Chinese Taiji 太极

Taiji Quan（太极拳，Tàijí Quán）is one of the major Chinese martial arts (Wushu). It is used for life enhancement, health building and combat. It calls for an uncluttered mind and complete concentration; soft, slow, smooth and complete movements; and a clear distinction between force and yielding. Many people in the West are better acquainted with the graceful, flowing movements of Taiji forms than with the more static Qigong（气功，Qìgōng）forms. However, the two share a common philosophical background, and both can contribute to the development and maintenance of health and well-being. In essence, the forms that are seen performed as Taijiquan (literally, the "supreme ultimate fist," or "supreme ultimate boxing art") can be conceptualized as a dynamic form of Qigong, or "energy cultivation," and a way of regulating the system and preventing disease. Clinical practice has proved that Taiji and Qigong are very effective for chronic diseases and prevention. Taiji and Qigong can produce very high success rate for chronic diseases.

At its roots, Taijiquan is a powerful and effective martial art, but behind the martial applications lie the same Daoist principles: the development of prefect harmony between the Yin and Yang energies of the body, the promotion of smooth and uninhibited flow of Qi throughout the body, and the maintenance of maximal health

Yang-styie TaiJi Quan（杨式太极拳，Yángshì Tàijí Quán）is one of the main schools of Chinese TaiJi Quan. The originator of Yang-style Taiji Quan was Yang Luchan (1800-1873), born in Yongnian County, Hebei Province. Brought up in a poor family, Yang Luchan was sold to Chen Dehu in Cehnjiagou village as a child servant. While looking after Taiji Quan Master Chen Changxing, Yang Luchan learned martial arts from him. He returned to his native village as an adult and began to teach Taiji Quan to others. People in Yongnian County described his art as "silky boxing" and "soft boxing." Later, he went to Beijing and taught many members of the nobility in the Qing Dynasty.

To meet the needs of the general public, he dropped the difficult movements, such as jumps, foot stamping and force producing exercises. Yang's son revised this form into the Middle frame. His grandson, Yang Chengfu, revised it once more and finalized it as the Big frame. Simple and easy to learn, the Big frame has become the most popular Yang-style Taiji Quan today. The Yangs enjoyed great fame on Beijing. After1923, Yang Chenfu visited Nanjing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou and Hankou, wher he taught and made popular the Yang-style Taiji Quan.

Like the other schools the Yang-style is, characterized by its combination of hardness and softness its combination of internal exercise and external form and its round and quick movements. It is listed both for combat and health building. Because of its, graceful stances, and postures, the Yang-style TaiJi Quan has enjoyed. wide popularity among Taiji enthusiasts. It is, the most popular school now practiced in China Yang-style.v