History of T'ai Chi Ch'uan
Based on unsubstantiated legends, the fighting system of T'ai chi ch'uan was created by Zhang Sanfeng in approximately 1270 AD. Legend has it that Zhang Sanfeng was inspired by watching combat between a snake and a crane, observing the grace and flow of these creatures. When the snake would strike, the crane would gracefully retreat. When the crane attacked, the snake would recoil. In this contest the principles of yin and yang, where the soft overcomes the hard, became evident.
The forms and postures as they were originally performed are no longer seen today, but the 'operating principles' were codified in the writing of Zhang Sanfeng and are enacted today in modern forms.
The form of t'ai chi ch'uan is based on the ideas from Taoism, a philosophy or world view derived from the I Ching (Book of Changes) and from the writings of Laozi. The I Ching, which embodies the idea of yin and yang and their opposition, alternation and interaction, originated and was developed in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, BCE. Lao Tzu wrote the Tao Te Ching in the 5th century, BCE. One of the most common images in this book is water, which is soft and yielding but which can overcome the hardest of substances. So, too, is t'ai chi ch'uan, seemingly soft and yielding, but holding the capacity for great power.
Read more about this topic: Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Chuan
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