In the early morning, if you take a walk in any park in China, you may see some people performing movements -- slow but elegant, simple but meaningful. Maybe you think this is just a sort of setting-up exercise, but in fact, it is one of the most popular martial arts in the world; its name is Tai Chi Chuan.

Tai Chi originated from Taoism and is symbolized by a sign of a circle divided by the black and white aspects of Yin and Yang. Chuan in Chinese means fist or system of self-defense. But actually Tai Chi Chuan is mainly practiced for improving health rather than its martial applications.

When practicing Tai Chi Chuan, the first principle is relaxation. That means to practice very slowly and gently and keep one's body soft and relaxed. The second is still mental focus and natural breath. The third principle is to practice Tai Chi evenly without breaking the smooth flow of spontaneous, coherent movements.

Tai Chi Chuan is indeed a good exercise which, when performed regularly, helps one to keep fit, to prevent and cure diseases, to slow down the pace of aging and to prolong life span. A study shows that practicing Tai Chi Chuan is of great help to the elderly. All these features could account for its recent surge in popularity in the world.

Next time you see people doing Tai Chi Chuan, why not just join them? Still and clean your mind, try to feel the embrace of Yin and Yang, of nature, and of the universe.

Senior, English major, Division of English and Chinese

 

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