Welcome to The China Tai Chi Guide!
Why learn Tai Chi in China?
- China is the 'mother' culture of Tai Chi.
- World Class Teachers are accessible there.
- You can train with them full time.
- And it's affordable for most Western people.
Whatever your reason for looking for a Tai Chi teacher in China, whether for your health or spiritual development or simply a desire to progress in what is perhaps the ultimate martial art, I wish you good luck!
What do you really need to learn Tai Chi well?
- Personalised instruction from top class teachers with years of teaching experience.
Look through this site. There are some amazing teachers listed here :
Chen Zhao Sen, Chen Zi Qiang, Zhu Tian Cai, Chen Bing, Yang Zhi Fang, Zhao You Bin.Why not train with them?
- A quiet, beautiful environment with good Chi and enough personal space to relax.
Ideally yes - it really helps. A good teacher will have a reasonable environment to train in. Chinese parks are often the best places. Chen Tai Chi though is often learnt with the aid of large mirrors and so you may learn best inside.
- Lots of practice time with no distractions, to really let go, explore your personal reality and grow.
This for me, is one of the really important benefits of training in China. It can be a great opportunity for reflection.
- A beautiful area to live in, with good hotels and restaurants at very affordable prices.
Yangshuo and a few other places in China provide this. Others are more spartan at best such as Chen Jia Gou, or 'intense' at worst if you choose a Chinese city. But every environment has its pluses and minuses.
- Tai Chi training at an affordable price
Prices are not too high still. About 4000 Yuan can pay for a month's training with full board in a good school, but you'll find that teachers in the parks will charge much less.
What qualities do you need to learn Tai Chi in China?
- The maturity, self-discipline and dedication to work hard towards your goals.
Tai Chi does not come easy. High level teachers won't pamper you. You learn step by step and practice in between, hour after hour. Self-motivation is everything. But it comes naturally when you start to appreciate the path you've chosen. Good schools will have assistant teachers to guide beginners and it can be good fun as well as hard work.
- Time and patience
Time and patience are rare qualities but we can all allow ourselves to have them if we so choose. Patience is about letting go of goals and valueing instead the small things of each moment, being humble, a beginner.
- A reasonable level of physical and mental health
Yang Tai Chi in particular is suitable for most people, even as a recovery regime after heart or other issues, but there are always things to take into account. Your body should know best, so follow it. If tired, rest. If your knees hurt, back off and see if you are doing too much or practising incorrectly.
Living alone in any alien environment can be stressful for some people. If you are concerned, travel with a friend, or choose somewhere easy like Yangshuo to start off.
- A basic level of Chinese.
You don't need much Chinese language to function in China, especially in Yangshuo, but for the other areas it does help, as few people speak English still, including Tai Chi teachers. Don't be put off by this, the people are generally extremely friendly and helpful and you can learn along the way. But consider a short Chinese introductory course before flying out.
All things are possible with time and effort.
So why not learn Tai Chi in China...