Tai chi, short for Tai chi ch'üan, sometimes called "shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. Tai chi has practitioners worldwide from Asia to the Americas.
Dao are single-edged Chinese swords, primarily used for slashing and chopping. The most common form is also known as the Chinese sabre, although those with wider blades are sometimes referred to as Chinese broadswords. In China, the dao is considered one of the four traditional weapons, along with the gun, qiang (spear), and the jian, called in this group "The General of Weapons".
Baguazhang or Pakua chang is one of the three main Chinese martial arts of the Wudang school, the other two being T'ai chi and Xing Yi Quan. It is more broadly grouped as an internal practice. Bāguà zhǎng literally means "eight trigram palm", referring to the bagua "trigrams" of the I Ching (Yijing), one of the canons of Taoism.
In Chinese philosophy, Taiji or Tai chi is a cosmological term for the "Supreme Ultimate" state of the world and affairs - the interaction of matter and space, the relation of the body and mind. While Wuji is undifferentiated, timeless, absolute, infinite potential -- Taiji is differentiated, dualistic, and relative. Yin and Yang originate from Wuji to become Taiji. Compared with Wuji, Taiji describes movement and change wherein limits do arise. Wuji is often translated "no pole". Taiji is often translated "polar", with polarity, revealing opposing features as in hot/cold, up/down, dry/wet, day/night.
In Chinese philosophy, a taijitu is a symbol or diagram representing Taiji in both its monist (wuji) and its dualist aspects. Such a diagram was first introduced by Neo-Confucian philosopher Zhou Dunyi of the Song Dynasty in his Taijitu shuo (太極圖說).
The Chen family-style or Chen-style Taijiquan is a Northern Chinese martial art and the original form of Taiji. Chen-style is characterized by silk reeling, alternating fast and slow motions, and bursts of power.
Chángquán refers to a family of external martial arts styles from northern China.
Nanquan refers to a classification of Chinese martial arts that originated South China.
Chin Woo Athletic Association is an international martial arts organisation founded in Shanghai, China, on July 7, 1910, but some sources cite dates in 1909. Its name is also spelled in many other ways throughout the world - Ching Mo, Chin Woo, Ching Mou, Ching Wu, Jing Mo, Jing Wo, Jing Wu - but all of them are based on the same two Chinese characters - jing wu. It has at least 59 branches based in 22 or more countries worldwide, where it is usually known as an "athletic association" or "federation".
Wushu, or Kung fu, is a hard and soft and complete martial art, as well as a full-contact combat sport. It has a long history in reference to Chinese martial arts. It was developed in 1949 in an effort to standardize the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts, yet attempts to structure the various decentralized martial arts traditions date back earlier, when the Central Guoshu Institute was established at Nanking in 1928.
Yang Shaohou was a Chinese martial arts master who, along with Yang Chengfu, represents the third generation of Yang-style t'ai chi ch'uan. Grandmaster of his generation and known for his compact "small frame" techniques, he was a ferocious fighter and a demanding teacher.
Taijijian is a straight two-edged sword used in the training of the Chinese martial art Taijiquan. The straight sword, sometimes with a tassel and sometimes not, is used for upper body conditioning and martial training in traditional Taijiquan schools. The different family schools have various warmups, forms and fencing drills for training with the jian.
The two-section staff or changxiaobang is a versatile weapon which originated in China from the ancient Shaolin temple and Shaolin martial arts. It is a flail-type weapon which consists of a long staff with a shorter rod attached by a chain, to serve as a cudgel.
Kunlunquan is a style of Chinese martial arts popular in the province of Guangdong. As it is practiced by the minority Hakka it is considered a Kejiaquan. It was officially included among the styles nanquan, but originated in northern China. It was handed down in 1880 by Huang Huilong (黄辉龙) or feilong Huang (黄飞龙), a native of Jinan in the province of Shandong. Shuangqing Huang, a practitioner of this style today, is considered sixty seventh generation, witness to what is considered ancient style.
"Jayden" Yuan Xiaochao is a retired professional wushu taolu athlete and actor from China. He was a world champion in 2005 and 2007.
Tàizǔquán is a style of Chinese martial arts whose name refers to Emperor Tàizǔ of Sòng, the founder of the Sòng dynasty.
Zhao Qingjian is a retired professional wushu taolu athlete who is originally from Shandong. Through his numerous successes in national and international competitions, he established himself as one of the greatest wushu taolu athletes of the 2000s.
Li Fai is a retired professional wushu taolu athlete from Hong Kong. She was a four-time world champion and was a medalist at the Asian Games and the East Asian Games.
Jian Zengjiao is a retired professional wushu taolu athlete originally from Liaoning, China. He is currently a performer in Cirque du Soleil's Kà and is a coach in Las Vegas, United States.
