History and Characteristics of Qingcheng Tai Chi

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

3. Contemporary Transmission: In 1997, Yu Guoxiong, the 35th generation headmaster of the Qingcheng School, 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, six dynamic forms, and six standing forms, making it more suitable for modern practitioners.

Common Characteristics of Tai Chi: The core commonality lies in the Taoist principle of Yin - Yang balance, following the principles of "relaxation, stillness, roundness, and softness," while also considering both health and martial arts attributes. Specific commonalities can be divided into four core dimensions:

I. Consistent Core Concepts

1. Both originate from Taoist thought, with "Yin - Yang transformation" as their core, emphasizing the balance of softness and hardness, and the interplay of emptiness and fullness.

2. They follow the martial arts logic of "overcoming hardness with softness," "controlling movement with stillness," and "defeating speed with slowness," discouraging direct confrontation.

3. They pursue a state of "harmony," emphasizing the coordination of body and mind, and the unity of inner and outer, aligning with the traditional understanding of "the unity of heaven and man."

II. Shared Cultivation Principles

1. Both require "upright posture," maintaining a stable center of gravity and avoiding any deviation from the body—the fundamental posture of all Tai Chi.

2. They value "relaxation, stillness, and naturalness," relaxing muscles and mind, eliminating distracting thoughts, and achieving a state of physical relaxation with focused intention and the Qi sinking to the Dantian (lower abdomen).

3. They are inseparable from "the application of Qi." Regardless of school differences, they all emphasize the coordination of internal Qi with movement, guiding the flow of Qi and blood through breathing.

III. Common Movement Characteristics

1. All movements are fluid and continuous, without linear motion, mostly consisting of arcs and spirals, with smooth and uninterrupted transitions.

2. Emphasize clear distinction between emptiness and fullness; footwork and hand techniques involve shifts between emptiness and fullness, such as alternating weight distribution between the two feet to avoid double - weighting (both feet simultaneously bearing weight).

3. A balance of fast and slow rhythms; even slower routines (such as Yang style) have inherent rhythmic variations, not uniform mechanical movements.

IV. Unity of Dual Attributes

Both possess the dual value of "health preservation" and "combat." Health preservation focuses on regulating the mind and body, strengthening health; combat follows the logic of "striking after the opponent has struck" and "using the opponent's force against them."

Emphasis is placed on intention guiding movement, rather than simply physical exercise; emphasis is placed on the coordinated coordination of mind, intention, qi, and form.