Taoist Tai Chi is an exercise form of

t'ai chi ch'uan Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called " shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. ...

which is taught in more than 25 countries by the non-profit International Taoist Tai Chi Society and associated national Taoist Tai Chi societies. It is a modified form of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan developed by

Taoist Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the '' Tao ...

monk

Moy Lin-shin Moy Lin-shin (梅連羨 méi lián xiàn) (1931 in Taishan county, Guangdong – June 6, 1998, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) was a Taoist monk, teacher and T'ai chi instructor who founded The Taoist Tai Chi Society (道教太極拳社), the Fung ...

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

. Moy incorporated principles of Lok Hup Ba Fa and other internal arts to increase the health benefits of practising the form.

Health benefits

Tai Chi in general

Tai Chi generally provides health benefits. In all the forms of Tai Chi there are movements that involve briefly standing on one leg, which may improve balance; circular movements of the shoulders and wrists which improve suppleness and circulation; learning the sequence of the set movements may improve cognitive function such as concentration; the social atmosphere can sometimes forge friendships and alleviate loneliness and anxiety; and the exercise itself can boost a person's mood and alleviate depression.Chen, Y.K.: ''Tai-Chi Ch'uan - Its Effects and Practical Applications'', pages 10-12. Newcastle Publishing, 1979. Zhou, Dahong, M.D.: ''The Chinese Exercise Book'', pages 19-22. Hartley & Marks Publishing, 1984. All forms of Tai Chi have been noted by YK Chen as regulating body weight, improving cognitive, lung, digestive and heart functioning as well as improving skin tone and bone structure. Research on Tai Chi in general, carried out at the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

by Dahong Zhou, MD, shows that Tai Chi provides moderate exercise, equal to brisk walking. Zhou also notes that Tai Chi in general reduces stress levels and emotional problems while improving "concentration, attention, composure, self confidence, and self control". Zhou indicates that Tai Chi generally reduces

hypertension Hypertension (HTN or HT), also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms. Long-term high b ...

, relieves chronic

headache Headache is the symptom of pain in the face, head, or neck. It can occur as a migraine, tension-type headache, or cluster headache. There is an increased risk of depression in those with severe headaches. Headaches can occur as a result ...

dizziness Dizziness is an imprecise term that can refer to a sense of disorientation in space, vertigo, or lightheadedness. It can also refer to disequilibrium or a non-specific feeling, such as giddiness or foolishness. Dizziness is a common medical c ...

and

insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which people have trouble sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low energy, ...

, has benefits for people suffering with mild

arthritis Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In som ...

and

rheumatism Rheumatism or rheumatic disorders are conditions causing chronic, often intermittent pain affecting the joints or connective tissue. Rheumatism does not designate any specific disorder, but covers at least 200 different conditions, including ar ...

, improves breathing and blood circulation and is "an excellent exercise for the mind." His research shows that due to the low intensity of most forms of Tai Chi, that as an exercise regimen it does not lead to

fatigue Fatigue describes a state of tiredness that does not resolve with rest or sleep. In general usage, fatigue is synonymous with extreme tiredness or exhaustion that normally follows prolonged physical or mental activity. When it does not resolve ...

stress Stress may refer to: Science and medicine * Stress (biology), an organism's response to a stressor such as an environmental condition * Stress (linguistics), relative emphasis or prominence given to a syllable in a word, or to a word in a phrase ...

Taoist Tai Chi

The health claims made for Taoist Tai Chi by the

Taoist Tai Chi Society The International Taoist Tai Chi Society (國際道家太極拳社) is an umbrella organization for the governance of its member associations around the world, which are dedicated to the teaching of Taoist Tai Chi. As of 2007, the organization ha ...

are generally similar to those made for all forms of Tai Chi.Panter, John & Rick Davis: ''The Art of Taoist Tai Chi - Cultivating Mind and Body, Second Edition 1992'', The Philosophy of Taoist Tai Chi: Cultivating Body and Mind by Karen Laughlin & Eva Wong, pages 11-14. Taoist Tai Chi Society of Canada, 1992. Yang Chengfu (1931), Taijiquan Shiyongfa (Application methods of Taijiquan)Yang Chengfu (1934), Taijiquan Tiyong Quanshu (Complete Book of the Essence and Applications of Taijiquan)Yang Chengfu and Louis Swaim, tr. (2005). The Essence and Applications of Taijiquan. North Atlantic Books. . In common with other forms of Tai Chi, the society says that for beginners Tai Chi starts out as primarily an external exercise, but for more advanced students it becomes more internal, exercising the internal organs and mind as well as the frame and muscles. Early in learning the Tai Chi set students may notice that the form strengthens the larger muscle groups in the legs, arms and back. According to the Taoist Tai Chi Society, the stretching aspects of the form improves the functioning of the joints,

tendon A tendon or sinew is a tough, high-tensile-strength band of dense fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone. It is able to transmit the mechanical forces of muscle contraction to the skeletal system without sacrificing its ability ...

s and

ligament A ligament is the fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to other bones. It is also known as ''articular ligament'', ''articular larua'', ''fibrous ligament'', or ''true ligament''. Other ligaments in the body include the: * Peritoneal l ...

s by taking them through their full range of motion. This can improve flexibility and reduce age-related deterioration. The Taoist Tai Chi Society claims that later in their training students note increased mobility in the spine and that the form restores proper alignment of the spine with the shoulders and

pelvis The pelvis (plural pelves or pelvises) is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the thighs (sometimes also called pelvic region), together with its embedded skeleton (sometimes also called bony pelvis, or pelvic skeleton). The ...

through the spinal stretches and rotations that are built into the set. Additionally the society claims that the form stimulates the spinal nerves, providing a balancing effect on the nervous system. Later on in practice the student may find that the set will exercise the internal organs, possibly resulting in increased circulation, digestion and elimination. The society claims that the set strengthens the

cardiovascular system The blood circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, tha ...

, improves physical conditioning, decreases fatigue and improves endurance. Many of the health benefits claimed are related to the relaxation aspects of the Taoist Tai Chi set. The long stretches in the set may reduce tension at a muscular level and the slow pace of the set can create both mental and physical relaxation. The society claims that by relaxing the mind during Tai Chi the brain requires less blood and nutrients and that this allows the rest of the body to make use of these. This all may act to calm the heart and mind, while possibly improving strength and reducing overall stress. Philosophically, the tai chi taught by the Taoist Tai Chi Society is stated to be taught from a belief that people are innately good but that the nature of society causes people to become self-centred and to acquire bad habits. The aim of the training is to "eliminate these weaknesses so that our original nature of goodness can again shine brightly, guiding our thoughts and actions." To achieve this the society promotes the virtues of compassion and service to others, through students becoming instructors who then teach Tai Chi to new students without any personal gain. In some cases, Tai Chi may be taught by the society as an integrated meditation art as well as an exercise program. The Taoist Tai Chi Society sums up the challenges:

Form principles

Taoist Tai Chi has several principles of movement that are meant to be a part of every posture, these principles are what defines Taoist Tai Chi as a unique tai chi practice.Panter, John & Rick Davis: ''The Art of Taoist Tai Chi - Cultivating Mind and Body, Second Edition 1992'', pages 16-18. Taoist Tai Chi Society of Canada, 1992. Several of these are attributes espoused by many non-Society teachers, but are expressed somewhat differently than is traditional within Taoist Tai Chi. Here is a brief description. ;45 Degree Angle Step": the principle of Straight/45 refers to the desired degree of the feet in relation to one another, usually with the front foot Straight forward and the back foot (left or right) at 45 degrees outward. This is meant to aid in squaring the hips. ;Positioning the Front Knee: The knee should not extend beyond the toes to prevent injury. ;"Squaring the hips": at the end/forward position of a movement (such as Single Whip) the hips of a practitioner should be square or facing completely forward and in line with the front or "Straight" foot. Conversely, when at the rollback or beginning of a posture the hips should be in line with the back or "45" foot. The professed health benefit of this is that it facilitates a turning/stretching of the spine and an opening of the pelvic region (specifically the hip joint). ;Weight placement/Balance: there should be a straight line from the top of the head to the heel of the rear foot in all forward positions. The head is above the shoulders, the shoulders over the waist and hips, the hips over the knees and feet, thus balance is kept. ;"Equal and Opposite Forces": In Taoist Tai Chi a push with one hand is balanced with an equal push with the other hand.

Foundation exercises

In addition to the full 108 Taoist Tai Chi set, students are taught a unique group of cyclical foundation exercises (基本功, ''jī běn gōng'') that focus on the joints, called "the jongs" (from 站桩, ''zhàn zhuāng''). Most of these exercises, either in their form or execution, are completely unique to Taoist Tai Chi. These exercises are not only used as preliminaries to the form, they are espoused as being the basic elements that provide health benefit in the varying movements of Taoist Tai Chi. Instructors often explain postures by referring to a foundation exercise. The 108 forms shown below were originally developed by Yang Chengfu, published in 1931 and 1934 and are commonly referred to as traditional Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan. The main foundations include: * A basic forearm rotation: the forearms are held up and forward and rotate in and out. The hands are located in front of the left and right meridian. The elbows are stationary. * A rotation of the arms in front of the body: making a circular motion with the hands: where one pushes away the other pulls in. The thumbs move from the central axis of the body. It is mainly an upper body stretch in which the arms move outward from the center and then back. * ''Dan Yu'' (spine stretching) (from 蹲腰, ''dūn yāo''). A

squatting Squatting is the action of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied area of land or a building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have lawful permission to use. The United Nations estimated in 2003 that there ...

exercise meant to work primarily the pelvic region, the legs and the lower back. Fifty or more repetitions may be performed in advanced classes. The feet are placed in a stance wider than the shoulders. When squatting the knees move in the direction of the feet. * ''Tor Yu'' (spine turning) (from 拖腰, ''tuō yāo''). The feet are at the typical "Straight/45" position, minding the "in-stepping/out-stepping". The pelvis alternates between weight over the front "Straight" and the back "45" foot. Thus the trunk moves following the pelvis. The hands follow the body and cross in front of the lower

dantian Dantian, dan t'ian, dan tien or tan t'ien is loosely translated as "elixir field", "sea of qi", or simply "energy center". Dantian are the "qi focus flow centers", important focal points for meditative and exercise techniques such as qigong, m ...

when the body moves backward to the '45 back" position, and then uncross and push away towards the "Straight front" position leading the trunk. For the outside observer it seems that the hands make a circular motion, however they don't for the practitioner. In addition to its purported health benefits this exercise is particularly similar to the Silk reeling of other styles in that it helps develop the theory of movement present in all of Taoist Tai Chi. * An arm separation such as in kicks: the arms start crossed in front of the body, move sideways, backward and down, and forward up again with the hands crossed on the centerline in front of the chest. * A variant of the ''Wave Hands like Clouds'' move. * Stationary stance versions of the posture "Snake Creeps Low", in which the practitioner may come to a full standing position in between left and right sides of the posture. * Sometimes repetitions of various other movements (e.g., Brush Knee, Go Back to Ward Off Monkey, or Flying at a Slant) but usually movements that lend themselves to repetition.

Form list

The 108 movements of the Taoist Tai Chi set are:Panter, John & Rick Davis: ''The Art of Taoist Tai Chi - Cultivating Mind and Body, Second Edition 1992'', pages 19 and subsequent. Taoist Tai Chi Society of Canada, 1992.

Notes

References

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External links

International Taoist Tai Chi Society
- official website Tai chi styles Neijia Physical exercise