of the Qing Dynasty, loved martial arts, first learned shape and meaning boxing, then learned Bagua palm, studied hard and practiced diligently, and had profound kung fu, and in the early years of the Republic of China, he learned martial arts taijiquan with Hao Weizhen, participated in the strengths of each family, integrated and penetrated, and created Sun-style taijiquan, and wrote "Taijiquan Studies". The characteristics of Sun-style taijiquan are that they follow each other, stretch and circle, move sensitively, and when changing direction, they are mostly connected by opening and closing, so it is also called "opening and closing live step taijiquan". In 1957, he published the book "Sun Style Taijiquan".
Simplified Tai Chi
A simple tai chi routine implemented after the founding of the People's Republic of China. In order to facilitate the promotion of Taijiquan among the masses, in 1956, on the basis of Yang-style Taijiquan, the complicated and repetitive movements were deleted, and 24 styles were selected and compiled into "Simplified Taijiquan". For more than 20 years, simplified tai chi has prevailed at home and abroad and is deeply loved by people. The wall charts and books of Simplified Taijiquan have been published in millions of volumes (Zhang). In Beijing alone, more than 140 Tai Chi coaching stations were established in 1980, more than 800 Tai Chi training classes were held, and more than 40,000 people participated in the activities.
In order to meet the needs of the masses to practice boxing, the Sports Committee of the People's Republic of China in 1979 drew on the strengths of other types of taijiquan on the basis of Yang-style taijiquan and compiled it into "48-style simplified taijiquan".
Its movements are rigid and soft, both can be used to defend themselves, but also to enhance the physique, the prevention and treatment of diseases of traditional boxing, taijiquan has a long history, many genres, widely spread, deeply loved by people, taijiquan although in the routine, push frame style, pneumatic power and other aspects of the different schools, but have the effect of dredging meridians, harmonizing qi and blood, nourishing the intestines, strengthening the bones. As one of the martial arts, Taijiquan was called "Long Fist", "Mian Fist", "Thirteen Potentials" and Soft Hand in the early days, and it was not until the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1736-1795 AD) that the Shanxi martial artist Wang Zongyue wrote "On Taijiquan", which determined the name of Taijiquan. The word "Tai Chi" is derived from the Zhou Yi Zhi Ci and contains the meaning of supreme, extreme, absolute, and unique.
Between heaven and earth, above the world, all things and chances change all the time. Trees, flowers, and terraces of mountains and towers seem to be stationary, and they are all gradually aging. As the saying goes, only "change" is unchanged, and tai chi is to practice all kinds of changes in the fist. Dynamic and static opening and closing, rigid and soft and slow, up and down left and right, shun and reverse winding, suddenly appearing, virtual and real, continuous, all around the family, moving without moving, showing full momentum, disappearing when hidden, with the intention of bringing force, to the point of melting in the whole body, to do the strength of the continuous, and then gently start, swing freely, one thought, every move, do whatever you want, all in self-control, in order to achieve the effect of health and self-defense, this is taijiquan.
Wudang Taijiquan
Although some people currently think that Taijiquan has nothing to do with Wudang Zhang Sanfeng, wudang taijiquan does exist. Wudang Taijiquan pays attention to the "land of punching and beating the lying bull", basically two meters square is enough to be used, of which in addition to the spiral winding, there are also nine palaces and bagua content. The key point of Wudang Taijiquan is: the fist follows the state of mind, stretches out, is magnificent, and accommodates all things in the heart. Wudang Taijiquan uses soft kegang and static braking, and the late start is the first to arrive, and it can be four or two strokes of a thousand pounds. Not only can you strengthen your body and defend yourself, Wudang Taijiquan combines the practice of refining qi, practicing qihua, practicing god and vain, and also vain Taoist qigong gong method, opening people's wisdom, developing human ability, making people live longer and live forever, is a set of martial arts and health care, superior boxing. The practice process of Tai Chi is divided into three stages: first practicing the form, then practicing qi, and finally practicing the mind. Its internal exercises mainly include: Tuna guidance exercises, external qi collection and supplemental skills, and mixed element station pile skills. Its action is mainly based on collapse, squeezing, pressing, picking, column, elbow, and leaning, and is followed, connected, glued, and pasted in the application, continuously, and continuously. Practicing Tai Chi requires the virtual spirit to be quiet, with the chest pulling back, the shoulders falling to the elbows, and the movements to stretch, so that the gods are all beautiful. The combination of movement and static in Wudang Taijiquan, and the combination of inside and outside, is the most precious treasure of both internal and external cultivation, and the source of human life.
Zhao Bao Taijiquan
ZhaoBao Taijiquan was formed in the town of Zhaobao in WenXian County, Henan, and its origin is said to be twofold. One legend is that it was created by Zhang Sanfeng, the founder of Wudang Taijiquan, and was transmitted by Wudang Taijiquan, and the ancestor Wang Zongyue passed on the Jiang Fa. Jiang Fa also passed on Xing Xihuai, Zhang Chuchen, Chen Jingbo, Zhang Zongyu, Zhang Yan, Chen Qingping, Zhang Jingzhi, Chen Yingming, Wang Qingsheng, and so on, zhao bao taijiquan that has been passed down through hundreds of years of discernment and practice. Another theory is that a routine of the Chen-style Taijiquan New Frame, created by Chen Youben's disciple Chen Qingping, is characterized by its small size, compactness, slow movements, and gradual increase in circles after the practice, so that it is extremely complicated. Because it was first spread in Zhao Bao Town, Wen County, Henan, it was called "Zhao Bao Jia". Zhao Bao Taijiquan, whether it is a boxing frame or theory, or a work is taught by the master orally. Theories include: Wang Zongyue's monographs "Nine Essentials", "Taiji Xinggong Song", "Jiejiao", "Yuntian Machine Wheel", "Five Character Recipe", "Scattering Technique", "On Pushing Hands", "On Grappling Method" and "On Bone Removal Method" and other works in the Taijiquan Garden Zhao Bao Taijiquan is a folk real skill, with unique technical characteristics and salient characteristics. Zhao Bao Taijiquan has seventy-two styles of fist frames, the styles are all vertical painting circles, walking vertical circles, is the core and characteristics of this fist, the entire fist frame is from the first turn of the large circle after the small circle, just like the spring silkworm silk continuously, there are smooth circle reverse circle composition, in terms of the body, there are: hand round, elbow circle, chest and abdomen circle, to the shoulder circle and crotch circle. Dantian turns, this is a rounded Tai Chi. The exercise of the fist frame follows the rules of (three straights) (four straights) (six combinations) and (meaning through the four branches), (three straight) that is, the head is straight, the body is straight, the calves are straight, (the four straights) are the legs are smooth, the feet are smooth, the hands are smooth, and the body is smooth, and the six combinations are the hands and feet, the arms and the crotch, the elbows and the knees, which are the outer three, and the inner three are the heart and the intention, the qi and the force, and the tendons and bones. (Four tips) for the teeth for the bone tips, tongue for the flesh, hair for the blood tips, pores for the air tips. Zhao Bao Tai Chi frame light and round, the action stretch generously, when practicing, step circle circle, interlocking, no obvious force action, routine through, soft and rigid, after mastering the routine, that is, gradually turn the circle into a circle, from simple to complex, improve skills, difficulty. Zhao Bao Taijiquan is good at taking, falling, throwing, hitting, and relying on various arts in terms of walking skills, and there are various grappling and anti-grappling actions, which are integrated into the routine, making its technical characteristics very prominent.
Although the styles and postures of the above 8 types of tai chi are not the same, the routine structure and action sequence are basically the same, and the purpose of practicing boxing is to treat fitness and treatment. In addition to the boxing sleeve, the 8-style Tai Chi Chuan also has its own pushing hands and instrument routines, such as Tai Chi Sword, Tai Chi Knife and so on.
Zen Gate Tai Chi
Zen Gate Tai Chi is a boxing routine. Legend has it that the Shaolin monks were compiled according to the mantra of "Vast Perfection without Condensation Great Compassion Dharani", interpreting its meaning and merging it into the fist style. It was originally named "Great Compassion Dharani Fist" (referred to as "Great Compassion Fist"). Zen Taiji, whose prototype is the ancient, mysterious and rare Great Compassion Dharani Fist of Buddhism, is known to the world as "Zen Gate Taijiquan" and is rumored to have been created by the monks of The Tang Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Taizong of Shaosen Temple. Its style is simple and elegant, compassionate and solemn. It not only contains the wonderful use of martial arts, but also integrates the meridian theory, the yin and yang five elements theory, and the yi li theory, which is the supreme method of self-cultivation of the senior monks of the past generations. Zen Gate Taiji Shangfu Tianxiang, Xiahe Geography, Neutralizing Human Feelings, Adopting the Ancient Taiji Yin and Yang Method, And Entering and Leaving the Theory of the Three Teachings of Interpretation, Taoism, and Confucianism. The upper can become a righteous party, the lower can get eternal life, and the middle can maintain peace. It is also the path to bliss.
Bagua Tai Chi
There are two types of Bagua Taijiquan: one is disclosed by Master Zhao Zengfu, the eleventh generation of Zhao Bao's Tai Chi Chuan, which is the sixth generation of Zhao Bao Jia's master Zhang Yan. Zhang Yan collected disciples in Shandong, so that the art of taijiquan was passed down from generation to generation, and it was passed on to Mr. Ma Yongsheng in Liaocheng, Shandong. In the 1920s and 1930s, Mr. Ma Yongsheng founded Bagua Taijiquan based on the oldest and most practical Zhao Bao Taijiquan, and passed on the boxing king Mr. Huaide, and Master Wang Huaide passed on the fist to Master Zhao Zengfu.
Because the fist frame absorbs the theory and form of Bagua in the arrangement, the external image is specifically quantified: for example, according to Tai Chi, the fist is divided into two sections; the two instruments give birth to four elephants, so the fist frame is divided into four sections; on the movement route of the fist frame, press: dry (open door) northwest; away (Jingmen) south; Kan (Xiumen) north; Du (shock gate) west; Zhen (wounded gate) east; Xun (Dumen) southeast; Geng (Shengmen) northeast; Kun (dead gate) southwest, strictly arranged, so the fist is eight roads, becoming the eight directions and five figures of the external elephant. His fist moves, and he takes five birds and five beasts. Five birds: phoenix; crane; eagle; swallow; finches. The next five beasts: dragons, tigers, lions, horses, and monkeys. The fist is coiled and refined, which is quite spectacular.
The Bagua Taijiquan taught by Master Zhao Zengfu has three plates of upper, middle and lower, and ninety-eight practical combat methods.
Another situation known as "Bagua Taijiquan" is that Yang Luchan and Dong Haichuan, the ancestor of Bagua Quan (palm), Guo Yunshen, the master of Shape and Meaning Boxing, and practiced skills. Dong Haichuan found that although the three martial arts were practiced differently, they were consistent, and he had the idea of taking the strengths of Taijiquan and making up for the shortcomings of Baguaquan, so he compiled a set of practice methods similar to Taijiquan that were similar to those of The Straight Trip, and passed them on to Cheng Tinghua; Liu Dekuan and other disciples.
Of course, there are other schools of tai chi, which will not be introduced.
Which genre is best for beginners to learn?
There are many schools of Taijiquan, and the representative schools are - Chen style, Yang style, Wu style, Wu style and Sun style, etc. At the beginning, it is difficult to learn which school of routines to learn first, it is difficult to generalize, depending on each person's own preferences.
Some people say that the Chen style is more flexible than the Rigid And Courageous and Sun-style small frames, and the atmosphere is more active, which is suitable for young people; the Wu-style small and medium-sized shelves are gentle and elegant, and it is especially suitable for girls to learn; the small frame of the Martial style is higher, the internal movement is the mainstay, and the appearance is implied, which is suitable for scholars and the elderly who rarely exercise in ordinary times; the Yang-style large frame is comfortable to carry out, seek tranquility in motion, and move in stillness, which is suitable for young and old.
Simplified Taijiquan, which takes the Yang-style Large Frame Routine as the basic technique, has been promoted for 50 years and has been well received by Tai Chi enthusiasts at home and abroad, and has taken this as a beginner's model. Because of its generous stretching, the routine arrangement is from shallow to deep, from easy to difficult, and the complexity is simple, that is, it retains the traditional technology and does not have too difficult actions. 24 formulas, if you learn 1 hour a day, about 20 days or so can learn the whole routine, more suitable for beginners.
However, which genre each person specifically learns is not only affected by the purpose of learning, their own conditions, and their tendencies to love, but also rely on fate. Because after hundreds of years of discrimination and correction of martial arts masters, each school of fist has very precious things in it, and if you can learn the true meaning of tai chi, you will benefit yourself a lot. Then the key is to meet the Master.