What is T’ai-Chi Ch’uan?

The term T’ai-Chi Ch’uan is commonly abbreviated to "Tai Chi", "TaiJi" or "TaiJiQuan".

The general benefits of Tai Chi are:

  • general fitness,
  • mental & physical relaxation.
  • general strength building,
  • agility & flexibility,
  • calmness & mental focus.
  • It is a very adaptable system suitable for young & old alike.


Many people are also captivated by the intriguing principles & mechanisms that govern the art which are drawn broadly from Taoist observations.

Tai Chi is essentially a martial art system originating [link to history] from China that incorporates softness & looseness into functional exercise. However, as a martial art, it belongs to a minority often referred to as ‘internal’. An internal martial art is one that exploits mindfulness & 'internal energy' rather than relying on strength &/or speed.

Tai Chi is also one of the ‘softer’ Chinese martial arts. There is an emphasis on yielding & neutralising rather than attacking. As such Tai Chi does not rely on ordinary ideas of strength. This makes it accessible to a wider age & fitness range than harder styles.

The emphasis on training mindfulness & 'internal energy' has led to reports of abilities in skilled practitioners.

The cannon of T’ai-Chi Ch’uan literature is littered with stories of apparent weakness overcoming strength & speed or age over youth. These serve to illustrate the principles that underpin Tai Chi.

"After I practice TCC I always feel better, physically and mentally. The movements are very simple and beautiful." -student