How has tai chi affected Chinese culture?

Answer 1

The same way other styles of Kung Fu have, namely in that many myths and misconceptions have arisen surrounding it. Far as nonfiction, in China like here, Tai Chi is stereotyped as "old folk's exercises." Indeed in most parks around the world, most of the people you will see doing Tai Chi tend to be elderly, people like me, among others, are extremely rare (people in their 20's who do Tai Chi).

Tai Chi Chuan has become widespread in China, and although what is said to be the "Yang style" is practiced by millions across the world, only a minority of people practice the full Yang Long Form, and from that minority, an even smaller minority practice the applications and from that minority, even smaller stalle, practice it as an outright martial art. The main way it has affected Chinese culture, I would say, is the cliche in Chinese cities that "that man must have retired from his work; he's doing Tai Chi." In China, if a man is seen doing Tai Chi in a park, it is a surefire sign that he is retired. It has become cliche in China, that Tai Chi Chuan is the "retired man's martial art." Having nothing better to do, many Chinese retirees spend their day playing Go!, and doing Tai Chi.

Another effect of course are the "Neijia" internal Martial Arts novels. A particular genre, are all the Wudang styles. The most famous is "Crouching Tiger; Hidden Dragon" the style practiced by Li Mu Bai (Chow Yeung Fat's character), is in fact the Tai Chi sword, which specific style, it looked like the Yang, however likely it was probably the PRC's sports commission "synthesized" style which is in fact an amalgam of many different sword techniques drawn from various styles of Tai Chi, even a few exotic ones unknown in the west. The reason the martial artists in "Crouching Tiger; Hidden Dragon" seem to be able to "fly" when they jump, is because one of the things incredibly strong chi will do for a person, according to legend, is "make them so light, they can walk on water." When the chi is circulated strongly, and it circulates with potency, the person can jump great heights, and even stand on bamboo stalks as shown in the movie without crushing the stalk beneath their heel. All the "flying" stuff in that movie, was the effect of their chi. However in China it is considered a myth, even among the likes of Shaolin monks. Even though the Shaolin temple acknowledges the existence of Chi, and many do indeed do demonstrations showing what resiliency it can give the skin by resisting cuts, punctures, and blunt damage, even men or women capable of such feats will generally warn, not to take such legends too seriously. The reason that is is because there have been many tragedies surrounding people who deluded themselves into thinking that their chi had given them supernatural ability.