TAIQI

According to encyclopedia.com Taiqi is a Chinese exercise system that uses slow,

smooth body movements to achieve a state of relaxation of both body and mind. It provides
basic knowledge for self-defense. It is composed of several slow movements, each possess
different positions. It shows partially the kind of culture China has. I do not have any interest in
that dance for some reasons; first, will be the fact that I or should I say we are not masters and
familiar on that kind of dance. Frankly I do not agree on making it as a replacement in our final
exams because it is hard and very complicated. As I try to perform or execute the Tai qi dance I
won’t lie, it is indeed difficult. Thinking of the fact that we do not have a trainer and all we have
as basis is a video. Just by watching it, I felt really sleepy. It took me hours to comprehend the
video. Of course it is not without benefits. I felt inner peace and calmness. As if I’m one with
nature. The positions are repetive at first glance but when I paid close attention, it differs from
one after another. It requires focus and balance, especially on the last remaining figures. I
understand though that this dance is essential in our learning as foreign language students. It
teaches proper posture and movement with grace. Each figure accumulates a lot of time which
is enough for the performer to be aware of his/her movement and surroundings. The music is
somewhat slow and calming. As I go on through my practice, I learned that movements must be
precise or if not, it will result to imbalance and undesired results. With regards to working with
a group, one must cooperate and be watchful with each other’s movement and should not lose
focus on oneself, for it may hinder the flow of ideas for the next figure. It is beneficial to one’s
health and may be used as a form of art, exercise or merely for entertainment purposes. It gives
me an insight to the way of living of the Chinese people. As a continuation to my practice and
preparation for our performance, I noticed few things. One will be the idea that Taiqi is some
kind of dance that is used for meditation, characterized by its slow movement. Second is its
capacity to calm me from stress and relax my tensed body. Taiqi as stated in the medicine
net.com is a centuries –old Chinese martial Arts that descends from qigong, an ancient Chinese
discipline that has its roots in traditional Chinese medicine. It is believed that Taiqi can delay
aging, prolong life, increase flexibility, strengthen muscles and tendons, and aid in the
treatment of heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, digestive disorders, skin diseases,
depression, cancer and many other diseases. Unfortunately, there hasn’t be a good deal of
scientific evidence to support these claims. Gradually with little more practice we may be able
to fully understand Taiqi as a whole and its benefits for us students and for those who practice
it.
 I am overwhelmed of the fact that we are only required a minimum of 5 figures. Not just
because of the fact that it is hard to master or memorize but also because we are running out
of time. Anyway, Taiqi provided some positive results. As we practice, we develop a sense of
cooperation and teamwork. We enjoyed it a lot,