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TAIJIQUAN DEVELOPMENT
During the last Fithy years
Written by Dick Watson

Taijiquan is a major division of the traditional Chinese Wushu and has a recorded history of some three hundred years. During the early 1950's the State Commission for Physical Culture and Sports of China published the simplified set of Taiji Boxing consisting of 24 Forms.

This simplified form has gained widespread popularity both in China and abroad. The first English publication appeared in 1980. The 24 Step was devised as an introduction to the art and can be seen as a stepping stone for those wishing to pursue more difficult and strenuous routines. After the simplified 24 Steps the 32 Sword Form was choreographed. Both routines were taken from the Yang Style Taijiquan. Later the complete Yang Form was presented as the 88 Forms Taijiquan. Again based on Yang Style, it preserves the order of the traditional Taijiquan movements, while expressing the character of the Yang Style. Special attention was paid to collecting and assessing these materials which were to be evaluated and verified by a committee of Taijiquan masters and coaches with Li Tian-Ji as their chairman. Because of the ancient tradition of handing down martial arts from master to pupil in the manner of word of mouth and personal presentation, literary sources and teaching materials are scarce. Much of this information is scattered widespread throughout China. The famous masters of the early 20th century have passed away, leaving a legacy of unrecorded history and facts.
The development in the second half of this century give practitioners a wide choice of traditional forms and more recently recorded, innovative sets to choose from. Moreover the new materials are aptly supported by video technology, photographic and written records to promote and sustain interest. There is no doubt that this progressive movement has fuelled the continuing worldwide interest in the arts of Chinese Wushu.

During the 1980's the 42 International Combined Competition Routine appeared. Embracing elements of four major styles - i.e. Cheng, Yang, Wu and Sun. Mainly based in the Yang Style and exhibiting a veneer of the Chen, Wu and Sun Style. This innovation took place alongside six other Wushu routines, namely, Nanquan, Changchuan, Jian, Dao, Gun, Qiang (Shortfist, Longfist, Double Edge Sword, Broad Sword, Cudgel and Spear).

China was granted host country to the Eleventh Asian Games and for the first time the National Sport of Wushu was to be included. This major sports event took place in 1990 in Beijing, with many hundreds of martial systems existing in China. To present a national competition the previously mentioned Seven Routines were prepared. The Asian Games attracted forty seven countries and is the biggest international competition in th sports calendar, second only to the Olympics.

The first World Wushu Championships took place in Beijing in 1991. Both of these events featured the New Routines. At the Third World Wushu Championships 53 countries attended the venue in Baltimore, USA, 1995. By this time the 42 Combined Taijiquan was established as the International Compulsory Routine.

In addition to the 42 Routine there is the 48 Combined Form. This was the first set to depart from the formula of the traditional routines, again based on the Yang Style but incorporating features from some other styles. It also includes Yun Shou (Cloud Hands) moving both to the left and right.

And lastly, during the 1980's, competition forms were prepared for the four major styles. These standardised forms are designed for a duration of six minutes. Traditional forms can last as long and longer than 20 minutes and the time factors made them unsuitable. The interest and participation in competitions has a growth worldwide both in audience and competitors.

Addendum
In 1999 China's Minister of Sport and president of the Internation Wushu Federation, Mr Wu Shaozu, successfully lobbied the International Oylimpic Committee into recognising Wushu as an Olympic Sport. Wushu, meaning Martial Art, includes Tai Chi and other Chinese Martial Arts, external and internal.