Instructors of Taiji and Taijiquan

Tai Chi Chuan (Taijiquan)

Tai Chi Chuan

Extreme Point Fist

What is Tai Chi Chuan?

Tai Chi Chuan is a famous form of Chinese martial art. The term "Taiji" means "extreme point", and "quan" is the short form for "quan fa" which means "fist techniques" and refers to what westerners today would term as kungfu.

Is Taijiquan the same as Tai Chi Chuan?

Yes. "Taijiquan" is the Romanized Chinese spelling, and "Tai Chi Chuan" the common English spelling. "Taijiquan" is phonetic, whereas "Tai Chi Chuan" may give rise to different pronunciation.

.Is Taiji (or Tai Chi) the same as Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan)?
Strictly speaking, they are different. Tai Chi is for people who want to improve health and improve fitness, Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art used for self defence.

Nevertheless, many people, especially in the West but also some Chinese themselves, shorten the term Tai Chi Chuan to Tai Chi but only teach a part of the story. Almost always those who say they teach Tai Chi are those who practise a debased form of Tai Chi Chuan without its martial dimension. If the two parts are done as a whole then this will result into a very powerful system.

Why is Tai Chi Chuan a hard style?

if you think that Tai Chi Chuan is only soft and never hard then you are mistaken. Soft techniques can be as powerful as hard techniques. If you perform only the external form of Tai Chi Chuan without appreciating its inner aspects of energy flow and mind then you are only showing half the system.

What benefits can we derive from Tai Chi Chuan training?

Tai Chi Chuan masters have categorized the benefits of Tai Chi Chuan into two levels.

Good Health
Self-Defence

Practising Tai Chi Chuan is an excellent way to promote physical, emotional and mental health. The training is gentle and graceful, and there is no need for special apparatus. Tai Chi Chuan is a very effective martial art, where physical size and mechanical strength are not necessarily winning factors.

How does Tai Chi Chuan promote health?

If practised properly, every movement of Tai Chi Chuan is a training of body, energy and mind. Body, energy and mind, known as jing, qi and shen, are the "three treasures" of every person. If any one of these treasures are not in order, he (or she) becomes sick, leading to physical, functional or mental illness. While conventional western medicine separates physical ailments from mental problems, and is often undecided over functional disorders (such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, asthma and cancer), the Chinese approach health care and disease treatment holistically.

Can Tai Chi Chuan really be used for fighting?

Of course, or else it would not be called Tai Chi Chuan. Remember that Tai Chi Chuan actually means Taiji Kungfu. Instincts of self defence will come naturally when needed.

A lot of people do not understand what Tai Chi Chuan. It is not always the fault of the student as most classes do not describe the origin of the art and also many do not choose to teach the self defence side. What most Tai Chi teachers teach are the option of exercise and not the meaning of the self defence side. The Tai Chi that is taught is a summarised version of Tai Chi. Hull Tai Chi will offer you the option to learn in accordance to your own personal goals. If you want just health, then you get just health. If you want self defence on top, then you get self defence.

Very few teachers offer to teach Tai Chi Chuan because very few students are interested in the Chuan part. This is as much for the fact that few know that Chuan exists and fewer know what it is. It is an amazing art and can help the student understand that they are more powerful than they really are.

Tai Chi Chuan (Taijiquan)

Tai	Chi	Chuan
Extreme	Point	Fist
What is Tai Chi Chuan? Tai Chi Chuan is a famous form of Chinese martial art. The term "Taiji" means "extreme point", and "quan" is the short form for "quan fa" which means "fist techniques" and refers to what westerners today would term as kungfu.
Is Taijiquan the same as Tai Chi Chuan? Yes. "Taijiquan" is the Romanized Chinese spelling, and "Tai Chi Chuan" the common English spelling. "Taijiquan" is phonetic, whereas "Tai Chi Chuan" may give rise to different pronunciation.
.Is Taiji (or Tai Chi) the same as Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan)? Strictly speaking, they are different. Tai Chi is for people who want to improve health and improve fitness, Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art used for self defence. Nevertheless, many people, especially in the West but also some Chinese themselves, shorten the term Tai Chi Chuan to Tai Chi but only teach a part of the story. Almost always those who say they teach Tai Chi are those who practise a debased form of Tai Chi Chuan without its martial dimension. If the two parts are done as a whole then this will result into a very powerful system.
Why is Tai Chi Chuan a hard style? if you think that Tai Chi Chuan is only soft and never hard then you are mistaken. Soft techniques can be as powerful as hard techniques. If you perform only the external form of Tai Chi Chuan without appreciating its inner aspects of energy flow and mind then you are only showing half the system.
What benefits can we derive from Tai Chi Chuan training? Tai Chi Chuan masters have categorized the benefits of Tai Chi Chuan into two levels.
Good Health Self-Defence
Practising Tai Chi Chuan is an excellent way to promote physical, emotional and mental health. The training is gentle and graceful, and there is no need for special apparatus. Tai Chi Chuan is a very effective martial art, where physical size and mechanical strength are not necessarily winning factors.
How does Tai Chi Chuan promote health? If practised properly, every movement of Tai Chi Chuan is a training of body, energy and mind. Body, energy and mind, known as jing, qi and shen, are the "three treasures" of every person. If any one of these treasures are not in order, he (or she) becomes sick, leading to physical, functional or mental illness. While conventional western medicine separates physical ailments from mental problems, and is often undecided over functional disorders (such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, asthma and cancer), the Chinese approach health care and disease treatment holistically.
Can Tai Chi Chuan really be used for fighting? Of course, or else it would not be called Tai Chi Chuan. Remember that Tai Chi Chuan actually means Taiji Kungfu. Instincts of self defence will come naturally when needed.
A lot of people do not understand what Tai Chi Chuan. It is not always the fault of the student as most classes do not describe the origin of the art and also many do not choose to teach the self defence side. What most Tai Chi teachers teach are the option of exercise and not the meaning of the self defence side. The Tai Chi that is taught is a summarised version of Tai Chi. Hull Tai Chi will offer you the option to learn in accordance to your own personal goals. If you want just health, then you get just health. If you want self defence on top, then you get self defence.
Very few teachers offer to teach Tai Chi Chuan because very few students are interested in the Chuan part. This is as much for the fact that few know that Chuan exists and fewer know what it is. It is an amazing art and can help the student understand that they are more powerful than they really are.