Taijiquan at the 2008 Olympics in China

[claudef]

Greetings to all of you,

Does anybody know for sure if there will be a taijiquan demonstration at the 2008 Olympic Games in China?

Thank you?

Claude

[GeneChing]

This one doesn't have the facts quite straight. Tai chi will not be an 'Olympic demonstration sport'. It may be demonstrated at the Olympic ceremonies and it will have a place in the Beijing Wushu Tournament 2008, but Olympic demonstration sport is a very specific status and tai chi did not earn that. See the OME thread for more. (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48855)


Tai Chi takes Borders, and Olympics, by storm. Softly (http://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/sport/Tai-Chi-takes-Borders-and.3534452.jp)
By Mark Entwistle
WHEN next year's Olympics unfold in China's capital city of Beijing, one of the new sports on show will be one of the world's most ancient physical disciplines; one being practised by an increasing number of Borderers.
Tai chi chuan is an 'internal' Chinese martial art often practised with the aim of promoting health and longevity.

Literally translated as 'supreme ultimate boxing', it is easily recognised from its slow-motion routines that people can be seen practising together every morning in parks around the world.

In recent times, particularly the last 20 years, the popularity of tai chi has blossomed, especially as a health activity among more elderly citizens, and the Borders has been no exception.

But next year, thanks to a universally agreed format for competition, tai chi will take its place as an Olympic demonstration sport.

And among the tai chi enthusiasts savouring the buzz from being in China during Olympic year will be a 40-strong party, including people from the Borders.

It will be led by Iain Naylor, head of the Hands of Light School, which now boasts around 300 students training in classes right across the region.

And last weekend in St Boswells, more than 40 Hands of Light students were treated to a special workshop and seminar by one of China's leading tai chi coaches.

For the past three years, Iain has been working with the Sport & Culture International Cooperation (Beijing) organisation and Master Chen Lei.

SCIC was founded to promote Chinese martial arts (wushu) and culture as part of the build-up to the 2008 games and Master Chen Lei is the leader of the SCIC.

The fortunate students attending Sunday's seminar were able to experience first-hand training with one of the activity's most important figures in China's preparations for the Olympics.

Iain explained further: "Master Chen Lei is one of the foremost and sought after instructors of his generation. He is only in the UK for 10 days and we were lucky enough to arrange two one-day seminars.

"He is an international-standard wushu referee and is often invited to the UK by the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts to referee national competitions.

"As a four-times Chinese national wushu champion, it is a great honour for the school to be able to offer our students such a rare opportunity to study with someone of this level.

"And this visit is part of our on-going links with China, promoting the martial arts as an Olympic event."

The Mandarin language can be 'romanized' (written in the English alphabet) in several different ways.

When it comes to tai chi chuan, to give it its full name, the name can also be romanized as 'taijiquan'– but don't be confused, it is the same tai chi being referred to!

Tai chi, or taiji, is considered a 'soft-style' martial art – an art applied with internal power – to differentiate it from the hard 'external' martial arts as exemplified by karate. There are five main classical 'family' styles of tai chi, plus a number of modern and hybrid variations. Tai chi training first and foremost involves learning solo routines, known as forms, and while it is probably typified by the slow-moving practice of these forms, many styles feature a second faster practice.

Traditional tai chi training also involves partner exercises known as pushing hands, and self-defence applications of the postures which make up the form.

Although a very effective martial art once mastered, it would be fair to say the majority of practitioners today are more interested in its health and mental welfare benefits than its combat qualities.

The philosophy of tai chi is that of yielding, rather than meeting force with force. Instead, students learn to meet incoming force with softness and 'stick' to it, then safely redirect it.

If performed correctly, achieving this balance in combat – and, by extension, in other areas of one's life as signified by the sport's swirling yin/yang symbol – is a primary goal of tai chi training.

Iain himself is a long-time practitioner, beginning his study almost three decades ago.

"I started studying tai chi in 1980, then founded the Hands of Light School when I started teaching in 1995," he explained to SouthernSport.

"Since then I have attended many workshops to develop my own tai chi skills, most importantly with (Taiwan-born] Dr Yang Jwing-Ming from the USA, the author of almost 50 books and videos on the subject.

"And, while wushu has been recognised by the International Olympic Committee as a sport for many years, this is the first time it will be an event in the Olympic Games.

"Because of the exercise and health benefits of tai chi, myself and other tutors of the school have been involved with many projects with the NHS and local authorities.

"We also do health in the workplace courses and work with local colleges and universities.

"The rapid popularity of tai chi in the last 10 years or so has led to the Hands of Light School growing so much that we now have 10 tutors working across Tayside and the Borders, teaching almost 1,000 students each week.

"Locally we teach from Eyemouth to Galashiels and from Jedburgh to Melrose covering most of east and central Borders."

Iain is now permanently based here in the Borders, living at Smailholm. His students practise the Cheng Man-Ch'ng style (a 37-step version of
the Yang style), the Yang style in its traditional long form, and two modern styles being the 24-step Beijing and the 42-step combined styles – and it is this latter style which will be used for competition next year in Beijing.

Some of the Borders students also get the chance to practise partner tai chi (dance of warrior), baguazhang – another internal martial art – and weapons forms, including the Shaolin staff form.
For the last three years, Iain has also been organising and running study trips for students to the Shaolin Epo school in Dengfeng city, in central China.

"We run groups to China each year for culture trips which include tai chi or kung fu training. Our next group goes at Easter next year and there are some people from the Borders going."

As well as in St Boswells, Iain and his fellow teachers hold classes across the Borders. He can be contacted on 07811 232862.

[GeneChing]

Not only won't Tai Chi be a demonstration sport at the 2007 Olympics, America did not qualify anyone for tai chi competition in the Wushu Tournament Beijing.


Olympic ideal wins over new fans (http://www.selkirkweekendadvertiser.co.uk/sport/Olympic-ideal-wins-over-new.3536250.jp)
By Mark Entwistle
WHEN next year's Olympics unfold in China's capital city of Beijing, one of the new sports on show will be very familiar to a growing number of Souters.
Tai chi chuan is an ‘internal’ Chinese martial art often practised with the aim of promoting health and longevity.

Literally translated as ‘supreme ultimate boxing’, it is easily recognised from the slow-motion routines that people can be seen practising together every morning in parks around the world.

In recent times, particularly the last 20 years, the popularity of tai chi has blossomed, especially as a health activity among more elderly citizens, and Selkirk and the rest of the Borders have been no exception.

But next year, thanks to a universally agreed format for competition, tai chi will take its place as an Olympic demonstration sport for the first time.

And among the tai chi enthusiasts savouring the buzz from being in China during Olympic year will be a 40-strong party, including people from the Borders.

It will be led by Iain Naylor, head of the Hands of Light School, which now boasts around 300 students training in classes right across the region.

Last weekend in St Boswells, more than 80 Hands of Light students, including a group from Selkirk, were treated to a special workshop and seminar by one of China’s leading tai chi coaches.

For the past three years, Iain has been working with the Sport & Culture International Cooperation (Beijing) organisation and Master Chen Lei.

SCIC was founded to promote Chinese martial arts (wushu) and culture as part of the build-up to the 2008 Games. Master Chen is the organisation’s leader.

The students attending Sunday’s seminar were able to experience first-hand training with one of the activity’s most important figures in China’s Olympic preparations.

Iain explained: “Master Chen Lei is one of the foremost and sought after instructors of his generation.

“He is an international-standard wushu referee and is often invited to the UK by the British Council for Chinese Martial Arts to referee national competitions. As a four-times Ch
inese national wushu champion, it is a great honour for the school to be able to offer our students such a rare opportunity to study with someone of this level.

“This visit is part of our ongoing links with China, promoting the martial art as an Olympic event.”

Selkirk resident Margaret Inglis has been attending the class in the royal burgh’s Victoria Halls for the last two years.

“Sunday’s visit by Master Chen was absolutely outstanding. It was a wonderful day and everyone really enjoyed themselves and learned something new,” she told The Wee Paper.

Margaret is one of 14 Selkirk students who are taught every Tuesday evening by Carol Emslie in the upper Victorial Hall on Tuesday evenings.

Tai chi, or taiji, is considered a ‘soft-style’ martial art – an art applied with internal power – to differentiate it from the hard ‘external’ martial arts as exemplified by karate.

[doug maverick]

Not only won't Tai Chi be a demonstration sport at the 2007 Olympics, America did not qualify anyone for tai chi competition in the Wushu Tournament Beijing.


if its not then why is this guy continuelly reporting this as fact.

[GLW]

Not surprising about the US not having anyone qualify. The US team selection has been titled against Taijiquan people from almost the beginning.

For a full blow by blow of this, talk to someone like Brandon Sugiyama.

It goes back to the selection rules. One time, they required a barehand, a short weapon, and a long weapon of all competitors...even thought the IWuF did not. At that time, there was 42 Taijiquan and jian...but there was no long weapon...meaning the Taijiquan person had to add staff, spear, or southern staff to their practice. Once, they were talking about taking a 3 part average of these scores...which by itself would put the Taijiquan person at a disadvantage since they were only doing the long weapon to satisfy the rules and it was not really their forte.

Then they were looking at a weapon, a barehand, and a two person set...that one didn't fly well because even the external folks did not have a Duei Lin set that would get their teammate in... Such a thing is easy for China - create a team, send all of the athletes to one place and have them train together....as opposed to the US - everyone flies to podunk for the Team Trials...or podunk south for Sanshou. Then the team is selected and they all fly home. A "Coach" for the team is named - and you are lucky if the coach knows the athletes' names..much less their faces or what they need to do to compete better. They all fly to the games...said coach gets the face of being the coach...blames the athletes real coach for any failings...and they all fly home.

Then the original proposed approach for the 2008 games submitted to the IOC pretty much relegated Taijiquan to a female only event.... go figure.

And they are surprised when Wushu doesn't make the cut as an official Olympic Event.....

[doug maverick]

taiji has plenty of long weapons in its repertoire taiji spear, staff and kwan do all come to mind.

[GLW]

True...but none of those is a recognized standardized IWuF routine.

They do have a fairly new (2 or 3 years old or so) Taiji spear routine but I am not sure if they allow if in the competitions.

Pretty much what you see in the Games is 42 Fist and 42 Jian with the additional moves like the jump kicks and single leg moves. There are the Yang, Chen, Sun, and Wu competition routines (personally, the Chen, Sun, and Wu ones are OK...the Yang one is not...so bad that Yang Zhenduo created his own for competitions) but you rarely see anyone do anything but th 42's.

I would love to see them add Guandao ....