Taijiquan is an ancient Chinese discipline of movement which hepls to develop inner energy and stimulates its free flow in all the body.



Its practice mainly consists in performing a series of slow and circular movements which remind a silent dance, but in fact they mime the fight with an imaginary opponent.



This continuous sequence of movements aims to guide blood circulation so that tissues in every part of the body can benefit by it. Furthermore movements leading breath in and out lungs assure a bigger quantity of oxygen, that nourishes and gives energy to our organism, to be taken.


Mind must be relaxed but attentive, consciously commanding body to combine strenght and kindness, eleminating contractions and rigidity so that movement is calm and body is solid and strong.


In fact Taijiquan, at first self - defence discipline (Taijiquan = Fist of Supreme Energy), as centuries went by turned into a refined exercise for health and into both mental and physical well-being.

Historical origins of Taijiquan are not precise and mingled with myth and legend. Il would have been a daoist monk of the 13. Century, Chang San Feng, the one who gathered the techniques of this art (also known as "the dance of life") which go back to the beginning of Chinese civilization:
- Self-defence and daoist meditation techniques ;
- Respiration techniques (Qi Gong = work on energy);
- the ancient therapeutic exercises of the Yellow Emperor (Dao Yin);
The philosophy of "I Ching", the principles of Dao and the theory of five elements upon which traditional Chinese medicine in based. As centuries went by different style of Taijiquan, named after the families who elaborated them, have been worked out. Nowadays the most famous and widespread , even in western countries, is Yang style codified in the early 1800 by Master Yang Lu-Chang.

Both in China and in the United States Taijiquan and Qi Gong have been introduced in some hospitals in which it turned out that the practice of these techniques improves the operation of cardio-vascular system, endocrine one and pulmonary one and is also good for sight -, nervous system - and psycho - motorious troubles. Taijiquan has been used to cure some pathologies typical to old age such as: arthrosis, lumbar sciatica, discal hernias, hearth troubles, insomnia, essential hipertension; moreover it is used as a technique for a painless delivery and as an antistress technique.

Taijiquan's techniques can be applied to many different fields: Taijiquan, besides for psycho
- motorious recovery, is suitable for psycho
- physical preparation of actors and dancers, other martial arts practisers and sportsmen.

In the grottaglie center a group of practical is already active, with biweekly frequency:

Instructors:

Carlo Caprino
Student of Master Maistrello, and of Master To Yu

Cosima Ciraci, student of Carlo Caprino, and of Master Maistrello and of Master Li Xiao Ming