Here is a music video that features Tai Chi. It is a fun and light hearted video. We see a group of people gathering in a city park for their morning exercises. The teacher arrives light of foot, stands in front of his outdoor class and they begin their morning exercises with Tai Chi!
The music featured in this video is the song “Pyramid Scheme” by Mat Zo, featuring Chuck D. You can download it following the link below.
The Chen Village is known as the birthplace of Tai Chi Chuan. It is the center of the Chen family style of Tai Chi Chuan. Located deep whthin the Henan Province if China, Chen Village (Chenjiagou), it has a population of approximately 2500, of which it is said that 95% practice Tai Chi.
It is host to many foreign Tai Chi students each year who travel from across the world to learn this art form in its home. There are several Tai Chi schools located in Chen Village. Chen Xiao Xing and his son Chen Zi Qiang, Chen Zhao Sen, and Chen Bing all have their own schools located in Chen Village.
Please enjoy this beautifully filmed video of the Chen Village by Alexey Gladkov.
Chinese tai-chi village from Alexey Gladkov on Vimeo.
While Chen Village cannot boast of beautiful scenery and countryside, it is a place of great interest. and has become a destination spot, a pilgrimage if you will for the Tai Chi tourist. You can visit the old house of Yang Lu Chan, the founder of the Yang style of Tai Chi Chuan who had learned Tai Chi from the Chen family, or go to the” Monument to the Chen Family Ancestors”. But mostly they come to train Chen Family Tai Chi Chuan.
If you wish to learn more about the Chen Village, please visit the The China Tai Chi Guide website!
No this is not practicing tai chi while under the influence of a certain substance. This video is about taking your Tai Chi practice to new and higher levels… literally!!
Enjoy this video below as we get to watch Eli Gordon practice Tai Chi while on his excursions to the higher altitudes that are available to us if we want to seek them out.
This is the great thing about Tai Chi Chuan, that is the fact that you can enjoy your practice no matter where you are. Whether on top of mountains, at the airport, in the middle of the road or a rainstorm, enthusiasts of Tai Chi Chuan will find time to practice.
Here is a wonderful video by the film company 2digif called “The Art Of Tai Chi Sailing” featuring Chen Tai Chi Chuan practitioner Piotr Walczak. It was filmed in Poznan, Poland on the the grounds of the 19th century Fort Winiary, also known as the Citadel. Piotr Walczak sails through his movements using a 28 pound (12 kg) Halbred (Kwan Dao), a traditional weapon of the Chen style of Tai Chi Chuan.
[quote]“Initially, we wanted to show the art of Tai Chi closer to nature. However, because of problems with the weather and some of the places, we decided that the film will be shot in the ruins of the fort. Tai Chi is an art that goes back many years so we hope that fits perfectly with the old architecture.“
Szymon Sierakowski – 2digif[/quote]
The Art of Tai Chi Sailing from 2digif on Vimeo.
Piotr Walczak is a practitioner of the Chen style of Tai Chi Chuan. He started his training in 2009 under the guidance of Peter Ziemba in the Tai Chi School in Poznan, Poland. He had trained the Saber and the Halbred (Kwan Dao) when learning the Chen style, and still enjoys practicing both to this day. Piotr has also studied with Howard Choy and Sam Chin at seminars held in Poznan. Piotr Walczak
Piotr talks a bit about the art of Tai Chi Chuan.
[quote]“Looking for Tai Chi as a system of internal development, we see that it contains a lot of procedures in the field of martial arts, each of which refers to the routine collection of movements. The movements of Tai Chi have been developed based on the assumptions of the ancient Chinese medical knowledge for the human body. Fighting Techniques – Applications of weapons, such as the bill are consistent with the bio-mechanical principles of physical exercises, combining “action and omission”, “balance of Yin and Yang”, “complement brute force and gentleness” and “inclusion strength of spirit to making a move. ”
With them it was born the theory of “Liu He” ie “Six Harmonies”.
These are:
1 Harmony of the hands and feet,
2 Harmony elbows and knees,
3 Harmony shoulders and pelvis,
4 The harmony of heart and mind,
5 The harmony of the mind and Qi,
6 Harmony Qi energy and life.
According to ancient Chinese philosophy of “Tian Ren He Yi”, ie “unity of man and the universe”, reasonable and economic movements are most compatible with the natural structure of the human body. Forms of Tai Chi are the essence of this assumption….“
Piotr Walczak[/quote]
2digif is more than a company to its founders. It was created by Szymon Sierakowski and his good friend Wojciech Żelasko. They wanted to realize their own passion and spend time outside of work in a productive manner, To be able to show through film, the world and the people and leave something behind. You can visit them at their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/2digif
The music featured in this video is the song “Sail” by Awolnation. You can download it following the link below.
Many people know the singer Iggy Pop (a.k.a James Newell Osterberg Jr) as a musician, who has lived his life on the edge as many singers have. He was the lead singer of the protopunk group “The Stooges”, and was known for outrageous and unpredictable antics on the stage.
Now 66 years old, he is still performing, but Iggy Pop has slowed down his lifestyle off stage for the last few years. He has taken a more gentle approach to life including the practice of Tai Chi and Chi Kung for over twenty years, which has helped keep him fit!
[quote]“To feel good when I was 21, all I had to do was to smoke a joint. Now I have to turn off my phones and do tai chi for an hour.”
– Iggy Pop -[/quote]
Watch this interesting video below to hear Iggy Pop talk about his current life, and how Tai Chi has helped him. You can even watch him practice a few Tai Chi movements!
Just like thousands of other people, many celebrities have found that the practice of Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Kung have helped them with their health and peace of mind, and have incorporated the practice into their lives.
Many practitioners of Tai Chi Chuan practice outdoors all year round. They train in all types of weather… Cold, Hot, Windy, Rain, even in the Snow! Below is a passage written by Guy Tomash, a practitioner and instructor of Yang style Tai Chi Chuan in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Guy wrote this after finishing a Tai Chi form in the pouring rain!
“After work I usually stop by a park on the way home and practice my tai chi. It was a mixture of dark clouds and sunshine as I started my Yang long form. When I got to Brush Knee I felt the odd droplet of rain upon me.
Arriving at the first Wave Hands Like Clouds, it had become a very light, slightly warm shower. By the time I Hit my first Tiger, I found myself in a torrential downpour!
Closing my eyes to keep the water out, all I could hear was the rain falling, with the sounds of the odd bird calling out from the shelter of the woods. Even the squirrels ran for cover!
I had to really focus to not be distracted by the rain falling on me, dripping off my face. When I lost the slight bit of focus I could feel the chilling effects of the cool rain, but when the focus was regained, I felt quite comfortable. I must say that it was a wonderful experience, and felt quite invigorated afterwards!”
By Guy Tomash
Unfortunately Guy did not have a video to record this wonderful moment. Please enjoy the video below of David-Dorian Ross doing Chen Tai Chi Chuan during a tornado warning!
The Die-hard practitioners of Tai Chi Chuan will practice no matter what nature brings them!
In the movie “Calendar Girls” which stars Helen Mirren, we find Tai Chi being featured several times throughout the movie. The movie is about a group of older women who decide to raise money to fight cancer after one of the women’s husband dies from leukemia.
In the scenes that feature the Tai Chi, Helen Mirren leads her group of friends through their practice of the Yang style Tai Chi. The scenes were filmed on a grassy hill in the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire, England.
In the first scene of the movie we see the group of friends practising their Tai Chi. It is a little comical as Helen Mirren calls out incorrect names for the movements which her friends notice!
It is wonderful as an avid enthusiast of Tai Chi to see Tai Chi Chuan being featured in movies, TV shows, and commercials. Often we see the Tai Chi being performed in the background, but more times we are starting to see it being featured as part of the storyline with the one of the main characters practising this wonderful art!
Now you can watch Calendar Girls, just click the image below!
“Amongst White Clouds” is a beautifully filmed and an amazing look at the lives of the Buddhist Hermit Monks that live in the mountains of China. Follow one man as he travels to the Zhongnan Mountain range of China to seek out and learn more about the lives of these amazing hermit Monks.
Watch the trailer below!
This documentary was filmed on location in China, and was written and directed by Edward Burger, produced by Chad Pankewitz, and is a production of Cosmos Pictures from Canada.
Now you can own this wonderful documentary about the Buddhist Hermit Monks, and learn more about their lives and the amazing journey that was undertaken to film this story!
Check out the DVD below!
Stewie Griffin from the animated TV series “Family Guy” is seen practicing Tai Chi at the beginning of the episode “the Blind Side” from Season 11 which aired on January 15, 2012.
Enjoy watching Stewie practice Tai Chi in this video clip below!
While this show is not always politically correct and not everyone enjoys this type of Humor, this is a fine example of Tai Chi being used in TV and Movies.
It is nice to see that even traditional style Masters of Tai Chi Chuan like to have some fun This is Master (James) Fu Qing Quan taking time out of his serious training to perform a little Gangnam Style. He is the grandson of the famous Fu Zhong Wen of the Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan lineage.
Fu Qing Quan is a 6th generation master of the Yang family style of Tai Chi Chuan. His father is Fu Sheng Yuan, who he has assisted with teaching for many years. Fu Qing Quan was fortunate to study Tai Chi with Fu Zhong Wen from an early age and the influence of training with his grandfather can be seen in his movements.
Fu Qing Quan is now an excellent traditional teacher in his own right, and it is nice to see he also has a fun side as well!
