About Tai Chi, Taiji, Taijiquan
What is the difference between Tai Chi, Taiji, and Taijiquan (or Tai Chi Quan)?
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Tai Chi / Taiji commonly refer to the martial art when it is learned and practiced for health purposes.
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Tai Chi Quan / Taijiquan refer to the martial art when it is learned and practiced for fighting or sports.
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Tai Chi and Taiji (太極) are both abbreviated ways of referring to the martial art Tai Chi Quan (sometimes also spelled Tai Chi Chuan) or Taijiquan (太極拳).
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Tai Chi and Tai Chi Chuan are transliterations of the Mandarin name using the Wade-Giles system of romanization that was developed in the mid 1800s when the Europeans and Americans opened up trade and commerce with China.
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Taiji and Taijiquan are transliterations of the Mandarin name using the Pinyin (拼音) system that was developed in the 1950s by the Chinese government and is also used internationally by Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia.
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Tai Chi Chuan and Taijiquan mean "grand ultimate boxing" in English; Tai Chi / Taiji translate as "grand ultimate".
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The Chinese word 極 (Chi in Wade-Giles or Ji in Pinyin) means "utmost" or "ultimate". It is not the same as the Mandarin word 氣 (transliterated as Chi in Wade-Giles or Qi in Pinyin) commonly used to describe different kinds of energy.
About Yang Style Tai Chi, Simplified 24-Form
In 1956, the Chinese Sports Committee recognized the need to provide exercise for the physical and mental well-being of the general population of factory and office workers in a modern industrial state. The Committee assembled a team of four Taiji instructors who were given the task of developing an effective, yet easy-to-learn exercise routine.
They created Simplified 24-Form Yang Style Taiji, a routine that takes about six minutes to perform, is easy and quick to learn, and has the desired health benefits. It is based on the Yang Style Long Form which has 108 moves, and despite being distilled down to only 24 moves, practitioners experience the essential elements and traditional flavour of Taijiquan.
Actively promoted by the People's Republic of China as a general health exercise since the 1950s, Simplified 24-Form Yang Style Taiji is today's most widely practiced Taiji both in China and throughout the world.
Recommended reading for Simplified 24-form Yang Style Tai Chi
Tai Chi In 10 Weeks: A Beginner's Guide by Dr Aihan Kuhn
Simplified Tai Chi Chuan: 24 Postures with Applications & Standard 48 Postures (Revised) by Shou-Yu Liang
Recommended videos for Simplified 24-form Yang Style Tai Chi
Tai Chi Chuan 24 Steps (Yang Style) by Dr Aihan Kuhn
Simplified Tai Chi for Beginners - 24 Form by Helen Liang