Its movements are often practised slowly and with control. This gives us time to pay close attention to how we stand, shift weight, coordinate the body, release unnecessary tension and move as a connected whole.
But the outward movement is only part of the practice. Tai Chi also explores the relationship between mind and body, attention and intention, relaxation and structure, and traditional internal concepts such as Qi.
The aim is not simply to copy the movements. It is to understand and gradually experience the principles within them.
Tai Chi or Taiji?
Both names refer to the Chinese term 太極. “Tai Chi” is the familiar older English romanisation, while “Taiji” reflects modern Hanyu Pinyin. The full name of the martial art is Taijiquan (太極拳), traditionally written in English as Tai Chi Chuan.
One useful distinction is that the “Chi” in Tai Chi is not the same word as Qi (氣). Qi is a separate traditional Chinese concept that we explore within Tai Chi and Qigong practice.
Why is Tai Chi often practised slowly?
Slow movement is not the whole definition of Tai Chi. It is a method of practice.
Moving slowly can give us time to notice where our weight is, whether we are balanced, where unnecessary tension appears, how one part of the body connects with another, and whether our movement reflects our intention.
As skill develops, the principles are more important than simply moving slowly.
Is Tai Chi a martial art?
Yes. Taijiquan developed as a Chinese martial art. Its postures and movements contain martial principles and applications, and practices such as push hands can develop sensitivity, timing, balance, structure and the ability to respond to another person.
You do not need to be interested in fighting to learn Shang Tai Chi. Understanding the martial purpose of a movement can, however, help explain why the body is positioned a certain way, where the weight belongs, what the movement is doing and where the intention is directed.
At Shang, martial understanding is used to deepen the art rather than turn every class into self-defence training.
What can Tai Chi develop?
Tai Chi is an art to learn, not simply an exercise routine to complete. Its practice can develop qualities that are useful within Tai Chi and relevant to everyday movement.
Balance and stability
Develop awareness of how you stand, shift your weight, step and change direction.
Coordination and body awareness
Learn to coordinate the body while maintaining structure, direction and control.
Strength and mobility
Slow, controlled movement and changing weight-bearing positions can provide gentle physical work within an appropriate range.
Calm and focused attention
Movement, breathing and attention are practised together, which is one reason Tai Chi is sometimes described as moving meditation.
Internal skill
Explore relaxation without collapse, intention, whole-body connection and the internal qualities traditionally developed through the art.
Continued learning
Forms, applications, awareness and internal principles can continue developing over many years.
What is Qigong?
Qigong is a broad Chinese tradition of practices involving movement, posture, breathing, focused attention and the traditional cultivation of Qi. There are many Qigong systems and many different reasons for practising them.
Tai Chi and Qigong overlap, but they are not interchangeable. Tai Chi is an internal martial art with characteristic movement principles, forms and applications. Qigong covers a much wider family of practices.
At Shang Tai Chi, Tai Chi remains the central art. Qigong complements and supports that practice.
What about Qi?
Qi is an important traditional concept in Chinese martial arts, Qigong and Chinese philosophy. It is often translated into English as “energy” or “vital energy”, although neither translation fully captures the traditional idea.
We do not remove Qi from Tai Chi simply because it is difficult to describe in modern scientific language. Nor do we use Qi to make medical claims that have not been established.
At Shang Tai Chi, we explore traditional concepts in context. We distinguish between physical principles we can observe, experiences we personally notice during practice, and traditional ways of understanding the art.
You do not need to adopt a belief system before you begin.
Learn. Practise. Notice. Develop your own understanding.
Bringing the pieces together
We begin with principles that can be understood and practised: structure, relaxation, breathing, weight transfer, coordination, stepping, awareness and intention.
We may isolate these principles so they are easier to learn, including through Micro Tai Chi. But the isolated practice is never the destination. Over time, the pieces reconnect into increasingly complete Tai Chi.
Learn the art. Practise its principles. Live them.
A note about health and wellbeing
Tai Chi has been studied for a range of health and wellbeing outcomes, including balance and physical function. Research findings vary by population, program and outcome. Shang Tai Chi does not present Tai Chi or Qigong as a treatment or cure for medical conditions, and traditional concepts such as Qi are not substitutes for medical advice.
Experience Tai Chi rather than just reading about it.
Our free 7-Day Tai Chi Introduction begins with the fundamentals and shows how individual principles start connecting into the whole art.
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