Current section: INTRODUCTION	THE TAICHI STYLES MASTERS	NEWS ARTICLES COURSES	ABOUT THIS WEB ABOUT US LINKS

INTRODUCTION TO TAI CHI CHUAN

It is an art that is very complete and at the same time concise. In the west, many of those who are drawn to it, are looking for a moderated physical activity to maintain physical fitness or because they have heard that it is like yoga and that it is good for health etc. Others come directly from other martial arts to widen their knowledge, to get to know other techniques, etc. There are also some who do it because it is fashionable or because the gymnasium´s timetable suits them. Also not forgetting that there are those who are drawn to it from what is called the ´´New Age´´.

Those who do not come from other martial arts, will come to realise little by little that tai chi chuan IS martial art, if they are lucky to be with good masters. Then there are those who feel repulsive towards this type of training as they associate it to violence since many people have watched in the movies that it is so; or because at no moment in time did it occur to them to add something so ´´unmystical´´ to their plans or it is simply because they are not interested. On the other hand, the martial art practice implies physical contact, something which is rather uncomfortable to many in a rather evident way.

There is a long-time controversy about the martial subject which makes no sense in China. At least, in our country [Spain], there are several teaching approaches, some of them are, unfortunately, not serious, but persist due to the ignorance of the general public. However, among those that are more or less serious, it is also found that there are those who sub-value the martial aspect of this art, focusing their line of work more towards the hygienic or health questions or even the mystics. Within this field, one can work profoundly, if one wants to, since tai chi chuan, as it is, is also a type of ´´qi-gong´´ (see glossary). Clear physical and mental benefits can be obtained, an objective which is not insignificant at all. Perhaps to most, it is enough for them like this and it is exactly what they are looking for. This is, after all, respected.

However, to really know deep down into this art, one cannot do without all these teachings techniques, applications, practises in pairs…since they not only contribute to the self-defence elements– which is not little- but teach us, at the same time, new aspects which are impossible to see on its own, like the ´´ting jinr´´ or listening to (perceiving) the partner’s energy, experiencing oneself in relation to another, opening the notions of ´´yin-yang´´ and a lot more.

To develop the martial aspect, it assumes the entering into a new dimension, to another level of experiences and facing the fear of this leap which also implies a higher level of responsibility, since the openness that comes with it facilitates, for example, the ability to expel uncontrollable anger. One will now find this channel as way to express himself and it does not necessarily mean that it makes us physically more aggressive, although it might make us verbally more daring. It can also be manifested to us as little traumas, shyness, prejudices… since not everyone reaches maturity or the same level at the same time and everyone has his weaknesses. This is, after all, just a stage which can be long or short, more, or less uncomfortable to some or may not even exist for others. Nevertheless, this is a rich learning experience which permits oneself to advance not only in tai-chi chuan as part of the daily life but also as a means to enhance the sense of security in oneself.

To convince the obstinate, I would say that tai-chi chuan never initiate an attack. It makes use of the initiative and the force of the opponent and returns them back to him. Although many ´´qin-na´´ (see below) tactics are studied, when one advances more towards the higher levels, more of these practices will be given up to concentrate on the ´´fa ren´´ (blows in air) art whose effect does not hurt the other party but gives him another type of strong feeling and a great astonishment. In addition to the martial aspect, the taiji quan/ tai-chi chuan at least helps to build up the character, making it strong while not falling into the temptation of wanting to confront oneself with another, since there is a code of honour among the martial gentlemen.

And finally, I would like to stress that the tai-chi chuan is included in the practices to maintain health and to prolong life. Since a long time ago, it has been practiced by the Taoists as a dynamic complement to the static meditation.

Another question is that of the master. One who is drawn for the first time to this activity cannot know the level of the person who is teaching him. As such, if there is a chance, perhaps it would be useful to be more well-informed, to listen, to see demonstrations, to ask, to compare, read books, articles and watch video tapes. Even so, this is not an easy way to get an exact criterion. It is not always true that the most famous masters are the best ones although in most occasions the good masters are famous. If we do not have any idea, it is better to go for the traditional: the lineage. Someone who has learnt with a master with a lineage is not always the guarantee that he has learnt well, but if we see their trajectory, their masters, their experiences etc, we can better orientate ourselves. It is a matter of starting and little by little we will get to know how to move ourselves, where and with whom.

In any case, these is my personal opinion and does not represent the thinking of Zhang Xiumu, who is one of my best sources (if not the only one) about tai-chi-chuan.