Things to know about learning Tai Chi Chuan (Tai Chi Boxing)For Easterners, particularly Chinese, this MAY not be an issue. Tai Chi Chuan is deeply rooted as part of
Chinese culture. It is known to almost everyone what Tai Chi Chuan is all about. Note there: I said “…MAY not be an issue”, meaning that there are exceptions, particularly to Chinese who are not born and grown up in China.
For Westerners, surprisingly – I found many sites dedicated to Tai Chi Chuan, and some of this information is from Westerners. However, deep in my instinct, there are still many who want to know more about learning Tai Chi Chuan.
Moreover, many literatures and scriptures about Tai Chi Chuan are still mainly written in Chinese, and much translation is needed to make it more accessible to West. I’m doing such translation work.
Yes, I’m a Chinese, trained in both Chinese and English languages since young. And, I would really love to share my passion in Tai Chi Chuan with whoever interested about subject.
In my 23 years of learning and research in Tai Chi Chuan, martial arts, meditation and healing, I found some questions are very much of interest for a keen learner, or even beginner.
Examples of these are, “Can a senior person learn Tai Chi Chuan?”, “Is it easy to learn and master?”, “What do I need?”, “Should I know about Daoism to learn Tai Chi Chuan?” and so on.
For a start, everyone and anyone can learn this art though it is once a closely kept secret among family or clan, or later among Chinese. Age has no barrier. In fact, senior people found it very beneficial to their physical health and mental well-being, by practicing regularly.
The original forms of Tai Chi Chuan, irregardless of which styles, require a lot of effort, time, and dedication to learn and master. Simplifying is a necessity. In fact, I started learning simplified version of Yang style 24 forms. This requires a lot of effort and time from my side to achieve reasonable level of mastery.
Tai Chi Chuan is outward projection of certain principles found in Chinese culture. Though understanding of its principles is desirable, it is not necessary…yet, for a beginner. Principles I referred to here is not fundamental principles of Tai Chi Chuan itself. It is more of philosophical principles – close to I-Ching, and some of Daoism.
