TaiChi History A General Overview

Tai Chi is an ancient martial art, created, and now also maintained by a precious few it has little regard in the eye of the modern martial arts enthusiast as a combat system.

What can be regarded as true Tai Chi in its real form is a profound skill based on a deep understanding of principles that where developed over generations. Now associated by most as solely an art for health, Tai Chi is often misused and largely miss taught.

With so much of the history of Tai Chi not fully accounted for how can we reach an absolute conclusion in regards to its true nature?, the simple answer is to LOOK at it.

A tool is created for a specific purpose; therefore exercising skill in a specific manner that emulates this purpose is how skill is developed. This was the essential discipline of all masters in history whether they be martial warriors, monks, or artists the philosophical background of Kung Fu and Tai Chi encompassed that practice which goes beyond perfection into the profound celestial precision of nature and the literal sense of supernatural.

Many believe it was created by a figure called Zhang San Feng during either the twelfth or fifteenth century (depending on the source). Reputedly a master of Shaolin Kung Fu he wanted to create a system more in keeping with his philosophical and religious beliefs as a Taoist monk. The revelation that gave birth to the Tai Chi fist was apparently a fight between a snake and a crane. Although there is evidence that a man called Zhang San Feng existed at this time there is little or none to support the claim that he is the creator of the system.

Many believe his appointment as creator of the system is as a result of misinformation and a popularized want to associate its creation with an individual of more ancient roots. Some believe that all the styles of Tai Chi practiced today are in fact linked to a the single man who created Chen style – Chen Wang Ting, a General during the latter years of the Ming dynasty. Chen was a native of Chen Jia Gou village, Wen County in Henan province in northern China and after the fall of the Ming Dynasty and the creation of the Ching, Wang Ting returned to his homestead and created his form.

There are many theories and explanations surrounding the Chen family, it is well known they where feared for their powerful skill and kept there art hidden. An explanation for this secrecy would be first to control the use of the skill as a dangerous, misused and/or mal-practiced art. Another reason would be to keep the art underground and out of sight from the disliked reign of the Manchu government.