What is a T ai Chi form ?
A T ai Chi form is a specific sequence or series of movements; it can also mean a single movement. Although some movements may originate in the 13th century, the sequences currently practised were probably devised two or three hundred years ago. There are several styles, identified with different family lineages. The Yang style, developed by Yang Lu Chan in the 1800s, is one of the most widely taught. The original long form, sometimes called Standard T ai Chi Ch uan or ‘108 forms’, consists of three sections and takes about 25 minutes to perform. The short form, Simplified T ai Chi Ch uan or ’24 forms’, was devised in China in the 1950s, and takes around five minutes. The benefits of T ai Chi can be experienced as soon as one begins to learn, but most students find it takes at least six weeks to learn the short form, and a year to memorise the long form. To experience the full richness of the form can take several years of practice.
