Tai Chi Chuan

Liudmila expressed in her blog her surprise and curiosity in a Chinese couple’s slow motion routines. But that was Tai chi chuan! Tai chi chuan (traditional Chinese: 太極拳; simplified Chinese: 太极拳) is an internal Chinese martial art often practiced with the aim of promoting health and longevity. For Chinese all over the world, this is something common and we really take it for granted. We see it in movies and every morning in the park too when a group of usually senior citizens practise together. Tai chi chuan is considered a soft style martial art — an art applied with internal power. There are many different styles of tai chi chuan, but most modern schools can trace their development to the system originally taught by the Chen family to the Yang family. Regardless of style, medical studies support its effectiveness as an alternative exercise and a form of martial arts therapy. In my hometown Taiping, senior citizens can be found practicing Tai chi Chuan very early in the morning in the Lake Gardens.