Tai Chi Boxing Club - San Diego, CA
3388 30th Street
(619) 297-0424
Tai Chi is a Martial Art
Tai Chi made its debut in the United States about 50 years ago, in the late sixties. Almost immediately a debate arose as to whether it was a martial art or a gentle, meditative series of movements much like yoga. The debate continues today.
Reading most books about Tai Chi does little to arrive at an honest answer. Remember, Tai Chi was introduced to the United States and the rest of the West only 50 years ago. Virtually all written material on Tai Chi has been produced during that time and it follows that it would parallel the very debate we are trying to resolve. It is just as easy to find a book or video that will tell you it is a martial art as it is to find one that will tell you it is not a martial art.
As stated above, there is not much written about Tai Chi prior to its introduction to the West. However, none of the material that was recorded before that time ever alludes to Tai Chi as being anything other than a martial art. The following excerpts are taken from a body of writings know as "The Tai Chi Boxing Chronicles" which dates from the time of the Tang Dynasty, 618 - 906 A.D.:
"To use this system against men you must implement stillness and action together like the Yin and Yang."
"The purpose of Tai Chi Boxing is on one hand to overcome an enemy, yet on the other hand it is for self-cultivation."
"Tai Chi boxing is not a dance. Although the practice movements are soft and slow, the actual use is hard and fast."
Whatever we think today in the modern West about Tai Chi, it seems clear that the originators of the system thought of it as a martial art. Moreover, the talk of stillness and action, self defense and self-cultivation, and the slow and soft practice methods hint at Tai Chi being singularly unique among martial arts.
The Weak Overcomes the Strong and the Slow Beats the Fast
Tai Chi is a specialized form of boxing that was first practiced at the Wu Tang School of Boxing Art which was founded by Master Chang and Master Li. These two men noticed that while there were many different forms of martial arts, they all shared a common principle which is that the strong beats the weak and the slow yields to the fast. Simply put, the bigger stronger person will usually defeat the weaker. Masters Chang and Li wondered why an individual should be destined to defeat in a violent confrontation just because they happened to be born a smaller, weaker person. That is why they developed the principles of Tai Chi Boxing. Now you can learn these same principles right here in San Diego at The Tai Chi Boxing Club.
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