02/10/2024
Differences between UK enthusiasts and Malaysian enthusiasts in Tai Chi Chuan from my personal observation.
Just happened at my class yesterday. A Lady entered my class, saw us doing push hands and left without asking or saying anything. We were busy with our push hands and before we could stop and ask, she has left.
Situations like this, enthusiasts asking if my class is involved in self-defence training, if it is 'yes', they will not join the class, without asking if it will benefit them health-wise.
People asking if we do qigong in our class. (This needs volumes to explain) Please visit my website:https://clstaichichuan.co.uk and Facebook:Tai Chi Chuan by LS Chng, for further information
People who have not done any Tai Chi before, coming in for the first time seeing some defence activities being practiced, disappear and never come back.
In Malaysia they just join in the class without asking whether it is for defence or for health.
Why is there the difference?
In the UK people are more exposed to other forms of exercises and many Self-invented 'Tai Chi'. which are more straight forward. Authentic Tai Chi is not simple to learn if you want to be really good, but it brings benefits with a rough knowledge but with regular practice. I advise people weak or strong to give it some time to really feel the benefits.
In Malaysia, enthusiasts are more exposed to the authentic Tai Chi Chuan and so they just come to join without having to ask if they are for health or for defence. They already know that if they come in for health reasons they do the same forms as the self defence trainees do, except that the defence trainees do more training. They see people doing the set forms everywhere and so have a rough knowledge of how it should be done. There is no Tai Chi groups practicing unauthentic Tai Chi. If there is Tai Chi, it is mostly authentic set forms.
In the UK Tai Chi has been misunderstood because there are too many unauthentic Tai Chi groups teaching unauthentic forms with little knowledge of the real principles; with knowledge of only some of the forms. It has therefore weakened the trust/belief/interest in the real Tai Chi Chuan.
So, those who have heard of the benefits of Tai Chi Chuan and are interested, please be clear what you are aiming for. Are you going for Tai Chi with proper principles or Tai Chi with one or two of the principles.
The research and experiences from more than 52 years of practise and more than 42 years of teaching CMC Tai Chi Chuan, has proven that Tai Chi Chuan has benefited many, but the rise of unauthentic Tai Chi Chuan is adding a negative effect/understanding/belief/interest in the art. Unauthentic Tai Chi should not be classified as Tai Chi Chuan and should not be accepted as members/instructors/ in Tai Chi organisations/associations/unions anywhere in the world. It is sad that Tai Chi Chuan, a precious treasure of the orient, sincerely taught out to the world, is allowed to be degraded to unauthentic levels. While we try to share the treasure with the world we should not allow the treasure to be tarnished/degraded by unintentional/innocent acts of destruction.
It is sad that such beneficial art is being shunned by needy people, people who would have benefited from the practice of the correct form of Tai Chi Chuan. While we try to reach out to help, innocent people are being deprived of this help by wrong information/knowledge about the art.
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