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Taiji boxing applies for world heritage

BEIJING, June 2 -- The establishment of the Jiaozuo Chenjiagou Taijiquan Research Institute signified that China's Taijinquan (also called shadow boxing in the West) has started its application to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as part of the world's intangible cultural heritage.

More than 300 years ago, Chen Wangting, a resident of Wen County's Chenjiagou in Henan's Jiaozuo, used the foundation of his family's boxing style and in accordance with the Yin/Yang interchange theory of Taiji culture, combined Taoist teachings of breath control and Chinese medicine's knowledge on the theory of channels and collaterals, to compile a set of strong/soft and fast/slow style of boxing and named it "Taijiquan". Taijinquan has deep inner strength and content and encompasses many sources of knowledge. It deeply reflects the roots of Chinese traditions in philosophy, healthy living, medicine and esthetics. It is the crystallization of several thousand years of brilliant Chinese culture.

In recent years, Jiaozuo has successfully hosted seven International Taijquan Annual Conferences. Each annual event has attracted numerous Taiji lovers from all over the world to attend and compete.

The International Wushu Federation decided in July 2000 to name the month of May each year as "World Taiji Month". At present, Taijiquan is being practised in more than 100 countries and regions. More than 70 countries and regions have set up Taijiquan associations. Those practising Taijiquan number 150 million and Taijiquan can truly be called the world's first martial arts exercise.