Taijiquan (Tai Chi Boxing)

Taijiquan (Tai Chi Boxing) is a traditional Chinese martial art that emphasizes the cultivation of both internal and external strength. It can be used for health benefits, self-defense, and therapeutic purposes. Taijiquan was created during the late Ming (1368-1644) and early Qing (1616-1911) dynasties by Wang Zongyue (1736-1795), a martial artist from Shanxi province. Wang expounded upon the principles of the art using the traditional Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang and wrote a book titled On taijiquan, thus giving the art its name. Over time, Taijiquan has evolved into various styles that are named after either a clan or a master, such as the Chen Style, Yang Style, and Wu Style. It is a leading form of traditional Chinese martial arts.

Taijiquan incorporates traditional Yin-Yang theory and Taiji (Tai Chi) principles into martial arts, emphasizing the unity of intention, energy, body, and mind. It teaches that the mind and body are interconnected, and health and happiness can be achieved by calming the mind through relaxing the body. Taijiquan requires the practitioner to maintain focused attention and a state of mental tranquility. It places great emphasis on smooth and fluid movements that balance hardness with softness. Taijiquan also emphasizes utilizing softness to conquer hardness and stillness to defeat motion. It advocates strategies such as avoiding brute force and instead diverting the opponent's attacks to turn their own force against them. Practicing Taijiquan can help with stretching, coordination, stability, and balance.

Taijiquan has long been popular in China and has now widely spread around the world. It serves as a significant cultural bridge, promoting exchanges between China and other nations. In 2020, Taijiquan was added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity the UNESCO.

太極拳

太極拳是一種強調內外兼修的中國傳統武術拳法，既可養氣強身、用于技擊，又有保健醫療的作用。太極拳創始于明末清初，山西武術家王宗岳（1736—1795）用太極陰陽的哲理來解釋拳理，寫成《太極拳論》，“太極拳”由此定名。在長期發展中，太極拳形成了陳式、楊式、吳式等多種流派，是中國傳統武術的集大成者。

太極拳將傳統陰陽學說、太極理論融入到拳法中，講究意、氣、形、神的統一。太極拳認為，人的身心是一體的，人只有靜下心來，身體才會真正放松，從而獲得健康和愉悅。太極拳要求注意力集中和身心寧靜，強調動作連貫圓活、剛柔并濟，講究以靜制動、以柔克剛、避實就虛、借力發力，展現伸展與協調、穩健和均勻的特點。

太極拳不僅在中華大地久盛不衰，在世界范圍內也得到了廣泛傳播，成為促進中外文化交流的重要紐帶。2020年，“太極拳”列入聯合國教科文組織人類非物質文化遺產代表作名錄。