• AS A DEFINITION
• AS FOR THE NAME: TAI-CHI CHUAN OR TAIJIQUAN
• INTRODUCTION
• THE FORM
• THE CHARACTERISTICS OF TAI CHI CHUAN
• THE TAI CHI CHUAN STYLES
• PHILOSOPHICAL CONCEPTS WHICH SUSTAIN THE TAI-CHI CHUAN THEORY
• TAOÍSM AND THE ORIGIN OF TAI CHI CHUAN
• THE CHI (QI)
• THE TAN-TIEN (or dan tian)
• INTERNAL MARTIAL ARTS
• NEI-GONG
• QIN-NA
• TUI-SHOU

  
  

THE TAI CHI CHUAN STYLES

Up to now, numerous taichi styles have been developed, the following being the most representative: Yang, Chen, Sun, Wú (with the 2nd tone) and Wû (the 3rd tone) and Zhaobao. There are also minority styles – not that they are less valid- among which it is worthwhile to mention the Wu Dang Zhang San Feng. The majority of these styles take the family surname of those who developed the styles and their differences are mainly in their ´´form´´. However, there are also other more subtle characteristics like the bursts of energy (for example the Chen forms), the carefully deliberated handling of the ´´qi´´ (the Wu -third tone), the incorporation of the other internal style techniques (for example the Sun form), wider postures (Yang form), the refinement of martial applications etc. Nevertheless, all the forms possess the specific characteristics of tai-chi mentioned above.

In 1956, the Chinese government did a simplification based on the Yang family traditional form which consists of 24 movements and it has been there most widespread in China as well as the rest of the countries.

See more information on the section ´´styles´´