It seems the history of Tai Chi can be traced back to Buddhist and Taoist temples. Though the history of Tai Chi is mostly told from a modern perspective of legend, it would appear that many Buddhist and Taoist theories and practices are apparent in the teachings of Tai Chi. Some believe that the martial art form was founded by Zhang Sanfeng in the 12th century. Others purport that it was founded by the Chen family in 1820 who then taught it to the Yang family. It was around that time that the Neo-Confucians were beginning their climb into the intellectual side of Chinese life.

The practice of Tai Chi combines flowing movement and breathing techniques with mental and spiritual awareness to bring about a workout that benefits the mind, body, and soul. If you are experiencing a lot of stress in your life, then you may benefit from joining a Tai Chi class in your local area, or even getting a book or video from the library and learning the movements on your own at home.

Tai Chi, The Great Ultimate, was found earliest in the Book of Change, or otherwise known as I-Ching. Legend said that this scripture has written by the first emperor of the Zhou Dynasty - Zhou Wen Wang. Thus I-Ching is also known as Zhou-Yi.

I-Ching, or the Book of Change, with its name implies, stated that life is in constant flux of change. The word I (Yi in pinyin) means 'change' in Chinese. It is formed from the characters of the sun and the moon, which represents yang and yin respectively.

I have read a number of books, articles, and novels, and have watched movies and television series that touched on the origins of Tai Chi Chuan (Tai Chi Boxing), and the question, “Who Created Tai Chi Chuan?” made me concern very much!

Breathe Your Way To Healthier Life

“I don’t have the time to exercise!”

“I am busy! How can I spend 10 or 15 minutes to just sit there, closing my eyes and meditate?”

“I don’t have the room to do this!”

“I can’t stretch like that!”

“At that specific time, I’m not available!”

Do all the above sound familiar to most people who want to stay healthier but could not do so due to a number of reasons? The list can go on endless…

“How nice if I can get to do something easily – at anytime and anywhere, and stay healthy!”

Yes – now you can!

Taoist Philosophy
To understand the purpose of the form it is important to understand its basis and roots.

The origins of Tai Chi go back over 5,000 years and are based in Taoist philosophy developed and refined by the great Taoist thinkers such as, Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu.

The core concept of Taoism and Taoist philosophy is that everything in the universe is subject to change and when dealing with this change we should act not to fight it but work with it and avoid conflict.

The Origins of Tai Chi
The principles of Tai Chi were established by Taoist hermits and evolved as a martial fighting art called Tai Chi Chuan.

The early Tai Chi teachers were mystical figures however; the exception was Chang San-Feng, who was the first major figure in Tai Chi history.

The Ming Dynasty places his date of birth at 1247 and he is credited with being the founder of the fighting art called Wudang Kung fu.

He is believed to have studied under a Taoist recluse living in the mountains of Northwest China; he then studied at a Shaolin temple.

Learning Tai Chi
Tai Chi combines movement, meditation and breathing, to enhance the flow of vital energy in the body, to increase both physical and mental well-being.

Tai Chi is one of the most broadly applicable systems of self-care in the world and is suitable for both young and old alike.

In China, it is estimated that 300 million people alone practice Tai Chi.

Tai Chi however is not just practised in China, in the 20th century it spread throughout the world and as we enter the 21st century, it is more popular than ever.

Tai Chi - The Form

Way back in 2003, the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine’s Oct. 9th issue reported a study finding that Tai Chi “could decrease blood pressure and results in favorable lipid profile changes and improve subjects' anxiety status.

Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, the concept of Qi is extremely important. Qi can be translated as energy. It's a form of life energy. Every living thing has Qi, even plants.

For us – human being, Qi plays a very important role. It's your LIFE!

It regulates the proper functions of your body. The five vitals and six organs of your body must function properly in order for you to maintain good health.