What is the difference between Qigong, Tai Chi, and Kung Fu?
Tai Chi (also spelled/referred to as Taiji, Taijiquan, and Tai Chi Chuan) and Kung Fu (also called Gong Fu, and more recently WuShu) are both martial arts forms of Qigong. Tai Chi is a soft, or internal martial art whereas is Kung Fu considered a hard, or external, martial art form of Qigong. Qigong provides the foundational power, strength, focus, discipline, etc. for all of these martial arts practices (regardless of whether they are “hard” or “soft”) through manipulation and balancing of the body’s energy. Tai Chi started as a health practice and was so effective in developing internal power that it was adapted by some into the martial art Tai Chi Chuan. Now Tai Chi is once again becoming primarily a way for people, especially older adults, to take responsibility for their own health care. The health benefits of Qigong and Tai Chi are legion. The Qigong and Energy Medicine Database™ contains over 4000 Energy Medicine references, the majority of which involve Qigong. A particularly g
