Supreme Ridgepole: Sūnlùtáng’s thoughts on Tàijíquán (Tai-Chi-Chuan)

Abstract

Slow, harmonious, meditative and “energetic” movements, combined with a perspective of use based on hand-fighting and traditional weapons, make Tàijíquán an unique oriental corporal body practice. Born in early nineteenth century China and consolidated in twentieth century’s first decades, Tàijíquán is a late Qing Dynasty sum of martial, corporal, cosmogonic, religious and historical Chinese elements. In this article, we investigate a fundamental element of Tàijíquán field: the denomination of the martial art. We search its cosmological and martial generative elements. In this way, our research has focused in Chinese Studies, historical documents and in a text published by Sūnlùtáng, founder of the “fifth classical school” of Tàijíquán and iconic figure of the Chinese martial scene.