Tai Chi and Entertainment: Star Wars

The Force may seem like it was inspired by magic but George Lucas actually got the idea from Tai Chi. One day he called one of China's grandmasters to his ranch to discuss the theories and practices of Tai Chi. With that grandmaster's help, Lucas designed what came to be known as "the Force": a metaphysical power within all living things. In other words: Qi. (Too bad we can't channel our Qi into lighting, telekinesis, and lightsabers though.)


"The Force is a river from which many can drink, and the training of the Jedi is not the only cup which can catch it." ~Luke Skywalker


Image: http://media.moddb.com/images/downloads/1/24/23522/star_wars_the_force_unleashed.jpg
Source: said grandmaster's student
Star Wars © George Lucas

Health Benefits of Tai Chi & Qigong

Although in the Western World research into the health benefits of Tai Chi have only just begun, the Chinese have thousands of years of practical proof under their belt. In many cases, the recipes for medicines haven't changed in hundreds of years (if you can come up with even one medicine in the United States that's remained the same for over 100 years, you win the invisible prize). A few of the benefits believed to be linked to the practice of Tai Chi are:

• lowers heart rate
• improves circulation (especially in hands and feet)
• aids in healthful digestion
• slows down brainwaves
• lowers the frequency & severity of seizures
• reduces anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder (among others)
• improves memory and focus
• slows down the respiratory system (reduces or alleviates asthma and similar issues) 
• focuses the immune system (in China, Tai Chi has even been used as a cure for cancer)
• increases flexibility, coordination, and balance
• leads to longevity 

Image: http://www.kellykite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Traditional-Chinese-medicine.jpg
Source: in class lecture

Yang Style Tai Chi Demonstration

A demonstration of Yang Style Tai Chi

at Seattle Center Winterfest Nov. 2008

A demonstration of Tai Chi Sword 

which uses Yang Style Tai Chi.

Source 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50i0AgtKTtw

Source 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=9Zv7rJZocTU

Chen Style Tai Chi Demonstration

Grandmaster Chen Zheng Lei 
demonstrates Chen Style Tai Chi in 2005

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBnPzdTPFyM

Other Important People

Yang Chengfu started teaching Tai Chi in public rather than behind closed doors. He stood 6 feet 8 inches tall and weighed 300lbs. He was nicknamed "Invincible" because no one could beat him.


Chen Manching was a student under Yang Chengfu. He came over to the United States to teach Tai Chi but when he changed the Yang Style he was obliterated from their records. In the U.S., however, he's a very important figure.


Image: A picture believed to be of Chen Manching (also written Zheng Manqing) http://www.chinese-swords-guide.com/deadliest-martial-art.html
Source: in class lecture

The Tale of Sun Lutang

Sun Lutang, a scholar and the creator of Sun Style Tai Chi, was known most of all for his kindness. One day he found an injured man and nursed him back to health--little did Sun Lutang know, the man was a master of Hao Style Tai Chi. To repay Sun Lutang's kindness, the Hao Master stayed and taught him Hao Style Tai Chi Chuan.


Sun Lutang combined Hao Style with Ba Qua Chang and Hsing Yi to create Sun Style. He was also the first man to teach women Tai Chi. Prior to Sun Lutang, women taught women. Having a man teach women was a big step for Tai Chi at the time.


Image: a picture believed to be of Sun Lutang http://learning-tai-chi.info/images/sun-lu-tang.jpg
Source: in class lecture

The 5 Major Schools

Chen Style is considered the original Tai Chi. It's faster than other styles with more up and down movements. In Chen Style, breathing is heavier which allows opponents to see the flow of the participant's Qi and anticipate their moves.


Yang Style is the most popular around the world right now. It has a slower pace than Chen Style and requires a straight back (upright posture). It's similar to Sun Style but uses the bow stance (which has a distinct line of space between the feet) and the hands are slightly more closed than in Sun.


Hao and Wu Style are less popular styles and are sometimes mistaken as the same style. However, Hao has more rounded moves and Wu uses a slightly bent forward posture. 


Sun Style is the most recent of the major schools and the easiest to learn. It's used in the Tai Chi for Arthritis program because it's very flexible and can be adapted for anyone regardless of their physical limitations. 

Source: in class lecture
Image: http://www.ipmanwingchunslovenija.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/1281978923_crane_snake_yin_yang.jpg

A Brief History of Tai Chi Chuan

The origin of Tai Chi is somewhat obscure as there aren't many written records prior to the 17th Century.


15th Century
Zhang Shanfeng (Zhang San Feng), the Taoist Priest, really did exist. (Whether or not the fight between the white crane and the snake actually happened is another matter.) It is believed that the Chen family may have studied with him.


1678
Chen Wangting "creates" Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan. This is considered the oldest style because it was the first style to be recorded and shared. 


Early 1800's
Yang Luchan (see the legends of Yang Luchan) learns Chen Style and then creates a variant named Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan.


Mid-1800's
Hao Style and Wu Style Tai Chi are both created.


1900's
Sun Style Tai Chi is created by combining Ba Qua Chang, Hsing Yi, and Hao Style.

• Ba Qua Chang strongly resembles a dragon chasing its own tail. The motions turn back on themselves so the practitioner appears to be trying to catch their own shadow.
• Hsing Yi uses longer steps (so the feet are farther apart) and is often referred to as "taking no prisoners".

Source: in class lecture
Image: http://www.jadecobrasociety.com/images/tai-chi-silhouettes.jpg

The Legends of Yang Luchan

Dr. Russel Smiley, a renowned Tai Chi master and my original instructor, told me three different stories of Yang Luchan, the creator of Yang Style Tai Chi. Here, I will share all three Legends of Yang Luchan with you. 


[1] Yang Luchan wanted to learn Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan but couldn't because you had to be a member of the Chen family to learn the art (and he was a member of the Yang family). So, to get into the house, Yang Luchan pretended to be an injured traveler seeking aide from the Chen family. They hired him on as a servant where, late at night, he would peer through the bamboo curtains at the family as they practiced. Through spying, he memorized the style and became exceptionally good at it. However, one night as he spied, he was caught. Instead of killing him straight off the bat, they had him fight their best. And he won. Impressed by his skills, the Chen family allowed him to keep his life.


[2] The second tales follows the first up until he was caught. After memorizing the Chen family's style of Tai Chi, Yang Luchan witnessed some members of the family showing off in the village. However, they were making mistakes. Yang Luchan corrected their mistakes and, furious, the family forced him to face their best fighters. A master of their style, he beat everyone who came at him thus winning back his life.


[3] The final tale is less thrilling but likely more accurate (this version was taught to Dr. Smiley by his master). Yang Luchan was a simple rice farmer who had a stall in the marketplace next to a member of the Chen family. One day, Yang Luchan saw a man causing trouble at Chen's stand. Chen threw the man back without causing him any harm and the man left the stand. Impressed, Yang Luchan went to Chen and asked to be taught the martial art that could protect without inflicting harm. But Chen said he could not pass the knowledge on--however, he could introduce Yang Luchan to someone who could help him. The person Chen spoke of was one of the daughters of the Chen family. So Yang Luchan married into the family and was granted permission to learn Chen Style Tai Chi.

Image: http://good-wallpapers.com/pictures/4105/chinese_village_wallpaper.jpg

The Crane and the Snake

*The Origin of Tai Chi or a Story of a Crane and a Snake*


Zhang San Feng [1], a Daoist priest of the Wudang monastery [2], was walking [3] the mountains one day when he witnessed a white crane and a snake fighting [4]. Their movements, like a dance, entranced and inspired him. "Softness overcomes hardness and circular motion overcomes straight." Upon returning to the monastery [5] Zhang San Feng began combining the teachings of the crane and the snake with what he already knew of martial arts and created what he called "the greatest martial art"--Tai Chi Chuan.


[1] I have also seen his name written Chen San-Feng.
[2] Another versions says the mountain was named Wu Tang.
[3] Another version states the fight he witnessed was a dream.
[4] Another version says the crane was trying to eat the snake.
[5] Or waking.


Source: http://www.usataichikungfu.com/node/39 & in class lecture
Image: http://riversidetaichi.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/image_crane_snake.8171235_std.gif

The Symbol of Tai Chi

Often known as the yin-yang symbol, this is in fact the Tai Chi symbol. Yin and Yang embody the teachings of Chinese philosophy and Tai Chi: the teachings of harmony and balance. For everything that exists, there is an opposite however there is a little yin in yang and a little yang in yin just as there is a little light in night (stars) and a little dark in day (shadows).


Yin is the calm, white side of the yin-yang symbol;
Yang is the active, black side.


However, contrary to popular belief, Yin, the white side, is symbolic of night, darkness, and the moon while Yang, the black side, is symbolic of day, light, and the sun.

Image: http://taoism.about.com/od/visualsymbols/ig/Taoist-Symbols/Yin-Yang-Symbol.--jj.htm
Source: Tai Chi for Arthritis Handbook by Dr. Paul Lam (p. 54) & in class lecture

What is Tai Chi Chuan?

Also spelled Tai ji quan. 
Tai Chi means "the greatest" and Chuan means "fist" which translates into "martial art" so Tai Chi Chuan is "the greatest martial art". However, it is more than just a martial art: it's a life style. 


Tai Chi is a form of Qigong (Qi, or chi, is "life energy" and gong means "practice" or "discipline"). Simply put, Qigong is a practice that aligns breath, movement, and awareness for the purposes of health, healing, and meditation. If Qigong were to be viewed as an umbrella, Tai Chi would be under the umbrella along with many other forms of discipline, meditation, and healing. 


Image: Dr. Paul Lam http://www.americantaichi.org/adBoard.asp
Source: in class lecture