The Art of Tai-Chi
Prof./Dr. Chia-ju Chang (Pronouns: she, her, her)
Meeting Time: Th 9:05AM - 10:45AM (100 min.)
Place: online
Office hours: T 2:30-3:30 or by arrangement
Office: BH 4107
Email: cchang@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Note: The best (only) way to contact me is by BC email. You can expect a reply within 24 hours.
The Art of Tai Chi is an introductory course that provides an overview of the history, philosophy, and culture of Tai Chi. As an introductory course, we begin with the precursor to Qigong: "daoyin" (to direct qi and stretch the body) exercises, an indigenous health maintenance method that can be traced back to around 2146 BC in China. The course consists of two main parts: theory and practice. The first part will be a lecture followed by a student-led discussion. The second part of the class will focus on daoyin exercises with warm-up and closing exercises (shougong). No previous knowledge in Tai Chi is required. Since this is an online course, we will focus on daoyin and qigong practice this semester. This class is the same as MVMT 1910.
(Passcode: 1234567)
Online Mind-Fasting or Zazen Circles:
T/Th: 7:30-9:00 pm
7:30-8:00 stretching exercise; 8:00-9:00 mind fasting
You can come for part of the session
Turn the camera on and mute your audio
Course materials:
Taiji/yinyang philosophy
Encyclopedia on Taoism edited by Fabrizio Pregadio
Daoyin (pp. 449-452)
Qi/Energy (pp. 971-972)
Taiji quan (pp. 1126-1128)
Common terms in Tai Chi / 太極拳常用語言
頭頂懸 - Head suspended (Imagine a string pulling your head upwards)
眼睛平視 - Eyes looking straight ahead (Maintain a soft and focused gaze)
舌頭舐上頷 - Tongue touching the roof of the mouth (Helps to connect the upper and lower body)
縮下巴 - Chin slightly tucked (Creates a more grounded posture)
沈肩 - Shoulders relaxed (Allow the shoulders to sink and relax)
垂肘 - Elbows hanging down (Maintain a natural angle in the elbows)
鬆腰 - Waist relaxed (The waist is the center of power)
落胯 - Hips lowered (Sinking the hips helps to root the body)
收尾膂 - Spine slightly rounded (A gentle curve in the spine helps with balance)
深蹲 - Deep squat (A fundamental stance in Tai Chi)
重心落腳底（湧泉穴） - Focus the weight on the soles of the feet (Yongquan point) (Imagine rooting into the earth)
提肛 - Lift the perineum (Engaging the pelvic floor muscles)
收小腹 - Abdomen drawn in (A gentle inward draw of the abdomen)
吸氣 - Inhale
吐氣 - Exhale
雙手上捧 - Both hands lifting up (A common starting position)
雙手交叉 - Hands crossing (A transition movement)
雙手交叉翻掌 - Hands crossing and flipping the palms (A change in energy direction)
提腳跟 - Lift the heels (Often used to shift weight)
移轉身體重心 - Shift body weight (Smooth transitions between stances)
𨒂伸 - Extend (Lengthening the body)
絞轉 - Twist (A spiral motion)
開闔 - Open and close (Expanding and contracting movements)
旋腕轉臂 - Rotate the wrists and arms (Circular movements)
壓掌 - Pressing palms (A downward force)
突掌 - Striking palms forward (A forward projection of energy)
舒指 - Fingers extended (Relaxed and spread fingers)
曲膝 - Bend the knees (A soft bend in the knees for cushioning)
雙腿併攏 - Legs together (A basic standing position)
旋腰 - Rotate the waist (The waist is the center of rotation)
轉脊椎 - Twist the spine (A spiral motion through the spine)
拉筋 - Stretch the tendons (Improving flexibility)
站椿 - Standing post (A static exercise for building root and stability)
丹田順式呼吸 - Natural breathing with the Dantian (Breathing deep into the abdomen)
丹田逆式呼吸 - Reverse breathing with the Dantian (A more advanced breathing technique)
Additional Notes:
Dantian: This is a concept in Chinese medicine referring to an energy center located in the lower abdomen.
Yongquan point: This is a pressure point on the sole of the foot.
Standing post: This is a static exercise where the practitioner holds a specific posture for an extended period.