Report on Tai Chi
Tai Chi is a major branch of Chinese martial arts that is primarily practiced for it's health benefits, including tension and stress, relaxation and as a form of self-defense. The name Tai Chi comes from the Chinese words meaning "great ultimate." It is also known as Tai Chi Chuan meaning, "great ultimate fist."
Among martial arts, there are two basic types, one is called hard martial arts and the other one is soft martial arts. Hard martial arts are like karate and martial arts. The soft martial arts are Ba Gua and Tai Chi.
The study of Tai Chi Chuan is unique in the sense that it marks the historical event of many centuries of Taoist study known as Chi Kung ("excellence of Energy"). It was primarily dedicated to the physical health and spiritual growth. It was very much needed at the time (about 1,000 A.D.) for monks to defend themselves against bandits and warlords. So at that time came an unusual mixture of healing art/martial art which has been known as the internal practice of Tai Chi Chuan.
There are five styles of Tai Chi: The Yang, Chen, Wu, Sun and Woo Schools. Although each of the five styles has characteristics of their own, the essences for all are the same. The most popular style in China is the Yang: the Yang 24 Forms Tai Chi set being the most widely practice. The health benefits have much to do with Tai Chi characteristics. The exercise requires a high degree of concentration, with the mind free of distractions. Breathing is natural, sometimes involving abdominal reparation and its performance is in the rhythmic harmony with body movement.
THE NATURE OF TAI CHI
Tai Chi is based on the Chinese principle of yin and yang, in which opposing but complementary forces combine to create harmo...
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...g and become very aware of the things going on around him or her. So that person mind becomes stronger and has more concentrations. Tai Chi regularly enhances the function of the central nervous systems, keeping the joints flexible and improves the function of the internal organs. Tai Chi is also known to slow a person's aging process. Tai Chi is basically an all-purpose therapy. People practice it for many reasons, whether they want to improve external beauty, mental outlook, or physical health and longevity.
Generally, there is no age limits with Tai Chi, everybody can do it. About 20 percent of the world's population practice Tai Chi. To me, I think older people practice it more often than the younger age. Millions of people practice it in many parks of major cites in China. Since no sports equipment are required Tai Chi could be done at any place and any time.
Yin and Yang – is a symbol used in relation to a Chinese philosophy to represent balance between good and evil or dark and light (Dictionary)
The Yin and Yang philosophy represents the two sides and balance in every relationship. The Yin and Yang theory is representation of a perfect and balanced relationship. “Yin-yang is an ancient Chinese
The philosophy of Tae Kwon Do is to build a more peaceful world. To accomplish this goal Tae Kwon Do begins with the foundation, the individual. The Art strives to develop the character, personality, and positive moral and ethical traits in each practitioner. It is upon this "foundation" of individuals possessing positive attitudes and characteristics that the "end goal" may be achieved.
"Main Concepts of Taoism: Yin and Yang." Taoism and the Taoist Arts. April 2002. http://www.taoistarts.net/main.html#yin LeGuin, Ursula K. The Lathe of Heaven. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers Inc., 2000.
Tae Kwon Do is a Korean, unarmed martial art and is best known for its kicks (Park, 2001). The roundhouse kick is a turning kick and happens to be the most commonly used kick during competition (Lee, 1996). For this reason, the roundhouse kick will be analyzed in reference to sparring competition.
Taoism has been a major influence in China throughout much of its history and The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan, reflects this influence through its infusion of Taoist principles. One of the fundamental concepts within Taoism is that of Wu-hsing. Wu-hsing is a way of understanding a matter by dividing it into five and is often represented by five phases, elements of directions. This is an unfamiliar concept from a western perspective, which tends to divide things into four. Understanding this fifth additional element, however, is essential to understanding The Joy Luck Club.
Lai, J. S., Lan, C., Wong, M. K., Teng, S.H. (1995). Two-year trends in cardiorespiratory function among older Tai Chi Chuan practitioners and sedentary objects. Journal of American Geriatrics Society, 43, 1222-1227.
Yin and Yang – is a symbol used in relation to a Chinese philosophy to represent balance between good and evil or dark and light (Dictionary)
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like” (Lau Tzu). Born into a life of noodles and relaxation Po, a chubby panda, always wanted to be a Kung Fu master. Out of nowhere an opportunity arises to have his dream become reality. Po, like any normal panda snatches up this once in a lifetime opportunity and runs with it. But when the going gets tough, he doesn’t know if this is the life he was meant to live. While the film was meant for enjoyment, DreamWorks has incorporated clear examples of the three major Chinese Schools of Thought: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.
It teaches us a way to channel our energy (qi), it teaches us how and when to react without been violent, making us stronger and self-defensive. To be black in America is to be placed in consistent condition of inequality, bias in the police department, racial profiling, and unfair criminal justice system. Yes. Absolutely. Knowing this keeps you up at night. It gets your blood pressure up. It sits on your shoulder, and you walk slower because of it. What do you do as your people are being slaughtered with what is implicit permission from the system of oppression? What do you do with it? How do you feel less helpless? What do you do with all that anger? Tai chi is the answer, it is a way of channeling all the pain, anger, aggression into something positive. It helps you to deal with the emotions that cause you to get angry because it centers you, and makes you more aware of where your body is in space. Tai chi turns that feeling of helplessness to a strength to overcome force and severity with softness, gentleness and smoothness. Tai chi teaches you to adapt your opponent’s style and beat him at it (the police tries to take advantage of black people by forcing a heated reaction out of them, but by mastering the act of Tai chi, you would be able to sink all that energy and react with
To a person not conversant with this art, Jujitsu may be considered as a foul or derogatory term in Japanese. However, Jujitsu us one of the most effective and deadly forms of martial arts taught today. Unique among other forms of combat, Jujitsu holds the position of a “parent art”, of from which other forms of martial arts such as Aikido, Judo and several Karate styles were extracted. Jujitsu is a combination of all levels of combat. It incorporates chokes, striking, grappling, nerve and pressure point attacks, joint locks, redirection of momentum and throws.
The film demonstrates the long-lasting martial arts through the sword fight between the warriors. Chinese martial arts are a unique mixture of self-defense, exercise, meditation, harmony, and self-discipline. Additionally, it uses the strength of body and brain. Each battle scene in the movie depicts that martial arts virtue peace instead of violence. It is shown in the scene, where nameless (Jet Li) is fighting with broken sword while floating on the lake and drawing a pattern with their sword. The martial arts define the styles of Chinese tradition and life of the warriors. It is one of the important aspects of Chinese culture as it is deeply imbedded in China, and it serves as a representative of the culture. It has enhanced my understanding on importance of martial arts in Chinese culture.
Even though Taoism and many other folk religions have shaped the Chinese mind, Confucianism remains, by any historical measure, its chief mentor” (Novak 113). Therefore, since the two religions grew up together, there are similarities, such as their views on humans, attempting to find harmony in life and in nature, and serve as guides for their followers through self-cultivation and improvement techniques. Confucianism believes that their congregation should have human conduct over the idea of God in their lives, whereas Taoism is formed on the belief that its congregation should create a relationship with nature. This is pointed out by Smith in Experiencing the World’s Religions, “Confucius represents the classical, Lao Tzu the romantic; Confucius stresses social responsibility, Lao Tzu praises spontaneity and naturalness; Confucius focus is on the human, Lao Tzu’s on what transcends the human” (Smith 218).
Unlike western music which focus on beats, rhyme and melody, Chinese music ,as part of six art of Confucianism, pursues balances, the beauty of nature and become the part of nature. Chinese music is based on the ancient Chinese pentatonic, five-tone musical system which are classified as Keng, Shang, Chueh, Chih, and Yue. According to the Chinese musical theory, the five-tone musical system are connected to five elements that construct the world and inner working of man, which are metal, wood, water, fire and...
Lao-Tze founded Taoism around 550 BC. The goal in Taoism is achieve Inner harmony, pea...