Tai Chi was taught to the Shaolin monks as an exercise.

that they were out of shape and needed exercise so they could stay awake during their meditations!

I have heard this nonsense so many times it is nauseating ….  And it is just plain wrong!

How can I say that when I wasn’t there?

Ok lets look at the FACTS .. we won’t get complicated but look as only a few (of many) non controversial facts.

1. The Monks did not live in a center of the city … they lived in an isolated area … can you guess why? .. but why isn’t as important as know they were outside of a culture center.

Guess what … in those days there were very few people to enforce the laws – at least outside of population centers  … meaning that the rule of the strongest or best trained was in force … can you say robbers?

1. Monks of that time had to raise their OWN FOOD … that meant a lot of work tilling and weeding and tending crops … they had no tractors … or servants

ANYONE that has lived on a farm – even a modern one will tell you that it is a lot of work … they were NOT out of shape!

So they WERE in shape and they needed to protect themselves and what they had – even their food! – From those that would harm them for many reasons – different beliefs, wanting their food or possessions – even possibly to make a point ---  SO If they were going to survive they needed ways to protect themselves!

Do you think a better way of defending themselves would be attractive? (redundant question)

So someone offering them a way to stay in shape would have been laughed out of the area … but someone one offering them an effective Martial art that no one in the area knew – even if it was complicated – would have and instant following (of course if they could prove it – which history proved they did )

SO the bottom line is that Tai Chi is and was a Martial art!   A very effective one!  Just complicated!  Which is why it was taught with slow movements!

This health nonsense came when people who had NO IDEA what they were doing noted that the slow movements could also be used as a form of meditation!  (but so can ANY slow repetitive movements … and there would be no reason for complicated movements if it was only for meditation!)

So making a (WAG) of what THEY thought Tai Chi was they pushed what they believed – without thinking it through or they would have known they were wrong – but then of course teaching anything brought in money!  It doesn’t matter if it is nonsense as long as it is sellable!  [unfortunately not a new development!]

But it is your choice … do you want to

SO if you REALLY want to learn Tai Chi … get an instructor that can teach you the martial arts meaning …

The rest of the folks (like my students say) are just waving hands like fools!

BTW Chen and Yang are not at all the same forms … and yang is a SUBSET of chen – not the other way around …

I will explain why that is PROVABLE (fact not opinion) later