| The dates of originations
are not clear as revolution and rulers destroyed most
of the documents. But it is known to have a history of
over 5000 years, an integral part of China's traditional
cultural heritage that dates back to the late Ming dynasty.
As the story goes, a man who was a monk and martial
arts master invented it after watching a fight between
a crane and a snake. Being the bigger and more powerful
of the two, the bird appeared to have the advantage.
However, the snake's elusive movements enabled it to
win. Even today, practitioners who perform Taichi as
a martial art use subtle movements to dodge blows and
turn an attacker's own momentum against him.
Chang Sanfeng (1247) is a great master and recluse
in Chinese history, and respected as the founder of
all inner martial art, which is called Wudang Chuan.
Wudang (inner kongfu) and Shao-Lin (outer kongfu) are
the two major Kongfu styles in China. He initiated Tai-Chi
at his later years which was not publicly taught but
handed down from generation to generation to families
like the Yang family, Chen family, Wu, Lee & Sun
families. These families are most popular said to be
the originator of TaiChi which several adaptations that
are now in existence. This was later introduced to the
West in the 1920's from China. Today most Chinese people
are familiar with the Taichi Form movement, as they
practice slow, graceful movements that help to stimulate
the internal organs, by promoting the flow of internal
energy called Qi (Chi).
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