The tai-chi-chuan (Larousse), (太極拳 transl.; 太极拳 simpl.) or tàijí quán (in transcription Pinyin) or have You Chi Ch' uan (in transcription Lagging-Gilles). The sinogrammes of the taiji quan are composed of the elements Tàijí 太極 (ridge supreme) and quán 拳 (fist) and often translated by “boxing of the supreme ridge” or “boxes with the shade” because the observer with the impression which the practitioner fights with a shade. Another current translation is “the boxing of eternal youth”, the supreme ridge being able to be translated less literally by “immortality” (the goal supême). It is a Chinese martial art (Wushu) pertaining to the group of the internal styles, such as the Hsing I Ch' uan and the Bagua zhang).
The taiji quan is often seen by the Westerners like a kind of “gymnastics”. It is indeed about an martial art in the direction where:
- the movements are inherited the martial tradition (dodgings, parades, strike, seized…) ;
- they were worked by the warriors to develop various paramount qualities in the combat such as balance, the calm one, the concentration…
- apart from the first sequence taught with the beginners, there are sequences with weapons as well as combat primarily based on pushes.
History
In CAT You King of the Chinese philosopher Lao-tseu (towards 600 av. J.C), one finds the first reference to the tai-chi: “it projects an adversary absent”. The tai-chi is one of the practices gathered under the term wei-wu-wei , act-without-to act.
There exist several assumptions on the origin of the tai-chi-chuan:
The tai-chi-chuan was created by Zhang Sanfeng
This version of long time was probably the traditional opinion. It is known as in the complete Livre on the exercises of the tai-chi-chuan writes by Yang Chengfu (1883-1936) that Zhang Sanfeng created the tai-chi-chuan towards the end of the Dynastie Song (960-1279) and transmitted it to Wang Zongyue, Chen Zhoutong, Zhang Songxi and Jiang Fa. Still earlier, Li Yishe (1832-1891) wrote in its Brève introduction on the tai-chi-chuan : " The tai-chi-chuan was founded by Zhang Sanfeng of Song." Still nowadays, some share this point of view.
The tai-chi-chuan was created by Wang Zongyue
Wang Zongyue, which lived under the Qing (1644-1911), occupies an important place in the history of the tai-chi-chuan and its role was recognized by the Masters of the various times. Its book In connection with the tai-chi-chuan contributed much to the propagation of the name of this boxing and constitutes its theoretical base. Owing to the fact that Wang Zongyue has for the first time exposed the theory and the techniques of the tai-chi-chuan in a systematic way, some believe that he is the creator by taking stock of the experiments of his predecessors. It is consigned in documents that Wang Zongyue transmitted the tai-chi-chuan to Jiang Fa and this last transmitted it to Chen Changxing, inhabitant of the village of Chenjiagou.
The origin goes back to the village of Chenjiagou
The name of this boxing under the term of " tai-chi-chuan" (boxes supreme ridge) appears with Chen Wangting towards the end of the Dynastie Ming (1368-1644). Their representatives are Tang Hao and Gu Liuxin, researchers of the history of Wushu. Mr. Tang drew this conclusion following the investigations which it led to the village of Chenjiagou, district of Wenxian, province of the Henan, and while referring to Annals of the district and the genealogical Register of the Chen family. According to this register, Chen Wangting was " Master of boxing of Chen style and founder of the play of the sword and the lance". The various contemporary schools of tai-chi-chuan (Yang, Wu, Sun) are originating or heiresses in the boxing of Chen style, although the principles of this boxing are quite former (this to say that this boxing existed before it takes the name of taï chi chuan). The Chen style is very regulated and enjoys a great reputation which makes authority, for a long time, in the medium of the wushu.
Schools
There exist various styles of tai-chi-chuan, subdividing themselves in several schools:-
Tai chi chuan style Chen, the style founder of Chen Wangting
- Tai chi chuan style Yang, of Yang Luchan more spread, which is declined in three under-schools.
- Tai chi chuan style Wu Chien of Wu Jianquan (Wu Dog-ch' uan)
- Tai chi chuan style Wu Yu of Wu Yuxiang (Wu Yu-hsiang)
- Tai chi chuan style Sun of Sun Lutang
Martial art
The tai-chi-chuan as an internal martial art insists on the development of a flexible and dynamic force called Jing , in opposition to the pure physical force.
One of the rules of the tai-chi-chuan is the relaxation ( song , song kai ) which allows the fluidity of the movements and their coordinations: a movement of the fist occurs to the size, is prolonged by the shoulder, then by the arm. The muscles are used in a coordinated way and the penetrating force comes from a fast contraction at the time of the impact.
Once relieving song installed, the practitioner will develop the peng jing or forces intern consisting in connecting each part of the body while remaining released: a part moves, all the body moves; a part stops, all the body stops. The peng jing is the force characteristic of the tai-chi; one can find an analogy with an elastic ball to him: strike the ball and your blow will be turned over deviated towards you. More simply, the tai chi control movements by exerting tangential forces or of rotation.
At the time of the struck blows, energy is first of all concentrated in the Dantian , which is one of the points of energy (more known under the name of “will chakras”), located two inches in lower part of the navel (equivalent with the second will chakra) and in-depth, then is released, accompanied by a shock wave propagated by the undulation of the articulations of the practitioner, a such whip. One invites that to explode the force or fajing .
The tai-chi pays an special attention to the rooting. Energy must also leave the “roots” in the feet, since it is generally them which in the majority of the cases will launch the blow that will give the hand, or any other striking part. One says sometimes, “the foot gives the blow, the hip directs, and the hand transmits. ” Energy comes from the feet, then it is directed by the size before being emitted by the hands.
Taï chi chuan is an IQ Gong. It implies a work on internal energy and not on the muscular external force.
This is why, the drive of the tai chi ch' uan is first of all carried out slowly to feel the movements of vital energy (IQ). The center of gravity and breathing must be lowered to the level of the abdomen (dantien).
The practitioner will be able to start to accelerate the gestures, and will practice the Fa chin - release of energy - initially reduced in order to avoid damaging his articulations, then increasingly complete.
The exercises of pushed hands make it possible to apply the principles of the tai-chi with a partner and this in a progressive way: to remain released ( song ) on a push for example to start.
The applications can be carried out various manners:
- of the blows struck as well with the feet or the knees as hands or elbows. Even if the use of the feet prove to be difficult to put into practice for the body at body.
- clouded them which is in fact of the keys that one finds in aikido or jujit tsu.
- of the pressures on the cavities to cause respiratory or blood blockings.
- of the pressures on the points of acupuncture which can injure vital energy and involve disorders of the organization (mental state, destruction of the internal bodies, K.O even death). It is about the more high degree of control.
The tai-chi-chuan is generally practiced with naked hands, and there exist forms of tai-chi with range, dagger, sword, stick, saber, that the practitioner will be able to learn after a few years from experiment.
Names of movements of style YANG
To seize the tail of the bird (to avoid, draw, press, push back), the simple one and double whip, the stork refreshes the wings, Jouer of the violin (pipa), Emporter the tiger with the mountain, Reculer and to push back the monkey, Poing under the elbow, Brosser the knee, the oblique flight, the needle at the sea-bed, the range, Flatter the neck of the horse, Frapper the tiger, Séparer the mane from the wild horse, the jade girl weaves the shuttle with the four directions, the snake which crawls, the golden pheasant is held on a leg, the white snake darts its language, Reculer and to overlap the tiger, To sweep the lotus, To bandage the arc on the tiger, the rhinoceros looks at the moon, the tortoise which swims.
Various practices
(drawn from the site: http://perso.orange.fr/world/spirale/)-
" Ba duan jin" or " eight brocarts " : they are a series of exercises of IQ Gong preparing the body with the practice of the tai-chi-chuan. The goal is to open the three doors, i.e. to release the shoulders, the size and the hips, in order to facilitate the circulation of energy.
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the Great sequence or Long Form : it is composed of 80 to 108 movements (according to the way of deducting them various schools) which simulate a combat against an imaginary adversary. It is carried out very slowly.
- the " Tui Shou " or " Pushed hands " : these are exercises that one carries out to two. The goal is to learn how to listen to the partner, which makes it possible to dodge, to deviate and control a force which is exerted against oneself. There exist international competitions of Tui Shou.
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the " San Shou " or " To dodge the hands " : a sequence which is practiced to two in a continuous play of attacks and pretended defenses.
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the " Ping Chi " or " Practical of the weapons " : the practice of the weapons belongs to the great tradition of Taiji Quan. For each weapon, one studies a fundamental sequence. Here a list of weapons used in the tai-chi of weapons:
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