Tai chi

Tai chi is a Chinese martial art. Initially developed for combat and self-defense,^[1] for most practitioners it has evolved into a sport and form of exercise. As an exercise, tai chi is performed as gentle, low-impact movement in which practitioners perform a series of deliberate, flowing motions while focusing on deep, slow breaths. Often referred to as "meditation in motion", tai chi aims to concentrate and balance the body's purported qi (vital energy), providing benefits to mental and physical health.^[2]

Many forms of tai chi are practiced, both traditional and modern. While the precise origins are not known, the earliest documented practice is from Chen Village and Zhabao Village in Henan on the North China Plain, a region where centuries of rebellions, invasions, and adverse economic and social conditions nurtured the development of a wide range of martial arts, including those of the Shaolin Monastery on Mount Song at the western edge of the plain.^[3][4]

Most modern styles trace their development to five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu (Hao), Wu, and Sun. In the early 20th century Yang Chengfu, Wu Jianquan, Sun Lutang, and others promoted and standardized the art for its health benefits in programs supported by the Nationalist government,^[5] an approach that was further expanded and institutionalized by the PRC government after 1949.^[6] In 2020, tai chi was included in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.^[7]