Qingcheng Tai Chi

Introduction to Qingcheng Tai Chi:

1. Qingcheng Tai Chi has spread to over 80 countries worldwide, with more than 1 million practitioners, becoming a cultural brand with international influence.

2. In 2012, Qingcheng Tai Chi landed on the Antarctic continent, leaving its mark as a Chinese martial art in Paradise Bay and Cufferville Island.

3. Qingcheng Tai Chi has been included in the "Chinese Martial Arts Showcase Project" and "Chinese Martial Arts Collection," and is listed in the "Encyclopedia of Chinese Tai Chi Chuan."

The core characteristics of Qingcheng Tai Chi can be summarized as: a mystery, health - preserving Tai Chi that integrates Taoism and martial arts, also known as Water Fist, with "finger - guided Qi, and softness and strength like water" as its core, making it highly adaptable to various conditions.

I. Historical Origins and Heritage

1. History: Qingcheng Tai Chi is closely linked to the Taoist culture of Qingcheng Mountain. It is said to have originated during the Eastern Han Dynasty when Zhang Daoling founded the Five Pecks of Rice sect on Qingcheng Mountain, and has been passed down for over a thousand years.

2. Inheritance Method: It has long adhered to the ancient precept of "single - line secret Inheritance," passing down only among the headmasters and remaining a closely guarded secret.

3. Contemporary Inheritance: In 1997, Yu Guoxiong, the 35th generation headmaster of the Qingcheng Sect, passed on Qingcheng Tai Chi to his disciple Liu Suibin (the current 36th generation headmaster).

4. Modern Promotion: Since 2004, Liu Suibin has simplified traditional Qingcheng Tai Chi into 24 forms, 18 forms, 13 forms, 9 forms, 6 dynamic forms, and 6 standing forms, making it more suitable for modern practitioners.

II. Qingcheng Tai Chi Movements are Significantly Different from Other Tai Chi Styles:

Features Detailed Explanation

· Reverse Regulation: It does not emphasize starting from the heels, but rather focuses on the form in the fingers, using finger movements to activate the meridians throughout the body, achieving externally invigorating the limbs, internally activating the meridians. Like water, both soft and strong; softness has the power to float a boat, while strength has the power to capsize it, hence the name "Water Fist."

· Unique Hand Forms: Characterized by "hand seals," including single - finger contact, multi - finger contact, and fingertip overlap, these are secret health - preserving techniques passed down in Taoism.

· Body Movements: Shoulder elevation (distinct from the sinking shoulders of Chen - style Tai Chi), offering special therapeutic effects for frozen shoulder and cervical spondylosis.

· Movement Style: Relaxed and natural, light and graceful, expansive and generous, with high and low undulations, continuous flow, and explosive power.

· Cultivation Essence: "Slow" is the essence; through slow practice, one finds "stillness, relaxation, and tranquility" within the body.

III. Qingcheng Tai Chi primarily aims to prolong life, unlike other Tai Chi styles which are mainly focused on physical fitness or self - defense.

IV. Other Tai Chi styles largely originate from Central Plains martial arts traditions (such as Chen and Yang styles from Henan), with their core being the universal Taoist concept of Yin - Yang balance, lacking strict religious secret attributes. Qingcheng Tai Chi, however, is rooted in the Taoist culture of Qingcheng Mountain, representing the secret techniques of the Qingcheng School. It incorporates Taoist "hand seals" and "internal energy cultivation," emphasizing the "unity of Tao and martial arts." Historically, it was passed down secretly to a single person, carrying a strong Taoist flavor.

Key Characteristics (4 Core Points)

· Cultural Background: Secretly transmitted by Qingcheng Taoism, incorporating Taoist hand seals and internal energy cultivation, inherently possessing the Taoist gene of "Taoist and martial arts integration."

· Movement Logic: Utilizing "finger - driven meridian regulation" for reverse adjustment, with raised but not sunk shoulders, and hand shapes largely based on Taoist hand seals, distinguishing it from traditional Tai Chi's torso - driven, sunk shoulder, and dropped elbow movements.

· Qingcheng Style:Known as "Water Fist," its movements are as fluid as water, sometimes floating, sometimes capsizing. The movements are light, graceful, and exhibit distinct rises and falls.

· Health and Wellness Positioning:Specifically targeted at various groups, including those with neck and shoulder pain, diabetes, and pregnant women.