Tai Chi, QiGong & Wu Shu

Tai Chi Chuan is a distinctive Chinese form of exercise or attack and defense that is popular throughout the world and closely related to the ancient Daoist system of qigong. As exercise, tai chi chuan is designed to provide relaxation in the process of body-conditioning exercise and is drawn from the principles of taiji, notably including the harmonizing of the yin and yang, respectively the passive and active principles. It employs flowing, rhythmic, deliberate movements, with carefully prescribed stances and positions, but in practice no two masters teach the system exactly alike. As a mode of attack and defense, tai chi chuan resembles kung fu and is properly considered a martial art. It may be used with or without weapons.

Freehand exercise to promote health was practiced in China as early as the 3rd century, and, by the 5th century, monks at the Buddhist monastery of Shao Lin were performing exercises emulating the five creatures: bear, bird, deer, monkey, and tiger. The snake was added later, and, by the early Ming dynasty (1368), the yin and yang principles had been added to harmonize the whole. An assimilation of these developments, the art of tai chi chuan was codified and named in the early Qing dynasty (1644–1911/12).

There have been many schools of tai chi chuan, and five are popular and distinctive. Depending on school and master, the number of prescribed exercise forms varies from 24 to 108 or more. The forms are named for the image created by their execution, such as “White stork displays its wings” and “Fall back and twist like monkey.” All start from one of three stances, weight forward, weight on rear foot, and horse riding, or oblique.

Qigong, (pronounced “chi-gong”) an ancient Chinese system of physical exercise and meditation that combines movement, breathing, and mental concentration. Qigong serves as the foundation for the closely related practice of tai chi chuan, which originated as a martial art before becoming popular as a health-promoting exercise.

Also known as dao yin, qigong has its roots in Daoist traditions dating back to approximately 2146 bce. The term dao yin refers to “guiding the qi,” the vital energy of the body, and appears in the early Daoist texts, including the Zhuangzi. This collection, attributed to the Daoist philosopher Zhuang Zhou, describes exercises inspired by animal movements and breathing techniques intended to promote longevity and revitalize people suffering from various health ailments.

The term qigong, which translates to “cultivating the qi,” was popularized in the mid-20th century. The practice, in its modern iteration, functions on the principle of moving the qi through channels known as meridians. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), each organ is associated with a specific meridian. By affecting these meridians, qigong is believed to influence the health and function of the body’s organs.

Qigong was briefly banned during the Cultural Revolution due to its spiritual and religious aspects and its links to the controversial Falun Gong movement. However, shifting politics and an emphasis on scientific approaches to health helped to reintegrate qigong into Chinese society. Qigong is now considered an essential component of traditional Chinese medicine, along with acupuncture, acupressure, and herbal medicine.

In recent decades qigong has been the subject of significant Western medical research, and the practice is now recommended for reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression, improving breathing and coordination, managing pain, and alleviating fatigue. Research indicates that qigong may help improve balance in individuals with Parkinson disease, reduce fibromyalgia pain, and enhance cardiovascular health. Additional studies suggest benefits for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), various cancers, and other ailments. Qigong has also been shown to improve cognition and memory, as well as aid in fall prevention, all of which are important benefits for aging adults. Qigong’s slow, low-to-no-impact movements, which can be done standing or sitting, make it very accessible for older adults, though people of any age can practice and benefit from it.

Wu shu (or Kung fu) is a martial art, both a form of exercise with a spiritual dimension stemming from concentration and self-discipline and a primarily unarmed mode of personal combat often equated with Karate or Tae Kwon Do. The term "Kung fu" can also signify careful preparation for the performance of any skillful endeavour without interference from the intellect or emotions. As martial art, kung fu can be traced to the Zhou dynasty (1111–255 bc) and even earlier. As exercise it was practiced by the Daoists in the 5th century bc. Its prescribed stances and actions are based on keen observations of human skeletal and muscular anatomy and physiology, and it employs great muscular coordination. The various movements in kung fu, most of which are imitations of the fighting styles of animals, are initiated from one of five basic foot positions: normal upright posture and the four stances called dragon, frog, horse riding, and snake. There are hundreds of styles of kung fu, and armed as well as unarmed techniques have been developed. In the latter half of the 20th century a new genre of action films centred on kung fu techniques and philosophies emerged and helped to promote international interest in the art.

Source: Encyclopedia Britannica