Navigating the Three Paths of Taijiquan: Traditional, Competitive, and Modern - What's the Difference?

Dan Vercammen performing Yang Style/Yue Sub Style Taijiquan

1. Traditional Taijiquan

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Time Period: Taijiquan's beginnings are traced back to the 19th century, evolving over time into the forms we recognize today. The origins of Taijiquan lie with the Wŭ and Yang families. Other branches developped later, like Wú and Sun, and the Wŭ style was also called Li or Hao style. In the early 1900s the Chen clan of Chenjiagou renamed their martial art "Taijiquan", because Taijiquan used several techniques from their tradition.

Purpose: The original or traditional

was primarily created as a martial art and self-defense system and Yang Luchan, the founder of Yang style was highly successful at that.

Characteristics:

• Martial Application: Emphasis is placed on martial effectiveness, with movements crafted to neutralise or redirect an opponent's force, employing softness and hardness.

• Forms and Applications: Traditional Taijiquan uses stances/postures (zhanzhuang), sets/forms (tao or taolu in Chinese), with martial applications, such as push hands (tuishou) often used to practice listening (sensing) the opponent’s force and applying techniques in a controlled fashion.

• Flexibility in Style: Various traditional styles highlight different approaches and martial applications, with a huge loss of martial effectiveness with the passing of time during the 20th century.

  
  
  
  

2. Sports Tai Chi (Competitive Tai Chi)

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Time Period: Sports Tai Chi emerged more recently, mainly in the 20th century, as Taijiquan was influenced by Western popular sports and was organized for competition under the supervision of the Chinese government and taught at sports centers and academies from the 1920s onwards.

Purpose: The main objective of Sport Tai Chi is competition and fitness, rather than martial effectiveness. It emphasizes performance, beauty, and precision in movements.

Characteristics:

• Focus on Performance and Aesthetics: The movements are often faster and more stylized for visual appeal. The execution of forms (taolu) in competitions is evaluated based on precision, fluidity, and gracefulness instead of practical martial applications.

• Forms (Taolu) Emphasis: Sport Tai Chi competitions typically concentrate on performing standardized Taiji forms, such as the 24-form, 48-form, or other competitive forms, and may include weapons forms (e.g., sword or spear forms).

• Standardized Techniques: There are specific rules and standards for movements, making it less open to individual interpretation or martial application. The focus is on symmetry, evenness, and technical execution.

• Less Martial Application: Although the techniques stem from Taijiquan, in Sport Tai Chi, the martial applications are either reduced or not highlighted. The main goal is health, fitness, and competitive performance.

• Quicker Movements: In some modern forms used in sport competitions, the movements are quicker compared to the slow, meditative movements of simplified modern Taiji. This speed aims to showcase agility and control in the form, but the emphasis is on visual appeal rather than martial effectiveness.

  
  

3. Modern Taijiquan (Contemporary Taijiquan)

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Time Period: Modern Taijiquan represents a contemporary style of practice that merges traditional martial arts with modern health practices. This version gained prominence in the 20th century and is practiced globally.

Purpose: Modern Taijiquan's main representatives primarily emphasize health, well-being, stress reduction, and mental clarity, while seldom maintaining the martial arts connection. They serve as both a simple fitness routine and a method of mind-body integration. Since the 1980s the martial aspects have become more prominent again in some forms, leading to tuishou and free fighting competitions.

Characteristics:

• Health-Oriented: Modern Taijiquan is often promoted as a mind-body exercise that aids in balance, relaxation, stress management, and overall wellness. It emphasizes breathing, relaxation, and movement coordination to enhance physical and mental health.

• Simplified Forms: Modern adaptations frequently include simplified forms (like the 24-form, 8-form, etc.) that are easier to learn, making Taijiquan more accessible to a broader audience, including those interested primarily in fitness rather than martial arts.

• Integration of Modern Research: This version of Taijiquan often integrates findings from modern fitness science and medical studies to focus on aspects like flexibility, balance, posture correction, and overall body awareness.

• Less Emphasis on Martial Arts: Although originating from the traditional martial arts many modern practitioners don't concentrate on martial applications. The focus is more on movement and meditative flow, with fewer techniques related directly to combat or self-defense.

• Adoption of Modern Teaching Methods: Modern Taijiquan often employs a more structured, clear teaching approach. For instance, some contemporary schools teach in progressive stages, breaking down movements to be more accessible for beginners.

  
  

Summary of Key Differences:

Aspect	Traditional Taijiquan	Sports Tai Chi	Modern Taijiquan
Primary Focus	Martial effectiveness, self-defense	Performance, competition, fitness	Health, fitness, stress reduction; martial competition
Purpose	Combat	Aesthetics, competition	Physical and mental well-being
Movement Speed	Soft and hard, fast and accurate in applications	Slow or Faster, more dynamic for performance	Slow, fluid, but with some faster movements
Emphasis	Martial application, internal cultivation (Wŭ style)	Performance, precision, grace	Health benefits, relaxation, balance
Forms	Longer, traditional forms with martial applications	Standardized competitive forms (e.g., 24, 48, 88 forms)	Simplified forms for accessibility and standardized forms
Martial Application	Highly emphasized (self-defense)	Minimal or no martial application	Health-focused, for some competitive martial applications

Conclusion:

• Traditional Taijiquan was created as a martial art emphasizing combat efficiency and physical development.

• Sports Tai Chi is a more contemporary evolution, recreative sport, concentrating on competition, performance, and aesthetics, with a reduced focus on martial applications.

• Modern Taijiquan is extensively practiced for its health advantages, such as flexibility, balance, and stress relief, often using simplified forms to make it accessible to a wide audience; some mainly stress the martial competitions.

Each version has its unique strengths and attracts different groups, depending on their interest in martial skills, health benefits, or fitness and competition.

"What direction of Taijiquan or Tai Chi do you follow?"

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• 1. Traditional Taijiquan
• 2. Sports Tai Chi (Competitive Tai Chi)
• 3. Modern Taijiquan (Contemporary Taijiquan)

The upcoming informative blog will explore the various styles of traditional taijiquan in greater depth.

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