Tai chi

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Tai chi
太極拳

The lower dantian in tai chi: Taijitu (yin and yang) rotate, while the core reverts to stillness (wuji).
Yang Chengfu (c. 1931) in Single Whip posture of Yang-style tai chi solo form
Also known as	See etymology
Focus	Taoism
Hardness	Forms: Competition Light contact (pushing hands, no strikes) Full contact (strikes, kicks, throws, takedowns etc.)
Country of origin	China
Date of formation	Daoyin
Creator	Chen Wangting or Zhang Sanfeng
Famous practitioners	Chen Wangting Chen Changxing Chen Fake Joey Bond Yang Luchan Yang Chengfu Cheng Man-ch'ing Wu Quanyou Wu Jianquan Wu Yuxiang Sun Lutang Wang Peisheng
Olympic sport	Demonstration sport

Part of a series on
Chinese martial arts (Wushu)
Styles of Chinese martial arts List of Chinese martial arts
Terms Chin Na Fa jin Kung fu Neigong Neijia Qi Qigong Shifu Yin and yang
Historical locations Kunlun Mountains Mount Emei Mount Hua Shaolin Monastery Wudang Mountains
Legendary figures Guan Yu Bodhidharma Zhang Sanfeng Fong Sai-yuk Yim Wing-chun Li Ching-Yuen Eight Immortals Five Elders
Historical individuals Emperor Taizu of Song Yue Fei Hong Xiguan Dong Haichuan Yang Luchan Chan Heung Wu Quanyou Wong Fei-hung Sun Lutang Li Shuwen Huo Yuanjia Wang Ziping Chen Fake Ip Man Ten Tigers of Canton
Modern celebrities Bruce Lee Bolo Yeung Sammo Hung Jackie Chan Jet Li Donnie Yen Vincent Zhao Zhang Jin (actor) Dennis To
Related Hong Kong action cinema Kung fu film Vietnamese martial arts Wushu (sport) Wuxia
v t e

Tai chi is an ancient Chinese martial art. Initially developed for combat and self-defense, it has evolved into a sport and form of exercise. Tai chi is a gentle, low-impact form of exercise in which practitioners perform a series of deliberate, flowing motions while focusing on deep, slow breaths. Often referred to as "meditation in motion," tai chi aims to concentrate and balance the body's qi (vital energy), providing benefits to mental and physical health.^[1]

Many forms of tai chi are practiced, both traditional and modern. While the precise origins are not known, the earliest documented practice is from Chen Village, Henan. Most modern styles trace their development to the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu (Hao), Wu, and Sun. Practitioners such as Yang Chengfu and Sun Lutang in the early 20th century promoted the art for its health benefits.^[2] Tai chi was included in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2020.^[3]