Taichi Chuan, the Taichi martial art, originated in China a few hundred years ago, without any clue about the exact time of origin.
We cannot trace it back with exactitude more than three or four hundred years, in Chenjiagou, a village of Henan province (China), not far from Shaolin Temple.
Its origin being a mystery, we can assume that Taichi Chuan is the product of Chinese martial arts, probably developed by already highly skilled martial artists and blended with the three philosophies of China: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.
It became famous in China through the feats of masters whose efficiency in combat drew fame and respect — to the extent of being invited at the imperial court in Beijing to train guards and officials.
It is from this time that it gained its name Taichi Chuan and that its fame spread all over China and the Chinese communities abroad.
Nowadays the art of Taichi Chuan exists in various styles, the main five being:
Yang style
Wu style
Chen style
Sun style
Wu Hao style
Besides the family styles, it is also possible to differentiate between modern Wushu Taichi Chuan (competition style) and Traditional Taichi Chuan, as well as temple training where life is spent studying Taichi.