The story of Chinese Tai Chi

Lisa 2020-12-24 264

Tai Chi, also known as taijiquan, is a traditional physical practice characterized by relaxed, circular movements that works in harmony with breath regulation and the cultivation of a righteous and neutral mind. It is originated from the mid 17th century in Wenxian county in Henan Province in central China, it is now practiced throughout China by people of all ages and by different ethnic groups, according to the official website of UNESCO.

Tai Chi’s basic movements center on five steps and eight techniques with a series of routines, exercises and hand-pushing skills. Influenced by Daoist and Confucian thought and theories of traditional Chinese medicine, the practice has developed into several styles named after a clan or a master's personal name. These are passed down through clan-based transmission or the master-apprentice model, and build upon the yin and yang cycle, and the cultural understanding of the unity of heaven and humanity.

My own experience since 1985 with tai chi, whose origins are traced to the 1600s but whose roots go back further still, took me through a cross-cultural door in 2011.That is when, by being initiated as a disciple, or indoor student, of grandmaster Chen Zhenglei in a formal, traditional ceremony, I became an inheritor of this treasured art. Master Chen is a direct descendant of Chen Wangting, the historically recognized creator of tai chi, which today comprises the five major styles of Chen, Yang, Wu, Wu Hao and Sun.

Though becoming a disciple has put on my shoulders the big responsibility shared by each and every tai chi heir, my master is an inheritor in a much, much bigger way, through both his birthright and his lifelong dedication to, and steadfast practice of, the art.

Master Chen was born in 1949, the same year the People's Republic of China was founded, and began learning tai chi at the age of 8 from his uncle, the renowned Chen Zhaopei. It was my master and three others-his cousin Chen Xiaowang as well as Wang Xian and Zhu Tiancai-who were tasked with reviving and spreading Chen style tai chi, which was practiced at that time only in Chenjiagou. The hard work of these four in globally promoting Chen-style tai chi, the original style that had long been eclipsed by the popularity of the style derived from it, Yang tai chi, led to the masters being known as "the four tigers of Chen village".

Though it is now as popular as the Yang style, if not more so, Chen tai chi, the original style-distinguished by, among other things, its constant coiling and pronounced martial flavor-actually floundered and nearly vanished just before the four tigers took up training. Their dedication to the clan's signature heritage kept the multigenerational chain of this intangible treasure intact. They set the standard for all who follow in their giant footsteps.

So how do today's inheritors, as links between the past and future, keep the flame of tai chi burning ever brighter? Speaking as a longtime collector of treasures ranging from gemstones and gold to carved olive cores and rare blue amber, I know well the cardinal rule of preserving such valuables: Handle with care. That means honoring tradition, keeping intact the intent, flavor, principles and techniques of tai chi, and, by emulating as precisely as possible our masters-just as they were true to the teachings of their own masters-passing the art down in as pure a form as humanly possible. That is no small order.

Thankfully, in addition to an abundance of books written by the great masters of tai chi over the years, we have technology on our side as well. Videos abound, and livestream classes allow people around the world to watch, learn from and interact with the leading proponents of tai chi, including the four tigers, who are tireless teachers and prolific writers. The prospects for tai chi, therefore, will be rosier still, and the incentive to protect this heritage even stronger, now that UNESCO has added this art of Chinese origin to the list of the world's irreplaceable treasures.